Search

A growing body of research on identity and language learning has investigated how immigrant learners construct their identities in the process of acquiring a second language (L2). Much of the research, however, is situated in Western contexts. This study looks at how three Thai immigrants acquired an L2, Cantonese, and constructed their identities in their host society--Hong Kong. Drawing on the data collected from semi-structured interviews, onsite observation, and informal conversations, this study shows that the three Thai immigrants built multiple identities that allowed them to have access to the target language learning resources and practices. They embraced selective acculturation by maintaining their Thai identity and preserving their cultural heritage, which had a positive influence on their acquisition of the target language. The study suggests that language learners need to claim powerful identities and exercise human agency in their interaction with target language speakers to facilitate language learning.

Abstract Background Family with sequence similarity 109, member B (FAM109B) is involved in endocytic transport and affects genetic variation in brain methylation. It is one of the important genes related to immune cell-associated diseases. In the tumor immune system, methylation can regulate tumor immunity and influence the maturation and functional response of immune cells. Whether FAM109B is involved in tumor progression and its correlation with the tumor immune microenvironment has not yet been disclosed. Methods A comprehensive pan-cancer analysis of FAM109B expression, prognosis, immunity, and TMB was conducted. The expression, clinical features, and prognostic value of FAM109B in low-grade gliomas (LGG) were evaluated using TCGA, CGGA, and Gravendeel databases. The expression of FAM109B was validated by qRT-PCR, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and Western blotting (WB). The relationship between FAM109B and methylation, Copy Number Variation (CNV), prognosis, immune checkpoints (ICs), and common chemotherapy drug sensitivity in LGG was explored through Cox regression, Kaplan–Meier curves, and Spearman correlation analysis. FAM109B levels and their distribution were studied using the TIMER database and single-cell analysis. The potential role of FAM109B in gliomas was further investigated through in vitro and in vivo experiments. Results FAM109B was significantly elevated in various tumor types and was associated with poor prognosis. Its expression was related to aggressive progression and poor prognosis in low-grade glioma patients, serving as an independent prognostic marker for LGG. Glioma grade was negatively correlated with FAM109B DNA promoter methylation. Immune infiltration and single-cell analysis showed significant expression of FAM109B in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). The expression of FAM109B was closely related to gene mutations, immune checkpoints (ICs), and chemotherapy drugs in LGG. In vitro studies showed increased FAM109B expression in LGG, closely related to cell proliferation. In vivo studies showed that mice in the sh-FAM109B group had slower tumor growth, slower weight loss, and longer survival times. Conclusions FAM109B, as a novel prognostic biomarker for low-grade gliomas, exhibits specific overexpression in TAMs and may be a potential therapeutic target for LGG patients.

This study investigates hybrid stainless steel (SS) 316L/Inconel 625 (IN625) materials via DED for hydrofluoric acid (HF) corrosion resistance. 20% SS 316L + 80% IN625 (20% 316L) exhibits low uniform corrosion (0.35 mm/y) and improved local corrosion performance. High Cr2O3 content in its passive film ensures uniform corrosion resistance. The thermodynamic analysis combined with microstructure observation shows reduced Nb content in 20% 316L's Laves phase, enhancing resistance to micro-galvanic local corrosion. This study provides insights into the design and manufacturing technology of corrosion-resistant materials in harsh corrosive environments.

Abstract Neovaginas are surgically constructed to correct uterovaginal agenesis in women with Mayer-Rokitansky-Küster-Hauser (MRKH) syndrome or as part of gender-affirming surgery for transfeminine individuals. Understanding the assembly of the neovaginal microbiota is crucial for guiding its management. To address this, we conducted a longitudinal study on MRKH patients following laparoscopic peritoneal vaginoplasty. Our findings reveal that the early microbial assemblage exhibited stochastic characteristics, accompanied with a notable bloom of Enterococcus faecalis and genital Mycoplasmas. While both the pre-surgery dimple microbiota and the fecal microbiota constituted the primary species pool, the neovaginal microbiota developed into a microbiota that resembled that of a normal vagina at 6–12 months post-surgery, albeit with a bacterial vaginosis (BV)-like structure. By 2–4 years post-surgery, the neovaginal microbiota had further evolved into a structure closely resembling with the homeostatic pre-surgery dimple microbiota. This concords with the development of the squamous epithelium in the neovagina and highlights the pivotal roles of progressive selective forces imposed by the evolving neovaginal environment and the colonization tropism of vaginal species. Notably, we observed that strains of Lactobacillus crispatus colonizing the neovagina primarily originated from the dimple. Since L. crispatus is generally associated with vaginal health, this finding suggests potential avenues for future research to promote its colonization.

The damage threshold of an Au-coated flat mirror, one of the reflective optics installed on the FEL-2 beamline of the Dalian Coherent Light Source, China, upon far-UV free-electron laser irradiation is evaluated. The surface of the coating is characterized by profilometer and optical microscope. A theoretical approach of the phenomenon is also presented, by application of conventional single-pulse damage threshold calculations, a one-dimensional thermal diffusion model, as well as finite-element analysis with ANSYS.

Epoxy resin is widely used in electrical equipment and electronic devices fields due to its excellent electrical, thermal, and mechanical properties. However, its internal three-dimensional covalent interconnection structure brings barriers to its degradability and recycling because covalent bonds cannot be broken easily. With the replacements of power equipment and electronic devices, there will be more and more epoxy resins and their composites in them to be treated and effective recycling is of great significance for resource conservation and environmental protection. In this review article, recent progress in degradation and recycling of epoxy resin is introduced and the effect of three traditional degradation methods is discussed. The drawbacks of these methods are thought to come from the intrinsic properties of these epoxy resins. So the urgency of developing new kinds of degradable epoxy resins is proposed. Then different types of new degradable epoxy resins are reviewed. Degradation mechanisms of the opened-loop recycling and recycling methods of the closed-loop recycling are summarized in detail. Finally, the challenges and perspectives are discussed based on their current developments. This review comprehensively considers both traditional degradation methods and new methods for developing degradable epoxy resins. It covers not only an overview of the state-of-the-art advances of degradation and recycling of epoxy resin but also the prospects that provide reference for the synthesis of degradable epoxy resin materials.

AIM: To develop a deep learning-based model for automatic retinal vascular segmentation, analyzing and comparing parameters under diverse glucose metabolic status (normal, prediabetes, diabetes) and to assess the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) in image segmentation and retinal vascular parameters for predicting prediabetes and diabetes. METHODS: Retinal fundus photos from 200 normal individuals, 200 prediabetic patients, and 200 diabetic patients (600 eyes in total) were used. The U-Net network served as the foundational architecture for retinal artery-vein segmentation. An automatic segmentation and evaluation system for retinal vascular parameters was trained, encompassing 26 parameters. RESULTS: Significant differences were found in retinal vascular parameters across normal, prediabetes, and diabetes groups, including artery diameter (P=0.008), fractal dimension (P=0.000), vein curvature (P=0.003), C-zone artery branching vessel count (P=0.049), C-zone vein branching vessel count (P=0.041), artery branching angle (P=0.005), vein branching angle (P=0.001), artery angle asymmetry degree (P=0.003), vessel length density (P=0.000), and vessel area density (P=0.000), totaling 10 parameters. CONCLUSION: The deep learning-based model facilitates retinal vascular parameter identification and quantification, revealing significant differences. These parameters exhibit potential as biomarkers for prediabetes and diabetes.

The evolution of residual stresses (RS) at a crack tip and associated changes in crack shielding effects during fatigue crack growth (FCG) has a first order effect on the fatigue life of welded joints. This paper reports the results of fatigue crack growth rate (FCGR) tests conducted on as-welded and post-weld heat-treated (PWHT) specimens. By combining digital image correlation (DIC) techniques with the CJP model of crack tip stress and displacement fields, the stress intensity factor KCJP was obtained. Additionally, the da/dN–ΔKCJP curve was derived from the displacement field. Subsequently, the variation in KCJP-max and crack opening displacement δ were compared for as-welded and PWHT specimens. The evolution of RS and crack opening force Fop at different crack lengths were investigated. Results indicated that during FCG, the RS at the crack tip showed a trend towards a progressive acceleration in its decrease, until it was completely relaxed when a/W was approximately 0.56. Due to the crack tip shielding effects contribution an associated slight reduction in KCJP-max was observed in the initial stages of crack growth. Finally, the impact of the RS changes on crack tip shielding effects and the plastic zone size at the crack tip during the FCG process was systematically analysed. An improved model for assessing the plastic zone size at the crack tip, which considers the evolution of RS and crack tip shielding effects, was established and validated.

Objective: Chronic atrophic gastritis (CAG) is a complex and burdensome disease. However, side effects and compliance issues cannot be ignored due to the long treatment cycle. Numerous studies have confirmed the effectiveness of rutaecarpine (RUT) for treating digestive dysfunction. However, the potential mechanism of action of RUT in the context of CAG treatment remains unclear. This study aimed to explore the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of RUT in 1-methyl-3-nitro-1-nitrosoguanidine-induced CAG using network pharmacology, metabolomics, and traditional pharmacological approaches. Materials and Methods: Pathological tests and ELISA assays were used to observe the therapeutic effects of RUT treatment on CAG. Differential metabolites were identified using ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and metabolism-related target genes were enriched. The same target genes were identified between RUT and CAG diseases. The intersectional target genes were uploaded to Cytoscape for enrichment, and the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain (NOD)-like receptor signaling pathway was selected to validate the mechanisms of the study. Finally, cell pyroptosis status was evaluated using the terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling assay, and the expressions of associated proteins of the NOD-like receptor signaling pathway were assessed by Western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: RUT alleviated gastric mucosal damage and significantly downregulated indicators associated with inflammation and gastric atrophy. A total of 29 intersection target genes was identified, and core pathways were obtained. The NOD-like receptor signaling pathway and pyroptosis status were selected to validate the mechanisms of RUT treatment in CAG rats. The expression of NOD-related proteins and downstream factors was downregulated in the RUT group. Conclusions: RUT exerts a pharmacological effect on relieving gastric damage in CAG rats by inhibiting NOD-like receptors and inflammasomes.

Abstract Tertiary lymphoid structures (TLSs) are defined as lymphoid aggregates formed in non-hematopoietic organs under pathological conditions. Similar to secondary lymphoid organs (SLOs), the formation of TLSs relies on the interaction between lymphoid tissue inducer (LTi) cells and lymphoid tissue organizer (LTo) cells, involving multiple cytokines. Heterogeneity is a distinguishing feature of TLSs, which may lead to differences in their functions. Growing evidence suggests that TLSs are associated with various diseases, such as cancers, autoimmune diseases, transplant rejection, chronic inflammation, infection, and even ageing. However, the detailed mechanisms behind these clinical associations are not yet fully understood. The mechanisms by which TLS maturation and localization affect immune function are also unclear. Therefore, it is necessary to enhance the understanding of TLS development and function at the cellular and molecular level, which may allow us to utilize them to improve the immune microenvironment. In this review, we delve into the composition, formation mechanism, associations with diseases, and potential therapeutic applications of TLSs. Furthermore, we discuss the therapeutic implications of TLSs, such as their role as markers of therapeutic response and prognosis. Finally, we summarize various methods for detecting and targeting TLSs. Overall, we provide a comprehensive understanding of TLSs and aim to develop more effective therapeutic strategies.

Abstract Background High expression of ubiquitin ligase MDM2 is a primary cause of p53 inactivation in many tumors, making it a promising therapeutic target. However, MDM2 inhibitors have failed in clinical trials due to p53-induced feedback that enhances MDM2 expression. This underscores the urgent need to find an effective adaptive genotype or combination of targets. Methods Kinome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 knockout screen was performed to identify genes that modulate the response to MDM2 inhibitor using TP53 wild type cancer cells and found ULK1 as a candidate. The MTT cell viability assay, flow cytometry and LDH assay were conducted to evaluate the activation of pyroptosis and the synthetic lethality effects of combining ULK1 depletion with p53 activation. Dual-luciferase reporter assay and ChIP-qPCR were performed to confirm that p53 directly mediates the transcription of GSDME and to identify the binding region of p53 in the promoter of GSDME. ULK1 knockout / overexpression cells were constructed to investigate the functional role of ULK1 both in vitro and in vivo. The mechanism of ULK1 depletion to activate GSMDE was mainly investigated by qPCR, western blot and ELISA. Results By using high-throughput screening, we identified ULK1 as a synthetic lethal gene for the MDM2 inhibitor APG115. It was determined that deletion of ULK1 significantly increased the sensitivity, with cells undergoing typical pyroptosis. Mechanistically, p53 promote pyroptosis initiation by directly mediating GSDME transcription that induce basal-level pyroptosis. Moreover, ULK1 depletion reduces mitophagy, resulting in the accumulation of damaged mitochondria and subsequent increasing of reactive oxygen species (ROS). This in turn cleaves and activates GSDME via the NLRP3-Caspase inflammatory signaling axis. The molecular cascade makes ULK1 act as a crucial regulator of pyroptosis initiation mediated by p53 activation cells. Besides, mitophagy is enhanced in platinum-resistant tumors, and ULK1 depletion/p53 activation has a synergistic lethal effect on these tumors, inducing pyroptosis through GSDME directly. Conclusion Our research demonstrates that ULK1 deficiency can synergize with MDM2 inhibitors to induce pyroptosis. p53 plays a direct role in activating GSDME transcription, while ULK1 deficiency triggers upregulation of the ROS-NLRP3 signaling pathway, leading to GSDME cleavage and activation. These findings underscore the pivotal role of p53 in determining pyroptosis and provide new avenues for the clinical application of p53 restoration therapies, as well as suggesting potential combination strategies.

Abstract Effectively regulating monomer and excimer emission in a singular supramolecular luminous platform is challenging due to high difficulty of precise control over its aggregation and dispersion behavior when subjected to external stimuli. Here, we show a metallo-cage (MTH) featuring a triple helical motif that displays a unique dual emission. It arises from both intramolecular monomer and intermolecular excimer, respectively. The distorted molecular conformation and the staggered stacking mode of MTH excimer are verified through single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. These structural features facilitate the switch between monomer and excimer emission, which are induced by changes in concentration and temperature. Significantly, adjusting the equilibrium between these two states in MTH enables the production of vibrant white light emission in both solution and solid state. Moreover, when combined with a PMMA (polymethyl methacrylate) substrate, the resulting thin films can serve as straightforward fluorescence thermometer and thermally activated information encryption materials.

Abstract Lipid metabolism reprogramming involves in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), cancer stemness and immune checkpoints (ICs), which influence the metastasis of cancer. This study aimed to generate lipid metabolism-based signatures to predict prognosis, immunotherapy and chemotherapy response for colorectal adenocarcinoma (COAD). Transcriptome data and clinical information of COAD patients were collected from the cancer genome atlas (TCGA) database. The expression of EMT-, stem cell-, and IC-related genes were assessed between COAD and control samples. Modules and genes correlated EMT, ICs and stemness signatures were identified through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Prognostic signatures were generated and then the distribution of risk genes was evaluated using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) data from GSE132465 dataset. COAD patients exhibited increased EMT score and stemness along with decreased ICs. Next, 12 hub genes (PIK3CG, ALOX5AP, PIK3R5, TNFAIP8L2, DPEP2, PIK3CD, PIK3R6, GGT5, ELOVL4, PTGIS, CYP7B1 and PRKD1) were found within green and yellow modules correlated with EMT, stemness and ICs. Lipid metabolism-based prognostic signatures were generated based on PIK3CG, GGT5 and PTGIS. Patients with high-risk group had poor prognosis, elevated ESTIMATEScore and StromalScore, 100% mutation rate and higher TIDE score. Samples in low-risk group had more immunogenicity on ICIs. Notably, PIK3CG was expressed in B cells, while GGT5 and PTGIS were expressed in stromal cells. This study generates lipid metabolism-based signatures correlated with EMT, stemness and ICs for predicting prognosis of COAD, and provides potential therapeutic targets for immunotherapy in COAD.

Abstract The origin of energetic charged particles in universe remains an unresolved issue. Astronomical observations combined with simulations have provided insights into particle acceleration mechanisms, including magnetic reconnection acceleration, shock acceleration, and stochastic acceleration. Recent experiments have also confirmed that electrons can be accelerated through processes such as magnetic reconnection and collisionless shock formation. However, laboratory identifying stochastic acceleration as a feasible mechanism is still a challenge, particularly in the creation of collision-free turbulent plasmas. Here, we present experimental results demonstrating kinetic turbulence with a typical spectrum k −2.9 originating from Weibel instability. Energetic electrons exhibiting a power-law distribution are clearly observed. Simulations further reveal that thermal electrons undergo stochastic acceleration through collisions with multiple magnetic islands-like structures within the turbulent region. This study sheds light on a critical transition period during supernova explosion, where kinetic turbulences originating from Weibel instability emerge prior to collisionless shock formation. Our results suggest that electrons undergo stochastic acceleration during this transition phase.

Abstract Background Biologically annotated neural networks (BANNs) are feedforward Bayesian neural network models that utilize partially connected architectures based on SNP-set annotations. As an interpretable neural network, BANNs model SNP and SNP-set effects in their input and hidden layers, respectively. Furthermore, the weights and connections of the network are regarded as random variables with prior distributions reflecting the manifestation of genetic effects at various genomic scales. However, its application in genomic prediction has yet to be explored. Results This study extended the BANNs framework to the area of genomic selection and explored the optimal SNP-set partitioning strategies by using dairy cattle datasets. The SNP-sets were partitioned based on two strategies–gene annotations and 100 kb windows, denoted as BANN_gene and BANN_100kb, respectively. The BANNs model was compared with GBLUP, random forest (RF), BayesB and BayesCπ through five replicates of five-fold cross-validation using genotypic and phenotypic data on milk production traits, type traits, and one health trait of 6,558, 6,210 and 5,962 Chinese Holsteins, respectively. Results showed that the BANNs framework achieves higher genomic prediction accuracy compared to GBLUP, RF and Bayesian methods. Specifically, the BANN_100kb demonstrated superior accuracy and the BANN_gene exhibited generally suboptimal accuracy compared to GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ across all traits. The average accuracy improvements of BANN_100kb over GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ were 4.86%, 3.95%, 3.84% and 1.92%, and the accuracy of BANN_gene was improved by 3.75%, 2.86%, 2.73% and 0.85% compared to GBLUP, RF, BayesB and BayesCπ, respectively across all seven traits. Meanwhile, both BANN_100kb and BANN_gene yielded lower overall mean square error values than GBLUP, RF and Bayesian methods. Conclusion Our findings demonstrated that the BANNs framework performed better than traditional genomic prediction methods in our tested scenarios, and might serve as a promising alternative approach for genomic prediction in dairy cattle.

Abstract Background The clinical application of peptide vaccines in tumor immunotherapy holds significant promise. Peptide-based tumor vaccines are currently subject to certain limitations in clinical trials, including the challenge of inducing a sustained response from CD4+ T helper cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL), as well as human leukocyte antigen (HLA) restrictions. Methods Through the utilization of biological information methodology, a screening process was conducted to identify three potential long peptides that are specifically targeted by the MAGE-A4 antigen. The candidate long peptides were subjected to in vitro testing using human peripheral blood lymphocytes as samples to evaluate their immunogenicity and immune function. The antitumor properties and preliminary mechanism of the long peptide vaccine were investigated through the use of a mouse model designed for the prevention of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). Results Three predicted multi-epitope long peptides targeting MAGE-A4 have shown to have a strong immunogenicity, with a total positive rate of 72% across different HLA subtypes in Chinese populations. they can also increase the levels of the costimulatory factor CD137 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), activate T cells, and boost the cytotoxic activity. Results from an animal study have revealed that the long-peptide vaccine, both on its own and in combination with R848, has displayed impressive anti-tumor and target-specific capabilities. Moreover, it has the ability to increase the expression of effector memory T cells and central memory T cells. Conclusions This study was the first to screen three multi-epitope long peptides targeting MAGE-A4 and assess their immunogenicity, immune function, and potential as adjuvant peptides. The results showed that the MAGE-A4 long peptide vaccine can be used as a novel immunoprophylaxis method to prevent TNBC. Moreover, the proposed development model is capable of screening multiple target antigens, which lead to its clinical application.

Abstract Background Recent studies have highlighted the significant role of the NF-κB signaling pathway in the initiation and progression of cancer. Furthermore, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been identified as pivotal regulators in sustaining the NF-κB signaling pathway’s functionality. Despite these findings, the underlying molecular mechanisms through which lncRNAs influence the NF-κB pathway remain largely unexplored. Methods Bioinformatic analyses were utilized to investigate the differential expression and prognostic significance of XTP6. The functional roles of XTP6 were further elucidated through both in vitro and in vivo experimental approaches. To estimate the interaction between XTP6 and NDH2, RNA pulldown and RNA Immunoprecipitation (RIP) assays were conducted. The connection between XTP6 and the IκBα promoter was examined using Chromatin Isolation by RNA Purification (ChIRP) assays. Additionally, Chromatin Immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were implemented to analyze the binding affinity of c-myc to the XTP6 promoter, providing insights into the regulatory mechanisms at play. Results XTP6 was remarkedly upregulated in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) tissues and was connected with adverse prognosis in GBM patients. Our investigations revealed that XTP6 can facilitate the malignant progression of GBM both in vitro and in vivo. Additionally, XTP6 downregulated IκBα expression by recruiting NDH2 to the IκBα promoter, which resulted in elevated levels of H3K27me3, thereby reducing the transcriptional activity of IκBα. Moreover, the progression of GBM was further driven by the c-myc-mediated upregulation of XTP6, establishing a positive feedback loop with IκBα that perpetuated the activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Notably, the application of an inhibitor targeting the NF-κB signaling pathway effectively inhibited the continuous activation induced by XTP6, leading to a significant reduction in tumor formation in vivo. Conclusion The results reveal that XTP6 unveils an innovative epigenetic mechanism instrumental in the sustained activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway, suggesting a promising therapeutic target for the treatment of GBM.

AIM: To evaluate the application of an intelligent diagnostic model for pterygium. METHODS: For intelligent diagnosis of pterygium, the attention mechanisms—SENet, ECANet, CBAM, and Self-Attention—were fused with the lightweight MobileNetV2 model structure to construct a tri-classification model. The study used 1220 images of three types of anterior ocular segments of the pterygium provided by the Eye Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Conventional classification models—VGG16, ResNet50, MobileNetV2, and EfficientNetB7—were trained on the same dataset for comparison. To evaluate model performance in terms of accuracy, Kappa value, test time, sensitivity, specificity, the area under curve (AUC), and visual heat map, 470 test images of the anterior segment of the pterygium were used. RESULTS: The accuracy of the MobileNetV2+Self-Attention model with 281 MB in model size was 92.77%, and the Kappa value of the model was 88.92%. The testing time using the model was 9ms/image in the server and 138ms/image in the local computer. The sensitivity, specificity, and AUC for the diagnosis of pterygium using normal anterior segment images were 99.47%, 100%, and 100%, respectively; using anterior segment images in the observation period were 88.30%, 95.32%, and 96.70%, respectively; and using the anterior segment images in the surgery period were 88.18%, 94.44%, and 97.30%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The developed model is lightweight and can be used not only for detection but also for assessing the severity of pterygium.

Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CdLS) is a rare, dominantly inherited multisystem developmental disorder characterized by highly variable manifestations of growth and developmental delays, upper limb involvement, hypertrichosis, cardiac, gastrointestinal, craniofacial, and other systemic features. Pathogenic variants in genes encoding cohesin complex structural subunits and regulatory proteins (NIPBL, SMC1A, SMC3, HDAC8, and RAD21) are the major pathogenic contributors to CdLS. Heterozygous or hemizygous variants in the genes encoding these five proteins have been found to be contributory to CdLS, with variants in NIPBL accounting for the majority (>60%) of cases, and the only gene identified to date that results in the severe or classic form of CdLS when mutated. Pathogenic variants in cohesin genes other than NIPBL tend to result in a less severe phenotype. Causative variants in additional genes, such as ANKRD11, EP300, AFF4, TAF1, and BRD4, can cause a CdLS-like phenotype. The common role that these genes, and others, play as critical regulators of developmental transcriptional control has led to the conditions they cause being referred to as disorders of transcriptional regulation (or DTRs). Here, we report the results of a comprehensive molecular analysis in a cohort of 716 probands with typical and atypical CdLS in order to delineate the genetic contribution of causative variants in cohesin complex genes as well as novel candidate genes, genotype-phenotype correlations, and the utility of genome sequencing in understanding the mutational landscape in this population.

Fatigue property is an important index for novel high-entropy alloys (HEAs) before their engineering applications. Here we engineer a Al0·3CoCrFeNi HEA with hierarchically heterogeneous microstructure by cold rolling and annealing treatment, which includes heterogeneous grains, annealing and deformation twins, residual dislocations and B2 precipitates with different morphologies, sizes and distributions. Stress-life (S–N) tests and characterization techniques including scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were carried out to investigate fatigue properties as well as corresponding mechanisms. It is found that this HEA possesses good strength-ductility combination (i.e., yield strength of ∼870 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of ∼1060 MPa and ductility of ∼26 %) and fatigue resistance with fatigue ratio of ∼0.46 under stress ratio of −1. This fatigue ratio exceeds those of most reported HEAs. High strength renders the fatigue deformation mainly occurs in deformation twin regions decorated with B2 precipitates. Surface damage morphologies indicate that fatigue cracks initiate from persistent slip band-like shear bands. In addition, microstructural hierarchy results in the deflected fatigue crack propagation path, which is beneficial for the enhancement of fatigue resistance. Present results offer the guidance on future design for high fatigue-resistant HEAs by manipulating heterogeneous microstructure.

Abstract This study probes the utility of biomarkers for microsatellite instability (MSI) detection and elucidates the molecular dynamics propelling colorectal cancer (CRC) progression. We synthesized a primer panel targeting 725 MSI loci, informed by The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) and ancillary databases, to construct an amplicon library for next-generation sequencing (NGS). K-means clustering facilitated the distillation of 8 prime MSI loci, including activin A receptor type 2A (ACVR2A). Subsequently, we explored ACVR2A’s influence on CRC advancement through in vivo tumor experiments and hematoxylin–eosin (HE) staining. Transwell assays gauged ACVR2A’s role in CRC cell migration and invasion, while colony formation assays appraised cell proliferation. Western blotting illuminated the impact of ACVR2A suppression on CRC’s PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway protein expressions under hypoxia. Additionally, ACVR2A’s influence on CRC-induced angiogenesis was quantified via angiogenesis assays. K-means clustering of NGS data pinpointed 32 MSI loci specific to tumor and DNA mismatch repair deficiency (dMMR) tissues. ACVR2A emerged as a pivotal biomarker, discerning MSI-H tissues with 90.97% sensitivity. A curated 8-loci set demonstrated 100% sensitivity and specificity for MSI-H detection in CRC. In vitro analyses corroborated ACVR2A’s critical role, revealing its suppression of CRC proliferation, migration, and invasion. Moreover, ACVR2A inhibition under CRC-induced hypoxia markedly escalated MMP3, CyclinA, CyclinD1, and HIF1α protein expressions, alongside angiogenesis, by triggering the PI3K/AKT/mTOR cascade. The 8-loci ensemble stands as the optimal marker for MSI-H identification in CRC. ACVR2A, a central element within this group, deters CRC progression, while its suppression amplifies PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling and angiogenesis under hypoxic stress.

Abstract Background Recent researches have increasingly indicated a strong correlation between the gut microbiota and chronic prostatitis/chronic pelvic pain syndrome (CP/CPPS). Nevertheless, the impact of gut microbiota on CP/CPPS still requires further elucidation. Methods Employing the summary statistics provided by the MiBioGen consortium, we executed a two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis. The study involved 18,340 participants and considered gut microbiota as the instrumental variable. Chronic prostatitis summary statistics, representing 500 cases and 208,308 controls, were extracted from the GWAS Catalog release data as the disease outcome. Various methods, including weighted inverse variance, MR-Egger and weighted median, were employed to assess how gut microbiota interact and correlate with CP/CPPS. Sensitivity analysis was used to eliminate heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy. Results Our findings, primarily derived from the IVW approach, provided evidence for a causal link between five categories of gut microbiota and CP/CPPS. Resultantly, the genus Christensenellaceae (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.17–0.87, P = 0.02), genus Eisenbergiella (OR = 0.62, 95% CI 0.40–0.97, P = 0.04), genus Hungatella (OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.28–0.85, P = 0.01) and genus Terrisporobacter (OR = 0.39, 95% CI 0.20–0.75, P = 0.00) exhibited a protective impact on CP/CPPS, while family Prevotellaceae (OR = 1.78, 95% CI 1.01–3.15, P = 0.05) had the opposite effect. No notable heterogeneity of instrumental variables or horizontal pleiotropy was detected. Conclusions The findings of this study, which used a two-sample Mendelian randomization approach, indicate a causal link between gut microbiota and CP/CPPS. This could be valuable in offering fresh perspectives for additional mechanistic and clinical investigations of microbiota-related CP/CPPS. Nevertheless, additional randomized controlled trials are necessary for validation.

Abstract Background With rapid urbanization, massive migration, and non-family–based eldercare involvement, Chinese concepts of eldercare responsibility and filial piety are shifting. We performed age-period-cohort (APC) analyses to assess the transition of old-age pension coverage, eldercare responsibility, and filial piety concepts and its urban-rural differences among Chinese adults using data from the China General Social Survey (2006–2017). Methods Old-age pension coverage (yes/no) and primary eldercare responsibility (government/offspring/self/sharing) were investigated in 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, and 2017. Filial piety was evaluated using customized questionnaires in 2006 and 2017. The APC effects were estimated using mixed effects and generalized additive models. Results Among 66,182 eligible participants (mean age: 48.8 years, females: 51.7%) in the six waves, APC analyses indicated that old-age pension coverage increased with aging and over time. Across cohort groups, it grew as the cohort was younger in urban residents but decreased in rural residents. The concept of offspring-based (> 50%) and government/self/offspring-shared eldercare (> 30%) predominated. APC analyses revealed that the offspring-based concept declined with aging (OR = 0.81, 95% CI: 0.79–0.84), whereas the government-based (OR = 1.37, 95% CI: 1.33–1.41) and self-based (OR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.47–1.63) concepts increased with aging. People born around the 1940s have a comparatively higher possibility to perceive that the primary eldercare responsibility should be undertaken by the government and elder parents. In contrast, people born in the younger cohort were more likely to perceive that adult children are responsible for their parents’ primary eldercare. Filial piety score slightly increased with aging (β = 0.18, SD: 0.05) but decreased as the birth cohort was younger. In addition, rural participants were more likely to perceive offspring-based eldercare and maintain filial piety, and the related urban-rural difference was intensified by aging. Conclusions The traditional concept that eldercare solely relies on offspring has changed to relying on multiple entities, including the government and self-reliance. Diluted filial piety in people born in the young cohort requires reinforcement. Moreover, future healthy aging policies need to focus more on urban-rural disparities to promote equity in social well-being.

Abstract Background The glandular trichomes of tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) can efficiently produce secondary metabolites. They act as natural bioreactors, and their natural products function to protect plants against insect-pests and pathogens and are also components of industrial chemicals. To clarify the molecular mechanisms of tobacco glandular trichome development and secondary metabolic regulation, glandular trichomes and glandless trichomes, as well as other different developmental tissues, were used for RNA sequencing and analysis. Results By comparing glandless and glandular trichomes with other tissues, we obtained differentially expressed genes. They were obviously enriched in KEGG pathways, such as cutin, suberine, and wax biosynthesis, flavonoid and isoflavonoid biosynthesis, terpenoid biosynthesis, and plant–pathogen interaction. In particular, the expression levels of genes related to the terpenoid, flavonoid, and wax biosynthesis pathway mainly showed down-regulation in glandless trichomes, implying that they lack the capability to synthesize certain exudate compounds. Among the differentially expressed genes, 234 transcription factors were found, including AP2-ERFs, MYBs, bHLHs, WRKYs, Homeoboxes (HD-ZIP), and C2H2-ZFs. These transcription factor and genes that highly expressed in trichomes or specially expressed in GT or GLT. Following the overexpression of R2R3-MYB transcription factor Nitab4.5_0011760g0030.1 in tobacco, an increase in the number of branched glandular trichomes was observed. Conclusions Our data provide comprehensive gene expression information at the transcriptional level and an understanding of the regulatory pathways involved in glandular trichome development and secondary metabolism.

Abstract Background ARID1A, a subunit of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex, is thought to play a significant role both in tumor suppression and tumor initiation, which is highly dependent upon context. Previous studies have suggested that ARID1A deficiency may contribute to cancer development. The specific mechanisms of whether ARID1A loss affects tumorigenesis by RNA editing remain unclear. Results Our findings indicate that the deficiency of ARID1A leads to an increase in RNA editing levels and alterations in RNA editing categories mediated by adenosine deaminases acting on RNA 1 (ADAR1). ADAR1 edits the CDK13 gene at two previously unidentified sites, namely Q113R and K117R. Given the crucial role of CDK13 as a cyclin-dependent kinase, we further observed that ADAR1 deficiency results in changes in the cell cycle. Importantly, the sensitivity of ARID1A-deficient tumor cells to SR-4835, a CDK12/CDK13 inhibitor, suggests a promising therapeutic approach for individuals with ARID1A-mutant tumors. Knockdown of ADAR1 restored the sensitivity of ARID1A deficient cells to SR-4835 treatment. Conclusions ARID1A deficiency promotes RNA editing of CDK13 by regulating ADAR1.

Negative thermal expansion (NTE) defies the conventional wisdom of lattice dynamics and offers a novel way to control the expansion coefficient and address some challenges in modern science and technology. From an application standpoint, materials exhibiting NTE across a broad temperature range, including room temperature, are highly sought after. In this work, we propose the multi-doping strategy and prepared a series of rare-earth-based lithium oxides featuring negative thermal expansion, with the objective of adjusting their temperature range. The phase transition temperatures of these materials range from 202 K to 467 K, demonstrating a linear correlation with the average ionic radius of the rare-earth elements. By capitalizing on the synergistic effects of four rare-earth elements, we expand the full width at half maximum of the thermal expansion peak in Li(ErYHoDy)0.25O2 from 1.6 K to 14.5 K, a notable improvement of nearly tenfold is achieved. Additionally, we investigate the low-temperature magnetocaloric effects and inverse barocaloric effects within these rare-earth-based lithium oxides. Temperature- and pressure-dependent Raman scattering measurements indicate that the phase transitions and the barocaloric effects are associated with the stretching mode of the Li–O bond and the vibrational mode of the YO6 octahedron.

In this study, slow strain rate test (SSRT), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to investigate the stress corrosion behavior of 316L austenitic stainless steel in 50 wt% NaOH solution at 100 °C. In addition, the electrochemical properties of the material were characterized using the EIS technique, and the composition of the corrosion product film was analyzed by XPS. Results show that the mechanical properties of materials deteriorate as the strain rate decreases in the stress corrosion test. However, when the applied strain rate is less than a certain strain rate, the deterioration of mechanical properties tends to be stable. Moreover, appropriate equivalent circuit models are fitted for the stress corrosion behavior of 316L austenitic stainless steel in hot NaOH solution, which can be used to analyze the stress corrosion behavior under various working conditions.

Abstract Background Structural variations (SVs) have significant impacts on complex phenotypes by rearranging large amounts of DNA sequence. Results We present a comprehensive SV catalog based on the whole-genome sequence of 1060 pigs (Sus scrofa) representing 101 breeds, covering 9.6% of the pig genome. This catalog includes 42,487 deletions, 37,913 mobile element insertions, 3308 duplications, 1664 inversions, and 45,184 break ends. Estimates of breed ancestry and hybridization using genotyped SVs align well with those from single nucleotide polymorphisms. Geographically stratified deletions are observed, along with known duplications of the KIT gene, responsible for white coat color in European pigs. Additionally, we identify a recent SINE element insertion in MYO5A transcripts of European pigs, potentially influencing alternative splicing patterns and coat color alterations. Furthermore, a Yorkshire-specific copy number gain within ABCG2 is found, impacting chromatin interactions and gene expression across multiple tissues over a stretch of genomic region of ~200 kb. Preliminary investigations into SV’s impact on gene expression and traits using the Pig Genotype-Tissue Expression (PigGTEx) data reveal SV associations with regulatory variants and gene-trait pairs. For instance, a 51-bp deletion is linked to the lead eQTL of the lipid metabolism regulating gene FADS3, whose expression in embryo may affect loin muscle area, as revealed by our transcriptome-wide association studies. Conclusions This SV catalog serves as a valuable resource for studying diversity, evolutionary history, and functional shaping of the pig genome by processes like domestication, trait-based breeding, and adaptive evolution.

Abstract Pentamidine and melarsoprol are primary drugs used to treat the lethal human sleeping sickness caused by the parasite Trypanosoma brucei. Cross-resistance to these two drugs has recently been linked to aquaglyceroporin 2 of the trypanosome (TbAQP2). TbAQP2 is the first member of the aquaporin family described as capable of drug transport; however, the underlying mechanism remains unclear. Here, we present cryo-electron microscopy structures of TbAQP2 bound to pentamidine or melarsoprol. Our structural studies, together with the molecular dynamic simulations, reveal the mechanisms shaping substrate specificity and drug permeation. Multiple amino acids in TbAQP2, near the extracellular entrance and inside the pore, create an expanded conducting tunnel, sterically and energetically allowing the permeation of pentamidine and melarsoprol. Our study elucidates the mechanism of drug transport by TbAQP2, providing valuable insights to inform the design of drugs against trypanosomiasis.

Background: Hemoglobin (Hb) has been reported as a prognostic factor in many cancer patients. However, its effect on the prognosis of patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative treatment is still unclear. Objective: The aim of this study was to assess whether Hb can be used as a prognostic indicator for patients with advanced cancer receiving palliative treatment. Methods: From July 2013 to October 2015, 368 consecutive patients were treated in the Palliative Treatment Center of Shanghai Cancer Center, Fudan University. The data of 105 patients were extended in the follow-up. The cutoff value selected for Hb was 100?g/L. Results: The median survival time of patients with low hemoglobin (LHb) was shorter than that of patients with high hemoglobin (HHb; 41 days vs. 84 days). In addition, in the follow-up readmission cohort (n?=?105), the median survival time of patients with HHb (HHb ? HHb) was 3.44 times longer than that of patients with LHb (HHb ? LHb). To sum up, both LHb and descending Hb were identified as independent prognostic factors for poor prognosis. Conclusions: In palliative treatment, Hb can be used as a stratification factor to judge poor prognosis in advanced cancer patients.

Abstract Optimizing short‐term load forecasting performance is a challenge due to the randomness of nonlinear power load and variability of system operation mode. The existing methods generally ignore how to reasonably and effectively combine the complementary advantages among them and fail to capture enough internal information from load data, resulting in accuracy reduction. To achieve accurate and efficient short‐term load forecasting, an integral implementation framework is proposed based on convolutional neural network (CNN), gated recurrent unit (GRU) and channel attention mechanism. CNN and GRU are first combined to fully extract the highly complicated dynamic characteristics and learn time compliance relationships of load sequence. Based on CNN‐GRU network, the channel attention mechanism is introduced to further reduce the loss of historical information and enhance the impact of important characteristics. Then, the overall framework of short‐term load forecasting based on CNN‐GRU‐Attention network is proposed, and the coupling relationship between each stage is revealed. Finally, the developed framework is implemented on realistic load dataset of distribution networks, and the experimental results verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. Compared with the state‐of‐the‐art models, the CNN‐GRU‐Attention model outperforms in different evaluation metrics.

ABSTRACTRussula is the largest genus in the Russulales and is widespread throughout the world. Almost all Russula species are known to be ectomycorrhizal with high ecological and edible values, and some are lethal poisonous. In this study, four new species belonging to the subgenus Russula crown clade are identified based on morphological and phylogenetic evidence from the Xizang Autonomous Region and other provinces of China. Morphologically, Russula paragraveolens (sect. Polychromae, subsect. Xerampelinae) is mainly characterised by a cherry red to blood red pileus centre, a reddish orange pileus margin; R. pseudograveolens (sect. Polychromae, subsect. Xerampelinae) is characterised by a violet brown to brownish red pileus centre, a pale red to pastel red pileus margin and short basidia; R. shigatseensis (sect. Flavisiccantes, subsect. Lepidinae) is characterised by a brownish orange to madder red pileus centre, pinkish red pileus margin, and having lateral branches or branches of hyphal terminations in pileipellis; R. yadongensis (sect. Tenellae, subsect. Laricinae) is characterised by a dark purplish red pileus centre with brownish purple tints and having isolated to clustered spines of spore ornamentations. Their distinct taxonomic status is confirmed by the positions of the four new species in both the ITS and 4-locus (nucLSU, mtSSU, rpb2, tef1) phylogenetic trees.

Abstract As a solid energy source, CH4 hydrate will inevitably break down physically as the result of geological movement or exploitation. Here, the molecular dynamics method was employed to simulate the uniaxial-deformation behavior of structure I (sI type) CH4 hydrate under stress. The stress increases regardless of whether the hydrate is stretched or squeezed, and other physical parameters also changed, such as hydrate cage numbers, order parameters, and the number of water molecules. A noticeable difference is observed between the two systems. Upon stretching, the stress immediately recovers to 0 GPa once the hydrate is completely stretched apart. During the squeeze process, the stress is ultimately not zero since solid and liquid are always in contact. When the hydrate is stretched apart, about 5% of water molecules change from solid to liquid, about 7.8% of CH4 molecules lose their shelter and become free due to the disintegration of water cages. While in the squeezing process, large cages (51262) are crushed more easily than small cages (512); in the end, about 93.5% of large cages and 73% of small cages are crushed, and approximately 87.5% CH4 is released from the cages. In mining CH4 hydrates, caution must be exercised, as if the hydrates break as a result of stress, a large release of CH4 may pose a security risk.

On April 3, 2024, at 07:58 (Beijing time), a magnitude 7.3 earthquake occurred in the waters of Hualien County, Taiwan Province. The Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration initiated a rapid response after the earthquake and organized geophysics researchers to estimate the source model and seismic radiation energy of the earthquake. Based on the source model, the shakemap and coseismic deformation field simulation were carried out. The results indicate that the earthquake occurred at the boundary between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate, primarily characterized by a thrust mechanism, with energy released predominantly in the first 35 seconds. The earthquake intensity in the extreme seismic area possibly have reached more than X degree, with a potential disaster area of approximately 35000 km2. The earthquake also caused significant coseismic displacements, with the maximum horizontal displacement reaching 0.52 m and the vertical displacement reaching 1.18 m.

Abstract Background Dysregulation of iron metabolism has been shown to have significant implications for cancer development. We aimed to investigate the prognostic and immunological significance of iron metabolism-related genes (IMRGs) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods Multiple Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets were analyzed to identify key IMRGs associated with prognosis. Additionally, the immunological significance of IMRGs was explored. Results A novel risk model was established using the LASSO regression algorithm, incorporating three genes (TFRC, SLC39A14, and ATP6V0D1).This model categorized patients into low and high-risk groups, and Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed significantly shorter progression-free survival for the high-risk group (P

Abstract Nipah virus (NiV) is a World Health Organization priority pathogen and there are currently no approved drugs for clinical immunotherapy. Through the use of a naïve human phage-displayed Fab library, two neutralizing antibodies (NiV41 and NiV42) targeting the NiV receptor binding protein (RBP) were identified. Following affinity maturation, antibodies derived from NiV41 display cross-reactivity against both NiV and Hendra virus (HeV), whereas the antibody based on NiV42 is only specific to NiV. Results of immunogenetic analysis reveal a correlation between the maturation of antibodies and their antiviral activity. In vivo testing of NiV41 and its mature form (41-6) show protective efficacy against a lethal NiV challenge in hamsters. Furthermore, a 2.88 Å Cryo-EM structure of the tetrameric RBP and antibody complex demonstrates that 41-6 blocks the receptor binding interface. These findings can be beneficial for the development of antiviral drugs and the design of vaccines with broad spectrum against henipaviruses.

Fishing ports play an essential role in fisheries development and supply chains, as all catches are landed through fishing ports to enter the seafood market. Frequent and intensive fishing activities inevitably affect the fishing port ecosystem by discharging sewage and waste oil from sources such as fishing vessels, leaching ship paint, and operating wharves. However, fishing ports are usually located in semi-enclosed seas, leading to the accumulation of land-based pollution in port environments. Fishing ports are known potential sinks for land-sourced pollutants, such as heavy metals, phthalates, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and petroleum hydrocarbons. Currently, comprehensive research on the distribution and ecological risk of heavy metals in fishing ports is very limited. With no environmental and scientific data available for reference, it is difficult to formulate appropriate pollution control and prevention strategies for fishing ports. Environmental risk assessment in aquatic ecosystems typically uses biomarkers to detect interactions between potential hazards and biological systems. Next to knowing environmental contaminant levels in tissues and the environment, it is important to link to potentially deleterious effects at higher levels of biological organization, such as biochemistry, physiology, and overall health status. Biochemical reactions are frequently used as biomarkers in sentinel model species sampled from reference sites, for monitoring xenobiotic pollution in coastal areas. However, multiple biomarkers were too complex and could not directly reflect the toxic effects of pollutants on organisms, while the integrated biomarker response (IBR) index could overcome this and comprehensively evaluate the aquatic ecosystem health status.The primary purpose of this study was to evaluate the overall pollution level and risks in fishing ports. Samples of green mussels (Perna viridis) and surface water were collected at 12 sampling points in four fishing ports located in Guangdong and Guangxi provinces, China. Six types of heavy metals were measured in the surface water and soft tissues of P. viridis by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Moreover, biomarkers of the antioxidant defense system, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPx), catalase (CAT), and malondialdehyde (MDA), were analyzed in the hepatopancreas of P. viridis to calculate the IBR index. The results showed that the range of concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Cr in seawater was 1.13–2.37, 6.67–33.43, 0.14–0.32, 0.03–0.32, 1.09–1.73, and 0.80–1.20 μg/L, respectively, while in the soft tissues of P. viridis, it was 8.31–11.93, 67.92–103.17, 0.88–3.07, 0.80–2.33, 9.61–12.70, and 2.54–4.75 mg/kg, respectively. The mean concentrations of Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, As, and Cr in each fishing port were lower than the fourth grade of the National Seawater Quality Standard (GB 3097-1997). The concentrations of heavy metals in the surface water and soft tissues of P. viridis were generally at a low level, the comprehensive pollution indices (PI) of heavy metals in the surface water of all four fishing ports were within the natural background range, and the comprehensive pollution indices (Pin) of heavy metals in the soft tissues of P. viridis were in the no pollution category. The PI of heavy metals in the surface water was Shekou Port > Nanwan Port > Dahao Port > Yuwan Port, while the Pin of heavy metals in the soft tissues of P. viridis was Yuwan Port > Shekou Port > Nanwan Port > Dahao Port. In addition, Cu concentrations in both the surface water and soft tissues of P. viridis from Shekou Port were the highest among those from the four fishing ports. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in MDA content or SOD, CAT, and GPx enzyme activities, in the hepatopancreas of P. viridis from the four fishing ports. The IBR index of P. viridis was 4.50 in Shekou Port, 2.14 in Yuwan Port, 1.91 in Dahao Port, and 1.50 in Nanwan Port, which showed a decreasing trend from Shekou Port > Yuwan Port > Dahao Port > Nanwan Port. The highest IBR index was identified at Shekou Port, which agreed with the profiles of the comprehensive pollution index of seawater. According to the correlation analysis, the IBR index showed no significant correlation with the comprehensive pollution index of seawater and marine mussels. It was noteworthy that the IBR index displayed significant positive correlations with Cu concentrations in seawater and mussel tissues, which indicated that Cu pollution may be an important factor to consider in pollution assessments of fishing ports.Overall, this study provides the first evidence of using the IBR index to evaluate the heavy metal pollution status of fishing ports. The pollution level and potential risk of heavy metals in Shekou Port were higher than those of the other three fishing ports. The IBR index coupled with chemical analysis is useful to assess the environmental pollution status of fishing ports for pollution source control and management policy formulation.