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ObjectiveThis study aimed to explore Kawasaki disease (KD) susceptibility genes and their complications like coronary artery lesions (CAL) using whole exome sequencing (WES).MethodsBetween April 1, 2021, and December 31, 2022, our study included 55 pediatric patients diagnosed KD at our center, alongside a cohort of healthy children who sought medical care at our institution during the same timeframe. We extracted peripheral blood DNA from all participants and employed the advanced high-throughput Illumina Next-Generation Sequencing technology for comprehensive analysis. Through bioinformatics evaluation, we identified potential susceptibility genes. Moreover, from the 55 KD patients, we selected 15 for the CAL group and 40 for the non-CAL group. We aimed to investigate whether there were significant differences in the allele frequencies of the targeted susceptibility genes between these subgroups, to explore the risk alleles associated with the development of CAL in KD.ResultsHLA-DRB1 rs17882084 and IL6ST rs781455079 genotypes and alleles differed significantly between KD and non-KD (P 0.05). No differences in HLA-DRB1 rs17882084, IL6ST rs781455079, and VEGFB rs776229557 genotypes existed between CAL and non-CAL groups (P > 0.05). However, the IL17RC rs143781415 genotype differed significantly between them (P

Objective Poor conditions in the intraoral environment often lead to low-quality photos and videos, hindering further clinical diagnosis. To restore these digital records, this study proposes a real-time interactive restoration system using segment anything model. Methods Intraoral digital videos, obtained from the vident-lab dataset through an intraoral camera, serve as the input for interactive restoration system. The initial phase employs an interactive segmentation module leveraging segment anything model. Subsequently, a real-time intraframe restoration module and a video enhancement module were designed. A series of ablation studies were systematically conducted to illustrate the superior design of interactive restoration system. Our quantitative evaluation criteria contain restoration quality, segmentation accuracy, and processing speed. Furthermore, the clinical applicability of the processed videos was evaluated by experts. Results Extensive experiments demonstrated its performance on segmentation with a mean intersection-over-union of 0.977. On video restoration, it leads to reliable performances with peak signal-to-noise ratio of 37.09 and structural similarity index measure of 0.961, respectively. More visualization results are shown on the https://yogurtsam.github.io/iveproject page . Conclusion Interactive restoration system demonstrates its potential to serve patients and dentists with reliable and controllable intraoral video restoration.

We present a systematic analysis of the velocity structure functions (VSFs) of 167 molecular clouds with angular sizes greater than ~176 arcmin ^2 in three sectors of the Galactic midplane. We calculated the first-to-third-order VSFs and found that 60% of the VSFs exhibit power-law distributions. The relative power-law exponents are consistent with predictions from intermittent turbulence models. Column density weighting reduces the proportion of power-law VSFs and steepens the VSF slopes, implying a reduction of turbulent energy in high-density regions. All clouds show small-scale intermittency, with slightly stronger intermittency in those molecular clouds showing “none” power-law VSFs. Negative VSF exponents that may indicate gravitational collapse are not observed in our sample. The scaling exponents of the observed VSFs do not correlate with the virial parameters of the molecular clouds. These two observations suggest that gravity-dominated scales in molecular clouds still need further investigation. Consistent VSF scaling exponents for the molecular clouds with significant power-law VSFs suggest large-scale external driving of turbulence in these molecular clouds. However, the driving mechanisms are likely not universal, as the power-law scaling coefficients in our results show relatively large scatter. The fact that nearly 40% of the VSFs deviate to some extent from power-law distributions suggests that the influence of local environments on the internal turbulence of molecular clouds may not be negligible.

Filaments play a crucial role in providing the necessary environmental conditions for star formation, actively participating in the process. To facilitate the identification and analysis of filaments, we introduce Directional and Positional Consistency between Clumps and Filaments (DPConCFil), a suite of algorithms comprising one identification method and two analysis methods. The first method, the consistency-based identification approach, uses directional and positional consistency among neighboring clumps and local filament axes to identify filaments in the position–position–velocity data cube. The second method employs a graph-based skeletonization technique to extract the filament intensity skeletons. The third method, a graph-based substructuring approach, allows the decomposition of complex filaments into simpler subfilaments. We demonstrate the effectiveness of DPConCFil by applying the identification method to the clumps detected in the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting survey data set by FacetClumps, successfully identifying a batch of filaments across various scales within 10° ≤ l ≤ 20°, −5 $\mathop{.}\limits^{\circ }$ 25​​​​​​ ≤ b ≤ 5 $\mathop{.}\limits^{\circ }$ 25, and −200 km s ^−1 ≤ v ≤ 200 km s ^−1 . Subsequently, we apply the analysis methods to the identified filaments, presenting a catalog with basic parameters and conducting statistics of their galactic distribution and properties. DPConCFil is openly available on GitHub ( https://github.com/JiangYuTS/DPConCFil ), accompanied by a manual.

Abstract Macrophage therapy for liver fibrosis is on the cusp of meaningful clinical utility. Due to the heterogeneities of macrophages, it is urgent to develop safer macrophages with a more stable and defined phenotype for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Herein, a new macrophage‐based immunotherapy using macrophages stably expressing a pivotal cytokine from Toxoplasma gondii, a parasite that infects ≈ 2 billion people is developed. It is found that Toxoplasma gondii macrophage migration inhibitory factor‐transgenic macrophage (Mφtgmif) shows stable fibrinolysis and strong chemotactic capacity. Mφtgmif effectively ameliorates liver fibrosis and deactivates aHSCs by recruiting Ly6Chi macrophages via paracrine CCL2 and polarizing them into the restorative Ly6Clo macrophage through the secretion of CX3CL1. Remarkably, Mφtgmif exhibits even higher chemotactic potential, lower grade of inflammation, and better therapeutic effects than LPS/IFN‐γ‐treated macrophages, making macrophage‐based immune therapy more efficient and safer. Mechanistically, TgMIF promotes CCL2 expression by activating the ERK/HMGB1/NF‐κB pathway, and this event is associated with recruiting endogenous macrophages into the fibrosis liver. The findings do not merely identify viable immunotherapy for liver fibrosis but also suggest a therapeutic strategy based on the evolutionarily designed immunomodulator to treat human diseases by modifying the immune microenvironment.

Cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) is widely employed in modern dentistry, and tooth segmentation constitutes an integral part of the digital workflow based on these imaging data. Previous methodologies rely heavily on manual segmentation and are time-consuming and labor-intensive in clinical practice. Recently, with advancements in computer vision technology, scholars have conducted in-depth research, proposing various fast and accurate tooth segmentation methods. In this review, we review 55 articles in this field and discuss the effectiveness, advantages, and disadvantages of each approach. In addition to simple classification and discussion, this review aims to reveal how tooth segmentation methods can be improved by the application and refinement of existing image segmentation algorithms to solve problems such as irregular morphology and fuzzy boundaries of teeth. It is assumed that with the optimization of these methods, manual operation will be reduced, and greater accuracy and robustness in tooth segmentation will be achieved. Finally, we highlight the challenges that still exist in this field and provide prospects for future directions.

Based on 32,162 molecular clouds from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting project, we obtain new face-on molecular gas maps of the northern outer Galaxy. The total molecular gas surface density map reveals three segments of spirals, extending 16–43 kpc in length. The Perseus and Outer arms stand out prominently, appearing as quasi-continuous structures along most of their length. At the Galactic outskirts, about 1306 clouds connect the two segments of the new spiral arm discovered by T. M. Dame & P. Thaddeus ( 2011 ) in the first quadrant and Y. Sun et al. in the second quadrant, possibly extending the arm into the outer third quadrant. Logarithmic spirals can be fitted to the CO arm segments with pitch angles ranging from 4 ^∘ to 12 ^∘ . These CO arms extend beyond previous CO studies and the optical radius, reaching a Galactic radius of about 22 kpc, comparable to the H i radial range.

In this work, we report a study on the relationship between flux and intensity for molecular clouds. Our analysis is established on high-quality CO images from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting project. The new flux–intensity relation characterizes the flux variation of molecular clouds above specific intensity levels. We found that the flux–intensity relation exhibits two prominent features. First, the flux–intensity relation generally follows exponential shapes; second, hierarchical structures of molecular clouds are imprinted on flux–intensity relations. Specifically, ^12 CO flux–intensity relations are composed of one or more exponential segments, and for molecular clouds with segmented flux–intensity relations, the edge and the flux of the high-temperature component are strikingly consistent with ^13 CO emission. Further analysis shows that a similar relationship also exists between ^13 CO flux–intensity relations and C ^18 O emission. The mean brightness temperature of molecular clouds is tightly associated with the decay rate of flux, the break temperature of exponential segments, and, to a certain extent, the flux fraction of the high-temperature component. Broadly, the flux–intensity relation of a molecular tracer, either in optically thick or in optically thin cases, has the capability to outline the silhouette of internal structures of molecular clouds, proving to be a potent tool for probing structures of molecular clouds.

We study the gas inflows toward the Galactic Central Molecular Zone (CMZ) based on the gas morphological and kinematic features from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting in the region of l = 1.°2–19.°0 and ∣ b ∣ ≲ 3.°0. We find that the near dust lane appears to extend to l ∼ 15°, in which the end of the large-scale gas structure intersects with the 3 kpc ring at a distance of ∼5 kpc. Intriguingly, many filamentary molecular clouds (MCs), together with the bow-like/ballistic-like clouds and continuous CO features with notable velocity gradient, are finely outlined along the long structure. These MCs also have relatively large velocity dispersions, indicating the shocked gas generated by local continuous accretion and thus the enhanced turbulence along the entire gas structure. We suggest that the ∼3.1–3.6 kpc-long CO structure originates from the accretion molecular gas driven by the Galactic bar. The gas near the bar end at the 3 kpc ring region becomes an important reservoir for the large-scale accreting flows inward to the CMZ through the bar channel. The inclination angle of the bar is estimated to be ϕ _bar = 23° ± 3°, while the pattern speed of the bar is Ω _bar ≲ 32.5 ± 2.5 km s ^−1 kpc ^−1 . The total mass of the whole near gas lane is about 1.3 ± 0.4 × 10 ^7 M _⊙ according to the calculated X _CO ∼ 1.0 ± 0.4 × 10 ^20 cm ^−2 (K km s ^−1 ) ^−1 from the large-scale ^12 CO and ^13 CO data and the complementary H i data. We revisit the gas inflow rate as a mean value of 1.1 ± 0.3 M _⊙ yr ^−1 , which seems to be comparable to the outflow's rate of the Galactic nuclear winds after applying the updated lower X-factor above.

BackgroundPeriodontitis (PD) and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) rank among the most prevalent pathologies worldwide, and their correlation has been a subject of prolonged investigation. Numerous studies suggest shared etiological factors; however, a definitive causal connection remains unestablished. The objective of this study was to employ bibliometric and visual analyses in order to comprehensively examine the overarching characteristics, focal areas of research, and prospective trends pertaining to the PD-CVD relationship.MethodsWe sourced articles, reviews, and online publications on PD- and CVD- research from the Web of Science Core Collection (WoSCC) spanning from January 1, 1993, to May 15, 2023. A triad of analytical tools (R-Bibliometrix, VOSviewer 1.6.19, and CiteSpace 6.2.R3) were utilized to facilitate collaboration network analysis, co-citation analysis, co-occurrence analysis, and citation burst detection.ResultsOut of the 1,116 publications that fulfilled the eligibility criteria in the WoSCC database, the comprehensive characteristics analysis divulged a sustained growth trend in publication frequency. In the cluster analysis of reference co-citation and keyword co-occurrence, prominent themes such as “periodontitis”, “cardiovascular diseases”, “inflammation”, “Porphyromonas gingivalis”, and “atherosclerosis” consistently emerged. Contemporary topics such as “peri-implantitis,” “COVID-19”, “cardiovascular risk factors,” and “endocarditis” were pinpointed as burgeoning research hotspots.ConclusionBased on this bibliometric study, in the field of association studies between PD and CVD, the etiologic mechanisms of both diseases have been intensively studied in the last three decades. Periodontal pathogens might serve as potential initiating factors linking PD and CVD. Inflammation may constitute a significant etiological factor shared by both diseases. Several emerging topics, such as COVID-19 and peri-implantitis, exhibit promising potential. This exhaustive overview casts light on pivotal research arenas, augmenting the field's understanding and stimulating further scholarly investigations.

Abstract Dental follicles are necessary for tooth eruption, surround the enamel organ and dental papilla, and regulate both the formation and resorption of alveolar bone. Dental follicle progenitor cells (DFPCs), which are stem cells found in dental follicles, differentiate into different kinds of cells that are necessary for tooth formation and eruption. Runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) is a transcription factor that is essential for osteoblasts and osteoclasts differentiation, as well as bone remodeling. Mutation of Runx2 causing cleidocranial dysplasia negatively affects osteogenesis and the osteoclastic ability of dental follicles, resulting in tooth eruption difficulties. Among a variety of cells and molecules, Nel-like molecule type 1 (Nell-1) plays an important role in neural crest-derived tissues and is strongly expressed in dental follicles. Nell-1 was originally identified in pathologically fused and fusing sutures of patients with unilateral coronal synostosis, and it plays indispensable roles in bone remodeling, including roles in osteoblast differentiation, bone formation and regeneration, craniofacial skeleton development, and the differentiation of many kinds of stem cells. Runx2 was proven to directly target the Nell-1 gene and regulate its expression. These studies suggested that Runx2/Nell-1 axis may play an important role in the process of tooth eruption by affecting DFPCs. Studies on short and long regulatory noncoding RNAs have revealed the complexity of RNA-mediated regulation of gene expression at the posttranscriptional level. This ceRNA network participates in the regulation of Runx2 and Nell-1 gene expression in a complex way. However, non-study indicated the potential connection between Runx2 and Nell-1, and further researches are still needed.

We present a catalog of 32,162 ^12 CO molecular clouds that covers the northern outer Galactic plane ( l = [15°, 165°] and l = [195°, 230°], and b = [−5.°25, +5.°25]). The catalog was produced using a DBSCAN algorithm applied to the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting project data. We systematically analyze both the integrated properties and scaling relationships of these molecular clouds across different Galactocentric radii (8 < R _GC < 26 kpc). An interesting finding is that each cloud property’s mean, median, and maximum values generally decrease systematically with increasing R _GC , approximated quantitatively by exponential functions. The mass and size spectra for the entire sample show power-law indices of γ = −2.00 ± 0.13 and an upper mass limit of M _0 = (4.5 ± 2.8) × 10 ^6 M _⊙ , and γ = −3.68 ± 0.48 with an upper size limit of R _0 = 144 ± 80 pc, respectively. These spectra exhibit steeper slopes and reduced upper limits as R _GC increases. The derived scaling relations are $M=12.00{R}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{2.41\,\pm \,0.003}$ , ${\sigma }_{v}=0.25{R}_{\mathrm{eff}}^{0.66\,\pm \,0.003}$ , and α _vir = 37.2 M ^−0.40 ± 0.002 for the whole outer Galaxy clouds. These scaling relations show slightly steeper correlations observed in more distant locations and notably deviate from Larson’s relations. We find that 44.3% of the molecular mass resides in gravitationally bound structures, a proportion significantly higher than systematic studies from the CfA survey and external galaxies. Moreover, comparisons among different R _GC subsamples also reveal a decrease in the amount of bound mass with increasing R _GC . The scale length of the molecular disk is estimated to be approximately 2 kpc. These results, based on a constant CO conversion factor of ${X}_{\mathrm{CO}}=2.0\times {10}^{20}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}\,{\left({\rm{K}}\,\mathrm{km}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1}\right)}^{-1}$ , may be slightly altered by variations in X _CO . In summary, our findings provide robust evidence for the influence of Galactic evolution on molecular cloud properties, at least in the outer Galaxy region studied.

We present CO( J = 1–0) multiline observations toward the L914 dark cloud in the vicinity of the Cygnus X region, using the 13.7 m millimeter telescope of the Purple Mountain Observatory. The CO observations reveal in the L914 cloud a long filament with an angular length of ∼3.°6, corresponding to approximately 50 pc at the measured distance of ∼ 760 pc. Furthermore, a group of hair-like striations are discovered in two subregions of the L914 cloud, which are connected with the dense ridge of the filament. These striations display quasiperiodic characteristics in both the CO intensity images and position–velocity diagrams. Two of the striations also show increasing velocity gradients and dispersions toward the dense ridge, which could be fitted by accretion flows under gravity. Based on the Planck 353 GHz dust polarization data, we find that the striations are well aligned with the magnetic fields. Moreover, both the striations and magnetic fields are perpendicular to the dense ridge, constructing a bimodal configuration. Using the classic method, we estimate the strength of the magnetic field and further evaluate the relative importance of gravity, turbulence, and the magnetic field, finding that the L914 cloud is strongly magnetized. Our results suggest that magnetic fields play an important role in the formation of filamentary structures by channeling the material along the striations toward the dense ridge. The comparison between the observations and simulations suggests that striations could be a product of the magnetohydrodynamic process.

Velocity fields of molecular clouds (MCs) can provide crucial information on the merger and split between clouds, as well as their internal kinematics and maintenance, energy injection and redistribution, and even star formation within clouds. Using the CO spectral lines data from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting survey, we measure the relative velocities along the line of sight (Δ V _LOS ) between ^13 CO structures within ^12 CO MCs. Emphasizing MCs with double and triple ^13 CO structures, we find that approximately 70% of Δ V _LOS values are less than ∼1 km s ^−1 , and roughly 10% of values exceed 2 km s ^−1 , with a maximum of ∼5 km s ^−1 . Additionally, we compare Δ V _LOS with the internal velocity dispersion of ^13 CO structures ( ${\sigma }_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{in}}$ ) and find that about 40% of samples in either double or triple regime display distinct velocity discontinuities, i.e., the relative velocities between ^13 CO structures are larger than the internal line widths of ^13 CO structures. Among these 40% samples in the triple regime, 33% exhibit signatures of combinations through the two-body motion, whereas the remaining 7% show features of configurations through the multiple-body motion. The Δ V _LOS distributions for MCs with double and triple ^13 CO structures are similar, as well as their Δ V _LOS / ${\sigma }_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{in}}$ distributions. This suggests that relative motions of ^13 CO structures within MCs are random and independent of cloud complexities and scales.

We study the physical properties and 3D distribution of molecular clouds (MCs) toward the Cygnus region using the MWISP CO survey and Gaia DR3 data. Based on Gaussian decomposition and clustering for ^13 CO lines, over 70% of the fluxes are recovered. With the identification result of ^13 CO structures, two models are designed to measure the distances of the molecular gas in velocity crowding regions. The distances of more than 200 large ^13 CO structures are obtained toward the 150 deg ^2 region. Additionally, tens of the identified MC structures coincide well with masers and/or intense mid-IR emission. We find multiple gas layers toward the region: (1) the extensive gas structures composing the Cygnus Rift from 700 pc to 1 kpc across the whole region; (2) the ∼1.3 kpc gas layer mainly in the Cygnus X South region; and (3) the 1.5 kpc dense filament at the Cygnus X North region and many cometary clouds shaped by Cygnus OB2. We also note that the spatial distribution of young stellar object candidates is generally consistent with the molecular gas structures. The total molecular mass of the Cygnus region is estimated to be ∼2.7 × 10 ^6 M _⊙ assuming an X-factor ratio ${X}_{\mathrm{CO}}=2\times {10}^{20}\,{\mathrm{cm}}^{-2}{\,({\rm{K}}\,\mathrm{km}\,{{\rm{s}}}^{-1})}^{-1}$ . The foreground Cygnus Rift contributes ∼25% of the molecular mass in the whole region. Our work presents a new 3D view of the MCs' distribution toward the Cygnus X region, as well as the exact molecular gas mass distribution in the foreground Cygnus Rift.

We perform a comprehensive CO study toward the Monoceros OB1 (Mon OB1) region based on the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting survey at an angular resolution of about 50″. The high-sensitivity data, together with the high dynamic range, show that molecular gas in the 8° × 4° region displays complicated hierarchical structures and various morphology (e.g., filamentary, cavity-like, shell-like, and other irregular structures). Based on Gaussian decomposition and clustering for ^13 CO data, a total of 263 ^13 CO structures are identified in the whole region, and 88% of raw data flux is recovered. The dense gas with relatively high column density from the integrated CO emission is mainly concentrated in the region where multiple ^13 CO structures are overlapped. Combining the results of 32 large ^13 CO structures with distances from Gaia DR3, we estimate an average distance of ${729}_{-45}^{+45}\,\mathrm{pc}$ for the giant molecular cloud (GMC) complex. The total mass of the GMC complex traced by ^12 CO, ^13 CO, and C ^18 O is 1.1 × 10 ^5 M _⊙ , 4.3 × 10 ^4 M _⊙ , and 8.4 × 10 ^3 M _⊙ , respectively. The dense gas fraction shows a clear difference between Mon OB1 GMC East (12.4%) and Mon OB1 GMC West (3.3%). Our results show that the dense gas environment is closely linked to the nearby star-forming regions. On the other hand, star-forming activities have a great influence on the physical properties of the surrounding molecular gas (larger velocity dispersion, higher temperatures, more complex velocity structures, etc.). We also discuss the distribution/kinematics of molecular gas associated with nearby star-forming activities.

Oral cancer (OC), characterized by malignant tumors in the mouth, is one of the most prevalent malignancies worldwide. Chemotherapy is a commonly used treatment for OC; however, it often leads to severe side effects on human bodies. In recent years, nanotechnology has emerged as a promising solution for managing OC using nanomaterials and nanoparticles (NPs). Nano-drug delivery systems (nano-DDSs) that employ various NPs as nanocarriers have been extensively developed to enhance current OC therapies by achieving controlled drug release and targeted drug delivery. Through searching and analyzing relevant research literature, it was found that certain nano-DDSs can improve the therapeutic effect of drugs by enhancing drug accumulation in tumor tissues. Furthermore, they can achieve targeted delivery and controlled release of drugs through adjustments in particle size, surface functionalization, and drug encapsulation technology of nano-DDSs. The application of nano-DDSs provides a new tool and strategy for OC therapy, offering personalized treatment options for OC patients by enhancing drug delivery, reducing toxic side effects, and improving therapeutic outcomes. However, the use of nano-DDSs in OC therapy still faces challenges such as toxicity, precise targeting, biodegradability, and satisfying drug-release kinetics. Overall, this review evaluates the potential and limitations of different nano-DDSs in OC therapy, focusing on their components, mechanisms of action, and laboratory therapeutic effects, aiming to provide insights into understanding, designing, and developing more effective and safer nano-DDSs. Future studies should focus on addressing these issues to further advance the application and development of nano-DDSs in OC therapy.

In order to improve the quality of cude baijiu, the second distillation process was optimized. Cude baijiu of nongxiang baijiu was used as raw material, and the separation efficiency of fusel oil was taken as an evaluation index. The temperature, time and pressure of the second distillation were optimized by response surface design. The results showed that the optimum second distillation process conditions of cude baijiu were temperature 85.5 ℃, time 92.7 min and pressure 0.16 MPa. Under these conditions, the separation efficiency of fusel oil could reach 89.31%. Fusel oil content of second distillation baijiu was significantly lower than that of cude baijiu and cude baijiu stored for 2 years(P

Abstract Covalent organic frameworks (COFs)‐based photocatalysts have received growing attention for photocatalytic hydrogen (H2) production. One of the big challenges in the field is to find ways to promote energy/electron transfer and exciton dissociation. Addressing this challenge, herein, a series of olefin‐linked 2D COFs is fabricated with high crystallinity, porosity, and robustness using a melt polymerization method without adding volatile organic solvents. It is found that regulation of the spatial distances between the acceptor units (triazine and 2, 2'‐bipyridine) of COFs to match the charge carrier diffusion length can dramatically promote the exciton dissociation, hence leading to outstanding photocatalytic H2 evolution performance. The COF with the appropriate acceptor distance achieves exceptional photocatalytic H2 evolution with an apparent quantum yield of 56.2% at 475 nm, the second highest value among all COF photocatalysts and 70 times higher than the well‐studied polymer carbon nitride. Various experimental and computation studies are then conducted to in‐depth unveil the mechanism behind the enhanced performance. This study will provide important guidance for the design of highly efficient organic semiconductor photocatalysts.

We look into the 2851 ^12 CO molecular clouds harboring ^13 CO structures to reveal the distribution of the projected angular separations and radial velocity separations between their internal ^13 CO structures. The projected angular separations are determined using the minimal spanning tree algorithm. We find that ∼50% of the angular separations fall in a narrow range of ∼3′–7′ with a median of ∼5′, and the corresponding radial velocity separations mainly range from ∼0.3 to 2.5 km s ^−1 . The mean and standard deviation of the angular separations of the internal ^13 CO structures within ^12 CO clouds appear to be universal, independent of the ^12 CO cloud angular areas and the counts of their internal ^13 CO structures. We also reveal a scaling relation between the ^12 CO cloud angular area and its harbored ^13 CO structure count. These results suggest there is a preferred angular separation between ^13 CO structures in these ^12 CO clouds, considering the distance effects. According to that, we propose an alternative picture for the assembly and destruction of molecular clouds: there is a fundamental separation for the internal structures of molecular clouds, the build-up and destruction of molecular clouds proceeds under this fundamental unit.

We compare the observational properties between ^12 CO, ^13 CO, and C ^18 O and summarize the observational parameters based on a 7069-cloud sample from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting CO survey in a section of the third Galactic quadrant. We find that the ^13 CO angular area ( ${A}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ ) generally increases with that of ^12 CO ( ${A}_{{}^{12}\mathrm{CO}}$ ), and the ratio of ${A}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ to ${A}_{{}^{12}\mathrm{CO}}$ is 0.38 by linear fitting. We find that the ^12 CO and ^13 CO flux are tightly correlated as ${F}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}=0.17\,{F}_{{}^{12}\mathrm{CO}}$ with both fluxes calculated within the ^13 CO-bright region. This indicates that the abundance ${X}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ is a constant as ${6.5}_{-0.5}^{+0.1}\times {10}^{-7}$ for all samples under the assumption of local thermodynamic equilibrium (LTE). Additionally, we observed that the X-factor is approximately constant in a large sample of molecular clouds. Similarly, we find ${F}_{{{\rm{C}}}^{18}{\rm{O}}}=0.11\,{F}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ with both fluxes calculated within the C ^18 O-bright region, which indicates that the abundance ratio ${X}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}/{X}_{{{\rm{C}}}^{18}{\rm{O}}}$ stays at the same value of ${9.7}_{-0.8}^{+0.6}$ across the molecular clouds under the LTE assumption. The linear relationships of ${F}_{{}^{12}\mathrm{CO}}$ versus ${F}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ and ${F}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}$ versus ${F}_{{{\rm{C}}}^{18}{\rm{O}}}$ hold not only for the ^13 CO-bright region and C ^18 O-bright region, but also for the entire molecular cloud scale with a lower flux ratio. The abundance ratio ${X}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}/{X}_{{{\rm{C}}}^{18}{\rm{O}}}$ inside the clouds shows a strong correlation with the column density and temperature. This indicates that the ratio ${X}_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO}}/{X}_{{{\rm{C}}}^{18}{\rm{O}}}$ is dominated by a combination of chemical fractionation, selective dissociation, and the self-shielding effect inside the clouds.

We present results of cloud catalogs of ^12 CO, ^13 CO, and C ^18 O ( J = 1–0) in a section of the third Galactic quadrant over (195° < l < 220°, ∣ b ∣ < 5°) from the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting project. The data were acquired with the PMO 13.7 m millimeter telescope with ∼50″angular resolution. We construct three molecular cloud catalogs containing information of ^12 CO, ^13 CO, and C ^18 O from the position–position–velocity (PPV) data cubes. The ^12 CO cloud catalog contains 7069 samples identified based on the DBSCAN algorithm. We develop a new algorithm, the stacking bump algorithm, for identifying ^13 CO and C ^18 O emission by searching for weak signals in the original spectra of ^13 CO and C ^18 O within the boundary in PPV space defined by the ^12 CO cloud. Above the 2 σ threshold level, we identified 1197 clouds having ^13 CO emission and 32 clouds having C ^18 O emission. We test the stacking bump algorithm in the noise-only datacube and find that the 2 σ threshold can effectively avoid the possibility of false detection generated by noise. The results proved that the new algorithm has high accuracy and completeness. Statistics of peak intensity, projected angular area, line width, and flux of the clouds show that the power-law indices obtained from different isotopic lines are close to each other.

We universally search for evidence of kinematic and spatial correlation of supernova remnant (SNR) and molecular cloud (MC) associations for nearly all SNRs in the coverage of the Milky Way Imaging Scroll Painting CO survey, i.e., 149 SNRs, 170 SNR candidates, and 18 pure pulsar wind nebulae in 1° < l < 230° and −5.°5 < b < 5.°5. Based on high-quality and unbiased ^12 CO/ ^13 CO/C ^18 O ( J = 1–0) survey data, we apply automatic algorithms to identify broad lines and spatial correlations for molecular gas in each SNR region. The 91% of SNR–MC associations detected previously are identified in this paper by CO line emission. Overall, there could be as high as 80% of SNRs associated with MCs. The proportion of SNRs associated with MCs is high within the Galactic longitude less than ∼50°. Kinematic distances of all SNRs that are associated with MCs are estimated based on systemic velocities of associated MCs. The radii of SNRs associated with MCs follow a lognormal distribution, which peaks at ∼8.1 pc. The progenitor initial mass of these SNRs follows a power-law distribution with an index of ∼−2.3 that is consistent with the Salpeter index of −2.35. We find that SNR–MC associations are mainly distributed in a thin disk along the Galactic plane, while a small number are distributed in a thick disk. With the height of these SNRs from the Galactic plane below ∼45 pc, the distribution of the average radius relative to the height of them is roughly flat, and the average radius increases with the height when above ∼45 pc.

According to the structures traced by ^13 CO spectral lines within ^12 CO molecular clouds (MCs), we investigate the contributions of their internal gas motions and relative motions to the total velocity dispersions of ^12 CO MCs. Our samples of 2851 ^12 CO MCs harbor a total of 9556 individual ^13 CO structures, among which 1848 MCs (∼65%) have one individual ^13 CO structure and the other 1003 MCs (∼35%) have multiple ^13 CO structures. We find that the contribution of the relative motion between ^13 CO structures ( ${\sigma }_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{re}}$ ) is larger than that from their internal gas motion ( ${\sigma }_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{in}}$ ) in ∼62% of 1003 MCs in the “Multiple” regime. In addition, we find that ${\sigma }_{{}^{13}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{re}}$ tends to increase with the total velocity dispersion ( ${\sigma }_{{}^{12}\mathrm{CO},\mathrm{tot}}$ ) in our samples, especially for MCs with multiple ^13 CO structures. This result provides a manifestation of macroturbulence within MCs, which gradually becomes the dominant way of storing kinetic energy along with the development of MC scales.

Purpose: Despite considerable efforts to improve treatment modalities for cholangiocarcinoma, a common form of malignant tumor, its long-term survival rate remains poor. Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is a 4-aminoquinoline derivative antimalarial drug that has antimalarial and autophagy inhibition effects and exhibits comprehensive therapeutic effects on various cancers. In this study, we aimed to explore the anticancer potential and the underlying molecular mechanism of HCQ in cholangiocarcinoma treatment in vitro and in vivo.Methods: Autophagy-related genes (ARGs) were obtained from the Human Autophagy Database and Molecular Signatures Database, and the expression profiles of ARGs were downloaded from the database of The Cancer Genome Atlas. Different expression gene sets were performed using R software. The Gene Ontology and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed to reveal significantly enriched signaling pathways and to identify differentially expressed genes in cholangiocarcinoma tissues. HuCCT-1 and CCLP-1 cells were exposed to different concentrations of HCQ. Cell proliferation was detected by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8), colony formation, and 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assays. Cell apoptosis and cycle arrest were detected by the Live/Dead cell assay and flow cytometry (FCM). The inhibition of autophagy was observed using fluorescence microscopy. The reactive oxygen species levels were assessed by fluorescence microscopy and flow cytometry. The protein levels were determined by western blot. A cholangiocarcinoma cell line xenograft model was used to evaluate the antitumor activity of HCQ in vivo.Results: Compared with normal tissues, there were 141 ARGs with an aberrant expression in cholangiocarcinoma tissues which were mainly enriched in autophagy-related processes. Inhibition of autophagy by HCQ effectively suppressed cholangiocarcinoma in vitro and in vivo. HCQ inhibited cell proliferation and induced apoptosis and cycle arrest in vitro by increasing ROS accumulation, which was involved in autophagy inhibition. The ROS scavenger reduced l-glutathione distinctly weakened HCQ-induced cell apoptosis and viability inhibition in cholangiocarcinoma cells. In addition, HCQ inhibited growth of cholangiocarcinoma cell line xenograft tumors.Conclusion: HCQ could inhibit cell proliferation and induce apoptosis in cholangiocarcinoma by triggering ROS accumulation via autophagy inhibition, which makes HCQ a potential antitumor drug candidate for cholangiocarcinoma treatment.

Liposomes are highly advantageous platforms for drug delivery. To improve the colloidal stability and avoid rapid uptake by the mononuclear phagocytic system of conventional liposomes while controlling the release of encapsulated agents, modification of liposomes with well-designed polymers to modulate the physiological, particularly the interfacial properties of the drug carriers, has been intensively investigated. Briefly, polymers are incorporated into liposomes mainly using “grafting” or “coating”, defined according to the configuration of polymers at the surface. Polymer-modified liposomes preserve the advantages of liposomes as drug-delivery carriers and possess specific functionality from the polymers, such as long circulation, precise targeting, and stimulus-responsiveness, thereby resulting in improved pharmacokinetics, biodistribution, toxicity, and therapeutic efficacy. In this review, we summarize the progress in polymer-modified liposomes for drug delivery, focusing on the change in physiological properties of liposomes and factors influencing the overall therapeutic efficacy.

We present wide-field and high-sensitivity CO(1–0) molecular line observations toward the Cassiopeia region, using the 13.7 m millimeter telescope of the Purple Mountain Observatory. The CO observations reveal a large-scale highly filamentary molecular cloud within the Galactic region of 132.°0 ≥ l ≥ 122.°0 and −1.°0 ≤ b ≤ 3.°0 and the velocity range from approximately +1 to +4 km s ^−1 . The measured length of the large-scale filament, referred to as the Cassiopeia Filament, is ∼390 pc. The observed properties of the Cassiopeia Filament, such as length, column density, and velocity gradient, are consistent with those synthetic large-scale filaments in the inter-arm regions. Based on its observed properties and location on the Galactic plane, we suggest that the Cassiopeia Filament is a spur of the Local arm, which is formed due to the galactic shear. The western end of the Cassiopeia Filament shows a giant arc-like molecular gas shell, which extends in the velocity range from roughly −1 to +7 km s ^−1 . Finger-like structures, with systematic velocity gradients, are detected in the shell. The CO kinematics suggest that the large shell is expanding at a velocity of ∼6.5 km s ^−1 . Both the shell and finger-like structures outline a giant bubble with a radius of ∼16 pc, which is likely produced by the stellar wind from the progenitor star of a supernova remnant. The observed spectral line widths suggest that the whole Cassiopeia Filament was quiescent initially until its west part was blown by the stellar wind and became supersonically turbulent.

Multipotent human dental follicle cells (HDFCs) have been intensively studied in periodontal regeneration research, yet the role of Notch1 in HDFCs has not been fully understood. The aim of the current study is to explore the role of Notch1 signaling in HDFCs self-renewal and proliferation. HDFCs were obtained from the extracted wisdom teeth from adolescent patients. Regulation of Notch1 signaling in the HDFCs was achieved by overexpressing the exogenous intracellular domain of Notch1 (ICN1) or silencing Notch1 by shRNA. The regulatory effects of Notch1 on HDFC proliferation, cell cycle distribution and the expression of cell cycle regulators were investigated through various molecular technologies, including plasmid construction, retrovirus preparation and infection, qRT-PCR, western blot, RBP-Jk luciferase reporter and cell proliferation assay. Our data clearly show that constitutively activation of Notch1 stimulates the HDFCs proliferation while inhibition of the Notch1 suppresses their proliferation in vitro. In addition, the HDFCs proliferation is associated with the increased expression of cell cycle regulators, e.g. cyclin D1, cyclin D2, cyclin D3, cyclin E1, CDK2, CDK4, CDK6, and SKP2 and the decreased expression of p27 (kip1). Moreover, our data show that the G1/S phase transition (indicating proliferation) and telomerase activity (indicating self-renewal) can be enhanced by overexpression of ICN1 but halted by inhibition of Notch1. Together, the current study provides evidence for the first time that Notch1 signaling regulates the proliferation and self-renewal capacity of HDFCs through modulation of the G1/S phase transition and the telomerase activity.