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Shanlan upland rice is an important landrace resource with high drought stress (DS) tolerance. Despite its importance, genes responsible for yield in Shanlan upland rice have yet to be discovered. Our previous study identified a drought-responsive zinc finger protein, ZOS7, as highly expressed in Shanlandao upland rice. However, the function of this gene in controlling drought tolerance remains largely unexplored. In this study, we found that overexpressing ZOS7, a drought-responsive zinc finger protein, in rice increased biomass and yield under drought stress. Co-overexpressing ZOS7 and MYB60, encoding a protein with which ZOS7 interacted, intensified the yield increase. ZOS7 and MYB60 appear to form a module that confers drought tolerance by regulating stomatal density and wax biosynthesis. The ZOS7-MYB60 module could be used in molecular breeding for drought tolerance in rice.

Waterborne epoxy resin (WER) has excellent chemical stability, heat resistance, and mechanical properties, and its application in emulsified asphalt modification is receiving widespread attention in road maintenance. In this paper, the mechanical properties of waterborne epoxy resin modified emulsified asphalt (WEA) binder through different preparation processes were investigated, and the influence of WER on the microstructure, rheological properties, and low-temperature stability of emulsified asphalt was analyzed. The results show that WEA binders prepared using a two-step method can make the curing reaction of the modifier more complete and the mechanical properties more excellent. With the increase of modifier content, WER gradually formed a continuous skeleton structure in emulsified asphalt, and the critical content for the continuous phase of the system to transform from emulsified asphalt to WER was about 15 %. WER could undergo polymerization reactions in emulsified asphalt, and its modification process of emulsified asphalt was mainly physical modification. With the increase of modifier content, the linear viscoelasticity range of the WEA binder gradually decreased, and the high-temperature deformation resistance was significantly improved. The influence of loading frequency on rheological properties also gradually weakened. In addition, WER could significantly improve the high-temperature elastic recovery performance of emulsified asphalt. The elastic recovery rate of the WEA binder exceeded 98 % when the content of the modifier exceeded 15 %. However, WER had certain adverse effects on emulsified asphalt's low-temperature performance, so the modifiers' content should be strictly controlled.

Abstract Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a kind of tumor lacking nutrients due to its poor vascularity and desmoplasia. Recent studies have shown that cancer cells might achieve growth advantage through epitranscriptome reprogramming. However, the role of m5C in PDAC was not fully understood. We found that Aly/REF export factor (ALYREF), a reader of m5C modification, was overexpressed in PDAC, and associated with bad prognosis. In addition, the ALYREF expression was negatively related to CD8+ T cells infiltration in clinical samples. ALYREF knockdown decreased tumor growth in vivo partly dependent of immunity. ALYREF silencing decreased SLC7A5 expression and subsequently inactivated mTORC1 pathway, resulting in decreased tumor proliferation. Mechanically, ALYREF specifically recognized m5C sites in JunD mRNA, maintained the stabilization of JunD mRNA and subsequently upregulated transcription of SLC7A5. Since SLC7A5 was a key transporter of large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), overexpression of SLC7A5 on tumor cells depleted amino acid in microenvironment and restricted CD8+ T cells function. Moreover, ALYREF-JunD-SLC7A5 axis was overexpressed and negatively related with survival through TMA assays. In conclusion, this research revealed the relationship between m5C modification, amino acid transportation and immune microenvironment. ALYREF might be a novel target for PDAC metabolic vulnerability and immune surveillance.

Background: The abnormal position or number of fetal kidneys accounts for 15%–20% of congenital abnormalities in the fetus, often resulting in oligo amniotic fluid or no amniotic fluid, thus affecting the development of fetal lung and resulting in a significant increase in the perinatal mortality of children. Therefore, detailed prenatal examination and evaluation of fetal kidneys should be carried out. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data on fetuses with abnormal kidney location or number, as diagnosed by prenatal ultrasound in our hospital from January 2014 to December 2021. And analysis of the image characteristics, combined with intracardiac and extracardiac malformations, abnormal appendage and pregnancy outcomes, and statistical analysis of the ratio of each type of combined intracardiac malformation, combined with extracardiac malformation, abnormal appendage and induced labor rate respectively. Results: (1) A total of 7953 fetal cases were systematically screened, of which 391 had an abnormal fetal kidney location or number. These included 50 cases of horseshoe kidney, 169 cases of pelvic ectopic kidney, 12 cases of crossed ectopic kidney, and 160 cases of renal absence. (2) The 391 fetuses included 35 cases with intracardiac malformation, 163 cases with extracardiac malformation, and 85 cases with abnormal appendages. (3) With regard to pregnancy outcomes, 324 fetuses were born healthy and showed no significant abnormalities up to 2 years after birth, whereas 67 pregnancies were terminated due to severe fetal malformations. (4) There was no statistical significance in the ratio of intracardiac malformations among the four groups of horseshoe kidney, pelvic ectopic kidney, crossed ectopic kidney, and renal absence (p > 0.05); there was statistical significance in the ratio of the four groups with extracardiac malformations (p < 0.05); there was statistical significance in the ratio of the four groups with abnormal appendage (p < 0.05). The ratio of induced labor rate of the four groups was compared, and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Detailed prenatal ultrasonography can accurately diagnose fetal kidney location or number abnormalities, as well as fetal complications such as intra- and extra-cardiac malformations and abnormal appendages, providing important imaging information for subsequent clinical and eugenic care.

During the service process of a bearingless motorized spindle (BLMS), its parameters change with both time and external conditions, leading to a decrease in the accuracy of the motorized spindle. Therefore, it is difficult to accurately describe the dynamic performance of a motorized spindle during its actual operation using deterministic parameters. In this paper, the interactions between the thermal deformation and vibration of a motorized spindle are explored. A dynamic model of the motorized spindle based on multibody dynamics and time-varying parameters is established, and a solution method for the dynamic model with uncertain parameters is investigated. Firstly, the reasons for the vibration in the BLMS are analyzed, and the influences of thermal deformation on the thermal eccentricity and inhomogeneous air gap of the BLMS are studied. A vibration model of the BLMS is established and solved to acquire the radial vibration displacement. Secondly, a discrete multibody dynamics model of the BLMS is built, and the center trajectory of the motorized spindle is attained by solving the multibody dynamics model. A prototype experimental platform of the BLMS is designed, and vibration tests are carried out. The experimental results show that the vibration amplitude of the BLMS increases with the running time and the maximum displacement exhibits a large deviation from the simulation results using the determined parameters, while there is a small deviation from the simulation results using uncertain parameters; this indicates that the solution of the multibody dynamics model of the BLMS described by uncertain parameters is closer to the experimental data. These research findings can provide a reference for the optimized design of BLMSs.

Background: During the embryonic stage, the inferior vena cava (IVC) is an important conduit for the hepatic vein and ductus venosus to drain into the right atrium. For fetuses with IVC abnormalities, the prognosis may be favorable if the condition is not complicated with other malformations, but would be poor if atrial isomerism coexists. In severe cases, edema, intrauterine fetal death, and atrioventricular block may occur. Therefore, comprehensive prenatal ultrasound that provides detailed information about IVC abnormalities may be clinically significant. Methods: A total of 180 fetuses diagnosed with IVC anomalies via prenatal ultrasound at Hospital of Chengdu University of Traditional Chinese Medicine and Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital from January, 2017 to December, 2022 were included in this study. Their ultrasound image characteristics, associated intra- or extracardiac malformations and pregnancy outcomes were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Among the 180 fetuses, 59 cases were diagnosed with interrupted IVC (53 cases with the interruption of the hepatic segment of the right IVC and 6 cases with the interruption of the entire right IVC), 1 case was diagnosed with the stenosis of the hepatic segment of the right IVC, 90 cases were diagnosed with left sided IVC, 29 cases with double IVC, and 1 case with abnormal connection of the IVC to the left atrium. Moreover, 33 cases had intracardiac malformations and 36 cases had extracardiac malformations. Pregnancy outcomes: 160 fetuses were live born, and their prenatal ultrasound diagnoses were confirmed by computed tomography (CT)/magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or surgery; the remaining 20 fetuses were terminated due to serious malformations, and their prenatal ultrasound diagnoses were confirmed by pathologic examination. Conclusions: Prenatal ultrasound can clearly reveal the fetal IVC abnormalities and the associated intra- or extracardiac malformations. For suspected cases, attention should be focused on prenatal ultrasound examinations in order to obtain valuable information for prenatal consultation and subsequent procedures and care.

Xu et al. develop a model that predicts the disclosure of self-harm and suicide ideation based on data from text-based counselling services. This model could potentially improve the preparedness of crisis workers.

Background: Normally, fetal umbilical vein (UV) starts from the capillary network in the chorionic villus and accompanies the umbilical artery (UA). After leaving the placenta, it courses along within the umbilical cord. As the embryo develops, the proximal segment of both the right and left umbilical veins obliterate, and the distal end of the left umbilical vein enters the liver. The microvessels passing through the liver gradually merge and communicate with the hepatic sinus to form the ductus venosus, which then drains into the inferior vena cava (IVC). UV anatomical and morphological abnormalities in complex and variable forms often lead to poor fetal prognosis. In light of this, a thorough prenatal ultrasound providing detailed information on UV abnormalities is potentially clinically significant. Methods: The sonographic features and clinical data of fetuses diagnosed with abnormal umbilical vein anatomy and morphology by antenatal ultrasonography from January 2016 to December 2021 in Sichuan Provincial Maternity and Child Health Care Hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Results: A total of 403 fetuses were included in the study. Among them, 318 cases were diagnosed with intrahepatic persistent right umbilical vein, and 44 cases experienced intracardiac malformations, 34 cases with extracardiac malformations, and 14 cases with both intra- and extracardiac malformations. Three cases had double umbilical veins; 1 case with intracardiac malformation and 1 case with extracardiac malformation. Eighty cases were diagnosed with umbilical vein varix (manifested as intra- or extra-abdominal vein varix or umbilical vein aneurysm); 2 cases with intracardiac malformations and 11 cases with extracardiac malformations. Two cases were diagnosed with umbilical vein stenosis, with neither of them combined with other malformations. Among the 403 fetuses, 86 received genetic testing with 8 of them confirmed with chromosomal abnormalities and the remaining 78 being normal. Of the 8 cases, 7 were diagnosed with persistent right umbilical vein (PRUV) and 1 had umbilical vein stenosis. As related to pregnancy outcomes, 386 fetuses had no obvious abnormalities being observed during the subsequent 2 years’ follow-up and 17 cases were terminated due to serious malformations. Conclusions: Antenatal ultrasound assists in the accurate diagnosis of anatomical and morphological abnormalities of the umbilical vein. For cases with no other malformations or chromosomal abnormalities, a better prognosis can be expected and careful follow-up is required, whereas for those with severe malformations or chromosomal abnormalities, the prognosis is often poor. Prenatal ultrasound should provide careful examination to determine whether the fetal umbilical vein has normal anatomy and morphology, thereby supporting better prenatal outcomes.

Background: The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has caused over 6 million deaths world-wide. In the pre-vaccination era, we noted a 5·3% SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibody positivity rate in 81,624 subjects. Methods: Utilizing assays for serum SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein antibody (Roche) and neutralizing antibody (Diazyme), both >90% IgG, we measured antibodies in 13,189 subjects in the post-vaccination era, and in 69 subjects before and 60 days after booster vaccination. Results: In 2021, in 10,267 subjects, 25·0% had negative S protein levels (250 U/L). Median neutralizing antibody levels were 1·16 and 2·06 AU/mL in the low and high positive groups, respectively. In 2022, we evaluated 2,016 subjects where samples were diluted 1:100 if S protein antibody levels were >250 U/L. Median S protein and neutralizing antibody levels were 2,065 U/L (86.3% positivity) and 2·68 AU/mL (68.0% positivity), respectively. Antibody levels were also measured in 69 subjects before and 60 days after receiving SARS-CoV-2 booster vaccinations. Treatment resulted in a 15-fold increase in S protein antibody levels from 1,010 to 17,236 U/L, and a 6-fold increase in neutralizing antibody from 1·51 to 12·51 AU/mL in neutralizing antibody levels, respectively (both P

Abstract As COVID-19 continues to spread rapidly worldwide and variants continue to emerge, the development and deployment of safe and effective vaccines are urgently needed. Here, we developed an mRNA vaccine based on the trimeric receptor-binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike (S) protein fused to ferritin-formed nanoparticles (TF-RBD). Compared to the trimeric form of the RBD mRNA vaccine (T-RBD), TF-RBD delivered intramuscularly elicited robust and durable humoral immunity as well as a Th1-biased cellular response. After further challenge with live SARS-CoV-2, immunization with a two-shot low-dose regimen of TF-RBD provided adequate protection in hACE2-transduced mice. In addition, the mRNA template of TF-RBD was easily and quickly engineered into a variant vaccine to address SARS-CoV-2 mutations. The TF-RBD multivalent vaccine produced broad-spectrum neutralizing antibodies against Alpha (B.1.1.7) and Beta (B.1.351) variants. This mRNA vaccine based on the encoded self-assembled nanoparticle-based trimer RBD provides a reference for the design of mRNA vaccines targeting SARS-CoV-2.

Background: The fetal ductus venosus (DV) is an important vessel that connects the umbilical vein (UV) to the proximal end of the inferior vena cava (IVC). DV abnormality often leads to poor fetal outcome. Thus, careful prenatal ultrasound for the diagnosis of DV abnormality is of major clinical significance. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 166 cases diagnosed with DV abnormality by prenatal ultrasonography. The type of DV abnormality, aberrant DV connection, and combination with intra- and extra-cardiac malformations were evaluated, together with pregnancy outcomes and chromosomal anomalies. Results: Prenatal ultrasound screening revealed that 137 of the 166 fetal cases with DV abnormality showed an absence of ductus venosus (ADV) accompanied by aberrant drainage of the UV (119 cases with intrahepatic shunt of the UV and 18 cases were extrahepatic shunt of the UV). Another 27 cases showed aberrant DV connections (9 cases with intrahepatic shunt of the UV and 18 cases with extrahepatic shunt of the UV). In addition, one case showed DV bifurcation accompanied by extrahepatic shunt of the UV, and one case showed DV atresia accompanied by intrahepatic shunt of the UV. Moreover, 72 cases were also diagnosed with intra- or extra-cardiac malformations. A total of 105 fetuses were born, including 79 with ADV, 24 with aberrant DV connection, 1 with DV bifurcation, and 1 with DV atresia. These were followed up for an average period of 12 months (range 1 to 24 months). Liver-function tests and cardiac ultrasound were performed postpartum. Pregnancy was terminated in 61 cases due to severe fetal deformities, which were confirmed by pathological anatomy after abortion. Only 28 cases underwent chromosomal examination, of which one case was diagnosed with trisomy 21 and another with trisomy 18. Conclusions: Prenatal ultrasound can clearly show fetal DV abnormalities and aberrant connections, as well as associated intra- and extra-cardiac malformations. This procedure can therefore provide comprehensive support for the diagnosis of fetal DV abnormality. Careful attention should thus be paid during prenatal ultrasound examination in order to obtain valuable information for prenatal consultation and subsequent procedures and care.

Aiming at some stress-induced failure phenomena in surrounding rock that occur during the construction of super-long and deep-buried tunnels, a method for estimating the in situ stress in the tunnels based on multivariate information integration is proposed, which uses a small amount of in situ stress measurement, stereographic projection technology, and a numerical simulation method. Firstly, by conducting a macroscopic analysis of the regional geological structure, topography, and pre-excavated small tunnels (such as exploration of adits and pilot tunnels), the strength of the tectonic stress field and the orientation of the principal stresses in the tunnel sections are preliminarily determined. Secondly, the reliability of the in situ stress measurement data were analyzed using full-space stereographic projection and the plane stress projection method. Then, some representative measurement points that reflected the distribution characteristics of in situ stress in the project area, on the whole, were determined. Thirdly, the finite difference (FDM) and multiple regression analysis (MRA) methods were used to inverse the in situ stress field in the project area. The proposed method was applied to a super-long and deep-buried tunnel project in Qinling, and the in situ stress distribution characteristics of the tunnel sections at different mileages were obtained. The results show that both the calculated principal stress values and the azimuth angle of the maximum horizontal principal stress are in good agreement with the measured ones, indicating that the method used in this study is reasonable. Finally, the typical surrounding rock failure phenomena encountered during the excavation of the project were investigated, and targeted treatment measures were proposed. The research results can provide references for support design and disaster management of surrounding rock in deep-buried long tunnels.

Despite the fact that SARS-CoV-2 vaccines have been available in most parts of the world, the epidemic status remains grim with new variants emerging and escaping the immune protection of existing vaccines. Therefore, the development of more effective antigens and evaluation of their cross-protective immunity against different SARS-CoV-2 variants are particularly urgent. In this study, we expressed the wild type (WT), Alpha, Beta, Delta, and Lambda RBD proteins to immunize mice and evaluated their cross-neutralizing activity against different pseudoviruses (WT, Alpha, Beta, Delta, Lambda, and Omicron). All monovalent and pentavalent RBD antigens induced high titers of IgG antibodies against different variant RBD antigens. In contrast, WT RBD antigen-induced antibodies showed a lower neutralizing activity against Beta, Delta, Lambda, and Omicron pseudoviruses compared to neutralization against itself. Interestingly, Beta RBD antigen and multivalent antigen induced broader cross-neutralization antibodies than other variant RBD antigens. These data provide a reference for vaccine strain selection and universal COVID-19 vaccine design to fight the constant emergence of new SARS-CoV-2 variants.

Protein arginine methyltransferase 5 (PRMT5) is an important type II arginine methyltransferase that can play roles in cancers in a highly tissue-specific manner, but its role in the carcinogenesis and metastasis of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) remains unclear. Here, we detected PRMT5 expression in HNSCC tissues and performed series of in vivo and in vitro assays to investigate the function and mechanism of PRMT5 in HNSCC. We found that PRMT5 was overexpressed in dysplastic and cancer tissues, and associated with lymph node metastasis and worse patient survival. PRMT5 knockdown repressed the malignant phenotype of HNSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. PRMT5 specific inhibitor blocked the formation of precancerous lesion and HNSCC in 4NQO-induced tongue carcinogenesis model, prevented lymph node metastasis in tongue orthotopic xenograft model and inhibited cancer development in subcutaneous xenograft model and Patient-Derived tumor Xenograft (PDX) model. Mechanistically, PRMT5-catalyzed H3R2me2s promotes the enrichment of H3K4me3 in the Twist1 promoter region by recruiting WDR5, and subsequently activates the transcription of Twist1. The rescue experiments indicated that overexpressed Twist1 abrogated the inhibition of cell invasion induced by PRMT5 inhibitor. In summary, this study elucidates that PRMT5 inhibition could reduce H3K4me3-mediated Twist1 transcription and retard the carcinogenesis and metastasis of HNSCC.

Abstract Background Congenital orbital teratoma is relatively rare, and few reports of prenatal ultrasound findings in such cases have been published. Case presentation A rare case of congenital orbital teratoma at 24 + 2 weeks of gestation was previously diagnosed as microphthalmia, noting how orbital teratoma without proptosis is different from microphthalmia, retinoblastoma and intracranial teratoma. Ultrasound examination, analysis of gross specimens, and histopathological evaluation confirmed the diagnosis of orbital teratoma. Conclusion Prenatal ultrasound examination is useful for diagnosis and differential diagnosis of congenital orbital teratoma.

Backgrounds In advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC), immune therapy, including immune checkpoint inhibitors, has limited efficacy, encouraging the study of combination therapy.Methods Tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) was analyzed via immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, western blotting, and ELISAs. The in vitro mechanism that TNFR2 regulates programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 (PD-L1) was investigated using immunofluorescence, immunohistochemistry, flow cytometry, western blotting, and chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP). In vivo efficacy and mechanistic studies, using C57BL/6 mice and nude mice with KPC cell-derived subcutaneous and orthotopic tumors, employed antibodies against TNFR2 and PD-L1. Survival curves were constructed for the orthotopic model and a genetically engineered PDAC model (LSL-KrasG12D/+; LSL-Trp53R172H/+; Pdx1-Cre). Mass cytometry, immunohistochemistry, and flow cytometry analyzed local and systemic alterations in the immunophenotype.Results TNFR2 showed high expression and is a prognostic factor in CD8+ T cell-enriched pancreatic cancer. TNFR2 promotes tumorigenesis and progression of pancreatic cancer via dual effect: suppressing cancer immunogenicity and partially accelerating tumor growth. TNFR2 positivity correlated with PD-L1, and in vitro and in vivo, it could regulate the expression of PDL1 at the transcription level via the p65 NF-κB pathway. Combining anti-TNFR2 and PD-L1 antibodies eradicated tumors, prolonged overall survival in pancreatic cancer, and induced strong antitumor immune memory and secondary prevention by reducing the infiltration of Tregs and tumor-associated macrophages and inducing CD8+ T cell activation in the PDAC microenvironment. Finally, the antitumor immune response derived from combination therapy is mainly dependent on CD8+ T cells, partially dependent on CD4+ T cells, and independent of natural killer cells.Conclusions Anti-TNFR2 and anti-PD-L1 combination therapy eradicated tumors by inhibiting their growth, relieving tumor immunosuppression, and generating robust memory recall.

ObjectiveThe clinical features of solitary pulmonary nodules (SPN) in breast cancer patients were retrospectively analyzed, and the clinical features of primary lung cancer (PLC) and metastatic pulmonary breast cancer (MBC) in breast cancer patients were compared, and the treatment plan, curative effect and influencing factors were analyzed.MethodsThe clinical data of 106 patients of SPN combined with breast cancer surgery in our hospital from January 2015 to June 2020 were analyzed. There were 65 patients of PLC and 41 patients of MBC. Record the characteristics of the primary breast cancer lesion in our patient, the interval between the initial diagnosis of breast cancer and the appearance of SPN, the previous treatment history of our patient, and the characteristics and surgical method of SPN. The survival status of all patients during the follow-up period was recorded.ResultsThe onset age, interval, maximum nodule diameter, ER expression positive rate and radiotherapy history ratio of PLC patients were higher than those of MBC patients, and the lymph node positive rate and triple negative rate were lower than those of MBC patients (P < 0.05). Median survival was 51 months in patients with PLC and 37 months in patients with MBC. The 1, 3, and 5 year overall survival rates in patients with PLC were higher than those in patients with MBC (P < 0.05). Vascular tumor thrombus, SPN type and chemotherapy were all independent factors affecting the prognosis of patients with breast cancer combined with SPN (P < 0.05).ConclusionPLC patients and MBC patients have significant differences in pathological characteristics, like the onset age, interval, maximum nodule diameter, ER expression positive rate, radiotherapy history ratio, the lymph node positive rate, and triple negative rate. Septum, vascular tumor thrombus, SPN type, and chemotherapy are all independent factors that affect the curative effect of breast cancer patients with SPN. Based on the nature of SPN, it can provide reference for clinicians to decide the treatment plan, improve patients' quality of life and prolong their survival time.

Background: More so than face-to-face counseling, users of online text-based services might drop out from a session before establishing a clear closure or expressing the intention to leave. Such premature departure may be indicative of heightened risk or dissatisfaction with the service or counselor. However, there is no systematic way to identify this understudied phenomenon. Purpose: This study has two objectives. First, we developed a set of rules and used logic-based pattern matching techniques to systematically identify premature departures in an online text-based counseling service. Second, we validated the importance of premature departure by examining its association with user satisfaction. We hypothesized that the users who rated the session as less helpful were more likely to have departed prematurely. Method: We developed and tested a classification model using a sample of 575 human-annotated sessions from an online text-based counseling platform. We used 80% of the dataset to train and develop the model and 20% of the dataset to evaluate the model performance. We further applied the model to the full dataset (34,821 sessions). We compared user satisfaction between premature departure and completed sessions based on data from a post-session survey. Results: The resulting model achieved 97% and 92% F1 score in detecting premature departure cases in the training and test sets, respectively, suggesting it is highly consistent with the judgment of human coders. When applied to the full dataset, the model classified 15,150 (43.5%) sessions as premature departure and the remaining 19,671 (56.5%) as completed sessions. Completed cases (15.2%) were more likely to fill the post-chat survey than premature departure cases (4.0%). Premature departure was significantly associated with lower perceived helpfulness and effectiveness in distress reduction. Conclusions: The model is the first that systematically and accurately identifies premature departure in online text-based counseling. It can be readily modified and transferred to other contexts for the purpose of risk mitigation and service evaluation and improvement.

The vase life of cut flowers is largely affected by post-harvest water loss. Cuticular wax is the primary barrier to uncontrolled water loss for aerial plant organs. Studies on leaf cuticular transpiration have been widely conducted; however, little is known about cuticular transpiration in flowers. Here, the cuticular transpiration rate and wax composition of three lily cultivars were determined. The minimum water conductance of tepal cuticles was higher at the green bud than open flower stage. Lily cuticular transpiration exhibited cultivar- and organ-specific differences, where transpiration from the tepals was higher than leaves and was higher in the ‘Huang Tianba’ than ‘Tiber’ cultivar. The overall wax coverage of the tepals was higher compared to that of the leaves. Very-long-chain aliphatics were the main wax constituents and were dominated by n-alkanes with carbon (C) chain lengths of C27 and C29, and C29 and C31 in the tepal and leaf waxes, respectively. Primary alcohols and fatty acids as well as small amounts of alkyl esters, ketones, and branched or unsaturated n-alkanes were also detected in both tepal and leaf waxes, depending on the cultivar and organ. In addition, the chain-length distributions were similar between compound classes within cultivars, whereas the predominant C-chain lengths were substantially different between organs. This suggests that the less effective transpiration barrier provided by the tepal waxes may result from the shorter C-chain aliphatics in the tepal cuticle, compared to those in the leaf cuticle. These findings provide further insights to support the exploration of potential techniques for extending the shelf life of cut flowers based on cuticular transpiration barrier properties.

Abstract Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common and aggressive epithelial tumor in the head and neck region with a rising incidence. Despite the advances in basic science and clinical research, the overall survival rate of OSCC remains low. Thus finding novel effective therapeutic agents for OSCC is necessary. In this study, we investigated the effects and mechanisms of combined metformin and 4SC‐202 in OSCC. Our results showed that metformin and 4SC‐202 synergistically suppressed the proliferation and promoted the intrinsic apoptosis of OSCC cells in vitro and in vivo. Importantly, the proteasome inhibitor MG132 impeded the ΔNp63‐decreasing effects after metformin and 4SC‐202 treatment, indicating that metformin and 4SC‐202 could promote the degradation of ΔNp63 protein. Moreover, ubiquitination level of ΔNp63 increased after metformin or/and 4SC‐202 administration. Furthermore, we revealed that ΔNp63 mediated anticancer effects of metformin and 4SC‐202, as overexpression or suppression of ΔNp63 could attenuate or facilitate the apoptosis rate of OSCC under metformin or/and 4SC‐202 treatment. Collectively, metformin and 4SC‐202 synergistically promote intrinsic apoptosis through accelerating ubiquitin‐mediated degradation of ΔNp63 in OSCC, and this co‐treatment can serve as a potential therapeutic scheme for OSCC.

Most deaths from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection occur in older subjects. We assessed the utility of serum inflammatory markers interleukin-6 (IL-6), C reactive protein (CRP), and ferritin (Roche, Indianapolis, IN), and SARS-CoV-2 immunoglobulin G (IgG), immunoglobulin M (IgM), and neutralizing antibodies (Diazyme, Poway, CA). In controls, non-hospitalized subjects, and hospitalized subjects assessed for SARS-CoV-2 RNA (n = 278), median IgG levels in arbitrary units (AU)/mL were 0.05 in negative subjects, 14.83 in positive outpatients, and 30.61 in positive hospitalized patients (P

Temozolomide (TMZ) resistance in glioblastomas (GBM) is associated with increased MGMT expression. Here, the authors identify an enhancer between the promoters of MKI67 and MGMT, that when activated drives MGMT expression despite MGMT promoter methylation to confer TMZ resistance in GBM.

African swine fever virus (ASFV) causes acute hemorrhagic fever in domestic pigs and wild boars, resulting in incalculable economic losses to the pig industry. As the mechanism of viral infection is not clear, protective antigens have not been discovered or identified. In this study, we determined that the p30, pp62, p72, and CD2v proteins were all involved in the T cell immune response of live pigs infected with ASFV, among which p72 and pp62 proteins were the strongest. Panoramic scanning was performed on T cell epitopes of the p72 protein, and three high-frequency positive epitopes were selected to construct a swine leukocyte antigen (SLA)-tetramer, and ASFV-specific T cells were detected. Subsequently, the specific T cell and humoral immune responses of ASFV-infected pigs and surviving pigs were compared. The results demonstrate that the specific T cellular immunity responses gradually increased during the infection and were higher than that in the surviving pigs in the late stages of infection. The same trend was observed in specific humoral immune responses, which were highest in surviving pigs. In general, our study provides key information for the exploration of ASFV-specific immune responses and the development of an ASFV vaccine.

Francisella tularensis is a highly infectious intracellular pathogen that infects a wide range of host species and causes fatal pneumonic tularemia in humans. ftlA was identified as a potential virulence determinant of the F. tularensis live vaccine strain (LVS) in our previous transposon screen, but its function remained undefined. Here, we show that an unmarked deletion mutant of ftlA was avirulent in a pneumonia mouse model with a severely impaired capacity to infect host cells. Consistent with its sequence homology with GDSL lipase/esterase family proteins, the FtlA protein displayed lipolytic activity in both E. coli and F. tularensis with a preference for relatively short carbon-chain substrates. FtlA thus represents the first F. tularensis lipase to promote bacterial infection of host cells and in vivo fitness. As a cytoplasmic protein, we found that FtlA was secreted into the extracellular environment as a component of outer membrane vesicles (OMVs). Further confocal microscopy analysis revealed that the FtlA-containing OMVs isolated from F. tularensis LVS attached to the host cell membrane. Finally, the OMV-associated FtlA protein complemented the genetic deficiency of the ΔftlA mutant in terms of host cell infection when OMVs purified from the parent strain were co-incubated with the mutant bacteria. These lines of evidence strongly suggest that the FtlA lipase promotes F. tularensis adhesion and internalization by modifying bacterial and/or host molecule(s) when it is secreted as a component of OMVs.Emerging Microbes & Infections (2017) 6, e66; doi:10.1038/emi.2017.53; published online 26 July 2017

Avian influenza virus (AIV) can infect a variety of avian species and mammals, leading to severe economic losses in poultry industry and posing a substantial threat to public health. Currently, traditional virus isolation and identification is inadequate for the early diagnosis because of its labor-intensive and time-consuming features. Real-time RT-PCR (RRT-PCR) is an ideal method for the detection of AIV since it is highly specific, sensitive and rapid. In addition, as the new quencher MGB is used in RRT-PCR, it only needs shorter probe and helps the binding of target gene and probe. In this study, a pan-AIV RRT-PCR for the detection of all AIVs and H5-AIV RRT-PCR for detection of H5 AIV based on NP gene of AIV and HA gene of H5 AIV were successfully established using Taqman-MGB method. We tested 14 AIV strains in total and the results showed that the pan-AIV RRT-PCR can detect AIV of various HA subtypes and the H5-AIV RRT-PCR can detect H5 AIV circulating in poultry in China in recent three years, including H5 viruses of clade 7.2, clade 2.3.4.4 and clade 2.3.2.1. Furthermore, the multiplex detection limit for pan-AIV and H5-AIV RRT-PCR was 5 copies per reaction. When this multiplex method was applied in the detection of experimental and live poultry market samples, the detection rates of pan-AIV and H5 AIV in RRT-PCR were both higher than the routine virus isolation method with embryonated chicken eggs. The multiplex RRT-PCR method established in our study showed high sensitivity, reproducibility and specificity, suggesting the promising application of our method for surveillance of both pan AIV and prevalent H5 AIV in live poultry markets and clinical samples.

An expressed sequence tag (EST) obtained from a subtractive-suppression hybridization cDNA library constructed using Catharanthus roseus cell line C20hi and its parental cell line C20D was used to clone a full-length cytochrome P450 cDNA of cyp71d1. The encoded polypeptide contained 507 amino acids with 39–56% identity to other CYP71D subfamily members at the amino acid level. Expression characteristics of cyp71d1 were determined using semi-quantitative RT-PCR. The cyp71d1 transcript was expressed in all three cell lines with the highest level in the cell line C20hi. In the mature C. roseus plant, the cyp71d1 cDNA was highly expressed in petals, roots and stems, but very weakly expressed in young leaves. Its transcription level increased with the development of flowers. 2,4-D could down-regulate the transcription of cyp71d1, as did KT, but only to a minor degree. Neither light nor yeast elicitor could induce the transcription of cyp71d1.

This paper mainly concentrates on the thermal conductivity and photo-thermal conversion performance of polyethylene glycol (PEG)/graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) composite phase change materials (PCMs). The temperature-assisted solution blending method is used to prepare PCM with different mass fraction of GNPs. According to the scanning electron microscope (SEM), GNPs are evenly distributed in the PEG matrix, forming a thermal conduction pathway. The Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results show that the composites can still inherit the crystallization structure of PEG, moreover, there are only physical reactions between PEG and GNPs rather than chemical reactions. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) and thermal conductivity analysis results indicate that it may be beneficial to add a low loading ration of GNPs to obtain the suitable latent heat as well as enhance the thermal conductivity of composites. To investigate the change in the rheological behavior due to the effect of GNPs, the viscosity of the composites was measured as well. The photo-thermal energy conversion experiment indicates that the PEG/GNPs composites show better performance in photothermal energy conversion, moreover, the Ultraviolet-visible-Near Infrared spectroscopy is applied to illustrate the reasons for the higher absorption efficiency of PEG/GNPs for solar irradiation.

Objectives: To explore the image characteristics and main types of abnormal branching of fetal pulmonary artery in prenatal echocardiography. Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 41 cases diagnosed with abnormal branching of fetal pulmonary artery by prenatal echocardiography was made. The image characteristics of the abnormalities, their combination with intra- or extra-cardiac malformations and chromosomal anomalies were analyzed. Results: The results of prenatal echocardiography showed that, among the 41 cases: 1) 4 cases were with anomalous origin of single pulmonary artery, 8 cases with pulmonary artery agenesis, 9 cases with pulmonary artery sling; 20 cases with crossed pulmonary arteries; 2) 11 cases were complicated with intracardiac malformations and 10 with extracardiac malformations; 3) only 7 case underwent chromosomal examination and 1 tested abnormal; 4) pregnancy outcomes: 25 fetuses were born and their abnormalities confirmed by echocardiography (MRI or surgery) to be consistent with prenatal ultrasound diagnosis; 16 cases had their pregnancy terminated due to their combination with other severe malformations, which were confirmed by pathological anatomy after induced abortion. Conclusions: Prenatal echocardiography can provide detailed images for the diagnosis of abnormal branching of fetal pulmonary artery, which can be complicated by intra- and extracardiac malformations and chromosomal anomalies and should be alerted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]