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Reaumuria soongarica is a xerophytic shrub belonging to the Tamaricaceae family. The species is widely distributed in the deserts of Central Asia and is characterized by its remarkable adaptability to saline and barren desert environments. Using PacBio long-read sequencing and Hi-C technologies, we assembled a chromosome-level genome of R. soongarica. The genome assembly has a size of 1.28 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 116.15 Mb, and approximately 1.25 Gb sequences were anchored in 11 pseudo-chromosomes. A completeness assessment of the assembled genome revealed a BUSCO score of 97.5% and an LTR Assembly Index of 12.37. R. soongarica genome had approximately 60.07% repeat sequences. In total, 21,791 protein-coding genes were predicted, of which 95.64% were functionally annotated. This high-quality genome will serve as a foundation for studying the genomic evolution and adaptive mechanisms to arid-saline environments in R. soongarica, facilitating the exploration and utilization of its unique genetic resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Force transmission through adherens junctions (AJs) is crucial for multicellular organization, wound healing and tissue regeneration. Recent studies shed light on the molecular mechanisms of mechanotransduction at the AJs. However, the canonical model fails to explain force transmission when essential proteins of the mechanotransduction module are mutated or missing. Here, we demonstrate that, in absence of α-catenin, β-catenin can directly and functionally interact with vinculin in its open conformation, bearing physiological forces. Furthermore, we found that β-catenin can prevent vinculin autoinhibition in the presence of α-catenin by occupying vinculin´s head-tail interaction site, thus preserving force transmission capability. Taken together, our findings suggest a multi-step force transmission process at AJs, where α-catenin and β-catenin can alternatively and cooperatively interact with vinculin. This can explain the graded responses needed to maintain tissue mechanical homeostasis and, importantly, unveils a force-bearing mechanism involving β-catenin and extended vinculin that can potentially explain the underlying process enabling collective invasion of metastatic cells lacking α-catenin. Adherens junctions mediate force transmission and connect the cytoskeleton of adjacent cells. This study demonstrates that force transmission can be achieved through direct and functional β-catenin/vinculin interaction in the absence of α-catenin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The primary objective of this study was to compare short-term outcomes between Intracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis (IIA) and extracorporeal ileocolic anastomosis (EIA) after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy in patients with visceral obesity. The secondary objective was to identify risk factors associated with prolonged postoperative ileus (PPOI) after laparoscopic right hemicolectomy. This single-center retrospective study analyzed visceral obesity patients who underwent laparoscopic right hemicolectomy for primary bowel cancer between January 2020 and June 2023. Patients were categorized into IIA and EIA groups based on the type of anastomosis, and a 1:1 propensity score-matched analysis was performed. A total of 129 patients were initially included in this study, with 45 patients in each group following propensity score matching. The IIA group had significantly longer anastomosis times (p < 0.001), shorter incision length (p < 0.001), and shorter length of stay (p = 0.003) than the EIA group. Meanwhile, the IIA group showed a shorter time to first flatus (p = 0.044) and quicker tolerance of a solid diet (p = 0.030). On multivariate analysis, postoperative use of opioid analgesics is an independent risk factor for PPOI (OR: 3.590 95% CI 1.033–12.477, p = 0.044), while IIA is an independent protective factor (OR: 0.195 95% CI 0.045–0.843, p = 0.029). IIA remains a safe and feasible option for visceral obesity patients. It is also associated with a quicker recovery of bowel function and shorter length of stay when compared to EIA. Additionally, IIA is an independent protective factor for PPOI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To identify reliable magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that can differentiate confluent fibrosis (CF) from infiltrative hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted on Twenty CF patients and 28 infiltrative HCC patients who underwent upper abdomen MRI scans. The imaging features of lesions were analyzed, and the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) of lesions were measured. Accuracy, sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of CF were calculated for each category individually and combined. Results: Compared to infiltrative HCC, hepatic capsular retraction at the site of lesion, hepatic volume loss at the site of lesion and "nodular surround sign" were more common in patients with CF (all P < 0.001). Hepatic volume loss at the site of lesion, no or mild enhancement in arterial phase, and hyper-enhancing in delayed phase to the background parenchyma showed superior diagnostic accuracy (83.3%, 85.4%, 97.9%, respectively). When the lesion exhibited hepatic volume loss at the site of lesion or no or mild enhancement in arterial phase or hyper-enhancing in delayed phase, a sensitivity of 100.0% for the diagnosis of CF was achieved. When the lesion was positive for any two of three categories, or positive for all three categories, a specificity of 100.0% was achieved. The ADC values of CF were higher than those of infiltrative HCC (P < 0.001). Conclusion: The combination of the hepatic volume loss at the site of lesion, no or mild enhancement in arterial phase, and hyper-enhancing in delayed phase to the background parenchyma can be considered reliable MR features for the diagnosis of CF, as they allow differentiation from infiltrative HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mitigating carbon emissions from crop production is essential for addressing global warming. At a macro-level, existing studies have often relied on the calculation of carbon emission intensity of crop production to understand comparable carbon effects between regions. However, this approach obscures the differences in crop planting scale and natural attributes across regions, leaving room for improvement in the methods and scope of analysis. To extend the existing research, we proposed an idea for calculating the carbon emission density of crop production based on planting area. Additionally, we developed an analytical framework for driving factors of carbon emission density of crop production from a spatial interaction perspective. The provincial carbon emission density of crop production in mainland China between 2000 and 2020 was calculated, and spatial econometric models were utilized to investigate the spatial autocorrelation and driving factors. The results indicate that the national average carbon emission density of crop production was 1.462 t/hm2 annually. Over 21 years, the carbon emission density of agricultural materials, rice cultivation, soil management, and straw burning evolved from 0.384 to 0.470 t/hm2, 0.409 to 0.367 t/hm2, 0.171 to 0.169 t/hm2, and 0.317 to 0.448 t/hm2, respectively. The global Moran's index indicated a positive spatial autocorrelation of carbon emission density of crop production and the subdivided carbon sources among provinces. Regarding direct effects, an increase in the proportion of paddy fields in cropland composition and irrigation efficiency would significantly promote the carbon emission density, while factors such as cropland area, multiple cropping, agricultural personnel numbers, departmental proportion, and disaster degree would decrease the local carbon emission density. Certain factors, such as cropland area and agricultural disasters, had a spatial spillover effect on carbon emission density between provinces. The study suggests harnessing key drivers and spatial spillover effects to achieve regional low-carbon crop production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wildlife trade is one of the major contributors to biodiversity loss in Southeast Asia, especially in songbirds. Wildlife forensics using genomic data can be instrumental in informing conservation action by identifying trade routes and animals' provenance to help law enforcement. We obtained ~ 10,000 genome-wide markers spanning a panel of 87 wild, captive, and confiscated individuals of one of the most widely traded songbirds in Southeast Asia, Swinhoe's white-eye (Zosterops simplex), to examine shifts in trade routes. Our population-genomic analyses reveal that a well-studied population of this white-eye on Singapore Island exhibits a major genomic contribution from the geographically distant subspecies simplex, reflecting historic trade into Singapore from China. In contrast, modern confiscated samples as well as a minority of wild Singapore samples carry the genomic signature of the Southeast Asian subspecies erwini, suggesting that modern trade sources in Singapore have shifted from China towards adjacent Malaysia. Our study highlights how accurate identification of trade routes can help conservationists' efforts in tackling the growing songbird crisis in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing evidence suggests that key cancer-causing driver genes continue to exert a sustained influence on the tumor microenvironment (TME), highlighting the importance of immunotherapeutic targeting of gene mutations in governing tumor progression. TP53 is a prominent tumor suppressor that encodes the p53 protein, which controls the initiation and progression of different tumor types. Wild-type p53 maintains cell homeostasis and genomic instability through complex pathways, and mutant p53 (Mut p53) promotes tumor occurrence and development by regulating the TME. To date, it has been wildly considered that TP53 is able to mediate tumor immune escape. Herein, we summarized the relationship between TP53 gene and tumors, discussed the mechanism of Mut p53 mediated tumor immune escape, and summarized the progress of applying p53 protein in immunotherapy. This study will provide a basic basis for further exploration of therapeutic strategies targeting p53 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poor-quality sheet sections and excessive burrs may be resolved by incorporating ultrasonic vibration into the shearing process of hard-to-deform magnesium alloy sheets. It is challenging to simulate the complicated mechanical process of ultrasonic shearing process because it involves material deterioration and fracture, elastic–plastic deformation of the material, and the impacts of ultrasonic indirect sexual contact. Relying on ABAQUS/Explicit finite element simulation software, this paper for the first time proposes a boundary constraint method of constructing a converter to connect displacement reference points and vibration reference points in order to perform numerical simulation of the ultrasonic shearing process of AZ31B magnesium alloy. The team's ultrasonic vibration system serves as the basis for the simulation's shearing model. This model utilizes three variables, namely sheet temperature, shear edge clearance, and ultrasonic amplitude, to analyze the weight coefficients and the influence law on the equivalent stress using the orthogonal test in order to further characterize the processing characteristics of ultrasonic shearing. This research demonstrates that numerical simulation is an effective method for examining the influence of process parameters on stress distribution. The results showed that in the ultrasonic shearing of AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet, the process parameter with the greatest influence on the weight coefficient was the sheet temperature, which was 49.8667, followed by the shear edge clearance, which was 31.2667, and the ultrasonic amplitude, which was 17.5333. When the sheet temperature is 150 ℃, the optimization effect is maximal, and the equivalent stress is reduced by 63.9 MPa. Under identical conditions, ultrasonic shearing substantially reduces the equivalent stress on the sheet compared to conventional shearing. During the ultrasonic shearing procedure, the equivalent stress of the sheet appears to be stress superposition and stress fluctuation, resulting in a significant improvement in sheet section quality. As a result, the paper can serve as a quantitative guide for predicting the ultrasonic shearing quality of the AZ31B magnesium alloy sheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The efficacy of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) was affected by numerous factors. In the study, we developed and validated an artificial neural network (ANN) system based on clinical characteristics and next-generation sequencing (NGS) to support clinical decisions. Methods: A multicenter retrospective non-interventional study was conducted. 240 patients from three hospitals with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and EGFR mutation were tested by NGS before the first treatment. All patients received formal EGFR-TKIs treatment. Five different models were individually trained to predict the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs based on one medical center with 188 patients. Two independent cohorts from other medical centers were collected for external validation. Results: Compared with logistic regression, four machine learning methods showed better predicting abilities for EGFR-TKIs. The inclusion of NGS tests improved the predictive power of models. ANN performed best on the dataset with mutations TP53, RB1, PIK3CA, EGFR mutation sites, and tumor mutation burden (TMB). The prediction accuracy, recall and AUC were 0.82, 0.82, and 0.82, respectively in our final model. In the external validation set, ANN still showed good performance and differentiated patients with poor outcomes. Finally, a clinical decision support software based on ANN was developed and provided a visualization interface for clinicians. Conclusion: This study provides an approach to assess the efficacy of NSCLC patients with first-line EGFR-TKI treatment. Software is developed to support clinical decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the accumulation ability of heavy metals in sediment has become a key indicator for sediment pollution prevention and control. The adsorption-desorption processes of typical heavy metal pollutants in sediments under different conditions were explored and relied in this article. In addition, different binary competitive adsorption systems were designed to study the competitive adsorption properties of heavy metal contaminants, The quasi-secondary kinetic model simulated the adsorption kinetic process. The sediment adsorption rates for heavy metals were (in descending order) Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn. The Elovich equation simulated the desorption kinetics process better, and the sediment desorption rates for heavy metals were (in descending order) Cd, Cu, Zn, Pb. The average free adsorption energy E of heavy metals was within the range of 8–16 kJ∙mol−1. After the removal of organic matter, the ability of the sediment to sequester heavy metals decreases, The binary competitive adsorption results showed that the presence of interfering ions had the greatest effect on Cd and the least effect on Pb. The adsorption and desorption of the four heavy metals by the sediments in the submerged zone increased with the increase of temperature, and the ratio of desorption to adsorption also increased therewith: the adsorptions of heavy metals by the sediments were all spontaneous processes (under heat absorption reactions). The presence of organic matter can increase the ability of the sediment to sequester Cd, Pb, Cu, and Zn. Additionally, heavy metals exhibited significant selective adsorption properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Finding a restful method to ameliorate the shortcoming of slow charge separation and narrow light absorption range in CdS photoanodes is a significant challenge in photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting. Thus, we firstly prepared the CdS/GSH film via hydrothermal method and solution adhesion method for revealing the dual-function of GSH adhesion for advancing the PEC performance of CdS via constructing inorganic–organic hybrid heterojunction and organic cocatalyst. The construction of CdS/GSH inorganic–organic hybrid heterojunction could suppress the carrier separation because the built-in electric field between heterojunction. Moreover, the adhesion of GSH effectively widens the visible light response ability of CdS. Furthermore, the abundant -OH in GSH play a role of cocatalyst because it is easy oxidized by photo-generated holes so as to lifting surface reaction kinetics. As except, the photocurrent density of 0.4 g GSH in solution for CdS/GSH heterojunction (CdS/GSH-4) is 1.48 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs. RHE, which is 4.3 times that of CdS. Moreover, the carriers separation efficiency in surface and bulk is 1.71 and 1.68 times as much as CdS. Our detail research may create a bright tactics for designing and manufacturing a promising photoanode for PEC water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anti-PD-1 monotherapy had limited clinical efficacy in relapsed/refractory (r/r) AML patients with higher PD-1 and PD-L1 expression. Hence, we investigated the efficacy and safety of PD-1 inhibitor with DNA hypomethylating agent (HMA) + CAG regimen in patients who had failed prior AML therapy. In this phase 2, single-arm study, r/r AML patients received azacitidine or decitabine plus CAG regimen with tislelizumab. Primary endpoints were efficacy (objective response rate [ORR]) and safety. Secondary endpoints included overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and duration of response (DOR). Statistical analyses were performed using Stata 14.0 and SPSS 20.0 software where P < 0.05 denoted significance. Twenty-seven patients were enrolled patients and completed 1 cycle, and 14 (51.9%) and 4 (14.8%) patients completed 2 and 3 cycles, respectively. ORR was 63% (14: complete remission [CR]/CR with incomplete hematologic recovery [CRi], 3: partial remission (PR), 10: no response [NR]). Median OS (mOS) and EFS were 9.7 and 9.2 months, respectively. With a median follow-up of 8.2 months (1.1–26.9), the mOS was not reached in responders (CR/CRi/PR) while it was 2.4 months (0.0–5.4) in nonresponders (P = 0.002). Grade 2–3 immune-related adverse events (irAEs) were observed in 4 (14.8%) patients and 3 nonresponders died of lung infection after treatment. Tislelizumab + HMA + CAG regimen showed improved outcomes in r/r AML patients with lower pretherapy leukemia burden. irAEs were mild and low-grade and higher pretherapy bone marrow CD4+ CD127+ PD-1+ T cells might serve as a predictor of treatment response. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier NCT04541277. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defensive behaviors induced by innate fear or Pavlovian fear conditioning are crucial for animals to avoid threats and ensure survival. The zona incerta (ZI) has been demonstrated to play important roles in fear learning and fear memory, as well as modulating auditory-induced innate defensive behavior. However, whether the neuronal subtypes in the ZI and specific circuits can mediate the innate fear response is largely unknown. Here, we found that somatostatin (SST)-positive neurons in the rostral ZI of mice were activated by a visual innate fear stimulus. Optogenetic inhibition of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI resulted in reduced flight responses to an overhead looming stimulus. Optogenetic activation of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI induced fear-like defensive behavior including increased immobility and bradycardia. In addition, we demonstrated that manipulation of the GABAergic projections from SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI to the downstream nucleus reuniens (Re) mediated fear-like defensive behavior. Retrograde trans-synaptic tracing also revealed looming stimulus-activated neurons in the superior colliculus (SC) that projected to the Re-projecting SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI (SC-ZIrSST-Re pathway). Together, our study elucidates the function of SST-positive neurons in the rostral ZI and the SC-ZIrSST-Re tri-synaptic circuit in mediating the innate fear response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we look at distance-regular graphs with induced subgraphs K r , t , where 1 ≤ r ≤ t are integers. In particular, we show that if a distance-regular graph Γ with diameter D ≥ 5 contains an induced subgraph K 2 , t (t ≥ 2) , then t is bounded above by a function of b 1 θ 1 + 1 , where θ 1 is the second largest eigenvalue of Γ . Using this bound we obtain that the intersection number c 2 of a μ -graph-regular distance-regular graph with diameter D ≥ 5 and large a 1 is bounded above by a fuction of b = ⌈ b 1 θ 1 + 1 ⌉ . We then apply this bound to thin Q-polynomial distance-regular graphs with diameter D ≥ 5 and large a 1 to show that c 2 is bounded above by a function of ⌈ b 1 θ 1 + 1 ⌉ . At last, we again apply the bound to thin distance-regular graphs with classical parameters (D , b , α , β) to show that the parameter α is bounded above by a function of b 1 θ 1 + 1 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prussian blue (Fe4[Fe(CN)6]3, PB) has become a widely studied anodic electrochromic material due to its advantages such as large optical modulation range, fast response speed and low voltage demand. Tungsten oxide (WO3) as a cathode electrochromic materials, have various advantages, while their low color rendering efficiency and poor cycling stability limit their applications. To this end, the following solution was proposed for the first time in this study: the hydrothermal method was adopted to prepare tungsten oxide nanorods and then coat Prussian blue on the rod-shaped tungsten oxide to form an inorganic–organic core–shell structure (WO3/PB) to improve electrochromic performance. Through comparative experiments, the effects of WO3/PB core–shell structure for the electrochromic properties of films and its mechanism were explored. The Li+ diffusion coefficient of WO3/PB core–shell structure films is 35% and 720% higher than that of single WO3 and PB, respectively. At the same time, compared with the single PB and WO3 films, the electrochromic response speed of the WO3/PB film is fast, and the light transmittance after coloring is low, with good optical properties. Relevant experimental data displayed that WO3 is wrapped by PB to form a core–shell structure, which makes the film have high electrochromic properties. The reasons are the formation of electron pair donor–acceptor system in the film and the formation of double electrochromic effect. WO3/PB forms a rod-like nano core–shell structure, which increases the surface area for the reaction and facilitates the transfer of ions and electrons into and out of the film. This method of combining anodic electrochromic materials and cathodic electrochromic materials to form a core–shell structure to improve electrochromic performance provides a new direction for future electrochromic research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequence assembly algorithms have rapidly evolved with the vigorous growth of genome sequencing technology over the past two decades. Assembly mainly uses the iterative expansion of overlap relationships between sequences to construct the target genome. The assembly algorithms can be typically classified into several categories, such as the Greedy strategy, Overlap-Layout-Consensus (OLC) strategy, and de Bruijn graph (DBG) strategy. In particular, due to the rapid development of third-generation sequencing (TGS) technology, some prevalent assembly algorithms have been proposed to generate high-quality chromosome-level assemblies. However, due to the genome complexity, the length of short reads, and the high error rate of long reads, contigs produced by assembly may contain misassemblies adversely affecting downstream data analysis. Therefore, several read-based and reference-based methods for misassembly identification have been developed to improve assembly quality. This work primarily reviewed the development of DNA sequencing technologies and summarized sequencing data simulation methods, sequencing error correction methods, various mainstream sequence assembly algorithms, and misassembly identification methods. A large amount of computation makes the sequence assembly problem more challenging, and therefore, it is necessary to develop more efficient and accurate assembly algorithms and alternative algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate knowledge of the mineralogy is essential for understanding the lower mantle, which represents more than half of Earth’s volume. CaSiO3 perovskite is believed to be the third-most-abundant mineral throughout the lower mantle, following bridgmanite and ferropericlase1–3. Here we experimentally show that the calcium solubility in bridgmanite increases steeply at about 2,300 kelvin and above 40 gigapascals to a level sufficient for a complete dissolution of all CaSiO3 component in pyrolite into bridgmanite, resulting in the disappearance of CaSiO3 perovskite at depths greater than about 1,800 kilometres along the geotherm4,5. Hence we propose a change from a two-perovskite domain (TPD; bridgmanite plus CaSiO3 perovskite) at the shallower lower mantle to a single-perovskite domain (SPD; calcium-rich bridgmanite) at the deeper lower mantle. Iron seems to have a key role in increasing the calcium solubility in bridgmanite. The temperature-driven nature can cause large lateral variations in the depth of the TPD-to-SPD change in response to temperature variations (by more than 500 kilometres). Furthermore, the SPD should have been thicker in the past when the mantle was warmer. Our finding requires revision of the deep-mantle mineralogy models and will have an impact on our understanding of the composition, structure, dynamics and evolution of the region.Experiments show that calcium solubility in bridgmanite increases with depth in Earth’s lower mantle, resulting in the disappearance of CaSiO3 perovskite and indicating a transition from a two-perovskite to a single-perovskite domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-Pressure Collaborative Access Team (HPCAT) is a synchrotron-based facility located at the Advanced Photon Source (APS). With four online experimental stations and various offline capabilities, HPCAT is focused on providing synchrotron x-ray capabilities for high pressure and temperature research and supporting a broad user community. Overall, the array of online/offline capabilities is described, including some of the recent developments for remote user support and the concomitant impact of the current pandemic. General overview of work done at HPCAT and with a focus on some of the minerals relevant work and supporting capabilities is also discussed. With the impending APS-Upgrade (APS-U), there is a considerable effort within HPCAT to improve and add capabilities. These are summarized briefly for each of the end-stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coal fires refer to fires generated by the self-combustion of coal seams, which have a maximum temperature of 1000 °C. Such fires can significantly alter the properties of surrounding rock and soil. However, in Northern Shaanxi, China, coal resources are abundant, and the buried depth of coal seams is shallow; therefore, coal fires often occur. Because Northern Shaanxi is located in China's Loess Plateau, there is a large amount of loess accumulation on the surface. For this reason, it is imperative to study the effects of high temperatures on loess. In this paper, the loess samples are heat treated at different temperatures (200–1000 °C), and their surface redness (a*) and mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) are measured to simulate the high-temperature effects of coal fires on the loess in northern Shaanxi, and also study its chromaticity changes and abnormal magnetic properties. The results show that (1) the loess χ value is affected by the heat-treatment temperature; at 600 °C, the χ value decreases, increasing rapidly above after 850 °C. Further, the magnetic susceptibility changes significantly. (2) The thermal-induced transformation of ferromagnetic minerals and the buried depth of loess are the main reasons for these changes in magnetic susceptibility and red chroma of loess. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Saving resources and reducing the energy consumption of CNC machine tools has become one of the main research directions of modern green manufacturing. In this paper, the influence of curvature characteristics on energy consumption is studied based on surface milling. Firstly, the loss of energy consumption in the machining process of the NC machine tool is analyzed, and the milling energy consumption model per unit volume is established; secondly, based on the unit volume milling energy consumption model, a unit volume milling energy consumption model considering blade curvature characteristics is established; finally, based on the milling energy consumption model, the "specific energy" is introduced to establish the energy consumption field model of blade milling path. The distribution of the energy consumption field of four milling paths is analyzed in turn, and the distribution of the energy consumption field of 24 tool sites in the milling path is analyzed. The experimental results show that the energy consumption field model can show the energy consumption distribution of the NC machine tool machining process, and the accuracy is more than 90%, which provides a reliable basis for the subsequent energy consumption prediction of the impeller machining process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We here describe a new subspecies of the white-rumped shama Copsychus malabaricus from the western islands of the Thai Malay Peninsula. The new subspecies is mitogenomically distinct from other members of the complex. Morphologically, its tail is longer and the black breast in males is much less extensive than in males of all other taxa. The discovery of a new shama in a relatively well-explored part of Southeast Asia brings to light a gap in our taxonomic understanding of tropical Asian birds, which continue to be understudied. The new Langkawi shama is the subject of extensive specialized poaching efforts, and its survival may be at risk, calling for immediate conservation action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(propylene carbonate phthalate) (PPC-P) is a chemically modified poly(propylene carbonate) (PPC) biodegradable thermoplastic by introducing phthalic anhydride (PA) as the third monomer into the copolymerization of propylene oxide (PO) and CO2. To enhance the thermal and mechanical properties of PPC-P, a branching agent pyromellitic anhydride (PMDA) was introduced into the terpolymerization of PO, PA and CO2. The resulting copolymers with branched structure, named branched PPC-P, can be obtained using metal-free Lewis pair consisting of triethyl borane (TEB) and bis(triphenylphosphine)iminium chloride (PPNCl) as catalyst. The products obtained were analyzed by NMR spectroscopy and their thermal, mechanical properties and melt processability were evaluated by DSC, TGA, tensile test and melt flow index (MFI) measurement. The obtained branched PPC-P has a high molecular weight up to 156.0 kg·mol−1. It shows an increased glass transition temperature (Tg) higher than 50 °C and an enhanced tensile strength as high as 38.9 MPa. Noteworthily, the MFI value decreases obviously, indicative of an improved melt strength arising from the branched structure and high molecular weight. What is more, the branched PPC-P exhibits reasonable biodegradability, which demonstrates the great potential as a new green thermoplastic for the family of biodegradable plastics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate taxonomic concept of the fungal Chaetomium species has been a hard work due to morphological similarity. Chemotaxonomy based on secondary metabolites is a powerful tool for taxonomical purposes, which could be used as an auxiliary reference to solve the problems encountered in the classification of Chaetomium. Among secondary metabolites produced by Chaetomium, cytochalasans and azaphilones exhibited a pattern of distribution and frequency of occurrence that establish them as chemotaxonomic markers for the Chaetomium species. This review attempted to elucidate the composition of the Chaetomium species and its relationship with classical taxonomy by summarizing the pattern of cytochalasans and azaphilones distribution and biosynthesis in the Chaetomium species. Key points: • Secondary metabolites from the genus Chaetomium are summarized. • Cytochalasans and azaphilones could be characteristic metabolites of the Chaetomium species. • Cytochalasans and azaphilones could be used to analyze for taxonomical purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we discuss maximality of Seidel matrices with a fixed largest eigenvalue. We present a classification of maximal Seidel matrices of largest eigenvalue 3, which gives a classification of maximal equiangular lines in a Euclidean space with angle arccos 1 / 3 . Motivated by the maximality of the exceptional root system E 8 , we define strong maximality of a Seidel matrix, and show that every Seidel matrix achieving the absolute bound is strongly maximal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We give a survey on graphs with fixed smallest adjacency eigenvalue, especially on graphs with large minimal valency and also on graphs with good structures. Our survey mainly consists of the following two parts: Hoffman graphs, the basic theory related to Hoffman graphs and the applications of Hoffman graphs to graphs with fixed smallest adjacency eigenvalue and large minimal valency; recent results on distance-regular graphs and co-edge regular graphs with fixed smallest adjacency eigenvalue and the characterizations of certain families of distance-regular graphs. At the end of the survey, we also discuss signed graphs with fixed smallest adjacency eigenvalue and present some new findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to evaluate the crowdfunding alternatives regarding new service development process pathways of clean energy investment projects. In this framework, a new model has been generated by considering the consensus-based group decision-making with incomplete preferences, Pythagorean fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) and technique for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS). Moreover, a comparative evaluation has been performed with Vise Kriterijumska Optimizacija I. Kompromisno Resenje methodology and sensitivity analysis has been made by considering 4 different cases. The main contribution is to identify appropriate crowdfunding-based funding alternatives for the improvement of the clean energy investments with a novel MCDM model. By considering the iteration technique and consensus-based analysis, the missing parts in the evaluations can be completed and opposite opinion problems can be reduced. Furthermore, with the help of hybrid MCDM model by combining DEMATEL and TOPSIS, more objective results can be reached. It is concluded that the analysis results are coherent and reliable. The findings indicate that the full launch is the most significant criterion for equity and debt-based crowdfunding alternatives. On the other side, the analysis has the highest weight for reward and donation-based alternatives whereas design is the most essential item regarding the royalty-based alternative. Additionally, it is also defined that equity-based crowdfunding alternative is the most significant for the service development process of clean energy investment projects. In this way, it will be possible to provide a continuous resource for clean energy investment projects. On the other hand, by providing financing with equity, there will be no fixed financing cost for clean energy investors. If these investors make a profit, they distribute dividends with the decision of their authorized bodies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of semi-aromatic polyesters named as Poly(PO-CHO-PA) were facilely synthesized via ring-opening terpolymerization of bio-based cyclohexane oxide (CHO)/propylene oxide (PO)/phthalic anhydride (PA) using economical U1/PPNCl as dual catalyst. The proportion of CHO-PA and PO-PA segments in polymer can be readily altered by changing the feed ratio of CHO/PO because the reactivity ratios of CHO and PO with PA calculated by Fineman-Ross method are comparable. All synthesized amorphous polyesters with various compositions show one Tg ranging from 62 °C to 133 °C. Significantly, the mechanical, thermal and barrier properties of these amorphous semi-aromatic polyesters are also adjustable and investigated for the first time. The results indicate the semi-polyesters exhibit superior thermostability (T5% ranging from 306 °C to 323 °C) and high tensile strength (40.21–55.7 MPa) that is comparable with polystyrene (PS). Furthermore, Poly(PO-CHO-PA) films possess a promising prospect as packaging materials because of its colorless and highly transparent nature, along with low oxygen and water vapor transmission rate. All above performances may guarantee its potential alternative to commercial PS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resource endowment and economic development of different provinces in China vary greatly, resulting in large amount of CO2 transfers. We need further exploration to help decision makers allocate emission responsibilities reasonably. We construct China's embodied CO2 transfer network (CTN) in 2012 from the perspective of provinces and sectors based on multi-regional input-output (MRIO) model and complex network analysis. The key CO2 transfer nodes and paths, final demand decomposition, topological structure, clustering characteristics, and influencing factors are analyzed. The results show that the average CO2 transfer length from one province (sector) to another is only 1.323 (1.584). The top three net CO2 importers (45.39% of the total), located in developed eastern coastal area, mainly import CO2 from energy-rich but underdeveloped provinces such as Heilongjiang. It presents a CO2 transfer pattern from north to south and from west to east. CO2 transfer in energy industry is mainly driven by urban household consumption. Non-adjacent provinces with distance greater than 750 km have no significant spillover effect and difference in technology level has the greatest impact on CTN. This work is important for differentiating the roles of provinces and sectors in CTN, guiding the allocation of carbon credits and controlling total CO2 emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, corn stalk was modified by manganese (Mn) before (MBC1) and after (MBC2) pyrolysis at different temperatures (400~600 °C) under anaerobic conditions for Cd sorption in both water and soil. Batch experiments in aqueous solution were conducted to evaluate the optimum sorption capability by biochar with and without manganese-modified. Both types of manganese modification can improve the sorption capacity of Cd(II) on biochar, which is superior to the corresponding pristine biochar without modification, especially, pyrolyzed at 500 °C with 5:1 modification ratio. Under the optimal preparation conditions, the sorption percentage on MBC2 was 11.01% higher than that of MBC1. The maximum sorption capacity of MBC2 was 191.94 mg g−1 calculated by isotherm model. The performance of MBC2 was also verified in soil stabilization experiments in Cd-contaminated soil. We can conclude from the results of BCR extraction that all the application rates of MBC2 (1%, 2%, and 3%) can reduce the mild acid-soluble fraction Cd. The reducible, oxidizable, and residual fraction Cd showed an upward trend, thus controlling the migration, transformation, and enrichment of Cd in soil. The characteristic analysis showed biochar has more irregular fold and more particle-aggregated surface after modification. The main components of these aggregated particles are manganese oxides (MnOx) with high sorption capacity, such as the MnOx crystal structure loaded on MBC2 is a mixed structure of δ-MnO2 and MnO. However, these particles may block the biochar pores, or some of the pores may collapse at high temperatures during the modification process. The specific surface area was reduced, even if the sorption effect of MBC was strongly enhanced. Meanwhile, under the action of the secondary pyrolysis of MBC2 modification process, the MBC2 has a higher degree of aromatization with more potential active sorption sites for Cd. The study concluded that the MBC2 could be a promising amendment for Cd in both water and soil real field applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Rare diseases are usually chronically debilitating or even life-threatening with diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in current clinical practice. It has been estimated that 80% of rare diseases are genetic in origin, and thus genome sequencing-based diagnosis offers a promising alternative for rare-disease management. In this study, 79 individuals from 16 independent families were performed for whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in an effort to identify the causative mutations for 16 distinct rare diseases that are largely clinically intractable. Comprehensive analysis of variations, including simple nucleotide variants (SNVs), copy-number variations (CNVs), and structural variations (SVs), was implemented using the WGS data. A flexible analysis pipeline that allowed a certain degree of misclassification of disease status was developed to facilitate the identification of causative variants. As a result, disease-causing variants were identified in 10 of the 16 investigated diseases, yielding a diagnostic rate of 62.5%. Additionally, new potentially pathogenic variants were discovered for two disorders, including IGF2/INS-IGF2 in mitochondrial disease and FBN3 in Klippel–Trenaunay–Weber syndrome. Our WGS analysis not only detected a CNV associated with 3p deletion syndrome but also captured a simple sequence repeat (SSR) variation associated with Machado–Joseph disease. To our knowledge, this is the first time the clinical WGS analysis of short-read sequences has been used successfully to identify a causative SSR variation that perfectly segregates with a repeat expansion disorder. After the WGS analysis, we confirmed the initial diagnosis for three of 10 established disorders and modified or corrected the initial diagnosis for the remaining seven disorders. In summary, clinical WGS is a powerful tool for the diagnosis of rare diseases, and its diagnostic clarity at molecular levels offers important benefits for the participating families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-pressure transitions are thought to modify hydrogen molecules to a molecular metallic solid and finally to an atomic metal1, which is predicted to have exotic physical properties and the topology of a two-component (electron and proton) superconducting superfluid condensate2,3. Therefore, understanding such transitions remains an important objective in condensed matter physics4,5. However, measurements of the crystal structure of solid hydrogen, which provides crucial information about the metallization of hydrogen under compression, are lacking for most high-pressure phases, owing to the considerable technical challenges involved in X-ray and neutron diffraction measurements under extreme conditions. Here we present a single-crystal X-ray diffraction study of solid hydrogen at pressures of up to 254 gigapascals that reveals the crystallographic nature of the transitions from phase I to phases III and IV. Under compression, hydrogen molecules remain in the hexagonal close-packed (hcp) crystal lattice structure, accompanied by a monotonic increase in anisotropy. In addition, the pressure-dependent decrease of the unit cell volume exhibits a slope change when entering phase IV, suggesting a second-order isostructural phase transition. Our results indicate that the precursor to the exotic two-component atomic hydrogen may consist of electronic transitions caused by a highly distorted hcp Brillouin zone and molecular-symmetry breaking. X-ray diffraction measurements of solid hydrogen provide crystallographic information for high-pressure phases of hydrogen and transitions between them, suggesting a series of isostructural transitions under compression before band closure and metallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeting energy-efficient machining process planning, this paper presents a follow-up research on cutting energy consumption modelling for prismatic machining features (PMFs). Based on the investigation of plastic deformation-based energy consumption, its energy consumption model is extended to PMFs by refining machining time and feed at corners. Material removal volume associated with machining strategies for the PMF machining is considered as well. Moreover, cutting energy consumption models are established for the selected PMFs, i.e. face, step, slot and pocket. Finally, energy consumptions in machining of a designed test part, involving the established models of cutting energy consumption for the selected PMFs, are measured and compared with estimated energy consumptions to validate the developed models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-negative, facultatively anaerobic, non-motile, nonspore- forming, coccoid or rod-shaped and creamy-pigmented bacterium, designated SYP-B2100T, was isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Codonopsis clematidea in the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, China. The optimal growth occurred at 28°C, pH 5.0, in the absence of NaCl. The cells tested positive in catalase and methyl red tests but negative in oxidase, urease, gelatinase, milk coagulation, and peptonisation, H2S production, nitrate reduction, and Voges-Proskauer tests. The major isoprenoid quinone was ubiquinone-8 (Q-8). The major cellular fatty acids were C16:0 and summed feature 8. The polar lipids consisted of diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, and phosphatidylglycerol. The 16S rRNA gene sequence of strain SYP-B2100T was the most similar to that of Rahnella inusitata DSM 30078T (96.9%) within the family Enterobacteriaceae. The genomic DNA G + C content of strain SYP-B2100T was 50.3 mol%. The combined data from the phylogenetic, morphological, physiological, biochemical, and chemotaxonomic analyses presented in this study support the conclusion that strain SYP-B2100T represents a novel species of a new genus, for which the name Edaphovirga cremea gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed; the type strain is SYPB2100T (= CGMCC 1.5857T = DSM 105170T = KCTC 62024T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel yellow pigmented, Gram-positive, aerobic and heavy metal biosorptive bacterium designated SYP-B2667T was isolated from rhizosphere soil of Epilobium hirsutum L. in Tongren, Guizhou province, China. Based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analyses, it was shown that strain SYP-B2667T represents a novel species in the genus Leucobacter, with Leucobacter chromiireducens subsp. solipictus JCM 15573T as a close phylogenetic neighbour (sequence similarity of 98.2%). Chemotaxonomic characteristics also supported the affiliation to the genus Leucobacter. Strain SYP-B2667T was determined to have a DNA G+C content of 66.6 mol%; 2,4-diaminobutyric acid in the cell wall peptidoglycan amino acids; MK-11 as predominant menaquinone; an abundance of anteiso-C15:0 and anteiso-C17:0 fatty acids; and polar lipids including diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol, glycolipids and unidentified phospholipids. The DNA-DNA hybridization value between strain SYP-B2667T and L. chromiireducens subsp. solipictus JCM 15573T was 19.7 ± 2.8%. Based on these phylogenetic and phenotypic results, it can be concluded that strain SYP-B2667T represents a novel species, for which the name Leucobacter epilobiisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYP-B2667T (=DSM 105145T=CPCC 204976T). This strain can tolerate and adsorb five heavy metals and so may have potential to facilitate heavy metal removal and bioremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that intermittent hypobaric hypoxia (IH) preconditioning protected neurons survival from brain ischemia. However, the mechanism remains to be elucidated. The present study explored the role of nitric oxide (NO) in the process by measuring the expression of NO synthase (NOS) and NO levels. Male Wistar rats (100) were randomly assigned into four groups: sham group, IH + sham group, ischemia group and IH + ischemia group. Rats for IH preconditioning were exposed to hypobaric hypoxia mimicking 5000 m high-altitude (PB = 404 mmHg, PO2 = 84 mmHg) 6 h/day, once daily for 28 days. Global brain ischemia was established by four-vessel occlusion that has been created by Pulsinelli. Rats were sacrificed at 7th day after the ischemia for neuropathological evaluation by thionin stain. In addition, the expression of neuronal NOS (nNOS), inducible NOS (iNOS), and NO content in the hippocampal CA1 subfield were measured at 2nd day and 7th day after the ischemia. Results revealed that global brain ischemia engendered delayed neuronal death (DND), both nNOS and iNOS expression up-regulated, and NO content increased in the hippocampal CA1 subfield. IH preconditioning reduced neuronal injury induced by the ischemia, and prevented the up-regulation of NOS expression and NO production. In addition, L-NAME + ischemia group was designed to detect whether depressing NO production could alleviate the DND. Pre-administration of L-NAME alleviated DND induced by the ischemia. These results suggest that IH preconditioning plays a protective role by inhibiting the over expression of NOS and NO content after brain ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SYP-B2174T is a yellow-pigmented, Gram-positive, non-motile, and rod-shaped actinobacterium isolated from the rhizospheric soil of Aquilegia viridiflora Pall. collected from the Xinjiang uygur autonomous region of China. The strain’s growth temperature ranges from 1 to 35°C, with an optimal growth being observed at 28°C. Growth occurs from 0 to 5% NaCl and at pH 6-8, with optimal growth being observed in 1% NaCl at pH 7. Comparative 16S rRNA gene sequence-based phylogenetic analysis placed the strain in a clade with the species Leifsonia kafniensis JCM 17021T and Leifsonia psychrotolerans DSM 22824T with similarities of 97.8 and 97.6%, respectively. The DNA-DNA hybridization values of the strain SYP-B2174T to its closest phylogenetic neighbors were significantly lower than 35.7%. The strain was identified as a novel species of the genus Leifsonia judging by the coryneform morphology, peptidoglycans based upon 2,4-diaminobutyric acid, principal phospholipids phosphatidylglycerol and diphosphatidylglycerol, major menaquinone MK-11, predominant fatty acids of anteiso-C15:0, anteiso-C17:0, and iso-C16:0, and a DNA G + C base composition of 68.7 mol%, for which the name Leifsonia flava sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SYP-B2174T (= CGMCC 1.15856T = DSM 105144T = KCTC 39963T). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To predict energy consumption in machining, a mathematical modelling method to mimic the cutting energy consumption during machining is proposed in this paper. The established model is based on the law of energy conservation. The mechanical material property coefficients and cutting parameters are included in the model by using material deformation theory and friction calculation which are used to represent the phenomena in machining. Cutting energy of material removal process is refined by analysing the effect of tool edge geometry. In addition, the machining process is divided into two machining elements, linear element and circular arc element, of which energy consumptions are established based on the principal theories above. Calculation method on the instantaneous cutting thickness for circular arc elements is proposed. Finally, a test example is given to validate the proposed modelling approach. With the proposed method, the separate impacts of the factors (e.g. cutting parameters, workpiece, tool) have been analysed and the physical background behind the known experimental dependence of the cutting parameters on cutting energy is revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nematic order often breaks the tetragonal symmetry of iron-based superconductors. It arises from regular structural transition or electronic instability in the normal phase. Here, we report the observation of a nematic superconducting state, by measuring the angular dependence of the in-plane and out-of-plane magnetoresistivity of Ba0.5K0.5Fe2As2 single crystals. We find large twofold oscillations in the vicinity of the superconducting transition, when the direction of applied magnetic field is rotated within the basal plane. To avoid the influences from sample geometry or current flow direction, the sample was designed as Corbino-shape for in-plane and mesa-shape for out-of-plane measurements. Theoretical analysis shows that the nematic superconductivity arises from the weak mixture of the quasi-degenerate s-wave and d-wave components of the superconducting condensate, most probably induced by a weak anisotropy of stresses inherent to single crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultralow-velocity zones (ULVZs) at Earth's core-mantle boundary region have important implications for the chemical composition and thermal structure of our planet, but their origin has long been debated. Hydrogen-bearing iron peroxide (FeO2Hx) in the pyrite-type crystal structure was recently found to be stable under the conditions of the lowermost mantle. Using high-pressure experiments and theoretical calculations, we find that iron peroxide with a varying amount of hydrogen has a high density and high Poisson ratio as well as extremely low sound velocities consistent with ULVZs. Here we also report a reaction between iron and water at 86 gigapascals and 2,200 kelvin that produces FeO2Hx. This would provide a mechanism for generating the observed volume occupied by ULVZs through the reaction of about one-tenth the mass of Earth's ocean water in subducted hydrous minerals with the effectively unlimited reservoir of iron in Earth's core. Unlike other candidates for the composition of ULVZs, FeO2Hx synthesized from the superoxidation of iron by water would not require an extra transportation mechanism to migrate to the core-mantle boundary. These dense FeO2Hx-rich domains would be expected to form directly in the core-mantle boundary region and their properties would provide an explanation for the many enigmatic seismic features that are observed in ULVZs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper(II) Schiff-base Complexes (Salen-Cu(II)) intercalated zinc-chromium layered double hydroxides (ZnSBCuCr-LDHs) were successfully prepared via coprecipitation. Then, a novel photocatalytic material Zn-Cu-Cr composite oxides (ZnSBCuCr-MO) was prepared after calcination at 500 °C with ZnSBCuCr-LDHs as precursor. The structure and properties of the materials were thoroughly characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-AES), ultraviolet visible diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (UV-Vis DRS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The photocatalytic activities of the materials were investigated by photodegradation of a cationic dye Rhodamin B (RhB), which was hard to adsorb by LDHs. The effects of the photocatalyst dosage, the initial pH and temperature of RhB solution on the photocatalytic efficiency were discussed. The results showed that ZnSBCuCr-MO displayed higher photocatalytic activity for RhB than calcined ZnCr-LDHs (ZnCr-MO) and calcined ZnCuCr-LDHs (ZnCuCr-MO). Meanwhile, ZnSBCuCr-MO exhibited better stability and reusability. In addition, the possible photocatalytic mechanism and degradation pathway for RhB were studied through density functional theory (DFT) calculation of the RhB molecule, UV-vis absorption variation and LC-MS analyses of the RhB solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To assess the antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory properties of the aqueous extract of Armadillidium vulgare (AV). Methods: The antinociceptive effect of AV (400, 600 and 800 mg/kg) was investigated in mice using the acetic acid-induced writhing, formalin-induced nociceptive, and hot plate tests. Phlogogen-induced paw edema using carrageenan, dextran, or compound 48/80 as phlogogen was used as inflammatory models to evaluate AV's anti-inflammatory effect. Additionally, the bioactive substances glucosamine (GLcN) and taurine in AV were determined using high-performance liquid chromatography. Results: Oral treatment of the mice with AV (600 and 800 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of writhes in the acetic acid-induced writhing test ( P<0.01) but not the hot plate test ( P>0.05). All doses tested significantly inhibited paw-withdrawal during the second phase of the formalin-induced nociceptive model ( P<0.01). AV demonstrated a strong anti-inflammatory effect in all those inflammatory models ( P<0.05). Conclusions: AV has antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory effects, providing scientific evidence of the efficacy of its traditional use in pain treatment. Furthermore, GLcN and taurine contribute, at least in part, to the anti-inflammatory activity of AV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL) is a potent cancer cell-specific apoptosis-inducing cytokine with little toxicity to most normal cells. Here, we report that gefitinib and TRAIL in combination produce a potent synergistic effect on TRAIL-sensitive human colon cancer HCT116 cells and an additive effect on TRAIL-resistant HT-29 cells. Interestingly, gefitinib increases the expression of cell surface receptors DR4 and DR5, possibly explaining the synergistic effect. Knockdown of DR4 and DR5 by siRNA significantly decreases gefitinib- and TRAIL-mediated cell apoptosis, supporting this idea. Because the inhibition of gefitinib-induced autophagy by 3-MA significantly decreases DR4 and DR5 upregulation, as well as reduces gefitinib- and TRAIL-induced apoptosis, we conclude that death receptor upregulation is autophagy mediated. Furthermore, our results indicate that death receptor expression may also be regulated by JNK activation, because pre-treatment of cells with JNK inhibitor SP600125 significantly decreases gefitinib-induced death receptor upregulation. Interestingly, SP600125 also inhibits the expression CHOP, yet CHOP has no impact on death receptor expressions. We also find here that phosphorylation of Akt and ERK might also be required for TRAIL sensitization. In summary, our results indicate that gefitinib effectively enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis, likely via autophagy and JNK- mediated death receptor expression and phosphorylation of Akt and ERK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]