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In order to improve the utilization rate of wood and solve the shortcomings of low density, low strength, and easy shrinkage deformation of artificial fast-growing forest. In this study, the artificial fast-growing poplar was taken as the research object, and the unique mineral hexagonal stone in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region was used as the modified material. The hexagonal stone was impregnated into the wood by vacuum pressurized impregnation modification technology, and then the properties of modified wood were tested and characterized. The results showed that the optimum impregnation times of poplar wood modified by hexacyclic stone were 8 times. The single impregnation process was vacuum impregnation for 120 min, atmospheric pressure impregnation for 5 min, and then absolutely dried. The average weight gain rate and liquid absorption rate of the modified wood were 15.33% and 146.37%, respectively. The air-dry density and total dry density of the modified wood were 23.25% and 21.95% higher than those of the raw materials, which provided new ideas for the preparation and utilization of modified wood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extensive investigations have been conducted regarding the potential correlation between blood type and the immune system, as well as cancer risk in the Southern Chinese population. However, the prognostic value of the blood group and its genetic determinants in the context of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment remains unclear. Therefore, the associations between the ABO blood group and its single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were examined in relation to ICI treatment outcomes in 370 eligible patients with cancer. This approach allowed us to derive the blood group from the SNPs responsible for blood group determination. In the discovery cohort (N = 168), antigen A carriers (blood types A and AB) exhibited an extended progression‐free survival (PFS; hazard ratio (HR) = 0.58, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.34–0.98). The association results from the SNP‐derived blood were consistent with those from the measured blood group. In the validation cohort (N = 202), Cox regression analysis revealed that the antigen A carriers (rs507666 AA+GA genotype carriers) experienced significantly extended PFS compared with the non‐antigen A carriers (HR = 0.61, 95% CI = 0.40–0.93). Therefore, a longer PFS was observed in antigen A carriers (P value = 0.003, HR = 0.60, 95% CI = 0.44–0.84). Furthermore, haplotype 2 carriers (rs507666 GA and rs659104 GG) demonstrated both extended PFS and improved overall survival. Notably, the presence of antigen A was not associated with the occurrence of overall immune‐related adverse events (irAEs) or organ‐specific toxicity. In summary, our findings revealed that antigen A carriers did not experience a higher incidence of irAEs while exhibiting better immunotherapy efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To elucidate the significance of the coordination amino acid residues in bilirubin oxidase (BO) and their kinetic characteristics, and evaluate whether BO mutants may serve as better diagnostic agent for hyperbilirubinemia., Methods: The BO mutants I402G and C457S were obtained by site-directed mutagenesis and confirmed by amino acid sequence analysis. Ru-incorporated C457S mutant was obtained by direct incubation of ruthenium compounds with the mutant. The electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectra of the recombinant BO and the mutants were investigated, and the enzyme kinetics of the recombinant BO and I402G mutant were measured with bilirubin as the substrate at 25 degrees C., Results: The BO mutants were expressed and purified successfully. The mutant I402G showed low enzyme activity, and had C457S virtually no enzyme activity. Nevertheless Ru-incorporation conferred higher enzyme activity to C457S mutant. The enzyme kinetic investigations revealed that the kinetic parameter k(cat) of the recombinant BO and I402G mutant was 235.8 min(-1) and 6.9 min(-1), respectively, suggesting higher enzyme activity of the recombinant BO., Conclusions: The coordinating amino acids have important significance in maintaining the integrity of active centers and enzyme activities of recombinant BO and its mutants. The enzyme activities of the mutants I402G and C457S are much lower than those of recombinant BO, therefore they are not appropriate for diagnostic purpose. Ru-incorporation facilitates the formation of a new intact active center in C457S mutant, which therefore acquires enzyme activity.