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Chemical probes are an indispensable tool for translating biological discoveries into new therapies, though are increasingly difficult to identify since novel therapeutic targets are often hard-to-drug proteins. We introduce FRASE-based hit-finding robot (FRASE-bot), to expedite drug discovery for unconventional therapeutic targets. FRASE-bot mines available 3D structures of ligand-protein complexes to create a database of FRAgments in Structural Environments (FRASE). The FRASE database can be screened to identify structural environments similar to those in the target protein and seed the target structure with relevant ligand fragments. A neural network model is used to retain fragments with the highest likelihood of being native binders. The seeded fragments then inform ultra-large-scale virtual screening of commercially available compounds. We apply FRASE-bot to identify ligands for Calcium and Integrin Binding protein 1 (CIB1), a promising drug target implicated in triple negative breast cancer. FRASE-based virtual screening identifies a small-molecule CIB1 ligand (with binding confirmed in a TR-FRET assay) showing specific cell-killing activity in CIB1-dependent cancer cells, but not in CIB1-depletion-insensitive cells. Newly identified therapeutic targets are often hard-to-drug proteins. Here, the authors introduce FRASE-based hit-finding robot (FRASE-bot), to expedite drug discovery for unconventional therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1970s, China has continuously improved air pollution treatment and emission standards, but polluted weather still occurs frequently in some areas, especially haze weather. At present, most of the research on haze weather focuses on particulate matter, while ignoring the mechanism of aerosol-radiation-surface ozone interaction under haze weather. Therefore, this paper analyses the relationship between aerosol-radiation-surface ozone with the help of the (SBDART) model for the Guangdong-Hong Kong-Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA), using 2013–2021 as the time line. The results show similar trends in total column ozone and tropospheric ozone, and separate trends in surface ozone. Total column ozone and tropospheric ozone concentrations are at high values in spring and summer and low values in fall and winter; surface ozone is higher in summer and fall and lower in winter and spring. In contrast, Absorbing aerosol index (AAI) had high values in both spring and winter, and low values in summer and autumn. AAI, PM10 and Black carbon (BC) showed negative relations with ozone overall, but AAI and tropospheric ozone reached high values simultaneously in spring, indicating a rapid increase of pollutants caused by meteorological factors and human activities. Ozone concentration decreases from high values when precipitable water increases significantly. The analysis of potential sources of AAI indicated that local sources centered in Guangzhou were the primary source of AAI in the urban agglomeration of GBA, while other potential sources include biomass sources in the south and ozone sources in the northeast. The photolysis rate of fine-grained urban/industrial aerosols did not decrease significantly, leading to an increase in surface ozone concentration. Therefore, low aerosol radiative forcing (ARF) may increase surface ozone concentrations in the fine-particle aerosol mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by abnormal lipid deposition in the arteries. Programmed cell death is involved in the inflammatory response of atherosclerosis, but PANoptosis, as a new form of programmed cell death, is still unclear in atherosclerosis. This study explored the key PANoptosis-related genes involved in atherosclerosis and their potential mechanisms through bioinformatics analysis. Methods: We evaluated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and immune infiltration landscape in atherosclerosis using microarray datasets and bioinformatics analysis. By intersecting PANoptosis-related genes from the GeneCards database with DEGs, we obtained a set of PANoptosis-related genes in atherosclerosis (PANoDEGs). Functional enrichment analysis of PANoDEGs was performed and protein–protein interaction (PPI) network of PANoDEGs was established. The machine learning algorithms were used to identify the key PANoDEGs closely linked to atherosclerosis. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to assess the diagnostic potency of key PANoDEGs. CIBERSORT was used to analyze the immune infiltration patterns in atherosclerosis, and the Spearman method was used to study the relationship between key PANoDEGs and immune infiltration abundance. The single gene enrichment analysis of key PANoDEGs was investigated by GSEA. The transcription factors and target miRNAs of key PANoDEGs were predicted by Cytoscape and online database, respectively. The expression of key PANoDEGs was validated through animal and cell experiments. Results: PANoDEGs in atherosclerosis were significantly enriched in apoptotic process, pyroptosis, necroptosis, cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway, NOD-like receptor signaling pathway, lipid and atherosclerosis. Four key PANoDEGs (ZBP1, SNHG6, DNM1L, and AIM2) were found to be closely related to atherosclerosis. The ROC curve analysis demonstrated that the key PANoDEGs had a strong diagnostic potential in distinguishing atherosclerotic samples from control samples. Immune cell infiltration analysis revealed that the proportion of initial B cells, plasma cells, CD4 memory resting T cells, and M1 macrophages was significantly higher in atherosclerotic tissues compared to normal tissues. Spearman analysis showed that key PANoDEGs showed strong correlations with immune cells such as T cells, macrophages, plasma cells, and mast cells. The regulatory networks of the four key PANoDEGs were established. The expression of key PANoDEGs was verified in further cell and animal experiments. Conclusions: This study evaluated the expression changes of PANoptosis-related genes in atherosclerosis, providing a reference direction for the study of PANoptosis in atherosclerosis and offering potential new avenues for further understanding the pathogenesis and treatment strategies of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoporosis (OP) is a bone metabolism disease that is associated with inflammatory pathological mechanism. Nonetheless, rare studies have investigated the diagnostic effectiveness of immune-inflammation index in the male population. Therefore, it is interesting to achieve early diagnosis of OP in male population based on the inflammatory makers from blood routine examination. We developed a prediction model based on a training dataset of 826 Chinese male patients through a retrospective study, and the data was collected from January 2022 to May 2023. All participants underwent the dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXEA) and blood routine examination. Inflammatory markers such as systemic immune-inflammation index (SII) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) was calculated and recorded. We utilized the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression model to optimize feature selection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was applied to construct a predicting model incorporating the feature selected in the LASSO model. This predictive model was displayed as a nomogram. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, C-index, calibration curve, and clinical decision curve analysis (DCA) to evaluate model performance. Internal validation was test by the bootstrapping method. This study was approved by the Ethic Committee of the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine (Ethic No. JY2023012) and conducted in accordance with the relevant guidelines and regulations. The predictive factors included in the prediction model were age, BMI, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, neuropathy, thyroid diseases, fracture history, SII, PLR, C-reactive protein (CRP). The model displayed well discrimination with a C-index of 0.822 (95% confidence interval: 0.798–0.846) and good calibration. Internal validation showed a high C-index value of 0.805. Decision curve analysis (DCA) showed that when the threshold probability was between 3 and 76%, the nomogram had a good clinical value. This nomogram can effectively predict the incidence of OP in male population based on SII and PLR, which would help clinicians rapidly and conveniently diagnose OP with men in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Main conclusion: Mutation of OsSHR2 adversely impacted root and shoot growth and impaired plant response to N conditions, further reducing the yield per plant. Nitrogen (N) is a crucial factor that regulates the plant architecture. There is still a lack of research on it. In our study, it was observed that the knockout of the SHORTROOT2 (OsSHR2) which was induced by N deficiency, can significantly affect the regulation of plant architecture response to N in rice. Under N deficiency, the mutation of OsSHR2 significantly reduced root growth, and impaired the sensitivity of the root meristem length to N deficiency. The mutants were found to have approximately a 15% reduction in plant height compared to wild type. But mutants showed a significant increase in tillering at post-heading stage, approximately 26% more than the wild type, particularly in high N conditions. In addition, due to reduced seed setting rate and 1000-grain weight, mutant yield was significantly decreased by approximately 33% under low N fertilizer supply. The mutation also changed the distribution of N between the vegetative and reproductive organs. Our findings suggest that the transcription factor OsSHR2 plays a regulatory role in the response of plant architecture and yield per plant to N in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autosomal recessive CARD9 deficiency can underly deep and superficial fungal diseases. We identified two Japanese patients, suffering from superficial and invasive Candida albicans diseases, carrying biallelic variants of CARD9. Both patients, in addition to another Japanese and two Korean patients who were previously reported, carried the c.820dup CARD9 variant, either in the homozygous (two patients) or heterozygous (three patients) state. The other CARD9 alleles were c.104G > A, c.1534C > T and c.1558del. The c.820dup CARD9 variant has thus been reported, in the homozygous or heterozygous state, in patients originating from China, Japan, or South Korea. The Japanese, Korean, and Chinese patients share a 10 Kb haplotype encompassing the c.820dup CARD9 variant. This variant thus originates from a common ancestor, estimated to have lived less than 4,000 years ago. While phaeohyphomycosis caused by Phialophora spp. was common in the Chinese patients, none of the five patients in our study displayed Phialophora spp.-induced disease. This difference between Chinese and our patients probably results from environmental factors. (161/250). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study focuses on the energy consumption (EC) and environmental pollution caused by carbon consumption in China's development. The Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region is selected as the primary focus of investigation. To gain insight into the relationship between China's economic growth (EG) and carbon reduction (CR), two major research elements, the impact of each on the other is examined. The study mainly uses decoupling models and influence models to analyze the decoupling relationship and effectiveness between CR and EG. The research results showed that there was a difference between long-term and short-term effects. The short-term effect in the YRD region was manifested as a continuously improving decoupling state, while the long-term effect was manifested as the significant impact of population and per capita Gross Domestic Product on CR. The effect value of EC factor was 0.43, while the effect value of CR factor was 0.07. In functional comparison, the role of EC factors was more significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, ulcerative colitis (UC) has become a global disease due to its high incidence. Hyperoside (HYP) is a naturally occurring flavonoid compound with many pharmacological effects. This study aimed to develop HYP-loaded mixed micelles (HYP-M) to improve oral bioavailability of HYP and to evaluate its therapeutic effect on UC. The prepared HYP-M exhibited stable physical and chemical properties, smaller particle size (PS) (21.48 ± 1.37 nm), good polydispersity index (PDI = 0.178 ± 0.013), negative Zeta potential (ZP) (− 20.00 ± 0.48 mV) and high entrapment rate (EE) (89.59 ± 2.03%). In vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic results showed that HYP-M significantly increased the releasing rate of HYP, wherein its oral bioavailability was 4.15 times higher than that of free HYP. In addition, HYP-M was more effective in the treatment of UC than free HYP. In conclusion, HYP-M could serve as a novel approach to improve bioavailability and increase anti-UC activity of HYP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein induced by vitamin K absence or antagonist II (PIVKA-II) plays a critical role in the diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), however, studies on its efficacy in diagnosing recurrent HCC were rarely found. A multicenter, retrospective, and observational study was conducted. During the overall follow-up of 5 years, HCC patients who had curative resection were monitored every 3 months in the first year post-surgery and every 6 months thereafter if no recurrence occurred. Tumor markers were collected at the diagnosis of recurrence for those with recurrence and at the last follow-up for those without recurrence. The median serum levels of PIVKA-II and AFP in the recurrence group were significantly higher than those in the non-recurrence group (PIVKA-II: 84.62 vs. 18.76 mAU/ml, p < 0.001; AFP: 4.90 vs. 3.00 ng/ml, p < 0.001) and there is a significant correlation between PIVKA-II and AFP (R = 0.901, p < 0.001). PIVKA-II showed better accuracy than AFP in the diagnosis of overall recurrent HCC (AUC: 0.883 vs. 0.672; p < 0.0001), but also in patients with negative PIVKA-II before curative resection (AUC: 0.878 vs. 0.680, p = 0.001). Clinician should pay more attention to serum PIVKA-II values when following patients after curative HCC resection to detect early recurrence. Clinical trial registration: ChiCTR2300070874 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Application of high-throughput sequencing and screening help to detect the transcriptional and metabolic discrepancies in organs provided with various levels of nutrients. The influences of individual essential amino acid (EAA) administration on transcriptomic and metabolomic profilings of bovine mammary epithelial cells (BMECs) were systematically investigated. A RNA sequencing and liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry generated a comprehensive comparison of transcriptomics, non-targeted metabolomics and targeted amino acids profilings of BMECs with individual EAA stimulation by turn. The sequencing data and raw LC-MS/MS data of samples were presented in the databases of Gene Expression Omnibus, MetaboLights and Figshare for efficient reuse, including exploring the divergences in metabolisms between different EAAs and screening valuable genes and metabolites regulating casein synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) contributes to the vast majority of cancer-related deaths. Proteasome 26S subunit, non-ATPase 12 (PSMD12), a subunit of 26S proteasome complex, is known to play the tumor-promoting role in several types of cancer but its function in NSCLC remains elusive. Objective: To explore the role and underlying mechanisms of PSMD12 in NSCLC. Methods: The PSMD12 expression in human normal lung epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) and four NSCLC cell lines (A549, NCI-H1299, NCI-H1975, Calu-1) were determined by qRT-PCR and western blot. Malignant phenotypes of NSCLC cells were detected by CCK-8, EdU staining, immunofluorescence staining for E-cadherin, flow cytometry, and Transwell assays to assess cell viability, proliferation, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), apoptosis, migration and invasion. Dual luciferase assay was used to verify the regulatory role of transcription factor on the promoter. Results: We identified the upregulation of PSMD12 in NSCLC tissues based on the GEO datasets, which further verified in NSCLC and BEAS-2B cell lines. PSMD12 knockdown significantly suppressed malignant behaviors of NSCLC cells, including cell growth, invasion, and migration, while PSMD12 overexpression presented the opposite effects. Interestingly, we found that PSMD12 upregulated the tumor-promoting factor TrxR1 mRNA expression. For its potential mechanisms, we demonstrated that PSMD12 elevated transcription factor Nrf2 protein level and promoted Nrf2 nuclear translocation. And Nrf2 further increased TrxR1 promoter activity and enhanced TrxR1 transcription. Meanwhile, we proved that TrxR1 overexpression erased the inhibitory effect of PSMD12 knockdown. Conclusion: PSMD12 promotes NSCLC progression by activating the Nrf2/TrxR1 pathway, providing a novel prognostic and therapeutic target for NSCLC treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing deep learning models have made some progress in improving detection accuracy for small objects, but there remains much work to be done in coordinating the practical factors involved in real object detection: accuracy, running time, model parameters and complexity. In this study, we designed multiple lightweight models and evaluated their detection performance by constructing a lightweight backbone network and embedding different combinations of attention and context modules. The results show that 1) The introduction of an attention mechanism and context information into the backbone network helps to improve the detection accuracy of the model for small objects, but the degree of improvement varies depending on the structure of the model. 2) The introduction of a context fusion network is more helpful for improving the detection performance than the introduction of an attention module. 3) The joint use of an attention mechanism and contextual information requires careful consideration of the model structure. Moreover, the designed models are lightweight. This makes the program very fast when reading and writing the parameter file. The feedforward time of the model is very short. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, in situ sol–gel strategy was used to introduce silica gel in polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membrane pores, by which the pore structure of organic solvent nanofiltration (OSN) membrane prepared with thermal crosslinking was maintained well. The chemical structure, microstructure and morphology changes of membrane during sol–gel and thermal crosslinking were systematically studied by FTIR, XPS, XRD and SEM. Benefitting from the introduction of silica gel, the fusion of membrane pore structure during thermal crosslinking was effectively inhibited by supporting the pore with silica gel. Therefore, the permeances of the thermally crosslinked membranes supported by in situ silica gel were greatly improved. Furthermore, the thermally crosslinked membrane showed excellent stability of OSN performance due to the generated ladder structure of membrane during thermal crosslinking. This work showed that in situ silica gel supporting is a promising strategy to stabilize the pore structure of PAN membrane during thermal crosslinking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To increase the degree of implementation of the rural revitalization strategy, it is crucial to conduct a scientific investigation of the relationship between fiscal policy, fiscal decentralization, green digital management, and contract selection. This research develops an analytical framework for the application of fiscal policy and the choice of cooperative association contracts based on the contract theory. On the basis of a theoretical analysis of the external factors that influence the choice of residents' cooperative association contract and behavior, it goes on to investigate the interest game relationship and stability of three different cooperative associations (production type, service type, and industrial chain type). Additionally, it runs an empirical test using survey information from cooperative associations in China's Gansu Province. The findings indicate that the cooperative association is more likely to select the factor contract model depending on the strength of the fiscal policy support, the union's brand influence, and the regional market share change of the primary products. Evolutionary equilibrium is inhibited by the association's input costs, but a stable contract is created more favorably the more average the cost distribution is. The stability of the contract and its detrimental effects on pro-environmental behavior are worse the more damage other residents' breaches of the contract have caused. The research findings in this paper may serve as a basis for decision-making and a source of information for encouraging the high-quality growth of cooperative groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared with traditional onsite construction, prefabricated construction has a more complex working environment, resulting in more safety risks. While cognitive failure has been identified as a primary cause of intentional unsafe behaviors, there remains a lack of knowledge on the formation mechanism underlying intentional unsafe behaviors among workers in precast construction. Using the Theory of Planned Behavior and the risk preference variable, this study constructs a theoretical model for intentional unsafe behaviors of precast construction workers. Data related to precast construction and safety management activities is collected from 208 frontline workers. Structural Equation Modeling is used to test and modify the theoretical model in order to identify the formation mechanism and pathway underlying intentional unsafe behaviors. The findings show that: (1) workers' perceptual behavior control, behavior and attitude, risk preference, and subjective norms influence their intention to engage in unsafe behavior and subsequently lead to intentional unsafe behavior; (2) the effect of personal risk preference on intentional unsafe behaviors is significant, contributing 7.71% to overall intentional unsafe behavior; and (3) the effects of the observed variables are more evident than the initial theoretical model. The most prominent of these are the effects of task intensity (IBC1), safety equipment (IBC2), worker behavior (IOW1), historical behavior (IBC3), and behavioral belief (BAA3). Finally, comprehensive measures to control the intentional unsafe behaviors of precast construction workers are recommended. The results of this study are useful for reducing the occurrence of intentional unsafe behaviors by workers and reducing the incidence of accidents in a complex manufacturing-oriented construction environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication in children with hematological malignancies. Although AKI due to infiltration of tumor cells in children is rare, it negatively impacts treatment outcomes and increases the risk of mortality. We introduce a case of a child with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) who experienced kidney relapse resulting in asymptomatic AKI after remission from treatment, to remind clinicians not to overlook the primary disease in clinical judgment. In cases of unexplained AKI, kidney biopsy should be performed when feasible to get an accurate diagnosis and scientific treatment. In brief, children with leukemia who have achieved remission after treatment still need regular monitoring of urine routine and kidney function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species-abundance distribution (SAD) is essential in understanding the formation and maintenance mechanisms of species diversity. In alpine meadows, aspect affects almost all biological and ecological processes. Therefore, the soil ciliate data obtained by Illumina MiSeq sequencing were used to explore the characteristics of SADs to the soil ciliate communities on different aspects in alpine meadows (south aspect, southwest aspect, west aspect, northwest aspect, north aspect; SA, SWA, WA, NWA, NA, respectively). Statistical models: Log-series model (LSM) and Log-normal model (LNORM), Niche models: Broken stick model (BSM) and Geometric series model (GSM), and a neutral theory model: Meta-community zero-sum multinomial distribution model (MZSM) were selected to fit the soil ciliate data for analysis. The results showed that: (1) the number of common species increased and then decreased from SA to NA, the number of rare species changed in the opposite trend; (2) BSM and GSM were able to fit the SAD of overall soil ciliates species on different aspects, while MZSM was rejected on all aspects, indicating that the niche process dominated the formation of soil ciliate communities in the alpine meadows, and the resource allocation pattern was dominated by fixed allocation; (3) best-fit models for common species were GSM and BSM which were consistent with best-fit models for all species, while the best-fit model for rare species was LNORM, common species dominated the formation of SAD on different aspects and had an irreplaceable role in maintaining community productivity and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the CO2 fracturing process, the rapid wear and premature failure of fracturing pump plunger seriously restrict the efficiency and productivity of oil and gas production. Diamond-like (DLC) films have great research prospects for the development of long life and high reliability fracturing pump plungers during the CO2 fracturing process. The tribological properties of DLC films on the fracturing pump plungers was studied by ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulation. The results indicate that the friction system exhibits the lowest friction and wear in CO2 environment, which is attributed to the strong repulsive force generated by CO2 molecules. However, the friction interfaces will suffer severe wear in O2 and dry friction environments, which is mainly attributed the oxidation reaction and mechanical mixing. The relevant research results not only enrich the basic friction theory of DLC film in different environments, but also show that DLC film has great research potential for extending the life of key parts of fracturing pump during the CO2 fracturing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The key mechanisms for the superlubricity of the DLC film in a vacuum environment are considered to be the formation of graphitization at the friction interface and the carbon dangling bonds on the surface of the H-passivated film. However, how the graphitization and H-passivation mechanisms affect the superlubricity of DLC films in a vacuum environment has not been uniformly understood. This paper attempts to explore the influence of the H-passivation and graphitization mechanism on the frictional properties of DLC films by means of first-principles calculations and molecular dynamics simulation and provides an atomic-level view of the super-slip mechanism of DLC films in a vacuum environment. The results show that the separation work of G/C (2.77 J/m2) and C/H–C (0.19 J/m2) is reduced by 80% and 98%, respectively, compared to C/C (13.52 J/m2). However, it is interesting to note that the separation work of the G/H–C interface (0.51 J/m2) is 168% higher than that of the C/H–C interface (0.19 J/m2). The results of the molecular dynamics simulation also show that the C/H–C interface maintains a small and stable frictional force due to the lower interface slip and the lower temperature rise of the interface. Further investigations revealed that the main reason for the higher separation work is the high charge transfer between the G/H–C interface. In short, the H-passivation in a vacuum environment is the key mechanism that determines the superlubricity of DLC films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Physiologically based pharmacokinetics (PBPK) models are increasingly used in the drug research and development, especially in anti-cancer drugs. Between 2001 and 2020, a total of 89 small-molecule targeted antitumor drugs were approved in China and the United States, some of which already included PBPK modeling in their application or approval packages. This article intended to review the prevalence and application of PBPK model in these drugs. Method: Article search was performed in the PubMed to collect English research articles on small-molecule targeted anti-cancer drugs using PBPK modeling. The selected articles were classified into nine categorizes according to the application areas and further analyzed. Result: From 2001 to 2020, more than 60% of small-molecule targeted anti-cancer drugs (54/89) were studied using PBPK model with a wide range of application. Ninety research articles were included, of which 48 involved enzyme-mediated drug-drug interaction (DDI). Of these retrieved articles, Simcyp, GastroPlus, and PK-Sim were the most widely model building platforms, which account for 63.8%, 15.2%, and 8.6%, respectively. Conclusion: PBPK modeling is commonly and widely used to research small-molecule targeted anti-cancer drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the evolutionary behavior of interfacial friction in the oil-based drilling fluid environment using ReaxFF molecular dynamics simulations. The analysis of friction and wear at the contact interface shows that the essence of friction and wear is the change of atomic crystal structure caused by mechanical forces. The lubricating effect of oil-based drilling fluid prevents shear deformation between the contact interfaces, thus keeping the friction stable. The analysis of the motion of the molecules of the oil-based drilling fluid and the friction chemistry further shows that the reduction of friction is attributed to hydrodynamic lubrication of the oil-based drilling fluid molecules and passivation of a large number of H2 and a small number of H atoms generated by the friction chemistry. In addition, the study of temperature changes during sliding shows that oil-based drilling fluids can absorb high temperatures at the friction interface, reducing the risk of high temperature damage to the friction pair during sliding. The related research results provide a theoretical basis for the friction and wear behavior in oil-based drilling fluid environments at the molecular level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plunger is the core component of the sucker rod pump. Its rapid wear and premature failure severely limit the efficiency and productivity of oil and gas production. Diamond-like carbon (DLC) films, due to their high hardness, high wear resistance and low friction coefficient, have great research prospects for the development of long-life and high-reliability sucker-rod pump plungers in oil production environments. Therefore, in this paper, to simulate the friction behaviour and influence mechanism of the DLC film in an oil production environment, three molecular dynamics friction models of Fe–Fe, DLC–Fe and DLD–DLC were established. It is found that with increasing load, the friction coefficients of DLC–Fe and DLD–DLC are smaller than that of Fe–Fe in the light oil reservoir environment. In particular, when the mating pair is DLC–DLC, a superlubricity state of 0.0007 is even achieved. This will greatly increase the service life of the plunger of the sucker rod pump in the oil production environment. Further investigation revealed that the low friction of the DLC film in an oil production environment is mainly due to the weak interaction between light oil molecules and the DLC layer, so that it does not cause adhesive wear with the friction surface while lubricating the surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five choline ionic liquids were selected to evaluate their toxicity to green alga (Chlorella vulgaris) and Daphnia magna. Their influence on chlorophyll content, respiration rate, antioxidase activity, and malondialdehyde content of Chlorella vulgaris and the acute and chronic toxicity of Daphnia magna were investigated. The studied ionic liquids slightly inhibited the algal growth with the median effective concentrations (EC50) > 1900 mg/L. Chlorophyll contents, respiration rate, and protein contents of the alga after 96 h of exposure decreased with the higher concentrations of the ionic liquids, while superoxide dismutase and catalase activity and malondialdehyde content increased firstly and then decreased. The acute toxicity of Daphnia magna after 48 h of exposure (indicated by the median effective concentrations, EC50) was 200.44 and 184.50 mg/L for choline acetate and choline D-lactate, respectively, which was above the toxicity of other ionic liquids. The studied ionic liquids presented low toxicity to Chlorella vulgaris and Daphnia magna. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) is a space-borne geodetic technique that can map ground displacement at millimetre accuracy. Via the new era for InSAR applications provided by the Copernicus Sentinel-1 SAR satellites, several open-source software packages exist for processing SAR data. These packages enable one to obtain high-quality ground deformation maps, but still require a deep understanding of InSAR theory and the related computational tools, especially when dealing with a large stack of images. Here we present an open-source toolbox, EZ-InSAR (easy-to-use InSAR), for a user-friendly implementation of InSAR displacement time series analysis with multi-temporal SAR images. EZ-InSAR integrates the three most popular and renowned open-source tools (i.e., ISCE, StaMPS, and MintPy), to generate interferograms and displacement time series by using these state-of-art algorithms within a seamless Graphical User Interface. EZ-InSAR reduces the user's workload by automatically downloading the Sentinel-1 SAR imagery and the digital elevation model data for the user's area of interest, and by streamlining preparation of input data stacks for the time series InSAR analysis. We illustrate the EZ-InSAR processing capabilities by mapping recent ground deformation at Campi Flegrei (> 100 mm·yr−1) and Long Valley (~ 10 mm·yr−1) calderas with both Persistent Scatterer InSAR and Small-Baseline Subset approaches. We also validate the test results by comparing the InSAR displacements with Global Navigation Satellite System measurements at those volcanoes. Our tests indicate that the EZ-InSAR toolbox provided here can serve as a valuable contribution to the community for ground deformation monitoring and geohazard evaluation, as well as for disseminating bespoke InSAR observations for all. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present work aims to evaluate the tolerance, osmoregulation, metabolism, and antioxidant ability of saline water immersed grass goldfish (Carassius auratus) during the recovery in freshwater. Grass goldfish (38.15 ± 5.48g) acclimated in freshwater were immersed by salinities (0‰, 20‰ and 30‰) for different time durations (10, 20, 30 and 60 min); and the physiological responses were measured during freshwater recovery. The blood osmolalities were not significantly different at any group fish, while whereas the decline of Na+ concentration and the ratio of Na+/Cl- as well as the rise of Cl- concentration was observed in saline treated fish. Soon after freshwater recovery, the transcription of NKA-α and NKA-β mRNA in gills of salinity 20 immersed fish elevated significantly and then decreased, whereas no obvious changes were detected in salinity 30 treated fish. Till 24h post freshwater recovery, gill Na+/K+-ATPase activities in saline treated fish were lower than control group except for the fish immersed by salinity 20 for 10–30 min. At 24h of recovery, cortisol levels in salinity 20 immersed fish were lower than salinity 30 treated fish, but remained higher than control. As for serum lactic acid, fish treated by salinity 20 for 10 or 20 min did not show any fluctuation. However, higher lactic acid contents were detected in all other five salinity treated groups during recovery. Generally, at 24 h of recovery, salinity 20 treated fish exhibited higher SOD and CAT activities than fish immersed by salinity 30. In summary, grass goldfish could survive by immersion in salinity 20 less than 60 min or salinity 30 less than 30min, even though immersion by salinity 20 could minimize the negative effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytoremediation of the eutrophic water bodies by using various macrophytes has long been considered effective and economical. However, the understanding of combining macrophytes to maximize efficacy in the restoration is still limited. In this study, three different life-form macrophytes were employed to explore the optimal plant combination of eutrophic water purification, including Pontederia cordata L. (E: emergent), Pistia stratiotes L. (F: floating), and Hydrilla verticillata (L. f.) Royle (S: submerged). The effects on water quality, removal of the excess nutrients (TN, NH3-N, NO3-N, and TP) in the water, along with the growth response and the nutrient accumulation of the macrophytes were investigated both individually and in combination. The phytoremediation of every single macrophyte was significantly improved by combined planting and increasing the diversity of the combination led to better enhancements. In general, the treatment with macrophytes in three life forms (EFS) not only resulted in the highest removal rates of the TN, NH3-N, NO3-N, and TP (40.89, 33.50, 46.81, and 43.55%, respectively) but also decreased the turbidity and increased the dissolved oxygen more effectively and efficiently. Furthermore, EFS mitigated the environmental stress of plants and promoted the accumulation of TN and TP in them, especially the emergent macrophyte P. cordata. The combinations with macrophyte in two life forms (EF, ES, and FS) also exhibited unique strengths: the removal efficacy of TN (39.25%) and TP (46.16%) in FS, and NO3-N in EF (48.54%) and ES (49.90%) were also at the forefront; the biomass and nutrient content of the submerged macrophyte H. verticillata in ES were the highest. Moreover, a strong correlation between the eutrophic factors and the plant physiological indexes was observed. These findings highlighted the role of combined planting in phytoremediation and provided a valuable reference for the development of ecological restoration for eutrophic ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media popularity prediction refers to using multi-modal content to predict the popularity of a post offered by an internet user. It is an effective way to explore advanced forecasting trends and make more popularity-sensitive strategic decisions for the future. Existing methods attempt to explore various multi-model features to solve this task, which only focus on local information, lacking global understanding for the post's content. In this paper, we propose social media popularity prediction with caption (SMPC), a novel architecture that integrates the caption as the global representation into the existing multi-model-feature-based popularity prediction method. To make good use of the generated captions, we process them in word-level, sentence-level and length-level ways, obtaining three kinds of caption features. To incorporate caption features, we exploit seven variants of the architecture by concatenating features in all the possible manners, for the feature fusion and training different combinations for the CatBoost regression. Extensive experiments are conducted on Social Media Prediction Dataset (SMPD) and show that the proposed approaches can achieve competing results against state-of-the-art models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Her skin biopsy specimen taken from edges of the ulcers revealed nonspecific mixed inflammatory cell infiltrates in the dermis, with no pathogen noticed after periodic acid schiff staining. Skin biopsy was performed again on the abdominal nodules and histopathology showed lobular panniculitis with extensive fat necrosis. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents a modified unified critical state model to predict the mechanical responses of both clays and sands under over-consolidation and cyclic loading conditions on the basis of clay and sand model (CASM), which is named as CASM-kII. Through the application of subloading surface concept, CASM-kII is able to describe the plastic deformation inside the yield surface and the reverse plastic flow, and is thus expected to capture the over-consolidation and cyclic loading behaviours of soils. CASM-kII is numerical implemented by the using of the forward Euler scheme with automatic substepping and error control. Then, a sensitivity study is carried out to check the influences of the three new parameters of CASM-kII on the mechanical response of soils in over-consolidation and cyclic loading conditions. Through the comparisons of experimental data and simulated results, it is found that CASM-kII is able to satisfactorily describe the mechanical responses of both clays and sands in over-consolidation and cyclic loading conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) and splenectomy with periesophagogastric devascularization (SPD) are widely used to treat cirrhotic portal hypertension (PH) and prevent variceal rebleeding. However, direct comparisons between these two approaches are rare. This study was designed to compare the long-term outcomes of TIPS and SPD in patients with cirrhotic PH and variceal rebleeding. Methods: The study included cirrhotic PH patients with a history of gastroesophageal variceal bleeding between 18 and 80 years of age who were admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University from January 2012 to January 2022. Patients were enrolled into two groups according to TIPS or SPD was performed. Baseline characteristics were matched using propensity score matching (PSM). Results: A total of 230 patients underwent TIPS, while 184 underwent SPD. PSM was carried out to balance available covariates, resulting in a total of 83 patients in the TIPS group and 83 patients in the SPD group. Patients in SPD group had better liver function during 60 months follow-up. Five-year overall survival rates in SPD group and TIPS group were 72 and 27%, respectively, at 2 years were 88 and 86%, respectively. The 2- and 5-year freedom from variceal rebleeding rates were 95 and 80% in SPD group and 80 and 54% in TIPS group. Conclusions: SPD is clearly superior to TIPS in terms of OS and freedom from variceal rebleeding in patients with cirrhotic PH. In addition, SPD improved liver function in patients with cirrhotic PH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the potential of radiomics, specifically ultrasomics, in predicting heart failure in breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Radiomics involves extracting quantitative features from medical images using advanced computing techniques, which can improve the accuracy of diagnosis and prognosis. Ultrasomics applies radiomics to ultrasound images and has been shown to provide rapid assessment of left ventricular structure and function. The study analyzed echocardiograms of 134 patients and found that the addition of ultrasomics significantly improved the prediction of mortality and heart failure compared to demographic features alone. While there are limitations to the study, the findings suggest that ultrasomics could revolutionize clinical decision-making in cardio-oncology and provide more precise risk prediction models. Future studies should consider utilizing other imaging modalities and integrating radiomics with artificial intelligence and machine learning techniques. [Extracted from the article]

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A clinical quiz on a case of a pediatric male patient with gross hematuria, edema, and hypocomplementemia is presented.

It has been well documented that polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAHs) can be taken up from the environment by the plants and translocated into the shoots. However, the mechanisms underlying this process are poorly understood. Nelumbo nucifera L. (lotus) is a highly ornamental aquatic plant known to possess strong phytoremediation capability. In the present study, the association between phenanthrene (Phe) and nutrients, including nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), in lotus was investigated. Over 2 years, all eight lotus cultivars tested accumulated Phe to various degrees when grown in PAH-polluted sediment (0.46 mg/kg Phe). Cluster analysis showed N. nucifera 'Zhongguo Hong Beijing (ZHB)' was the one with the highest Phe levels in the leaves and petals in 2 years. The Phe concentrations in the tissues of 'ZHB' were 3.14 mg/kg and 1.63 mg/kg on average in the first and second year, respectively. Interestingly, 'ZHB' was also the cultivar with the lowest N and P levels considering 2 years and tissues. Hydroponic studies further revealed a negative association between the concentrations of Phe and those of N and P in the aerial tissues under 0.5 and 1.0 mg/L Phe treatments in 'ZHB'. Furthermore, the significant reductions of the roots number (72.6%), longest root length (75.8%), and petiolar height (34.6%) in 'ZHB' seedlings exposed to 1.0 mg/L Phe were observed, indicating that Phe retarded the growth of lotus. These results provide a new understanding of the accumulation of Phe in plants and the association with nutrients and enrich the basis of phytoremediation to the contaminated environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluated the effect of a new type of brace (primary material 3300PA) for treating scoliosis, which was produced based on 3D printing technology combined with a non-contact optical mold-taking and computer-aided design. Through the production of a brace for a 13-year-old patient with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis by a multidisciplinary team, the digital design and 3D printing of a personalized scoliosis brace were introduced. Parameters such as the Cobb angle, angle of trunk inclination, spine-coronal plane balance parameters, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and Scoliosis Research Society-22 score (SRS-22) were measured to evaluate the treatment effect of the brace. The model-taking process of the non-contact optical scanner was successful, data were valid, and personalized scoliosis brace made by the computer-aided design and 3D printing fitted well with the patient. Before wearing, immediate in-brace, and 6 months after wearing, the Cobb angles were 29°, 9°, and 14°, respectively. The offsets between the C7 vertebra plumb line (C7PL) and central sacral vertical line (CSVL) were 3.2 cm, 2.2 cm, and 2.1 cm, respectively. SVAs were 3.3 cm, 2.9 cm, and 0.3 cm, respectively. Apex vertebral translocations were 4.3 cm, 0.3 cm, and 0.1 cm, respectively. The SRS-22 was 76 before brace application and 91 at the 6-month follow-up. The spine curve returned to normal, and the correction effect was obvious. The scoliosis brace indicates the integration between digital medicine and 3D printing technology, which has personalization and customization as advantages. The brace has good wearing comfort, invisibility, and orthopedic function, follows the psychological needs of teenagers, improves patients' compliance, and improves the correction of the deformity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Hereditary factors are the main cause of pediatric nephrolithiasis (NL)/nephrocalcinosis (NC). We summarized the genotype–phenotype correlation of hereditary NL/NC in our center, to evaluate the role of genetic testing in early diagnosis. Methods: The clinical data of 32 NL/NC cases, which were suspected to have an inherited basis, were retrospectively analyzed from May 2017 to August 2020. The trio-whole exome sequencing was used as the main approach for genetic testing, variants were confirmed by Sanger sequencing, and pathogenicity analysis according to protein function was predicted with custom-developed software. Results: Causative monogenic mutations were detected in 24 of 32 NL/NC patients, and copy number variation was detected in one patient. A summary of manifestations in patients with inherited diseases revealed a significant degree of growth retardation, increased urinary excretion of the low-molecular weight protein, hypercalciuria, electrolyte imbalances, and young age of onset to be common in heredity disease. In addition, some patients had abnormal renal function (3 ppm 25). The most frequent pathology identified was distal renal tubular acidosis (with inclusion of SLC4A1, ATP6V1B1, and ATP6VOA4 genes), followed by Dent disease (CLCN5 and OCRL1 genes), primary hyperoxaluria (PH) (AGXT and HOGA1 genes) and Kabuki syndrome (KMT2D gene), which was more likely to present as NC or recurrent stone and having a higher correlation with a specific biochemical phenotype and extrarenal phenotype. Conclusion: The etiology of NL/NC is heterogeneous. This study explored in depth the relationship between phenotype and genotype in 32 patients, and confirmed that genetic testing and clinical phenotype evaluation enable the precision medicine approach to treating patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering there were no predisposing risk factors or distant sources of infection in this patient, as well as previous reports linking I CARD9 i mutations to cutaneous or invasive candidiasis, we sequenced the I CARD9 i gene of this patient. Moreover, in patients with I CARD9 i deficiency, I M. irregular i infection was reported in only one case, and candida endophthalmitis was reported in two cases. Here, we identified, for the first time, a patient with primary cutaneous mucormycosis, I Candida i onychomycosis and endophthalmitis carrying I CARD9 i mutations. [Extracted from the article]

A novel hydrophilic polysilane porous material prepared from a facile and eco-friendly strategy, which was templated from Angelica sinensis (A. sinensis)-stabilized water-based foam via a one-step integrated reaction of hydrolysis and polymerization was reported. The as-prepared porous materials had sufficient pore structure and excellent stability, and the separation efficiency for various oil–water mixtures could easily reach 97% after ten cycles and still maintain excellent oil–water separation efficiency in harsh environments, such as strong acid or alkali, high salinity and high temperature. More importantly, the polysilane porous materials also presented a well separation efficiency for O/W emulsion stabilized with cationic surfactant. Involved the excellent separation efficiency as well as the favorable stability and reusability, the novel polysilane porous material had the potential application in oil–water separation, and the green pathway can be regarded as an important reference for the fabrication of novel porous materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The surgical resection of the pontomesencephalic junction (PMJ) glioma is difficult because the access is challenging due to nearby complicated neurovascular structures. Method: We report a left ventrolateral PMJ glioma successfully resected via the oculomotor-tentorial triangle (OTT), with improved right extremity weakness postoperatively while preserving the pyramidal tract, which resided laterally and posteriorly to the lesion. Conclusion: This case demonstrates the value of the OTT in brainstem surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To examine the prospective association of BPH with subsequent risk of CVD, including heart disease and stroke. Methods: We used data from China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study of 5242 Chinese men aged 45 years or older. During a follow-up of 7 years, we identified 613 cases of non-fatal CVD, including 417 heart diseases and 254 strokes. Cox proportional hazards models yielded hazard ratios (HRs) relating BPH to CVD, heart disease, and stroke incidence. Results: Overall, 8.1% of men reported a history of BPH diagnosed by physicians at baseline. As compared with men without a history of BPH, those reporting a history of BPH had an increased risk of developing CVD (multivariable-adjusted HR = 1.43 [1.12, 1.83], heart disease (1.35 [1.00, 1.83]), and stroke (1.50 [1.03, 2.19]). The subgroup analysis by age at baseline (< 60 vs. ≥ 60 years) showed that the associations appeared to be evident among men < 60 years, particularly for CVD (1.82 [1.24, 2.69]) and heart disease (1.72 [1.06, 2.79]). However, interaction tests suggested the associations were not significantly modified by age (P for interaction > 0.10 for all outcomes). Conclusion: In Chinese men, BPH was associated with higher risks of CVD, heart disease and stroke, particularly among men aged < 60 years. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We sought to examine the association of soy product consumption with risk of cardiovascular death in Chinese individuals with and without a history of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Methods: The current analysis included 487,034 individuals free of CVD and 22,923 individuals with a history of CVD at study baseline. Data on consumption of soy products were collected by a food frequency questionnaire. The Cox regression was used to obtain the hazard ratios (HRs) of cardiovascular mortality associated with soy product consumption among people with and without a history of CVD at baseline. Results: During the period of follow-up, 12,582 and 2860 cardiovascular deaths were recorded among people without and with a history of CVD. Compared with those who never or rarely ate soy products, the multivariable HRs (95% CIs) were 1.02 (0.96, 1.08) for those who ate soy products monthly, 1.01 (0.95, 1.07) for those who ate soy products 1–3 days per week, 0.95 (0.88, 1.04) for those who ate soy products ≥ 4 days per week. For cause-specific mortality, soy product consumption was inversely associated with mortality from acute myocardial infarction (HR [95% CI] = 0.75 [0.61, 0.92]). Among people with a history of CVD, higher soy product consumption was not associated with cardiovascular mortality. Conclusions: Soy consumption ≥ 4 days per week was associated with a significantly lower risk of mortality from acute myocardial infarction in comparison with never or rarely consumption among people without a history of CVD. Among people with a history of CVD, higher soy product consumption was not associated with cardiovascular mortality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typhoon events have large impacts on marginal seas' environmental conditions with implications for biological processes and carbon cycling. However, little is known about the responses of phytoplankton and particulate organic carbon (POC) to typhoon events in the Yellow-Bohai Sea (YBS). In this study, we utilized satellite-derived datasets of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) and POC, together with key physical parameters, to analyze their responses to the Typhoon Lekima event induced heavy rainfall and strong winds. Overall, there were enhanced upwelling, strengthened currents, and increased terrestrial runoff during weakened Typhoon Lekima in the YBS. The basin-scale response of Chl-a showed large differences post the Typhoon Lekima event, with a decrease in the Bohai Sea (BS, 0.34 ± 3.0 mg m−3) but an increase in Yellow Sea (YS, 0.23 ± 1.7 mg m−3 in the south YS and 0.54 ± 0.8 mg m−3 in the north YS). The increase of Chl-a in the YS was attributed to increased nutrients, whereas the reduction of Chl-a in the BS was caused by dilution and water exchange with the North Yellow Sea. However, there was an overall increase in POC post-Typhoon Lekima in both BS and YS. The increase of POC in the majority of BS resulted largely from enhanced sediment resuspension and terrigenous input. The increase of POC in the nearshore waters of YS was attributable to enhanced biological production, sediment resuspension, and terrigenous input of POC, whereas the increase of POC in the central YS was partly due to transportation of high-POC waters from nearshore to offshore via strengthened current. Our study highlights the complex impacts of typhoon events on the carbon cycle in marginal seas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the influence of ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) on the incidence of venous thromboembolism in areas with heavy air pollution. We examined seasonal associations between airborne concentrations of fine particulate matter and outpatient visits for venous thromboembolism in Beijing using a city-wide time-series design that covered a period of 30 months (January 1, 2010 to June 30, 2012). Generalized additive models were used to investigate the associations with adjustment of temperature for various time lags (lag 0 for the warm season and lag 0–10 for the cold season). Overall, 92,435 outpatient visits were recorded by the Beijing Medical Claim Data for Employees database during the study period. We found a significant association between PM2.5 levels and outpatient visits for venous thromboembolism. A 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations on lag days 0–2 corresponded to a 0.64% (95% confidence interval: 0.55–0.73%; P < 0.001) increase in outpatient visits for venous thromboembolism during the cold season, and a 10-μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentrations on lag days 0–3 corresponded to a 0.82% (95% confidence interval: 0.67–0.96%; P < 0.001) increase in outpatient visits for venous thromboembolism during the warm season. Our findings suggest that PM2.5 exposure is associated with outpatient visits for venous thromboembolism in Beijing, and a more pronounced association was observed during the warm season. We propose that various temperature-adjustment strategies should be used when investigating seasonal associations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combined with the recrystallization models, a 3D thermo-mechanical coupling finite element model is established to predict the microstructure evolution in the automotive front axle beam during the hot forging processing. It attempted to reveal the relationship between the forging processing and microstructure evolution. The numerical results show that after forging the average temperature of billet is higher than 850°C, indicating that the front axle beam is formed above the final forging temperature. During each step of forging process, the strain mainly takes place at the segment of billet with larger plastic deformation, indicating an evident recrystallization phenomenon. The initial average grain size of the billet is about 150μm, while after forming, it will be refined to almost 45μm due to the dynamic recrystallization. The established 3D FE model coupling the recrystallization models can provide a theoretical guidance for optimizing the forging processing parameters of automotive front axle beam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Maximal safe surgical treatment of diffusive glioma without a clear boundary between the tumor and central core is challenging. Method: We present a case of a large, diffusive, recurrent high-grade glioma with preservation of the central core following an anatomical resection protocol that aimed to maintain quality of life. Conclusion: Knowing the key anatomical landmarks and following the anatomical resection protocol are fundamental to surgical safety for treatment of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa L.), a major dietary source, is often cultivated in soils poor in available inorganic orthophosphate (Pi), which is a key nutrient for growth and development. Poor soils are amended by phosphorus (P) fertilizer, which is derived from the non-renewable rock phosphate reserves. Therefore, there is a need for developing rice varieties with high productivity under low P conditions. At the ICAR-IIRR, ethyl methanesulfonate (EMS) mutagenized rice genotype Nagina22 (N22) were screened for high grain yield in Pi-deprived soil, which led to the identification of ~ 10 gain-of-function mutants including NH787. Here, detailed comparative morphophysiological, biochemical, and molecular analyses of N22 and NH787 were carried out in hydroponics and potting soil under different Pi regimes. Under Pi-deprived condition, compared with N22, NH787 exhibited higher root and vegetative biomass, the number of tillers, and grain yield. The augmented agronomic traits of NH787 were corroborated with significantly higher photosynthetic rate, pollen fertility, stigma receptivity, and the activities of antioxidant enzymes superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT). Further, several genes involved in the maintenance of Pi homeostasis (GPH) were differentially regulated. The study thus revealed a wide-spectrum influence of the mutation in NH787 that contributed towards its higher Pi use efficiency (PUE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SOD1 is known as the major cytoplasmic superoxide dismutase and an anticancer target. However, the role of SOD1 in cancer is not fully understood. Herein we describe the generation of an inducible Sod1 knockout in KRAS-driven NSCLC mouse model. Sod1 knockout markedly reduces tumor burden in vivo and blocks growth of KRAS mutant NSCLC cells in vitro. Intriguingly, SOD1 is enriched in the nucleus and notably in the nucleolus of NSCLC cells. The nuclear and nucleolar, not cytoplasmic, form of SOD1 is essential for lung cancer cell proliferation. Moreover, SOD1 interacts with PeBoW complex and controls its assembly necessary for pre-60S ribosomal subunit maturation. Mechanistically, SOD1 regulates co-localization of PeBoW with and processing of pre-rRNA, and maturation of cytoplasmic 60S ribosomal subunits in KRAS mutant lung cancer cells. Collectively, our study unravels a nuclear SOD1 function essential for ribosome biogenesis and proliferation in KRAS-driven lung cancer. The superoxide dismutase SOD1 is highly expressed in lung cancer but its role has not fully investigated yet. In this study, the authors demonstrate that SOD1 regulates ribosome biogenesis driving KRAS-driven lung tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]