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Abstract Background Global population aging poses a significant global challenge, necessitating an increased demand for proficient caregivers specialized in elderly care. In our study, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted to synthesize the evidence concerning nursing students’ willingness to participate in caring for older people. Methods Eligibility criteria focused on cross-sectional studies involving nursing students’ willingness to participate in caring for older people and were reported in English or Chinese. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and WANFANG databases were searched from inception until July 24, 2022. The methodological quality assessment in the included studies was evaluated using the AHRQ instrument. The pooled effects of the nursing students’ willingness to participate in caring for older people were computed using a random-effects model. Funnel plots and Egger’s test were employed to evaluate publication bias. Meta-regression and subgroup analysis were performed to explore the sources of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was conducted to verify the robustness of the meta-analysis findings. All statistical tests were conducted with Stata 16.0 software. Results A total of 68 studies of medium or high quality met the eligibility criteria, involving 30,328 nursing students. The rate of nursing students’ willingness to participate in caring for older people was 49.0% (95% CI = 46–53%, I 2 = 98.1%, P = 0.000). The results of meta-regression analysis showed that the following four predictor variables were significantly associated with nursing students’ willingness to participate in caring for older people: experience of living with and caring for older people, nursing as their first choice and their year-level in education, respectively. Subgroup analyses for these four predictor variables revealed the following pooled estimates of nursing students’ willingness: having experience of living with older people (0.54, 95% CI = 0.46–0.62) vs. no such experience (0.38, 95% CI = 0.30–0.46), having experience of caring for older people (0.55, 95% CI = 0.48–0.63) vs. no such experience (0.38, 95% CI = 0.30–0.46), nursing as their first choice (0.54, 95% CI = 0.51–0.58) vs. not their first choice (0.44, 95% CI = 0.35–0.53), being in the first year of nursing education (0.44, 95% CI = 0.34–0.55), second year (0.45, 95% CI = 0.34–0.56), and third and fourth year (0.62, 95% CI = 0.53–0.71). Conclusion The study found that approximately half of the nursing students confirmed their willingness to participate in caring for older people.The present study can serve as a resource for policymakers to increase the willingness of nursing students to participate in caring for older people.

This is an article in the field of mining engineering. Coal gasification slag is a type of solid waste generated during the coal gasification process. The presence of residual carbon significantly limits its potential for reuse and recycling. Therefore, the extraction of residual carbon from coal gasification slag is a pressing concern. In this research, the separation of residual carbon and inorganic minerals from gasification fine slag was studied by hydrophobic-hydrophilic separation technology. The effects of stirring speed, stirring time, hydrophobic liquid dosage, pulp concentration, pulp temperature, and hydrophobic liquid type on the separation effect of carbon/ ash were investigated. The hydrophobic-hydrophilic separation technology has excellent carbon extraction and ash reduction effect on coal gasification slag, and the ash content of its carbon product can be up to 30% or less, while that of the ash product can be up to 95% or more. The separation mechanism was revealed by the characterisation analysis, which showed that the adsorption strength of residual carbon on paraffin was much higher than that of ash, which made the kerosene-treated residual carbon hydrophobicity greatly increased and easy to be captured by the oil phase. This study can provide important guidance for the efficient carbon extraction and ash reduction of coal gasification fine residue, which can help to achieve the comprehensive utilisation of coal gasification solid waste.

Coal gasification slag (CGS) presents significant challenge to the green and low-carbon development of the coal gasification industry due to its limited utilization restriction. In this study, cationic surfactant DTAB was used with kerosene to formulate an emulsion collector. The flotation results showed that, the increase in collector dosage could significantly improve the combustible recovery. At an optimal collector dosage of 10 kg/t, an increased DTAB ratio could significantly diminish the ash content of flotation concentrates and improve flotation precision. Through flotation dynamics experiments and fitting of the Fuerstenau upgrading curve, it confirmed that the entrainment of fine-grained particles with high ash content is the primary contributor to high ash content in flotation concentrates. Combined with FTIR spectroscopy, XPS and other analysis method, it validated that the surfactant effectively reduced the dispersed particle size of the agent, the increased contact angle of RC surface also improved hydrophobicity and improved particles hydrophobic agglomeration strength. Molecular dynamics simulation further illuminated that the surfactant covered part of the hydrophilic sites on the residue carbon (RC) surface and influenced the electrostatic interaction. The research results have important theoretical significance for perfecting the flotation theory of CGFS.

Abstract The benefits provided by ecological assets play a crucial role in enhancing human well-being. However, there is a scarcity of viable methods for assessing their status. This study is grounded in Land Use and Land Cover Change (LUCC) and integrates both the quantity and quality aspects of these assets. Utilizing the ecological asset index (EQ and EQi), this study conducts a quantitative assessment of the assets in the Shibing karst and the Libo-Huanjiang karst heritage sites, while also qualitatively analyzing their influencing factors. The findings reveal that: (1) In the Shibing heritage site, forest and impervious surface assets exhibited an upward trend, whereas cropland and grassland experienced a decline; meanwhile, shrub and water body assets remained relatively stable. The total area of assets rated as excellent or good increased by 95.371 km2, resulting in an EQ enhancement of 45.427. (2) Likewise, in the Libo-Huanjiang heritage site, forest and impervious surface assets demonstrated an upward trajectory, while shrub assets declined. Cropland, grassland, and water body assets experienced minimal variation. The total area of assets rated as excellent or good expanded by 168.227 km2, resulting in an EQ enhancement of 80.806. (3) The execution of a series of ecological protection projects and management plans for heritage site conservation primarily accounts for the enhancement of regional assets. Notably, ecological resources, socio-economic conditions, human resources, and conservation management policies serve as pivotal drivers influencing the alterations in heritage site assets.

Although an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) is noted for its good autonomy, concealment and anti-interference ability, errors in its inertial navigation system (INS) inevitably increase over time, leading to positional failure during long-term voyages. Terrain-assisted navigation can help the INS to correct its position. The traditional iterative closest contour point (ICCP) achieves high matching accuracy when the initial position error of the INS is small, but is prone to mismatching when the initial error is large. This study combines ICCP with particle swarm optimization (PSO) to overcome this problem. First, the global optimization ability of PSO is improved by changing the acceleration factor and introducing an artificial bee colony (ABC) onlooker bee greedy search (ABC- ω APSO). Second, the Euclidean distance of ICCP is replaced by the Mahalanobis distance to abate the influence of system error on the matching accuracy. Finally, the initial position error is reduced by rough matching using the ABC- ω APSO, which has global optimization capability. Next, fine matching is performed by ICCP. This two-step process resolves the sensitivity problem of ICCP to the initial position error. The experimental results revealed a good matching effect after the double-matching procedure. When the initial INS errors were 0.55′ to the east and 0.55′ to the north, the matching error was reduced to 89.3 m, suggesting that the approach can realize autonomous passive navigation of AUVs.

IntroductionWith the rapid development of artificial intelligence and Internet-of-Things technology, internal support systems among families are gradually weakening, which can no longer satisfy the current demands of older adults. In this context, smart senior care has become a new development direction. However, existing studies on the demand for smart senior care are primarily concentrated in economically developed provinces and mega-cities in eastern China; their research results or conclusions may not apply to underdeveloped areas in the Western region. Therefore, our study selects Lanzhou as a representative city in an underdeveloped western region to investigate the demand of older adults for smart senior care and analyze the influencing factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 4,815 older adults from Lanzhou, China. A structured questionnaire was designed to investigate the demands of the older adults for smart senior care and analyze thie influencing factors. The Chi-square test was used for single factor analysis of each variable. The logistic regression model included the statistically significant variables to analyze factors influencing older adults’ demand for smart senior care. A significance level of p

Walnuts have substantial economic value and are of significant interest being a wild-cultivated species. The study has re-sequenced the entire genome of the wild walnut, aligning it with the walnut reference genome, to identify 2,021,717 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). These were used to examine the genetics of 130 wild walnut samples collected from three countries. Utilizing structural and principal component analysis, the walnut samples from Central Asia were classified into four populations: Ili ah in Xinjiang (I), Dushanbe region in Tajikistan (II), Sary-Chelek, Arslanbob in Kara-Alma regions of Kyrgyzstan (III), and Kok-Tundy region of Kyrgyzstan (IV). The 4 groups showed large differences in nucleotide diversity, population differentiation, and linkage disequilibrium decay, as well as gene flow among them. The present geographic distribution of these populations does not align with the genetic distribution pattern as the populations of Central Asian wild walnuts have experienced similar population dynamics in the past, i.e., the highest effective population size at ca. 6 Ma, two sharp population declines at 6 and 0.2 Ma, and convergence at ca. 0.2 Ma. The genetic distribution patterns are better explained by human activity, notably through archaeological findings of walnut use and the influence of the Silk Road, rather than by current geographic distributions.

Abstract. Background:. Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) has a high mortality rate and is the most common indication for heart transplantation. Our study sought to develop a multiparametric nomogram to assess individualized all-cause mortality or heart transplantation (ACM/HTx) risk in DCM patients. Methods:. The present study is a retrospective cohort study. The demographic, clinical, blood test, and cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) data of DCM patients in the tertiary center (Fuwai Hospital) were collected. The primary endpoint was ACM/HTx. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) Cox regression model was applied for variable selection. Multivariable Cox regression was used to develop a nomogram. The concordance index (C-index), area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), calibration curve, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of the nomogram. Results:. A total of 218 patients were included in the present study. They were randomly divided into a training cohort and a validation cohort. The nomogram was established based on eight variables, including mid-wall late gadolinium enhancement, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, left ventricular end-diastolic diameter, left ventricular end-diastolic volume index, free triiodothyronine, and N-terminal pro-B type natriuretic peptide. The AUCs regarding 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year ACM/HTx events were 0.859, 0.831, and 0.840 in the training cohort and 0.770, 0.789, and 0.819 in the validation cohort, respectively. The calibration curve and DCA showed good accuracy and clinical utility of the nomogram. Conclusions:. We established and validated a circulating biomarker- and CMRI-based nomogram that could provide a personalized prediction of ACM/HTx for DCM patients, which might help risk stratification and decision-making in clinical practice.

The conservation biology field underscores the importance of understanding genetic diversity and gene flow within plant populations and the factors that influence them. This study employs Simple Sequence Repeat (SSR) molecular markers to investigate the genetic diversity of the endangered plant species Saussurea involucrata, offering a theoretical foundation for its conservation efforts. Utilizing sequencing results to screen SSR loci, we designed and scrutinized 18 polymorphic microsatellite primers across 112 samples from 11 populations in the Bayinbuluke region. Our findings reveal high genetic diversity (I = 0.837, He = 0.470) and substantial gene flow (Nm = 1.390) among S. involucrata populations (China, Xinjiang), potentially attributed to efficient pollen and seed dispersal mechanisms. Principal Coordinate Analysis (PCoA) indicates a lack of distinct genetic structuring within the Bayinbuluke populations. The cluster analysis using STRUCTURE reflected the genetic structure of S. involucrata to a certain extent compared with PCoA. The results showed that all samples were divided into four groups. To safeguard this species, we advocate for the in situ conservation of all S. involucrata populations in the area. The SSR markers developed in this study provide a valuable resource for future genetic research on S. involucrata.

Abstract Background Multiple sclerosis (MS) leads to demyelination and neurodegeneration with autoimmune responses in central nervous system. Patients begin with a relapsing–remitting (RR) course, and more than 80% of them may advance to secondary progressive MS (SPMS), which is characteristic for the gradual decline of neurological functions without demonstrated treating method to prevent. This study aims to investigate the contribution of peripheral CD8 + T cells during the conversion from RRMS to SPMS, as well as reveal potential diagnostic signature in distinguishing SPMS. Methods Single-cell RNA sequencing was employed to reveal the heterogeneity of CD8 + T cells between SPMS and RRMS. In addition, flow cytometry was used to further characterized CD8 + T cell dynamic changes in patients. T cell receptor sequencing was performed to detect the clonal expansion of MS. Using Tbx21 siRNA, T-bet was confirmed to manipulate GzmB expression. The correlation between GzmB + CD8 + T cell subsets and clinical characteristics of MS and their potential diagnostic value for SPMS were evaluated by generalized linear regression models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve respectively. Results Other than diminished naïve CD8 + T cell, elevating of activated CD8 + T cell subsets were observed in SPMS patients. Meanwhile, this aberrant amplified peripheral CD8 + T cells not only exhibited terminal differentiated effector (EMRA) phenotype with GzmB expression, but also possessed distinct trajectory from clonal expansion. In addition, T-bet acted as a key transcriptional factor that elicited GzmB expression in CD8 + TEMRA cells of patients with SPMS. Finally, the expression of GzmB in CD8 + T cells was positively correlated with disability and progression of MS, and could effectively distinguish SPMS from RRMS with a high accuracy. Conclusions Our study mapped peripheral immune cells of RRMS and SPMS patients and provided an evidence for the involvement of GzmB + CD8 + TEMRA cells in the progression of MS, which could be used as a diagnostic biomarker for distinguishing SPMS from RRMS.

Microbial contamination is the principal factor in the deterioration of postharvest storage quality in grapes. To mitigate this issue, we explored a synergistic treatment which combines ultrasound (US) and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW), and rigorously compared with conventional water cleaning (CW), exclusive US treatment, and standalone SAEW treatment. The US + SAEW treatment proved to be markedly superior in reducing total bacterial, mold & yeast counts on grapes. Specifically, it achieved reductions of 2.23 log CFU/g and 2.76 log CFU/g, respectively, exceeding the efficiencies of SAEW (0.78, 0.75), US (0.58, 0.65), and CW (0.24, 0.46). The efficacy of this synergistic treatment is attributed to the ultrasound removal of the wax layer on grape skins, which transitions the skin from hydrophobic to hydrophilic. This alteration increases the contact area between the grape surface and SAEW, thereby enhancing the antimicrobial efficacy of SAEW. From a physicochemical quality standpoint, the US + SAEW treatment exhibited multiple advantages. It not only minimized weight loss, color deviations, polyphenol oxidase activity and malondialdehyde synthesis in comparison to CW-treated samples but also preserved firmness, sugar-acid ratio and the activities of key enzymes including phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase and catalase, and thus maintaining high levels of total phenolics, total ascorbic acid, total anthocyanins, and antioxidants. Consequently, US + SAEW treatment put off the times of decay onset in grapes by 12 days, outperforming both SAEW (8) and US (4) in comparison to CW. These results highlight the potential of US + SAEW as an effective strategy for maintaining grape quality during their postharvest storage period.

In the postharvest storage of Chinese bayberry, microbial loads and exogenous contaminants pose significant challenges, leading to rapid decay and deterioration in quality. This study introduced a synergistic approach, combining ultrasonics and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (US + SAEW), to enhance the postharvest storage quality of Chinese bayberry. This approach was benchmarked against conventional water washing (CW), standalone ultrasonic (US), and slightly acidic electrolyzed water (SAEW) processing. Notably, compared to CW, the US + SAEW method enhanced iprodione and procymidone removal rates by 69.62 % and 72.45 % respectively, improved dirt removal efficiency by 122.87 %, repelled drosophila melanogaster larvae by 58.33 %, and curtailed total bacterial, mold & yeast growth by 78.18 % and 83.09 %. Furthermore, it postponed the appearance of sample decay by 6 days, compared to 4 days for both US and SAEW alone. From a physicochemical perspective, compared to CW-treated samples, US + SAEW processing mitigated weight loss and color deviations, retained hardness, amplified the sugar-acid ratio, augmented activities of phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, superoxide dismutase, and catalase enzymes, suppressed polyphenol oxidase activity and malondialdehyde synthesis, and preserved total phenolic, anthocyanin, and antioxidant levels. These findings underscore the potential of US + SAEW as a strategic tool to preserve the quality of Chinese bayberry during postharvest storage.

To solve the problem of efficient extraction of coal liquefied oil residue, the extractants with different properties, such as aliphatic hydrocarbon, aromatic hydrocarbon, oxygen-containing compounds, and simulated coking benzene, were selected for the extraction of coal liquefied oil residue. And the effects of solubility and polarity parameters of extractants on extraction rate and extract components were investigated. The results show that with the increase in solubility and polarity parameters of extractants, the extraction rate for coal liquefied oil residue increased and then decreased. The influence of the solubility parameter of extractants on the extraction performance was mainly reflected in their matching degree with the solubility parameter of the extractable components. The effect of the polarity parameter of the extractants was mainly the breaking of the associated structure of coal liquefied oil residue. When the solubility parameters of the extracts and extractants were close, the extraction performance was good, such as aromatic hydrocarbon and tetrahydrofuran. The main components of these extracts were polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The extractants with larger polar parameters were more likely to destroy the associated structure of coal liquefied oil residue, resulting in higher contents of N and S elements in acetone, ethanol, and methanol extracts. Simulated coking benzene was a good solvent for extracting coal liquefied oil residue, which was easy to be recovered from solution, and the extraction rate of coal liquefied oil residue could reach more than 50%.

Abstract It is important to explore the effective approaches to prevent dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In this study, significantly decreased full-field electroretinograms wave amplitudes and disordered retina structures were detected in rat retinas of sodium iodate induced dry AMD model. Six a- and b-wave amplitudes and the antioxidant activities were significantly increased, and the outer nuclear layer thickness was significantly improved in the rat retinas treated with the combination of Lactobacillus fermentum NS9 (LF) and aronia anthocyanidin extract (AAE) compared with the model. The effects were much better than the treatment with AAE alone. The proteomics analysis showed the expressions of α-, β- and γ-crystallins were increased by 3–8 folds in AAE treated alone and by 6–11 folds in AAE + LF treatment compared with the model, which was further confirmed by immuno-blotting analysis. Analysis of gut microbial composition indicated that higher abundance of the genus Parasutterella and species P. excrementihominis was found in the AAE + LF treatment compared with the other groups. The results indicated that the combined treatment of AAE + LF is a potential way to prevent the retina degeneration which is significantly better than the AAE treated alone.

Abstract Background Cardiometabolic disease is a clinical syndrome characterized by multiple metabolic disorders, with atherosclerosis as the core and cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events as the outcome. Drug research and development (R&D) in cardiometabolic diseases has grown rapidly worldwide. However, the development of cardiometabolic drug clinical trials in China remains unclear. This study aims to depict the changing landscape of drug clinical trials for cardiometabolic diseases in China during 2009–2021. Methods The detailed information of drug trials on cardiometabolic diseases registered in the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) Registration and Information Disclosure Platform was collected between January 1, 2009, and July 1, 2021. The landscape of cardiometabolic drug clinical trials was analyzed by the characteristics, time trends, indications, pharmacological mechanisms, and geographical distribution. Results A total of 2466 drug clinical trials on cardiometabolic diseases were extracted and analyzed. The annual number of drug trials increased rapidly in the past twelve years. Among all the trials, the bioequivalence trials (1428; 58.3%) accounted for the largest proportion, followed by phase I (555; 22.5%), phase III (278; 11.3%), phase II (169; 6.9%), and phase IV (26; 1.1%). Of 2466 trials, 2133 (86.5%) trials were monomer drugs, only 236 (9.6%) trials were polypills and 97 (3.9%) were traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) compounds. In terms of pharmacological mechanisms, the number of trials in dihydropyridine (DHP) calcium antagonists 321 (11.9%) ranked first, while trials in angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) 289 (10.7%) and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor 205 (7.6%) ranked second and third place respectively. Of 236 chemical polypills trials, 23 (9.7%) polypills were the combination of DHP calcium antagonists and statins, while others were the combination of two same pharmacological effect agents. As for the geographical distribution of leading units, 36 trials were led by principal investigators (PI) units from Beijing, followed by Jiangsu (n = 29), Shanghai (n = 19), Guangdong (n = 19), and Hunan (n = 19), showing an uneven regional distribution. Conclusions Great progress has been made in drug clinical trials on cardiometabolic diseases, especially in antihypertensive agents, hypoglycemic agents, and hypolipidemic agents. However, the insufficient innovation of first-in-class drugs and polypills should be carefully considered by all stakeholders in drug trials.

Abstract Background Cognitive impairment (CI) is one of the most common disabling symptoms in the elderly, and people with CI face a variety of unmet care needs. There is limited evidence on the relationship between unmet needs and quality of life (QoL) of people with CI. The aim of this study is to analyse the current situation of unmet needs and QoL among people with CI, and to explore the correlation between QoL and unmet needs. Methods The analyses use baseline data of the intervention trial, which recruited 378 participants to complete the questionnaire including the Camberwell Assessment of Need for the Elderly (CANE), and the Medical Outcomes Study 36-item Short-Form (SF-36). The SF-36 was further gathered into physical component summary (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS). Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to explore the correlations between unmet care needs and PCS and MCS of SF-36. Results The mean score of each of the eight domains of SF-36 was significantly lower than the Chinese population norm. The incidence of unmet needs ranged from 0 to 65.1%. Multiple linear regression results showed that living in rural areas (Beta=-0.16, P 2 years (Beta=-0.21, P

Abstract Aim The aim of this study is to describe critical thinking dispositions among newly graduated nurses with different educational background in China and to explore related factors. Design A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. Methods The data were collected using the Chinese Version of Critical Thinking Dispositions Inventory (CTDI‐CV). Overall, 588 newly graduated nurses finally completed the survey. Spearman and Pearson's correlation coefficients were used to examine the correlation between the CDTI‐CV and nurses' general characteristics. Results In terms of open‐mindedness, analysis and inquisitiveness subscales, significant differences were found among nurses based on three educational level. When dichotomizing total CTDI scores into high and low, nearly 80% of the respondents fell into low score group. Pressure from workplace was high for 68.4% of them. Significant correlation was found among the new graduated nurses' critical thinking ability and their age, education level, reading habit and attitude towards nursing profession.

To evaluate the effects of different TiO2 crystalline phases on the catalytic oxidation performance of benzene on Pt-loaded TiO2 catalysts, physicochemical examinations were conducted using several spectroscopic and analytical techniques. Obvious effects on the valence state and morphology of Pt were exhibited by different crystalline phases. The rutile phase favored the formation of specific Pt(111) crystal faces, which enhanced the amount of surface-active oxygen species. Moreover, the àPt-O-Ti species was formed between Pt4+ and Ti at the edge of the Pt nanoparticles, promoting both electron flow and the transfer of reactive oxygen species, thus accounting for catalytic activity.

Soil salinization poses a global threat to terrestrial ecosystems. Soil microorganisms, crucial for maintaining ecosystem services, are sensitive to changes in soil structure and properties, particularly salinity. In this study, contrasting dynamics within the rhizosphere and bulk soil were focused on exploring the effects of heightened salinity on soil microbial communities, evaluating the influences shaping their composition in saline environments. This study observed a general decrease in bacterial alpha diversity with increasing salinity, along with shifts in community structure in terms of taxa relative abundance. The size and stability of bacterial co-occurrence networks declined under salt stress, indicating functional and resilience losses. An increased proportion of heterogeneous selection in bacterial community assembly suggested salinity’s critical role in shaping bacterial communities. Stochasticity dominated fungal community assembly, suggesting their relatively lower sensitivity to soil salinity. However, bipartite network analysis revealed that fungi played a more significant role than bacteria in intensified microbial interactions in the rhizosphere under salinity stress compared to the bulk soil. Therefore, microbial cross-domain interactions might play a key role in bacterial resilience under salt stress in the rhizosphere.

Ferroptosis is a newly discovered form of iron-dependent oxidative cell death and drives the loss of neurons in spinal cord injury (SCI). Mitochondrial damage is a critical contributor to neuronal death, while mitochondrial quality control (MQC) is an essential process for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis to promote neuronal survival. However, the role of MQC in neuronal ferroptosis has not been clearly elucidated. Here, we further demonstrate that neurons primarily suffer from ferroptosis in SCI at the single-cell RNA sequencing level. Mechanistically, disordered MQC aggravates ferroptosis through excessive mitochondrial fission and mitophagy. Furthermore, mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs)-mediated mitochondrial transfer restores neuronal mitochondria pool and inhibits ferroptosis through mitochondrial fusion by intercellular tunneling nanotubes. Collectively, these results not only suggest that neuronal ferroptosis is regulated in an MQC-dependent manner, but also fulfill the molecular mechanism by which MSCs attenuate neuronal ferroptosis at the subcellular organelle level. More importantly, it provides a promising clinical translation strategy based on stem cell-mediated mitochondrial therapy for mitochondria-related central nervous system disorders.

Transgenic crops are increasingly prevalent worldwide, and evaluating their impact on soil microbial communities is a critical aspect of upholding environmental safety. Our previous research demonstrated that overexpression of ScALDH21 from desiccant-tolerant moss, Syntrichia caninervis, in cotton revealed multi-resistance to drought, salt, and biotic stresses. We conducted metabarcoding using high-throughput sequencing to evaluate the effect of ScALDH21 transgenic cotton on soil microbial communities. We further conducted soil tests to analyze the chemical properties of transgenic and non-transgenic cotton, including the total content and availability of chemical elements (K, P, and N), organic matter, and pH value. Both transgenic and non-transgenic cotton fields exhibited soil pH values higher than 8. The presence of transgenic cotton significantly enhanced the availability of available K and the total content of total P in the soil. Alpha and beta diversity indices of soil microbiota showed no difference between two transgenic and non-transgenic cotton groups. Dominant clades of fungal and bacterial genera were equivalent at the phylum and genus levels in all three groups. The correlation analysis of microbial communities and soil environmental factors revealed the absence of significant differences between transgenic and non-transgenic cotton genotypes. Functional predictions of soil microbial communities indicated that microbial community function did not show significant differences between transgenic and non-transgenic cotton samples. These findings are essential for evaluating the environmental effects of transgenic crops and supporting the secure implementation of transgenic cotton.

Extract residue of coal liquefaction residue (ERCLR) is a solid mixture of high carbon, high ash, high sulfur, and complex composition, mainly including unconverted coal, inorganic minerals, and coal liquefaction catalyst. The effective use of ERCLR, which has high utilization value based on high hydrogen-to-carbon ratio, not only improves the thermal efficiency and economy of coal liquefaction process, but also reduces the emissions of pollutants. The energy efficiency analysis, environmental impact, and economic analysis of three power generation systems were calculated and analyzed by Aspen Plus. The three power generation systems are ERCLR gasification combined cycle power generation system, ERCLR combustion power generation system, and ERCLR pyrolysis combustion power generation system. The results show that the energy efficiency of ERCLR gasification combined cycle power generation system is 47.5%, which is better than that of ERCLR combustion power generation system (43%) and ERCLR pyrolysis combustion power generation system (45.3%). The flue gas emission of ERCLR gasification combined cycle power generation system has lower impact on environment than that of the other two systems. ERCLR gasification combined cycle power generation system provides a lower cost of electricity (0.44 CNY/kWh), compared with ERCLR combustion power generation system (0.48 CNY/kWh) and ERCLR pyrolysis combustion power generation system (0.69 CNY/kWh). Therefore, ERCLR gasification combined cycle power generation system has significant advantages over the other two utilization approaches. For the recovery and utilization of ERCLR, ERCLR gasification combined cycle can be given priority to power generation.

Nano-drug delivery strategies have been highlighted in cancer treatment, and much effort has been made in the optimization of bioavailability, biocompatibility, pharmacokinetics profiles, and in vivo distributions of anticancer nano-drug delivery systems. However, problems still exist in the delicate balance between improved anticancer efficacy and reduced toxicity to normal tissues, and opportunities arise along with the development of smart stimuli-responsive delivery strategies. By on-demand responsiveness towards exogenous or endogenous stimulus, these smart delivery systems hold promise for advanced tumor-specificity as well as controllable release behavior in a spatial-temporal manner. Meanwhile, the blossom of nanotechnology, material sciences, and biomedical sciences has shed light on the diverse modern drug delivery systems with smart characteristics, versatile functions, and modification possibilities. This review summarizes the current progress in various strategies for smart drug delivery systems against malignancies and introduces the representative endogenous and exogenous stimuli-responsive smart delivery systems. It may provide references for researchers in the fields of drug delivery, biomaterials, and nanotechnology.

The effects of four aliphatic hydrocarbon extractants (n-hexane, cyclohexane, petroleum ether, and n-heptane) on the extraction rate and properties of extracts from coal liquefaction residue were investigated by Soxhlet extraction experiments. The results show that the molecular structure, viscosity, and boiling point of extractants affected extraction rate, and the extraction rates of four extractants were in the following order: cyclohexane, petroleum ether, n-hexane, n-heptane. As for the composition of extracts, the extracts of n-hexane, cyclohexane, and petroleum ether were mainly composed of aliphatic hydrocarbons, while the extracts of n-heptane were dominated by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons with a relative content of 94.1%, among which pyrene substances accounted for 53.3%. The n-heptane extracts of coal liquefaction residue were further sequentially eluted by column chromatography, and their compositions were analyzed. As the elution proceeded, the main components in petroleum ether eluate gradually changed from aliphatic hydrocarbons to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and the ring number of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons gradually increased. The petroleum ether/carbon disulfide eluate could be enriched with 59.7% of benzo[ghi]perylene. Later, dibutyl phthalate with a relative content of 50.7% could be enriched by petroleum ether/ethyl acetate as eluent. The separation of different substances in n-heptane extracts was achieved by ethyl acetate and methanol, and the methanol eluate mainly contained lipids, phenols, and alcohols. The separation and detection of extracts were basically achieved by this method.

Abstract Background circRNA has been established to play a pivotal role in tumorigenesis development in a variety of cancers; nevertheless, the biological functions and molecular mechanisms of hypoxia-induced exosomal circRNAs in pancreatic cancer remain largely unknown. Methods Differentially expressed circRNAs in exosomes between hypoxic exosomes and normoxic exosomes in PC cells were verified by RNA sequencing. The expression of circPDK1 in PC tumors and PC patients was evaluated by qRT-PCR and ISH, and the biological functions of circPDK1 in PC were verified through a series of in vitro and in vivo experiments. Using Western blotting, Co-IP, RNA pull-down, ChIP, RIP, dual-luciferase assays, and rescue experiments, the underlying mechanism of circPDK1 was verified. Results CircPDK1 was highly abundant in PC tumor tissues and serum exosomes and was associated with poor survival. Exosomal circPDK1 significantly promoted PC cell proliferation, migration, and glycolysis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, circPDK1 could be activated by HIF1A at the transcriptional level and sponges miR-628-3p to activate the BPTF/c-myc axis. In addition, circPDK1 serves as a scaffold that enhances the interaction between UBE2O and BIN1, inducing the UBE2O-mediated degradation of BIN1. Conclusions We found that circPDK1 was activated by HIF1A at the transcriptional level by modulating the miR-628-3p/BPTF axis and degrading BIN1. Exosomal circPDK1 is a promising biomarker for PC diagnosis and prognosis and represents a potential therapeutic target for PC.

The regulatory mechanisms contributing to male reproductive ageing are unknown. Here, the authors show that Nestin-dependent mito-ER contacts (MERCs) regulate stem Leydig cell (SLC) senescence and provide insights into SLCs-targeting therapies.

Abstract Background Clinical practice is a core component of nurse education. It is believed that nursing students’ clinical placement experiences can affect their learning outcomes, satisfaction, as well as influence their choice of future career. To examine nursing students’ perception of clinical learning environment and mentoring in hospital where they perform their clinical placement and the connection of these factor with intention to work as a nurse once graduated. Methods Nursing students enrolled in clinical practice at least 6 months in hospitals in China were surveyed between January–March 2021. Percentages, frequencies, mean, standard deviation, t-test, ANOVA, and regression analysis were used to analyse the data. Results Of the five scales in the CLES+T, ‘Leadership style of the ward manager’ scored the highest mean while ‘Pedagogical atmosphere at the ward’ scored the lowest. Nursing students with lower educational level, those supervised by fixed preceptor, and those intent to be a nurse in the future were significantly more satisfied with the CLES+T. Most of the nursing students are intent to work as a nurse in the future. CLES+T total scores and sub-dimensions (Premises of nursing on the ward) have significantly effectiveness on the intention to be a nurse in the future. Conclusions Given the significant correlation of between learning environments and nursing students intention to be a nurse in the future, ward managers need to build a good clinical teaching atmosphere and promote opportunities for theoretical and practical connections among students through effective feedback mechanisms, which can enable students to experience a better clinical learning environment and meaningful experiences to build their professional roles and competencies, thus helping to enhance students’ willingness to pursue nursing careers in the future.

In order to explore the regulatory mechanism of tetralin (THN) on the reactivity of volatiles in the pyrolysis and thermal field during pyrolysis of Naomaohu coal, a two-stage fixed-bed reactor was used. Two research schemes (A and B) were designed to introduce THN into the first-stage and second-stage reactors to compare and analyze the difference in the reactivity of volatiles between two stages and its influences on product distributions and coking behaviors. The results show that under the two schemes, THN tiad significant regulation effects on the volatiles' reactivity, effectively achieving the role of increasing oil and reducing water. Compared with that in scheme B, this effect is more significant in scheme A in the thermo-field temperature ranges of 400~550 ℃, which contributes to capturing the intermediates of oxygen-containing radical with stronger reactivity in volatiles system and reducing the reactivity of volatiles migrating to the reaction stage. At higher thermo-field temperatures, the residence time is increased for THN not involved in reaction and its transformation products, which mix with reactive volatiles, resulting in a significant decrease in the increment of liquid products and a promoted formation of aromatic hydrocarbons with 2~5 rings and coke.

Abstract Background LncRNA-PACERR plays critical role in the polarization of tissue-associated macrophages (TAMs). In this study, we found the function and molecular mechanism of PACERR in TAMs to regulate pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) progression. Methods We used qPCR to analyse the expression of PACERR in TAMs and M1-tissue-resident macrophages (M1-NTRMs) which were isolated from 46 PDAC tissues. The function of PACERR on macrophages polarization and PDAC proliferation, migration and invasion were confirmed through in vivo and in vitro assays. The molecular mechanism of PACERR was discussed via fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), RNA pull-down, ChIP-qPCR, RIP-qPCR and luciferase assays. Results LncRNA-PACERR was high expression in TAMs and associated with poor prognosis in PDAC patients. Our finding validated that LncRNA-PACERR increased the number of M2-polarized cells and facilized cell proliferation, invasion and migration in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistically, LncRNA-PACERR activate KLF12/p-AKT/c-myc pathway by binding to miR-671-3p. And LncRNA-PACERR which bound to IGF2BP2 acts as an m6A-dependent manner to enhance the stability of KLF12 and c-myc in cytoplasm. In addition, the promoter of LncRNA-PACERR was a target of KLF12 and LncRNA-PACERR recruited EP300 to increase the acetylation of histone by interacting with KLF12 in nucleus. Conclusions This study found that LncRNA-PACERR functions as key regulator of TAMs in PDAC microenvironment and revealed the novel mechanisms in cytoplasm and in nucleus.

Abstract Rational design and controllable synthesis of practical electrodes with high stability and activity at high current density for a hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) are critical for renewable and sustainable energy conversion. However, high‐performance TiO2‐based electrocatalysts for HER are quite limited, and the catalytic active centers still remain elusive. Herein, a simple strategy is demonstrated for the synthesis of TiO2–carbon composite (TiO2/C) with high HER performance and stability. The remarkable HER performance of TiO2/C can be ascribed to the doping of carbon atoms, which leads to stronger hybridization of Ti 3d and O 2p orbitals, thus substantially improving the electrocatalytic efficiency. This study elucidates that the hydrogen evolution activity of oxide electrocatalysts can be largely improved by regulating their electronic structures by doping carbon atoms and also provides an effective strategy for designing heterostructured electrocatalysts with high catalytic activity and stability at high current density for HER.

The effect of pH value on the corrosion behavior and microstructural evolution of carbon fiber reinforced magnesium matrix (Cf/Mg) composites in NaCl solution were investigated. The results of the electrochemical test revealed that the corrosion current density of Cf/Mg composites in pH = 13 solution achieved 3.4 × 10−5 Am/cm2, which was one order and two orders of magnitude lower than that of pH = 7 solution (2.6 × 10−4 Am/cm2) and pH = 1 solution (1.1 × 10−3 Am/cm2), respectively. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) curves implied that the corrosion resistance of Cf/Mg composites was enhanced when the pH value increased. The microstructure of the Cf/Mg composites after corrosion in the solution with pH = 13 first appeared as some point-like bumps, and then gradually grew into a lamellar structure. The corrosion mechanisms and microstructural evolution of the Cf/Mg composites were systematically discussed.

Rare and vulnerable endemic plants represent different evolutionary units that occur at different times, and protecting these species is a key issue in biological protection. Understanding the impact of the history of endangered plant populations on their genetic diversity helps to reveal evolutionary history and is crucial for guiding conservation efforts. Saussurea involucrata, a perennial alpine species mainly distributed in the Tianshan Mountains, is famous for its medicinal value but has become endangered due to over-exploitation. In the present study, we employed both nuclear and chloroplast DNA sequences to investigate the genetic distribution pattern and evolutionary history of S. involucrata. A total of 270 individuals covering nine S. involucrata populations were sampled for the amplification and sequencing of nrDNA Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) and chloroplast trnL-trnF, matK and ndhF-rpl32 sequences. Via calculation, we identified 7 nuclear and 12 plastid haplotypes. Among the nine populations, GL and BA were characterized by high haplotype diversity, whereas BG revealed the lowest haplotype diversity. Molecular dating estimations suggest that divergence among S. involucrata populations occurred around 0.75 Ma, coinciding with the uplift of Tianshan Mountains. Our results reveal that both isolation-by-distance (IBD) and isolation-by-resistance (IBR) have promoted genetic differentiation among populations of S. involucrata. The results from the ecological niche modeling analyses show a more suitable habitat for S. involucrata in the past than at present, indicating a historical distribution contraction of the species. This study provides new insight into understanding the genetic differentiation of S. involucrata, as well as the theoretical basis for conserving this species.

The common walnut (Juglans regia L.), a species of significant economic and ecological importance, along with its variant, holds developmental value. Simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers are used as an effective method for material identification due to their co-dominant inheritance. In this work, a total of 357629 SSR loci were searched based on previously published walnut genome sequences, with a density of 662.28 (SSRs/Mb). The majority of all these loci were found to be single nucleotide A/T (58.49%), followed by the dinucleotide AT (19.48%). Based on the results of genome-wide SSR site design, 22 effective primer pairs were designed and screened to analyze the genetic diversity of 48 wild walnut samples from three countries. Each locus had an average of 5.17 effective alleles (Ne), with an average polymorphism information content (PIC) of 0.71, average heterozygosity (He) of 0.52, and average genetic differentiation index (Fst) of 0.09. The analysis of 48 wild walnut samples from three countries (Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and China) using the unweighted pairwise clustering method and arithmetic mean (UPGMA) along with principal coordinate analysis revealed the division of all samples into three groups. In summary, these novel SSR markers serve as a reference for the identification of wild walnut germplasm in Central Asia and for the development and utilization of wild walnut seed resources.

Anti-icing coatings on outdoor infrastructures inevitably suffer from mechanical injuries in numerous icing scenarios such as hailstorms, sandstorms, impacts of foreign objects, and icing–deicing cycles. Herein, the mechanisms of surface-defect-induced icing are clarified. At the defects, water molecules exhibit stronger adsorption and the heat transfer rate increases, accelerating the condensation of water vapor as well as ice nucleation and propagation. Moreover, the ice–defect interlocking structure increases the ice adhesion strength. Thus, a self-healing (at −20 °C) antifreeze-protein (AFP)-inspired anti-icing coating is developed. The coating is based on a design that mimics the ice-binding and non-ice-binding sites in AFPs. It enables the coating to markedly inhibit ice nucleation (nucleation temperature < −29.4 °C), prevent ice propagation (propagation rate < 0.00048 cm2/s), and reduce ice adhesion on the surface (adhesion strength < 38.9 kPa). More importantly, the coating can also autonomously self-heal at −20 °C, as a result of multiple dynamic bonds in its structure, to inhibit defect-induced icing processes. The healed coating sustains high anti-icing and deicing performance even under various extreme conditions. This work reveals the in-depth mechanism of defect-induced ice formation as well as adhesion, and proposes a self-healing anti-icing coating for outdoor infrastructures.

Previous studies have associated broadband with innovation, but most of them have focused on broadband access or broadband penetration rate rather than broadband speed. However, with the increase in the global broadband penetration rate, network speed is becoming a more important aspect of broadband development. Using a fixed effect model based on panel data from 274 cities in China from 2016 to 2018, we explore the impact of broadband speed on innovation and further validate the relationship by instrumental variable estimation and a series of robustness tests. The main findings are as follows: First, broadband speed significantly promotes patenting, and this effect is greater than the increase in broadband penetration rate. Second, the impact of broadband speed on promoting innovation is more substantial in cities with higher Internet penetration, GDP per capita, science and technology investment, and foreign direct investment. Third, broadband speed could promote innovation by facilitating patenting cooperation among firms. Fourth, we find no evidence of a diminishing marginal effect of broadband speed in this setting. This study has significant practical implications for emerging countries to encourage innovation by increasing broadband speed.

CeCu mixed oxides surface modified by Ti were prepared by self-assembly method. CeCuTi1 (molar ratio of Ce:Cu:Ti = 1:1:1) exhibited enhanced sulfur resistance during benzene catalytic combustion reaction due to the newly formed Ti-O-Cu/Ce structures with strong-acid sites or incremental Lewis-Brønsted acid complex at 300 °C. H2O accelerated the SO2 poisoning because hydroxy groups promote the formation of sulfates. The decreased reducibility and enhanced acidity of sulfated CeCuTi inhibited the activity but improved SO2 resistance, respectively. Meanwhile, Ti weakened the CuO-CeO2 synergistic effects, reducing the activity of fresh CeCuTi. Effects of Ti on activity and sulfur resistance were offered systemically.

As an atom economy technology, the direct esterification reaction of olefins plays a significant role in the production of organic esters. In this work, a series of resin-supported HPW catalysts were prepared using D101, D152, RM027, and A15 as the carriers, and they were used to prepare 1-methylpentyl acetate by the esterification of 1-hexene and acetic acid. The composition, structure, morphology, acid content, and other parameters of catalysts were characterized. In the esterification reaction, the activity order of catalysts is as follows: 20.0%HPW/A15 > 20.0%HPW/D101 ≈ 20.0%HPW/D152 > 20.0%HPW/RM027. It depends on the acid strength of the carrier, the interaction between the carrier and HPW, and the HPW content. Moreover, it can be concluded that the weak acid resin carrier is completely inactive for the esterification reaction of 1-hexene, and the ratio of acetic acid to 1-hexene has a significant influence on the product selectivity. When n (acetic acid)/n (1-hexene) = 2, the optimum 1-methylpentyl acetate selectivity is 38.2%. Results of repeated experiments confirm that the stability of the active constituent is related to the type of functional groups on the carrier.

BackgroundThe existence, frequency, and features of cognitive impairment (CI) in patients with neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) are still debated. A precise classification and characterization of cognitive phenotypes in patients with NMOSD are lacking.MethodsA total of 66 patients with NMOSD and 22 healthy controls (HCs) underwent a neuropsychological assessment. Latent profile analysis (LPA) on cognitive test z scores was used to identify cognitive phenotypes, and ANOVA was used to define the clinical features of each phenotype. Univariate and multivariate analyses were used to explore the predictors of severe CI, and a corresponding nomogram was created to visualize the predictive model.ResultsLPA results suggested four distinct meaningful cognitive phenotypes in NMOSD: preserved cognition (n = 20, 30.3%), mild-attention (n = 21, 31.8%), mild-multidomain (n = 18, 27.3%), and severe-multidomain (n = 7, 10.6%). Patients with the last three phenotypes were perceived to have CI, which accounts for 67.6% of patients with NMOSD. Patients with NMOSD and worse cognitive function were older (p < 0.001) and had lower educational levels (p < 0.001), later clinical onset (p = 0.01), worse Expanded Disability Status Scale scores (p = 0.001), and poorer lower-limb motor function (Timed 25-Foot Walk, p = 0.029; 12-item Multiple Sclerosis Walking Scale [MSWS-12], p < 0.001). Deterioration of Nine-Hole Peg Test (odds ratio, OR: 1.115 [1, 1.243], p = 0.05) and MSWS-12 (OR: 1.069 [1.003, 1.139], p = 0.04) were the independent risk factors for severe cognitive dysfunction. Finally, a nomogram was built based on the entire cohort and the above factors to serve as a useful tool for clinicians to evaluate the risk of severe cognitive dysfunction.ConclusionsWe introduced a classification scheme for CI and highlighted that the deterioration of upper- and lower-limb motor disability potentially predicts cognitive phenotypes in NMOSD.

BackgroundNeuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) often leads to disability and exerts a heavy toll on the work and life of affected female patients. This study aimed to analyze the current employment situation and economic burden as well as the risk factors for unemployment in female patients with NMSOD.MethodsWe compared the following unemployment- and employment-related aspects in with NSMOD, which were investigated using questionnaires: the specific impact of NMOSD on work, medical expenses, and factors affecting unemployment.ResultsWe enrolled 351 female patients with NMOSD. More than half (54.1%, 190/351) of participants reported that the disease led to unemployment. The unemployment group was significantly older (46.9 ± 12.1 years vs. 39.3 ± 9.4 years, P = 0.000), had a higher annual recurrence rate (ARR) (0.6 [inter quartile range [IQR]:0.4–0.9] vs. 0.5 [IQR: 0.3–0.8], P = 0.141), and a higher severe disability rate (44.2% vs. 11.2%, P = 0.000) than the employment group. Moreover, unemployed patients had lower education levels. The factors influencing unemployment included low education (junior middle-school or below), age, higher ARR, and severe disability (odds ratio [OR] = 6.943, P = 0.000; OR = 1.034, P = 0.010; OR = 1.778, P = 0.038; and OR = 4.972, P = 0.000, respectively). Medication and hospitalization costs constituted the principal economic burdens.ConclusionThe heavy financial burden, employment difficulties, and high unemployment rate are the most prominent concerns of female patients with NMOSD who require more social support and concern.

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADC) utilizing the targeting properties of antibodies and therapeutic effects of drugs have emerged a rapid development in recent years. However, the relatively low drug loading capacity of ADC systems commonly results in failure in delivering enough chemical drugs to the desired areas given a safe antibody dose, therefore the therapeutic efficacy of ADC systems is restricted. With the FDA approval of four siRNA drugs, patisiran, givosiran, lumasiran and inclisiran, the development of siRNAs has regained huge attention of researchers, where the design of delivery system for siRNAs is the key issue for further clinical applications. Inspired by the concept of ADC, the antibody–siRNA conjugates (ARC) have emerged as a potential vehicle for targeted siRNA drug delivery, with the ability to overcome the current obstacles in siRNA delivery. In this review, we summarized the efforts in the development of antibody–siRNA conjugates and hope to provide a basic view for researchers who are interested in this field.

BackgroundHelicobacter pylori (HP) infection is one of the leading causes of gastric cancer (GC). However, the interaction between HP and the TME, and its carcinogenic mechanism remains unknown.MethodsThe HP-related prognostic genes were identified based on HP infection-related gene markers and HP infection sample datasets by risk method and NMF algorithm. Principal component analysis (PCA) algorithm was used to constructed the HPscore system. The “limma” R package was employed to determine differentially expressed genes. In addition, the R packages, such as “xCell” and “GSVA”, was used to analyze the relationship between the HPscore and tumor microenvironment. Finally, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was conducted to verify the expression levels of 28 HP-related prognostic genes in tissues.ResultsWe successfully identified 28 HP-related prognostic genes that accurately classified the GC population. There are significant differences in survival between different subgroups (high-, low-risk and cluster_1,2). Thereafter, the HPscore system was constructed to evaluate the signatures of the 28 HP-related prognostic genes. The overall survival rate in the high-HPscore group was poor and immunological surveillance was reduced, whereas the low-HPscore group had a survival advantage and was related to the inflammatory response. HPscore was also strongly correlated with the tumour stage, TME cell infiltration and stemness. The qRT-PCR results showed that DOCK4 expression level of 28 HP-related prognostic genes was higher in gastric cancer tissues than in adjacent tissues.ConclusionsHP signatures play a crucial role in the TME and tumourigenesis. HPscore evaluation of a single tumour sample can help identify the TME characteristics and the carcinogenic mechanism of GC patients infected with HP, based on which personalized treatment can be administered.

ObjectivesThe coexistence of neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) with other autoimmune diseases has been well recognized. However, the causal association between these two conditions has not been fully studied. The etiology and therapies of NMOSD coexisting with autoimmune diseases also need to be elucidated.MethodsWe performed two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine the causality. Genome-wide association (GWAS) summary data from NMOSD, autoimmune thyroid disease (AITD), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and Sjogren’s syndrome (SS) were used to identify genetic instruments. Causal single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were annotated and searched for cis-expression quantitative trait loci (cis-eQTL) data. Pathway enrichment analysis was performed to identify the mechanism of NMOSD coexisting with AITD, SLE, and SS. Potential therapeutic chemicals were searched using the Comparative Toxicogenomics Database.ResultsThe MR analysis found that AITD, SLE, and SS were causally associated with NMOSD susceptibility, but not vice versa. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis revealed that MHC class I-related biological processes and the interferon-gamma-mediated signaling pathway may be involved in the pathogenesis of NMOSD coexisting with AITD, SLE, and SS. A total of 30 chemicals were found which could inhibit the biological function of cis-eQTL genes.ConclusionsOur findings could help better understand the etiology of NMOSD and provide potential therapeutic targets for patients with coexisting conditions.

The Munake grape is a local variety of grape that is widely distributed in Xinjiang, China. This study aims to clarify the genetic structure of the Munake grape population, characterize genetic differentiation and gene flow among populations, gather germplasm, and establish the core germplasm collection. In total, 144 samples were collected from eight geographic populations. Twenty-two SSR markers were used to characterize the genetic diversity as well as the genetic structure of Munake grape germplasm and to establish the core germplasm collection. At each site, the average number of effective alleles (Ne) was 5.019. Overall, genetic diversity was high in the various geographic populations of Munake grapes. Polymorphic information content (PIC) ranged from 0.501 to 0.908, with an average of 0.728. Estimates of genetic differentiation and gene flow indicated that the Artux population had significant genetic differences from the other populations. Screening results indicated that a sampling proportion of 95% of the sample was required to achieve 100% allelic coverage, or a sampling proportion of 65% for 95% allelic coverage. This analysis was based on conventional genetic diversity indicators, with a core germplasm diversity index of 95% coverage. Characterization of the genetic diversity of germplasm from 144 Munake grapes not only provides valuable resources for future genetic mapping and functional genome research, but also facilitates the utilization of core germplasm and molecular breeding of Munake grapes.

Ammopiptanthus possesses ancestral traits and, as a tertiary relict, is one of the surviving remnants of the ancient Mediterranean retreat and climate drought. It is also the only genus of super xerophytic, evergreen, broad-leaved shrubs. Ammopiptanthus nanus, one of the two species in this genus, is predominantly found in extremely arid and frigid environments, and is increasingly threatened with extinction. Study of the species’ genetic diversity is thus beneficial for its survival and the efficacy of ex situ conservation efforts. Based on transcriptome data, 15 pairs of effective EST-SSR were screened to evaluate A. nanus genetic diversity. In all, 87 samples from three populations were evaluated, the results of which show that ex situ conservation in the Wuqia region needs to be supplemented. Conservation and breeding of individual A. nanus offspring should be strengthened in the future to ensure their progeny continue to exhibit high genetic diversity and variation.

The need for long-term treatments of chronic diseases has motivated the widespread development of long-acting parenteral formulations (LAPFs) with the aim of improving drug pharmacokinetics and therapeutic efficacy. LAPFs have been proven to extend the half-life of therapeutics, as well as to improve patient adherence; consequently, this enhances the outcome of therapy positively. Over past decades, considerable progress has been made in designing effective LAPFs in both preclinical and clinical settings. Here we review the latest advances of LAPFs in preclinical and clinical stages, focusing on the strategies and underlying mechanisms for achieving long acting. Existing strategies are classified into manipulation of in vivo clearance and manipulation of drug release from delivery systems, respectively. And the current challenges and prospects of each strategy are discussed. In addition, we also briefly discuss the design principles of LAPFs and provide future perspectives of the rational design of more effective LAPFs for their further clinical translation.