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Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1), which is mainly processed and cleaved from proglucagon in enteroendocrine cells (EECs) of the intestinal tract, acts on the GLP1 receptor in pancreatic cells to stimulate insulin secretion and to inhibit glucagon secretion. However, GLP1 processing is not fully understood. Here, we show that reticulon 4B (Nogo-B), an endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-resident protein, interacts with the major proglucagon fragment of proglucagon to retain proglucagon on the ER, thereby inhibiting PCSK1-mediated cleavage of proglucagon in the Golgi. Intestinal Nogo-B knockout in male type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) mice increases GLP1 and insulin levels and decreases glucagon levels, thereby alleviating pancreatic injury and insulin resistance. Finally, we identify aberrantly elevated Nogo-B expression and inhibited proglucagon cleavage in EECs from diabetic patients. Our study reveals the subcellular regulatory processes involving Nogo-B during GLP1 production and suggests intestinal Nogo-B as a potential therapeutic target for T2DM. Glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP1) is processed and cleaved from proglucagon to stimulate insulin secretion. Here, authors show that Nogo-B interacts with proglucagon to retain it on the ER, thereby inhibiting PCSK1-mediated cleavage of proglucagon and secretion of GLP1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting genes that affect specific traits (such as human diseases and crop yields) is important for treating complex diseases and improving crop quality. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) provides new insights and directions for understanding complex traits by identifying important single nucleotide polymorphisms. Many GWAS summary statistics data related to various complex traits have been gathered recently. Studies have shown that GWAS risk loci and expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) often have a lot of overlaps, which makes gene expression gradually become an important intermediary to reveal the regulatory role of GWAS. In this review, we review three types of gene-trait association detection methods of integrating GWAS summary statistics and eQTLs data, namely colocalization methods, transcriptome-wide association study-oriented approaches, and Mendelian randomization-related methods. At the theoretical level, we discussed the differences, relationships, advantages, and disadvantages of various algorithms in the three kinds of gene-trait association detection methods. To further discuss the performance of various methods, we summarize the significant gene sets that influence high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, total cholesterol, and triglyceride reported in 16 studies. We discuss the performance of various algorithms using the datasets of the four lipid traits. The advantages and limitations of various algorithms are analyzed based on experimental results, and we suggest directions for follow-up studies on detecting gene-trait associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have documented that parent‒child attachment is linked to the mental health of college students. However, little is known about the mediating and moderating mechanisms underlying this relation. Based on attachment theory, this study examined whether security mediates the relationship between parent‒child attachment and mental health among college students and whether problematic smartphone use moderates the second half of the mediation process. In total, 77,211 Chinese students (mean age = 20.09 years, SD = 1.37) were recruited from multiple universities. These students provided self-reported data on demographic variables, parent‒child attachment, security, problematic smartphone use, depression, anxiety and resilience. After controlling for sex, age, paternal education level, maternal education level and family economic status, mediation analysis indicated that security mediates the association between parent‒child attachment and mental health among college students. Moderated mediation analysis further demonstrated that the association between security and mental health is moderated by problematic smartphone use. Specifically, the relationship between security and mental health among college students was stronger for those with highly problematic smartphone use. The current study highlights the significance of identifying the mechanisms that moderate the mediated paths between parent‒child attachment and mental health and has important implications for the prevention and intervention of mental health problems among college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate its effect of an evidence-based nursing program for nasal irrigation after endoscopic sinus surgery in patients with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS). Methods: A total of 66 patients with CRS were randomly divided into two groups, for which the experimental group received evidence-based nasal irrigation nursing, and the control group received conventional nursing. Differences in Sino–Nasal Outcome Test-20 (SNOT-20), visual analogue scale (VAS), Lund–Mackay CT, Endoscopic Lund Kennedy Score (LKES) and overall efficacy were assessed between the two groups. Results: 2, 4 and 12 weeks after the intervention, the scores of SNOT-20, VAS, Lund–Mackay CT and LKES in the two groups were significantly lower than those before the surgery (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group, the scores were significantly lower in the experimental group (P < 0.05). 12 weeks after the intervention, the overall effective rate of treatment in the experimental group was 90.62%, while the control group was 16.43%, but the difference was not statistically significant in treatment effect (P > 0.05). Conclusions: The implementation of nasal irrigation evidence-based nursing program for patients with CRS after endoscopic sinus surgery can promote postoperative nasal mucosal recovery, improve treatment efficiency, and help improve patient comfort, quality of life and other subjective feelings. Trial registration: The study was registered retrospectively with reference number ChiCTR2300075484 on 06/09/2023, available at: https://www.chictr.org.cn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Head and neck cancer is the sixth most common type of cancer worldwide, wherein the immune responses are closely associated with disease occurrence, development, and prognosis. Investigation of the role of immunogenic cell death-related genes (ICDGs) in adaptive immune response activation may provide cues into the mechanism underlying the outcome of HNSCC immunotherapy. Methods: ICDGs expression patterns in HNSCC were analyzed, after which consensus clustering in HNSCC cohort conducted. A 4-gene prognostic model was constructed through LASSO and Cox regression analyses to analyze the prognostic index using the TCGA dataset, followed by validation with two GEO datasets. The distribution of immune cells and the response to immunotherapy were compared between different risk subtypes through multiple algorithms. Moreover, immunohistochemical (IHC) analyses were conducted to validate the prognostic value of HSP90AA1 as a predictor of HNSCC patient prognosis. In vitro assays were performed to further detect the effect of HSP90AA1 in the development of HNSCC. Results: A novel prognostic index based on four ICDGs was constructed and proved to be useful as an independent factor of HNSCC prognosis. The risk score derived from this model grouped patients into high- and low-risk subtypes, wherein the high-risk subtype had worse survival outcomes and poorer immunotherapy response. IHC analysis validated the applicability of HSP90AA1 as a predictor of prognosis of HNSCC patients. HSP90AA1 expression in tumor cells promotes the progression of HNSCC. Conclusions: Together, these results highlight a novel four-gene prognostic signature as a valuable tool to assess survival status and prognosis of HNSCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastics (MPs) migrate by adsorbing heavy metals in aquatic environments and act as their carriers. However, the aging mechanisms of MPs in the environment and the interactions between MPs and heavy metals in aquatic environments require further study. In this study, two kinds of materials, polyamide (PA) and polylactic acid (PLA) were used as target MPs, and the effects of UV irradiation on the physical and chemical properties of the MPs and the adsorption behavior of Cu(II) were investigated. The results showed that after UV irradiation, pits, folds and pores appeared on the surface of aged MPs, the specific surface area (SSA) increased, the content of oxygen-containing functional groups increased, and the crystallinity decreased. These changes enhanced the adsorption capacity of aged MPs for Cu(II) pollutants. The adsorption behavior of the PA and PLA MPs for Cu(II) conformed to the pseudo-second-order model and Langmuir isotherm model, indicating that the monolayer chemical adsorption was dominant. The maximum amounts of aged PA and PLA reached 1.415 and 1.398 mg/g, respectively, which were 1.59 and 1.76 times of virgin MPs, respectively. The effects of pH and salinity on the adsorption of Cu(II) by the MPs were significant. Moreover, factors such as pH, salinity and dosage had significant effects on the adsorption of Cu(II) by MPs. Oxidative complexation between the oxygen-containing groups of the MPs and Cu(II) is an important adsorption mechanism. These findings reveal that the UV irradiation aging of MPs can enhance the adsorption of Cu(II) and increase their role as pollutant carriers, which is crucial for assessing the ecological risk of MPs and heavy metals coexisting in aquatic environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eutrophication is a severe worldwide concern caused by excessive phosphorus release. Thus, significant efforts have been made to develop phosphorus removal techniques, particularly by nanomaterial adsorption. However, because of the limitations associated with nanoparticles including easy agglomeration, and separation challenges, a novel nanocomposite adsorbent with great adsorption performance is urgently required. A sponge adsorbent (MS-CMC@La) was developed in this study to remove phosphorus using melamine sponge (MS), LaCl3, and sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC). The results of SEM/EDS, FTIR, and XPS demonstrated that La was well-dispersed on MS-CMC@La. Adsorption isotherm and kinetics met with the Langmuir model (R2 = 0.981) and the pseudo-second-order kinetics (R2 = 0.989), respectively. The maximum adsorption capacity of MS-CMC@La was found to be 15.28 mg/g; the material exhibited excellent selectivity toward phosphorus in the presence of coexisting anion except of F−; the adsorption behavior was greatly impacted by pH. Furthermore, the electrostatic attraction, ligand exchange and inner-sphere coordination regulate the phosphate adsorption mechanism, with inner-sphere coordination dominating. In summary, the nano-enriched materials developed in this study are capable of facilitating the application of functionalized sponges in the field of wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our Moon is by far the easiest natural, extraterrestrial celestial object for us to reach, and many space agencies, in particular the China National Space Administration, have publicized plans for manned missions there. Such high-profile projects must yield commensurate scientific outputs to justify their cost to the taxpayers. An important criterion for the selection of candidate experiments is the extent to which the Moon plays an integral and irreplaceable role, as opposed to offering only marginal advantages over Earth-orbit, space-based alternatives. In this study, we propose an experiment that excels in this regard, which considers the Moon as part of the experimental apparatus. Specifically, the Moon acts as a Weber bar-style resonant mass that responds to deci-Hertz gravitational waves (GWs). GW-excited lunar vibrations can be picked up by an array of (prefabricated on Earth and easy to transport to the Moon) small laser interferometric seismometers yielding GW detection. Such a setup would plug a gap in the GW frequency range already covered by the existing or underdevelopment detectors, and it can inform us on important astrophysics topics, such as the progenitors of Type Ia supernovae (SNe Ia) or intermediate mass black holes. We provide the instrument design as well as its deployment strategy, and we also summarize relevant science cases according to the estimated viable sensitivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manipulation of internal interactions at the molecular level within biological fibers is of particular importance but challenging, severely limiting their tunability in macroscopic performances and applications. It thus becomes imperative to explore new approaches to enhance biological fibers' stability and environmental tolerance and to impart them with diverse functionalities, such as mechanical recoverability and stimulus-triggered responses. Herein, we develop a dynamic imine fiber chemistry (DIFC) approach to engineer molecular interactions to fabricate strong and tough protein fibers with recoverability and actuating behaviors. The resulting DIF fibers exhibit extraordinary mechanical performances, outperforming many recombinant silks and synthetic polymer fibers. Remarkably, impaired DIF fibers caused by fatigue or strong acid treatment are quickly recovered in water directed by the DIFC strategy. Reproducible mechanical performance is thus observed. The DIF fibers also exhibit exotic mechanical stability at extreme temperatures (e.g., −196 °C and 150 °C). When triggered by humidity, the DIFC endows the protein fibers with diverse actuation behaviors, such as self-folding, self-stretching, and self-contracting. Therefore, the established DIFC represents an alternative strategy to strengthen biological fibers and may pave the way for their high-tech applications. Manipulating the internal interactions within biological fibers to tune macroscopic properties is important but challenging, and can limit applications. Here, the authors report the use of dynamic imine chemistry for engineering molecular interactions and forming strong and tough protein fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dimethachlon, a dicarboximide fungicide, has gained widespread usage in Asian countries. While considered a low-toxicity fungicide, concerns regarding potential health effects, such as nephrotoxicity, have emerged. To date, neither China nor other countries have established maximum residue limit (MRL) for dimethachlon on grapes, and exposure risk assessment of dimethachlon is lacking. Here, we developed a QuEChERS method coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC–MS) to investigate the dissipation rates and terminal residues of dimethachlon in grapes, along with an assessment of dietary risk to consumers. Our results indicated that the average recoveries of dimethachlon in grapes ranged from 74 to 76%. The limit of quantification (LOQ) was 0.050 mg/kg. After undergoing 112 days of storage at −18 °C, the dissipation rate of dimethachlon in grapes was found to be less than 30%, suggesting a state of stable storage. In the context of good agricultural practice (GAP) guidelines, the half-lives of dimethachlon in grapes were 14.3–18.1 days, which is notably longer compared to the reported values for other crops. The terminal residues of dimethachlon in grapes at 14 and 21 days were found to be < 0.05–0.53 mg/kg and < 0.05–0.29 mg/kg, respectively. Regarding the dietary risk assessment, the calculated risk quotient (RQ) value was significantly below 100%, indicating a negligible chronic risk of dimethachlon in grapes at the recommended dosage. This study provides an important reference for the analysis of dimethachlon and offers valuable empirical data to support the establishment of MRL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The long-distance underground box culvert water transport system (LUBWT) is a crucial link between the source of drinking water and the consumers. It must ensure the stability of water quality during transportation. However, uncontrollable microbial growth can develop in the water delivery system during the long delivery process, posing a risk to health and safety. Therefore, we applied 16 s and 18 s gene sequence analysis in order to study microbial communities in box culvert waters sampled in 2021, as well as a molecular ecological network-based approach to decipher microbial interactions and stability. Our findings revealed that, in contrast to natural freshwater ecosystems, micro-eukaryotes in LUBWT have complex interactions such as predation, parasitism, and symbiosis due to their semi-enclosed box culvert environment. Total nitrogen may be the primary factor affecting bacterial community interactions in addition to temperature. Moreover, employing stability indicators such as robustness and vulnerability, we also found that microbial stability varied significantly from season to season, with summer having the higher stability of microbial communities. Not only that but also the stability of the micronuclei also varied greatly during water transport, which might also be related to the complex interactions among the micro-eukaryotes. To summarize, our study reveals the microbial interactions and stability in LUBWT, providing essential ecological knowledge to ensure the safety of LUBWT's water quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quantitative analysis of sediment sources in a sink is an important scientific topic and challenge in provenance research. The characteristics of heavy minerals, combined with the geochemical constituents of detrital grains, provide a reliable provenance-tracing approach. We developed a mineral identification method to analyze the multiple grain-size fraction of sediments, from which the elemental geochemistry of hornblende was used to compare the characteristics of sediments from the Huaihe River and Huanghe (Yellow) River in eastern China. Elements that were statistically identified as being able to discriminate sediment provenance were employed to perform a quantitative analysis of the sources of sediments of the abandoned Huanghe River. Results reveal that the Huaihe River is characterized by a high amphibole content of >60% and that the Huanghe and abandoned Huanghe rivers have greater abundances of limonite and carbonate minerals compared with those of the Huaihe River. The contents of trace elements and rare earth elements in hornblende show that the sediments of the abandoned Huanghe River are similar to those of the Huanghe River but different from those of the Huaihe River. Furthermore, chemical mass balance was used to calculate the relative contributions of different provenances of sediment from the abandoned Huanghe River, and nine trace elements of hornblende were identified as discriminators of provenance. Approximately 2% of the hornblende in the abandoned Huanghe River is derived from the Huaihe River and 98% from the Huanghe River. Considering the proportion of hornblende in the total sediment, it is inferred that the contribution of Huaihe River sediment to the abandoned Huanghe River is approximately 0.5%. This study shows that mineral analysis using multiple grain-size fractions (within the wide range of 1Φ to 6Φ) with assessment in elemental geochemistry of hornblende can characterize the provenance of fluvial material in coastal zones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modified biochars prepared from straw, pig manure, and chicken manure biogas residues were used to adsorb and remove ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) in wastewater. The results showed that at 400–600°C, the adsorption performance of the biogas residue biochars increased with pyrolysis temperature, reaching the maximum at 550°C. Biochar from chicken manure biogas residue exhibited strong NH4+-N (20.3%) and COD (28.1%) adsorption capacity. Through FeCl3 modification, the Fe content on the surface of the biochar increased, and the adsorption data of the modified biochar conformed well to the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir model, and the reaction was dominated by chemical adsorption. The fitting calculation revealed that the FeCl3-modified biochar from chicken manure biogas residue showed maximum NH4+-N (55.29 mg/g) and COD (186.24 mg/g) absorption capacity. These results indicated that modified biochar from biogas residue could have potential application for the treatment and recycling of biogas slurry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel adsorbent (FeOOH@PU) for hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] removal was synthesized using a polyurethane foam (PU) and FeOOH via a facile one-step method. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FTIR, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) characterized the adsorbent. The influence of environmental factors was investigated to evaluate the adsorption behavior for Cr(VI). Furthermore, adsorption dynamic and adsorption isotherm models described the adsorption performance. This adsorbent also treated electroplating wastewater and remediated simulated Cr(VI) contaminated soil. The adsorbent effectively removed Cr(VI) with a high adsorption rate; its equilibrium rate constant was 13 times that of FeOOH. Cr(VI) removal was a monolayer adsorption process and the maximum adsorption capacity of FeOOH@PU reached 34.9 mg Cr/g. Electrostatic attraction was the mechanism of Cr(VI) removal. Electroplating wastewater became clear and the Cr(VI) concentration decreased from 9.76 to 0.042 mg/L after treatment with FeOOH@PU. Cr enrichment in rice seedlings grown in remediated soil decreased from 7.687 to 6.295 mg Cr/kg. These results suggested that FeOOH@PU was a promising adsorbent for Cr(VI) removal and Cr(VI) stabilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For securing more water resources, traditional solutions including seawater desalination are limited due to high cost and restricted operating conditions. Thus, acoustic stimulation of rainfall is a potential alternative method due to its low cost and convenient operation. Low-frequency acoustic fields can be used to stimulate rainfall through evoking wavy motion of air particles in clouds which will significantly enhance the process of collision coalescence of cloud droplets and lead to their volume increase. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of rational methods to evaluate the effect of acoustic enhancement of rainfall in field experiments. To this end, in this study, nearly two-month field experiments of acoustic rainfall enhancement with 39 trials were carried out by our research team in the Tibetan Plateau. Statistical analysis was applied to evaluate the effect of acoustic wave on precipitation stimulation. The results of average rainfall intensity distribution using ordinary least square analysis disclose that acoustic interference has a considerable effect on rainfall enhancement. Such a rainfall enhancement effect increases significantly along with the increase of rainfall duration which is the index of cloud precipitation potential. For rainfall events with the duration more than two hours, the average rainfall intensity was improved by 72% with the acoustic wave effect at the experiment site. The phenomena are consistent with the fact that clouds with larger precipitation potential contain more cloud droplets which are beneficial to the acoustic coagulation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Small cell cervical carcinoma (SCCC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy. Here, we report human papillomavirus features and genomic landscape in SCCC via high-throughput HPV captured sequencing, whole-genome sequencing, whole-transcriptome sequencing, and OncoScan microarrays. HPV18 infections and integrations are commonly detected. Besides MYC family genes (37.9%), we identify SOX (8.4%), NR4A (6.3%), ANKRD (7.4%), and CEA (3.2%) family genes as HPV-integrated hotspots. We construct the genomic local haplotype around HPV-integrated sites, and find tandem duplications and amplified HPV long control regions (LCR). We propose three prominent HPV integration patterns: duplicating oncogenes (MYCN, MYC, and NR4A2), forming fusions (FGFR3–TACC3 and ANKRD12–NDUFV2), and activating genes (MYC) via the cis-regulations of viral LCRs. Moreover, focal CNA amplification peaks harbor canonical cancer genes including the HPV-integrated hotspots within MYC family, SOX2, and others. Our findings may provide potential molecular criteria for the accurate diagnosis and efficacious therapies for this lethal disease.Small cell cervical carcinoma (SCCC) is a rare but aggressive malignancy. Here, the authors report human papillomavirus features and genomic landscape in SCCC via high-throughput sequencing methods and identify MYC, SOX, NR4A, ANKRD and CEA family genes as HPV-integrated hotspots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper "Detecting gravitational wave with an interferometric seismometer array on lunar nearside" [1] was published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy (66, 109513 (2023), doi: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11433-023-2179-9). Due to an oversight on our part, some errors were made in the originally published paper. We apologize for these errors and offer the corresponding explanations and corrections for the readers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuning fork, consisting of two fork arms and a fork handle, has a stable and rigid structure. Inspired by this structure, a tuning fork-shaped DNA (TF-DNA) fluorescence aptasensor was constructed to detect ochratoxin A (OTA) and aflatoxin B1 (AFB1). A TF-DNA double-stranded structure capable of attaching both OTA aptamer labeled with the FAM fluorescent group (FAM-Apt) and AFB1 aptamer labeled with the ROX fluorescent group (ROX-Apt) was designed and linked to magnetic beads. This TF-DNA double-stranded structure can provide a stable platform for dual-target detection. In the presence of OTA and AFB1, FAM-Apt and ROX-Apt preferentially bound to them and detached from the TF-DNA double-stranded structure. Dual-signal fluorescent probes were collected from the supernatant by magnetic separation, and achieved fluorescence enhancement at 520 nm and 607 nm, respectively. The linear ranges are 0.05 ng/mL to 100 ng/mL for OTA and 0.1 ng/mL to 100 ng/mL for AFB1, and the detection limits are 0.015 ng/mL and 0.045 ng/mL, respectively. The developed sensor has the advantages of simple and fast preparation, good specificity and reproducibility, which is promising for the simultaneous determination of multiple hazardous substances in food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A method based on colorimetric sensor array (CSA) was utilized to identify extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) mixed with soybean oil and corn oil using the principle that volatile organic compounds (VOCs) interact with chemically responsive dyes to cause color changes. The array was fabricated by dropping solutions of seven pH indicators and two metalloporphyrins on porous and hydrophobic polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes. Difference maps were acquired by deducting the "initial" one from the "final" image, and the color changes were transformed into digital information at the same time. The results of CSA were evaluated by linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to successfully distinguish EVOO adulterated with soybean oil and corn oil at different proportion. The accuracy of backtracking validation was 100% for both soybean oil and corn oil, and the accuracy of cross-validation was 90.7% and 81.5% respectively. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to process the same data, and the results showed that the contribution of the first three PCs was 60.98% and 53.8% of the total variance respectively. The CSA has wide application potential due to its low cost, easy operation, fast reaction, and visual observation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The corrosion behavior of T92, TP347HFG and IN625 in high-temperature CO2 at 600 ℃ was investigated. Chromia-forming alloys TP347HFG and IN625 had better corrosion resistance than T92 because of insufficient Cr in T92 for forming Cr-rich oxide scales. More severe internal oxidation of T92 was found underneath the scratch due to the destroy of the Cr-rich oxide layer and the existence of Cr-depletion zone and induced plastic deformation by scratching. With the formation and growth of oxides at the surface of the scratch, the spallation of oxide scales may be caused by the compressive stress causing by scratching. Corrosion thermodynamic calculations were used to reveal the corrosion mechanism of T92, and the Cr–C–O phase diagrams were used to clarify the distribution of carbides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bruise is a typical kind of fruit damage that often occurred during fruit harvesting, packaging, transportation, processing, and storage. The detection of fruit bruise, especially for early detection, has received extensive attentions of global interest. In this study, fluorescence hyperspectral imaging technique was used to detect surface bruise of pears. After data preprocessing and feature extraction, machine learning methods of support vector machine and random forest were used for qualitative modeling to distinguish sample bruise levels (sound, minor, severe) and bruised time (immediate, 15 min, 24 h, 48 h, 72 h). Cross-validation, genetic algorithm, particle swarm optimization, and network search algorithms were used and compared for SVM model optimization. The results showed that different bruise levels can be identified 15 min later after bruised, with an accuracy of 93.33%. And the accuracy was as high as 99.33% when discriminating all samples into sound and bruised. It can be concluded that fluorescence hyperspectral imaging has certain feasibility in the early bruise detection of fruits. In the future, studies can be conducted to enhance the fluorescence signal intensity and reduce detection time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Flag leaf heterosis of inter-subspecific hybrid rice is suggested to be related to leaf area, gene expression pattern and allele-specific expression, putatively related to DNA methylation differences between the hybrid and its parents. Inter-subspecific hybrid rice combinations of indica × japonica have great potential to broaden genetic diversity and enhance the heterosis. The genetic and epigenetic molecular mechanism of its heterosis is not completely understood. Here, the dissection of gene expression and epigenetic regulation of an elite inter-subspecific hybrid rice were reported. In the hybrid, plant height, flag leaf area and Pn showed significant heterosis at the heading stage. Chloroplast-related differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 530 allele-specific expression genes in hybrid were identified. Analysis of the genome-wide distribution of DNA methylation (5-methylcytosine, 5mC) and its association with transcription showed that there were variant DNA methylation maps and that the regulation of gene expression levels was negatively regulated by DNA methylation in the inter-subspecific hybrid rice. Differentially methylated DEGs were significantly enriched in photosynthetic functions. Moreover, distinct 5mC sequence contexts and distinct functional elements (promoter/gene body) may have different influences on heterosis related genes. The data identified heterosis related molecular mechanisms in inter-subspecific hybrid rice and suggested that epigenetic changes could extensively influence the flag leaf gene expression and heterosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electronic probe analyses were performed on 343 and 406 sedimentary amphibole single-mineral samples extracted from five sampling points in the Huanghe River estuary and six in the Changjiang River estuary. The profiles of amphibole single-mineral major elements were determined for the two rivers using these samples. The cation coefficients and related parameters of 749 amphiboles were calculated based on 23 oxygen standards, and their crystal structure molecular formulae and related characteristic crystallochemical values were determined. The results show that the sedimentary amphiboles of the two estuaries belong to the calcic amphibole subgroup, where the majority is Magnesiohornblende, accounting for more than 70%, followed by Tschermakite. A genetic mineralogical analysis was carried out on the genesis type, magmatic source, and crystallization temperature and pressure environment of the amphiboles in the Huanghe River and Changjiang River estuaries, showing that most of the calcic amphiboles in these estuaries originated from metamorphic rocks, followed by magmatic rocks. Amphiboles of magmatic genesis in the Huanghe River and Changjiang River estuaries were largely crust-mantle type. Most of the metamorphic amphiboles originated in a metamorphic environment below moderate temperature and pressure. The amphiboles of the Huanghe River estuary mainly originate from the orogenic belt in the Northern Loess Plateau. The amphiboles of the Changjiang River estuary mainly originate from the middle and upper reaches of the Changjiang River, where the amphiboles mainly form as a result of magmatic and hydrothermal activity, as well as metamorphism. The chemical composition and characteristic values of sedimentary amphiboles in the Huanghe River and Changjiang River estuaries are stable, and can be used as standardized substances for terrestrial sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated the possible involvement of insula in suicide owing to depression. However, the function of insula in young depressed patients with suicide attempt (SA) remains to be revealed. This study aimed to explore the association between resting-state functional connectivity (FC) of insula and SA in young depressed patients. Fifty-eight adolescents and young adults with major depressive disorder, including 22 with a history of at least one SA (SA group) and 36 without a history of SA (NSA group) were scanned with a 3.0T functional magnetic resonance imaging system, and the resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data was extracted. Whole brain resting-state FC of insular subdivisions were compared between the two groups. Significantly increased FC of the left posterior insula with the orbital part of left inferior frontal gyrus, the right supplementary motor area and the bilateral paracentral lobule extending to the bilateral middle cingulate cortex was observed in the SA group compared with the NSA group. In addition, the orbital part of left superior frontal gyrus in the SA group exhibited significantly increased FC with the right posterior insula compared with the NSA group. However, no significant correlation was found between the insular subdivisions FC and different clinical variables in two groups. The present study highlighted the disruptions of the resting-state FC of the posterior insula with the orbitofrontal cortex and a series of motor cortices, and added incremental value to the knowledge of the neural mechanism underlying SA in young depressed patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ambient particulate matter (PM) newly has been regarded as a conceivable hazard for public health. A large number of studies have described that PM, exceptionally PM2.5, is correlated with respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic diseases, etc. PM2.5-induced hepatocyte steatosis previously has been uncovered both in cellular and murine models. Nevertheless, less is known about the underlying mechanism. Here, we found that PM2.5 could cause the downregulation of farnesoid X receptor (FXR), a key transcription factor for lipid metabolism. FXR could regulate the accumulation of lipid droplets induced by PM2.5 in vitro. Moreover, FXR−/− mice were exposed to PM2.5 for 2 months to investigate the role of FXR in pathogenesis of PM2.5-induced hepatic steatosis in vivo. The results showed that exposure of wild-type (WT) mice to PM2.5 caused mild liver steatosis compared with the mice exposure to filtered air (FA). Furthermore, the content of triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) was elevated in WT mice liver triggered by the inhalation of PM2.5. However, there was no statistical difference in TG and TC content between FXR−/− mice with and without PM2.5 exposure. Overall, our finding suggested FXR mediated PM2.5-induced hepatic steatosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PI3K/AKT signaling is known to regulate cancer metabolism, but whether metabolic feedback regulates the PI3K/AKT pathway is unclear. Here, we demonstrate the important reciprocal crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT signal and pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) branching metabolic pathways. PI3K/AKT activation stabilizes G6PD, the rate-limiting enzyme of the PPP, by inhibiting the newly identified E3 ligase TIRM21 and promotes the PPP. PPP metabolites, in turn, reinforce AKT activation and further promote cancer metabolic reprogramming by blocking the expression of the AKT inhibitor PHLDA3. Knockout of TRIM21 or PHLDA3 promotes crosstalk and cell proliferation. Importantly, PTEN null human cancer cells and in vivo murine models are sensitive to anti-PPP treatments, suggesting the importance of the PPP in maintaining AKT activation even in the presence of a constitutively activated PI3K pathway. Our study suggests that blockade of this reciprocal crosstalk mechanism may have a therapeutic benefit for cancers with PTEN loss or PI3K/AKT activation. The PI3K/AKT signalling pathway regulates cancer metabolism. Here, the authors show a reciprocal positive feedback crosstalk between the PI3K/AKT and pentose phosphate pathway which promotes tumourigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and feasible hydrothermal method was employed to regulate the surface charge and growth degree of active facet of BiVO4 by varying the pH value of precursor. The prepared products were characterized by XRD, Raman spectra, SEM, N2 adsorption and desorption, zeta potential, and UV–Vis DRS. It is found that with increasing the pH value, not only do the phase composition, micro-morphology, specific surface area, and light absorption of BiVO4 products have obvious changes, but so do the surface charge and growth degree of {010} facet. A possible formation mechanism is proposed on the basis of the characterization results. The photocatalytic activities were evaluated by the degradation of rhodamine B solution under visible light irradiation. The results showed that monoclinic scheelite BiVO4 (m-BiVO4) particles prepared at pH 4 exhibit the maximum adsorption capacity and the best photocatalytic performance, which was mainly attributed to the negatively charged surface. On the contrary, the similar degradation rate and kinetic constant of the m-BiVO4 prepared at pH 3 could be ascribed to the preferential growth of {010} facets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel ratiometric fluorescent sensor, based on carbon dots (CDs) and gold nanoclusters (AuNCs), is developed for highly sensitive and selective visual colorimetric detection of Cu2+ and alkaline phosphatase (ALP). The ratiometric fluorescent sensor was synthesized by covalently linking 11-mercaptoundecanoic acid (11-MUA)–stabilized AuNCs to the surface of amino-functionalized CD/SiO2 nanoparticles. The red fluorescence of the AuNCs can be quenched by Cu2+ owing to coordination between Cu2+ and 11-MUA; however, the blue emission of the CDs was insensitive to Cu2+ owing to the protective silica shell. The quenching of the AuNCs' fluorescence returned when PPi was added because of the higher affinity between Cu2+ and PPi than that between Cu2+ and 11-MUA. In the presence of ALP, PPi was catalytically hydrolyzed into phosphate (Pi), which showed a much weaker affinity for Cu2+. Thus, Cu2+ ions were released, and the fluorescence of the AuNCs was quenched once more. Based on this principle, Cu2+ and ALP could be simultaneously detected. The developed ratiometric fluorescent sensor could detect Cu2+ over a range from 0.025 to 4 μM with a detection limit of 0.013 μM and ALP over a range from 0.12 to 15 U/L with a detection limit of 0.05 U/L. The present method was successfully applied for the detection of Cu2+ and ALP in real water samples and in human serum samples, respectively. This ratiometric fluorescent approach may provide a highly sensitive and accurate platform for visual Cu2+ and ALP sensing in environmental monitoring and medical diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal variations of rainfall microphysics in East China are investigated using data from the observations of a two-dimensional video disdrometer and a vertically pointing micro rain radar. The precipitation and rain drop size distribution (DSD) characteristics are revealed for different rain types and seasons. Summer rainfall is dominated by convective rain, while during the other seasons the contribution of stratiform rain to rainfall amount is equal to or even larger than that of convective rain. The mean mass-weighted diameter versus the generalized intercept parameter pairs of convective rain are plotted roughly around the "maritime" cluster, indicating a maritime nature of convective precipitation throughout the year in East China. The localized rainfall estimators, i.e., rainfall kinetic energy-rain rate, shape-slope, and radar reflectivity-rain rate relations are further derived. DSD variability is believed to be a major source of diversity of the aforementioned derived estimators. These newly derived relations would certainly improve the accuracy of rainfall kinetic energy estimation, DSD retrieval, and quantitative precipitation estimation in this specific region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key roles of the TP53 mutation in cancer have been well established. TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene, and its inactivation is widespread among human cancer types. However, the landscape of genomic alterations in human cancers stratified by the TP53 mutation has not yet been described. We obtained somatic mutation and copy number change data of 6551 regular-mutated samples from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and compared significantly mutated genes (SMGs), copy number alterations, mutational signatures and mutational strand asymmetries between cancer samples with and without the TP53 mutation. We identified 126 SMGs, 30 of which were statistically significant in both the TP53 mutant and wild-type groups. Several SMGs, such as VHL, SMAD4 and PTEN, showed a mutation bias towards the TP53 wild-type group, whereas ATRX, IDH1 and RB1 were more prevalent in the TP53 mutant group. Five mutational signatures were extracted from the combined TCGA dataset on which mutational asymmetry analysis was performed, revealing that the TP53 mutant group exhibited substantially greater replication and transcription biases. Furthermore, we found that alterations of multiple genes in a merged mutually exclusive network composed of BRAF, EGFR, PAK1, PIK3CA, PTEN, APC and TERT were related to shortened survival in the TP53 wild-type group. In summary, we characterized the genomic differences and similarities underlying human cancers stratified by the TP53 mutation and identified multi-gene alterations of a merged mutually exclusive network to be a poor prognostic factor for the TP53 wild-type group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preamplifier circuit noise is of great importance in quartz enhanced photoacoustic spectroscopy (QEPAS) system. In this paper, several noise sources are evaluated and discussed in detail. Based on the noise characteristics, the corresponding noise reduction method is proposed. In addition, a frequency locked technique is introduced to further optimize the QEPAS system noise and improve signal, which achieves a better performance than the conventional frequency scan method. As a result, the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) could be increased 14 times by utilizing frequency locked technique and numerical averaging technique in the QEPAS system for water vapor detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient synthesis of 3-aryl-1,5-pentanedione derivatives from the reaction of aromatic aldehydes and 1,2-diphenylethanone has been reported. Although 3-aryl-1,5-pentanedione is a frequently used synthetic intermediate, few mature methods have been reported for the synthesis of this kind of derivative. In our research, this reaction could be carried out smoothly promoted by NaOH under solvent-free conditions. Because of the low cost, and readily available reagent, NaOH is an efficient catalyst for the synthesis of these dione compounds. The other advantages of this procurement are high yields, simple operation, atomic economy, mild reaction conditions, and environmental friendliness. The d-D structure has been additional confirmed by X-ray diffraction analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients harboring KRAS mutation were associated with worse prognosis and lower response to epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) target therapy than those with wild-type tumors. However, whether the underlying biological differences are associated with the efficacy of cytotoxic chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients remained controversial. We searched electronic databases for eligible literatures. The primary outcomes were objective response rate (ORR), 6-month and 1-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate. The pooled odds ratio (OR) was calculated using random-effect model. Subgroup analyses stratified by literature type, mutation analysis method, therapeutic regimen, patient origin, and EGFR mutation status in KRAS wild-type patients were proposed. Heterogeneity and publication bias were quantitatively evaluated. A total of ten studies involving 1,677 advanced NSCLC patients with known KRAS mutation status who had received first-line chemotherapy were included. KRAS mutants had lower ORR than wild-type patients (25.1 vs. 34.4 %) significantly (OR 0.67, 95 % CI 0.50-0.88, P = 0.004). Additionally, patients with KRAS mutation had numerically lower 6-month (51.0 vs. 56.8 %) and 1-year (10.3 vs. 13.3 %) PFS rate than wild-type patients, but there was no significant difference between the two groups (OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.54-1.04, P = 0.08; OR 0.75, 95 % CI 0.47-1.21, P = 0.25). Results of the subgroup analyses were almost concordant with the overall ones. This comprehensive analysis revealed that advanced NSCLC patients with KRAS mutations had significantly lower ORR and potentially lower 6-month/1-year PFS rate compared with wild-type patients after first-line chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We perform a theoretical study on the polarization-resolved compound lasing mode (CLM) of two mutually coupled vertical-cavity surface-emitting lasers (VCSELs). Different solutions of CLMs are derived though stability analysis of the spin-flip model. The dynamical evolvements of CLMs with the existence of polarization degrees of freedom are also charactered. The most stable CLM with the smallest carrier density tend to be excited, since the gain needed for this mode to emit is the lowest. In the given system, varying values of injection rate or birefringence, etc., will change the generation of the preferred CLMs in the two polarization directions, and thus influence the polarization switching (PS) characteristics. Thus, hoppings between CLMs are also companied by PSs. Through mapping of average power in the parameter space, the influences of coupling rate and anisotropy parameters (linear dichroism and linear birefringence) on PS and hopping between CLMs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Huanghuazhan (HHZ) and 9,311 are two elite rice cultivars in China. They have achieved high yield through quite different mechanisms. One of the major features that gives high yield capacity to 9,311 is its strong early vigor, i.e., faster establishment of its seedling as well as its better growth in its early stages. To understand the mechanistic basis of early vigor in 9,311, as compared to HHZ the cultivar, we have examined, under controlled environmental conditions, different morphological and physiological traits that may contribute to its early vigor. Our results show that the fresh weight of the seeds, at germination, not only determined the seedling biomass at 10 days after germination (DAG), but was also responsible for ~ 80% of variations in plant biomass between the two cultivars even up to 30 DAG. Furthermore, the 9,311 cultivar had a larger root system, which led to its higher nitrogen uptake capacity. Other noteworthy observations about 9,311 being a better cultivar than HHZ are: (i) Ten out of 15 genes involved in nitrogen metabolism were much more highly expressed in its roots; (ii) it had a higher water uptake rate, promoting better root-to-shoot nitrogen transfer; and (iii) consistent with the above, it had higher leaf photosynthetic rate and stomatal conductance. All of the above identified features explain, to a large extent, why the 9,311, as compared to HHZ, exhibits much more vigorous early growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previously, we successfully prepared a monoclonal antibody (mAb) named 2E4, that directly recognizes the major envelope protein B2L of the orf virus (ORFV), but there is little information about its epitope. Here, we meticulously mapped the 2E4 epitope through combinatorial programs and identified the functional binding domain and a key amino acid residue. Briefly, the simulated epitope peptide closely resembles 84VDVQSKDKDADELR97 located at the N-terminus of B2L, strongly suggesting that the epitope is conformationally or spatially structure-dependent. Subsequently, we combined these findings with the results from the antigenicity prediction of B2L to design three truncated fragments of B2L (F1, F2 and F3) selected using 2E4, and only the F1 fragment was found to be eligible for the advanced stage. Alanine-scanning mutagenesis suggested that the D94 residue is structurally crucial for the 2E4 epitope. The other participating residues, including K61, E62, and D92, together with D94 were responsible for enabling 2E4 binding and served as factors that synergistically enabled binding to the whole 2E4 epitope. In this paper, we describe, for the first time, the architecture of an ORFV conformational epitope, and it is also expected that mAb 2E4 and its epitope can be used for applications relating to orf control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An affinity-based protocol is described for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). It is utilizing teicoplanin-functionalized magnetic beads as carriers. Teicoplanin, which binds to the walls of cells of S. aureus via five hydrogen bonds, acts as the recognition agent. Captured S. aureus is magnetically separated from the sample matrix and then specifically lysed by lysostaphin which cleaves the cross-linking pentaglycine bridges of peptidoglycan in the cell wall. Lastly, S. aureus is quantified via the inhibitory effect of released intracellular catalase on a chemiluminescent (CL) system composed of peroxidase, luminol, H2O2 and p-iodophenol because catalase decomposes H2O2. S. aureus can be detected with CL response in the 140 to 1.4 × 107 CFU·mL−1 concentration range and a detection limit as low as 47 CFU·mL−1 at a signal-to-noise ratio of 3. The method was evaluated by analyzing spiked samples including milk, human urine and saline injection solutions. The reliability was demonstrated by a recovery test and by comparison with a conventional plate counting method.An antibiotic-affinity protocol is developed to detect Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) by utilizing teicoplanin-functionalized magnetic beads (Teic-MBs) as carriers. S. aureus can be quantified by measuring the inhibition of luminol chemiluminescence (CL) signal by intracellular catalase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]