Search

[Objective] The spatio-temporal evolution characteristics and its reasons of eco-environmental vulnerability in the Pearl River delta were studied in order to provide theoretical basis for regional development. [Methods] The pressure-sensitivity-restoration (PSR) model, quantitative grading method and analytic hierarchy process (AHP), as well as the combination of the eco-environmental vulnerability index were used to analyze the characteristics of eco-environmental vulnerability of the Pearl River delta at different periods. On this basis, the degree of influence of variable factors on differences in the spatio-temporal distribution of ecological vulnerability was analyzed with the help of factor detection of Geodetector. [Results] ① From 2000 to 2020, the eco-environmental vulnerability index ranged from 1.206 5～4.594 8, indicating slight vulnerability grade. ② In terms of spatial distribution, the vulnerability level was higher in the central part of the Pearl River delta and lower in the eastern and western. In addition, with the increase of elevation, the degree of eco-environment vulnerability tended to decrease on the whole, the proportion of moderate and severe vulnerability decreases. ③ Forest land exhibits potential and slight vulnerability grade, grassland showed moderate vulnerability, cultivated land, water and unused land are mainly located in mild vulnerability areas and construction land showed severe and moderate vulnerability grade. ④ The main factors influencing the spatial variation of eco-environmental vulnerability in the Pearl River delta were population density, NDVI and biological richness index. [Conclusion] Affected by the pressure of population growth, the eco-environmental vulnerability level of the Pearl River delta increased during the study period.

The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) protein plays a key pathogenic role in oncogenesis, cancer progression, and metastasis. Numerous studies have explored the role of metabolic alterations in KRAS-driven cancers, providing a scientific rationale for targeting metabolism in cancer treatment. The development of KRAS-specific inhibitors has also garnered considerable attention, partly due to the challenge of acquired treatment resistance. Here, we review the metabolic reprogramming of glucose, glutamine, and lipids regulated by oncogenic KRAS, with an emphasis on recent insights into the relationship between changes in metabolic mechanisms driven by KRAS mutant and related advances in targeted therapy. We also focus on advances in KRAS inhibitor discovery and related treatment strategies in colorectal, pancreatic, and non-small cell lung cancer, including current clinical trials. Therefore, this review provides an overview of the current understanding of metabolic mechanisms associated with KRAS mutation and related therapeutic strategies, aiming to facilitate the understanding of current challenges in KRAS-driven cancer and to support the investigation of therapeutic strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The virulent bacteria‐induced host immune response dominates the occurrence and progression of periodontal diseases because of the roles of individual virulence factors from these pathogens in the initiation and spread of inflammation. Outer membrane vesicles (OMVs) as a pathogenic entity have recently attracted great attention as messenger bridges between bacteria and host tissues. Herein, the novel role of OMVs derived from Fusobacterium nucleatum in the occurrence of periodontitis is dissected. In a rat periodontitis model, it is found that OMVs derived from F. nucleatum caused deterioration of periodontitis by enhancing inflammation of the periodontium and absorption of alveolar bone, which is almost equivalent to the effect of F. nucleatum itself. Furthermore, that OMVs can independently induce periodontitis is shown. The pathogenicity of OMVs is attributed to multiple pathogenic components identified by omics. After entering human periodontal ligament stem cells (hPDLSCs) by endocytosis, OMVs activated NLRP3 inflammasomes and impaired the mineralization of hPDLSCs through NF‐κB (p65) signaling, leading to the final injury of the periodontium and damage of alveolar bone in periodontitis. These results provide a new understanding of OMVs derived from pathogens and cues for the prevention of periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromosomal trisomy syndrome is associated with diverse clinical phenotypes, including intellectual disability. Partial trisomy of the distal 17q is a rare anomaly with similar clinical features, including psychomotor and growth deficits, facial dysmorphism, and microcephaly. Here, we describe three patients from two unrelated families with terminal trisomy 17q. We performed G‐banding karyotype and chromosomal microarray analyses. The child in Family 1 had a 31.3 Mb mosaic duplication on chromosome 17. Family 2 comprised dizygotic twins with a 263 kb deletion on chromosome 15 and a 9.2 Mb duplication on chromosome 17; however, normal karyotyping results were obtained for both parents. We also analyzed the genetic mechanisms underlying the occurrence of these chromosomal aberrations and summarized the literature describing known genotype–phenotype correlations. Given the rarity of partial trisomy of terminal 17q, these cases will provide new insights into the diagnosis of this condition and genotype–phenotype correlations, which can aid in the detection of such conditions and genetic counseling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tungsten is an irreplaceable primary material and strategic resource for national economic development and modern national defense security. The endowment of tungsten ore resources in various countries is different; we should not only focus on the availability of tungsten ore itself but also the sustainability of its entire process from upstream supply to downstream industry demand. Analyzing the evolution of the supply and demand patterns of tungsten ore trade from the perspective of the industrial chain, identifying the key supply and demand subjects, and exploring the influencing factors of trade has become an important research topic. Therefore, we construct global tungsten trade networks based on the industrial chain, analyze its overall characteristics, explore critical trade supply and demand entities, and identify China's trade position. We got some meaningful results: (1) The global tungsten trade networks have prominent power-law distribution characteristics. The trend of trade globalization is evident, but the dominance is still in the hands of a few developed countries or developing countries with developed manufacturing industries. (2) In different parts of the tungsten industry chain, the impact of resource endowment, industrial technology level, and geographical location on the country's trade role is different. (3) China's position in the global tungsten resource industry chain and value chain is constantly improving, but there is still a risk of high-end technology being "stuck." This provides some suggestions for the systematic understanding of the evolution of the trade pattern of the tungsten industry chain and how countries occupy a dominant position in the game of tungsten resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mineral resources are the basic materials for global economic development. Assessing mineral resource supply chain resilience is an important pillar of mineral resource supply chain stability management. The globality, heterogeneity and complexity of supply chain bring challenges to the resilience assessment of global mineral resource supply chain. To solve this problem, a method based on multi-region input-output model, network percolation model and econometric model is proposed, which is able to measure the resilience of global mineral resource supply chain and its influencing factors from the perspective of the whole system. The percolation phase transition is introduced to measure the critical state of global mineral resource supply chain system collapse facing external disruption. Using the proposed method, this paper conducts an empirical study on the evolution of global mineral resource supply chain resilience from 2005 to 2014. The results show that the resilience of global mineral resource supply chain declined by 39.6% in 2005-2014. Most of the critical links that caused the collapse of the global mineral resource supply chain network are the manufacturing sector and its upstream and downstream sectors. The structure of supply chain network plays a key role in network resilience. Increasing the number of linkages in upstream and downstream could improve network resilience, but the increase of linkage strength would deteriorate network resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]