Quantifying isotope parameters associated with carbonyl-water oxygen exchange during sucrose translocation in tree phloem

Stable oxygen isotope ratio of tree-ring α-cellulose (δ18Ocel) yields valuable information on many aspects of tree-climate interactions. However, our current understanding of the mechanistic controls on δ18Ocel is incomplete, with a knowledge gap existent regarding the fractionation effect characterizing carbonyl-water oxygen exchange during sucrose translocation from leaf to phloem. To address this insufficiency, we set up an experimental system integrating a vapor 18O-labeling feature to manipulate leaf-level isotopic signatures in tree saplings enclosed within whole-canopy gas-exchange cuvettes. We applied this experimental system to three different tree species to determine their respective relationships between 18O enrichment of sucrose in leaf lamina (Δ18Ol_suc) and petiole phloem (Δ18Ophl_suc) under environmentally/physiologically stable conditions. Based on the determined Δ18Ophl_suc-Δ18Ol_suc relationships, we estimated that on average, at least 25% of the oxygen atoms in sucrose undergo isotopic exchange with water along the leaf-to-phloem translocation path and that the biochemical fractionation factor accounting for such exchange is c. 34‰, markedly higher than the conventionally assumed value of 27‰. Our study represents a significant step toward quantitative elucidation of the oxygen isotope dynamics during sucrose translocation in trees. This has important implications with respect to improving the δ18Ocel model and its related applications in paleoclimatic and ecophysiological contexts.

Black soldier fly larvae mitigate greenhouse gas emissions from domestic biodegradable waste by recycling carbon and nitrogen and reconstructing microbial communities

Black soldier fly larvae have been proven to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the treatment of organic waste. However, the microbial mechanisms involved have not been fully understood. The current study mainly examined the dynamic changes of carbon and nitrogen, greenhouse gas emissions, the succession of microbial community structure, and changes in functional gene abundance in organic waste under larvae treatment and non-aeration composting. Thirty percent carbon and 55% nitrogen in the organic waste supplied were stored in larvae biomass. Compared to the non-aeration composting, the larvae bioreactor reduced the proportion of carbon and nitrogen converted into greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, and N2O decreased by 62%, 87%, and 95%, respectively). 16S rRNA sequencing analysis indicated that the larvae bioreactor increased the relative abundance of Methanophaga, Marinobacter, and Campylobacter during the bioprocess, enhancing the consumption of CH4 and N2O. The metagenomic data showed that the intervention of larvae reduced the ratio of (nirK + nirS + nor)/nosZ in the residues, thereby reducing the emission of N2O. Larvae also increased the functional gene abundance of nirA, nirB, nirD, and nrfA in the residues, making nitrite more inclined to be reduced to ammonia instead of N2O. The larvae bioreactor mitigated greenhouse gas emissions by redistributing carbon and nitrogen and remodeling microbiomes during waste bioconversion, giving related enterprises a relative advantage in carbon trading.

Unconventional Reservoir Characterization of Patala Formation, Upper Indus Basin, Pakistan

Unconventional hydrocarbon exploration is needed in the current oil and gas crisis scenario. Therefore, the development of conditions for unconventional hydrocarbon exploration is needed. In the Upper Indus Basin (UIB), Pakistan, the Patala Formation is one of the potential candidates for this unconventional exploration. It is a proven source rock at the regional level in the Kohat-Potwar sub-basin of UIB. This study aims to evaluate the shale gas potential of the rock in the Minwal-Joyamair area of the sub-basin. Developing a shale rock physics model is important for exploring and developing shale reservoirs due to the difference between unconventional shale and conventional sand reservoirs. These differences include mineral types, mineral characteristics, matrix pores, and fluid properties. To achieve the study's objectives, an integrated strategy provides for evaluating rock physics parameters, petrophysics, and geochemical analyses. This integrated approach indicates that the Patala Formation is a good potential reservoir for shale gas exploration. The Formation has a significant thickness (around 40-50 m), higher total organic carbon content (02-10%), higher brittleness index (0.44-0.56), and relatively shallow depth (2136-3223 m). These research findings suggested that the presence of organic and quartz-rich lithofacies can be considered as highly favorable "sweet spots" for shale-gas exploration in the UIB, Pakistan. Through proper understanding of the spatial and temporal distribution of these "sweet spots", shale-gas exploration can be developed as an effective strategy to exploit shale gas.

The Chaperone Protein Cct5 is Essential for Hematopoietic Stem Cell Maintenance

Proper proteostasis is indispensable for the long-term maintenance of hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs). The TRiC/CCT (chaperonin-containing TCP-1) complex, a key constituent of cellular machinery facilitating accurate protein folding, has remained enigmatic in its specific function within HSPCs. Here we show that conditional knockout (KO) of Cct5 significantly impairs the maintenance of murine HSPCs. Primary and secondary transplantation experiments unequivocally demonstrate the incapacity of Cct5 KO HSPCs to reconstitute both myeloid and lymphoid lineage cells in recipient mice, highlighting the pivotal role of the TRiC/CCT complex in governing these cellular lineages. Furthermore, leveraging an integrated approach that merges a Protein-Protein Interaction (PPI) database with RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) data of HSPCs, our analysis reveals intricate interactions between Cct5 and vital transcription factors crucial for HSC homeostasis. Notably, Cct5 engages with MYC, PIAS1, TP53, ESR1, HOXA1, and JUN, intricately regulating the transcriptional landscape governing autophagy, myeloid differentiation, and cytoskeleton organization within HSPCs. Our study unveils the profound significance of TRiC/CCT complex-mediated proteostasis in orchestrating the maintenance and functionality of HSPCs.

Photo-Switchable Peroxidase/Catalase-Like Activity of Carbon Quantum Dots

Nanozymes possess multi-enzyme activities over the natural enzymes, which produce multi-pathway synergistic effects for varies of biomedical applications. Unfortunately, their multi-enzyme activities are in fighting, significantly reducing the synergistic effects. Dynamic regulation of their multi-enzyme activities is the bottleneck for intelligent therapies. Herein, we construct a novel oxygen-nitrogen functionalized carbon quantum dots (O/N-CQDs) with peroxidase-like (Reactive oxygen species (ROS) producer) activity. Interestingly, the peroxidase-like activity can be reversibly converted to catalase-like (ROS scavenger) activity under visible light irradiation. It is found that both the peroxidase/catalase-like activity of O/N-CQDs can be precisely manipulated by the light intensity. The mechanism of switchable enzyme activities is attributed to the polarization of quinoid nitrogen in polyaniline (PANI) precursor retained on O/N-CQDs under visible light, which consumes the ROS to produce O2 and H2O. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we are able to non-intrusively up and down regulate the ROS level in cells successfully by simply switching off and on the light respectively, potentially facilitating the precise medicine based on the development of the disease. Indeed, the photo-switchable peroxidase/catalase-like activity of O/N-CQDs opens a non-invasive strategy for better manipulations of the multi-activity of nanozymes, promising their wider and more intelligent biomedical applications.

Association between triglyceride-glucose index and endothelial dysfunction

BACKGROUND

Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, a simple surrogate marker for insulin resistance (IR), has been reported as an independent predictor of arterial structural damage and future cardiovascular events. The association between TyG index and endothelial dysfunction remains uncertain.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between TyG index and endothelial dysfunction.

METHODS

Endothelial dysfunction was measured using flow-mediated dilation (FMD). A total of 840 subjects, who voluntarily accepted FMD measurement at the Health Management Department of Xuanwu Hospital from October 2016 to January 2020, were included in this study. TyG index was calculated as Ln [fasting triglyceride (TG)(mg/dL) × fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (mg/dL)/2].

RESULTS

The mean age was 59.92 ± 10.28 years and 559 (66.55%) participants were male. The TyG index was correlated with FMD values (P = 0.022). Each unit increment in TyG index was associated with lower FMD values (β = -0.330, 95%CI -0.609 to -0.052, P = 0.020) after adjusting for covariates. Age (β = -0.069, 95%CI -0.088 to -0.051, P < 0.001), female (β = 0.592, 95%CI 0.172 to1.012, P = 0.006), smoking (β = -0.430, 95%CI -0.859 to -0.002, P = 0.049) and hypertension (β = -0.741, 95%CI -1.117 to -0.365, P < 0.001) were also independent predictors for endothelial dysfunction. A significant association between the TyG index and endothelial dysfunction was found only in populations younger than 60 years (β = -0.843, 95%CI -1.371 to -0.316, P = 0.002), females (β = -0.612, 95%CI -1.147 to -0.077, P = 0.025), and populations without diabetes mellitus (DM) (β = -0.594, 95%CI -1.042 to -0.147, P = 0.009).

CONCLUSIONS

Subjects with an elevated TyG index are more likely to have endothelial dysfunction, particularly in populations without DM.

Image Recognition of Mine Water Inrush Based on Bilinear Convolutional Neural Network with Few-Shot Learning

With the increasingly widespread application of deep learning technology in the field of coal mines, the image recognition of mine water inrush has become a hot research topic. Underground environments are complex, and images have a high noise and low brightness. Additionally, mine water inrush is accidental, and few actual image samples are available. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm that recognizes mine water inrush images based on few-shot deep learning. According to the characteristics of images with coal wall water seepage, a bilinear neural network was used to extract the image features and enhance the network's fine-grained image recognition. First, features were extracted using a bilinear convolutional neural network. Second, the network was pre-trained based on cosine similarity. Finally, the network was fine-tuned for the predicted image. For single-line feature extraction, the method is compared with big data and few-shot learning. According to the experimental results, the recognition rate reaches 95.2% for few-shot learning based on a bilinear neural network, thus demonstrating its effectiveness.

Identification of PRDX5 as A Target for The Treatment of Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a long-standing clinical challenge. Traditionally, CRPC drugs work by either reducing dihydrotestosterone biosynthesis or blocking androgen receptor (AR) signaling. Here it is demonstrated that AR inhibitor treatment gives rise to a drug-tolerant persister (DTP) state. The thioredoxin/peroxiredoxin pathway is up-regulated in DTP cells. Peroxiredoxin 5 (PRDX5) promotes AR inhibitor resistance and CRPC development. Inhibition of PRDX5 suppresses DTP cell proliferation in culture, dampens CRPC development in animal models, and stabilizes PSA progression and metastatic lesions in patients. Therefore, the study provides a novel mechanism and potential target for the management of castration-resistant prostate cancer.

Wood of trees: Cellular structure, molecular formation, and genetic engineering

Wood is an invaluable asset to human society due to its renewable nature, making it suitable for both sustainable energy production and material manufacturing. Additionally, wood derived from forest trees plays a crucial role in sequestering a significant portion of the carbon dioxide fixed during photosynthesis by terrestrial plants. Nevertheless, with the expansion of the global population and ongoing industrialization, forest coverage has been substantially decreased, resulting in significant challenges for wood production and supply. Wood production practices have changed away from natural forests toward plantation forests. Thus, understanding the underlying genetic mechanisms of wood formation is the foundation for developing high-quality, fast-growing plantation trees. Breeding ideal forest trees for wood production using genetic technologies has attracted the interest of many. Tremendous studies have been carried out in recent years on the molecular, genetic, and cell-biological mechanisms of wood formation, and considerable progress and findings have been achieved. These studies and findings indicate enormous possibilities and prospects for tree improvement. This review will outline and assess the cellular and molecular mechanisms of wood formation, as well as studies on genetically improving forest trees, and address future development prospects.

Comparison of the diagnostic value of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR and [18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with T stage ≤ 2a2 uterine cervical cancer: a prospective study

PURPOSE

To compare the diagnostic value of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR and [18F]FDG PET/CT in patients with T stage ≤ 2a2 uterine cervical cancer patients.

METHODS

Patients pathologically diagnosed with cervical cancer and with a T stage ≤ T2a2 were prospectively enrolled. All patients underwent whole-body [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR and [18F]FDG PET/CT within 2 weeks, and surgical treatment was performed within 10 days after PET.

RESULTS

Twenty-five patients were enrolled. Twenty patients underwent radical hysterectomy, among which all of them underwent pelvic lymphadenectomy, and 10 patients underwent para-aortic lymphadenectomy. Three patients received merely laparoscopic lymphadenectomy without hysterectomy. Two patients with both [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 lymph node high metabolism were staged as FIGO IIIC1r, and concurrent chemoradiation therapy (CCRT) was performed. [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 had equivalent detection ability on primary tumors, with a positive detection rate of 96.0%. The accuracy of T staging using [18F]FDG and [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was relatively 50% and 55.0%. Elevated and underrated staging was due to misdiagnosis of either vaginal infiltration or tumor size. In terms of lymph node metastasis detection, the specificity of [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 was 100% (95% CI, 84.6% ~ 100.0%), which was significantly higher than [18F]FDG (59.1% (95% CI, 36.4% ~ 79.3%)) (p = 0.004).

CONCLUSION

[68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR and [18F]FDG PET/CT demonstrated an equivalent detection ability on cervical cancer primary tumors. However, [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR's diagnostic value in lymph node metastasis was significantly higher than [18F]FDG PET/CT. [68 Ga]Ga-FAPI-04 PET/MR has the potential for more accurate treatment planning, thus clarifying fertility preservation indications for early-stage young patients.

HetFCM: functional co-module discovery by heterogeneous network co-clustering

Functional molecular module (i.e., gene-miRNA co-modules and gene-miRNA-lncRNA triple-layer modules) analysis can dissect complex regulations underlying etiology or phenotypes. However, current module detection methods lack an appropriate usage and effective model of multi-omics data and cross-layer regulations of heterogeneous molecules, causing the loss of critical genetic information and corrupting the detection performance. In this study, we propose a heterogeneous network co-clustering framework (HetFCM) to detect functional co-modules. HetFCM introduces an attributed heterogeneous network to jointly model interplays and multi-type attributes of different molecules, and applies multiple variational graph autoencoders on the network to generate cross-layer association matrices, then it performs adaptive weighted co-clustering on association matrices and attribute data to identify co-modules of heterogeneous molecules. Empirical study on Human and Maize datasets reveals that HetFCM can find out co-modules characterized with denser topology and more significant functions, which are associated with human breast cancer (subtypes) and maize phenotypes (i.e., lipid storage, drought tolerance and oil content). HetFCM is a useful tool to detect co-modules and can be applied to multi-layer functional modules, yielding novel insights for analyzing molecular mechanisms. We also developed a user-friendly module detection and analysis tool and shared it at http://www.sdu-idea.cn/FMDTool.

Response of stream water quality to the vegetation patterns on arid slope: a case study of Huangshui River basin

Vegetation patterns on slopes strongly affect the water cycle processes in a basin, especially the water yield and confluence in arid areas. Quantifying and evaluating the effects of hydrological change on the migration and transformation of pollutants are challenging. Based on 4-year stream water quality data of 13 monitoring sites in the Huangshui River basin, a typical arid watershed of the Chinese Loess Plateau, the redundancy analysis (RDA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis tools were used to quantify its relationship with vegetation patterns. In the study, land use and the enhanced vegetation index (EVI) were used as a metric of vegetation patterns; accordingly, the 13 catchments were divided into three groups via the cluster analysis, including large (over 80%), medium (70 ~ 80%), and small (below 70%) proportion vegetation patterns (LVP, MVP, SVP). The results of the LVP group showed that vegetation patterns negatively affected the contamination of total phosphorus (TP), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), permanganate index (CODMn), and biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) in the stream water, and the contribution rates were - 0.57. While the proportion of urban area positively correlated with stream water quality in the groups of MVP and SVP, the contribution rates were 0.46 and 0.36, respectively. Moreover, the precipitation in the groups of MVP and SVP negatively correlated with pollutants (- 0.24 and - 0.26). Those results revealed the response of stream water quality to vegetation patterns on the slope with the consideration of precipitation, land use, and socio-economic factors for the regional water and land resource allocation. This study has important management implications for vegetation patterns on slope of fragile ecosystems in arid areas.

Exploiting Topological Darkness in Photonic Crystal Slabs for Spatiotemporal Vortex Generation

Spatiotemporal optical vortices (STOVs) with swirling phase singularities in space and time hold great promise for a wide range of applications across diverse fields. However, current approaches to generate STOVs lack integrability and rely on bulky free-space optical components. Here, we demonstrate routine STOV generation by harnessing the topological darkness phenomenon of a photonic crystal slab. Complete polarization conversion enforced by symmetry enables topological darkness to arise from photonic bands of guided resonances, imprinting vortex singularities onto an ultrashort reflected pulse. Utilizing time-resolved spatial mapping, we provide the first observation of STOV generation using a photonic crystal slab, revealing the imprinted STOV structure manifested as a curved vortex line in the pulse profile in space and time. Our work establishes photonic crystal slabs as a versatile and accessible platform for engineering STOVs and harnessing the topological darkness in nanophotonics.

Dosiomics and radiomics improve the prediction of post-radiotherapy neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio in locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer

PURPOSE

To develop and validate a dosiomics and radiomics model based on three-dimensional (3D) dose distribution map and computed tomography (CT) images for the prediction of the post-radiotherapy (post-RT) neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR).

METHODS

This work retrospectively collected 242 locally advanced non-small cell lung cancer (LA-NSCLC) patients who were treated with definitive radiotherapy from 2012 to 2016. The NLR collected one month after the completion of RT was defined as the primary outcome. Clinical characteristics and two-dimensional dosimetric factors calculated from the dose-volume histogram (DVH) were included. A total of 4165 dosiomics and radiomics features were extracted from the 3D dose maps and CT images within five different anatomical regions of interest (ROIs), respectively. Then, a three-step feature selection method was proposed to progressively filter features from coarse to fine: (i) model-based ranking according to individual feature's performance, (ii) maximum relevance and minimum redundancy (mRMR), (iii) select from model based on feature importance calculated with an ensemble of several decision trees. The selected feature subsets were utilized to develop the prediction model with GBDT. All patients were divided into a development set and an independent testing set (2:1). Five-fold cross-validation was applied to the development set for both feature selection and model training procedure. Finally, a fusion model combining dosiomics, radiomics and clinical features was constructed to further improve the prediction results. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) were used to evaluate the model performance.

RESULTS

The clinical-based and DVH-based models showed limited predictive power with AUCs of 0.632 (95% CI: 0.490-0.773) and 0.634 (95% CI: 0.497-0.771), respectively, in the independent testing set. The 9 feature-based dosiomics and 3 feature-based radiomics models showed improved AUCs of 0.738 (95% CI: 0.628-0.849) and 0.689 (95% CI: 0.566-0.813), respectively. The dosiomics & radiomics & clinical fusion model further improved the model's generalization ability with an AUC of 0.765 (95% CI: 0.656-0.874).

CONCLUSIONS

Dosiomics and radiomics can benefit the prediction of post-RT NLR of LA-NSCLC patients. This can provide a reference for evaluating radiotherapy-related inflammation.

CT features combined with RECIST 1.1 criteria improve progression assessments of sunitinib-treated gastrointestinal stromal tumors

OBJECTIVES

To explore the auxiliary value of combining CT features with existing response evaluation criteria in the prediction of progressive disease (PD) in gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) patients treated with sunitinib.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Eighty-one patients with GISTs who received sunitinib were included in this retrospective multicenter study and divided into training and external validation cohorts. Progression at six months was determined as a reference standard. The predictive performance of the RECIST 1.1 and Choi criteria was compared. CT features at baseline and the first follow-up were analyzed. Logistic regression analyses were used to determine the most significant predictors and develop modified criteria.

RESULTS

A total of 216 lesions showed a good response and 107 showed a poor response in 81 patients. The RECIST 1.1 criteria performed better than the Choi criteria in predicting progression (AUC, 0.75 vs. 0.69, p = 0.04). The expanded/intensified high-enhancement area, blurred tumor-tissue interface, and progressive enlarged vessels feeding or draining the mass (EVFDM) differed significantly between lesions with good and poor responses in the training cohort (p = 0.001, 0.003, and 0.000, respectively). Multivariate analysis revealed that the expanded/intensified high-enhancement area (p = 0.001), progressive EVFDM (p = 0.000), and RECIST PD (p = 0.000) were independent predictive factors. Modified RECIST (mRECIST) criteria were developed and showed significantly higher AUCs in the training and external validation cohorts than the RECIST 1.1 criteria (training: 0.81 vs. 0.73, p = 0.002; validation: 0.82 vs. 0.77, p = 0.04).

CONCLUSION

The mRECIST criteria, combining CT features with the RECIST 1.1 criteria, demonstrated superior performance in the prediction of early progression in GIST patients receiving sunitinib.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

The mRECIST criteria, which combine CT features with the RECIST 1.1 criteria, may facilitate the early detection of progressive disease in GIST patients treated with sunitinib, thereby potentially guiding the timely switch to late-line medications or combination with surgical excision.

KEY POINTS

• The RECIST 1.1 criteria outperformed the Choi criteria in identifying progression of GISTs in patients treated with sunitinib. • GISTs displayed different morphologic features on CT depending on how they responded to sunitinib. • Combining CT morphologic features with the RECIST 1.1 criteria allowed for the prompt and accurate identification of progressing GIST lesions.

Superconductivity Above 100 K Predicted in Carbon-Cage Network

To explore carbide superconductors with higher transition temperature, two novel carbon structures of cage-network are designed and their superconductivity is studied by doping metals. MC6 and MC10 are respectively identified as C24 and C32 cage-network structures. This study finds that both carbon structures drive strong electron-phonon interaction and can exhibit superconductivity above liquid nitrogen temperature. Importantly, the superconducting transition temperatures above 100 K are predicted to be achieved in C24 -cage-network systems doped by Na, Mg, Al, In, and Tl at ambient pressure, which is far higher than those in graphite, fullerene, and other carbides. Meanwhile, the superconductivity of cage-network carbides is also found to be sensitive to the electronegativity and concentration of dopant M. The result indicates that the higher transition temperatures can be obtained by optimizing the carbon-cage-network structures and the doping conditions. The study suggests that the carbon-cage-network structure is a direction to explore high-temperature superconducting carbides.

Predicting symptomatic post-hepatectomy liver failure in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma: development and validation of a preoperative nomogram

OBJECTIVE

To develop and validate a nomogram based on liver stiffness (LS) for predicting symptomatic post-hepatectomy (PHLF) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

METHODS

A total of 266 patients with HCC were enrolled prospectively from three tertiary referral hospitals from August 2018 to April 2021. All patients underwent preoperative laboratory examination to obtain parameters of liver function. Two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) was performed to measure LS. Three-dimensional virtual resection obtained the different volumes including future liver remnant (FLR). A nomogram was developed by using logistic regression and determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and calibration curve analysis, which was validated internally and externally.

RESULTS

A nomogram was constructed with the following variables: FLR ratio (FLR of total liver volume), LS greater than 9.5 kPa, Child-Pugh grade, and the presence of clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). This nomogram enabled differentiation of symptomatic PHLF in the derivation cohort (area under curve [AUC], 0.915), internal fivefold cross-validation (mean AUC, 0.918), internal validation cohort (AUC, 0.876) and external validation cohort (AUC, 0.845). The nomogram also showed good calibration in the derivation, internal validation, and external validation cohorts (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, p = 0.641, p = 0.06, and p = 0.127, respectively). Accordingly, the safe limit of the FLR ratio was stratified using the nomogram.

CONCLUSION

An elevated level of LS was associated with the occurrence of symptomatic PHLF in HCC. A preoperative nomogram integrating LS, clinical and volumetric features was useful in predicting postoperative outcomes in patients with HCC, which might help surgeons in the management of HCC resection.

CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT

A serial of the safe limit of the future liver remnant was proposed by a preoperative nomogram for hepatocellular carcinoma, which might help surgeons in 'how much remnant is enough in liver resection'.

KEY POINTS

• An elevated liver stiffness with the best cutoff value of 9.5 kPa was associated with the occurrence of symptomatic post-hepatectomy liver failure in hepatocellular carcinoma. • A nomogram based on both quality (Child-Pugh grade, liver stiffness, and portal hypertension) and quantity of future liver remnant was developed to predict symptomatic post-hepatectomy liver failure for HCC, which enabled good discrimination and calibration in both derivation and validation cohorts. • The safe limit of future liver remnant volume was stratified using the proposed nomogram, which might help surgeons in the management of HCC resection.

Exploring disease axes as an alternative to distinct clusters for characterizing sepsis heterogeneity

PURPOSE

Various studies have analyzed sepsis subtypes, yet the reproducibility of such results remains unclear. This study aimed to determine the reproducibility of sepsis subtypes across multiple cohorts.

METHODS

The study examined 63,547 sepsis patients from six distinct cohorts who had similar sepsis-related characteristics (vital signs, lactate, sequential organ failure assessment score, bilirubin, serum, urine output, and Glasgow coma scale). Identical cluster analysis techniques were used, employing 27 clustering schemes, and normalized mutual information (NMI), a metric ranging from 0 to 1 with higher values indicating better concordance, was employed to quantify the clustering solutions' reproducibility. Principal component analysis (PCA) was utilized to obtain the disease axis, and its uniformity across cohorts was evaluated through patterns of feature loading and correlation.

RESULTS

The reproducibility of sepsis clustering subtypes across the various studies was modest (median NMI ranging from 0.08 to 0.54). The top-down transfer learning method (model trained on cohorts with greater severity was transferred to cohorts with lower severity score) had a higher NMI value than the bottom-up approach (median [Q1, Q3]: 0.64 [0.49, 0.78] vs. 0.23 [0.2, 0.31], p < 0.001). The reproducibility was greater when the transfer solution was performed within United States (US) cohorts. The PCA analysis revealed that the correlation pattern between variables was consistent across all cohorts, and the first two disease axes were the "shock axis" and "systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) axis."

CONCLUSIONS

Cluster analysis of sepsis patients across various cohorts showed modest reproducibility. Sepsis heterogeneity is better characterized through continuous disease axes that coexist to varying degrees within the same individual instead of mutually exclusive subtypes.

Neighboring Molecular Engineering in Diels-Alder Chemistry Enabling Easily Recyclable Carbon Fiber Reinforced Composites

Although a variety of dynamic covalent bonds have been successfully used in the development of diverse sustainable thermosetting polymers and their composites, solving the trade-off between recovery efficiency and comprehensive properties is still a major challenge. Herein, a "one-stone-two-birds" strategy of lower rotational energy barrier (Er ) phosphate-derived Diels-Alder (DA) cycloadditions was proposed for easily recyclable carbon fiber (CF)-reinforced epoxy resins (EPs) composites. In such a strategy, the phosphate spacer with lower Er accelerated the segmental mobility and dynamic DA exchange reaction for network rearrangement to achieve high-efficiency repairing, reprocessing of the EPs matrix and its composites and rapid nondestructive recycling of CF; meanwhile, incorporating phosphorus-based units especially reduced their fire hazards. The resulting materials simultaneously showed excellent thermal/mechanical properties, superb fire safety and facile recyclability, realizing the concept of recycling for high-performance thermosetting polymers and composites. This strategy is of great significance for understanding and enriching the molecular connotation of DA chemistry, making it potentially applicable to the design and development of a wide range of dynamic covalent adaptable materials toward practical cutting-edge-tech applications.

Stretchable polymer composites with ultrahigh piezoelectric performance

Flexible piezoelectric materials capable of withstanding large deformation play key roles in flexible electronics. Ferroelectric ceramics with a high piezoelectric coefficient are inherently brittle, whereas polar polymers exhibit a low piezoelectric coefficient. Here we report a highly stretchable/compressible piezoelectric composite composed of ferroelectric ceramic skeleton, elastomer matrix and relaxor ferroelectric-based hybrid at the ceramic/matrix interface as dielectric transition layers, exhibiting a giant piezoelectric coefficient of 250 picometers per volt, high electromechanical coupling factor k_eff of 65%, ultralow acoustic impedance of 3MRyl and high cyclic stability under 50% compression strain. The superior flexibility and piezoelectric properties are attributed to the electric polarization and mechanical load transfer paths formed by the ceramic skeleton, and dielectric mismatch mitigation between ceramic fillers and elastomer matrix by the dielectric transition layer. The synergistic fusion of ultrahigh piezoelectric properties and superior flexibility in these polymer composites is expected to drive emerging applications in flexible smart electronics.

Enhanced tyrosine sulfation is associated with chronic kidney disease-related atherosclerosis

BACKGROUND

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) accelerates atherosclerosis, but the mechanisms remain unclear. Tyrosine sulfation has been recognized as a key post-translational modification (PTM) in regulation of various cellular processes, and the sulfated adhesion molecules and chemokine receptors have been shown to participate in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis via enhancement of monocyte/macrophage function. The levels of inorganic sulfate, the essential substrate for the sulfation reaction, are dramatically increased in patients with CKD, which indicates a change of sulfation status in CKD patients. Thus, in the present study, we detected the sulfation status in CKD patients and probed into the impact of sulfation on CKD-related atherosclerosis by targeting tyrosine sulfation function.

RESULTS

PBMCs from individuals with CKD showed higher amounts of total sulfotyrosine and tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST) type 1 and 2 protein levels. The plasma level of O-sulfotyrosine, the metabolic end product of tyrosine sulfation, increased significantly in CKD patients. Statistically, O-sulfotyrosine and the coronary atherosclerosis severity SYNTAX score positively correlated. Mechanically, more sulfate-positive nucleated cells in peripheral blood and more abundant infiltration of sulfated macrophages in deteriorated vascular plaques in CKD ApoE null mice were noted. Knockout of TPST1 and TPST2 decreased atherosclerosis and peritoneal macrophage adherence and migration in CKD condition. The sulfation of the chemokine receptors, CCR2 and CCR5, was increased in PBMCs from CKD patients.

CONCLUSIONS

CKD is associated with increased sulfation status. Increased sulfation contributes to monocyte/macrophage activation and might be involved in CKD-related atherosclerosis. Inhibition of sulfation may suppress CKD-related atherosclerosis and is worthy of further study.

Single-cell analysis reveals HBV-specific PD-1+CD8+ TRM cells in tumor borders are associated with HBV-related hepatic damage and fibrosis in HCC patients

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection may activate viral-specific T cells to attack HBV infected hepatocytes and thus induce immune-related liver injury. Therefore, it is important to deeply understand the impacts of HBV infection on HCC immune microenvironment in order to better design effective immunotherapies for HBV⁺ (HBV infected) HCC patients. Here, We performed cytometry by time-of-flight (CyTOF) analyses to characterize the distinct immune compositions of HCC tumors, tumor borders, and their associations with HCC/HBV related clinical characteristics. We identified 31 distinct immune clusters and found significant associations between immune signatures with clinicopathological features of HCC. We further revealed the HBV infection had more effects on shaping immune compositions in tumor borders than in tumors, with the significant enrichment of HBV-specific PD-1⁺CD8⁺ tissue-resident memory T (T_RM) cells in tumor borders of HBV⁺ patients. We confirmed this subset with a more exhausted phenotype and respond more actively under anti-PD-L1 treatment, suggesting its involvement in immune-related liver injury induced by ICB treatment to HBV⁺ HCC patients. Our study shows it may be necessary to consider antiviral prophylaxis for HBV⁺ HCC patients receiving ICB treatment.

Effects of cadmium on mercury accumulation and transformation by Arundo donax L

High biomass energy plants are a promising alternative to hyperaccumulators for the remediation of heavy metals (HMs). Arundo donax L. (A. donax) is a rapidly growing rhizomatous grass with high biomass production. However, the feasibility of using A. donax for the phytoremediation of combined mercury (Hg) and cadmium (Cd) pollution under neutral conditions is unclear. In this study, a hydroponic experiment was performed to investigate the impact of Hg-Cd stress on the growth and physiological properties of A. donax and HMs accumulation and transformation. Either single Hg or Cd stress slightly enhanced stem height, fresh biomass, and chlorophyll content, whereas combined Hg-Cd stress reduced these parameters. Furthermore, combined Hg-Cd stress increased the leaf content of malondialdehyde in A. donax, indicating that the combined pollution aggravated oxidative stress in A. donax. Hg volatilization was observed during the 10-day experiment, implying that a portion of the Hg²⁺ was transformed into Hg⁰ by A. donax. The bioaccumulation factor (BAF) values of A. donax were far greater than 1 for both Hg and Cd, whereas the translocation factor (TF) values were less than 1, indicating that phytovolatilization and phytostabilization rather than phytoextraction contributed to the remediation of Hg and Cd by A. donax. The solution pH decreased at the beginning of the experiment, suggesting that acidic root exudates of A. donax facilitated the accumulation and transformation of Hg under neutral conditions. Overall, the effects of Cd on Hg accumulation and transformation by A. donax followed the rule of "low promotion and high inhibition." This study demonstrates that A. donax is a potential candidate for the phytoremediation of combined Hg-Cd pollution under neutral conditions.

STUB1 directs FOXQ1-mediated transactivation of Ldha gene and facilitates lactate production in mouse Sertoli cells

Sertoli cells (SCs) preferentially use glucose to convert to lactate. As an energy source, lactate is essential for survival of developed germ cells (GCs) due to its anti-apoptotic effect. Failure to maintain lactate metabolism homeostasis leads to infertility or germ cell apoptosis. Several Sertoli cell-expressed genes, such as Foxq1 and Gata4, have been identified as critical regulators for lactate synthesis, but the pathways that potentially modulate their expression remain ill defined. Although recent work from our collaborators pointed to an involvement of STIP1 homology and U-box-containing protein 1 (STUB1) in the modulation of Sertoli cell response to GCs-derived IL-1α, a true physiological function of STUB1 signaling in SCs has not been demonstrated. We therefore conditionally ablated Stub1 in SCs using Amh-Cre. Stub1 knockout males exhibited impaired fertility due to oligozoospermia and asthenospermia, possibly caused by lactate deficiency. Furthermore, by means of chromatin immunoprecipitation, in vivo ubiquitination, and luciferase reporter assays, we showed that STUB1 directed forkhead box Q1 (FOXQ1)-mediated transactivation of the lactate dehydrogenase A (Ldha) gene via K63-linked non-proteolytic polyubiquitination, thus facilitating lactate production in follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH)-stimulated SCs. In agreement, overexpression of LDHA by lentivirus infection effectively rescued the lactate production in TM4Stub1-/- cells. Our results collectively identify STUB1-mediated transactivation of FOXQ1 signaling as a post-translationally modified transcriptional regulatory network underlying nursery function in SCs, which may nutritionally contribute to Sertoli cell dysfunction of male infertility.

Phagocytosis of Glioma Cells Enhances the Immunosuppressive Phenotype of Bone Marrow-Derived Macrophages

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAM) play a crucial role in immunosuppression. However, how TAMs are transformed into immunosuppressive phenotypes and influence the tumor microenvironment (TME) is not fully understood. Here, we utilized single-cell RNA sequencing and whole-exome sequencing data of glioblastoma (GBM) tissues and identified a subset of TAMs dually expressing macrophage and tumor signatures, which were termed double-positive TAMs. Double-positive TAMs tended to be bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMDM) and were characterized by immunosuppressive phenotypes. Phagocytosis of glioma cells by BMDMs in vitro generated double-positive TAMs with similar immunosuppressive phenotypes to double-positive TAMs in the GBM TME of patients. The double-positive TAMs were transformed into M2-like macrophages and drove immunosuppression by expressing immune-checkpoint proteins CD276, PD-L1, and PD-L2 and suppressing the proliferation of activated T cells. Together, glioma cell phagocytosis by BMDMs in the TME leads to the formation of double-positive TAMs with enhanced immunosuppressive phenotypes, shedding light on the processes driving TAM-mediated immunosuppression in GBM.

SIGNIFICANCE

Bone marrow-derived macrophages phagocytose glioblastoma cells to form double-positive cells, dually expressing macrophage and tumor signatures that are transformed into M2-like macrophages and drive immunosuppression.

A tumor-targetable NIR probe with photoaffinity crosslinking characteristics for enhanced imaging-guided cancer phototherapy

Spatiotemporally manipulating the in situ immobilization of theranostic agents within cancer cells to improve their bioavailability is highly significant yet challenging in tumor diagnosis and treatment. Herein, as a proof-of concept, we for the first time report a tumor-targetable near-infrared (NIR) probe DACF with photoaffinity crosslinking characteristics for enhanced tumor imaging and therapeutic applications. This probe possesses great tumor-targeting capability, intensive NIR/photoacoustic (PA) signals, and a predominant photothermal effect, allowing for sensitive imaging and effective photothermal therapy (PTT) of tumors. Most notably, upon 405 nm laser illumination, DACF could be covalently immobilized within tumor cells through a photocrosslinking reaction between photolabile diazirine groups and surrounding biomolecules resulting in enhanced tumor accumulation and prolonged retention simultaneously, which significantly facilitates the imaging and PTT efficacy of tumor in vivo. We therefore believe that our current approach would provide a new insight for achieving precise cancer theranostics.

Unraveling the mechanism of raffinose utilization in Ligilactobacillus salivarius Ren by transcriptomic analysis

In the gastrointestinal tract, some dietary carbohydrates, such as xylose, raffinose and arabinose, are able to stimulate the growth of Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium. In this study, the growth rate of Ligilactobacillus salivarius Ren in raffinose was 0.91 ± 0.03 h-1, which was higher than that in glucose (0.83 ± 0.01 h-1). However, limited information is available on specific transporters and glycoside hydrolases responsible for raffinose uptake and catabolism in L. salivarius. Transcriptomic analysis revealed the differential expression of 236 genes (∣log2FoldChange∣ > 0.8) in response to raffinose, which were mainly associated with raffinose transport, raffinose hydrolysis, galactose metabolism and pyruvate metabolism. Notably, gene rafP encoding lactose/raffinose permease was 101.86-fold up-regulated. Two α-galactosidase gene galA1 and galA2 were 117.82-fold and 2.66-fold up-regulated, respectively. To further investigate the role of these genes in raffinose utilization, insertional inactivation was performed using the pORI28-pTRK669 system. The growth assay of these mutants in modified MRS containing 2% (w/v) raffinose indicated that RafP played an important role in raffinose transport and GalA1 was the primary enzyme involved in raffinose hydrolysis. To our knowledge, this is the first report on the molecular mechanism of raffinose utilization in L. salivarius.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13205-022-03280-6.

Activation of Double-Stranded RNA-Activated Protein Kinase in the Dorsal Root Ganglia and Spinal Dorsal Horn Regulates Neuropathic Pain Following Peripheral Nerve Injury in Rats

Double-stranded RNA (dsRNA)-activated kinase (PKR) is an important component in inflammation and immune dysfunction. However, the role of PKR in neuropathic pain remains unclear. Here, we showed that lumbar 5 spinal nerve ligation (SNL) led to a significant increase in the level of phosphorylated PKR (p-PKR) in both the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and spinal dorsal horn. Images of double immunofluorescence staining revealed that p-PKR was expressed in myelinated A-fibers, unmyelinated C-fibers, and satellite glial cells in the DRG. In the dorsal horn, p-PKR was located in neuronal cells, astrocytes, and microglia. Data from behavioral tests showed that intrathecal (i.t.) injection of 2-aminopurine (2-AP), a specific inhibitor of PKR activation, and PKR siRNA prevented the reductions in PWT and PWL following SNL. Established neuropathic pain was also attenuated by i.t. injection of 2-AP and PKR siRNA, which started on day 7 after SNL. Prior repeated i.t. injections of PKR siRNA prevented the SNL-induced degradation of IκBα and IκBβ in the cytosol and the nuclear translocation of nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) p65 in both the DRG and dorsal horn. Moreover, the SNL-induced increase in interleukin-1β (IL-1β), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) production was diminished by this treatment. Collectively, these results suggest that peripheral nerve injury-induced PKR activation via NF-κB signaling-regulated expression of proinflammatory cytokines in the DRG and dorsal horn contributes to the pathogenesis of neuropathic pain. Our findings suggest that pharmacologically targeting PKR might be an effective therapeutic strategy for the treatment of neuropathic pain.

Reliability analysis of exonic-breakpoint fusions identified by DNA sequencing for predicting the efficacy of targeted therapy in non-small cell lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Diverse genomic breakpoints of fusions that localize to intronic, exonic, or intergenic regions have been identified by DNA next-generation sequencing (NGS), but the role of exonic breakpoints remains elusive. We investigated whether exonic-breakpoint fusions could predict matched targeted therapy efficacy in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

METHODS

NSCLC samples were analyzed by DNA NGS, RNA NGS, immunohistochemistry (IHC), and fluorescence in situ hybridization.

RESULTS

Using DNA NGS, kinase fusions were identified in 685 of 7148 (9.6%) NSCLCs, with 74 harboring exonic-breakpoint fusions, mostly anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) fusions. RNA NGS and IHC revealed that 11 of 55 (20%) exonic-breakpoint fusions generated no aberrant transcript/protein, possibly due to open reading frame disruption or different gene transcriptional orientations. Four cases of genomic-positive but RNA/protein-negative fusions were treated with matched targeted therapy, but progressive disease developed within 2 months. Nevertheless, 44 of 55 (80%) exonic-breakpoint fusions produced chimeric transcripts/proteins, possibly owing to various alternative splicing patterns, including exon skipping, alternative splice site selection, and intron retention. Most of these genomic- and RNA/protein-positive fusion cases showed a clinical response to matched targeted therapy. Particularly, there were no differences in objective response rate (P = 0.714) or median progression-free survival (P = 0.500) between intronic-breakpoint (n = 56) and exonic-breakpoint ALK fusion subtypes (n = 11) among ALK RNA/protein-validated patients who received first-line crizotinib.

CONCLUSIONS

Exonic-breakpoint fusions may generate in-frame fusion transcripts/proteins or not, and thus are unreliable for predicting the efficacy of targeted therapy, which highlights the necessity of implementing RNA or protein assays for functional validation in exonic-breakpoint fusion cases.

Glyphosate-induced GhAG2 is involved in resistance to salt stress in cotton

KEY MESSAGE

The transcription of GhAG2 was strongly enhanced by glyphosate treatment. Overexpression of GhAG2 could improve plant tolerance to salt and salicylic acid stress. Although glyphosate has been widely used as an herbicide over the past decade owing to its high efficacy on weed controls and worldwide commercialization of glyphosate-resistant crops, little is known about the glyphosate-induced responses and transcriptional changes in cotton plants. Here, we report the identification of 26 differentially expressed genes after glyphosate treatment, among which, six highly up-regulated sequences share homology to cotton expressed sequence tags (ESTs) responsive to abiotic stresses. In addition, we cloned GhAG2, a gene whose transcription was strongly enhanced by glyphosate treatment and other abiotic stresses. Transgenic GhAG2 plants showed improved tolerance to salt, and salicylic acid (SA) stress. The results could open the door to exploring the function of the GhAG2 proteins, the glyphosate-induced transcriptional profiles, and the physiological biochemical responses in cotton and other crops. GhAG2 could also be used to improve salt stress tolerance through breeding and biotechnology in crops. Furthermore, these results could provide guidelines to develop a glyphosate-inducible system for controlled expression of targeted genes in plants.

Manipulating the carrier concentration and phase transition via Nb content in SrTiO3

SrTiO3 is a model of the perovskite-like compounds for structural transition which inducing the intriguing physical properties around the critical phase transition temperature TAFD (antiferrodistortive, abbrev. as AFD). Here we report that the electrical transport behavior is a new way to quantify Nb concentration for Nb-doped SrTiO3. The lattice parameter (c), phase transition temperature (TAFD), and the carrier concentration (n) of SrTiO3 may be manipulated by niobium doping. TAFD increases with increasing the niobium content in a rate of about 30 K per (wt%, i.e. niobium element's weight verses total weight) niobium and n in a rate of about 2.5 [Formula: see text] 1020/cm3 per (wt%) niobium.

Polystyrene sulfonate is effective for enhancing biomass enzymatic saccharification under green liquor pretreatment in bioenergy poplar

BACKGROUND

Water-soluble lignin (particularly lignosulfonate, LS) has been well documented for its significance on enzymatic saccharification of lignocellulose, though the promotion mechanism has not been fully understood. Much attention has been paid to natural lignin or its derivatives. The disadvantage of using natural lignin-based polymers as promoting agents lies in the difficulty in tailor-incorporating functional groups due to their complex 3D structures. To further improve our understanding on the promotion mechanism of water-soluble lignin in the bioconversion of lignocellulose and to pursue better alternatives with different skeleton structures other than natural lignin, herein we reported a synthetic soluble linear aromatic polymer, sodium polystyrene sulfonate (PSS), to mimic LS for enhancing the efficiency of enzymatic saccharification.

RESULTS

The role of PSS in enzymatic saccharification of pure cellulose and green liquor-pretreated poplar (GL-P) was explored by analyzing substrate enzymatic digestibility (SED) under different addition dosages and various pH media, along with LS for comparison. At the cellulase loading of 13.3 FPU/g-glucan, the glucose yield of GL-P increased from 53% for the control to 81.5% with PSS addition of 0.1 g/g-substrate. It outperformed LS with the addition of 0.2 g/g-substrate by 6.3%. In the pH range from 4.5 to 6, PSS showed a positive effect on lignocellulose saccharification with the optimum pH at 4.8, where the most pronounced SED of GL-P was achieved. The underlying mechanism was unveiled by measuring zeta potential and using Quartz Crystal Microbalance (QCM) and Multi-parametric Surface Plasmon Resonance (MP-SPR). The results confirmed that the complexes of cellulase and PSS were conjugated and the negatively supercharged complexes reduced non-productive binding effectively along with the improved saccharification efficiency. The thickness of PSS required to block the binding sites of cellulase film was less than half of that of LS, and the PSS adlayer on cellulase film is also more hydrated and with a much lower shear modulus than LS adlayer.

CONCLUSIONS

PSS as LS analogue is effective for enhancing the biomass enzymatic saccharification of GL-pretreated poplar. PSS exhibited a severer inhibition on the enzymatic saccharification of pure cellulose, while a more positive effect on bioconversion of lignocellulose (GL-P) than LS. In addition, a much lower dosage is required by PSS. The dynamic enzymatic hydrolysis indicated PSS could prolong the processive activity of cellulase. The valid data stemmed from QCM and SPR expressed that PSS bound to cellulases and the as-formed complexes reduced the non-productive adsorption of cellulase onto substrate lignin more efficiently than LS due to its flexible skeleton and highly hydrated structure. Therefore, PSS is a promising alternative promoting agent for lignocellulose saccharification. From another perspective, the synthetic lignin mimics with controllable structures enable us to reach an in-depth understanding of the promotion mechanism of soluble lignins on enzymatic saccharification.

The difference of lipid profiles between psoriasis with arthritis and psoriasis without arthritis and sex-specific downregulation of methotrexate on the apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A-1 ratio

BACKGROUND

Methotrexate (MTX) has a protective effect against cardiovascular diseases (CVD), but the mechanism is unclear.

OBJECTIVE

To investigate the effect of MTX on lipid profiles and the difference between psoriasis without arthritis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

METHODS

In this prospective study, we recruited 288 psoriatic patients (136 PsA and 152 PsO) who completed 12 weeks of MTX treatment. Total cholesterol (TC), triglycerides (TG), lipoprotein A [LP(a)], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1), and ApoB were measured.

RESULTS

Compared with sex- and age-matched healthy controls, psoriatic patients had significantly (p < 0.0001) higher levels of proatherogenic lipids and lower levels of anti-atherogenic lipids. PsA patients had a higher ApoB/ApoA1 ratio than PsO patients (p < 0.05). Stepwise regression analysis found a positive correlation between the inflammatory marker hCRP and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI), ApoB/ApoA1 ratio, BMI, and smoking. ApoB was positively associated with concomitant arthritis, diabetes, and hypertension. MTX decreased the levels of pro-atherogenic and anti-atherogenic lipids. However, a significant reduction of the ApoB/ApoA1 ratio by MTX was only observed in male patients.

CONCLUSION

PsA patients had a significantly higher percentage of concomitant disease than PsO. The decrease of MTX on CVD might be related with sex.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR2000036192.

Ubiquitous flocculation activity and flocculation production basis of the conglutination mud from Ruditapes philippinarum along the coast of China

Ruditapes philippinarum conglutination mud (RPM) is a typical waste by-product from manila clam R. philippinarum aquaculture. However, RPM from the clam at an aquaculture farm in Zhoushan, China, has been newly reported as a promising natural bioflocculant resource that contains effective flocculating polysaccharides from the clam associated bacteria. With an intent to figure out whether RPM flocculation activity is ubiquitous to the manila clam across a wide geographical range or only the Zhoushan location, and to explore the flocculation production basis and ultimately widen its exploitation scope, in this study, an extensive survey of RPMs from four representative locations along the coast of China was performed to determine their flocculation activity, polysaccharide constitution and bacterial community composition. Frozen preserved RPM samples from Zhoushan, Dalian, Weihai and Zhanjiang exhibited comparable flocculation activities (FRs) ranging from 61.9±2.4% to 73.2±0.9% at dosage of 8 g·L-1; while fresh RPMs from Zhoushan exhibited a much higher flocculation activity of 91.34±1.18% than its frozen counterpart. Polysaccharide extracts from the four locations showed similar monosaccharide constitutions to some extent. The geographical distribution led to certain variation in bacterial community structures. The similarity clustering of the polysaccharide compositions coincided with that of bacterial community structures from RPMs, suggesting that polysaccharides and respective bacterial communities might be the foundation of the flocculation activity for all RPMs. The overlapping OTUs across all the RPMs accounted for 44.6-62.22% of the overall sequences in each sample and contained the vast majority of the most abundant OTUs (Operational Taxonomic Units), forming a common "core microbiome" that is probably responsible for polysaccharide production and flocculation activity development.

Moderate-intensity treadmill running relieves motion-induced post-traumatic osteoarthritis mice by up-regulating the expression of lncRNA H19

BACKGROUND

The purpose of this study was to explore whether moderate-intensity exercise can alleviate motion-induced post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) and the expression change of lncRNA H19 during this progression.

METHODS

Twenty-week-old male C57BL/6 mice were randomly divided into five groups: model control group (MC group, n = 6), treadmill model group (M group, n = 6), rehabilitation control group (RC group, n = 6), treadmill model + rehabilitation training group (M + R group, n = 6) and treadmill model + convalescent group (M + C group, n = 6). Paraffin sections were used to observe the pathological changes in the mouse knee joint in each group. A micro-CT was used to scan the knee joint to obtain the morphological indexes of the tibial plateau bone. Real-time PCR was used to detect the mRNA levels of inflammatory factors, synthetic and catabolic factors in cartilage.

RESULTS

After high-intensity exercise for 4 weeks, the inflammation and catabolism of the mouse knee cartilage were enhanced, and the anabolism was weakened. Further study showed that these results were partially reversed after 4-week moderate-intensity training. The results of hematoxylin-eosin staining confirmed this finding. Meanwhile, high-intensity exercise reduced the expression of lncRNA H19 in cartilage, while the expression of lncRNA H19 increased after 4 weeks of moderate-intensity exercise.

CONCLUSION

High-intensity treadmill running can cause injury to the knee cartilage in C57BL/6 mice which leads to PTOA and a decrease of lncRNA H19 expression in cartilage. Moderate-intensity exercise can relieve PTOA and partially reverse lncRNA H19 expression.

Antibacterial activity, bio-compatibility and osteogenic differentiation of graphene oxide coating on 3D-network poly-ether-ether-ketone for orthopaedic implants

Poly-ether-ether-ketone (PEEK) has attracted increasing attention as a promising orthopaedic implant material owing to its excellent mechanical properties and biocompatibility. However, its antibacterial properties must be improved as an implant material. In this study, PEEK was sulfonated to obtain a porous surface, and graphene oxide (GO) was deposited to form a coating with antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. After PEEK was sulfonated for different durations, GO was deposited on the surface to prepare the coating (SPEEK-GO), which was then characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, and contact angle measurements. The in vitro study included antimicrobial and cellular tests. The results showed that the PEEK sulfonated using a 10-min treatment exhibited a uniform porous structure and provided a better basal surface for the deposition of GO. The SPEEK-GO coating displayed strong antibacterial activity against two common dental pathogens. It exhibited good adhesion and proliferation of MC3T3-E1. Moreover, it showed osteogenic differentiation as bone implant material.

Risk of First-Episode Schizophrenia in Aged Adults Increased During COVID-19 Outbreak

We noticed an unusual increase of aged adults in first-episode schizophrenia in January and February 2020 since the outbreak of COVID-19. This retrospective study aims to statistically validate this observation and find potential risk factors, if applicable. The demographics of schizophrenia in outpatients (both first-episode and follow-up) from January to March 2020 (36,624 records) and similar periods of 2017-2019 (114,141 records) were analyzed and compared to minimize seasonal influence. Limited personal information (age, gender, approximate residence) was investigated to find risk factors. After considering seasonal factors such as the Spring festival, the age of the first-episode schizophrenia was significantly increased in January (46.60 ± 15.14) and February (51.53 ± 14.74) but went back to normal in March 2020 (38.89 ± 14.59), compared with similar periods from 2017 to 2019 (Jan., 40.77 ± 15.26; Feb., 39.69 ± 15.10; Mar., 42.04 ± 15.83). Meanwhile, a slight but not significant change was found in the distribution of gender and approximate residence (urban/suburb). Our data supported that risk of first-episode schizophrenia in aged adults increased during the COVID-19 outbreak, which is consistent with the fact that COVID-19 is more lethal to elders. Public healthcare should prepare in advance for potential risks in public mental health, especially for elders.

The Elabela-APJ axis: a promising therapeutic target for heart failure

Heart failure (HF) is a growing epidemic with high morbidity and mortality at an international scale. The apelin-APJ receptor pathway has been implicated in HF, making it a promising therapeutic target. APJ has been shown to be activated by a novel endogenous peptide ligand known as Elabela (ELA, also called Toddler or Apela), with a critical role in cardiac development and function. Activation of the ELA-APJ receptor axis exerts a wide range of physiological effects, including depressor response, positive inotropic action, diuresis, anti-inflammatory, anti-fibrotic, and anti-remodeling, leading to its cardiovascular protection. The ELA-APJ axis is essential for diverse biological processes and has been shown to regulate fluid homeostasis, myocardial contractility, vasodilation, angiogenesis, cellular differentiation, apoptosis, oxidative stress, cardiorenal fibrosis, and dysfunction. The beneficial effects of the ELA-APJ receptor system are well-established by treating hypertension, myocardial infarction, and HF. Additionally, administration of ELA protects human embryonic stem cells against apoptosis and stress-induced cell death and promotes survival and self-renewal in an APJ-independent manner (X receptor) via the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/Akt pathway, which may provide a new therapeutic approach for HF. Thus, targeting the ELA-APJ axis has emerged as a pre-warning biomarker and a novel therapeutic approach against progression of HF. An increased understanding of cardiovascular actions of ELA will help to develop effective interventions. This article gives an overview of the characteristics of the ELA-apelin-APJ axis and summarizes the current knowledge on its cardioprotective roles, potential mechanisms, and prospective application for acute and chronic HF.

Simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation for end-stage kidney disease patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

The indications for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) combined with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) undertaking simultaneous pancreas and kidney transplantation (SPK) remain an unresolved issue. This study aimed to systematically review the survival outcomes of SPK among T2DM-ESKD patients.

METHODS

Online databases including PubMed, MEDLINE, EMBASE, and the CENTRAL Library, CNKI, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wan-Fang database were used to locate the studies of ESKD patients with T2DM undertaking SPK up to May 2021. A third reviewer was consulted if there were disagreements. Data were analyzed with STATA (15.0).

RESULTS

Nine cohort studies were identified. The pooled 1-year, 3-year, and 5-year patient survival rates of patients with T2DM and ESKD after SPK were 98%, 95%, and 91% respectively. Comparing the treatment effect of SPK between type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and T2DM, the survival estimates were comparable. For T2DM patients, SPK had a survival advantage compared with KTA.

CONCLUSIONS

The synthesized clinical outcomes of T2DM patients with ESKD after SPK were relatively better than KTA, but a subset of T2DM-ESKD patients who would benefit the most from SPK was to be defined. PROSPERO registration number CRD42019118321. Date of registration: 14 Jan 2019 (retrospectively registered).

Down-regulation of S100P induces apoptosis in endometrial epithelial cell during GnRH antagonist protocol

BACKGROUND

The gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist protocol for in vitro fertilization (IVF) often leads to lower pregnancy rates compared to the GnRH agonist protocol. Decreased endometrial receptivity is one reason for the lower success rate, but the mechanisms underlying this phenomenon remain poorly understood. The S100 calcium protein P (S100P) is a biomarker for endometrial receptivity. Both GnRH antagonist and S100P are involved in mediating cell apoptosis. However, the involvement of S100P in reduced endometrial receptivity during the GnRH antagonist protocol remains unclear.

METHODS

Endometrial tissue was collected at the time of implantation window from patients undergoing the GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) or GnRH antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocols, as well as from patients on their natural cycles. Endometrial cell apoptosis and expression levels of S100P, HOXA10, Bax, and Bcl-2 were assessed. Ishikawa cells were cultured to evaluate the effects that GnRH antagonist exposure or S100P up- or down- regulation had on apoptosis.

RESULTS

Endometrial tissue from patients in the GnRH-ant group showed elevated apoptosis and decreased expression of the anti-apoptotic marker Bcl-2. In addition, endometrial expression of S100P was significantly reduced in the GnRH-ant group, and expression of HOXA10 was lower. Immunofluorescence colocalization analysis revealed that S100P was mainly distributed in the epithelium. In vitro experiments showed that knockdown of S100P in Ishikawa cells induced apoptosis, decreased expression of Bcl-2, while overexpression of S100P caused the opposite effects and decreased expression of Bax. Furthermore, endometrial epithelial cells exposed to GnRH antagonist expressed lower levels of S100P and Bcl-2, increased expression of Bax, and had higher rates of apoptosis. The increased apoptosis induced by GnRH antagonist treatment could be rescued by overexpression of S100P.

CONCLUSIONS

We found that GnRH antagonist treatment induced endometrial epithelial cell apoptosis by down-regulating S100P, which was detrimental to endometrial receptivity. These results further define a mechanistic role for S100P in contributing to endometrial apoptosis during GnRH antagonist treatment, and suggest that S100P is a potential clinical target to improve the success of IVF using the GnRH antagonist protocol.

Identification, pyramid and candidate genes of QTLs for associated traits based on a dense erect panicle rice CSSL-Z749 and five SSSLs, three DSSLs and one TSSL

BACKGROUND

Seed-set density is an important agronomic trait in rice. However, its genetic mechanism is complex. Chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSLs) are ideal materials for studying complex traits.

RESULTS

A rice CSSL, Z749, with a dense and erect panicle phenotype, was identified among progeny of the recipient parent Nipponbare and the donor parent Xihui 18. Z749 carried seven substitution segments (average length 2.12 Mb). Compared with Nipponbare, Z749 showed significant increases in the numbers of primary (NPB) and secondary branches (NSB), number of spikelets (SPP) and grains per panicle (GPP), seed-set density (SSD), and decrease in panicle length (PL). A secondary F₂ population derived from a cross between Nipponbare and Z749 was used to map quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for associated traits. Fifteen QTLs distributed on chromosomes 5, 7, 8, and 10 were detected. The QTL qPL7 might be an allele of OsFAD8 and the remaining 14 QTLs (e.g., qSSD5 and qSSD10 etc.) might be novel. Fourteen QTLs were verified using five single-segment substitution lines (SSSLs). The seed-set density of Z749 was controlled predominantly by one major QTL (qSSD10) and two minor QTLs (qSSD5 and qSSD8). The QTLs qSSD10, qSSD5, and qSSD8 were fine-mapped to intervals of 1.05, 1.46, and 1.53 Mb on chromosomes 10, 5, and 8, respectively. Analysis of QTL additive effects indicated that qSSD5, qSSD8, and qSSD10 from Xihui18 increased seed-set density of Z749 by 14.10, 11.38, and 5.11 spikelets per 10 cm panicle, respectively. Analysis of QTL epistatic effects revealed that pyramiding of qSSD5 and qSSD8, qSSD5 and qSSD10, qSSD8 and qSSD10, and qSSD5, qSSD8 and qSSD10 produced novel genotypes with increased seed-set density.

CONCLUSIONS

Inheritance of seed-set density in Z749 was controlled predominantly by one major QTL (qSSD10) and two minor QTLs (qSSD5 and qSSD8). Then, they were fine-mapped to intervals of 1.05, 1.46, and 1.53 Mb on chromosomes 10, 5, 8, respectively. Two MAPK genes (OsMPK9 and OsMPK17) and one gene (candidate gene 6) involved in auxin metabolism might be candidate genes for qSSD5, and OsSAUR32 might be the candidate gene for qSSD8. Pyramiding of qSSD5, qSSD8, and qSSD10 enhanced seed-set density.

SNX-3 mediates retromer-independent tubular endosomal recycling by opposing EEA-1-facilitated trafficking

Early endosomes are the sorting hub on the endocytic pathway, wherein sorting nexins (SNXs) play important roles for formation of the distinct membranous microdomains with different sorting functions. Tubular endosomes mediate the recycling of clathrin-independent endocytic (CIE) cargoes back toward the plasma membrane. However, the molecular mechanism underlying the tubule formation is still poorly understood. Here we screened the effect on the ARF-6-associated CIE recycling endosomal tubules for all the SNX members in Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans). We identified SNX-3 as an essential factor for generation of the recycling tubules. The loss of SNX-3 abolishes the interconnected tubules in the intestine of C. elegans. Consequently, the surface and total protein levels of the recycling CIE protein hTAC are strongly decreased. Unexpectedly, depletion of the retromer components VPS-26/-29/-35 has no similar effect, implying that the retromer trimer is dispensable in this process. We determined that hTAC is captured by the ESCRT complex and transported into the lysosome for rapid degradation in snx-3 mutants. Interestingly, EEA-1 is increasingly recruited on early endosomes and localized to the hTAC-containing structures in snx-3 mutant intestines. We also showed that SNX3 and EEA1 compete with each other for binding to phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphate enriching early endosomes in Hela cells. Our data demonstrate for the first time that PX domain-only C. elegans SNX-3 organizes the tubular endosomes for efficient recycling and retrieves the CIE cargo away from the maturing sorting endosomes by competing with EEA-1 for binding to the early endosomes. However, our results call into question how SNX-3 couples the cargo capture and membrane remodeling in the absence of the retromer trimer complex.

Trafficking of internalized materials through the endolysosomal system is essential for the maintenance of homeostasis and signaling regulation in all eukaryotic cells. Early endosomes are the sorting hub on the endocytic pathway. After internalization, the plasma membrane lipid, proteins, and invading pathogens are delivered to early endosomes for further degradation in lysosomes or for retrieval to the plasma membrane or the trans-Golgi network for reuse. However, when, where and by what mechanism various cargo proteins are sorted from each other and into the different pathways largely remain to be explored. Here, we identified SNX-3, a PX-domain only sorting nexin family member, as a novel regulator for the tubular endosomes underlying recycling of a subset of CIE cargoes. Compared with EEA-1, the superior recruitment of SNX-3 at the CIE-derived subpopulation of endosomes is critical for preventing these endosomes from converging to the classical sorting endosomes and subsequently into the multivesicular endosomal pathway. We speculate that through a spatio-temporal interplay with the retromer, SNX-3 is involved in different recycling transport carriers. Our finding of SNX-3’s role in modulating the formation of tubular endosomes provides insight into the sorting and trafficking of CIE pathways.

A Regulatory Role of Chemokine Receptor CXCR3 in the Pathogenesis of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease and Emphysema

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)/pulmonary emphysema is driven by the dysregulated airway inflammation and primarily influenced by the interaction between cigarette smoking (CS) and the individual's susceptibility. The inflammation in COPD involves both innate and adaptive immunity. By binding to its specific ligands, chemokine receptor CXCR3 plays an important role in regulating tissue inflammation and damage. In acute animal model challenged with either CS or pathogens, CXCR3 knockout (KO) attenuated lung inflammation and pathology. However, the role of CXCR3 in CS-induced chronic airway inflammation and pulmonary emphysema remains unknown. In this present study, we investigated the effect of CXCR3 in CS-induced pulmonary emphysema in an animal model, and the association between CXCR3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and COPD susceptibility in human subjects. We found that after chronic exposure to side stream CS (SSCS) for 24 weeks, CXCR3 KO mice demonstrated significant airspace enlargement expressed by mean linear intercept (Lm) compared with the wild-type (WT) mice. Consistently, CXCR3 KO mice had significantly higher BAL fluid macrophages and neutrophils, TNFα, and lung homogenate MMP-9 and MMP-12. Through genetic analysis of CXCR3 polymorphisms in a cohort of COPD patients with Han Chinese ethnicity, one CXCR3 SNP, rs2280964, was found to be genetically related to COPD susceptibility. Furthermore, CXCR3 SNP rs2280964 was significantly associated with the levels of serum MMP-9 in COPD patients. Our data from both animal and human studies revealed a novel role of CXCR3 possibly via influencing MMP9 production in the pathogenesis and progression of CS-associated COPD/pulmonary emphysema.

Eosinophilic inflammation promotes CCL6-dependent metastatic tumor growth

Compelling evidence suggests that inflammatory components contribute to cancer development. However, eosinophils, involved in several inflammatory diseases, were not fully explored in cancer metastasis. We show that airway inflammatory eosinophilia and colonic inflammation with eosinophil infiltration are both associated with increased metastasis in mice. Eosinophilia is responsible for increased bone metastasis in eosinophil-enriched Cd3δ-Il-5 transgenic (Il-5 Tg) mice. We also observe increased eosinophils in the malignant pleural effusion of cancer patients with pleural metastasis. Mechanistically, eosinophils promote tumor cell migration and metastasis formation through secreting C-C motif chemokine ligand 6 (CCL6). Genetic knockout of Ccl6 in Il-5 Tg mice remarkably attenuates bone metastasis. Moreover, inhibition of C-C chemokine receptor 1 (CCR1, the receptor of CCL6) in tumor cells reduces tumor cell migration and metastasis. Thus, our study identifies a CCL6-dependent prometastatic activity of eosinophils, which can be inhibited by targeting CCR1 and represent an approach to preventing metastatic disease.

Does lock-down of Wuhan effectively restrict early geographic spread of novel coronavirus epidemic during chunyun in China? A spatial model study

BACKGROUND

Prior to Wuhan lock-down in 2020, chunyun, the largest population mobility on this planet, had begun. We quantified impact of Wuhan lock-down on COVID-19 spread during chunyun across the nation.

METHODS

During the period of January 1 to February 9, 2020, a total of 40,278 confirmed COVID-19 cases from 319 municipalities in mainland China were considered in this study. The cross-coupled meta-population methods were employed using between-city Baidu migration index. We modelled four scenarios of geographic spread of COVID-19 including the presence of both chunyun and lock-down (baseline); lock-down without chunyun (scenario 1); chunyun without lock-down (scenario 2); and the absence of both chunyun and lock-down (scenario 3).

RESULTS

Compared with the baseline, scenario 1 resulted in 3.84% less cases by February 9 while scenario 2 and 3 resulted in 20.22 and 32.46% more cases by February 9. The geographic distribution of cases revealed that chunyun facilitated the COVID-19 spread in the majority but not all cities, and the effectiveness of Wuhan lock-down was offset by chunyun. Impacts of Wuhan lock-down during chunyun on the COVID-19 spread demonstrated heterogenetic geographic patterns.

CONCLUSION

Our results strongly supported the travel restriction as one of the effective responses and highlighted the importance of developing area-specific rather than universal countermeasures.

Adjuvant High-Flow Normobaric Oxygen After Mechanical Thrombectomy for Anterior Circulation Stroke: a Randomized Clinical Trial

Adjuvant neuroprotective therapies for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) have demonstrated benefit in animal studies, albeit without human translation. We investigated the safety and efficacy of high-flow normobaric oxygen (NBO) after endovascular recanalization in anterior circulation stroke. This is a prospective randomized controlled study. Eligible patients were randomized to receive high-flow NBO by a Venturi mask (FiO2 50%, flow 15 L/min) or routine low-flow oxygen supplementation by nasal cannula (flow 3 L/min) after vessel recanalization for 6 h. Patient demographics, procedural metrics, complications, functional outcomes, symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH), and infarct volume were assessed. A total of 91 patients were treated with high-flow NBO. NBO treatment revealed a common odds ratio of 2.2 (95% CI, 1.26 to 3.87) favoring the distribution of global disability scores on the mRS at 90 days. The mortality at 90 days was significantly lower in the NBO group than in the control group, with an absolute difference of 13.86% (rate ratio, 0.35; 95% CI, 0.13-0.93). A significant reduction of infarct volume as determined by MRI was noted in the NBO group. The median infarct volume was 9.4 ml versus 20.5 ml in the control group (beta coefficient, - 20.24; 95% CI, - 35.93 to - 4.55). No significant differences were seen in the rate of sICH, pneumonia, urinary infection, and seizures between the 2 groups. This study suggests that high-flow NBO therapy after endovascular recanalization is safe and effective in improving functional outcomes, decreasing mortality, and reducing infarct volumes in anterior circulation stroke patients within 6 h from stroke onset.

An updated census of the maize TIFY family

The TIFY gene family is a plant-specific gene family encoding a group of proteins characterized by its namesake, the conservative TIFY domain and members can be organized into four subfamilies: ZML, TIFY, PPD and JAZ (Jasmonate ZIM-domain protein) by presence of additional conserved domains. The TIFY gene family is intensively explored in several model and agriculturally important crop species and here, yet the composition of the TIFY family of maize has remained unresolved. This study increases the number of maize TIFY family members known by 40%, bringing the total to 47 including 38 JAZ, 5 TIFY, and 4 ZML genes. The majority of the newly identified genes were belonging to the JAZ subfamily, six of which had aberrant TIFY domains, suggesting loss JAZ-JAZ or JAZ-NINJA interactions. Six JAZ genes were found to have truncated Jas domain or an altered degron motif, suggesting resistance to classical JAZ degradation. In addition, seven membranes were found to have an LxLxL-type EAR motif which allows them to recruit TPL/TPP co-repressors directly without association to NINJA. Expression analysis revealed that ZmJAZ14 was specifically expressed in the seeds and ZmJAZ19 and 22 in the anthers, while the majority of other ZmJAZs were generally highly expressed across diverse tissue types. Additionally, ZmJAZ genes were highly responsive to wounding and JA treatment. This study provides a comprehensive update of the maize TIFY/JAZ gene family paving the way for functional, physiological, and ecological analysis.

Short-form RON (sf-RON) enhances glucose metabolism to promote cell proliferation via activating β-catenin/SIX1 signaling pathway in gastric cancer

Recepteur d'origine nantais (RON) has been implicated in cell proliferation, metastasis, and chemoresistance of various human malignancies. The short-form RON (sf-RON) encoded by RON transcripts was overexpressed in gastric cancer tissues, but its regulatory functions remain illustrated. Here, we found that sf-RON promoted gastric cancer cell proliferation by enhancing glucose metabolism. Furthermore, sf-RON was proved to induce the β-catenin expression level through the AKT1/GSK3β signaling pathway. Meanwhile, the binding sites of β-catenin were identified in the promoter region of SIX1 and it was also demonstrated that β-catenin positively regulated SIX1 expression. SIX1 enhanced the promoter activity of key proteins in glucose metabolism, such as GLUT1 and LDHA. Results indicated that sf-RON regulated the cell proliferation and glucose metabolism of gastric cancer by participating in a sf-RON/β-catenin/SIX1 signaling axis and had significant implications for choosing the therapeutic target of gastric cancer.

How do city-specific factors affect migrant integration in China? A study based on a hierarchical linear model of migrants and cities

BACKGROUND

Previous studies indicate that migrant integration is associated with migrants' characteristics as well as restrictions and opportunities in receiving cities. However, the effect of receiving cities and the relationship between migrants and receiving cities have not been fully explored due to the lack of large samples from cities. The objective of this study is to examine the effects of receiving cities alone and their regulating role in the interaction with individual characteristics.

METHODS

Cross-city data on 154,044 Chinese domestic migrants above 15 years old in 289 cities from the 2017 China Migrants Dynamic Survey are used. Migrant integration is assessed by a four-dimensional model proposed by Esser, which is slightly adjusted according to the characteristics of Chinese migrants. A hierarchical linear model is used to measure the proportion of effects of city factors in migrant integration as well as the effects when city factors are considered alone and in interaction with individual factors.

RESULTS

The individual-level and city-level factors are responsible for 69.81% and 30.19% of the effect on migrant integration, respectively. City political factors do not affect migrant integration directly, and cities with larger sizes and higher wages can directly and significantly improve integration, while higher housing prices will directly inhibit integration. From the cross-level interaction of city and individual, different social, economic and political factors at the city level have an indirect impact on migrant integration by inhibiting or strengthening the effect of individual-level factors on migrant integration.

CONCLUSION

This study is one of the first to show the effect of cities and the relationship between receiving cities and migrants on migrant integration by keeping the national context constant. It is necessary to weaken the social and economic privileges associated with a city's administrative level and reduce the negative impact of cities' social and economic conditions by implementing city agglomeration, developing advantageous industries and optimizing the industrial structure. It is also essential to improve migrants' socioeconomic capital through social support, occupation training and contiguous education.

Response of phytohormone mediated plant homeodomain (PHD) family to abiotic stress in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum spp.)

BACKGROUND

The sequencing and annotations of cotton genomes provide powerful theoretical support to unravel more physiological and functional information. Plant homeodomain (PHD) protein family has been reported to be involved in regulating various biological processes in plants. However, their functional studies have not yet been carried out in cotton.

RESULTS

In this study, 108, 55, and 52 PHD genes were identified in G. hirsutum, G. raimondii, and G. arboreum, respectively. A total of 297 PHD genes from three cotton species, Arabidopsis, and rice were divided into five groups. We performed chromosomal location, phylogenetic relationship, gene structure, and conserved domain analysis for GhPHD genes. GhPHD genes were unevenly distributed on each chromosome. However, more GhPHD genes were distributed on At_05, Dt_05, and At_07 chromosomes. GhPHD proteins depicted conserved domains, and GhPHD genes exhibiting similar gene structure were clustered together. Further, whole genome duplication (WGD) analysis indicated that purification selection greatly contributed to the functional maintenance of GhPHD gene family. Expression pattern analysis based on RNA-seq data showed that most GhPHD genes showed clear tissue-specific spatiotemporal expression patterns elucidating the multiple functions of GhPHDs in plant growth and development. Moreover, analysis of cis-acting elements revealed that GhPHDs may respond to a variety of abiotic and phytohormonal stresses. In this regard, some GhPHD genes showed good response against abiotic and phytohormonal stresses. Additionally, co-expression network analysis indicated that GhPHDs are essential for plant growth and development, while GhPHD genes response against abiotic and phytohormonal stresses may help to improve plant tolerance in adverse environmental conditions.

CONCLUSION

This study will provide useful information to facilitate further research related to the vital roles of GhPHD gene family in plant growth and development.