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Abstract Background Glioblastoma (GBM) is a malignant astrocytic tumor and its progression involves the regulation of vascular endothelial growth factor-A (VEGFA). However, the mechanism of VEGFA in regulating GBM progression remains unclear. Methods VEGFA mRNA expression was analyzed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Protein expression of VEGFA, cluster of differentiation 9 (CD9), CD81, and transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) was detected by western blotting assay. Flow cytometry assay was conducted to assess cell proliferation, cell apoptosis and myeloid-derived suppressor cell (MDSC) differentiation. TUNEL cell apoptosis detection kit was utilized to analyze cell apoptosis of tumors. Angiogenic capacity was investigated by tube formation assay. Transwell assay was used to assess cell migration and invasion. The effect of VEGFA on tumor formation was determined by a xenograft mouse model assay. Immunohistochemistry assay was used to analyze positive expression rate of VEGFA in tumor tissues. TGF-β1 level was detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results VEGFA expression was upregulated in GBM tissues, GBM cells, and exosomes from GBM patients and GBM cells. VEGFA silencing led to decreased cell proliferation, tube formation, migration and invasion and increased cell apoptosis. Moreover, VEGFA knockdown also delayed tumor formation. VEGFA promoted MDSC differentiation and TGF-β1 secretion by MDSCs by being packaged into exosomes. In addition, TGF-β1 knockdown displayed similar effects with VEGFA silencing on GBM cell phenotypes, and MDSCs attenuated VEGFA knockdown-induced effects by secreting TGF-β1 in A172 and U251 cells. Conclusion VEGFA contributed to tumor property of GBM cells by promoting MDSC differentiation and TGF-β1 secretion by MDSCs, providing potential targets for GBM treatment.

Background: Stage III and IVA–B hypopharyngeal carcinoma presents a substantial risk of recurrence and metastasis. The treatment strategy remains uncertain. The objective of this observational study was to compare the outcomes of induction chemotherapy followed by radiotherapy (ICRT) and induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy (ICCRT) in the treatment of locally advanced hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma. Methods: 58 patients with stage III and IVA–B hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma treated with ICRT (n = 26) or ICCRT (n = 32) were enrolled in the study. Baseline variables and toxicity rates were compared by Chi-squared test. Survival curves were constructed by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Multivariate Cox proportional hazard analysis was performed to evaluate the potential survival effects. Results: There were no significant differences in gender, age, smoking, drinking, T category, N category, overall stage, induction chemotherapy schemes and cycles between the two groups. The median follow-up time was 36.3 months (range, 2.3–97.5 months). The 2-year recurrence-free survival (RFS), locoregional recurrence-free survival (LRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS), and the 1-year, 2-year overall survival (OS) expressed no significant differences between the two groups. Furthermore, induction chemotherapy regimen of TPF achieved better OS than TP or PF (hazard ratio [HR] 0.395, 95 % confidence interval [CI] 0.178–0.879; P = 0.023), OS of patients in N2-3 category was worse than N0-1 (HR 2.594, 95 % CI 1.230–5.471; P = 0.012). In addition, the grade 3–4 therapy-associated toxicities during radiotherapy were higher in the chemoradiotherapy group than in radiotherapy alone group (P = 0.020). Conclusion: Following induction chemotherapy in patients with stage III/IVA-B hypopharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma, the concurrent chemoradiotherapy regimen provided similar survival rates with radiotherapy alone. Meanwhile, the incidence of treatment-related side effects during radiotherapy after induction chemotherapy were lower than that during chemoradiotherapy.

Estimating ecological environmental flow in tidal rivers is one of the major challenges for sustainable water resource management in estuaries and river basins. This paper presents an ecological environmental flow framework that was developed to accommodate highly dynamic medium tidal estuaries found along the Yellow Sea coast of China. The framework not only proposes a method of water quality-based ecological flow for tidal gate-controlled rivers but also proposes a method of water demand for scouring and silting to protect ports in coastal viscous sediment environments. The framework integrates the instream water requirements of water quality, sediment and basic ecological flow, and considers the temporal and spatial variation differences for the environmental flow requirements of tidal rivers. This study emphasizes the significance and necessity of continuous monitoring of ecological data in determining the environmental flow of tidal rivers. The output of this study could provide vital references for decision-making and management of the water resource allocation and ecological protection in tidal rivers. HIGHLIGHTS This study develops an ecological environmental flow framework for highly dynamic medium tidal estuaries.; This study suggests a method of water quality-based ecological flow for tidal gate-controlled rivers.; This study proposes a method of water demand for scouring and silting.;

Background: Glioma (GBM) is the most prevalent malignancy worldwide with high morbidity and mortality. Exosome-mediated transfer of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) has been reported to be associated with human cancers, containing GBM. Meanwhile, myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) play a vital role in mediating the immunosuppressive environments in GBM. Objectives: This study is designed to explore the role and mechanism of exosomal (Exo) lncRNA AGAP2-AS1 on the MDSC pathway in GBM. Methods: AGAP2-AS1, microRNA-486-3p (miR-486-3p), and Transforming growth factor beta-1 (TGF-β1) levels were detected by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). Cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion were detected by 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU), flow cytometry, and Transwell assays. E-cadherin, Vimentin, CD9, CD81, and TGF-β1 protein levels were examined using Western blot. Exosomes were detected by a transmission electron microscope (TEM). Binding between miR-486-3p and AGAP2-AS1 or TGF-β1 was predicted by LncBase or TargetScan and then verified using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. Results: AGAP2-AS1 was highly expressed in GBM tissues and cells. Functionally, AGAP2-AS1 absence or TGF-β1 knockdown repressed tumor cell growth and metastasis. Furthermore, Exo-AGAP2-AS1 from GBM cells regulated TGF-β1 expression via sponging miR-486-3p in MDSCs. Exo-AGAP2-AS1 upregulation facilitated GBM cell growth and metastasis via the MDSC pathway. Conclusion: Exo-AGAP2-AS1 boosted GBM cell development partly by regulating the MDSC pathway, hinting at a promising therapeutic target for GBM treatment.

The Three Gorges Project is the largest hydraulic hub project in the world, and its hydrological management has altered the hydrological environment of the reservoir area, affecting the carbon emission and absorption of the reservoir water. In this study, representative hydrological stations in the Three Gorges Reservoir area were selected as research sites to monitor the CO2 and CH4 fluxes of the reservoir water and nine environmental factors during the drainage and impoundment periods in 2022. The study aimed to explore the mechanisms of hydrological management and environmental factors on greenhouse gas emissions. The results showed that the mean CO2 fluxes of the reservoir water during the drainage and impoundment periods were (103.82 ± 284.86) mmol·m−2·d−1 and (134.39 ± 62.41) mmol·m−2·d−1, respectively, while the mean CH4 fluxes were (1.013 ± 0.58) mmol·m−2·d−1 and (0.571 ± 0.70) mmol·m−2·d−1, respectively, indicating an overall “carbon source” characteristic. Through the evaluation of the characteristic importance of environmental factors, it was found that the main controlling factors of CO2 flux during the drainage period were total phosphorus (TP) and chlorophyll a (Chl_a), while total nitrogen (TN) was the main controlling factor during the impoundment period. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) was the main controlling factor of CH4 flux during the different periods. Based on these findings, a “source-sink” mechanism of CO2 and CH4 in the Three Gorges Reservoir water under reservoir regulation was proposed. This study is of great significance for revealing the impact of reservoir construction on global ecosystem carbon cycling and providing scientific support for formulating “emission reduction and carbon sequestration” plans and achieving “dual carbon” goals.

Introduction: Widespread intra-peritoneal metastases is a main feature of high grade serous ovarian carcinoma (HGSOC). Recently, the extent of tumour heterogeneity was used to evaluate the cancer genomes among multi-regions in HGSOC. However, there is no consensus on the effect of tumour heterogeneity on the evolution of the tumour metastasis process in HGSOC. Objectives: We performed whole-exome sequencing in multiple regions of matched primary and metastatic HGSOC specimens to reveal the genetic mechanisms of ovarian tumourigenesis and malignant progression. Methods: 63 samples (including ovarian carcinoma, omentum metastasis, and normal tissues) were used. We analyzed the genomic heterogeneity, traced the subclone dissemination and establishment history and compared the different genetic characters of cancer evolutionary models in HGSOC. Results: We found that HGSOC had substantial intra-tumour heterogeneity (median 54.2, range 0 ∼ 106.7), high inter-patient heterogeneity (P

Pollen fertility is a critical factor in seed development and crop breeding. Extensive studies have explored the mechanisms of pollen fertility in model plants and economic crops. However, the mechanisms of pollen abortion in medicinal and edible plants, including Lycium barbarum, remain elusive. This study utilized transcriptome analysis to identify key genes and regulatory networks implicated in pollen fertility in L. barbarum. The results demonstrated differential expression of 12,185 genes (DEGs) between the sterile and fertile lines, encompassing 489 genes that exhibited variation across the five stages of pollen development. Additionally, GO and KEGG enrichment analyses indicated that the DEGs were predominantly associated with energy metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, and notably, hydrolase activity. Co-expression network analysis unveiled two modules intimately associated with fertility, each comprising 908 and 756 hub genes, incorporating β-1,3-glucanase genes (Glu) and co-expressed transcription factors (TFs). Phylogenetic analysis implied that LbGlu1 was a potential candidate gene implicated in regulating pollen abortion in L. barbarum. This work advances a novel understanding of pollen abortion in L. barbarum and offers theoretical support for the utilization of sterility genes to enhance crop improvement.

Abstract Ovarian cancer has the highest mortality rate among gynecologic tumors, with a 5-year survival rate of less than 25%. There is an urgent need for early diagnosis and new drugs to reduce the disease burden of ovarian cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of SLC11A2 as a therapeutic target and marker for ovarian cancer. Expression data of SLC11A2 were obtained from public databases. Then, the biological functions of SLC11A2 were validated in four ovarian cancer cell lines. Finally, we collected ovarian cancer clinical tissues, serum, and plasma exosomes and used immunohistochemistry, Elisa, and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC–MS) to validate the test efficacy of SLC11A2. The results showed that ovarian cancers with high SLC11A2 mRNA expression had shorter 5-year PFS and MST. Knockdown of SLC11A2 reduced ovarian cancer migration and increased cisplatin-induced apoptosis. Serum SLC11A2 may help improve the detection rate of ovarian cancer.

Ensemble precipitation forecasts (EPFs) can help to extend lead times and provide reliable probabilistic forecasts, which have been widely applied for streamflow predictions by driving hydrological models. Nonetheless, inherent biases and under-dispersion in EPFs require post-processing for accurate application. It is imperative to explore the skillful lead time of post-processed EPFs for summer streamflow predictions, particularly in mountainous regions. In this study, four popular EPFs, i.e., the CMA, ECMWF, JMA, and NCEP, were post-processed by two state of art methods, i.e., the Bayesian model averaging (BMA) and generator-based post-processing (GPP) methods. These refined forecasts were subsequently integrated with the Xin’anjiang (XAJ) model for summer streamflow prediction. The performances of precipitation forecasts and streamflow predictions were comprehensively evaluated before and after post-processing. The results reveal that raw EPFs frequently deviate from ensemble mean forecasts, particularly underestimating torrential rain. There are also clear underestimations of uncertainty in their probabilistic forecasts. Among the four EPFs, the ECMWF outperforms its peers, delivering skillful precipitation forecasts for 1–7 lead days and streamflow predictions for 1–4 lead days. The effectiveness of post-processing methods varies, yet both GPP and BMA address the under-dispersion of EPFs effectively. The GPP method, recommended as the superior method, can effectively improve both deterministic and probabilistic forecasting accuracy. Moreover, the ECMWF post-processed by GPP extends the effective lead time to seven days and reduces the underestimation of peak flows. The findings of this study underscore the potential benefits of adeptly post-processed EPFs, providing a reference for streamflow prediction over mountain river basins.

Runoff simulation is an ongoing challenge in the field of hydrology. Process-based (PB) hydrological models often gain unsatisfactory simulation accuracy due to incomplete physical process representations. While the deep learning (DL) models demonstrate their capacity to grasp intricate hydrological response processes, they still face constraints pertaining to the representative training data and comprehensive hydrological observations. In order to provide unobservable hydrological variables from the PB model to the DL model, this study constructed hybrid models by feeding the output variables of the PB model (BTOP) into the DL model (LSTM) as additional input features. These variables underwent feature dimensionality reduction using the feature selection method (Pearson Correlation Coefficient, PCC) and the feature extraction method (Principal Component Analysis, PCA) before input into LSTM. The results showed that the standalone LSTM performed well across the basin, with NSE values all exceeding 0.70. The hybrid models enhanced the simulation performance of the standalone LSTM. The NSE values increased from 0.75 to nearly 0.80 in a sub-basin. Lastly, if the BTOP output is directly fed into LSTM without feature dimensionality reduction, the model’s accuracy significantly decreases due to noise interference. The NSE value decreased by 0.09 compared to the standalone LSTM in a sub-basin. The results demonstrated the effectiveness of PCC and PCA in removing redundant information within hydrological variables. These findings provide new insights into incorporating physical information into LSTM and constructing hybrid models.

Abstract Five severe floods occurred in the Yangtze River Basin, China, between July and August 2020, and the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) located in the middle Yangtze River experienced the highest inflow since construction. The world’s largest cascade-reservoir group, which counts for 22 cascade reservoirs in the upper Yangtze River, cooperated in real time to control floods. The cooperation prevented evacuation of 600,000 people and extensive inundations of farmlands and aquacultural areas. In addition, no water spillage occurred during the flood control period, resulting in a world-record annual output of the TGR hydropower station. This work describes decision making challenges in the cooperation of super large reservoir groups based on a case-study, controlling the 4th and 5th floods (from Aug-14 to Aug-22), the efforts of technicians, multi-departments, and the state, and reflects on these. To realize the full potential of reservoir operation for the Yangtze River Basin and other basins with large reservoir groups globally, we suggest: (i) improve flood forecast accuracy with a long leading time; (ii) strengthen and further develop ongoing research on reservoir group cooperation; and (iii) improve and implement institutional mechanisms for coordinated operation of large reservoir groups.

The emergy theory provides a new approach for flood risk assessment from an ecological perspective. By employing the emergy method, we used five indicators (rainfall runoff, medical workers and students per 10,000 people, social fixed assets investment, unit land GDP, and land-use types) from three dimensions (natural environment, population, and social economy) and the GIS technique to assess the potential impact and risk of a flood disaster on different regions in Ya'an City. Our findings revealed regional differences in the distribution of flood risks in Ya'an City: Lushan County and Yucheng District face the highest risks, followed by Tianquan County and Mingshan District, and Shimian County has the lowest risk. The index method was employed to analyze the regional differences. By training a back-propagation neural network with data on flood disasters in the study area, we produced a flood risk distribution map. We found that Mingshan District, Lushan County and Yucheng District have higher risks than other regions. The results largely agree with what we obtained using the emergy method. Our study shows that flood risk assessment based on the emergy theory can provide a scientific basis for flood control and disaster relief initiatives. HIGHLIGHTS Emergy theory generates a new approach for flood risk assessment.; Research findings were verified by the reality of the study area, ensuring the validity.; Analysis for BP neural network training was conducted in the area experiencing a flood.; The flood risks in the study area assessed by using the emergy theory are in agreement with the reality.;

The main objective for the Three Gorges Reservoir is to help control floods and to protect the Jingjiang and Chenglingji regions in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Hydrological measurements have demonstrated that the character of flood propagation in the Jingjiang Reach has changed significantly since the Three Gorges Reservoir became operational, meaning that flood control management must be modified accordingly. To explore the effective flood control management, a hydraulic model was developed to simulate the potential causes and impacts. For a natural flood with gradually varying discharge propagated as a diffusive wave, the celerity downside the dam fasted due to the change of the dominant property of the flood wave. For a flood event controlled by a reservoir, the wave was propagated more quickly as a surge with rapidly varying discharge. The rating curve changed for flooding processes associated with a diffusive wave versus a surge event at a particular cross-section, which changed the flow capacity in the river channel. Observed flood events in 2016 and 2017 were also simulated in the hydraulic model using different management schemes, and the modified flood propagation trends along the lower river reach were analyzed. Lastly, from these simulations, we provide suggestions on how to optimize the operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir to control flood damage and protect the Jiangjiang Reach and Chenglingji areas more effectively.

Precipitation is crucial for managing water resources in the Three River Headwaters (TRH) region of the Tibetan Plateau (TP). Gridded precipitation datasets across the TRH region exhibit significant discrepancies in their results. Previous studies have primarily focused on assessing average or extreme precipitation for a single dataset or several datasets. In this study, based on the observed gridded precipitation dataset (CN05.1), a comprehensive evaluation of the climatic features and extreme precipitation across the TRH region from 1983 to 2014 is performed by employing two gauge-based gridded datasets (GPCC and CRU), two satellite-derived precipitation datasets (P-CDR and IMERG), and two reanalysis precipitation datasets (ERA5 and CRA40). The results show that all datasets are consistent in reproducing the climatology, interannual variability, and annual cycle of precipitation in the TRH region. However, the different datasets exhibit significant discrepancies in characterizing the long-term trends and extreme precipitation events. P-CDR and GPCC provide a good representation of the spatial variability of the annual mean climatology. ERA5 and CRU are more reliable in capturing interannual variabilities. The long-term trends can be closely described by employing CRU. P-CDR and GPCC exhibit higher skills in terms of the annual cycle. P-CDR performs better than IMERG for daily precipitation in terms of probability distributions and other assessment metrics. P-CDR and IMERG have advantages and disadvantages in characterizing the nine extreme precipitation indices. This study demonstrates a comprehensive comparison method using multiple precipitation datasets to gain essential insight into the strengths and weaknesses of various datasets across the TRH region.

Abstract. Rationale:. Distal middle cerebral artery aneurysms are very rare in the clinic, and craniotomy clipping is the better treatment after diagnosis. However, patients can also have repeated acute intracerebral hemorrhage after craniotomy for aneurysm, which has not been previously reported. Patient concerns:. A 24-year-old male patient was admitted to our hospital with headache, nausea, and vomiting. He was well before, had no family history of cerebrovascular disease or hypertension, and had no history of trauma. Diagnoses:. Computer tomography and digital subtraction angiography of the brain revealed intracranial hematoma and an aneurysm located at the M4 segment of the left middle cerebral artery. Interventions:. The patient underwent 2 surgeries to treat the aneurysm, followed by 2 operations for acute cerebral hemorrhage. Outcomes:. Despite repeated surgical treatments, the patient had a poor prognosis and eventually died of respiratory and circulatory failure after repeated brain bleeding. Lessons:. Briefly, it is of great importance to consider the risk factors of cerebral hemorrhage, and provide individualized treatment and psychological counseling for patients with intracerebral hemorrhage.

Natural rivers have always been invaded by multiple pollutants discharged by anthropogenic activities, inducing physiochemical and biological changes to waterbodies. However, the effects of different types of anthropogenic disturbances and natural wetlands on water quality and bacterial communities in black-odor rivers remain largely unknown. In this study, 13 water quality parameters at 48 sampling sites along the typical contaminated Jishan River were selected to evaluate water quality through water quality index (WQI). The analysis of microbial community composition and its correlation with water quality of different disturbances (industrial effluent, aquacultural wastewater, domestic sewage, confluences, dam and wetlands) were further conducted. The results revealed that water quality parameters had significant spatial heterogeneity in water samples of different disturbed sites, and the different types of disturbances shaped the abundance and distribution of bacterial communities. Among these disturbances, dam altered the hydrological and hydraulic conditions of this river, leading to the worst water quality, with the fermentative microorganism Lactococcus becoming the dominant genus. Natural wetlands surrounding the terminus of this river had recuperative functions and could restore water quality and microbial community. The WQI values 38.08–63.46 were rated as “low” or “moderate” and primarily affected by excessive nutrient contaminates, such as nitrogen, phosphorus, and organic matter. Random forest analysis revealed that the biomarkers for water quality were C39, Trichococcus, norank_f_norank_o_Chloroplast, and unclassified_f_Enterobacteriaceae. This study not only facilitated a more comprehensive understanding about the correlation between water quality and bacterial communities of river ecosystem but also provided theoretical support for ecological restoration and governmental regulation of the water ecosystem.

Abstract Background The incidence of anal squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) has been steadily growing globally in the past decade. Clinical data on anal SCC from China are rare. We conducted this study to describe the clinical and epidemiological characteristics of anal SCC in China and explore prognostic factors of outcomes among patients with anal SCC. Methods We audited demographic characteristics, relevant symptoms, risk factors, treatment modalities and outcomes for patients diagnosed with anal SCC at 11 medical institutions in China between January 2007 and July 2018. Results A total of 144 patients (109 females) were diagnosed with SCC during this period. Median age at initial diagnosis was 52.0 (interquartile range: 46.0–61.8) years. The most common symptoms were bleeding (n = 93, 64.6%), noticing a lump (n = 49, 34.0%), and pain (n = 47, 32.6%). The proportion of patients at the American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stages I-IV were 10 (6.9%), 22 (15.3%), 61 (42.4%) and 8 (5.6%), respectively, and AJCC stages in 43 (29.9%) patients were unknown. Thirty-six patients (25.0%) underwent abdominoperineal resection initially. Univariable analysis showed that T stage predicted recurrence-free survival (RFS) (Hazard ratio [HR] = 3.03, 95% Confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–8.37, p = 0.032), and age group (HR = 2.90, 95% CI: 1.12–7.49, p = 0.028), AJCC stage (HR = 4.56, 95% CI: 1.02–20.35, p = 0.046), and N stage (HR = 3.05, 95% CI: 1.07–8.74, p = 0.038) predicted overall survival (OS). Conclusions T stage was identified as prognostic factor of RFS, and age, AJCC stage, and N stage were identified as prognostic factors of OS. Improving symptom awareness and earlier presentation among patients potentially at risk for anal SCC should be encouraged. Familiarity with the standard treatment among health care providers in China should be further improved.

Copper catalysis finds applications in various synthetic fields by utilizing the ability of copper to sustain mono- and bielectronic elementary steps. Further to the development of well-defined copper complexes with classical ligands such as phosphines and N-heterocyclic carbenes, a new and fast-expanding area of research is exploring the possibility of a complementing metal-centered reactivity with electronic participation by the coordination sphere. To achieve this electronic flexibility, redox-active ligands can be used to engage in a fruitful “electronic dialogue” with the metal center, and provide additional venues for electron transfer. This review aims to present the latest results in the area of copper-based cooperative catalysis with redox-active ligands.

Abstract Background Localized C3 deposition is a well-known factor of inflammation. However, its role in oncoprogression of gastric cancer (GC) remains obscured. This study aims to explore the prognostic value of C3 deposition and to elucidate the mechanism of C3-related oncoprogression for GC. Methods From August to December 2013, 106 GC patients were prospectively included. The regional expression of C3 and other effectors in gastric tissues were detected by WB, IHC, qRT-PCR and other tests. The correlation of localized C3 deposition and oncologic outcomes was determined by 5-year survival significance. Human GC and normal epithelial cell lines were employed to detect a relationship between C3 and STAT3 signaling pathway in vitro experiments. Results C3 and C3a expression were markedly enhanced in GC tissues at both mRNA and protein levels compared with those in paired nontumorous tissues. According to IHC C3 score, 65 (61.3%) and 41 (38.7%) patients had high and low C3 deposition, respectively. C3 deposition was negatively correlated with plasma levels of C3 and C3a (both P

BackgroundIn this trial, we aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of radiotherapy with nedaplatin or cisplatin in patients with locally advanced cervical cancer.MethodsWe conducted an open-label, non-inferiority, phase III, randomized, controlled trial. Eligible patients with stage IIB-IVA cervical carcinoma were randomly assigned to receive either nedaplatin or cisplatin for two cycles concurrently with radiotherapy. We reported the therapy-associated harms and survival. The study was registered with chictr.org.cn, number ChiCTR1800020527.ResultsWe randomly assigned 68 patients to nedaplatin-based or cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy. Study treatment was stopped early after a data analysis found a higher number of patients suffered severe hematologic harms in the nedaplatin group than in the cisplatin group. Patients in the nedaplatin group had a significantly higher frequency of grade 3-4 neutropenia (19·4% vs. 13%; P < 0·001), severe thrombocytopenia (16·1% vs. 4·3%), and grade 1-2 anemia (51·6% vs. 43·5%) than patients in the cisplatin group. The 1-year PFS and OS in the nedaplatin and cisplatin groups were similar.ConclusionOur findings showed that nedaplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy expressed remarkably higher severe hematologic harms which were mortal. Though the results were negative, the experiences and lessons we learned from it were important.

Programmed cell death (PCD) in tapetum provides nutrients for pollen development. Once this process becomes abnormal, the pollen will be aborted, and sterile lines will be formed. Lycium barbarum L. is a well-known medicinal and edible plant, and male sterile lines play an important role in the cultivation of its new varieties by utilizing hybrid vigor. However, the male sterility mechanism of L. barbarum is poorly understood. In this study, the main characteristic changes during the pollen development of L. barbarum sterile line (Ningqi No. 5) and fertile line (Ningqi No. 1) were compared through anatomical observation, physiological detection and gene expression analysis. Anatomical observation showed that compared with that of the fertile line, the tapetum of the sterile line persisted during pollen development, the organelle morphology and number of tapetal cells changed remarkably, and the PCD was remarkably delayed. Membranous peroxidation caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) in the sterile line occurred from the late tetrad to the pollen grain stage, and that in Ningqi No. 1 transpired in the tetrad stage. This difference in the dynamic changes of ROS affected the redox balance of microspore development. qPCR detection of DYT1 and MS1 genes regulating tapetum development showed that compared with those in the fertile line, the expression levels of both genes in the sterile line changed significantly from pollen mother cell stage to pollen grain stage. This finding may be associated with the start-up delay of tapetal PCD. All these results suggested that abnormal tapetal PCD is an important mechanism leading to male sterility in L. barbarum.

Summary: Metalloenzymes use earth-abundant non-noble metals to perform high-fidelity transformations in the biological world. To ensure chemical efficiency, metalloenzymes have acquired evolutionary reactivity-enhancing tools. Among these, the entatic state model states that a strongly distorted geometry induced by ligands around a metal center gives rise to an energized structure called entatic state, strongly improving the reactivity. However, the original definition refers both to the transfer of electrons or chemical groups, whereas the chemical application of this concept in synthetic systems has mostly focused on electron transfer, therefore eluding chemical transformations. Here we report that a highly strained redox-active ligand enables a copper complex to perform catalytic nitrogen- and carbon-group transfer in as fast as 2 min, thus exhibiting a strong increase in reactivity compared with its unstrained analogue. This report combines two reactivity-enhancing features from metalloenzymes, entasis and redox cofactors, applied to group-transfer catalysis. : Inorganic Chemistry; Molecular Inorganic Chemistry; Catalysis Subject Areas: Inorganic Chemistry, Molecular Inorganic Chemistry, Catalysis

Abstract Background The multidisciplinary team (MDT) discussion has earned increasing popularity for the delivery of cancer care. However, MDT meeting (MDTM) is time and resource intensive, and some efforts to optimize discussion processes are required. This study aims to investigate the efficiency of electronic list-based MDTM in treatment of gastrointestinal (GI) malignancy. Methods Between January 2015 and December 2016, patients with GI cancers were retrospectively reviewed. Patients permitting an MDTM with our novel technique (eMDT group) were compared with those undergoing a traditional discussion (cMDT group). The efficiency of MDT working, including time cost per meeting or case and overall number of reviewed cases, was checked, with accuracy of clinical staging and other outcomes explored meanwhile. Results Three thousand six hundred seventy-four patients were included, with 2156 (58.7%) and 1518 (41.3%) cases for eMDT and cMDT groups, respectively. Comparisons in age (P = 0.529), gender (P = 0.844), cancer type (P = 0.218), treatment plan (P = 0.737), and pathological stage (P = 0.098) were not significant between groups. However, the average time cost in both each meeting (149.4 vs. 205.1 min; P

Baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) has been determined as a prognostic factor in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). This study was designed to further evaluate the impact of CRP kinetics on NPC patients. Thousand three hundred and seventy eight NPC patients from February 2001 to June 2011 were retrospectively reviewed. CRP were measured at beginning, middle, and the end of the treatment. The endpoints were overall survival (OS) and distant metastasis free survival (DMFS). Patients were divided into three groups according to baseline CRP and CRP kinetics: (1) continuously normal group: patients whose baseline CRP normal and never elevated, (2) ever-elevated group: patients whose CRP ever elevated regardless time points, (3) continuously elevated group: patients whose baseline CRP elevated and never normalized. Baseline CRP, CRP after treatment, and CRP kinetics were correlated with TNM stage, T stage, and N stage. Univariate and multivariate analysis identified that elevated baseline CRP and CRP after treatment had significant association with worse survival than normal CRP. Oppositely, elevated CRP during treatment was not associated with survival. Patients with continuously elevated CRP significantly had poor OS and DMFS (HR:2.610, 95%CI: 1.592–4.279, p < 0.001; HR:2.816, 95%CI: 1.486–5.302, p = 0.001, respectively). In multivariate analysis, CRP kinetics assessment is an independent prognostic factor for OS and DFMS in NPC patients (HR:2.512, 95%CI: 1.452–4.346, p = 0.001; HR:3.389, 95%CI: 1.734–6.625, p = 0.001, respectively). In conclusion, elevated CRP at baseline and after treatment are predictive factors of poor prognosis for NPC. The study of CRP kinetics shows that continuously elevated CRP during treatment might indicate an unfavorable prognosis for NPC.

In order to explore the influence of reservoirs regulation in the upper basin of Xiluodu Reservoir, 11 key reservoirs in the upper reaches of Xiluodu Reservoir are studied. Based on the analysis of its overall regulation performance, the data of upstream reservoir group from 2006 to 2016 is used to analyze the impact of the upstream reservoir group. By dividing scheduling period of Xiluodu Reservoir into different stages, the impact of each stage and the proportion of impacts of each river basin is analyzed, the degree of impact of each basin is clarified. The results reveals that the upstream reservoir group storage accounts for about 20% of the inflow of Xiluodu Reservoir, which can contribute to the actual dispatching work of Xiluodu Reservoir.

In engineering, most sensors can only measure the intensity information of a signal, but without the phase information. The phase retrieval problem is to reconstruct the original signal only from intensity values, which is an ill-posed problem. To address this issue, we introduce sparse prior information to overcome the ill-posed problem and propose the sparse reweighted thresholded Wirtinger flow (SRThWF) algorithm. In the SRThWF algorithm, the original signal is reconstructed from Gaussian random measurements via intensity values. In particular, SRThWF carries on iteratively in two stages: In stage one, it works with initialization by truncated spectral method restricted on support recovery of sparse signal. In the second stage, the initial estimate is refined iteratively via hard-thresholding-based adaptive reweighted gradient descent. Furthermore, the convergence of the proposed algorithm has been proved. Experimental results show that the proposed algorithm is an effective sparse phase retrieval solver in the probability of success even if the sparsity level is unknown. Not only that, the proposed algorithm exhibits a faster convergence rate and shorter running time. In addition, SRThWF is robust to the noise. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]