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So far, the physiological and molecular mechanisms of the impact of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (AMF) on Cd absorption, transport and detoxification in Ipomoea aquatica (water spinach) are still unclear. In the present study, a pot experiment was performed to investigate the impact of AMF-Glomus versiforme (Gv) on the photosynthetic characteristics, Cd uptake, antioxidative system and transcriptome in water spinach in the soils supplemented with 5 mg Cd kg−1. Gv inoculation improved significantly the photosynthetic characteristics and growth of water spinach. Furthermore, Gv colonization significantly promoted the activities of catalase (CAT), peroxidase (POD) and glutathione reductase (GR), contents of glutathione (GSH) and ascorbic acid (AsA), and the total antioxidant capacity (TCA), but decreased malondialdehyde (MDA) content in water spinach. In addition, Gv inoculation significantly increased pH in rhizosphere soils and decreased the Cd concentrations and uptakes in water spinach. Importantly, 2670 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were screened in water spinach root colonized with Gv in 5 mg Cd kg−1 soil, of which 2008 DEGs were upregulated and 662 DEGs were downregulated. Especially, the expression levels of POD, CAT, GR, dehydroascorbate reductase 2 (DHAR2), glutathione S-transferase U8 (GSTU8) and glutathione synthetase (GSHS) and cytochrome P450 (Cyt P450) genes were significantly up-regulated in water spinach inoculated with Gv. Meanwhile, the plant cadmium resistance protein 2 (PCR2), metal tolerance protein 4 (MTP4), ATP-binding cassette transporter C family member (ABCC), ABC-yeast cadmium factor 1 (ABC-YCF1) and metallothionein (MT) genes were also up-regulated in mycorrhizal water spinach. Our results firstly elucidated the mechanism by which AMF reduced the uptake and phytotoxicity of Cd in water spinach through a transcriptome analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with hematologic malignancies (HMs) are at a significantly higher risk of contracting COVID-19 and experiencing severe outcomes compared to individuals without HMs. This heightened risk is influenced by various factors, including the underlying malignancy, immunosuppressive treatments, and patient-related factors. Notably, immunosuppressive regimens commonly used for HM treatment can lead to the depletion of B cells and T cells, which is associated with increased COVID-19-related complications and mortality in these patients. As the pandemic transitions into an endemic state, it remains crucial to acknowledge and address the ongoing risk for individuals with HMs. In this review, we aim to summarize the current evidence to enhance our understanding of the impact of HMs on COVID-19 risks and outcomes, identify particularly vulnerable individuals, and emphasize the need for specialized clinical attention and management. Furthermore, the impaired immune response to COVID-19 vaccination observed in these patients underscores the importance of implementing additional mitigation strategies. This may include targeted prophylaxis and treatment with antivirals and monoclonal antibodies as indicated. To provide practical guidance and considerations, we present two illustrative cases to highlight the real-life challenges faced by physicians caring for patients with HMs, emphasizing the need for individualized management based on disease severity, type, and the unique circumstances of each patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to explore a method for modifying waste brick powder (WBP) in order to reapply it to rubber products for effective resource recycling. Firstly, we use the auto polymerization of catechol/polyamine (CPA) on the surface of WBP to form a poly catechol/polyamine (PCPA) coating as an intermediate reaction platform. And then the macromolecular modifier, epoxy-functionalized elastomer (ethylene vinyl acetate-glycidyl methacrylate terpolymer) (EVMG), is further grafted onto the PCPA coating to prepare the WBP@EVMG hybrid materials. During the preparation of the WBP@EVMG hybrid materials, a ring-opening reaction between the amine group of PCPA and the epoxy group of EVMG occurs. The NR/WBP@EVMG composites are prepared by mechanical blending. The interfacial interactions between WBP@EVMG and NR are analyzed and verified in detail by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and rubber process analyzer (RPA). It is shown that the modified NR/WBP composites show increased vulcanization rate and better mechanical properties, and the tensile strength, abrasion resistance, cracking strength, and wet slip resistance of NR/WBP@EVMG-15 are increased by 29%, 6%, 16%, and 11%, respectively, compared with that of NR/WBP composites, which provides a unique idea for the reuse of waste brick powder in rubber. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the domain of high-performance engineering polymers, the enhancement of mechanical flexibility in poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) resins has long posed a significant challenge. A novel molecular structure, designated as PP-He-IS, wherein imide rings and an aliphatic hexylene chain are covalently incorporated into the PPS backbone to enhance its flexibility, is introduced in this study. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are employed to systematically explore the effects of diversifying the backbone chain structures by substituting phenyl units with alkyl chains of varying lengths, referred to as PP-A-IS where "A" signifies the distinct intermediary alkyl chain configurations. Computational analyses reveal a discernable decrement in the glass transition temperature (Tg) and elastic modulus, counterbalanced by an increment in yield strength as the alkyl chain length is extended. Notably, the PP-He-IS variant is shown to exhibit superior yield strength while simultaneously maintaining reduced elastic modulus and Tg values, positioning it as an advantageous candidate for flexible PPS applications. Mesoscopic analyses further indicate that structures such as PP-He-IS, PP-Pe-IS, and PP-Bu-IS manifest remarkable flexibility, attributable to the presence of freely rotatable carbon-carbon single bonds. Experimental validation confirms that a melting temperature of 504 K which is lower than that of conventional PPS, and lower crystallinity are exhibited by PP-He-IS, thereby affording enhanced processability without compromising inherent thermal stability. Novel insights into the strategic modification of PPS for mechanical flexibility are thus furnished by this study, which also accentuates the pivotal role played by molecular dynamics simulations in spearheading high-throughput investigations in polymer material modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To develop a computed tomography (CT) radiomics-based interpretable machine learning (ML) model to predict the pathological grade of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (pNETs) in a non-invasive manner. Methods: Patients with pNETs who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominal CT between 2010 and 2022 were included in this retrospective study. Radiomics features were extracted, and five radiomics-based ML models, namely logistic regression (LR), random forest (RF), support vector machine (SVM), XGBoost, and GaussianNB, were developed. The performance of these models was evaluated using a time-independent testing set, and metrics such as sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, and the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) were calculated. The accuracy of the radiomics model was compared to that of needle biopsy. The Shapley Additive Explanation (SHAP) tool and the correlation between radiomics and biological features were employed to explore the interpretability of the model. Results: A total of 122 patients (mean age: 50 ± 14 years; 53 male) were included in the training set, whereas 100 patients (mean age: 48 ± 13 years; 50 male) were included in the testing set. The AUCs for LR, SVM, RF, XGBoost, and GaussianNB were 0.758, 0.742, 0.779, 0.744, and 0.745, respectively, with corresponding accuracies of 73.0%, 70.0%, 77.0%, 71.9%, and 72.9%. The SHAP tool identified two features of the venous phase as the most significant, which showed significant differences among the Ki-67 index or mitotic count subgroups (p < 0.001). Conclusions: An interpretable radiomics-based RF model can effectively differentiate between G1 and G2/3 of pNETs, demonstrating favorable interpretability. Clinical relevance statement: The radiomics-based interpretable model developed in this study has significant clinical relevance as it offers a non-invasive method for assessing the pathological grade of pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors and holds promise as an important complementary tool to traditional tissue biopsy. Key Points: • A radiomics-based interpretable model was developed to predict the pathological grade of pNETs and compared with preoperative needle biopsy in terms of accuracy. • The model, based on CT radiomics, demonstrated favorable interpretability. • The radiomics model holds potential as a valuable complementary technique to preoperative needle biopsy; however, it should not be considered a replacement for biopsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Soil metabolites have a great influence on regulating the growth and development of plants and microbes in forest ecosystems. This study aims to reveal the characteristic metabolite profiles and their enriched metabolic pathways in the rhizosphere soil of Masson pine plantations at three different ages. Method: The rhizosphere soil of Masson pine from 10, 31, and 52 years plantation was collected. The metabolites were analyzed using a soil pseudotargeted metabolomics approach and then the relationships between soil metabolites and chemical properties, enzyme activities were established. Results: A total of 172 rhizosphere soil metabolites in 26 classes were identified. There was a decreasing trend in the total concentration of rhizosphere soil metabolites with increasing stand age. Seventy-two characteristic metabolites were screened, mainly saccharides, fatty acids, amino acids, phenolic acids, polyols and terpenoids. Among them, benzoic acid and galactonic acid contributed the most to the young forest, and stearic acid had the greatest influence on the near-mature forest plantation. Erythritol had great effects on the mature forest plantation. Seven metabolic pathways changed with increasing stand age. Correlation analysis showed that available potassium (AK) and soil alkaline protease (S-ALPT) were significantly positively correlated with phenolic acids, polyhydroxy carboxylic acids, etc. Conclusion: The rhizosphere soil of Masson pine had different metabolite profiles at different developmental stages, and the soil nutrient pools were effectively improved. These results provide a reference for plantation management in Masson pine and a deeper understanding of forest metabolic characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work reported an AIE fluorescent probe for tumor imaging based on the pH induced self-assembly strategy. The fluorescent probe was composed of an acid-responsive soluble copolymer PEG-b-PAMA-DMMA with a maleic acid amide group and an anionic soluble aggregation-induced emission fluorogen (AIEgen) TPE-2SO3−. The polymer could be transformed into a protonated amine-containing polymer after the hydrolysis of maleic acid amide in acidic tumor microenvironment, which would be further self-assembled with TPE-2SO3− to form aggregated nanoparticles. The transition of TPE-2SO3− from dispersed state to aggregated state led to an obvious increase in fluorescence intensity due to its AIE characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The perturbations of the gut microbiota and metabolites are closely associated with the progression of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). However, inconsistent findings across studies impede a comprehensive understanding of their roles in IBD and their potential as reliable diagnostic biomarkers. To address this challenge, here we comprehensively analyze 9 metagenomic and 4 metabolomics cohorts of IBD from different populations. Through cross-cohort integrative analysis (CCIA), we identify a consistent characteristic of commensal gut microbiota. Especially, three bacteria, namely Asaccharobacter celatus, Gemmiger formicilis, and Erysipelatoclostridium ramosum, which are rarely reported in IBD. Metagenomic functional analysis reveals that essential gene of Two-component system pathway, linked to fecal calprotectin, are implicated in IBD. Metabolomics analysis shows 36 identified metabolites with significant differences, while the roles of these metabolites in IBD are still unknown. To further elucidate the relationship between gut microbiota and metabolites, we construct multi-omics biological correlation (MOBC) maps, which highlights gut microbial biotransformation deficiencies and significant alterations in aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases. Finally, we identify multi-omics biomarkers for IBD diagnosis, validated across multiple global cohorts (AUROC values ranging from 0.92 to 0.98). Our results offer valuable insights and a significant resource for developing mechanistic hypotheses on host-microbiome interactions in IBD. Gut microbiota play pivotal roles in IBD. Here, Ning et al. use a multi-omics approach to characterize gut microbiota and metabolites alterations, and potential pathogenic bacteria associated with IBD, with the aim to help develop more precise biomarkers for IBD diagnosis and drug targets [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rock bridges are commonly encountered in incipiently jointed rock masses and rock engineering practices, which play a significant role in the stabilization of rock masses. Although the effect of joint length, as a key influence factor on mechanical properties of rock bridges, has been extensively studied, the influence of joint dip angle and aperture on fractured rock properties has rarely been investigated. In this study, we carried out an investigation on a new conceptual model of fractured rock bridges, based on the evaluation of a pre-existing transfixion joint in the middle and two rock bridges of equal length on both sides. The specimens with four different joint dip angles and apertures were investigated using uniaxial compression-shear experiments, in which the surface deformation was monitored by the particle image velocimetry (PIV) method. The experimental results demonstrated that the maximum failure load of rock bridges decreased as the joint aperture and dip angle increased, and can be described using a linear and a first-order exponential decay functions, respectively. The rock bridge failure along the projection line of the pre-existing transfixion joint, a dense displacement contours region, was formed along with the formation of new fractures. It was found that the tensile failure effect increases as the aperture increases, and compression failure effect increases with the fracture dip angle decrease. A new method to test rock cohesive c and internal friction angle φ is also provided based on the new conceptual model of artificial rock bridges. The present study helps improve our knowledge of the effect of rock bridges and will contribute to the development of shear strength criteria and test methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reducing the cost and improving the electrocatalytic activity are the key to developing high efficiency electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Here, bimetallic NiFe-based metal-organic framework (MOF) was prepared by solvothermal method, and then used as precursor to prepare NiFe-based MOF-derived materials by pyrolysis. The effects of different metal ratios and pyrolysis temperatures on the sample structure and OER electrocatalytic performance were investigated and compared. The experimental results showed that when the metal molar ratio was Fe: Ni = 1:5 and the pyrolysis temperature was 450°C, the sample (FeNi5-MOF-450) exhibits a composite structure of NiFe2O4/FeNi3/C and owns the superior electrocatalytic activity in OER. When the current density is 100 mA·cm−2, the overpotential of the sample was 377 mV with Tafel slope of 56.2 mV·dec−1, which indicates that FeNi5-MOF-450 exhibits superior electrocatalytic performance than the commercial RuO2. Moreover, the long-term stability of FeNi5-MOF-450 further promotes its development in OER. This work demonstrated that the regulatory methods such as component optimization can effectively improve the OER catalytic performance of NiFe-based MOF-derived materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The evidence about the effect of non-essential metal mixture on fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels among older adults without diabetes is limited. This study aims to estimate the individual and joint relationship between five non-essential metals and FPG levels in Chinese older adults without diabetes. This study included 2362 older adults without diabetes. Urinary concentrations of five non-essential metals, i.e., cesium (Cs), aluminum (Al), thallium (Tl), cadmium (Cd), and arsenic (As), were detected by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The associations of single metals and the metal mixture with FPG levels were assessed using linear regression and Bayesian kernel machine regression (BKMR) models, respectively. Adjusted single-metal linear regression models showed positive associations of urinary Al (β = 0.016, 95%CI: 0.001–0.030) and Cs (β = 0.018, 95%CI: 0.006–0.031) with FPG levels. When comparing the 2th, 3th, and 4th quartiles of urine Cs to its 1th quartile, the significant associations between Cs and FPG levels were found and presented as an "inverted U" trend (βQ2 vs. Q1: 0.034; βQ3 vs. Q1:0.054; βQ4 vs. Q1: 0.040; all P<0.05). BKMR analyses showed urinary level of Cs exhibited an "inverted U" shape association with FPG levels. Moreover, the FPG levels increased linearly with the raised levels of the non-essential metal mixture, and the posterior inclusion probability (PIP) of Cs was the highest (0.92). Potential positive interaction of As and Cs on FPG levels was found in BKMR model. Stratified analysis displayed significant interactions of hyperlipidemia and urine Cs or Tl on FPG levels. An inverse U-shaped association between Cs and FPG was found, individually and as mixture. The FPG levels increased with the raised levels of the non-essential metal mixture, and Cs was the most contributor to FPG levels. Further research is required to confirm the correlation between non-essential metals and FPG levels and to clarify the underlying mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing novel catalysts is key to solving many energy and environmental challenges. Despite the promise that data science approaches, including machine learning (ML), can accelerate the development of catalysts, truly novel catalysts have rarely been discovered through ML approaches because of one of its most common limitations and criticisms—the assumed inability to extrapolate and identify extraordinary materials. Herein, we demonstrate an extrapolative ML approach to develop new multi-elemental reverse water-gas shift catalysts. Using 45 catalysts as the initial data points and performing 44 cycles of the closed loop discovery system (ML prediction + experiment), we experimentally tested a total of 300 catalysts and identified more than 100 catalysts with superior activity compared to those of the previously reported high-performance catalysts. The composition of the optimal catalyst discovered was Pt(3)/Rb(1)-Ba(1)-Mo(0.6)-Nb(0.2)/TiO2. Notably, niobium (Nb) was not included in the original dataset, and the catalyst composition identified was not predictable even by human experts. Despite the promise that machine learning (ML) can accelerate catalyst development, truly novel catalysts are challenging to find through ML approaches because of their inability to extrapolate. Here, the authors show an extrapolative ML approach to develop new multi-elemental catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was designed to investigate the efficacy and prognostic factors for immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) combined with or without radio(chemo)therapy and to evaluate their toxicity in patients with locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (LA/RM ESCC). Methods: In this study, 198 patients with locally advanced or recurrent/metastatic (LA/RM) ESCC who received ICIs combined with or without radiotherapy/chemotherapy in the Department of Radiotherapy of the Fourth Hospital of Hebei Medical University were retrospectively analyzed. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the prognostic factors for overall survival (OS) and progression free survival (PFS). The factors affecting treatment response and the occurrences of treatment-related adverse events (trAEs) were analyzed. Results: The median OS and PFS were 30.4 months (95% confidence interval [CI] 15.1–45.7 months) and 15.3 months (95% CI 12.8–17.8 months), respectively. Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that the number of ICI cycles, the intervention of radiotherapy and dysphagia were independent factors affecting OS (Hazard ratio [HR] = 0.39, 2.043 and 0.365, respectively; P = 0.018, 0.001 and 0.032, respectively). The intervention of radiotherapy was an independent factor for PFS (hazard ratio [HR] = 18.149, P = 0.013). The median OS and PFS for patients who had complete response and partial response (Objective response, ORR) were 50.8 months (95% CI 25.8–75.7 months) and 20.5 months (95% CI 14.1–27.0), respectively, which were significantly higher than those in the non-ORR group (OSnon-ORR:17.5 months, 95% CI 14.0–21.0; χ2 = 13.881, P < 0.001; PFSnon-ORR: 12.1 months, 95% CI 10.1–14.1, χ2 = 10.676, P = 0.001). The intervention of radiotherapy could improve treatment response (χ2 = 47.725, P = 0.000). In entire study population, 83 patients (41.9%) had ≥ grade 2 trAEs. Conclusions: ICIs combined with radiotherapy/chemotherapy are safe and effective in LA/RM ESCC patients. Intervention of radiotherapy, the number of immunotherapy cycles and occurrence of dysphagia affecting the overall survival of LR/RM ESCC patients. Intervention of radiotherapy was an independent prognosis factor for OS and PFS and associated with better treatment response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-performance electrocatalysts for oxygen evolution reaction (OER) are crucial for water splitting and metal-air batteries. Two-dimensional (2D) metal-organic framework (MOF) has become a new class of efficient OER electrocatalysts due to the rich coordination unsaturated metal nodes, large specific surface area, and adjustable structures. In addition, because inheriting the original microstructure of MOFs and having stronger chemical and mechanical stability, metal/alloy/oxide, metal sulfide/selenide/phosphide, and other compounds derived from 2D MOFs have also shown their unique OER catalytic ability. Here, we briefly introduced the existing reaction mechanism and evaluation parameters of catalyst performance of OER, introduced the synthesis methods and corresponding characterization techniques of 2D MOFs and their derivatives, and summarized the latest progress of 2D MOFs and their derivatives as OER catalysts. Finally, we put forward some views and suggestions on the existing problems hindering the development of 2D MOFs as OER for advancing the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Tubulointerstitial inflammation (TII) is a critical pathological feature of kidney disease leading to renal fibrosis, and its treatment remains a major clinical challenge. We sought to explore the role of quercetin, a potential exosomes inhibitor, in exosomes release and TII. Methods: The effects of quercetin on exosomes release and TII were examined by two TII mouse models: the unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) models and the LPS-induced mouse models. In vitro, exosomes-mediated crosstalk between tubular epithelial cells (TECs) and macrophages was performed to investigate the mechanisms by which quercetin inhibited exosomes and TII. Results: In this study, we found that exosomes-mediated crosstalk between TECs and macrophages contributed to the development of TII. In vitro, exosomes released from LPS-stimulated TECs induced increased expression of inflammatory cytokines and fibrotic markers in Raw264·7 cells and vice versa. Interestingly, heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) or Hsp90 proteins could control exosomes release from TECs and macrophages both in vivo and in vitro. Importantly, quercetin, a previously recognized heat shock protein inhibitor, could significantly reduce exosomes release in TII models by down-regulating Hsp70 or Hsp90. Quercetin abrogated exosomes-mediated intercellular communication, which attenuated TII and renal fibrosis accordingly. Conclusion: Quercetin could serve as a novel strategy for treatment of tubulointerstitial inflammation by inhibiting the exosomes-mediated crosstalk between tubules and macrophages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peritoneal metastasis is the leading cause of death for gastrointestinal cancers. The native and therapy-induced ascites ecosystems are not fully understood. Here, we characterize single-cell transcriptomes of 191,987 ascites cancer/immune cells from 35 patients with/without gastric cancer peritoneal metastasis (GCPM). During GCPM progression, an increase is seen of monocyte-like dendritic cells (DCs) that are pro-angiogenic with reduced antigen-presenting capacity and correlate with poor gastric cancer (GC) prognosis. We also describe the evolution of monocyte-like DCs and regulatory and proliferative T cells following therapy. Moreover, we track GC evolution, identifying high-plasticity GC clusters that exhibit a propensity to shift to a high-proliferative phenotype. Transitions occur via the recently described, autophagy-dependent plasticity program, paligenosis. Two autophagy-related genes (MARCKS and TXNIP) mark high-plasticity GC with poorer prognosis, and autophagy inhibitors induce apoptosis in patient-derived organoids. Our findings provide insights into the developmental trajectories of cancer/immune cells underlying GCPM progression and therapy resistance.Peritoneal metastasis is one of the most common forms of death for gastrointestinal cancers, however, its cell composition is incompletely understood. Here, the authors use single cell RNA-seq of peritoneal metastases from 35 patients and show diversity in immune cells, and plasticity in cancer cell phenotypes and autophagy related genes as biomarkers of prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We aimed to investigate whether parental and siblings' sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake had prospective impact on children's SSB consumption, and the potential sex difference in these associations. Methods: This study included a total of 904 children and their parents enrolled from 2004 to 2011 China Health and Nutrition Survey (CHNS) cohort study. SSB consumption information was estimated using a short dietary questionnaire and total energy intake was assessed with three-day 24-h dietary assessments at recruitment and follow-up surveys. Multivariate logistic or linear regression analyses were used to assess the association for SSB consumption between parents, siblings and children after adjusting for age, body mass index (BMI) z-score, household income and parental educational level. Results: In this study, a majority (87.6%) of children consumed SSB. Among them, the median consumption of SSB was 70.3 ml/day per capita and 205.4 ml/day per consumer. Parental SSB consumption was relevant to children's SSB consumption, and this association was more pronounced in boys than in girls. Meanwhile, fathers seemed to have a stronger impact on whether children consume SSB than mothers which was reflected by lower P and higher OR. Additionally, children's SSB intake was prospectively associated with their older siblings' SSB consumption (Pfor trend < 0.03). Conclusions: Parental and older siblings' SSB consumption was relevant to children's SSB intake. Particularly, boys were more susceptible to parental impact than girls, and fathers seemed to have a greater influence on children than mothers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Kapustin-Fidkowski no-go theorem forbids U(1) symmetric topological orders with non-trivial Hall conductivity in (2+1)d from admitting commuting projector Hamiltonians, where the latter is the paradigmatic method to construct exactly solvable lattice models for topological orders. Even if a topological order would intrinsically have admitted commuting projector Hamiltonians, the theorem forbids so once its interplay with U(1) global symmetry which generates Hall conductivity is taken into consideration. Nonetheless, in this work, we show that for all (2+1)d U(1) symmetric abelian topological orders of such kind, we can construct a lattice Hamiltonian that is controllably solvable at low energies, even though not “exactly” solvable; hence, this no-go theorem does not lead to significant difficulty in the lattice study of these topological orders. Moreover, for the fermionic topological orders in our construction, we introduce the lattice notion of spin-c structure — a concept important in the continuum that has previously not been adequately introduced in the lattice context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses a rare case of concurrent arterial and venous thromboses in a 40-year-old woman with ulcerative colitis. The patient presented with various symptoms, including left hemiparesis, dysphagia, dysarthria, and seizures. Imaging tests revealed multiple thromboses in the brain and extensive thromboses in the pulmonary, portal, renal, and superior mesenteric veins. The patient was treated with low-molecular-weight heparin, methylprednisolone, and levetiracetam, which resulted in significant clinical improvement. The article emphasizes the importance of early recognition and management of thromboembolic complications in ulcerative colitis to prevent further organ damage. [Extracted from the article]

Peritubular capillaries (PTCs) are closely related to renal tubules in structure and function, and both are pivotal regulators in the development and progression of acute kidney injury (AKI). However, the mechanisms that underlie the interaction between PTCs and tubules during AKI remain unclear. Here we explored a new mode of tubulovascular crosstalk mediated by small extracellular vesicles (sEV) after AKI. In response to renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury, endothelial proliferation of PTCs and tubular expression of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGF-A) were increased, accompanied by a remarkable redistribution of cytoplasmic VEGF-A to the basolateral side of tubular cells. Meanwhile, the secretion mode of VEGF-A was converted in the injured tubular cells, which showed a much greater tendency to secrete VEGF-A via sEV other than the free form. Interestingly, tubular cell-derived VEGF-A-enriched sEV (sEV-VEGF-A) turned out to promote endothelial proliferation which was regulated by VEGF receptors 1 and 2. Furthermore, inhibition of renal sEV secretion by Rab27a knockdown resulted in a significant decrease in the proliferation of peritubular endothelial cells in vivo. Importantly, taking advantage of the newly recognized endogenous repair response of PTCs, exogenous supplementation of VEGF-A + sEV efficiently recused PTC rarefaction, improved renal perfusion, and halted the AKI to CKD transition. Taken together, our study uncovered a novel intrinsic repair response after AKI through renal tubule-PTC crosstalk via sEV-VEGF-A, which could be exploited as a promising therapeutic angiogenesis strategy in diseases with ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel central hole-expansion phenomenon is identified, in which the cation-exchange resin is pyrolyzed in a mixed atmosphere of nitrogen and oxygen at 400–500 °C. In this reaction, the reaction path is predictable and always starts from the center of the resin particle to form a central hole, then continues and expands around the hole, finally forming a uniformly distributed hole group; the particle surface remains intact. Analysis shows that this formation mode is due to the different reaction paths of sulfonic groups between the surface and interior of the particle, caused by the temperature difference. On the surface, transformation reactions happen at high temperatures (410–500 °C) to form stable organic sulfur structures, while decomposition occurs inside the particle at a relatively low temperature (<410 °C) and promotes complete pyrolysis of the copolymer matrix to form holes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co2Co4(SiW10O37)2/Fe2O3 composite photocatalysts were created by chemical synthesis. FTIR, UV–Vis, XRD, and SEM were used to characterise the materials. The result demonstrates that polyoxometalates have a massive structure and that ferric oxide is tightly coupled with polyoxometalates in the composites. By varying the pH and amount of Fe2O3, the optimal synthesis conditions for the composites were determined. The catalytic degradation of methyl orange solution was performed in the presence of a xenon lamp (18.085 mW/cm2). When the pH was set to one, the composite had the best decomposition effect on methyl orange, with a decomposition efficiency of 76.2%. Simultaneously, the possible mechanism of the photocatalytic process was investigated. The photocatalytic process was almost completely inhibited after the photogenerated holes were masked by triethanolamine. The results indicate that photogenerated holes are the deciding factor in the composites' photocatalytic effect. They also measured the composites' band gap width with UV–Vis spectroscopy and cyclic-voltammetry, and the likely photocatalytic mechanism was thoroughly investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bean pod mottle virus (BPMV) is a destructive virus that causes serious economic losses in many countries every year, highlighting the importance of its effective detection. In this study, we developed a fast reverse transcription-cross-priming amplification (RT-CPA) coupled with lateral flow dipstick (LFD) diagnostic method for BPMV detection. The RT-CPA-LFD assay that targets the coat protein gene of BPMV was highly specific against diagnosing four other common viruses transmitted by soybean seeds, i.e., Southern bean mosaic virus (SBMV), Tomato ringspot virus (ToRSV), Arabis mosaic virus (ArMV), and Tobacco ringspot virus (TRSV). The sensitivities of the real-time fluorescent RT-CPA and the RT-CPA-LFD assay were at least 50 pg/μl and 500 pg/μl, respectively. Despite a compromise in the limit of detection of the RT-CPA method compared with TaqMan-MGB real-time RT-PCR, our results demonstrated a notably better performance in the detection of field samples of BPMV-infested soybean seeds. With the advantages of efficiency and convenience by visual determination, the RT-CPA-LFD assay presents a potential application for the rapid and accurate detection of BPMV in routine tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous study, we reported that sirtuin5 (SIRT5), a member of the NAD+-dependent class III histone deacetylase family, is highly expressed in colorectal cancer (CRC). Herein we show that SIRT5 knockdown impairs the production of ribose-5-phosphate, which is essential for nucleotide synthesis, resulting in continuous and irreparable DNA damage and consequently leading to cell cycle arrest and enhanced apoptosis in CRC cells. These SIRT5 silencing-induced effects can be reversed by nucleoside supplementation. Mechanistically, SIRT5 activates transketolase (TKT), a key enzyme in the non-oxidative pentose phosphate pathway, in a demalonylation-dependent manner. Furthermore, TKT is essential for SIRT5-induced malignant phenotypes of CRC both in vivo and in vitro. Altogether, SIRT5 silencing induces DNA damage in CRC via post-translational modifications and inhibits tumor growth, suggesting that SIRT5 can serve as a promising target for CRC treatment. Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5) has been associated to colorectal cancer and metabolic regulation. Here, the authors show that SIRT5 silencing reduces nucleotide availability leading to DNA damage and tumor suppression in colorectal cancer models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease. Several proinflammatory cytokines produced by T helper 17 (Th17) cells are involved in the pathogenesis of AS. We performed a meta-analysis to determine the levels of Th17 cells and serum Th17-associated cytokines in patients with AS.Methods: We determined the levels of Th17 cells and Th17 cytokines in patients with AS using data extracted from published articles retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, MEDLINE, Web of Knowledge, Clinical Trials.gov, and FDA.gov.Databases: The effect estimates were pooled using a random-effects model. The review protocols were registered on PROSPERO (reference: CRD42021255741) and followed the PRISMA guideline.Results: This meta-analysis included 138 studies. Compared to healthy controls (HCs), patients with AS had a higher proportion of Th17 cells (standardized mean difference [SMD] 2.23, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.78-2.68; p < 0.001) and levels of proinflammatory cytokines, such as interleukin (IL)-17 (SMD 2.04, 95% CI 1.70-2.38; p < 0.001), IL-21 (SMD 1.77, 95% CI 0.95-2.59; p < 0.001), and IL-23 (SMD 1.11, 95% CI 0.78-1.44; p < 0.001). The subgroup analysis showed higher levels of IL-17+ Th17 cells among peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) and CD4+ T cells in patients with AS compared to HCs (SMD 2.26, 95% CI 1.58-2.94 [p < 0.001] and SMD 1.61, 95% CI 0.55-2.67 [p = 0.003], respectively). Patients with AS had higher levels of CD4+IL-17+IFN-γ- Th17 in PBMCs and of CD4+CCR6+CCR4+Th17 in CD4+ T cells compared to HCs (SMD 1.85, 95% CI 1.06-2.64 [p < 0.001] and SMD 7.72, 95% CI 6.55-8.89 [p < 0.001], respectively). No significant differences were observed in the proportions of CD4+IL-17+IFN-γ- Th17 in CD4+ T cells and CD4+CCR6+CCR4+ Th17 in PBMCs (SMD - 0.11, 95% CI - 0.61 to 0.38 [p = 0.650] and SMD 1.32, 95% CI - 0.54 to 3.19 [p = 0.165], respectively). In addition, compared to stable AS, the levels of Th17 cells and IL-17 and IL-23 were significantly higher in active AS (SMD 1.58, 95% CI 0.30-2.85 [p = 0.016], SMD 3.52, 95% CI 0.72-6.33 [p = 0.014], and SMD 5.10, 95% CI 1.83-8.36 [p = 0.002], respectively).Conclusions: The levels of Th17 cells and serum IL-17, IL-21, and IL-23 were higher in patients with AS than in HCs and, compared with stable AS, they increased more significantly in active AS. These results suggest that Th17 cells and Th17-related cytokines play major roles in AS pathogenesis and are an important target for treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) can be fatal if ruptured, but there is no predictive biomarker. Our aim was to evaluate the prognostic potential of microRNAs (miRNAs/miRs) in an AAA mouse model and patients with unruptured AAA (URAAA) and ruptured AAA (RAAA). Among the 64 miRNAs differentially expressed in mice with AAA compared to control, miR-30c-1-3p, miR-432-3p, miR-3154, and miR-379-5p had high homology with human miRNAs. MiR-30c-1-3p plasma levels were significantly lower in patients with RAAA than in those with URAAA or control and tended to negatively correlate with the maximum aortic diameter (r = −0.3153, P = 0.06109). MiR-30c-1-3p targeted matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 mRNA through the coding region and downregulated its expression in vitro. MMP-9 plasma concentrations were significantly higher in the RAAA group than in the URAAA group (P < 0.001) and were negatively associated with miR-30c-1-3p levels (r = −0.3671, P = 0.01981) and positively–with the maximal aortic diameter (r = 0.6251, P < 0.0001). The optimal cutoff values for MMP-9 expression and the maximal aortic diameter were 461.08 ng/ml and 55.95 mm, with areas under the curve of 0.816 and 0.844, respectively. Our results indicate that plasma levels of miR-30c-1-3p and MMP-9 may be candidate biomarkers of AAA progression. Key messages: Downregulation of miR-30c-1-3p expression and upregulation of its potential target MMP-9 are predictors of the devastation of AAA. Downregulation of miR-30c-1-3p expression and its downstream impact on MMP-9 have a potential on predicting the development and rupture of AAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and potential therapeutic targets of skin aging in GEO database by bioinformatics methods. Dermal fibroblasts and skin aging related data sets GSE110978 and GSE117763 were downloaded from GEO database, and epidermal stem cells and skin aging related data sets GSE137176 were downloaded. GEO2R was used to screen DEGs of candidate samples from the three microarrays, GO function analysis and KEGG pathway analysis were performed. Protein interaction network was constructed using String database, and hub gene was obtained by Cytoscape. NetworkAnalys was used to analyze the coregulatory network of DEGs and MicroRNA (miRNA), interaction with TF, and protein-chemical interactions of DEGs. Finally, DSigDB was used to determine candidate drugs for DEGs. Six DEGs were obtained. It mainly involves the cytological processes such as response to metal ion, and is enriched in mineral absorption and other signal pathways. Ten genes were screened by PPI analysis. Gene-miRNA coregulatory network found that Peg3 and mmu-miR-1931 in DEGs were related to each other, and Cybrd1 was related to mmu-miR-290a-5p and mmu-miR-3082-5p. TF-gene interactions found that the transcription factor UBTF co-regulated two genes, Arhgap24 and Mpzl1. Protein-chemical Interactions analysis and identification of candidate drugs show results for candidate drugs. Try to explore the mechanism of hub gene action in skin aging progression, and to discover the key signaling pathways leading to skin aging, which may be a high risk of skin aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seated immobility thromboembolism syndrome (SIT) is the association of prolonged seated immobility with increased risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). The advent of COVID-19 resulted in implementation of lockdowns to curb its spread. This resulted in compulsory work from home and minimization of outdoor activities. Consequently, this would have likely led to increased prolonged sitting and reduced mobility. Few case reports and studies have observed an increase in VTE incidence during the lockdown period. We likewise performed a clinical audit of our weekly thrombosis clinic cases and revealed three cases of VTE associated with prolonged sitting during Singapore's COVID-19 lockdown. Notably, all had other minor VTE risk factors in addition to prolonged sitting. All cases had intermediate-high risk pulmonary embolism and were given extended anticoagulation. With the pandemic still ongoing, periodic lockdown and quarantine measures may continue to be imposed. While the overall VTE risk conferred by prolonged seated immobility associated with lockdown measures is likely to be small, this risk can be easily mitigated and possibly prevented by simply staying mobile. Highlights: 1. Prolonged seated immobility is a weak VTE risk factor and is possibly more a compounding risk factor in the presence of other VTE risk factors, rather than an independent risk factor on its own. 2. Workup for unprovoked VTE should be undertaken in patients with VTE events with seemingly no other risk factors and only a reported prolonged seated immobility. 3. Reducing VTE risk associated with prolonged seated immobility by staying mobile is simple and effective. 4. Public healthcare education during lockdown periods should encompass encouraging people to stay mobile even in the confines of their home. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The argyrodite Ag9GaSe6 is a newly recognized high-efficiency thermoelectric material with an ultralow thermal conductivity; however, liquid-like Ag atoms are believed to cause poor stability and performance irreproducibility, which was evidenced even after the 1st measurement run. Herein, we demonstrate the abovementioned instability and irreproducibility are caused by standard thermoelectric sample hot-pressing procedure, during which high pressure promotes the 3-fold-coordinated Ag atoms migrate to 4-fold-coordinated sites with higher-chemical potentials. Such instability can be eliminated by a simple annealing treatment, driving the metastable Ag atoms back to the original sites with lower-chemical potentials as revealed by the valence band X-ray photoelectron chemical potential spectra and single crystal X-ray diffraction data. Furthermore, the hot-pressed-annealed samples exhibit great stability and TE property repeatability. Such a stability and repeatability has never been reported before. This discovery will give liquid-like materials great application potential. The Ag9GaSe6 is a high-efficient thermoelectric material yet suffers instability. Here, the authors demonstrate the instability is caused by the pressure-induced liquid-like Ag migration, which can be eliminated by a simple annealing treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis can cause sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE), but whether SAE was induced or exacerbated by ferroptosis remains unknown. In this study, the rat sepsis model was constructed using the cecal ligation and puncture method. The blood–brain barrier (BBB) permeability was measured by Evans blue dye (EBD) in vivo. The levels of ROS, Fe ion, MDA, GSH, and GPX4 were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The exosomes isolated from serum were cultured with bEnd.3 cells for the in vitro analysis. Moreover, bEnd.3 cells cultured with 100 μM FeCl3 (iron-rich) were to simulate ferroptosis stress. The cell viability was evaluated by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. A dual-luciferase reporter gene assay was performed to confirm the relationship between miR-9-5p with NEAT1, TFRC, and GOT1. In vivo, it is found that BBB permeability was damaged in model rats. Level of ROS, Fe ion, and MDA was increased, and level of GSH and GPX4 was decreased, which means ferroptosis was induced by sepsis. Exosome-packaged NEAT1 in serum was significantly upregulated in model rats. In vitro, it is found that NEAT1 functions as a ceRNA for miR-9-5p to facilitate TFRC and GOT1 expression. Overexpression of NEAT1 enhanced ferroptosis stress in bEnd.3 cells. Increased miR-9-5p alleviated sepsis-induced ferroptosis by suppressing the expression of TFRC and GOT1 both in vivo and in vitro. In conclusion, these findings suggest that sepsis induced high expression of serous exosome-derived NEAT1, and it might exacerbate SAE by promoting ferroptosis through regulating miR-9-5p/TFRC and GOT1 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a growing interest in oil–water separation due to the massive economic and energy loss caused by world-wide oil spill. In the past decades, a new type of superhydrophobic surface has been developed for the efficient oil–water separation, but its large-scale use is significantly limited by its expensive, sophisticated, and fragile roughness structure. Meanwhile, to handle complex operating conditions, the transparency of the superhydrophobic surface has been more attractive due to its potential visual oil–water separation and optical application scenarios. Herein, we showed a simple and versatile strategy to fabricate superhydrophobic coating with robustness and high transparency. Subsequently, this multifunctional superhydrophobic coating was utilized for oil–water separation and indicated excellent separation efficiency. In this strategy, candle soot composed of carbon nanoparticles was deposited onto the substrate and used as a rough surface template. Then, a filmy and hard silica shell was modified onto this template via chemical vapor deposition to reinforce the roughness structure. Following, this soot-silica coated substrate was calcined in air to remove the candle soot template. Finally, based on a rational surface design, this robust silica coating achieved excellent superhydrophobicity thereby showing inherently oil–water separation benefits. This reinforced superhydrophobic coating presented robust superhydrophobicity even after 410 s sand impacting with the height of 40 cm and 20 cycles of sandpaper abrasion. Also, it retained excellent oil–water separation efficiency even after reuses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study B-brane superpotentials depending on several closed- and open-moduli on Calabi-Yau hypersurfaces and complete intersections. By blowing up the ambient space along a curve wrapped by B-branes in a Calabi-Yau manifold, we obtain a blow-up new manifold and the period integral satisfying the GKZ-system. Via mirror symmetry to A-model, we calculate the superpotentials and extract Ooguri-Vafa invariants for concrete examples of several open-closed moduli in Calabi-Yau manifolds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dissolution and redistribution of γ′ precipitates for homogenized as-cast superalloy GH4720Li were systematically investigated during heat treatment and hot deformation processes. The results showed that the volume fraction of γ′ precipitates decreased with the increase of temperature (varying in 1080-1160 °C) during heat treatment. At the initial stage, the volume fraction of γ′ precipitates rapidly decreased with the prolongation of holding time, a dissolution equilibrium of γ′ precipitates, including invariable dendrite morphology and volume fraction, was subsequently reached once the holding time exceeded 20 min. Compared with the above static dissolution, the dynamic dissolution of γ′ precipitates was strikingly accelerated and enhanced with the increase of strain and decrease of strain rate. In such case, the morphology of γ′ precipitates after hot deformation changed significantly from initial dendrite-like to fine sphere shape. Three concomitant processes including dislocation shearing, dissolution and reprecipitation, were considered as playing an essential role in the redistribution of γ′ precipitates during hot deformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Controlling the interaction of wetting surface with biomaterials is one of the key challenges in nanostructures to promote non-toxic and one-step fabrication technology. Here, a range spectrum of surface wettability characteristics and nanostructure modalities were demonstrated with a single treatment of glutaraldehyde (GA) on polyvinyl alcohol, poly (3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene)-poly (styrene sulfonate) (PVA/PEDOT:PSS) nanofiber mats. By modulating the density of coral-like dendritic nanostructure formation functionalized on PVA and PVA/PEDOT:PSS composite nanofibers and the degree of cross-linking between PVA/PEDOT:PSS and GA, the normally super hydrophilic behavior can be modified to show increasing hydrophobic characteristics correlating with an increased concentration of GA. The results of this study indicated the possibility and applicability of wettability effects available to a single application process alone, where the unique anti-dust wetting behavior can be predicted by estimating the adhesion force (~ maximum value of 24.20 μN) of water droplet. As a result of these nanostructure formations, the water droplet can exhibit hysteresis (CAr = 38 ± 0.5°, CAa = 106 ± 0.5°) and adhere to the nanofiber surface of glass substrate. This task may contribute to its potential optimization for use in a large range of future surface treatment for bio-coating and bio-sensing applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mother of the proband died of cirrhosis; medical records revealed hepatitis virus antibody, autoantibody, and autoimmune liver disease antibody screening tests as negative. Molecular defects in I ANK1 i , I SPTB i , I SPTA1 i , I SLC4A1 i , and I EPB42 i have been shown to be associated with monogenic inheritance of HS; these five genes encode proteins involved in the interaction between the erythrocyte membrane and lipid bilayer [[1]]. [Extracted from the article]

By using the open-source software OpenFOAM and the grid generation tool the integrated computer engineering and manufacturing code for computational fluid dynamics (ICEM CFD), a computational fluid dynamics-computational structural dynamics (CFD-CSD) coupling model is established. The dynamic response and the liquefaction of the seabed around the composite bucket foundation of the offshore wind turbines in the Xiangshui area of Jiangsu Province are investigated. The pore water pressure, the effective stress, the liquefaction depth and the anti-liquefaction effect of the overlying stones are analyzed. It is shown that the seabed around the composite bucket foundation will be liquefied under 50 year return waves, the liquefaction width is approximately 1/3 of the wavelength, and the maximum liquefaction depth is approximately 1/4 of the wave height. In addition, the overlying stones provide an effective anti-liquefaction method. Thicker, less porous overlying stones have a better anti-liquefaction effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The free piston linear engine (FPLE) eliminates the crankshaft components and supports variable compression ratio operation. This characteristic makes it as one of the most appropriate choices to adopt HCCI combustion mode. This work aims to reveal the preliminary characteristics of HCCI combustion in FPLE and compare it with traditional crankshaft engines (TCE). The HCCI combustion model of TCE and FPLE was established by using a chemical kinetic reaction mechanism, and it then was numerically calculated to obtain the combustion and emission performance. The results indicate that the typical two-stage reaction characteristic of HCCI combustion also occur in the FPLE. Although the final cumulative heat release of the two types of engines is approximately the same, the low-temperature reaction stage of FPLE comes later, which also leads to the lag of its high-temperature reaction stage. In addition, the TCE features with earlier heat release rate, higher peak pressure and temperature, and longer duration of high temperature, which are beneficial to promote the reaction of soot, thereby slightly reducing soot emissions, but also increasing NO emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RNA modifications, such as N6-methyladenosine (m6A), modulate functions of cellular RNA species. However, quantifying differences in RNA modifications has been challenging. Here we develop a computational method, xPore, to identify differential RNA modifications from nanopore direct RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data. We evaluate our method on transcriptome-wide m6A profiling data, demonstrating that xPore identifies positions of m6A sites at single-base resolution, estimates the fraction of modified RNA species in the cell and quantifies the differential modification rate across conditions. We apply xPore to direct RNA-seq data from six cell lines and multiple myeloma patient samples without a matched control sample and find that many m6A sites are preserved across cell types, whereas a subset exhibit significant differences in their modification rates. Our results show that RNA modifications can be identified from direct RNA-seq data with high accuracy, enabling analysis of differential modifications and expression from a single high-throughput experiment. m6A RNA modifications are quantified in cancer patient samples and cell lines using nanopore sequencing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATG4D, a member of autophagy-related protein 4 (ATG4) family, plays an interplay role between autophagy and apoptosis in cancers. However, the role of ATG4D in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) has not been defined. Herein, this study aimed to investigate the role and the underlying mechanism of ATG4D in regulating HCC cell apoptosis. ATG4D was silenced in MHCC-97L HCC cells, and then cell proliferation and apoptosis were examined. ATG4D expression was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues when compared with paired non-tumor tissues. In vitro assays revealed that silencing of ATG4D significantly suppressed cell proliferation, promoted cell apoptosis, and enhanced sensitivity to cisplatin of MHCC-97L cells. Furthermore, silencing of ATG4D decreased the phosphorylation of Akt and increased the protein level of caspase-3. Taken together, ATG4D may play an oncogenic role in HCC progression. These findings suggest that ATG4D may serve as a therapeutic target for HCC therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor cells evade T cell-mediated immunosurveillance via the interaction between programmed death-1 (PD-1) ligand 1 (PD-L1) on tumor cells and PD-1 on T cells. Strategies disrupting PD-1/PD-L1 have shown clinical benefits in various cancers. However, the limited response rate prompts us to investigate the molecular regulation of PD-L1. Here, we identify trafficking protein particle complex subunit 4 (TRAPPC4), a major player in vesicular trafficking, as a crucial PD-L1 regulator. TRAPPC4 interacts with PD-L1 in recycling endosomes, acting as a scaffold between PD-L1 and RAB11, and promoting RAB11-mediated recycling of PD-L1, thus replenishing its distribution on the tumor cell surface. TRAPPC4 depletion leads to a significant reduction of PD-L1 expression in vivo and in vitro. This reduction in PD-L1 facilitates T cell-mediated cytotoxicity. Overexpression of Trappc4 sensitizes tumor cells to checkpoint therapy in murine tumor models, suggesting TRAPPC4 as a therapeutic target to enhance anti-tumor immunity. Transport protein particle (TRAPP) is a multimeric protein complex regulating membrane trafficking pathways. Here the authors show that TRAPPC4, a core subunit of TRAPP complex, is required for RAB11-mediated recycling of PD-L1, affecting T-cell-mediated anti-tumor immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of this study is to determine the potential of the waist-height ratio (WHtR) and body mass index (BMI) as predictors of non-communicable disease (NCD) risk factors. Subjects and methods: A retrospective study using data from the 2016 National NCD survey (STEPS). A total of 3808 data points were retrieved including sociodemographic factors, anthropometric measurements, NCD prevalence and risk factors. Multiple logistic and linear regression was applied for analysis. Results: Men (OR = 0.77, 95% CI: 0.63, 0.95), aged ≥ 45 years (OR = 4.24, 95% CI: 3.15, 0.97), of Malay ethnicity, with no formal schooling, and with existing hypertension and diabetes had significantly higher odds of having WHtR > 0.5. BMI ≥ 25 and BMI ≥ 30 are significantly associated with age group, ethnicity, education level, alcohol consumption, hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolaemia. Conclusion: Both WHtR and BMI were important predictors of NCD prevalence. These findings can contribute to the validity of the WHtR in clinical application and encourage the use of these anthropometric indices in clinical settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite Galois field multiplication is one of the most important and complex nonlinear arithmetic unit in symmetric cipher algorithms. However, current hardware implementations are hard to maintain high performance and flexibility. Based on reconfigurable technology, we propose a flexible architecture of composite Galois field multiplication (RCGFM) and dedicated instructions of composite Galois filed multiplication (ICGFM) over G F ((2 n) m) , where n = 8 , m = 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 . The RCGFM adopts a serial–parallel mixed structure, which can achieve different Galois field multiplications with good parallelism and scalability. By extending the x k B multiplications of serial chain, where k = 1 , 2 , 3 , the RCGFM can concurrently support the composite Galois filed multiplications with higher orders, such as G F ((2 8) m) , where m ≥ 5 , m ∈ Z + . Moreover, in order to reduce the instruction overhead of target symmetric crypto processor, the ICGFM is specially designed, which is composed of operation and configuration instructions for x k B and A × B over G F ((2 n) m) . The ICGFM can be applied to RCGFM structure efficiently and flexibly by configuring the corresponding parameters. The experimental results show that under 0.18 µm CMOS technology, the maximum clock frequency is 625 MHz, while the area of circuit is 11.2 kilo gates. Compared with current researches, the RCGFM structure can improve the throughput rate more than a factor of 1.36x–9.19x, when normalized to the same technology and per kilo gates, the technology-scaled throughput rate increases more than a factor of 1.25x–4.4x, while the area overhead does not increase significantly. In addition, the ICGFM can reduce 1–2 orders of magnitude the number of instructions compared with other works. At last, the reconfigurable architecture we proposed supports different composite Galois field multiplications over G F ((2 n) m) with more flexibility and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium ions are crucial for the growth and development of photosynthetic organisms, whereas its eco-physiological significance on the edible cyanobacterium Nostoc sphaeroides remains unclear. The percentage of spherical microcolonies from N. sphaeroides vegetative filaments was up to 88–93% after 18 days at higher Ca2+ levels (0.25, 1, and 4 mM), but only about 51% at lower Ca2+ levels (0.01 and 0.06 mM). When cultured at higher Ca2+ levels, N. sphaeroides specific growth rates based on the chlorophyll a content and absolute growth rates based on the dry weight significantly increased by 13–18% and 23–30%, respectively, compared to those at lower Ca2+ levels. The colonies cultured at higher Ca2+ levels exhibited 13–20% increase in light-limited photosynthetic efficiency, 28–42% increase in the maximum electron transport rate and 57–95% increase in the light-saturated photosynthetic rate relative to those at lower Ca2+ levels. The higher Ca2+-treated colonies were more tolerant to high light than lower Ca2+-treated colonies and more rapid recovery of photoinhibited colonies induced by the subsequent dim light was also observed in higher Ca2+-treated colonies. We further found the photosynthetic recovery of photoinhibited colonies required the influx of apoplastic Ca2+ and the maintenance of photosynthetic activity for desiccated colonies during rehydration was also extracellular Ca2+-dependent. These results indicated that higher levels of Ca2+ promoted colony formation, growth, and photosynthesis of N. sphaeroides, suggesting available calcium ions in natural environment may be an important factor affecting its productivity and distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new schiff base cobalt(III) complex [N,N′-bis(2′-hydroxyphenylacetone)-o-ethanediamine] cobalt(III) (M3) has been synthesized and characterized by single X-ray crystallography. The cytotoxicity of complex M3 was evaluated against HeLa, LoVo, A549, A549/cis cancer cell lines, and the normal cell lines LO2 by MTT assays. The IC50 is in the range of 6.27-22.68 μM, which is somewhat lower than cisplatin on the basis of platinum molar concentration. Furthermore, anticancer mechanistic studies showed that the complex M3 inhibited cell proliferation by blocking DNA synthesis and then acted on nuclear division of HeLa cells over time. Moreover, western blot analysis indicated M3 dramatically decreased the target protein c-Myc and KLF5 expression levels, and activated many signaling pathways including ER stress, apoptosis, cell cycle and DNA damage in HeLa. M3 did not affect proteasomal activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the open source code OpenFOAM, a three-dimensional model is presented for simulation of the interaction between waves and rubble mound breakwater with armor units. The armor units with their real geometries are depicted through computational grids. The volume-averaged RANS equation and the seepage equation containing nonlinear term are used to describe the percolation in the core and underlayer of the breakwater. Grids independence analysis are carried out, the horizontal and vertical grid size are recommended to take as one-fifteenth of the mean nominal diameter D50 of the armor units and one-fifteenth of the wave height respectively. Random wave overtopping of rubble mound breakwater with armor units is simulated through the proposed model. The results show good agreement between the simulated and measured overtopping discharge rates for different types of armor units. The developed numerical model can be used to evaluate the random wave overtopping in design of rubble mound breakwater with artificial armor blocs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]