Search

• The successful fabrication of two types of laser detectors has been achieved. • The laser detectors exhibit rapid response to an 808 nm laser beam. • The two laser detectors exhibit a high switch ratio of 7.8 and 556. • The LD-2 device exhibits a remarkably short response/recovery time of 0.09 s/0.16 s. In recent years, there has been a significant surge in the attention towards flexible, lightweight, and high-performance laser detectors due to their indispensability in meeting the demands of portable and wearable electronics. The synthesis of Bi 2 S 3 nanorods was achieved using a facile polyol refluxing method. Successful configuration of two types of laser detectors based on Bi 2 S 3 nanorods was accomplished using the interdigital electrode/PET substrate. The two laser detectors exhibit a high switch ratio of 7.8 and 556, along with short response/recovery times of 3.6 s/2.3 s and 0.09 s/0.16 s to an 808 nm laser beam, respectively. Our method provides a versatile approach for fabricating high-performance near-infrared laser detectors, showcasing its potential in future flexible and wearable optoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Introduces the BTWTB method, using machine learning and probability to replace complex matrix computations in tensegrity pre-stress calculations. • Recasts force determination in tensegrity structures as an inverse problem focusing on zero structural displacement. • Demonstrates BTWTB's versatility and effectiveness on diverse tensegrity structures with minimal error and iterations. • BTWTB shows remarkable accuracy and efficiency in pre-stress determination compared to traditional methods. Tensegrity structures, known for their rigidity derived from feasible pre-stresses, present unique challenges in structural engineering. Traditional force-finding methods, though comprehensive, rely heavily on intricate matrix computations, making them computationally intensive and often uncomfortable for considering external loads in practical engineering scenarios. This paper introduces a novel approach to compute pre-stresses in cable dome structures by integrating machine learning and probability theory, collectively termed the boosting tree with bootstrap technique (BTWBT). This method reduces the sample size to as few as 100 per iteration, while improving computational efficiency by randomly generating internal forces. By reframing the force determination as an inverse problem, it ensures that structural displacement converges to zero under feasible pre-stresses. The effectiveness of BTWBT is demonstrated across three distinct cable dome structures: the Geiger dome, Kiewitt dome, and rotating hyperboloid cable dome. Results show that BTWBT achieves the preset displacement requirement (maximum nodal displacement below 0.01 mm) with fewer iterations and reduced computational cost compared to traditional machine learning methods. BTWBT's capability to manage complex structural configurations with minimal data, while incorporating random internal force generation ranges, highlights its potential as a superior alternative for force determination in tensegrity structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a citric acid-doped polyaniline/polyvinylidene fluoride (CPP) flexible ammonia sensor was prepared by in situ oxidative chemical polymerization on a flexible porous polyvinylidene fluoride membrane. The CPP sensor exhibited excellent performance at room temperature (217% response for 1 ppm NH 3), low detection limit (LOD) reaches 3 ppb, and rapid response and recovery times (30 s /195 s for 1 ppm NH 3 , respectively). Furthermore, the sensor shows outstanding flexibility and excellent stability. After 10,000 bending cycles, the CPP sensor still produces over 99% stable response. The response reached 95% of its initial value after more than 60 days of storage. The CPP sensor exhibits excellent gas-sensing performance for ammonia gas, mainly attributed to the increase in active sites induced by citric acid doping and the synergistic effect of the porous substrate. The above results demonstrated that the CPP flexible film sensor is a high-performance candidate for enhanced ammonia gas sensing properties at room temperature. [Display omitted] • In-situ polymerization of citric acid-doped aniline on flexible PVDF film. • The sensor response to 1 ppm NH 3 reaches 217% at room temperature. • The sensor presents excellent selectivity, flexibility, and long-time stability. • Doping modification and porous structure improves the sensor performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing low-cost and high-performance ammonia sensors is significant to the current air pollution control and non-invasive diagnosis of human diseases. In this work, in situ polymerization of poly(aniline-co-pyrrole) (PAPY) is on flexible porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF)-based sensitive membrane (PAPYP). Based on the adjustment of the poly(aniline-pyrrole) copolymer backbone structure and the dual role of the porous substrate, the sensor exhibited excellent ammonia gas sensing performance. The response of the PAPYP sensor to 1 ppm NH 3 at room temperature was improved to 93%. It has a low detection concentration of 0.05 ppm for NH 3. In addition, the PAPYP sensor has excellent long-term stability and outstanding flexibility. Finally, based on the low-temperature working environment of the sensor, we analyzed and discussed the influence of relative humidity and temperature on the gas-sensing characteristics of the PAPYP sensor to realize error correction in practical applications. This study provides commercial application potential for ammonia concentration detection related to human health. [Display omitted] • In-situ polymerization of aniline and pyrrole. • The sensor response to 1 ppm NH3 reaches 93% at 25℃. • The large specific surface area of the nanocomposite film. • Synergistic roles affect the film's high NH3 sensing performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Synthetic single‐stranded (ss) DNA is a cornerstone for life and materials science, yet the purity, quantity, length, and customizability of synthetic DNA are still limiting in various applications. Here, we present PECAN, paired‐end cutting assisted by DNAzymes (DNA enzymes or deoxyribozymes), which enables mass production of ssDNA of arbitrary sequence (up to 7000 nucleotides, or nt) with single‐base precision. At the core of PECAN technique are two newly identified classes of DNAzymes, each robustly self‐hydrolyzing with minimal sequence requirement up‐ or down‐stream of its cleavage site. Flanking the target ssDNA with a pair of such DNAzymes generates a precursor ssDNA amplifiable by pseudogene‐recombinant bacteriophage, which subsequently releases the target ssDNA in large quantities after efficient auto‐processing. PECAN produces ssDNA of virtually any terminal bases and compositions with >98.5 % purity at the milligram‐to‐gram scale. We demonstrate the feasibility of using PECAN ssDNA for RNA in situ detection, homology‐directed genome editing, and DNA‐based data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a deadly gastrointestinal malignancy, and chemotherapy resistance is a key factor leading to its poor prognosis. M2 tumor-associated macrophages (M2-TAMs) may be an important cause of chemoresistance in ESCC, but its exact mechanism is still unclear. Methods: In order to study the role of M2-TAMs in ESCC chemoresistance, CCK-8, clone formation assay, flow cytometric apoptosis assay, qRT-PCR, western blotting, and serum-free sphere formation assays were used. In vivo animal experiments and human ESCC tissues were used to confirm the findings. Results: In vitro and in vivo animal experiments, M2-TAMs reduced the sensitivity of ESCC cells to cisplatin. Mechanistically, M2-TAMs highly secreted TGF-β1 which activated the TGFβR1-smad2/3 pathway to promote and maintain the stemness characteristic of ESCC cells, which could inhibit the sensitivity to cisplatin. Using TGFβ signaling inhibitor SB431542 or knockdown of TGFβR1 could reverse the cisplatin resistance of ESCC cells. In 92 cases of human ESCC tissues, individuals with a high density of M2-TAMs had considerably higher levels of TGF-β1. These patients also had worse prognoses and richer stemness markers. Conclusion: TGF-β1 secreted from M2-TAMs promoted and maintained the stemness characteristic to induce cisplatin resistance in ESCC by activating the TGFβ1-Smad2/3 pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important source of edible oil and protein for human nutrition. The quality of peanut seed oil is mainly determined by the composition of fatty acids, especially the contents of oleic acid and linoleic acid. Improving the composition of fatty acids in the seed oil is one of the main objectives for peanut breeding globally. To uncover the genetic basis of fatty acids and broaden the genetic variation in future peanut breeding programs, this study used genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to identify loci associated with target traits and developed diagnostic marker. The contents of eight fatty acid components of the Chinese peanut mini-core collection were measured under four environments. Using the phenotypic information and over one hundred thousand single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), GWAS were conducted to investigate the genetics basis of fatty acids under multi-environments. Overall, 75 SNPs were identified significant trait associations with fatty acid components. Nineteen associations were repeatedly identified in multiple environments, and 13 loci were co-associated with two or three traits. Three stable major associated loci were identified, including two loci for oleic acid and linoleic acid on chromosome A09 [mean phenotypic variation explained (PVE): 38.5%, 10.35%] and one for stearic acid on B06 (mean PVE: 23%). According to functional annotations, 21 putative candidate genes related to fatty acid biosynthesis were found underlying the three associations. The allelic effect of SNP A09-114690064 showed that the base variation was highly correlated with the phenotypic variation of oleic acid and linoleic acid contents, and a cost-effective Kompetitive allele-Specific PCR (KASP) diagnostic marker was developed. Furthermore, the SNP A09-114690064 was found to change the cis-element CAAT (-) in the promoter of ahFAD2A to YACT (+), leading dozens of times higher expression level. The enhancer-like activity of ahFAD2A promoter was identified that was valuable for enriching the regulation mechanism of ahFAD2A. This study improved our understanding on the genetic architecture of fatty acid components in peanut, and the new effective diagnostic marker would be useful for marker-assisted selection of high-oleic peanut breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: SSR-based QTL mapping provides useful information for map-based cloning of major QTLs and can be used to improve the agronomic and quality traits in cultivated peanut by marker-assisted selection. Abstract: Cultivated peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) is an allotetraploid species (AABB, 2 n = 4× = 40), valued for its edible oil and digestible protein. Linkage mapping has been successfully conducted for most crops, and it has been applied to detect the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) of biotic and abiotic traits in peanut. However, the genetic basis of agronomic and quality-related traits remains unclear. In this study, high levels of phenotypic variation, broad-sense heritability and significant correlations were observed for agronomic and quality-related traits in an F population. A genetic linkage map was constructed for cultivated peanut containing 470 simple sequence repeat (SSR) loci, with a total length of 1877.3 cM and average distance of 4.0 cM between flanking markers. For 10 agronomic traits, 24 QTLs were identified and each QTL explained 1.69-18.70 % of the phenotypic variance. For 8 quality-related traits, 12 QTLs were identified that explained 1.72-20.20 % of the phenotypic variance. Several QTLs for multiple traits were overlapped, reflecting the phenotypic correlation between these traits. The majority of QTLs exhibited obvious dominance or over-dominance effects on agronomic and quality traits, highlighting the importance of heterosis for breeding. A comparative analysis revealed genomic duplication and arrangement of peanut genome, which aids the assembly of scaffolds in genomic sequencing of Arachis hypogaea. Our QTL analysis results enabled us to clearly understand the genetic base of agronomic and quality traits in cultivated peanut, further accelerating the progress of map-based cloning of major QTLs and marker-assisted selection in future breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Aflatoxin contamination caused by Aspergillus fungi has been a serious factor affecting food safety of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) because aflatoxins are highly harmful for human and animal health. As three mechanisms of resistance to aflatoxin in peanut including shell infection resistance, seed infection resistance and aflatoxin production resistance exist among naturally evolved germplasm stocks, it is highly crucial to pyramid these three resistances for promoting peanut industry development and protecting consumers' health. However, less research effort has been made yet to investigate the differentiation and genetic relationship among the three resistances in diversified peanut germplasm collections. Results: In this study, the Chinese peanut mini-mini core collection selected from a large basic collection was systematically evaluated for the three resistances against A. flavus for the first time. The research revealed a wide variation among the diversified peanut accessions for all the three resistances. Totally, 14 resistant accessions were identified, including three with shell infection resistance, seven with seed infection resistance and five with aflatoxin production resistance. A special accession, Zh.h1312, was identified with both seed infection and aflatoxin production resistance. Among the five botanic types of A. hypogaea, the var. vulgaris (Spanish type) belonging to subspecies fastigiata is the only one which possessed all the three resistances. There was no close correlation between shell infection resistance and other two resistances, while there was a significant positive correlation between seed infection and toxin production resistance. All the three resistances had a significant negative correlation with pod or seed size. A total of 16 SNPs/InDels associated with the three resistances were identified through genome-wide association study (GWAS). Through comparative analysis, Zh.h1312 with seed infection resistance and aflatoxin production resistance was also revealed to possess all the resistance alleles of associated loci for seed infection index and aflatoxin content. Conclusions: This study provided the first comprehensive understanding of differentiation of aflatoxin resistance in diversified peanut germplasm collection, and would further contribute to the genetic enhancement for resistance to aflatoxin contamination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol, a polyphenolic compound, is related with stress resistance or tolerance in plants and highly beneficial to human health. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is not only an important oilseed crop worldwide but also a key source of resveratrol from dietary food. In this study, a peanut recombinant inbred line (RIL) population consisting of 166 lines derived from a cross combination with a high resveratrol variety ICGV86699 and a normal resveratrol variety Zhonghua 5 as parents was assessed for resveratrol content across three environments. Broad phenotypic variation of resveratrol content ranging from 76.75 to 1617.00 µg/kg was observed among the RILs. From phenotyping resveratrol content and other traits, three elite lines (QT079, QT135, and QT141) were identified with resveratrol level as high as ICGV86699 while their seeds weights were around 1.5 times of ICGV8669. Nine additive QTLs with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranging from 6.66 to 11.33% were detected for resveratrol contnet, among which, qRESA05.3 with 7.88–10.91% PVE was repeatedly detected. Furthermore, an InDel marker (InDel-A05-8,713,397) based on qRESA05.3 could be detected in both the RILs and selected diverse peanut germplasm accessions possessing "aa" genotype, and the average resveratrol content of these "aa" accessions was significantly higher than that in the genotypes possessing "AA". The favorable allele was found to raise the resveratrol content by 292.15 ± 32.05 µg/kg in the diverse germplasm panel. This is the first report of stable marker for peanut resveratrol, which would be helpful for further fine-mapping the locus and developing marker-assisted selection strategy for high resveratrol peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite chemotherapy being a common treatment, an increase in chemoresistance over time is unavoidable. We therefore investigated the role of miR-194-5p in regulating chordoma cell behavior and examined the downstream effectors of miR-194-5p. Methods: In this study, NSCLC cell lines A549 and H460 were cultured under hypoxic conditions for 1 week to induce drug resistance to doxorubicin (DOX). The connection between miR-194-5p and HIF-1 was revealed by reverse transcription and real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR), western blot, and dual-luciferase assays. We used TUNEL staining and the CCK-8 test to assess the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to DOX. Results: We found that hypoxia-induced NSCLC cells enhanced resistance to DOX. MiR-194-5p was substantially reduced, and HIF-1 was increased in hypoxia-induced drug-resistant NSCLC cells. Moreover, miR-194-5p successfully induced NSCLC cell apoptosis by directly inhibiting HIF-1, thereby enhancing DOX sensitivity. Conclusions: MiR-194-5p enhanced the sensitivity of NSCLC cells to DOX by directly inhibiting HIF-1. This work provides insights into underlying treatments for drug-resistant NSCLC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• PSS-PANI/PVDF flexible film sensor fabricated by in-situ polymerization. • The film with 9.4% response to 100 ppb NH 3 at room temperature. • The film presents excellent selectivity, flexibility and long-time stability. • An excellent linear relationship between the response with NH 3 concentration. Improved ammonia (NH 3) sensor is proposed based on polyaniline (PANI) with poly(styrene sulfonic acid) (PSS) as an additive, which was produced by in-suit polymerization of aniline on flexible porous polyvinylidene-fluoride (PVDF) membranes and then treated with PSS aqueous solution. The whole film sensor fabrication process was low-cost and convenient in operation, suitable for large-scale commercial production. The results demonstrated that the appropriate addition of PSS could significantly improve the sensor response to NH 3. The PSS-PANI/PVDF film sensor response was improved to approximately 70%, which was 2.8 times higher than that of the pure PANI/PVDF film with 25% response towards 1 ppm NH 3 at room temperature. Furthermore, it still showed an excellent response of 9.4% for 0.1 ppm NH 3. The fabricated film sensor showed remarkable long-term stability with response decreases less than 5% after 30 days, and excellent flexibility under 10,000 repeated bending times with a response value degradation of only 15.1% towards 1 ppm NH 3. The flexible PSS-PANI/PVDF film offers potential applications in smart wearable devices for detecting sub-ppm NH 3 under ambient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A water treatment method in which dielectric barrier discharge and Fe-based catalyst are combined is proposed. • This method is suitable for the simultaneous treatment of ammonia nitrogen and phenol contaminants. • The removal mechanism of ammonia nitrogen and phenol is clearly stated. In this work, dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) coupled with Fe-based zeolite catalyst was used to treat ammonia nitrogen and phenol wastewater. This experiment mainly investigated the effects of discharge voltage, discharge frequency, zeolite dosage, initial solution concentration and pH on ammonia nitrogen or phenol removal. Results showed that the removal rate of ammonia nitrogen increased with increased discharge voltage, discharge frequency, zeolite dosage, and initial pH and decreased with increased initial ammonia nitrogen concentration. The best removal rate of ammonia nitrogen reached 75.11%, which was higher than removal rates of the solutions treated with zeolite adsorption alone (10.93%) and DBD discharge alone (9.67%). However, the removal rate of phenol increased with discharge voltage, discharge frequency, and zeolite dosage and decreased with increased initial phenol concentration and initial solution pH. After 20 min of reaction, the removal rate of phenol reached 56.67%, which was higher than the removal rates of the solutions treated with zeolite adsorption alone (20.61%) and DBD discharge alone (3.54%).Therefore, a DBD-coupled metal zeolite catalyst system has a good treatment effect on inorganic and organic wastewater. In addition, DBD-coupled Fe-based zeolite catalyst was used to simultaneously treat mixed ammonia nitrogen and phenol wastewater. The degradation process and mechanism of mixed ammonia nitrogen and phenol wastewater in the system were studied to reflect the synergistic effect of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peanut is one of major sources for vegetable oil. Improving oil content is an important goal for peanut breeding programs. Major loci with linked markers for oil content could facilitate rapid development of high-oil varieties through marker-assisted breeding. To identify major loci underlying the oil content, we conducted the QTL analysis based on the high-dense genetic map, using RIL population derived from Zhonghua10 and ICG12625. A total of 18 additive QTLs, including two major and stable QTLs (qOCB06 and qOCB10.1), were identified in three environments. Besides, 26 pairs of QTLs with epistatic (additive × additive) interaction were mapped on 17 linkage groups. qOCB06 with up to 22.59% of the phenotypic variations was located in a 0.6-Mb interval of B06. qOCB10.1 on B10 explained 9.18–12.55% of the phenotypic variations. The additive effect of two QTLs ranged from 0.70 to 1.13% oil content in different environments. Favorable alleles of the two loci were from male and female parent, respectively. Pyramiding the two favorable alleles in the RIL population could increase "2.66 ± 0.48%" oil content across multiple environments. The marker Ai06B29452 and AGGS2133-1 linked to qOCB06 and qOCB10.1, respectively, were validated to be associated with oil content in peanut germplasms with diverse phenotypes. These markers were valuable in marker-assisted selection and pyramiding breeding for improving oil content in peanut. Major and stable QTLs with linked markers in the present study provided resources to discovery candidate genes in the future and to guide marker-assisted selection for improving oil content in peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the effect of a social media platform for the treatment of Helicobacter pylori infection. Materials and Methods: We enrolled 222 patients from October 2018 to June 2019, who required H pylori therapy. We used WeChat, a social media platform, as a patient reminder tool. They were randomly divided into the intervention and control groups (n = 111 per group) to compare and evaluate their disease awareness, medication adherence, incidence of adverse drug reactions, and H pylori eradication rate. Results: Patients in the intervention group had significantly better disease‐related knowledge, medication adherence, and H pylori eradication rates than those in the control group (P <.05). Conclusions: Using a social media platform may improve treatment rates of H pylori infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: Two novel and adjacent genomics and candidate genes for bacterial wilt resistance were identified on chromosome B02 in peanut variety Zhonghua 6 using both traditional QTL mapping and QTL-seq methods. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) is an important oilseed crop worldwide. Utilization of genetic resistance is the most economic and effective approach to control bacterial wilt, one of the most devastating plant diseases, in peanut production. To accelerate the genetic improvement of bacterial wilt resistance (BWR) in peanut breeding programs, quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping has been conducted for two resistant varieties. In this context, we deployed linkage mapping as well as sequencing-based mapping approach, QTL-seq, to identify genomic regions and candidate genes for BWR in another highly resistant variety Zhonghua 6. The recombination inbred line population (268 progenies) from the cross Xuhua 13 × Zhonghua 6 was used in BWR evaluation across five environments. QTL mapping using both SSR- and SNP-based genetic maps identified a stable QTL (qBWRB02-1) on chromosome B02 with 37.79–78.86% phenotypic variation explained (PVE) across five environments. The QTL-seq facilitated further dissection of qBWRB02-1 into two adjacent genomic regions, qBWRB02-1-1 (2.81–4.24 Mb) and qBWRB02-1-2 (6.54–8.75 Mb). Mapping of newly developed Kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers on the genetic map confirmed their stable expressions across five environments. The effects of qBWRB02-1-1 (49.43–68.86% PVE) were much higher than qBWRB02-1-2 (3.96–6.48% PVE) and other previously reported QTLs. Nineteen putative candidate genes affected by 49 non-synonymous SNPs were identified for qBWRB02-1-1, and ten of them were predicted to code for disease resistance proteins. The major and stable QTL qBWRB02-1-1 and validated KASP markers could be deployed in genomics-assisted breeding (GAB) to develop improved peanut varieties with enhanced BWR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resveratrol, a stilbene phytoalexin in plants, is believed to benefit human health. In this study, an optimized enzyme‐assisted method was developed to extract the total content of trans‐resveratrol (free or combined with glucose) in peanut seeds, followed by detection using high‐performance liquid chromatography. The extraction process was optimized by Box–Behnken design and response surface methodology. The optimized enzyme concentration, digestion time, pH, and temperature were 3.02 g/L, 57.06 min, 5.88, and 51.05°C, respectively. Validation tests indicated that the experimental yield of trans‐resveratrol was 0.183 ± 0.007 µg/g with a relative standard deviation of 3.87% (n = 5) under the optimal condition, which was closely agreed with the predicted value (0.182 µg/g). The recoveries obtained from the spiked samples were varied from 89.4 to 103.9%. Therefore, this study will provide a useful method for quantification of total trans‐resveratrol in peanut seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cryptosporidium spp. and Enterocytozoon bieneusi are two well-known protist pathogens which can result in diarrhea in humans and animals. To examine the occurrence and genetic characteristics of Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi in pet red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris), 314 fecal specimens were collected from red squirrels from four pet shops and owners in Sichuan province, China. Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi were examined by nested PCR targeting the partial small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) gene and the ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) gene respectively. The infection rates were 8.6% (27/314) for Cryptosporidium spp. and 19.4% (61/314) for E. bieneusi. Five Cryptosporidium species/genotypes were identified by DNA sequence analysis: Cryptosporidium rat genotype II (n = 8), Cryptosporidium ferret genotype (n = 8), Cryptosporidium chipmunk genotype III (n = 5), Cryptosporidium rat genotype I (n = 4), and Cryptosporidium parvum (n = 2). Additionally, a total of five E. bieneusi genotypes were revealed, including three known genotypes (D, SCC-2, and SCC-3) and two novel genotypes (RS01 and RS02). Phylogenetic analysis revealed that genotype D fell into group 1, whereas the remaining genotypes clustered into group 10. To our knowledge, this is the first study to report Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi in pet red squirrels in China. Moreover, C. parvum and genotype D of E. bieneusi, previously identified in humans, were also found in red squirrels, suggesting that red squirrels may give rise to cryptosporidiosis and microsporidiosis in humans through zoonotic transmissions. These results provide preliminary reference data for monitoring Cryptosporidium spp. and E. bieneusi infections in pet red squirrels and humans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: ddRAD-seq-based high-density genetic map comprising 2595 loci identified a major and consensus QTL with a linked marker in a 0.8-Mb physical interval for oil content in peanut. Enhancing oil content is an important breeding objective in peanut. High-resolution mapping of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) with linked markers could facilitate marker-assisted selection in breeding for target traits. In the present study, a recombined inbred line population (Xuhua 13 × Zhonghua 6) was used to construct a genetic map based on double-digest restriction-site-associated DNA sequencing (ddRAD-seq). The resulting high-density genetic map contained 2595 loci, and spanned a length of 2465.62 cM, with an average distance of 0.95 cM/locus. Seven QTLs for oil content were identified on five linkage groups, including the major and stable QTL qOCA08.1 on chromosome A08 with 10.14–27.19% phenotypic variation explained. The physical interval of qOCA08.1 was further delimited to a ~ 0.8-Mb genomic region where two genes affecting oil synthesis had been annotated. The marker SNPOCA08 was developed targeting the SNP loci associated with oil content and validated in peanut cultivars with diverse oil contents. The major and stable QTL identified in the present study could be further dissected for gene discovery. Furthermore, the tightly linked marker for oil content would be useful in marker-assisted breeding in peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel nano-antibiotics (Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA) was successfully fabricated. • Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA hold excellent antibacterial activity in vitro and in vivo. • Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA could effectively inhibit and destroy bacterial biofilm. • Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA was able to induce phase separation of the protein 7C7U. • Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA has excellent bacterial targeting ability in vitro and in vivo. Bacterial quorum sensing (QS) and bacterial extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) are the major challenges in treating biofilm chronic infection. Herein, we proposed targeting intervention phase separation of EPS by nano-antibiotics (Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA) as an effective strategy for combating bacterial biofilm infection, in which Iridium complex (Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-CHO) and antibiotic (Pazufloxacin, PAZ) for synergistic antibacterial, and hyaluronic acid (HA) was used to enhance Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ release on-demand in biofilm microenvironment. In vitro results showed that Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA holds excellent antibacterial activity and antibiofilm capacity. Importantly, Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA can be target to regulate phase separation of EPS, and then interfere with biofilm formation, which is a competitive mechanism between Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA and Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) itself. In addition, in vivo results confirmed that Ir(ppy) 2 dmb-PAZ-HA was able to accelerate biofilm chronic wound healing, and effectively alleviate bacterial acute lung infection. Accordingly, this study provides a new antibiofilm target, and provides a novel idea for the design of small molecular metal antibacterial drugs and antibiotic reuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Working memory (WM) deficiency is a primary reason for the poor academic performance of children with learning disabilities (LDs). Studies have shown that the WM of typical children could be improved through training, and WM training contributes to improving their fluid intelligence and academic achievement. However, few studies have investigated WM training for children with LDs, and results have been inconsistent. The present study examined the long-term effects of WM updating training and whether it can mitigate LD symptoms. Fifty-four children with LDs were recruited and divided randomly into a training or control group. The training group underwent adaptive running WM training for 20 days. Before and after training, the 2 groups completed a 2-back task, a digit span task (forward and backward), Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices test, and a scholastic attainment test (Chinese and math). The tests were repeated 6 months later. The results showed that, as compared with the controls, the training group exhibited significant improvements in the digit backward span task, 2-back task, and Raven’s Standard Progressive Matrices. The math scores of the training group improved significantly by 6 months after the training. The results of this study suggest that WM updating training could mitigate the cognitive deficits of LDs and improve the WM capacity, fluid intelligence, and math scores of children with LDs. Moreover, the training effects could be maintained for at least 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a newly developed negative Gaussian cable-strut structure. It focuses on the fracture of a member using an experimental model and the corresponding vector form intrinsic finite element (VFIFE) model. First, this study considered the VFIFE algorithm for bars, cables, and beams. Next, an experimental model of a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome with its supporting system and the corresponding VFIFE model were built. Then, the given ridge cable was fractured using a shear force, and the structural dynamic response during fracture was tested. Finally, to further study the influence of fracture on the structure, different sections of three main ridge cables were selected, and their fractures were successively simulated using the VFIFE model. The results indicated that the VFIFE was an efficient and accurate way to simulate the member fracture of a negative Gaussian curvature cable dome. Furthermore, the results confirmed that members in a section with a negative curvature not only have a much greater effect on the structure but also are much more sensitive to member fracture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on Faster R-CNN has recently witnessed the progress in both accuracy and execution efficiency in detecting objects such as faces, hands or pedestrians in photograph or video. However, constrained by the size of its convolution feature map output, it is unable to clearly detect small or tiny objects. Therefore, we presented a fast, deep convolutional neural network based on a modified Faster R-CNN. Multiple strategies, such as fast multi-level combination, context cues, and a new anchor generating method were employed for small object detection in this paper. We demonstrated performance of our algorithm both on the KITTI-ROAD dataset and our own traffic scene lane markings dataset. Experiments demonstrated that our algorithm obtained better accuracy than Faster R-CNN in small object detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel method for the synthesis of bismuth (Bi) nanospheres on the surface of BiOBr/TiO 2 nanocomposites is presented, which can be used for controllable preparation of BiOBr/TiO 2 and Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 heterojunction films. The synthesis temperature of the one-pot glycol-assisted solvothermal method is the key factor affecting the formation of Bi nanospheres and the loading of BiOBr nanosheets. The structural and optical properties of the films were characterized, and the photocathodic protection property of the prepared photoanodes under different solvothermal temperatures was systematically investigated. The reason for enhancing the photocathodic protection performance of Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 photoanode by introducing Bi nanospheres was also explained, and it was found that the photoanode prepared at 160 °C has the best performance. Under visible light illumination, the Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 photoanode can negatively shift the potential of coupled 316 L stainless steel to ‐430 mV (vs. SCE). The durability tests demonstrated the excellent photochemical stability and good scouring resistance of the Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 photoanode. Moreover, a charge transfer mechanism for Z-scheme heterojunctions was proposed based on the electron spin resonance characterization results of the Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 photoanode. The formation of Z-scheme heterojunctions is mainly attributed to that the Bi nanospheres play a "bridge" role between BiOBr and TiO 2 , which realizes the Z-scheme electron transport mechanism in the Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 films. • The loading characteristics and quantity of Bi and BiOBr on the TiO 2 surface were controlled by changing the temperature. • The long-term durability of Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 photoanode was evaluated and its durability damage was reasonably explained. • A Z-scheme heterojunction electron transport mechanism of Bi/BiOBr/TiO 2 was proposed, including the "bridge" effect of Bi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: A total of 204,439 SSR markers were developed in diploid genomes, and 25 QTLs for shelling percentage were identified in a RIL population across 4 years including five consistent QTLs. Abstract: Cultivated peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important grain legume providing edible oil and protein for human nutrition. Genome sequences of its diploid ancestors, Arachis duranensis and A. ipaensis, were reported, but their SSRs have not been well exploited and utilized hitherto. Shelling percentage is an important economic trait and its improvement has been one of the major objectives in peanut breeding programs. In this study, the genome sequences of A. duranensis and A. ipaensis were used to develop SSR markers, and a mapping population (Yuanza 9102 × Xuzhou 68-4) with 195 recombinant inbred lines was used to map QTLs controlling shelling percentage. The numbers of newly developed SSR markers were 84,383 and 120,056 in the A. duranensis and A. ipaensis genomes, respectively. Genotyping of the mapping population was conducted with both newly developed and previously reported markers. QTL analysis using the phenotyping data generated in Wuhan across four consecutive years and genotyping data of 830 mapped loci identified 25 QTLs with 4.46-17.01% of phenotypic variance explained in the four environments. Meta-analysis revealed five consistent QTLs that could be detected in at least two environments. Notably, the consistent QTL cqSPA09 was detected in all four environments and explained 10.47-17.01% of the phenotypic variance. The segregation in the progeny of a residual heterozygous line confirmed that the cpSPA09 locus had additive effect in increasing shelling percentage. These consistent and major QTL regions provide opportunity not only for further gene discovery, but also for the development of functional markers for breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electronic nose system can enhance the selectivity of semiconductor gas-sensor systems but increase system power consumption and signal data processing complexity. Herein, we developed a gas sensor array composed of six ZnO-based micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) sensors prepared by inkjet printing sensing materials on a micro-hotplate. Its power consumption decreased to 36 mW. Furthermore, the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was used to select the optimal features, decreasing the total of 72 features to 5. Finally, support vector machine and artificial neural network models based on the optimal 5 features were performed to recognize and quantify volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including formaldehyde, ethanol, toluene, and xylene. The identification accuracy and R 2 reach 97.9 % and 0.975, respectively. The result demonstrates that the MEMS sensor array, combined with PSO and pattern recognition algorithms, is a promising approach to accurately identifying and quantifying VOCs. [Display omitted] • Inkjet Printing ZnO-based MEMS sensor arrays. • The MEMS sensors show excellent consistency and low power consumption. • PSO algorithm is used to filter the optimal feature vectors. • Combining SVM and ANN produces classification analysis with 97.7 % accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genetic architecture determinants of yield traits in peanut ( Arachis hypogaea L.) are poorly understood. In the present study, an effort was made to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield traits using recombinant inbred lines (RIL). A genetic linkage map was constructed containing 609 loci, covering a total of 1557.48 cM with an average distance of 2.56 cM between adjacent markers. The present map exhibited good collinearity with the physical map of diploid species of Arachis. Ninety-two repeatable QTLs were identified for 11 traits including height of main stem, total branching number, and nine pod- and seed-related traits. Of the 92 QTLs, 15 QTLs were expressed across three environments and 65 QTLs were newly identified. Twelve QTLs for the height of main stem and the pod- and seed-related traits explaining more than 10 % of phenotypic variation showed a great potential for marker-assisted selection in improving these traits. The trait-by-trait meta-analysis revealed 33 consensus QTLs. The consensus QTLs and other QTLs were further integrated into 29 pleiotropic unique QTLs with the confidence interval of 1.86 cM on average. The significant co-localization of QTLs was consistent with the significant phenotypic correlations among these traits. The complexity of the genetic architecture of yield traits was demonstrated. The present QTLs for pod- and seed-related traits could be the most fundamental genetic factors contributing to the yield traits in peanut. The results provide a good foundation for fine mapping, cloning and designing molecular breeding of favorable genes in peanut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The average secretion level of MT in Tibetan sheep blood was highest occurred during diestrus and the lowest during proestrus. In addition, the secretion level of MT at night was significantly higher than that at day. • This study found that MTNR1A was distributed in all tissues of HPGA during the estrous cycle in Tibetan sheep, and there were significant differences in the expression of MTNR1A in various tissues. • This study found that there were also significant differences in the expression of MTNR1A mRNA in HPGA during oestrus cycle in Tibetan sheep. • The differences in MT secretion pattern and the expression of MTNR1A in HPGA suggest that they may be affected by steroid hormone secretion during the estrous cycle of Tibetan sheep. The melatonin 1A receptor (MTNR1A) is a membrane receptor distributed across the mammalian gonadal axis-associated membrane. Melatonin (MT) can specifically bind with MTNR1A on the cell membrane and regulates mammalian reproductive activities. However, the role of MTNR1A in regulating the reproductive physiological activities of sheep in the Tibetan Plateau remains unclear. In this study, the MT content in Tibetan sheep blood during the estrous cycle was detected by ELISA. The distribution of MTNR1A in the hypothalamus-pituitary–gonadal axis (HPGA) was analyzed by immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence. Western blot and qRT-PCR were used to detect dynamic changes of MTNR1A mRNA and protein expression, and the protein distributions in the HPGA. The results showed that the average secretion level of MT in Tibetan sheep blood was highest occurred during diestrus and the lowest during proestrus. Additionally, the secretion of MT at night was significantly higher than during the day. The immunopositive products of MTNR1A were primarily distributed around the glial cells in the dorsal hypothalamic nucleus region, chromophobe cells, and eosinophilic cytoplasm in the pituitary gland, follicular granular layer, follicular adventitia, tubal mucosa, cilia, endometrium, interstices, and glands in the uterus. The expression trends of MTNR1A mRNA and proteins in the HPGA during the estrous cycle were the same. The relative expression levels of MTNR1A mRNA and proteins in the hypothalamus and ovaries were the highest during proestrus and the lowest during metestrus; the highest during diestrus in the pituitary and oviducts; the highest during metestrus in the uterus. Collectively, the differences in the secretion of MT in Tibetan sheep blood and the expression of MTNR1A in HPGA suggest that they may be affected by steroid hormone secretion during the estrous cycle of Tibetan sheep, which has a potential impact on the regulation of animal estrous cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Matching objects across multiple cameras with non-overlapping views is a necessary but difficult task in the wide area video surveillance. Owing to the lack of spatio-temporal information, only the visual information can be used in some scenarios, especially when the cameras are widely separated. This paper proposes a novel framework based on multi-feature fusion and incremental learning to match the objects across disjoint views in the absence of space–time cues. We first develop a competitive major feature histogram fusion representation (CMFH 1 1 CMFH is the abbreviation of Competitive Major Feature Histogram fusion representation. ) to formulate the appearance model for characterizing the potentially matching objects. The appearances of the objects can change over time and hence the models should be continuously updated. We then adopt an improved incremental general multicategory support vector machine algorithm (IGMSVM 2 2 IGMSVM is the abbreviation of Incremental General Multicategory Support Vector Machine learning algorithm. ) to update the appearance models online and match the objects based on a classification method. Only a small amount of samples are needed for building an accurate classification model in our method. Several tests are performed on CAVIAR, ISCAPS and VIPeR databases where the objects change significantly due to variations in the viewpoint, illumination and poses. Experimental results demonstrate the advantages of the proposed methodology in terms of computational efficiency, computation storage, and matching accuracy over that of other state-of-the-art classification-based matching approaches. The system developed in this research can be used in real-time video surveillance applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fecal specimens from two Bactrian camels were collected in the Ya'an city zoo of China and were examined for Cryptosporidium by centrifugal flotation. One specimen was found to be parasitized by Cryptosporidium via microscopy, and the oocysts were measured to have an average size of 7.03 × 5.50 μm ( n > 50). The isolate was genotyped by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification and DNA sequence analysis of the partial 18S rRNA, COWP, and A135 genes, and was confirmed to be Cryptosporidium andersoni with minor nucleotide differences. Multilocus sequence typing (MLST) analysis indicated that the subtype of the camel-derived C. andersoni isolate was A4, A4, A4, and A1 at the four minisatellite loci ( MS1, MS2, MS3, and MS16, respectively). Therefore, this isolate belongs to the most common MLST subtype reported in cattle in China and is distinct from two other known camel C. andersoni MLST subtypes (A6, A4, A2, A1 and A6, A5, A2, A1). Animal transmission experiments demonstrated that the C. andersoni isolate was not infectious to immunosuppressed or immunocompetent Kun-ming mice, Sprague-Dawley rats, and hamsters but was biologically similar to most bovine C. andersoni isolates characterized so far. Therefore, transmission of this camel-derived C. andersoni isolate is very likely to occur between camels and bovine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural stiffness of a cable-struts structure is dependent on its feasible pre-stresses. The search for the pre-stresses is an inverse problem, and classical approaches for this problem include the singular value decomposition (SVD) method. Driven by the need for more efficient methods, this study proposes a control method to search for feasible pre-stresses of cable-struts structures. First, we formulate the governing equation for cable-struts structures under pre-stresses and external loads. Then, we apply feedback control and use a proportional–integral–derivative (PID) controller to solve for the feasible pre-stresses based on the condition of zero structural displacements. To verify the proposed method, the study selects a Geiger dome, a Kiewitt dome and a honeycomb-type cable dome under three different loading conditions, and compares the present results against those from literature. The comparison shows that the developed control method can efficiently and accurately determine the feasible pre-stresses under external loads. The relative errors in the pre-stresses determined using the PID controller and using another two methods (singular value decomposition and iterative method) are less than 0.020% and 0.015% for the Geiger dome and the honeycomb-type dome, respectively. This study contributes to developing efficient methods for design of cable-struts structures under complex service loads. • This study formulates the governing equation for cable-struts structures under pre-stresses and external loads. • This study proposes a PID-based control method to search for feasible pre-stresses of cable-struts structures. • The PID controller can efficiently and accurately determine the feasible pre-stresses under external loads. • This study provides a first attempt to apply control methods to the pre-stresses determination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cellular uptake, in vitro cytotoxicities on 2D planar cell and 3D MCTSs, in vivo toxicity, cell apoptosis studies and mechanism of overcomimg cisplatin resistance in A549/DDP cells by new cyclometalated ruthenium(II)-isoquinoline complex RuIQ-5 have been extensively explored by ICP-MS, MTT assay, 3D MCTSs model, zebrafish embryos model, flow cytometry, immunofluorescence staining and other fluorescence staining experiment by inverted fluorescence microscope, as well as western blot experimental techniques. [Display omitted] • Three new cyclometalated Ru(II) complexes were synthesized and characterized. • RuIQ-5 displayed superior anticancer efficacy to 3D multicellular tumor spheroids. • RuIQ-5 exhibited relative low toxicity in vitro and in vivo. • RuIQ-5 could induce ROS-mediated apoptosis of A549/DDP cells. • RuIQ-5 could inhibit Nrf2 expression through Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn signaling pathway. Both ruthenium (Ru) and isoquinoline (IQ) compounds are regarded as potential anticancer drug candidates. Here, we report the synthesis and characterization of three novel cyclometalated Ru(II)-isoquinoline complexes: RuIQ-3 , RuIQ-4 , and RuIQ-5, and evaluation of their in vitro cytotoxicities against a panel of cell lines including A549/DDP, a cisplatin-resistant human lung cancer cell line. A549/DDP 3D multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs) were also used to detect the drug resistance reversal effect of Ru(II)-IQ complexes. Our results indicated that the cytotoxic activities against cancer cells of Ru(II)-IQ complexes, especially RuIQ-5 , were superior compared with cisplatin. In addition, RuIQ-5 exhibited low toxicity towards both normal HBE cells in vitro and zebrafish embryos in vivo. Further investigation on cellular mechanism of action indicated that after absorption by A549/DDP cells, RuIQ-5 was mainly distributed in the nucleus, which is different from cisplatin. Besides, RuIQ-5 could induce apoptosis through mitochondrial dysfunction, reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation, ROS-mediated DNA damage, and cycle arrest at both S and G2/M phases. Moreover, RuIQ-5 could inhibit the overexpression of Nrf2 through regulation of Akt/GSK-3β/Fyn signaling pathway and hindering the nuclear translocation of Nrf2. Based on these findings, we firmly believe that the studied Ru(II)-IQ complexes hold great promise as anticancer therapeutics with high effectiveness and low toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This study proposes a new control equation of feasible pre-stresses and the corresponding solving algorithm. • The solving algorithm can efficiently and accurately address the feasible pre-stresses of cable domes regardless of the loads. • Three new types of rotating surface cable domes developed in the study are feasible in nature. • This study extends cable domes from the traditional positive Gaussian curvature to the zero Gaussian and negative Gaussian curvature. The study proposes the control equation of feasible pre-stresses and the corresponding solving algorithm, and verifies three new types of rotating surface cable domes. First, the study takes that the structural displacements are zero as the control equation of feasible pre-stresses, and proposes a novel solving algorithm based on that target values of structural displacements are zero. Second, the study develops three new types of cable domes with different rotating surfaces, which have different Gaussian curvature. And then their feasibility in nature are verified through determining their feasible pre-stresses using the solving algorithm. Last, their ultimate bearing capacity under full and half-span vertical loads are investigated. The results indicate that the solving algorithm can determine the feasible pre-stresses efficiently and accurately, and three new cable domes proposed in the study are feasible in nature, and they have sufficient stiffness to bear external loads. The appearance of the three new rotating surface cable domes extends the cable domes from the traditional positive Gaussian curvature to the zero Gaussian and negative Gaussian curvature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sucrose content is a crucial indicator of quality and flavor in peanut seed, and there is a lack of clarity on the molecular basis of sucrose metabolism in peanut seed. In this context, we performed a comprehensive comparative transcriptome study on the samples collected at seven seed development stages between a high-sucrose content variety (ICG 12625) and a low-sucrose content variety (Zhonghua 10). The transcriptome analysis identified a total of 8334 genes exhibiting significantly different abundances between the high- and low-sucrose varieties. We identified 28 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved in sucrose metabolism in peanut and 12 of these encoded sugars will eventually be exported transporters (SWEETs). The remaining 16 genes encoded enzymes, such as cell wall invertase (CWIN), vacuolar invertase (VIN), cytoplasmic invertase (CIN), cytosolic fructose-bisphosphate aldolase (FBA), cytosolic fructose-1,6-bisphosphate phosphatase (FBP), sucrose synthase (SUS), cytosolic phosphoglucose isomerase (PGI), hexokinase (HK), and sucrose-phosphate phosphatase (SPP). The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) identified seven genes encoding key enzymes (CIN, FBA, FBP, HK, and SPP), three SWEET genes, and 90 transcription factors (TFs) showing a high correlation with sucrose content. Furthermore, upon validation, six of these genes were successfully verified as exhibiting higher expression in high-sucrose recombinant inbred lines (RILs). Our study suggested the key roles of the high expression of SWEETs and enzymes in sucrose synthesis making the genotype ICG 12625 sucrose-rich. This study also provided insights into the molecular basis of sucrose metabolism during seed development and facilitated exploring key candidate genes and molecular breeding for sucrose content in peanuts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Flexible GP-PANI/PVDF film with multi-hierarchical porous structure. • The sensor with 10% response to 100 ppb NH 3 at room temperature. • Graphene as additives enhancing the flexibility of the sensor. • Three synergistical roles effect on the film's high NH 3 sensing performance. Resistive-type polyaniline (PANI) based sensing film was fabricated by a simple in-situ polymerization method with graphene (GP) as additives on flexible porous polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) substrate. The fabricated flexible GP-PANI/PVDF membrane demonstrates a multi-hierarchical porous microstructure, enhancing its sensing performance towards ammonia (NH 3). The optimized GP-PANI/PVDF sensor shows 60% response towards 1 ppm NH 3 with a response time of 46 s, and 10% response towards 0.1 ppm NH 3 at 24℃, respectively. Moreover, the GP-PANI/PVDF sensor presents excellent flexibility, exhibiting only small response values' difference upon several bending angles and after 1500 bending/extending cycles. Besides, the GP-PANI/PVDF sensor exhibits a strong linear relationship between the NH 3 response values and working temperatures with a range of 24℃∼50℃. The results demonstrate that the flexible GP-PANI/PVDF film sensor holds great promise for the application of portable, lightweight, and room temperature sub-ppm level NH 3 detection devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The prognostic value and clinical relevance of tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) and tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear., Aims: To investigate the prognostic value and functional involvement of TILs in ESCC., Methods: We included 40 patients across different stages of ESCC from Xinjiang. Multiplex fluorescent immunohistochemistry characterized TILs and TAMs. TILs in different tumor regions were quantified and correlated with overall survival (OS) using log-rank test and Cox regression analyses., Results: Invasive ESCC exhibited increased CD4 T cells and Tregs compared to carcinoma in situ, with a higher Tregs/CD4 T cells ratio (p < 0.05). TAMs, primarily in stromal regions, were significantly associated with Foxp3+ cells (p < 0.05). Higher infiltration of stromal TAMs and a higher CD4/CD8 T cells ratio correlated with poorer OS, while a higher CD8 T/Foxp3+ cells ratio indicated better survival. Multivariate Cox analysis revealed TNM stage, tumor length, and stromal CD4/CD8 T cells ratio as independent prognostic factors (p < 0.05). An immune prognostic risk score-based nomogram was constructed to predict patient outcomes., Conclusions: The spatial distribution and abundance of TILs significantly correlated with prognosis, providing a useful immune classification for ESCC., Competing Interests: Conflicts of interest The authors declare that there are no conflict of interests, we do not have any possible conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

A pancreatic pseudocyst (PPC) is a frequent complication of pancreatitis, often stemming from alcohol, gallstones, or hyperlipidemia. Endoscopic treatment of PPC has become the mainstream treatment. A case of one giant and multiple small PPCs was observed, manifesting as repeated abdominal bloating, abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting after meals. Initial computed tomography scans revealed the presence of multiple PPCs. Despite ineffective medical treatment, the pseudocysts progressively increased. In response, we conducted a combined endoscopic intervention, involving Hot AXIOS (Boston Scientific, Marlborough, MA) stenting through endoscopic ultrasound-guided transmural drainage (EUS-TMD) and the placement of the endoscopic nasopancreatic drainage (ENPD) mimic stent through endoscopic retrograde pancreatography (ERP). Remarkably, after nine months of postoperative follow-up, the patient had no discomfort symptoms and the cyst disappeared. We conducted a literature review on endoscopic combined drainage for PPCs, which is still controversial. Our presented case serves as a demonstration that endoscopic combined drainage can effectively and successfully manage giant and multiple PPCs., Competing Interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist., (Copyright © 2024, Wei et al.)

Coiled-coil domain-containing 58 (CCDC58) is a member of the CCDC protein family. Similar to other members, CCDC58 exhibits potential tumorigenic roles in a variety of malignancies. However, there is no systematic and comprehensive pan-cancer analysis to investigate the diagnosis, prognosis, immune infiltration, and other related functions of CCDC58. We used several online websites and databases, such as TCGA, GTEx, UALCAN, HPA, CancerSEA, BioGRID, GEPIA 2.0, TIMER 2.0, and TISIDB, to extract CCDC58 expression data and clinical data of patients in pan-cancer. Then, the relationship between CCDC58 expression and diagnosis, prognosis, genetic alterations, DNA methylation, genomic heterogeneity, and immune infiltration level were determined. In addition, the biological function of CCDC58 in liver hepatocellular carcinoma (LIHC) was investigated. Pan-cancer analysis results showed that CCDC58 was differentially expressed in most tumors and showed excellent performance in diagnosis and prediction of prognosis. The expression of CCDC58 was highly correlated with genetic alterations, DNA methylation, and genomic heterogeneity in some tumors. In addition, the correlation analysis of CCDC58 with the level of immune infiltration and immune checkpoint marker genes indicated that CCDC58 might affect the composition of the tumor immune microenvironment. Enrichment analysis showed that CCDC58-related genes were mainly linked to mitosis, chromosome, and cell cycle. Finally, biological function experiments demonstrated that CCDC58 plays an important role in tumor cell proliferation and migration. CCDC58 was first identified as a pan-cancer biomarker. It may be used as a potential therapeutic target to improve the prognosis of patients in the future., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: There are challenges for beginners to identify standard biliopancreatic system anatomical sites on endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) images. Therefore, the authors aimed to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based model to identify standard biliopancreatic system anatomical sites on EUS images., Methods: The standard anatomical structures of the gastric and duodenal regions observed by EUS was divided into 14 sites. The authors used 6230 EUS images with standard anatomical sites selected from 1812 patients to train the CNN model, and then tested its diagnostic performance both in internal and external validations. Internal validation set tests were performed on 1569 EUS images of 47 patients from two centers. Externally validated datasets were retrospectively collected from 16 centers, and finally 131 patients with 85 322 EUS images were included. In the external validation, all EUS images were read by CNN model, beginners, and experts, respectively. The final decision made by the experts was considered as the gold standard, and the diagnostic performance between CNN model and beginners were compared., Results: In the internal test cohort, the accuracy of CNN model was 92.1-100.0% for 14 standard anatomical sites. In the external test cohort, the sensitivity and specificity of CNN model were 89.45-99.92% and 93.35-99.79%, respectively. Compared with beginners, CNN model had higher sensitivity and specificity for 11 sites, and was in good agreement with the experts (Kappa values 0.84-0.98)., Conclusions: The authors developed a CNN-based model to automatically identify standard anatomical sites on EUS images with excellent diagnostic performance, which may serve as a potentially powerful auxiliary tool in future clinical practice., (Copyright © 2023 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: One of the most prevalent cancers in the world is lung cancer, with adenocarcinoma (LUAD) making up a significant portion of cases. According to the National Cancer Institute (NCI), there are new cases and fatality rates per 100,000 individuals as follows: New instances of lung and bronchial cancer occur annually at a rate of 50.0 per 100,000 persons. The yearly death rate for men and women is 35.0 per 100,000. DNA methylation is one of the earliest discovered and widely studied epigenetic regulatory mechanisms, and its abnormality is closely related to the occurrence and development of cancer. However, the prognostic value of DNA methylation and LUAD needs to be further explored to improve the survival prediction of LUAD patients., Methods: The transcriptome data and clinical data of LUAD were downloaded from TCGA and GEO databases, and the Illumina Human Methylation450 array (450k array) data were downloaded from the TCGA database. Firstly, the intersection of the expressed genes of the two databases is corrected, the differential analysis is performed, and the methylation data is evaluated by the MethylMix package to obtain differentially methylated genes. Independent prognostic genes were screened out using univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, and a methylation prognostic model was developed using univariate Cox analysis and validated with the GSE30219 dataset in the GEO database. Survival analysis between methylation high-risk and low-risk groups was performed and a methylation-based gene prognostic model was constructed. Finally, the prediction of potential drugs associated with the LUAD gene signature using Drug Sensitivity Genomics in Cancer (GDSC)., Results: In this study, a total of 555 samples from the TCGA database and 307 samples from GSE30219 were included, and a total of 24 differential methylation driver genes were identified. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyzes were used to screen out independent prognostic genes, involving 2 genes: CFTR, PKIA. Survival analysis was different between the methylation high-risk group and the low-risk group, the CFTR high methylation group and the low methylation group were poor, and the opposite was true for PKIA., Conclusions: Our study revealed that the methylation status of CFTR and PKIA can serve as potential prognostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets in lung cancer., (© 2023. Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM).)

Objective: To explore the competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network related to ferroptosis in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and its promise for clinical application., Methods: We obtained RNA sequencing data for HCC and relevant clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. To assess the involvement of the autophagy, pyroptosis, and ferroptosis pathways in HCC, we used single-sample Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (ssGSEA) to compute scores for each sample based on pre-defined gene sets. We conducted Weighted Gene Co-Expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to effectively modularize lncRNA, miRNA, and mRNA. Through extensive correlation analyses, we pinpointed the most crucial ferroptosis-associated modules. Moreover, we utilized online prediction tools to construct a corresponding ceRNA network. To establish the reliability of our results, we randomly chose a ceRNA axis consisting of DNAJC27-AS1/miR-23b-3p/PPIF for experimental validation. We performed luciferase reporter assays to validate the binding sites of DNAJC27-AS1, miR-23b-3p, and PPIF., Results: We found a significant correlation between the level of ferroptosis and the overall survival of patients with HCC. Thus, we constructed a comprehensive ferroptosis-related ceRNA network. Our experimental findings revealed that DNAJC27-AS1 and PPIF act as direct sponges of miR-23b-3p, and thus are capable of downregulating ferroptosis in HCC cells., Conclusion: The ferroptosis-associated ceRNA network presented in this study represents a valuable resource for advancing our understanding of the role of ferroptosis in HCC., Competing Interests: None., (AJTR Copyright © 2023.)

Purpose: There are few studies on the risk factors of postoperative complications after surgical treatment of hepatic hemangioma (HH). This study aims to provide a more scientific reference for clinical treatment., Methods: The clinical characteristics and operation data of HH patients undergoing surgical treatment in the First Affiliated Hospital of Air Force Medical University from January 2011 to December 2020 were retrospectively collected. All enrolled patients were divided into two groups based on the modified Clavien-Dindo classification: Major group (Grade II/III/IV/V) and Minor group (Grade I and no complications). Univariate and multivariate regression analysis was used to explore the risk factors for massive intraoperative blood loss (IBL) and postoperative Grade II and above complications., Results: A total of 596 patients were enrolled, with a median age of 46.0 years (range, 22-75 years). Patients with Grade II/III/IV/V complications were included in the Major group (n = 119, 20%), and patients with Grade I and no complications were included in the Minor group (n = 477, 80%). The results of multivariate analysis of Grade II/III/IV/V complications showed that operative duration, IBL, and tumor size increased the risk of Grade II/III/IV/V complications. Conversely, serum creatinine (sCRE) decreased the risk. The results of multivariate analysis of IBL showed that tumor size, surgical method, and operative duration increased the risk of IBL., Conclusions: Operative duration, IBL, tumor size, and surgical method are independent risk factors that should be paid attention to in HH surgery. In addition, as an independent protective factor for HH surgery, sCRE should attract more attention from scholars., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Introduction: Although the 9-minute mean withdrawal time (m-WT) is often reported to be associated with the optimal adenoma detection rate (ADR), no randomized trials of screening colonoscopy have confirmed the impact of a 9-minute m-WT on adenoma miss rate (AMR) and ADR., Methods: A multicenter tandem trial was conducted in 11 centers. Seven hundred thirty-three asymptomatic participants were randomized to receive segmental tandem screening colonoscopy with a 9-minute withdrawal, followed by a 6-minute withdrawal (9-minute-first group, 9MF, n = 366) or vice versa (6-minute-first group, 6MF, n = 367). The primary outcome was the lesion-level AMR., Results: The intention-to-treat analysis revealed that 9MF significantly reduced the lesion-level (14.5% vs 36.6%, P < 0.001) and participant-level AMR (10.9% vs 25.9%, P < 0.001), advanced adenoma miss rate (AAMR, 5.3% vs 46.9%, P = 0.002), multiple adenomas miss rate (20.7% vs 56.5%, P = 0.01), and high-risk adenomas miss rate (14.6% vs 39.5%, P = 0.01) of 6MF without compromising detection efficiency ( P = 0.79). In addition, a lower false-negative rate for adenomas ( P = 0.002) and high-risk adenomas ( P < 0.05), and a lower rate of shortening surveillance schedule ( P < 0.001) were also found in 9MF, accompanying with an improved ADR in the 9-minute vs 6-minute m-WT (42.3% vs 33.5%, P = 0.02). The independent inverse association between m-WT and AMR remained significant even after adjusting ADR, and meanwhile, 9-minute m-WT was identified as an independent protector for AMR and AAMR., Discussion: In addition to increasing ADR, 9-minute m-WT also significantly reduces the AMR and AAMR of screening colonoscopy without compromising detection efficiency., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc. on behalf of The American College of Gastroenterology.)

Introduction: The wild allotetraploid peanut Arachis monticola contains a higher oil content than the cultivated allotetraploid Arachis hypogaea . Besides the fact that increasing oil content is the most important peanut breeding objective, a proper understanding of its molecular mechanism controlling oil accumulation is still lacking., Methods: We investigated this aspect by performing comparative transcriptomics from developing seeds between three wild and five cultivated peanut varieties., Results: The analyses not only showed species-specific grouping transcriptional profiles but also detected two gene clusters with divergent expression patterns between two species enriched in lipid metabolism. Further analysis revealed that expression alteration of lipid metabolic genes with co-expressed transcription factors in wild peanut led to enhanced activity of oil biogenesis and retarded the rate of lipid degradation. In addition, bisulfite sequencing was conducted to characterize the variation of DNA methylation between wild allotetraploid (245, WH 10025) and cultivated allotetraploid (Z16, Zhh 7720) genotypes. CG and CHG context methylation was found to antagonistically correlate with gene expression during seed development. Differentially methylated region analysis and transgenic assay further illustrated that variations of DNA methylation between wild and cultivated peanuts could affect the oil content via altering the expression of peroxisomal acyl transporter protein ( Araip.H6S1B )., Discussion: From the results, we deduced that DNA methylation may negatively regulate lipid metabolic genes and transcription factors to subtly affect oil accumulation divergence between wild and cultivated peanuts. Our work provided the first glimpse on the regulatory mechanism of gene expression altering for oil accumulation in wild peanut and gene resources for future breeding applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Liu, Wu, Pandey, Huang, Luo, Chen, Zhou, Chen, Huai, Yu, Chen, Guo, Lei, Liao, Varshney and Jiang.)

Objective: The objective is to evaluate the value of EUS in the determination of infiltration depth of early carcinoma and precancerous lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract and to analyze the various factors affecting the accuracy of EUS., Methods: One hundred and sixty-three patients diagnosed with early gastric cancer or early esophageal cancer, and associated precancerous lesions, who were seen in our hospital in the recent 10 years were selected. These patients received EUS before endoscopic submucosal dissection or surgery. With a pathological diagnosis as the gold standard, the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and misjudgment rate of EUS in determining the invasion depth were evaluated using the pathological stratification (mucosa, M1/2; muscularis mucosa, M3; submucosa, [SM]; and muscularis propria) or TN stratification (mucosa, T1a; SM, T1b), and the possible causes of miscalculation were analyzed., Results: Based on the pathological stratification, the overall accuracy of EUS was 78.5%, and the overestimation and underestimation rates were 17.8% and 3.7%, respectively. Based on the TN stratification, the overall accuracy of EUS was 81%, and the overestimation and underestimation rates were 16.6% and 2.5%, respectively. There was a significant difference between the groups in terms of overestimation and underestimation rates (P < 0.05), indicating that EUS was more likely to overestimate the depth. Univariate analysis showed that the factors affecting accuracy included lesion size, macroscopic features, sunken mucosa, mucosa with granular and nodular changes, and ulceration. Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed that larger lesions, mucosa with granular and nodular changes, and ulceration were independent risk factors for the overestimation of infiltration depth by EUS., Conclusion: EUS is highly accurate in determining the infiltration depth of early cancer and precancerous lesions in the upper gastrointestinal tract. It also has a good reference value for treatment selection and prognostication. However, attention should be paid to its overestimation, especially accompanied by the aforementioned factors., Competing Interests: None

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common type of malignant tumor with high morbidity and mortality. The oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) metabolic pathway produces adenosine triphosphate (ATP) by delivering electrons to transmembrane protein complexes in the mitochondria. This research was dedicated to identifying an OXPHOS-associated signature for the assessment of prognosis of HCC patients. A total of 371 HCC patients from the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and 231 HCC patients from the International Cancer Genome Consortium (ICGC) with RNA expression data and clinical data were employed as construction and validation cohorts, respectively. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression was applied to establish a multigene signature in the TCGA cohort, and the ICGC cohort was used for validation. The prognostic value of the risk signature was evaluated using univariate and multivariate Cox regression, Kaplan-Meier curves, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. The potential enrichment of biological functions was investigated using Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analyses. Meanwhile, we analyzed the correlation between the risk score and the tumor microenvironment (TME). A five-gene signature including ATP6V0B, ATP6V1C1, ATP6V1E1, TIMM9, and UQCRH was identified by LASSO Cox regression to classify patients into low- and high-risk groups. ROC curve analysis indicated that the five-gene signature is a prospective prognostic factor in HCC patients. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses demonstrated that the risk score was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (OS). Functional analysis showed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the low- and high-risk groups were enriched in mitosis and the cell cycle pathway. In addition, the five-gene signature was associated with innate immune cell infiltration, immune subtypes, and tumor stemness. A novel OXPHOS-associated gene signature can be used for prognostic prediction for patients with HCC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Weigang Chen et al.)

Targeted therapy showed broad application prospects in the treatment of various types of cancer. Through carriers such as aptamers, antibodies, proteins and peptides, targeted therapy can selectively deliver drugs into tumor cells. Compared with traditional treatment methods such as chemo- and radiotherapy, targeted drug delivery systems can reduce the toxic effects of drugs on normal cells and avoid adverse reactions. Herein, an aptamer-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex conjugate (ApIrC) has been designed and developed as a targeted anticancer agent. Owing to the targeting ability of aptamers, ApIrC specifically bound to nucleolin over-expressed on the surface of cancer cells and showed strong fluorescence signal for tumor imaging and diagnosis. ApIrC had more substantial cellular uptake in cancer cells than the iridium complex alone and exhibited favorable low toxicity to normal cells. After uptake by cells through endocytosis, ApIrC can selectively accumulated in mitochondria and induced caspase-3/7-dependent cell death. Remarkably, ApIrC can also specifically target 3D multicellular spheroids (MCSs) and show excellent tumor permeability. So, it can effectively reach the interior of MCSs and cause cell damage. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the aptamer-cyclometalated iridium(III) complex conjugate which studied for cancer targeted therapy. The developed conjugate has great potential to be developed as novel therapeutics for effective and low-toxic cancer treatment., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.)

Yeast artificial chromosomes (YACs) are important tools for sequencing, gene cloning, and transferring large quantities of genetic information. However, the structure and activity of YAC chromatin, as well as the unintended impacts of introducing foreign DNA sequences on DNA-associated biochemical events, have not been widely explored. Here, we showed that abundant genetic elements like TATA box and transcription factor-binding motifs occurred unintentionally in a previously reported data-carrying chromosome (dChr). In addition, we used state-of-the-art sequencing technologies to comprehensively profile the genetic, epigenetic, transcriptional, and proteomic characteristics of the exogenous dChr. We found that the data-carrying DNA formed active chromatin with high chromatin accessibility and H3K4 tri-methylation levels. The dChr also displayed highly pervasive transcriptional ability and transcribed hundreds of noncoding RNAs. The results demonstrated that exogenous artificial chromosomes formed chromatin structures and did not remain as naked or loose plasmids. A better understanding of the YAC chromatin nature will improve our ability to design better data-storage chromosomes., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

Background & Aims: Although current quality indicators of colonoscopy recommend 6 minutes as the minimum standard for withdrawal time (WT), the impact of a WT longer than 6 minutes on neoplasia detection is unclear., Methods: A multicenter randomized controlled trial involving 1027 patients was conducted from January 2018 to July 2019. Participants were randomly divided into a 9-minute (n = 514) and 6-minute (n = 513) WT group, and a timer was used to adjust the withdrawal speed. The primary outcome was the adenoma detection rate (ADR)., Results: Intention-to-treat analysis showed a significantly higher ADR in the 9-minute versus 6-minute WT group (36.6% vs. 27.1%, P = .001). Prolonging WT from 6 to 9 minutes significantly increased ADR of the proximal colon (21.4% vs. 11.9%, P < .001) as well as of the less experienced colonoscopists (36.8% vs. 23.5%, P = .001). Improvements were also observed in the polyp detection rate (58.0% vs. 47.8%, P < .001), and mean number of polyps and adenomas detected per colonoscopy (1.1 vs. 0.9, P = .002; 0.5 vs. 0.4, P = .008, respectively). The higher ADRs in 9-minute WT were also confirmed by the per-protocol (PP) analysis and subgroup analyses, with an increased rate of sessile serrated lesion detection in the 9-minute WT by PP analysis (4.0% vs. 1.3%, P = .04). Multivariate logistic regression demonstrated that the 9-minute WT was independently associated with increased ADR (P = .005)., Conclusions: Prolonging WT from 6 to 9 minutes significantly improved ADR, especially in the proximal colon and for less experienced colonoscopists. A 9-minute WT benchmark should be considered as one of the quality indicators of colonoscopy. ClinicalTrials.gov (identifier, NCT03399045)., (Copyright © 2022 AGA Institute. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)