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Objective To construct a predictive model to analyze the diagnostic value of serum alpha fetoprotein (AFP), carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), heat shock protein 90a (Hsp90a) for primary liver cancer (PHC). Methods A retrospective study was conducted on 72 patients with PHC (PHC group), 68 patients with chronic liver disease (chronic liver disease group), and 50 healthy subjects (healthy control group) admitted to The No.2 Hospital of Baoding from March 2020 to December 2021. Serum AFP and CEA levels were detected using chemiluminescence, serum Hsp90a levels were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and area under curve (AUC) were used to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of each indicator for PHC. Multivariate Cox risk regression analysis was used to identify independent factors for the occurrence of PHC. A predictive model was constructed and validated by R software. Results The differences in AFP, CEA and Hsp90a levels among the three groups were statistically significant, with the highest in the PHC group and the lowest in the control group, and the difference was statistically significant in a pairwise comparison (P＜0.05). AFP (OR=1.770, 95%CI: 1.137-2.756), CEA (OR=2.651, 95%CI: 1.168-6.015), and Hsp90a (OR=1.402, 95%CI: 1.141-1.723) were independent risk factors for PHC (P＜0.05). The AUC of AFP, CEA, and HSP90 predicting PHC separately were 0.929, 0.947, and 0.899, respectively. The C-index of the constructed joint prediction model was 0.669 (0.647-0.831). Conclusion The model based on AFP, CEA and HSP90a has high diagnostic value for patients with PHC, and it can be used for early PHC screening in clinic.

Wheat stem (or black) rust, caused by Puccinia graminis f. sp. tritici (Pgt), has been historically among the most devastating global fungal diseases of wheat. The recent occurrence and spread of new virulent races such as Ug99 have prompted global efforts to identify and isolate more effective stem rust resistance (Sr) genes. Here, we report the map-based cloning of the Ug99-effective SrTm5 gene from diploid wheat Triticum monococcum accession PI 306540 that encodes a typical coiled-coil nucleotide-binding leucine-rich repeat protein. This gene, designated as Sr22b, is a new allele of Sr22 with a rare insertion of a large (13.8-kb) retrotransposon into its second intron. Biolistic transformation of an ~112-kb circular bacterial artificial chromosome plasmid carrying Sr22b into the susceptible wheat variety Fielder was sufficient to confer resistance to stem rust. In a survey of 168 wheat genotypes, Sr22b was present only in cultivated T. monococcum subsp. monococcum accessions but absent in all tested tetraploid and hexaploid wheat lines. We developed a diagnostic molecular marker for Sr22b and successfully introgressed a T. monococcum chromosome segment containing this gene into hexaploid wheat to accelerate its deployment and pyramiding with other Sr genes in wheat breeding programmes. Sr22b can be a valuable component of gene pyramids or transgenic cassettes combining different resistance genes to control this devastating disease.

In the present work, 4-methylcatechol oligomer has been prepared by using enzyme-catalyzed polymerization in water and preliminary evaluations as stabilizing agent in polypropylene (PP) was performed. In comparison with intrinsic PP, the oxidation onset temperature of the 4-methylcatechol oligomer/PP composite increased by 66°C, and the oxidation induction time increased by 40 min. In addition, the mixing of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer with PP (i.e., in the formation of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer/PP composite) did significantly enhance the long-term stability of PP in a thermal oxidative environment. Moreover, the tensile strength of this composite did not significantly decrease after aging for 800 h in an air atmosphere at 120°C. These results show that the addition of a 4-methylcatechol oligomer will markedly delay the aging and degradation of PP materials, even under extreme conditions. Thus, an enzyme-catalyzed polymerization of phenol compounds may provide a new avenue toward the preparation of novel antioxidants.

Idesia polycarpa Maxim is a high-value species of fruit oil with edible, abundant linoleic acid and polyphenols. Idesia polycarpa is described as a dioecious species, and the flowers are male; female and bisexual flowers are produced on separate plants. In order to explore the flower types of Idesia polycarpa, the morphology of its flowers and inflorescence were investigated in this study. The flower and inflorescence types, the diameter, and the flowering sequencing in male and female inflorescence were determined. We also detected the length, width, and fresh weight of leaves, shoots, and female inflorescence, as well as the length and fresh weight of the petiole during the development. Additionally, we compared the length, width, the length/width ratio, and the flowering density between 5- and 7-year-old female trees. The phenological period observation of Idesia polycarpa showed that the development process can be roughly divided into 12 stages, including bud burst, leaf expansion, inflorescence growth, initial flowering, full flowering, flower decline, initial fruiting, fruit enlargement, fruit color change, fruit ripening, post-ripening of fruit, and leaf fall periods. Furthermore, four elites' fruit determined the oil content and the composition of fatty acid content during the development. The dynamic of fatty acids contents, the palrnitic acid, palmitoleic acid, stearic acid, oleic acid, and linolenic acid contents were detected during the fruit development of four elites. Moreover, the mineral elements content of fruit of four elites during development were determined. The patterns of vegetative and reproductive growth in young dioecious trees of Idesia polycarpa provided the theoretical basis for artificial pruning and training. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

【Background】 Precipitation is closely related to human production, life and ecology. The change of precipitation is related to the sustainable utilization of regional water resources, the protection of ecological environment and the development of economy and society, The research on the variation characteristics and evolution trend of precipitation has become a hot topic in the field of climate and water resources. Scholars and researchers has paid much attention on the accurate prediction of precipitation. 【Objective】 The purpose of this paper is to improve the prediction accuracy of precipitation, and reflect the actual characteristics of precipitation. 【Method】 Based on the advantages of empirical mode decomposition in the analysis and processing of nonlinear time series and other fields, Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) was carried out for the monthly average precipitation data of the Yellow River Delta Meteorological Station from 1954 to 2018, and a series of eigenmode functions were obtained. Hilbert transform was performed on IMF, and on this basis, two multi-scale forecast models of precipitation in the Yellow River Delta were established. 【Result】 The results showed that there were periods of 9, 13, 23, 76 and 135 months in precipitation in the Yellow River Delta, and 9-month fluctuations were the main ones; The 65-year monthly average precipitation data was predicted. The relative error of the model 1 was between 0.9% and 9.8%, and the relative error of the model 2 was between 1.6% and 11.8%. When modeling, the average prediction error of model 1 without considering the initial phase was 2.70%, and the overall prediction accuracy was better than that of model 2 considering the initial phase. 【Conclusion】 The fitting accuracy and significance of the two models meet the requirements.

Heat treatment is a widely used physical technology for postharvest fruit and crops. The Chinese chestnut cultivar "Kuili" has high sugar and amylose contents, and is popular among people. However, the chestnut quality decreases quickly after harvest. In order to maintain the chestnuts' quality during storage, this study explores five hot water treatments for chestnuts: T1 (control, no treatment), T2 (50 °C), T3 (65 °C), T4 (75 °C), and T5 (90 °C) for 45 min. T1 was dried at ambient temperature, while the other heat treatments were dried at 30 °C for 30 min. After treatment, chestnuts were placed in plastic trays, covered with a 15 μm thick PVC film, and stored at 4 °C with 70% relative humidity; they remained in the same air for 120 days. Results indicated that T3 and T4 showed slight color changes while maintaining shell and kernel firmness, and their weight loss was reduced (+5–8%), as well as their decay rate (limited to within 20%). The T3, T4, and T5 treatments (from days 60 to 120) decreased their pest survival rates to <2%. Additionally, heat treatments facilitated the accumulation of total soluble sugar and increased the expression of sugar biosynthesis-related genes. Meanwhile, T3 and T4 delayed starch reduction (they maintained relatively higher contents, from 288 to ~320 mg g−1 DW) and altered some starch biosynthesis genes. Furthermore, T2, T3, and T4 exhibited higher antioxidant activity and lower hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and superoxide anions (O2−) contents than T1. At the end of storage, the scores of T3 and T4 treatments were 55.1 and 52.3, and they ranked first and second among the five treatments, respectively. Therefore, these findings provide valuable insights for controlling postharvest losses in chestnuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein 4.1N is a member of protein 4.1 family and has been recognized as a potential tumor suppressor in solid tumors. Here, we aimed to investigate the role and mechanisms of 4.1N in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We confirmed that the expression level of 4.1N was inversely correlated with the metastatic properties of NSCLC cell lines and histological grade of clinical NSCLC tissues. Specific knockdown of 4.1N promoted tumor cell proliferation, migration and adhesion in vitro, and tumor growth and metastasis in mouse xenograft models. Furthermore, we identified PP1 as a novel 4.1N-interacting molecule, and the FERM domain of 4.1N mediated the interaction between 4.1N and PP1. Further, ectopic expression of 4.1N could inactivate JNK-c-Jun signaling pathway through enhancing PP1 activity and interaction between PP1 and p-JNK. Correspondingly, expression of potential downstream metastasis targets (ezrin and MMP9) and cell cycle targets (p53, p21 and p19) of JNK-c-Jun pathway were also regulated by 4.1N. Our data suggest that down-regulation of 4.1N expression is a critical step for NSCLC development and that repression of JNK-c-Jun signaling through PP1 is one of the key anti-tumor mechanisms of 4.1N.

The application of nanosilica in high performance tire highly depends on its uniform dispersion in rubber matrix. A series of dispersible nanosilica (denoted as DNS) modified by diphenyl guanidine (denoted as DPG, a vulcanization accelerator) were synthesized by liquid phase in situ surface chemical modification. The structure of the as-obtained DNS-DPG fillers was investigated in relation to Fourier transform infrared spectrometric analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, dynamic light scattering test, and transmission electron microscopic observation. It was found that the rubber vulcanization accelerator DPG was successfully grafted onto the surface of nanosilica, thereby effectively preventing the silica nanoparticles from agglomeration and significantly reducing the average particle size. The reinforcing effect of the DPG-modified DNS nano-fillers for the solution polymerized styrene butadiene rubber/butadiene rubber (denoted as SSBR/BR) was dependent on the fraction of the modifier DPG; in particular, when the amount of modifier DPG is 135.25 mmol/kg (denoted as DNS-DPG-3), silica exhibited very homogeneous dispersion in the SSBR/BR matrix, which contributed to significantly enhancing the filler-rubber compatibility. As a result, SSBR/BR/DNS-DPG-3 nanocomposite exhibited the best mechanical properties, integrated high abrasion resistance and low rolling resistance. The modified silica not only possessed the effect of accelerating the crosslinking reaction, but also showed the reinforcing effect. This could make it feasible for SSBR/BR/DNS-DPG nanocomposite to find promising application in green tire tread., INTRODUCTION Along with the enforcements of more and more harsh regulations and laws for environmental protection, researchers have made enormous attempts to develop new generation of tires with improved energy [...]