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Background: A high incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), the most frequently diagnosed form of liver cancer, is observed in Africa and Asia. SYVN1 is upregulated in HCC; however, the biological roles of SYVN1 in immune evasion remain unclear. Methods: RT-qPCR and western blot were employed to detect the expression levels of SYVN1 and the key molecules in HCC cells and tissues. Flow cytometry was used to determine the proportion of T cells, and an ELISA assay was used to determine the amount of IFN-γ secreted. Cell viability was monitored by CCK-8 and colony formation assays. The metastatic properties of HCC cells were detected by Transwell assays. Bioinformatics analysis, ChIP, and luciferase assays were used to study the transcriptional regulation of PD-L1. Co-IP was used to detect direct interaction between SYVN1 and FoxO1, as well as the ubiquitination of FoxO1. The in vitro findings were validated in xenograft and lung metastasis models. Results: In HCC cells and tissues, SYVN1 was upregulated while FoxO1 was downregulated. SYVN1 knockdown or FoxO1 overexpression reduced PD-L1 expression, and inhibited immune evasion, cell growth, and metastasis in HCC cells. Mechanistically, FoxO1 regulated PD-L1 transcription in a β-catenin-independent or -dependent manner. Functional studies further showed that SYVN1 promoted immune evasion, cell proliferation, migration and invasion via facilitating ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent degradation of FoxO1. In vivo investigations showed that silencing of SYVN1 inhibited immune evasion and metastasis of HCC cells, possible via the FoxO1/PD-L1 axis. Conclusion: SYVN1 regulates FoxO1 ubiquitination to stimulate β-catenin nuclear translocation and promotes PD-L1-mediated metastasis and immune evasion in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vegetation in arid central Asia (ACA) has been experiencing significant changes due to substantial warming and humidification since the 1980s. These changes are inhomogeneous due to the ecological vulnerability and topographic complexity of ACA. However, the heterogeneity of vegetation changes has received limited attention in the literature, which has focused more on the region's overall general features. Thus, this paper analyzes the regional heterogeneity of vegetation changes during the growing season in ACA and further explores their underlying drivers. The results reveal an antiphase trend of vegetation, with an increase in eastern ACA and a decrease in western ACA. This antiphase pattern is primarily constrained by the divergent hydrothermal and climatic contexts of different elevation gradients. At elevations higher than 300 m (in the eastern ACA), increased growing season precipitation dominates vegetation greening. Conversely, vegetation at elevations lower than 300 m (in western ACA) is influenced by growing season soil water, which is driven by winter precipitation (pre-growing season precipitation). Additionally, the temperature could indirectly impact vegetation trends by altering precipitation, soil water, glaciers, snow cover, and runoff. Our findings have implications for restoring the ecosystem and sustainable development in ACA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tibetan Plateau is the source of most of Asia's major rivers and has been called the Asian Water Tower. Detailed knowledge of its hydrogeology is paramount to enable the understanding of groundwater dynamics, which plays a vital role in headwater areas like the Tibetan Plateau. Nevertheless, due to its remoteness and the harsh environment, there is a lack of field survey data to investigate its hydrogeology. In this study, borehole core lithology analysis, soil thickness measurement, an altitude survey, hydrogeological surveys, and hydrogeophysical surveys (e.g. magnetic resonance sounding – MRS, electrical resistivity tomography – ERT, and transient electromagnetic – TEM) were conducted in the Maqu catchment within the Yellow River source region (YRSR). The hydrogeological surveys reveal that groundwater flows from the west to the east, recharging the Yellow River. The hydraulic conductivity ranges from 0.2 to 12.4 m d -1. The MRS sounding results, i.e. water content and hydraulic conductivity, confirmed the presence of an unconfined aquifer in the flat eastern area. Based on TEM results, the depth of the Yellow River deposits was derived at several places in the flat eastern area, ranging from 50 to 208 m. The soil thickness measurements were done in the western mountainous area of the catchment, where hydrogeophysical and hydrogeological surveys were difficult to be carried out. The results indicate that most soil thicknesses, except on the valley floor, are within 1.2 m in the western mountainous area of the catchment, and the soil thickness decreases as the slope increases. These survey data and results can contribute to integrated hydrological modelling and water cycle analysis to improve a full-picture understanding of the water cycle at the Maqu catchment in the YRSR. The raw dataset is freely available at https://doi.org/10.17026/dans-z6t-zpn7 (Li et al., 2020a), and the dataset containing the processed ERT, MRS, and TEM data is also available at the National Tibetan Plateau Data Center with the link https://doi.org/10.11888/Hydro.tpdc.271221 (Li et al., 2020b). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the roles played by geography and ecology in driving species diversification and in the maintenance of species cohesion is the central objective of evolutionary and ecological studies. The multi-phased orogenesis of Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP) and global climate changes over late-Miocene has profoundly influenced the environments and evolution of organisms in this region and the vast areas of Asia. In this study, we investigate the lineage diversification of Chrysanthemum -group in subtribe Artemisiinae (tribe Anthemideae, Asteraceae) likely under the effects of climate changes during this period. Using DNA sequences of seven low-copy nuclear loci and nrITS and the coalescent analytical methods, a time-calibrated phylogeny of subtribe Artemisiinae was reconstructed with emphasis on Chrysanthemum -group. The monophyletic Chrysanthemum- group was well resolved into two major clades corresponding to Chrysanthemum and Ajania , two genera which can be well identified by capitulum morphology but have been intermingled in previous plastid and ITS trees. Within Chrysanthemum , a later divergence between Ch. indicum -complex and Ch. zawadskii -complex can be recognized. The time frames of these sequential divergences coincide with the late Cenozoic uplift of the Northern QTP and the concomitant climatic heterogeneity between eastern and inland Asia. Reconstruction of historical biogeography suggested the origin of Chrysanthemum -group in Central Asia, followed by eastward migration of Chrysanthemum and in situ diversification of Ajania. Within Chrysanthemum , Ch. indicum -complex and Ch. zawadskii -complex exhibited contemporary distributional division, the former in more southern and the latter in more northern regions. The geographic structure of the three lineages in Chrysanthemum -group have been associated with the niche differentiation, and environmental heterogenization in Asia interior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerasus serrulata (Rosaceae) is an important flowering cherry resource which is valuable for developing new cultivars of flowering cherries. It is broadly distributed and possesses abundant variations. In this study, phylogeographic analysis was conducted to reveal the evolutionary history to better understand the genetic diversity and genetic structure of C. serrulata so as to provide more accurate molecular insights into better conservation and utilization of the germplasm resources. A total of 327 individuals from 18 wild populations were collected. Three chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments (matK, trnD‐E, and trnS‐G) and the nuclear internal transcribed spacer (ITS) were utilized. The results showed a high genetic diversity at both species level and population level of C. serrulata. High genetic differentiation and the existence of the phylogeographic structure were detected. No significant expansion events were discovered. Two geographic lineages were inferred. One was confined to the Qinling Mountains and the Taihang Mountains. The other was from the Wuling Mountains to the Jiangnan Hilly Regions and then went northeast to the coast of Asia. In addition, some taxonomic treatments of the C. serrulata complex are discussed and reconsidered. Conservation and utilization strategies of wild C. serrulata germplasm resources were recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We examined changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the Affordable Care Act (ACA) among subgroups of Asian youth relative to non-Latino white youth. Data were from the 2010 to 2017 American Community Survey and National Health Interview Survey. Difference-in-difference models were used to examine changes in insurance coverage and health care utilization associated with the ACA among subgroups of Asian youth relative to white youth and subgroups of Asian youth in households below 200% of the federal poverty level relative to comparable white youth. Since the implementation of the ACA, insurance coverage increased among all Asian subgroups and white youth. The magnitude of the increase in insurance coverage was larger among Asian subgroups than white youth. More pronounced increases were found among almost all Asian subgroups in households below 200% federal poverty level. Changes in health care utilization were limited and varied by subgroup. Increases in well-child visits were observed only among Chinese and "other" Asian youth. Insurance coverage increased among Asian youth after the implementation of the ACA. Improvements in health care utilization were limited and differed by subgroups. Programs to improve health care utilization should be tailored to Asian youth according to subgroup. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Congenital tufting enteropathy (CTE) is a rare disease that manifests as intractable diarrhea during the neonatal period which is associated with mutations of the epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) gene.Case Presentation: A male infant who presented with vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal distention, malnutrition and growth failure was admitted to our department when he was 2 months old. His parents were healthy and nonconsanguineous. Etiologic examinations of stool, inflammatory markers, blood gas and electrolytes levels, serum albumin level, serum immunoglobin levels were all normal. And there was no indication for metabolic diseases. Additionally, gastrointestinal contrast did not reveal abnormality of gastrointestinal. The patient was diagnosed with intestinal malabsorptive syndrome and severe malnutrition without definite cause. He was on supportive treatment and nutritional therapy for 13 months. However, he did not gain weight obviously. He was discharged at the age of 15 months and was fed with partial hydrolyzed formula and rice paste at home. Three months later he developed hypoglycemia and severe respiratory infection. Finally, he died due to sepsis and multiple organs failure. The next generation sequencing revealed one homozygous mutation of EpCAM gene and one complex heterozygous mutation of TTC7A gene. He was diagnosed CTE according to the genetic results and clinical manifestations.Conclusions: CTE is rarely reported in Asia. Patients present with congenital diarrhea, poor weight gain and growth failure are recommended to perform endoscopy examination with proper immunohistochemistry study as early as possible, and genetic testing is necessary when suspecting congenital diarrhea and enteropathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climatic instability, especially on decadal to multi-decadal time scales, has a profound impact on societal development and human welfare in semi-arid and arid regions. Previous work suggested that arid northwestern China was characterized by a dry Medieval Warm Period (MWP, from ca. 1000 to 1300 AD) and a wet Little Ice Age (LIA, from ca. 1400 to 1850 AD), but there is a lack of studies addressing the issue of climatic variability during the last millennium. Here, we present results from a diverse range of proxy records from northwestern China with the aim of evaluating the time variation of hydroclimatic variability during the MWP and LIA. Within the context of an overall cold climate, we detected a pattern of higher moisture variability during the LIA compared to the MWP. A comparison of the proxy records of climatic instability during the LIA from northwestern China with the major modes of SST and atmospheric variability, which affect moisture/precipitation in Asia, suggests that the instability of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) from middle- to high-latitude regions during the LIA was a major driving factor. The westerlies may play an important role in linking the unstable climatic conditions observed in the above-mentioned regions. Our results support the concept that climatic instability was above the norm during cold periods, in contrast with present observations that demonstrate the occurrence of increasingly extreme climatic events with ongoing global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Object: The aim of this study was to determine the predictors of seizure recurrence in surgery for focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) by conducting a meta-analysis. Methods: Publications that met the pre-stated inclusion criteria were selected from PubMed and CNKI databases. Two authors extracted data independently about prognostic factors, surgical outcome, and clinical characteristics of participants. A fixed-effects model was used to calculate the summary of odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results: Forty-eight studies were included in our meta-analysis. Three predictors of seizure recurrence (Engel class III/IV)—histological FCD type I, incomplete resection, and extratemporal location were determined; combined OR with 95% CI were 1.94 (95%CI 1.53–2.46), 12.06 (95%CI 7.32–19.88), and 1.91 (95%CI 1.06–3.44), respectively. Trial sequential analysis revealed that the outcomes had a sufficient sample size to reach firm conclusions. Furthermore, seizure location was not substantially modified by geographic region, while histological FCD type I and incomplete resection showed a significant association with seizure recurrence in different continents except Asia for incomplete resection. Sensitivity analyses restricted to studies for each variable yielded robust results. Little evidence of publication bias was observed. Meanwhile, the difference in the standard for outcome failed to influence the results for prognosis. Network meta-analysis including 13 trials comparing subtypes of FCD found the FCD IIb had the lowest seizure recurrence rate. Conclusions: This meta-analysis suggests that histological FCD type I, incomplete resection, and extratemporal location are recurrence factors in patients with epilepsy surgery for FCD. In addition, FCD IIb is associated with the highest rates of postoperative seizure control among the subtypes of FCD, type I and type II. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: S-1 or capecitabine (Cap) containing treatment is an increasingly used strategy in patients with advanced gastric cancer in Asia. It is unclear whether there is sufficient evidence to support which regimen is better. Methods: A systematic review of retrospective studies and randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing S-1 with Cap containing treatment in advanced gastric cancer patients was performed. Embase, PubMed, Clinical Trials.gov, Cochrane Library, and reference lists were searched from inception until August 2018 for relevant studies. Outcomes of interest included 1-year overall survival (OS), 1-year progression-free survival (PFS), objective response rate (ORR), and adverse events. Meta-analyses of the random events were performed. We also performed sensitivity analysis to examine whether the results of the meta-analyses were robust. Results: A total of 770 subjects from six RCTs and two retrospective studies in Asia were analyzed. Compared with S-1, Cap containing treatment had better ORR (overall risk ratio =0.85, 95% CI: 0.72, 0.99, I2=0%, P=0.043) and higher incidence of all-grade hand-foot syndrome (HFS) (overall risk ratio =0.29, 95% CI: 0.20, 0.40, I2=0%, P<0.001) and neutropenia (overall risk ratio =0.85, 95% CI: 0.73, 0.99, I2=0%, P=0.039). But there was no statistical difference in 1-year PFS, 1-year OS, incidence of other all-grade or grade 3–4 adverse events between S-1 and Cap containing arms (P>0.05). We found no publication bias in this review. Conclusion: This systematic review showed that for Asian patients, Cap shows superiority in ORR but not 1-year OS or PFS, and it will increase the risk of all-grade HFS and neutropenia. Until now, S-1 containing treatment might be a better choice for advanced gastric cancer patients. But more high-quality RCTs are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A long-term perspective on the spatial variation of the northern boundary of the East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and the related physical mechanisms is important for understanding past climate change in Asia and for predicting future changes. However, most of the meteorological definitions of the EASM northern boundary do not correspond well to the actual geographical environment, which is problematic for paleoclimatic research. Here, we use monthly CMAP and GPCP precipitation data to define a new EASM northern boundary index by using the concept of the global monsoon, which is readily applicable to paleoclimatic research. The results show that the distribution of the 2 mm day precipitation isoline (i.e., 300 mm precipitation) has a good relationship with the spatial distribution of modern land cover types, the transitional climate zone and the potential natural vegetation types, in China. The locations of the precipitation isolines also correspond well to the locations of major shifts in wind direction. These results suggest that the 2 mm day isoline has a clear physical significance since the climatic, ecological, and geographical boundary can be used as the northern boundary index of the EASM (which we call the climatological northern boundary index). The index depicts the northeast-southwest orientation of the climatological (1981−2010) EASM northern boundary, along the eastern part of the Qilian Mountains-southern foothills of the Helan Mountains-Daqing Mountains-western margin of the Greater Khingan Range, from west to east across Northwest and Northeast China. The interannual change of the EASM northern boundary from 1980 to 2015 covers the central part of Gansu, the northern part of Ningxia, the eastern part of Inner Mongolia and the northeastern region in China. It can extend northward to the border between China and Mongolia and retreat southward to Shangdong-central Henan. There is a 200−700 km fluctuation range of the interannual EASM northern boundaries around the locations of the climatological northern boundary. In addition, the spatial variation of the interannual EASM northern boundaries gradually increases from west to east, whereas the trend of north-south fluctuations maintains a roughly consistent location in different regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prunus jamasakura is a species of Prunus native to eastern Asia. We determined the first complete chloroplast genome of Prunus jamasakura using genome skimming approach. The cp genome was 157,905 bp long, with a large single-copy region (LSC) of 85,910 bp and a small single-copy region (SSC) of 19,123 bp separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 26,436 bp. It encodes 129 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 ribosomal RNA genes. We also reconstructed the phylogeny of Prunus sensu lato using maximum likelihood (ML) method, including our data and previously reported cp genomes of related taxa. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that P. jamasakura is closely related with Prunus speciosa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence indicates that the risk of heat extremes will increase as climate change progresses and create a significant threat to public health and the economy. Socioeconomic exposure is the key component for assessing the risk of such events. To quantify socioeconomic exposure to heat extremes for 2016–2035 and 2046–2065, we use the projections of five global climate models forced by using three representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and projections of population and gross domestic product (GDP), and we take into account the geographic change in the distribution in shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). The exposure of the global population for 2046–2065 is the greatest under the RCP8.5-SSP3 scenario, up to 1037(±164) × 109 person-days, and the global GDP exposure for 2046–2065 is greatest under the RCP2.6-SSP1 scenario, up to 18(±2) × 1015 dollar-days. Asia has the highest exposure among all continents for both population and GDP, accounting for over half of the global exposure. Africa has the largest increase in exposure, with the annual population and GDP exposures increasing by over 9- and 29-fold, respectively, compared with the base period (1986–2005). The effect of climate makes the dominant contribution (47%–53%) globally for the change in population exposure. Changes in the geographic distribution of GDP cause nearly 50% of the total change in GDP exposure for 2016–2035. Mitigating emissions of greenhouse gases, either at the level of the RCP2.6 scenario or at a more ambitious target, is essential for reducing socioeconomic exposure to heat extremes. In addition, designing and implementing effective measures of adaptation are urgently needed in Asia and Africa to aid socioeconomic systems suffering from heat extremes due to climate change. • Global population and GDP exposures would increase significantly in a warmer future. • Climate and GDP effects cause half of population and GDP exposure change, respectively. • Effective adaptation is urgently needed for Asia, Africa, and midwestern Europe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Typhoons can cause significant water problems if not effectively managed, but predicting typhoon-induced rainfall remains difficult due to the complexity of these storms and their interactions with land. In this study, we developed a new statistical prediction model for typhoon-induced accumulated rainfall (TAR) based on the principle of similarity in Asia. Our model utilizes track data from the Regional Specialized Meteorology Center, Tokyo, and precipitation data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. This study focused on precipitation from 1979 to 2020 and developed the TAR calculation for typhoons, evaluated track similarity, and applied intensity correction to optimize the model output. After comparing the performance of the fuzzy C-means clustering and polygon methods, we used the triangle mesh area index to select the most similar typhoons. Further, the optimal ensemble number was selected based on the minimum root-mean-square error. Finally, we applied translation speed intensity correction to four selected cases, demonstrating significant improvements in TAR prediction compared to previous studies. • Prediction of typhoon-induced accumulated rainfall (TAR) is difficult because typhoon events are complex • Typhoons with similar routes bring similar rainfall patterns due to topographical effects • Statistical model predicting TC rainfall based on TC track similarity and historical rainfall • The proposed model shows significant improvements in the predictions of TAR [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Vegetation of wetlands sensitively responded to hydroclimatic changes. • Wet conditions of Northeast Asian wetlands occurred before 6000 years. • Vegetation and hydrology were triggered by solar and ENSO activity. Peatlands are common components of the Northeast Asian landscapes, while the vegetation and hydrological variations of these peatlands remain unclear. To address this issue, here we use plant macrofossil and grain size analyses to reconstruct the regional vegetation and hydrology dynamics of the Hani peatland over the past ~7766 years. From 7766 cal. yr BP to 6000 cal. yr BP, the Hani peatland was characterized by wet conditions and high water levels. The vegetation community was mainly composed of hygrophilic plants during this period. These features were probably controlled by the high total solar irradiation (TSI) and less El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) activities. From 6000 cal. yr BP to 2000 cal. yr BP, the Hani peatland was characterized by moderate moisture conditions and decreasing water levels, with the vegetation community dominated by both hygrophilic and xerophilic plants. These features were probably influenced by the decreased TSI and increased ENSO activities. From 2000 cal. yr BP to the present, the Hani peatland was characterized by dry conditions and low water levels composed mainly of xerophilic plants. These features were linked to low TSI and more ENSO activities. These correlations reveal that the millennial scale changes of the peatlands in Northeast Asia were primarily driven by the collective impacts of solar irradiation and ENSO activity, thus expanding our understanding of long term interactions between vegetation, hydrology, and climate of Northeast Asian peatlands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A consistent and equitable global drought risk assessment for multiple regions, populations, and economic sectors at the gridded scale under future diverse climate change scenarios has been the subject of scarce research. Climate change is projected to increase the future hazard of drought and cause consequential damages to socioeconomic systems. The risk assessment of drought caused by climate change can be a bridge between impacts and adaptation. To assess the socioeconomic risk to droughts in a base period and two future periods (2016 to 2035 and 2046 to 2065), the projections of five general circulation models and population and gross domestic product (GDP), land cover, and water resources data were used to analyze the socioeconomic risk under three scenarios combining representative concentration pathways (RCPs) and shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). The socioeconomic risk was calculated as the product of three determinants: hazard, exposure, and vulnerability. The risk of the global population to drought was projected to be highest in 2046 to 2065 under scenario RCP8.5-SSP3, with up to 1.45 × 10 9 persons affected, a 63% increase compared with the base period. The highest risk to GDP (4.29 × 10 13 purchasing power parity $) was possibly in 2046 to 2065 under scenario RCP2.6-SSP1, with the risk increasing 5.64 times compared to the base period. Regions with high socioeconomic risk were primarily concentrated in the East and South Asia, Midwestern Europe, eastern US, and the coastal areas of South America. With climate change, the inequality in future socioeconomic risk to drought among countries is predicted to increase. The ten countries with the highest risks to population and GDP accounted for nearly 70% of the global risk., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)