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Microvascular invasion (MVI) is a known risk factor for prognosis after R0 liver resection for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The aim of this study was to develop a deep learning prognostic prediction model by incorporating a new factor of MVI area to the other independent risk factors.Consecutive patients with HCC who underwent R0 liver resection from January to December 2016 at the Eastern Hepatobiliary Surgery Hospital were included in this retrospective study. For patients with MVI detected on resected specimens, they were divided into two groups according to the size of the maximal MVI area: the small-MVI group and the large-MVI group.Of 193 patients who had MVI in the 337 HCC patients, 130 patients formed the training cohort and 63 patients formed the validation cohort. The large-MVI group of patients had worse overall survival (OS) when compared with the small-MVI group (p = 0.009). A deep learning model was developed based on the following independent risk factors found in this study: MVI stage, maximal MVI area, presence/absence of cirrhosis, and maximal tumor diameter. The areas under the receiver operating characteristic of the deep learning model for the 1-, 3-, and 5-year predictions of OS were 80.65, 74.04, and 79.44, respectively, which outperformed the traditional COX proportional hazards model.The deep learning model, by incorporating the maximal MVI area as an additional prognostic factor to the other previously known independent risk factors, predicted more accurately postoperative long-term OS for HCC patients with MVI after R0 liver resection.

Endoplasmic reticulum stress (ERS) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important in melanoma development and progression. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of ERS-associated lncRNA profiles in cutaneous melanoma (CM).The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) provides the raw data of CM. GSEA website was used to obtain ERS-related genes, and mRNA and LncRNA co-expression network were used to obtain ERS-related lncRNAs. A Lasso regression analysis was used to identify a prognostic risk model for the composition of ERS-related lncRNAs. Patients were divided into high- and low-risk groups based on the model's risk score. The researchers then compared the two groups' survival rates, immune infiltration, chemotherapeutic drug sensitivity, and immune checkpoint gene expression.Thirty-nine ERS-related lncRNAs were discovered to be prognostic. A prognostic risk model made up of ten ERS-related lncRNAs was discovered. Patients in the low-risk group had a better prognosis than those in the high-risk group. An examination of tumor microenvironment revealed that risk scores correlated with immune cell infiltration in eight cases. Dacarbazine, paclitaxel, and cisplatin, three chemotherapy drugs, were more sensitive in the low-risk group than in the high-risk group.This study identified a risk model of ten ERS-related lncRNAs that have significant prognostic value in CM and could help guide clinical treatment.

Background Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most prevalent types of malignant tumours. Metastasis is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with lung metastases accounting for 32.9% of all metastatic CRCs. However, since the biological mechanism of lung metastatic CRC is poorly understood, limited therapeutic targets are available. In the present study, we aimed to identify the key genes and molecular processes involved in CRC lung metastasis. Methods The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between primary and lung metastatic CRC patients were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database via the GEO2R tool. The enriched biological processes and pathways modulated by the DEGs were determined with Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG), and Reactome Gene Sets analyses. The search tool Retrieval of Interacting Genes (STRING) and Cytoscape were used to construct a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network among DEGs. Results The DEGs were enriched in surfactant metabolism, cell–cell communication and chemokine signaling pathways. The defined hub genes were included CLU, SFTPD, CCL18, SPP1, APOE, BGN and MMP3. Among them, CLU, SFTPD and CCL18 might be associated with the specific lung tropism metastasis in CRC. In addition, the expression and prognostic values of the hub genes in CRC patients were verified in database of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and GEO. Moreover, the protein levels of the hub genes were detected in primary and lung metastatic CRC cells, serum or tissues. Furthermore, SFTPD was confirmed to facilitate cellular proliferation and lung metastasis in CRC. Conclusion This bioinformatics study may provide a better understanding of the candidate therapeutic targets and molecular mechanisms for CRC lung metastasis.

Background Although immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) therapy has brought survival benefits to patients with specific cancer types, most of cancer patients remain refractory to the ICB therapy, which is largely attributed to the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Thereby, it is urgent to profile key molecules and signal pathways responsible for modification of tumor microenvironment. Methods Multiple databases of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) were integratively analyzed to screen candidate genes responsible for infiltration of CD8+ T cells. Expression of pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 (PES1) in clinical ESCC samples was examined by qRT-PCR, western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The mechanisms of PES1 were investigated via RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry followed by immunoprecipitation and proximity ligation assay. The clinical and therapeutic significance of PES1 in ESCC was comprehensively investigated using ESCC cells and mouse model. Results PES1 was significantly upregulated and correlated with poor prognosis in ESCC patients. PES1 knockdown decreased ESCC cell growth in vitro and in vivo and enhanced the efficacy of ICB therapy in mouse model, which was established through subcutaneous inoculation with ESCC cells. Analyses on RNA sequencing and mass spectrometry suggested that PES1 expression was negatively correlated with IL15 and ILF3 was one of the PES1-associated proteins. It has been known that ILF3 interacts with and stabilizes IL15 mRNA to increase IL15 protein level. Our data further indicated that PES1 interfered with the interaction between ILF3 and IL15 mRNA and impaired ILF3-mediated stabilization of IL15 mRNA, which eventually reduced the protein level of IL15. Interestingly, the inhibitory effect of ICB therapy boosted by PES1 knockdown dramatically antagonized by knockdown of IL15, which suppressed the tumor-infiltrated CD8+ T cells in ESCC. Finally, we confirmed the relationships among PES1, IL15, and CD8+ T cell infiltration in 10 locally advanced ESCC patients receiving ICB neoadjuvant therapy and demonstrated that ICB therapy would be more effective in those with low expression of PES1. Conclusions Altogether, our findings herein provided novel insights on biological function and clinical significance of PES1 and suggested that high expression of PES1 could suppress ILF3-IL15 axis-mediated immunosurveillance and promote resistance to ICB through restraining tumor-infiltrated CD8+ T cells.

The rotating magnetocaloric effect has been researched in double perovskite Tb $$_{2}$$ CoMnO $$_{6}$$ by Monte Carlo simulation. The magnetization, specific heat and isothermal entropy change are presented for magnetic fields in different directions ( $$h\parallel c$$ and $$h\perp c$$ ). The rotating magnetic entropy, transition temperature and relative cooling power are given as well. Due to the different magnetic anisotropy, the spin of Co $$^{2+}$$ /Mn $$^{4+}$$ is parallel to c axis and the spin of Tb $$^{3+}$$ is perpendicular to c axis. The corresponding A-type antiferromagnetic order appears at $$T_{C} = 94$$ K, and at $$T_{N} = 15$$ K, ferromagnetic state appears. Different orientations of spins result in a big negative and positive rotating magnetic entropy appeared in different temperature. Those findings may provide a wider temperature range for magnetic refrigeration applications.

The prognosis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remains unsatisfactory due to limited effective treatment options. In this work, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of Terbinafine for HCC and the underlying mechanism. The influence of Terbinafine on cell growth, 3D spheroid formation, clonogenic survival, and protein synthesis was investigated in human HCC cell lines. Co-immunoprecipitation, immunofluorescence, and other techniques were employed to explore how Terbinafine exerts its anticancer effect. Subcutaneous tumorigenicity assay, orthotopic and patient-derived xenograft (PDX) HCC models were used to evaluate the anticancer effect of Terbinafine monotherapy and the combinatorial treatment with Terbinafine and sorafenib against HCC. The anticancer activity of Terbinafine was Squalene epoxidase (SQLE)-independent. Instead, Terbinafine robustly suppressed the proliferation of HCC cells by inhibiting mTORC1 signaling via activation of AMPK. Terbinafine alone or in combination with sorafenib delayed tumor progression and markedly prolonged the survival of tumor-bearing mice. The synergy between Terbinafine and sorafenib was due to concomitant inhibition of mTORC1 and induction of severe persistent DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs), which led to the delayed proliferation and accelerated cell death. Terbinafine showed promising anticancer efficacy in preclinical models of HCC and may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for HCC.

Metal doping is an effective method for improving the toughness of ceramic materials and reducing coating fractures. In this study, first-principle calculations based on density functional theory were performed to study the formation energy, elastic constant, and electronic structure of Cu-doped TiN. The results reveal that Cu tends to replace the Ti sites in TiN crystal cells; with an increase in Cu concentration, the formation energy of the Cu-doped TiN system decreases. This indicates that the structural stability of Cu-doped TiN decreases. From the calculated elastic constant and the Voigt-Reuss-Hill approximation, it is evident that the bulk modulus B and shear modulus G decrease as the Cu concentration increases. However, G decreases more rapidly, thus increasing the B/G ratio. According to Paugh's ratio, the increase in B/G indicates an increase in the ductility of TiN. The results of the band structure, density of states, charge density, and Mulliken bond population analysis reveal that Cu doping reduces the covalent bond strength of TiN, enhances metallicity, and reduces the structural stability of the system, enhancing the toughness of TiN. The results of this study will provide theoretical and experimental guidance for improving the toughness of TiN coatings.

The Session Rating Scale (SRS) is a widely used clinical tool to measure the client-therapist working alliance. This study investigated the psychometric properties, the cut-off value, and longitudinal invariance of the SRS in a Chinese clinical population. The analyses were conducted separately in a sample of college students in counseling (n = 403) and in a sample of clients in outpatient therapy (n = 246). Participants completed the Outcome Rating Scale (ORS) before each session and the SRS after each session. To test concurrent validity, a subset of participants also completed the Working Alliance Questionnaire at the end of each session. In both samples, the results indicated high internal consistency (α = .92 ~ 0.97) and adequate test-retest reliability over four sessions (university sample: r = .69 ~ .78; outpatient sample: r = .52 ~ .66). Construct validity was evident in a one-factor structure, and concurrent validity was established based on a strong correlation with the Working Alliance Questionnaire (r = .64 ~ .70). In addition, regression analysis indicated that early alliance ratings (at the third session) on the SRS predicted post-ORS scores. The cut-off value for the SRS in the Chinese context was established as 34. The longitudinal measurement invariance was tested by a longitudinal confirmatory factor analysis. Full scalar invariance of the SRS was supported. This study supported the use of the SRS in China and that a single-factor solution stayed stable over time, providing preliminary evidence for subsequent mean comparisons.

Introduction Due to the lack of clear direction (evidence) on the duration of viral shedding and thus potential for transmission, this retrospective study aimed to come up with a prediction model of prolonged coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) transmission or infection-spreading potential. Methods A total of 1211 non-severe patients with COVID-19 were retrospectively enrolled. Multivariate Cox regression was performed to identify the risk factors associated with long-term SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding, and a prediction model was established. Results In the training set, 796 patients were divided into the long-term (> 21 days) group (n = 116, 14.6%) and the short-term (≤ 21 days) group (n = 680, 85.4%) based on their viral shedding duration. Multivariate analysis identified that age > 50 years, comorbidity, CD4-positive T-lymphocytes count (CD4 + T cell) ≤ 410 cells/ul, C-reactive protein (CRP) > 10 mg/L, and the corticosteroid use were independent risk factors for long-term SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding. Incorporating the five risk factors, a prediction model, named as the CCCCA score, was established, and its area under the receiver operator characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.87 in the training set and 0.83 in the validation set, respectively. In the validation set, using a cut-off of 8 points, we found sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of 51.7%, 92.2%, 33.3%, and 96.2%, respectively. Long-term SARS-CoV-2 RNA shedding increased from 14/370 (3.8%) in patients with CCCCA

Effects of temperature difference between indoor air and concrete, and water content in concrete, on Rn-222 exhalation were investigated. In concrete with 0% water content, the heat generated due to temperature difference between concrete and indoor air could raise Rn-222 exhalation rate by 2.6 times. The Rn-222 exhalation rate rose initially, then declined as water content in concrete was increased. The maximum Rn-222 exhalation rate was 4.4 mBq m−1 s−1 in concrete with 10% water content. A grey prediction model was established for predicting Rn-222 exhalation rates and exposure doses of residents due to different indoor temperature differences with concrete.

Nickel cobalt sulfides (NCS) have been regarded as potential candidate electrode materials for high-performance supercapacitors owing to the attractive theoretical capacitance. However, traditional synthesis (i.e., hydrothermal) of NCS is both time-consuming and energy demanding, which restricts NCS large-scale practical applications. Herein, a green and effective microwave liquid synthesis followed by a simple post-annealing process was employed to anchor NCS nanoparticles on multiwall carbon nanotubes (CNTs) forming NCS/CNTs-H composites. The NCS/CNTs-H composites hold significantly enhanced electrochemical performance is due to the combination of high redox activity of NCS anchored on superior conductivity of CNTs, which can serve as an effective carrier for NCS and decrease the aggregation of NCS nanoparticles. The optimized NCS/CNTs-H composites display high capacitance of 1261 F g−1 (175 mA h g−1) at 1 A g−1, with a remarkable rate capability, i.e., 84.4% retention from 1 to 50 A g−1. Besides, the assembled hybrid supercapacitor of NCS/CNTs-H//AC could deliver a high energy density (58.4 Wh kg−1 at the power density of 400 W kg−1) and remarkable long-term cycling stability (85.4% capacitance retention after 50 000 charge/discharge cycles). Such impressive electrochemical results indicate NCS/CNTs-H composites could be promising electrode materials for practical supercapacitor applications.

The physical locations of citrus centromere are revealed by combining genetic and immunological assays for the first time and nine citrus centromere-specific markers for cytogenetics are mined. Centromere localization is challenging, because highly redundant repetitive sequences in centromeric regions make sequence assembly difficult. Although several citrus genomes have been released, the centromeric regions and their characteristics remain to be elucidated. Here, we mapped citrus centromeres through half-tetrad analysis (HTA) that included the genotyping of 54 tetraploid hybrids derived from 2n megagametophytes of Nadorcott tangor with 212 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The sizes of centromeric regions, which estimated based on the heterozygosity restitution rate pattern along the chromosomes, ranged from 1.12 to 18.19 Mb. We also profiled the binding sequences with the centromere-specific histone variant CenH3 by chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq). Based on the positions of the top ten CenH3-enriched contigs, the sizes of centromeric regions were estimated to range from 0.01 to 7.60 Mb and were either adjacent to or included in the centromeric regions identified by HTA. We used DNA probes from two repeats selected from the centromeric regions and seven CenH3-binding centromeric repeats to verify centromeric locations by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Centromere localization in citrus will contribute to the mining of centromeric/pericentromeric markers, thus to facilitate the rapid identification of mechanisms underlying 2n gamete formation and serve the polyploidy breeding.

In this work, the magnetic properties and rotating magnetocaloric effect in NdMnO3 perovskite have been investigated by using the Monte Carlo simulations. The rotating magnetocaloric effect is obtained from various temperature dependencies of magnetization in different magnetic fields for two perpendicular orientations (h ∥ c and h ⊥ c). The magnetization and specific heat with the temperature are given for different external magnetic fields. The Curie temperature and magnetic entropy change for various external magnetic field are obtained as well. Finally, the dependence of external magnetic field on relative cooling power is presented.

Surface with antibacterial function is important in inhibiting bacteria or biofilm formation on biomedical materials. This study reports synthesis of a quaternary ammonium bromide and N-vinylpyrrolidone-constructed antibacterial copolymer, coating it onto polyurethane surface, and evaluation of the coated surface. Antibacterial activity, surface contact angle, and protein adsorption of the coated surface were evaluated. With N-vinylpyrrolidone and quaternary ammonium bromide incorporation, the coated surface showed significantly increased hydrophilicity by exhibiting a 7 to 49% decrease in contact angle, enhanced antibacterial properties by exhibiting a 16 to 60% decrease in bacterial viability, reduced protein adsorption by demonstrating a 4 to 44% decrease in human serum albumin adsorption, and reduced bacterial adhesion by showing a 32–68% decrease in bacterial adhesion, as compared to unmodified polyurethane, as compared to unmodified polyurethane. The result indicates that the longer the substitute chain on the quaternary ammonium bromide, the higher the contact angle, the stronger the antibacterial activity, and the higher the protein adsorption as well as bacterial adhesion that the modified polyurethane surface exhibits.

Herein, an eco-friendly and straightforward method was provided for the fabrication of superhydrophobic paper from native wood cellulose fibers via in situ hydrolysis of tetraethyl titanate(IV) without any chemical pretreatment. By simply adjusting the amount of acetic acid (HAc), the surface micro/nanomorphology could be well controlled. After papermaking and hexadecyltrimethoxysilane modification, superhydrophobic paper can be easily achieved with static water contact angle of 152.3° (± 1.3°). The paper also possessed good self-cleaning property against contamination and durability toward mechanical damages of finger wiping over 50 cycles as well as excellent oil/water separation, which expands its utility in various paper-based technologies. The whole procedure possesses the advantages of friendly raw material, mild reaction conditions and with no toxic modifier, which hold potential application in cellulose-based superhydrophobic material in large scale.

Background Weifuchun (WFC), a Chinese herbal prescription consisting of Red Ginseng, Isodon amethystoides and Fructus Aurantii, is commonly used in China to treat a variety of chronic stomach disorders. The aim of the paper was to determine the effect of WFC on intestinal microbiota changes in precancerous lesions of gastric cancer (PLGC) patients. Methods PLGC patients of H. pylori negative were randomly divided into two groups and received either WFC tablets for a dose of 1.44 g three times a day or vitacoenzyme (Vit) tablets for a dose of 0.8 g three times a day. All patients were treated for 6 months consecutively. Gastroscopy and histopathology were used to assess the histopathological changes in gastric tissues before and after treatment. 16S rRNA gene sequencing was carried out to assess the effects WFC on intestinal microbiota changes in PLGC patients. Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) analysis was used to assess the sensitivity and specificity of different intestinal microbiota in distinguishing between PLGC patients and healthy control group. Results Gastroscopy and histopathological results indicated that WFC could improve the pathological condition of PLGC patients, especially in the case of atrophy or intestinal metaplasia. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequencing indicated that WFC could regulate microbial diversity, microbial composition, and abundance of the intestinal microbiota of PLGC patients. Following WFC treatment, the relative abundance of Parabacteroides decreased in WFC group when compared with the Vit group. ROC analysis found that the Parabacteroides could effectively distinguish PLGC patients from healthy individuals with sensitivity of 0.79 and specificity of 0.8. Conclusions WFC could slow down the progression of PLGC by regulating intestinal microbiota abundance. Trial registration NCT03814629. Name of registry: Randomized Clinical Trial: Weifuchun Treatment on Precancerous Lesions of Gastric Cancer. Registered 3 August 2018-Retrospectively registered, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov/ NCT03814629.

This paper describes the development and validation of the Chinese Moral Character Questionnaire (CMCQ), an instrument that measures seven key moral character attributes highlighted in Confucian culture. The CMCQ was developed based on both expert review and focus group interviews with 39 Chinese university students in mainland China and Hong Kong. Its psychometric properties were examined with a sample of 565 university students in Hong Kong. Exploratory factor analysis retained 46 items and seven factors and the seven-factor structure was further validated by confirmatory factor analysis. We found that CMCQ subscales had satisfactory internal consistency (α ranged from 0.78 to 0.85). Convergent validity of the CMCQ subscales was supported by their positive correlations with life satisfaction and positive affect, and their negative correlations with negative affect, depression, anxiety, and stress, respectively. All virtues had positive correlations with individual strengths. The findings indicate that the CMCQ is a promising tool for measuring the development of moral competence in Confucian culture, an important supplement to the character strength framework.

In this paper, a new Hilbert space is defined which is embedded into $$W_{0}^{1, q}(\Omega)$$ for 1 ≤ q < 2. By using sign-changing critical point theory, we prove the existence of infinitely many sign-changing solutions in this new space for nonlinear elliptic partial differential equations with Hardy potential and critical parameter in ℝ2.

Steel plate shear wall (SPSW) systems have been used increasingly in medium- and high-rise buildings in recent decades. Two major issues in the slender-web SPSW are the buckling of H-section steel column base and significant pinching in hysteretic curves. As a solution, SPSW using concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) column and cross stiffeners was proposed in this paper. Cyclic tests of two specimens of 1/3 scaled steel beam-to-CFST column frame-thin SPSW with cross stiffeners or without stiffeners were conducted. Based on the verified finite element method, parametric investigations considering the effect of the flexural rigidity of CFST column, width-to-height aspect ratio, height-to-thickness ratio of infill steel plate and relative rigidity of cross stiffener were carried out. Findings show that SPSW using CFST column exhibited favorable ductility behavior with no sudden loss of lateral bearing capacity. Adding stiffeners to SPSWs relieves the pinching effect of hysteretic curves and reduces the maximum lateral displacement substantially. With stiffeners, the average yield load and the peak load of SPSWs were approximately 15% and 9% higher than that of the unstiffened specimens. Moreover, a flexural rigidity of CFST column of at least 2.5 and a stiffener rigidity of 30–50 were recommended to provide an economical and approving lateral bearing capacity.

This study aimed to clarify differences in the prognostic impact of tumor spread through air spaces (STAS) in lobectomy versus sublobar resection (SR). The study also investigated the frequency and significance of STAS in residual lung segments. This study identified 752 patients with p-stage 1A non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) from 2010 to 2012. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) were compared. For proactive simulation of SR, 100 consecutive lobectomy specimens of p-stage 1A NSCLC were selected. The study found STAS in 182 (28.7%) of 634 lobectomy cases and 43 (36.4%) of 118 SR cases. Multivariable analysis showed that STAS was not a prognostic factor in the lobectomy group, but showed a significantly worse prognostic effect for the SR group (RFS, P

The unreduced (2n) gametes have long been used in triploid breeding of citrus. In lemon, the previously reported mechanisms for 2n megagametophyte formation were controversial, whereas that for 2n pollen production is still unknown. Herein, the frequency of and mechanism underlying 2n megagametophyte and 2n pollen formation in ‘Eureka’ lemon were investigated based on cytological observation and genotyping of the triploid hybrids between ‘Eureka’ lemon and ‘Early gold’ sweet orange. As a result, 4.79% of the viable pollens of ‘Eureka’ lemon were identified as the 2n pollen with a larger diameter (70.16 ± 3.92 µm). The 2n pollen might be resulted from the formation of parallel spindles at meiosis stage II. Among the 204 plantlets regenerated from embryo rescue following the sexual cross, 12 were triploids as identified by flow cytometry. According to the analysis of heterozygosity transmission using 13 pericentromeric single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and 20 randomly distributed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, 11 triploids were identified to be originated from the fertilization of 2n megagametophytes of ‘Eureka’ lemon, with a frequency of 5.39%. Among them, nine 2n megagametophytes were supposed to be arisen from the second division restitution (SDR), whereas the other two were from post-meiotic genome doubling (PMD). These results to understand the mechanism underlying 2n gamete formation in lemon are valuable for its efficient polyploid breeding.

Near-infrared (NIR), Mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopy and Gas chromatography -mass spectrometry (GC-MS) combined with principal component analysis (PCA) were used to preliminarily select suitable maize parents that can be further employed in future breeding process. Especially, a new matrix was innovatively developed in terms of metabolic components, and used for PCA. Firstly, the quality maize seeds were selected based on the score plots from PCA of NIR, MIR, fusion of NIR and MIR, and GC-MS. Then, the potential biomarkers, including phenol, propionic acid, DL-malic acid, L-valine, which have great influence on the selection of quality maize seeds, were confirmed based on the loading plots from PCA of GC-MS and MIR spectral data. Finally, the quantitative analysis of partial biomarkers for selected parents was carried based on GC-MS method. The selected suitable maize parents were further confirmed by the difference of biomarkers contents. The results showed that NIR, MIR, and GC-MS combined with PCA are as rapid, convenient analysis methods, and can be thus employed for future maize breeding process.

Cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) and seedlessness are highly desirable traits for citrus. However, a high-quality reference mitochondrial genome of citrus is unavailable, and the mechanisms of CMS remain to be elucidated in citrus. We previously generated a male sterile somatic cybrid of pummelo (G1+HBP) by fusing protoplasts from CMS ‘Guoqing No. 1’ Satsuma mandarin (G1) and fertile ‘Hirado Buntan’ pummelo (HBP). Here, we sequenced and assembled the mitochondrial genome of G1, G1+HBP, and HBP into circular molecules of 521.6 kb, 538.4 kb, and 518.3 kb, respectively. Mitochondrial genome of citrus encodes 35–36 proteins, three ribosomal RNAs, and 21 tRNAs. Comparative analysis indicated that nuclear genome and chloroplast genome of the cybrid are from HBP, whereas the mitochondrial genome sequences of the cybrid and G1 have 96.9% synteny, and that the cybrid has an extra recombinant mitochondrial DNA fragment of only 16.8 kb. Compared with the fertile HBP mitochondrial genome, 21 and 20 CMS-specific mitotype-specific sequences (MSSs), and 89 and 70 CMS-specific ORFs were identified in the cybrid and G1 mitochondrial genomes, respectively. Among them, 57 ORFs that co-transcribed with the same mitochondrial genes in the cybrid and G1 were identified as the CMS-specific ORFs. The assembly of mitochondrial genomes and the identification of the CMS-specific ORFs provide basis for determination of the CMS-associated gene and elucidation of CMS mechanisms in citrus.

For efficient electrolysis of water for hydrogen generation or other value-added chemicals, it is highly relevant to develop low-temperature synthesis of low-cost and high-efficiency metal sulfide electrocatalysts on a large scale. Herein, we construct a new core-branch array and binder-free electrode by growing Ni

With the rapid development of technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, cloud computing, and big data, Medical Cyber Physical Systems (MCPS) are increasingly demanding data security, while cloud storage solves the storage problem of complex medical data. However, it is difficult to realize data security sharing. The decentralization feature of blockchain is helpful to solve the problem that the secure authentication process is highly dependent on the trusted third party and implement data security transmission. In this paper, the blockchain technology is used to describe the security requirements in authentication process, and a network model of MCPS based on blockchain is proposed. Through analysis of medical data storage architecture, it can ensure that data can't be tampered and untrackable. In the security authentication phase, bilinear mapping and intractable problems can be used to solve the security threat in the authentication process of medical data providers and users. It can avoid the credibility problem of the trusted third party, and also can realize the ?thyc=10?>two-way authentication between the hospital and blockchain node. Then, BAN logic is used to analyze security protocols, and formal analysis and comparison of security protocols are also made. The results show that the MCPS based on blockchain not only realizes medical treatment data sharing, but also meet the various security requirements in the security authentication phase. In addition, the storage and computing overhead costs is ideal. Therefore, the proposed scheme is more suitable for secure sharing of medical big data.

Phytic acid, containing a myoinositol ring coupled with six phosphate groups, can react with the amino groups of collagen to regulate their self-assembly behavior. The aim of this research is to evaluate the effects of phytic acid on the selfassembly behavior of collagen, the structures and properties of the resulting fibrils and hydrogels. Turbidity and chloramine T assay suggested that phytic acid could improve the self-assembly kinetics and degree of collagen, and the optimal ratio of phytic acid/collagen was 1/1 (w/w). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis indicated that co-fibrils of collagen with phytic acid are more slender than that of pure collagen, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) reveals that the characteristic D-periodicity of collagen fibrils is not affected by phytic acid. Besides, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and rheology revealed that the thermal stability of collagen fibrils and the viscoelasticity of collagen hydrogels could be improved by phytic acid and the optimal ratio of phytic acid/collagen is 1/1 (w/w).

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) is a very sensitive method for trace analysis because of its background interference and high signal-to-noise ratio. In the past decade, the determination of Cu2+ in environment has attracted considerable attention since it plays an essential role in many physiological processes. Herein, a novel ECL sensor based on C,N quantum dots embedded g-C3N4 nanosheets (C,N-QDs@NSs) was constructed for the detection of Cu2+. The nanocomposite was rapidly obtained via the oxidation of normal g-C3N4 in H2O2 solution using sonochemical synthesizing method. Due to the abundant surface defects on C,N-QDs@NSs, the ECL intensity was magnified 2.5 times for using a C,N-QDs@NSs electrode in comparision to a g-C3N4 modified electrode. Besides, C,N-QDs@NSs could accelerate the rate of electron transfer in ECL reaction and thus resulted in the lower cathodic peak potential. Significantly, Cu2+ could effectively quench the ECL of C,N-QD@NSs, which endowed C,N-QD@NSs with a great advantage in the ECL detection of Cu2+. under optimum conditions, C,N-QDs@NSs modified electrode exhibited a linear detection range from 5 × 10−4 to 10 µM with a detection limit of 2 × 10−4 µM (S/N = 3) for Cu2+, and was finally applied to detect Cu2+ in real samples with satisfactory results.

Adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) are assumed to be indolent lung adenocarcinoma with excellent prognosis. We aim to identify these lesions from invasive adenocarcinoma (IA) by a radiomics approach. This retrospective study was approved by institutional review board with a waiver of informed consent. Pathologically confirmed lung adenocarcinomas manifested as lung nodules less than 3 cm were retrospectively identified. In-house software was used to quantitatively extract 60 CT-based radiomics features quantifying nodule’s volume, intensity and texture property through manual segmentation. In order to differentiate AIS/MIA from IA, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) logistic regression was used for feature selection and developing radiomics signatures. The predictive performance of the signature was evaluated via receiver operating curve (ROC) and calibration curve, and validated using an independent cohort. 402 eligible patients were included and divided into the primary cohort (n = 207) and the validation cohort (n = 195). Using the primary cohort, we developed a radiomics signature based on five radiomics features. The signature showed good discrimination between MIA/AIS and IA in both the primary and validation cohort, with AUCs of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.91–0.98) and 0.89 (95% CI, 0.84–0.93), respectively. Multivariate logistic analysis revealed that the signature (OR, 13.3; 95% CI, 6.2–28.5; p < 0.001) and gender (OR, 3.5; 95% CI, 1.2–10.9; p = 0.03) were independent predictors of indolent lung adenocarcinoma. The signature based on radiomics features helps to differentiate indolent from invasive lung adenocarcinoma, which might be useful in guiding the intervention choice for patients with pulmonary nodules. • Based on radiomics features, a signature is established to differentiate adenocarcinoma in situ and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma from invasive lung adenocarcinoma.

Ti-Cu films with different Cu concentrations were fabricated by high-power pulsed magnetron sputtering (HPPMS) to release copper ions and catalyze NO to improve the blood compatibility. The Cu concentrations of films were 25.7at% and 68.8at%. Pure Ti films were also fabricated. Copper release, catalytic release of nitric oxide (NO), and blood platelet adhesion of Ti-Cu films were studied. Ti-Cu films released copper ions in PBS solution and more Cu ions were released from films with 68.8at% Cu. Ti-Cu films had excellent ability of catalytical decomposition of exogenous donor S-nitroso-N-acetyl-DL-penicillamine (SNAP) and as a result, nitric oxide (NO) was generated. The NO generation catalyzed by Ti-Cu films was significantly higher than that by pure Ti films. This was more eminent in the Ti-Cu films with 68.8 at% Cu. The platelet adhesion and activation of Ti-Cu films were significantly inhibited compared to that of pure Ti films in the presence of SNAP. The Ti-Cu film fabricated by HPPMS showed the ability of releasing Cu ions to catalyze SNAP to generate NO to inhibit platelet adhesion and activation.

In this paper, global exponential synchronization of a class of complex-valued neural networks with time delays is investigated. Based on Halanay inequality theory, Lyapunov theory and matrix measure method, by separating complex-valued neural networks to the real part and imaginary part, several criteria for the global exponentially synchronization of complex-valued neural networks are presented. Finally, one numerical simulation is given to show the effectiveness of our theoretical results.

Gel matrices of mammalian collagen are routinely used as bioengineering materials and food thickening agents, for which the modulation of their mechanical properties is a key issue. However, little information is available regarding gel matrices based on fish-sourced collagen, which offer unique advantages for some applications. Here, a rheology assay, which is the most commonly used method for monitoring developing gels, was used to systematically reveal the influence of environmental parameters on the gelation dynamics and rheological properties of pepsin-soluble collagen (PSC) extracted from snakehead (Channa argus) skins. The gelation dynamics and equilibrium elastic moduli of PSC were affected by concentration, temperature, pH, buffer, and ion strength and type. SEM and TEM images of gels at different concentrations and incubation temperatures confirmed that the mechanical properties of PSC gels are directly related to the density, rather than size, of fibrils. Additionally, the relationship between the biological and mechanical properties of these collagen gels was also evaluated. The present study would facilitate a better understanding of the gelation of fish-sourced collagen and enable more precise control of the mechanical properties of these gel matrices.

Clonal integration can contribute to the invasiveness of amphibious plant, Alternanthera philoxeroides, but whether this differs between life-forms and whether such difference is underlying their biological control efficacy have scarcely been addressed. We aimed to determine whether clonal integration differs between life-forms and whether terrestrial form with lower biological control efficacy shows greater capacity of clonal integration in response to defoliation. In a greenhouse experiment, we subjected terrestrial and aquatic A. philoxeroides to four levels of experimental defoliation, i.e., 0 (control), 20% (mild), 50% (moderate), and 80% (heavy) leaf clipping, with the stolon connections being either severed or intact. The results showed that clonal integration greatly improved the growth and clonal propagation of both life-forms, especially under heavier defoliation. The shoot/root ratios of both life-forms were significantly increased by clonal integration under heavy defoliation. Moreover, higher level of resource sharing and greater division of labor promoted the terrestrial form to perform better than the aquatic form. These results supported our hypotheses that terrestrial A. philoxeroides can benefit from clonal integration more than aquatic form under herbivory, which may be an alternative mechanism accounted for the low efficacy of biological control of A. philoxeroides in the terrestrial habitats.

Myriophyllum aquaticum is a semi-submerged exotic macrophyte that was introduced to China for many years. This species may be found in an emergent form in aquatic environments or in an amphibious form under drained conditions. Nuisance growth of this species has often been attributed to excessive amounts of nutrients. Therefore, we tested the following hypotheses: (1) high nutrient availability facilitates the establishment of M. aquaticum and (2) fragment type interacts with nutrient availability to determine the colonization and regeneration capacities of M. aquaticum. Two types of fragments were grown in water solutions with two levels of phosphorous. After 3 weeks, the survival rates showed no significant difference between the phosphorous treatments. However, emergent fragments showed higher RGR in the low and high phosphorous treatments than amphibious fragments. In addition, emergent fragments also showed higher regeneration capacities, indicating higher invasiveness in emergent fragments compared to amphibious fragments. Moreover, the high phosphorous concentration caused emergent fragments to produce more branches, indicating that nutrient availability may increase M. aquaticum propagule pressure. Our study highlights that nutrient supply increased emergent fragment establishment and shaped the invasion dynamics of macrophytes, which could help predict the spread and potential impact of exotic macrophytes in natural aquatic ecosystems.

A Hybrid collagen fibril (HCF) assembled from xenogeneic collagens is a special kind of collagen fibrils in vivo and plays an important role in living systems. Inspired by nature, can a HCF form in vitro? Herein, we fabricated a new HCF by neutralizing a mixture of type I bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana Shaw) skin collagen and porcine (Sus scrofa domesticus) skin collagen with a phosphate buffer, and investigated its physicochemical properties. Self-assembly kinetics and fluorescence-quenching experiments showed that a significant intermolecular interaction and co-assembly behavior occurred between bullfrog skin collagen and porcine skin collagen, thus confirming that xenogeneic collagens can self-assemble to form HCF. Differential scanning calorimetry revealed that the thermal stability of HCF was completely different from that of the syngeneic bullfrog skin and porcine skin collagen fibrils. This finding indicated that a new kind of collagen fibril was fabricated successfully. Scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy tests showed that the diameters and D-periodicity lengths of HCF were smaller than those of the syngeneic collagen fibrils, suggesting that the morphological features of HCF were distinguished from those of the syngeneic fibril samples. Moreover, viscoelasticity of a collagen gel also changed after the self-assembly of xenogeneic collagens. Meanwhile, the obtained hybrid gel still exhibited good biocompatibility and cell proliferation properties. Finding from this work provides a new idea for the improvement or regulation of collagen-based products performance.

Surface photovoltage inversion was found in PbI2 microcrystals, manifested as a significant increase in the absolute value of surface barrier height under sub-bandgap illumination. The corresponding surface states located at 0.43 eV above the valence band was detected, and the magnitude of photovoltage inversion was found to increase with increasing applied field strength. Besides, transient surface photovoltage responses and the time constants of the relaxation showed a dependence on the wavelength of illumination. When irradiated with 518–632 nm, the exciton together with the lead ion vacancy caused the population of holes in the surface state; while under 700-nm light irradiation, holes depopulation occurred on the surface. Transient surface photovoltage results show that the relaxation of the sub-bandgap surface photovoltage is exponential with long time constant. The different charge transportation processes agree well with the photocatalytic degradation of MO experiments under different wavelength irradiation. It is revealed that the exciton and the surface states could significantly affect the movement of photogenerated charge carriers, which lead to different degradation results of MO. These findings demonstrate a model involving photostimulated population of surface states for the study of surfaces of wide energy gap semiconductors, which shows the highly selective control of photogenerated charge carriers’ behaviors by tuning the wavelength of irradiation.

We investigate systematically the vibrational and electron–phonon interaction properties of node-line semimetal Cu3PdN under strain and electron doping by using first-principles calculations. It is found that vibrational modes interact with electrons at the Fermi level isotropically with a three-dimensional character. The phonon frequency and Eliashberg spectral function can be tuned by strain remarkably, and the maximum transition temperature (T c) predicted is 0.03 K under strain e = 0.10. The coexistence of superconductivity and topological physics in Cu3PdN makes it a promising candidate for future quantum computation platform.