Search

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most prevalent type of thyroid cancer and its incidence is rising globally. The molecular mechanisms of PTC progression remain unclear, hindering the development of effective treatments. This study focuses on hsa_circ_0008016 (circFGFR1), a circular RNA significantly up-regulated in PTC cells. Silencing circFGFR1 inhibited PTC cell proliferation and increased cell apoptosis, suggesting its role in PTC progression. The RNA-binding protein FUS was identified as a promoter of circFGFR1 formation. While circFGFR1 does not influence FGFR1 mRNA translation, it inhibits ubiquitination and degradation of FGFR1 protein, prolonging its half-life. CircFGFR1 also interacts with protein CBL, inhibiting CBL-mediated ubiquitination of FGFR1 proteins. Rescue assays confirmed circFGFR1 promotes PTC cell growth through mediating FGFR1. This study highlights the potential of circFGFR1 as a therapeutic target, offering insights into PTC's molecular mechanisms, and paving the way for novel treatment strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spectral radius ρ (G) of a graph G is the largest eigenvalue of the adjacency matrix of G. For a graph G with maximum degree Δ (G) , it is known that ρ (G) ≤ Δ (G) with equality when G is connected if and only if G is regular. So the quantity β (G) = Δ (G) - ρ (G) is a spectral measure of irregularity of G. In this paper, we identify the trees of order n ≥ 12 with the first 15 largest β -values, the unicyclic graphs of order n ≥ 17 with the first 16 largest β -values, as well as the bicyclic graphs of order n ≥ 30 with the first 11 largest β -values. We also determine the graphs with the largest β -values among all connected graphs with given order and clique number. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification effector targets and characterization of their functions are crucial for understanding pathogen infection mechanisms and components of plant immunity. Here, we identify the effector UgsL, a ustilaginoidin synthetase with a key role in regulating virulence of the rice false smut fungus Ustilaginoidea virens. Heterologous expression of UgsL in rice (Oryza sativa) enhances plant susceptibility to multiple pathogens, and host-induced gene silencing of UgsL enhances plant resistance to U. virens, indicating that UgsL inhibits rice immunity. UgsL interacts with STRUBBELIG RECEPTOR KINASE 3 (OsSRF3). Genome editing and overexpression of OsSRF3 demonstrate that OsSRF3 plays a pivotal role in the resistance of rice to multiple pathogens. Remarkably, overexpressing OsSRF3 enhances resistance without adversely affecting plant growth or yield. We show that BRASSINOSTEROID RECEPTOR-ASSOCIATED KINASE 1 (OsBAK1) interacts with and phosphorylates OsSRF3 to activate pathogen-triggered immunity, inducing the mitogen-activated protein kinase cascade, a reactive oxygen species burst, callose deposition, and expression of defense-related genes. UgsL interferes with the phosphorylation of OsSRF3 by OsBAK1. Furthermore, UgsL mediates OsSRF3 degradation by facilitating its association with the ubiquitin-26S proteasome. Our results reveal that OsSRF3 positively regulates immunity in rice and that UgsL mediates its degradation, thereby inhibiting the activation of OsBAK1–OsSRF3-mediated immune pathways. The Ustilaginoidea virens effector UgsL is shown to interact with receptor kinase OsSRF3. OsSRF3 positively regulates immunity in rice and UgsL mediates its degradation, thereby inhibiting the activation of OsBAK1–OsSRF3-mediated immune responses in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS)-based nanocomposites, reinforced and toughened with ZnO-coated multi-walled carbon nano-tubes (MWCNT-ZnO), demonstrate significantly enhanced properties, making them ideal for potential applied in food packaging applications. This study explores the effects of varying proportions of MWCNT-ZnO on the overall characteristics of these composites. The addition of 0.1 parts per hundred (phr) MWCNT-ZnO optimizes the nanocomposites' mechanical properties, crystallinity, melting temperature, thermal stability, and barrier performance. Specifically, the composite exhibits a 22% increase in tensile strength, a 28.4% rise in yield strength, and a remarkable 95.7% enhancement in the material's elongation at break, compared to the pure PBS matrix. Moreover, these nanocomposites exhibit excellent antibacterial properties, crucial for food preservation and safety. The soil burial test indicates that, except for the addition of 0.1phr which is lower than pure PBS, the biodegradation rate increases with the increasing addition of MWCNT-ZnO. This further suggests that a low nanoparticle filler content can enhance structural compactness, thereby improving the mechanical stability. The study also reveals notable preservation benefits for vegetables. When used for beef packaging, this composite material successfully extends the meat's freshness period, substantially curtails bacterial proliferation, and ensures the beef remains within safe consumption parameters. The combination of enhanced mechanical, thermal, barrier, and antibacterial properties makes PBS/MWCNT-ZnO nanocomposites promising candidates for sustainable and efficient food packaging materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Female infertility due to declining oocyte quality with age remains a significant challenge for patients and physicians, despite extensive research efforts. Recent studies suggest that microRNAs (miRNAs), which respond to various stressors in the aging process, may provide a promising solution. With the approval of small RNA drugs for clinical use, miRNA-based treatment of oocyte aging appears to be a viable option. Through high-throughput sequencing, miR-425-5p was identified as the only miRNA elevated under natural aging and oxidative stress. Microinjection of inhibitors to inhibit miR-425-5p effectively improved compromised phenotypes of old oocytes in vitro. Further investigation revealed that Crebzf acts as a mediator of miR-425-5p's age-related functions in old oocytes. In vivo treatment with miR-425-5p antagomirs significantly improved impaired oocyte development in reproductively old females by targeting Crebzf. Single-cell RNA sequencing revealed that Crebzf plays a vital role in regulating mRNAs targeting histone H3, trimethylated lysine 4 (H3K4me3), a crucial marker for transcriptional silencing. Overexpression of miR-425-5p could hinder oocyte maturation by downregulating Crebzf expression and disrupting transcriptional regulation. Our findings provide new insights into the potential of miR-425-5p antagomirs as a treatment for female infertility and highlight an elegant mechanism by which miR-425-5p inhibition of Crebzf inhibits a developmental switch in GV oocytes by regulating a group of histone methyltransferase mRNAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sudden freefall is very common in high-velocity and long-runout rockslides. The combination of freefall and joints (a rock mass structure) may cause a high degree of fragmentation of sliding rock mass. However, previous studies often simplified fragmentation of rock mass with initial joints to be caused by impact after sliding, ignoring the contribution of freefall to rockslide fragmentation and spreading. Several multi-stage slope models are created in this study referring to the topographic characteristics of rockslides, including impact after sliding, inter-slope freefall, once-end-slope freefall, and twice-end-slope freefall. The rock masses are simulated by setting different numbers of persistent joints in analog blocks. The joints are described by the unbonded particles. The results suggest that the fragmentation of analog blocks consists of the fracture caused by tensile cracks and the local fragmentation caused by impact. Fragmentation is an effective sink, which shortens the runout distance of the center of the mass. Freefall and initial joints limit the momentum transfer between the front and rear fragments, so the freefall cannot directly promote rockslide spreading. However, freefall and initial joints facilitate the fragmentation of the block, producing a high sphericity of fragments, which are easy to roll and bounce under the disturbance of the freefall. This might be an important reason for the long-runout spreading of rockslides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The baffle effectively slowed down debris flow velocity, reduced its kinetic energy, and significantly shortened the distance of debris flow movement. Consequently, they are widely used for protection against natural hazards such as landslides and mudslides. This study, based on the three-dimensional DEM (Discrete Element Method), investigated the impact of different baffle positions on debris flow protection. Debris flow velocity and kinetic energy variations were studied through single-factor experiments. Suitable baffle positions were preliminarily selected by analyzing the influence of the first-row baffle position on the impact force and accumulation mass of debris flow. Subsequently, based on the selected baffle positions and four factors influencing the effectiveness of baffle protection (baffle position (P), baffle height (h), row spacing (Sr), and angle of transit area (α)), an orthogonal design was employed to further explore the optimal arrangement of baffles. The research results indicate that the use of a baffle structure could effectively slow down the motion velocity of debris flows and dissipate their energy. When the baffle is placed in the transit area, the impact force on the first-row baffle is greater than that when the baffle is placed in the deposition area. Similarly, when the baffle is placed in the transit area, the obstruction effect on debris flow mass is also greater than that when the baffle is placed in the deposition area. Through orthogonal experimental range analysis, when the impact on the first row of baffles is used as the evaluation criterion, the importance of each influencing factor is ranked as α > P > Sr > h. When the mass of debris flow behind the baffle is regarded as the evaluation criterion, the rank is changed to P > α > Sr > h. The experimental simulation results show that the optimal baffle arrangement is: P5, Sr=16, α=35°, h=9. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the face of global warming, energy depletion, and air pollution, controlling greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions has become an urgent task for an emerging economy. Therefore, this study investigates the synergistic relationship between haze decoupling and carbon emission decoupling in China, one representative emerging economy. Effect of synergistic decoupling is explored by decomposition model. Based on Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression, this study also investigates spatiotemporal variation of the synergistic relationship between the two decoupling indices and the synergy effect of various factors. The main results are as follows. (1) Technological progress in CO2 is the main negative driving factor, and the ratio of potential CO2 to potential haze (potential ratio) is the main positive driving factor in the synergistic decoupling. (2) There is a synergy effect between two decoupling indices, and in the later period, the value of synergy effects tends to be flat. (3) The emission factor has the largest synergy effect. In the short term, the synergy effect of the population is greater than the energy intensity, but in the long run, the synergy effect of the energy intensity is greater than the population. These novel findings not only contribute to advancing the existing literature on synergistic emission reduction of environmental pollutions, but also merit particular attention from policy makers in the emerging economy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When applying the three-dimensional discontinuous deformation analysis (3D-DDA) method to simulate the dynamic response of rock mass in an earthquake, appropriate artificial boundaries and input methods should be considered. In this study, the 3D-DDA method was modified by introducing the viscoelastic artificial boundary and the seismic motion input method based on the wave field decomposition method and with the consideration of the lateral free-field wave. Subsequently, the correctness of the boundary and the input method was verified through numerical examples. The results of the numerical examples were almost consistent with the theoretical solution. The introduced viscoelastic artificial boundary and seismic motion input method improved the applicability of the 3D-DDA method and can be further applied to simulate actual engineering cases. Highlights: Viscoelastic artificial boundary is applied and validated in 3D-DDA. The differences between viscoelastic boundary and existing boundaries are compared. Modified 3D-DDA can consider wave field decomposition and lateral free-field wave for seismic motion input. Feasibility of modified 3D-DDA to study the dynamic response of rock mass in an earthquake is studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collagen possesses high biocompatibility with all tissue and cell types in the body, enabling the creation of multifunctional composite materials for medical applications. In biomedical engineering, naturally-sourced collagen is often combined with diverse organic and inorganic bioactive components to eliminate defects and disorders in fields including orthopedics, dermatology, and more. At the same time, medical-related infection issues and the precise treatment needs of patients require collagen composite biomaterials to have antibacterial properties and customized structures. This paper reviews the antibacterial functionalization of collagen composite biomaterials in recent years, including the combination with inorganic or organic antibacterial agents, which is beneficial for preventing and controlling biological contamination in medical applications. Then, the existing problems and future development directions for the architecturalization of collagen composite materials with 3D printing were discussed, providing guidance for personalized customization of multifunctional materials to meet the specific needs of patients in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional manual inspection mode is inefficient for detecting transmission line insulators. Even in the case of the detection system generated by combining aerial images by unmanned aerial vehicles with traditional machine vision algorithms, the detection accuracy and response speed have been increasingly unable to meet the requirements of modern power-grid construction. However, with the development of deep learning image processing technology, its deep level neural network can simulate the human brain to automatically extract the rich feature expression of the insulator image coupled with network training to quickly provide the final recognition results, improving the detection performance of the insulator defect detection technology based on this optimization method. Therefore, this study uses the deep learning object detection network YOLOX to classify and locate transmission line insulators. Accordingly, this study introduces the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) theory to optimize the YOLOX network, further enhancing the performance of the network model. The experimental results show that after introducing the CBAM, the detection accuracy of YOLOX on the insulator dataset herein has been improved by ~ 3% and the performance of the model has been optimized to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Sex hormones are thought to be responsible for the unique gender differences in papillary thyroid cancer(PTC). Most previous studies on these have focused on the expression of estrogen receptors, or have been limited to animal studies. The aim of our study was to explore the relationship between serum sex hormones and the pathological features of PTC in the clinical setting, as further evidence of the role of sex hormones in PTC. Methods: Retrospective data analysis of patients who underwent thyroid surgery at the Department of Thyroid Surgery, Nanjing Drum Tower Hospital from January 2022 to September 2022 Correlation between serum sex hormone and pathological features was analyzed in male patients and in menopausal female patients. Serum sex hormones include luteinizing hormone(LH), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), estradiol(E2), total testosterone(TT), progesterone(P), and prolactin(PRL). Tumor pathological characteristics include the number and size of tumor, presence of extrathyroidal extension(ETE), presence of lymph node metastasis(LNM). Results: Preoperative serum E2 in male patients was positively correlated with tumor size in PTC, LH was negatively correlated with LNM, while TT and P were negatively correlated with ETE. Similar findings were not observed in menopausal female patients. Conclusion: We observed that serum sex hormones correlate with the pathological features of PTC in male patients, for the first time in a clinical study. High serum estrogens may be a risk factor for PTC, while androgens are the opposite. This somewhat corroborates previous research and provides new variables for future PTC prediction models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A photoelectrochemical (PEC) sensor for the sensitive detection of thrombin (TB) was established. Co-sensitized combination of TiO2 nanoparticles combined with modified cadmium sulfide and cadmium telluride quantum dots (CdS/CdTe QDs) was utilized as a photoactive material. Successful growth of CdS/CdTe quantum dots on mesoporous TiO2 films occured by successive ion-layer adsorption and reaction. This interesting formation of co-sensitive structure is conducive to enhancing the photocurrent response by improving the use rate of light energy. Additionally, the step-level structure of CdS/CdTe QDs and TiO2 NPs shows a wide range of visible light absorption, facilitating the dissociation of excitons into free electrons and holes. Consequently, the photoelectric response of the PEC analysis platform is significantly enhanced. This constructed PEC aptasensor shows good detection of thrombin with a low detection limit (0.033 pM) and a wide linear range (0.0001–100 nM) in diluted actual human serum samples. In addition, this PEC aptasensor also has the characteristics of good stability and good reproducibility, which provides a novel insight for the quantitative measurement of other similar analytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While somatosensory over-reactivity is a common feature of autism spectrum disorders such as fragile X syndrome (FXS), the thalamic mechanisms underlying this remain unclear. Here, we found that the developmental elimination of synapses formed between the principal nucleus of V (PrV) and the ventral posterior medial nucleus (VPm) of the somatosensory system was delayed in fragile X mental retardation 1 gene knockout (Fmr1 KO) mice, while the developmental strengthening of these synapses was disrupted. Immunohistochemistry showed excessive VGluT2 puncta in mutants at P12–13, but not at P7–8 or P15–16, confirming a delay in somatic pruning of PrV-VPm synapses. Impaired synaptic function was associated with a reduction in the frequency of quantal AMPA events, as well as developmental deficits in presynaptic vesicle size and density. Our results uncovered the developmental impairment of thalamic relay synapses in Fmr1 KO mice and suggest that a thalamic contribution to the somatosensory over-reactivity in FXS should be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Advanced metering infrastructure (AMI) is a fundamental functional module of Smart Grid that supports mutual communication between customers and electric companies. In order to secure AMI communication, scholars have proposed many key management schemes, some of which suffer from security issues or high costs. Recently, Mohammadali et al. proposed a key establishment NIKE protocol based on Elliptic Curve Cryptography. In this paper, we demonstrate that the protocol is vulnerable to both replay and tampering attacks and does not provide user anonymity. For the security vulnerabilities of the NIKE protocol, we propose an improvement scheme. And the proposed scheme is analyzed and verified for security based on the random oracle model and formal tools. Finally, we perform performance analysis of the improved scheme and the results show that the scheme has low communication and computation costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy can really make the patient’s body surface free of scar. This study aimed to compare the surgical and patient-related outcomes between the transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy and traditional low-collar incision thyroidectomy. The clinical data of 120 patients underwent transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy (TOVRT) or traditional low-collar incision thyroidectomy (TLCIT) were collected from May 2020 to October 2021. Propensity score matching analysis was used to minimize selection bias. All these patients were diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) through ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration prior to surgical intervention and surgical plan was tailored for each patient. An intraoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) detection system was used in all patients, whose RLNs were identified and protected. We performed transoral vestibular robotic thyroidectomy with three intraoral incisions. Additional right axillary fold incisions were adopted occasionally to enhance fine reverse traction of tissue for radical tumor dissection. Clinical data including gender, age, tumor size, BMI, operation time, postoperative drainage volume and time, pain score, postoperative length of stay (LOS),number of lymph nodes removed, complications, and medical expense were observed and analyzed. Propensity score matching was used for 1:1 matching between the TOVRT group and the TLCIT group. All these patients accepted total thyroidectomy(or lobectomy) plus central lymph node dissection and all suffered from PTC confirmed by postoperative pathology. No conversion to open surgery happened in TOVRT group. The operative time of TOVRT group was longer than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). The postoperative drainage volume of TOVRT group was more than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). The drainage tube placement time of TOVRT group were longer than that of TLCIT group (P < 0.05). Significant differences were also found in intraoperative bleeding volume, pain score and medical expense between the two groups (P < 0.05). The incidence of perioperative common complications such as hypoparathyroidism and vocal cord paralysis in the two groups was almost identical (P > 0.05). However, there were some specific complications such as surgical area infection (one case), skin burn (one case), oral tear (two cases), and paresthesia of the lower lip and the chin (two cases) were found in TOVRT group. Obviously, the postoperative cosmetic effect of the TOVRT group was better than TLCIT group (P < 0.05). TOVRT is safe and feasible for low to moderate-risk PTC patients and is a potential alternative for patients who require no scar on their neck. Patients accepted TOVRT can get more satisfaction and have less psychologic injury caused by surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: CCL11, a chemokine known for recruiting immune cells to the tumor microenvironment (TME), has an unclear role in the context of its expression, patient prognosis, and the presence of tumor-infiltrating immune cells (TILs) in breast cancer. Methods: The expression of CCL11 in invasive breast cancer (BRCA) was analyzed using TCGA database. Survival curve and Cox regression analysis determined the potential of CCL11 as an independent prognostic indicator. GSEA performed functional analysis on genes related to CCL11. CIBERSORT algorithm quantified the infiltration level of immune cells with varying CCL11 expression. Lastly, the correlation between CCL11 expression and anticancer drug sensitivity was examined. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and qRT-PCR confirmed CCL11 expression in clinical tissue samples. The anti-tumor efficacy of CCL11 was investigated using CCK-8, plate formation, transwell assay, and Western blot. Results: CCL11 expression was elevated in BRCA tumor tissues compared to adjacent normal tissues. Recurrence-free survival (RFS) was longer in patients with high expression of CCL11. Enrichment and co-expression analyses revealed CCL11's association with numerous immune-related signaling pathways and genes. Validation studies confirmed high CCL11 expression in breast cancer tissues. In vitro experiments substantiated CCL11's anticancer effects in BRCA. Conclusion: CCL11 expression correlates with immune cell infiltration in breast cancer, indicating its potential as a prognostic biomarker for BRCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Twisted bilayer (TB) transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) beyond TB-graphene are considered an ideal platform for investigating condensed matter physics, due to the moiré superlattices-related peculiar band structures and distinct electronic properties. The growth of large-area and high-quality TB-TMDCs with wide twist angles would be significant for exploring twist angle-dependent physics and applications, but remains challenging to implement. Here, we propose a reconfiguring nucleation chemical vapor deposition (CVD) strategy for directly synthesizing TB-MoS2 with twist angles from 0° to 120°. The twist angles-dependent Moiré periodicity can be clearly observed, and the interlayer coupling shows a strong relationship to the twist angles. Moreover, the yield of TB-MoS2 in bilayer MoS2 and density of TB-MoS2 are significantly improved to 17.2% and 28.9 pieces/mm2 by tailoring gas flow rate and molar ratio of NaCl to MoO3. The proposed reconfiguring nucleation approach opens an avenue for the precise growth of TB-TMDCs for both fundamental research and practical applications. Twisted bilayers of 2D semiconductors are being intensively investigated due to their emergent physical properties, but their controlled bottom-up synthesis remains challenging. Here, the authors report a confined-space chemical vapour deposition strategy to synthesize MoS2 bilayers with twist angles ranging from 0° to 120°. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the geomorphologic phenomenon of step-pool bed configuration, analogous dissipation structures are set in drainage channels to mitigate granular flow hazards. The sensible design of artificial step-pool systems remains an important and open issue. The discrete element method was utilized in this study to investigate the flow characteristics of viscous granular flow in an artificial step-pool system, and an optimization was proposed. First, a numerical model of the granular flow–structure interaction was given and validated. The influence of design parameters on the velocity reduction ratio P and peak impact force F max was then investigated. Finally, a new step-pool system was presented and evaluated. The results reveal that: (1) P decreases linearly as the slope i increases. The relative layout spacing ω enhances P , but reduces the efficiency of velocity control per unit length structure; (2) the increase in ω stabilizes the distribution of F max on 2# to 5# baffles. There exists a "peak effect" of the average peak impact force F a with the variation of the impact angle β and the relative baffle height ψ (when β = 75° or ψ = 0.27, the F a reaches a maximum); (3) the optimized structure can control the phenomenon of granular jump while having good guiding performance and more stable impact characteristics. The energy dissipation rate E of optimized structure reaches 91%, an increase of nearly 24% over the original structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, online reviews have become a prevalent information source for competitive analysis because they provide rich information on the voices of customers. Based on online reviews, we propose a novel method named Integrated-Degree based K-shell decomposition (ID-KS) to conduct competitive analysis via product comparison networks. Under the consideration of feature differences among products, we apply text-mining approaches and ID-KS to convert online reviews into competitive insights including competitor identification, product comparison, product ranking, brand comparison and market-structure analysis. To validate the feasibility and the effectiveness of ID-KS, we demonstrate our approach in two cases, SUV cars and laptops, and compare it with state-of-the-art methods. The results show that ID-KS analyzes product comparison networks more effectively and properly, and it derives comprehensive comparative insights that are not fully captured by existing studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For a graph G with u , v ∈ V (G) , denote by d G (u , v) the distance between u and v in G, which is the length of a shortest path connecting them if there is at least one path from u to v in G and is ∞ otherwise. The closeness matrix of a graph G is the | V (G) | × | V (G) | symmetric matrix (c G (u , v)) u , v ∈ V (G , where c G (u , v) = 2 - d G (u , v) if u ≠ v and 0 otherwise. The closeness eigenvalues of a graph G are the eigenvalues of C(G). We determine the graphs for which the second largest closeness eigenvalues belong to - ∞ , a , where a ≈ - 0.1571 is the second largest root of x 3 - x 2 - 11 8 x - 3 16 = 0 . We also identify the n-vertex graphs with a closeness eigenvalue of multiplicity n - 1 , n - 2 and n - 3 , respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ribosomal phosphoprotein P1 (RPP1) is an integral component of the P-protein stalk in the 60S subunit of eukaryotic ribosomes and is required for the efficient elongation of translation. Previously, Arabidopsis RPP1A was revealed to be involved in the regulation of seed size and seed storage protein accumulation. In this work, the seedling growth analysis shows that the knockout mutation of Arabidopsis RPP1A significantly promoted seedling growth, particularly in the shoots. The label-free quantitative proteomic analysis demonstrated that a total of 593 proteins were differentially accumulated between the germinating seeds of the wild-type Col-0 and rpp1a mutant. And these proteins were significantly enriched in the intracellular transport, nitrogen compound transport, protein transport, and organophosphate metabolic process. The abundance of proteins involved in the RNA and protein processing processes, including ncRNA processing and protein folding, were significantly increased in the rpp1a mutant. Mutation in RPP1A highlighted the effects on the ribosome, energy metabolism, and nitrogen metabolism. The abundance of enzymes involved in glycolysis and pyruvate mechanism was decreased in the germinating seeds of the rpp1a mutant. Whereas the processes of amino acid biosynthesis, protein processing in endoplasmic reticulum, and biosynthesis of cofactors were enhanced in the germinating seeds of the rpp1a mutant. Taken together, the lack of RPP1A triggered changes in other ribosomal proteins, and the higher amino acid contents in the seedlings of the rpp1a mutant probably contributed to enhanced biosynthesis, processing, and transport of proteins, resulting in accelerated growth. Our results show the novel role of a P-protein and shed new light on the regulatory mechanism of seedling growth. Key message: Knockout mutation of Arabidopsis RPP1A leads to more amino acid supply to support enhanced seedling growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the effects of different ZnO-decorated graphene (Graphene-ZnO) proportions on the comprehensive properties of Poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) nanocomposites were investigated. The results show that the nanocomposites have stronger mechanical properties, higher thermal stability, greater crystallinity, better barrier ability, and excellent antibacterial property due to the influence of Graphene-ZnO. The tensile strength, crystallinity, melting temperature, thermal stability and barrier performance of the nanocomposites reached the maximum when Graphene-ZnO with a content of 0.2 phr was added. Compared with pure PBS, when Graphene-ZnO was added to PBS at 0.2 phr, the tensile strength, yield strength, elongation at break and moisture barrier performance of PBS were significantly increased by 22.5%, 31.34% ,62.84% and 42.57% respectively. This improvement in barrier performance might be attributed to the presence of Graphene-ZnO extended the penetration path of molecules and the coordination from PBS and Graphene-ZnO, so as to narrow the H2O transmission path. The results of the buried soil test show that the weight loss rate of the nanocomposite increased with increase Graphene-ZnO content, which may be caused by boundary defects between nanofiller and matrix, and poor compatibility at high content of Graphene-ZnO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery and application of genome editing introduced a new era of plant breeding by giving researchers efficient tools for the precise engineering of crop genomes1. Here we demonstrate the power of genome editing for engineering broad-spectrum disease resistance in rice (Oryza sativa). We first isolated a lesion mimic mutant (LMM) from a mutagenized rice population. We then demonstrated that a 29-base-pair deletion in a gene we named RESISTANCE TO BLAST1 (RBL1) caused broad-spectrum disease resistance and showed that this mutation caused an approximately 20-fold reduction in yield. RBL1 encodes a cytidine diphosphate diacylglycerol synthase that is required for phospholipid biosynthesis2. Mutation of RBL1 results in reduced levels of phosphatidylinositol and its derivative phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PtdIns(4,5)P2). In rice, PtdIns(4,5)P2 is enriched in cellular structures that are specifically associated with effector secretion and fungal infection, suggesting that it has a role as a disease-susceptibility factor3. By using targeted genome editing, we obtained an allele of RBL1, named RBL1Δ12, which confers broad-spectrum disease resistance but does not decrease yield in a model rice variety, as assessed in small-scale field trials. Our study has demonstrated the benefits of editing an LMM gene, a strategy relevant to diverse LMM genes and crops.Editing of a rice gene that has a role in phospholipid synthesis has endowed rice plants with broad-spectrum resistance to disease, including protection from common bacterial and fungal pathogens, without decreasing the yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given its broad impact on human society, air pollution could become a non-economic factor affecting the stock market. But the impact of air pollution on the stock market performance has not received enough attention. This study examines the influence and potential mechanism of air pollution on stock market performance based on the panel data of 1344 A-share listed firms in China covering the period 2013–2019. The result shows that air pollution can negatively affect stock market performance. Second, heterogeneity analysis creatively points out that firms with less analysts, smaller size, stated-owned ownership, polluting related industry are more vulnerable to the negative effects of air pollution. Finally, the result also reveals a mechanism that air pollution could worsen the stock market by depressing investors' sentiments. The above findings enrich current research related to the impact of air pollution on stock market performance and also provide a new perspective for investors to make stock investment decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Incorporating distiller's grains (DG) into poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) has not been investigated because DG is not suitable for processing at high temperatures. Hence, in this study, DG was treated with methylenediphenyl diisocyanate (MDI) to prepare reinforced DG (RDG), which was then used as a biological filler that was melt-mixed with a PET resin to produce PET/DG and PET/RDG composites. The composite mechanical properties were investigated. Compared with PET/DG composites, PET/RDG composites exhibited improved mechanical properties. When the RDG content was 12.5%, the elongation at break reached the maximum. Scanning electron microscopy was used to observe the structure of composites filled with MDI-modified DG at the tensile section, and the compatibility between RDG fillers and the PET matrix was analyzed; RDG dispersed and adhered well in the matrix. The FTIR results showed the appearance of new characteristic peaks, indicating the possibility of DG reacting with MDI after the blending with PET, as well as providing clues about the probable reaction mechanism. Through X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, and water absorption tests, the crystallinity, thermal stability, and water absorption for the composites were analyzed. The results of TGA showed that RDG had a higher thermal stability than DG. Adding DG could significantly increase the crystallinity and rate of crystallization of PET, and at the same time, it could also improve the water absorption performance of the composites. But in the case of DG modification or treatment with MDI, the water absorption was slightly reduced. The results of contact angle analysis showed that the surface of PET/RDG composites had higher hydrophobicity than that of PET/DG composites because of the tighter structure. Relative to DG, RDG also effected improvement in the thermal stability of PET. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gut microbiota alterations have been implicated in the pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). This study aimed to explore gut microbiota changes in a prospective cohort of COVID-19 children and their asymptomatic caregivers infected with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Omicron variant. Methods: A total of 186 participants, including 59 COVID-19 children, 50 asymptomatic adult caregivers, 52 healthy children (HC), and 25 healthy adults (HA), were recruited between 15 April and 31 May 2022. The gut microbiota composition was determined by 16S rRNA gene sequencing in fecal samples collected from the participants. Gut microbiota functional profiling was performed by using Phylogenetic Investigation of Communities by Reconstruction of Unobserved States (PICRUSt) software. Results: The gut microbiota analysis of beta diversity revealed that the fecal microbial community of COVID-19 children remained far distantly related to HC. The relative abundances of the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes were decreased, whereas Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota were increased in COVID-19 children. Feces from COVID-19 children exhibited notably lower abundances of the genera Blautia, Bifidobacterium, Fusicatenibacter, Streptococcus, and Romboutsia and higher abundances of the genera Prevotella, Lachnoclostridium, Escherichia-Shigella, and Bacteroides than those from HC. The enterotype distributions of COVID-19 children were characterized by a high prevalence of enterotype Bacteroides. Similar changes in gut microbiota compositions were observed in asymptomatic caregivers. Furthermore, the microbial metabolic activities of KEGG (Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes) and COG (cluster of orthologous groups of proteins) pathways were perturbed in feces from subjects infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant. Conclusion: Our data reveal altered gut microbiota compositions in both COVID-19 children and their asymptomatic caregivers infected with the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant, which further implicates the critical role of gut microbiota in COVID-19 pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An "on–off-on"-type electrochemiluminescence (ECL) aptamer sensor based on Ru@Zn-oxalate metal–organic framework (MOF) composites is constructed for sensitive detection of sulfadimethoxine (SDM). The prepared Ru@Zn-oxalate MOF composites with the three-dimensional structure provide good ECL performance for the "signal-on." The MOF structure with a large surface area enables the material to fix more Ru(bpy)32+. Moreover, the Zn-oxalate MOF with three-dimensional chromophore connectivity provides a medium which can accelerate excited-state energy transfer migration among Ru(bpy)32+ units, and greatly reduces the influence of solvent on chromophore, achieving a high-energy Ru emission efficiency. The aptamer chain modified with ferrocene at the end can hybridize with the capture chain DNA1 fixed on the surface of the modified electrode through base complementary pairing, which can significantly quench the ECL signal of Ru@Zn-oxalate MOF. SDM specifically binds to its aptamer to separate ferrocene from the electrode surface, resulting in a "signal-on" ECL signal. The use of the aptamer chain further improves the selectivity of the sensor. Thus, high-sensitivity detection of SDM specificity is realized through the specific affinity between SDM and its aptamer. This proposed ECL aptamer sensor has good analytical performance for SDM with low detection limit (27.3 fM) and wide detection range (100 fM–500 nM). The sensor also shows excellent stability, selectivity, and reproducibility, which proved its analytical performance. The relative standard deviation (RSD) of SDM detected by the sensor is between 2.39 and 5.32%, and the recovery is in the range 97.23 to 107.5%. The sensor shows satisfactory results in the analysis of actual seawater samples, which is expected to play a role in the exploration of marine environmental pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Earthquake-induced strong near-fault ground motion is typically accompanied by large-velocity pulse-like component, which causes serious damage to slopes and buildings. Although not all near-fault ground motions contain a pulse-like component, it is important to consider this factor in regional earthquake-induced landslide susceptibility assessment. In the present study, we considered the probability of the observed pulse-like ground motion at each site (PP) in the region of an earthquake as one of the conditioning factors for landslide susceptibility assessment. A subset of the area affected by the 1994 Mw6.7 Northridge earthquake in California was examined. To explore and verify the effects of PP on landslide susceptibility assessment, seven models were established, consisting of six identical influencing factors (elevation, slope gradient, aspect, distance to drainage, distance to roads, and geology) and one or two factors characterizing the intensity of the earthquake (distance to fault, peak ground acceleration, peak ground velocity, and PP) in logistic regression analysis. The results showed that the model considering PP performed better in susceptibility assessment, with an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve value of 0.956. Based on the results of relative importance analysis, the contribution of the PP value to earthquake-induced landslide susceptibility was ranked fourth after the slope gradient, elevation, and lithology. The prediction performance of the model considering the pulse-like effect was better than that reported previously. A logistic regression model that considers the pulse-like effect can be applied in disaster prevention, mitigation, and construction planning in near-fault areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common malignancy of the digestive system with high morbidity and high mortality worldwide. Currently, surgical resection is considered the most effective treatment for HCC. Laparoscopic surgery is a major trend in contemporary minimally invasive surgery. However, is laparoscopic resection suitable for HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement? If so, then what is the preferred resection method, and how safe and effective is this treatment? Are there any factors that require special attention? Methods: Clinical data of 17 patients who underwent laparoscopic surgery in the Second Affiliated Hospital, Third Military Medical University (Army Medical University) from January 2018 to February 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. Results: The mean age was 48.9 ± 14.0 years; mean operation time, 186.00 ± 18.3 min; median blood loss, 170.0 ml (140.8–207.5 ml); and median length of hospital stay, 8.0 days (7.0–9.5 days). There was no case of open conversion. Pathologic findings revealed all cases of HCC. Intraoperative frozen pathology and postoperative pathology showed free surgical margins. Six patients had pathologically confirmed diaphragmatic invasion (DI), and eleven was confirmed as having diaphragmatic fibrous adhesion (DFA) only. Post-operative complications included liver section effusion, pleural effusion, pneumonia and bile leak. All the complications responded well to conservative treatment. No other abnormality was noted during outpatient follow-up examination. Sixteen patients survived tumor-free; one patient with HCC developed intrahepatic metastasis 1 year after surgery, and this patient survived with tumor after treatment. Conclusions: Our experience initially provides valuable support for the laparoscopic surgical treatment of HCC patients with diaphragmatic involvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most common causes of cancer-related mortality; however, effective immunotherapy strategies are limited because of the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment. Macrophages are essential components of the HCC microenvironment and are related to poor prognosis. Here, we evaluated the attributes of paracancer tissues in tumor immunity and progression using public databases. Based on the abundance of immune cells estimated by CIBERSORT, we performed weighted gene co-expression network analysis and found a specific module associated with M2 macrophages. Through analyzing interaction networks using Cytoscape and public datasets, we identified oncoprotein-induced transcript 3 (OIT3) as a novel marker of M2 macrophages. Overexpression of OIT3 remodeled immune features and reprogrammed the metabolism of M2 macrophages. Moreover, compared with wildtype macrophages, OIT3-overexpressing macrophages further enhanced the migration and invasion of co-cultured cancer cells. Additionally, OIT3-overexpressing macrophages promoted tumorigenesis and cancer development in vivo. Taken together, the findings demonstrate that OIT3 is a novel biomarker of alternatively activated macrophages and facilitates HCC metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The irregular shape of the sample can significantly affect the compression process. Establishing a numerical model of specimens based on real meso-structure is challenging because of the irregularity and the heterogeneity. This paper aimed to establish the three-dimensional numerical model based on real meso-structure using Rock Failure Process Analysis. We simulated the mechanical properties and deformation failure law of sandstone particles with different shapes under uniaxial compression. The effects of different shapes and heterogeneity on the mechanical behavior and fracture process of sandstone were studied. Furthermore, we discussed strength characteristics and failure modes of different particle shapes. Our results show that the stress–strain curve of the specimens has brittleness-ductility under uniaxial compression. Meanwhile, as stress increases, tensile failure accumulates in rocks, resulting in the macroscopic shear crack zone. The peak strength of sandstone specimens with different shapes decreases by increasing the k value. Moreover, the specimen fracture showed an obvious shape effect, and the heterogeneity in the breaking process determines the crack propagation path. The current findings may play an important role in the crushing method and energy-saving of rock mining. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional simplified model for ground pressure calculation is widely used in the anti-seismic design of shallow tunnels. However, it presents two obvious deficiencies, which are related to the block equilibrium and the additional seismic load respectively. A modified calculation model is proposed in this article by introducing the concept of slip angle, so that the deflection of potential slip planes and the distribution of ground pressure can be considered and further discussed. By combining the horizontal slice method and graphical method, a series of explicit formulas for calculating ground pressure are presented so that the vertical ground pressure, the rupture angle, and the lateral thrust can be calculated more accurately. The proposed modified model is compared with the existing model to validate the correctness of calculation results. The results show that the explicit formula of modified model could be reduced to Liu's formula when the potential slip planes are assumed to be vertical. Additionally, the sensitivity analyses on the vertical ground pressure, block volume, and distribution pattern of the lateral thrust are carefully investigated. The lateral thrusts acting on the left and right wedges distribute logarithmically and exponentially respectively, which implies that the distribution pattern is mainly affected by the direction of earthquake inertia force, while the cohesion and the friction angle merely influence the magnitude of lateral thrust to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increasing cost of fishmeal (FM) with limited supply and the continuous development of aquaculture necessitate more economical FM substitutes. This study aimed to appraise the effects of dietary methanotroph (Methylococcus capsulatus, Bath) bacteria meal, a kind of methane-utilizing bacteria protein (MBP), replacing fishmeal on the growth and feed utilization, serum biochemical parameters, antioxidant status, and digestive enzyme activities of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). Seven isonitrogenous and isoenergetic diets were designed with 0%, 6.89%, 13.92%, 21.09%, 28.40%, 35.85%, and 43.46% MBP replacing FM, and fed to Pacific white shrimp (mean initial weight 0.27 ± 0.02 g) for 8 weeks. The shrimp fed with 28.40%, 35.85%, and 43.46% MBP diets showed significantly higher weight gain and specific growth rate compared to the control group (P < 0.05), while the other MBP diets had no significant effect on the growth performance (P > 0.05). No statistical differences were found in the activities of digestive enzymes in the stomach, hepatopancreas, and midgut among shrimp fed the dietary treatments (P > 0.05). Furthermore, antioxidant parameters in serum and hepatopancreas showed no significant differences among all the groups (P > 0.05). In conclusion, it was revealed that MBP replacing from 28.40 to 43.46% FM in the diet with appropriate supplementation of essential amino acids significantly improved the growth of Pacific white shrimp without adverse effects on feed utilization, digestive enzyme activities, physiological condition, and antioxidant status. This study provides a reference for replacing FM with MBP in the diet of Pacific white shrimp. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prohibitins are highly conserved eukaryotic proteins in mitochondria that function in various cellular processes. The roles of prohibitins in fungal virulence and their regulatory mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we identified the prohibitins ChPhb1 and ChPhb2 in a plant pathogenic fungus Colletotrichum higginsianum and investigated their roles in the virulence of this anthracnose fungus attacking crucifers. We demonstrate that ChPhb1 and ChPhb2 are required for the proper functioning of mitochondria, mitophagy and virulence. ChPhb1 and ChPhb2 interact with the autophagy-related protein ChATG24 in mitochondria, and ChATG24 shares similar functions with these proteins in mitophagy and virulence, suggesting that ChATG24 is involved in prohibitin-dependent mitophagy. ChPhb1 and ChPhb2 modulate the translocation of ChATG24 into mitochondria during mitophagy. The role of ChATG24 in mitophagy is further confirmed to be conserved in plant pathogenic fungi. Our study presents that prohibitins regulate fungal virulence by mediating ATG24-assisted mitophagy. Prohibitins recruit ChATG24 into the mitochondria to modulate mitophagy, thereby affecting the virulence of Colletotrichum higginsianum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A transient ischemic attack (TIA) can cause reversible and delayed impairment of cognition, but the specific mechanisms are still unclear. Annexin a1 (ANXA1) is a phospholipid-binding protein. Here, we confirmed that cognition and hippocampal synapses were impaired in TIA-treated mice, and this could be rescued by multiple mild stimulations (MMS). TIA promoted the interaction of ANXA1 and CX3CR1, increased the membrane distribution of CX3CR1 in microglia, and thus enhanced the CX3CR1 and CX3CL1 interaction. These phenomena induced by TIA could be reversed by MMS. Meanwhile, the CX3CR1 membrane distribution and CX3CR1–CX3CL1 interaction were upregulated in primary cultured microglia overexpressing ANXA1, and the spine density was significantly reduced in co-cultured microglia overexpressing ANXA1 and neurons. Moreover, ANXA1 overexpression in microglia abolished the protection of MMS after TIA. Collectively, our study provides a potential strategy for treating the delayed synaptic injury caused by TIA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, various countries have put forward Banning Gasoline Vehicle Sales Policy (BGVSP), and the degree of public support for BGVSP is crucial to its design and implementation. Taking China as an example, this study built a policy support index using network crawler technology and natural language processing technology. Then, multi-spatial convergence cross-mapping technology was used to study the interaction between public support and air pollution, electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure, EV technology, and use cost. The results showed that air pollution has a significant impact on public support; public support has a significant impact on the construction of the EV infrastructure and the level of EV technological research, and the use cost of traditional gasoline vehicles has a significant impact on public support. This study investigated the correlations between public support and the factors influencing public support, and the results can be used as a reference for the design and implementation of BGVSP in newly industrialized countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as highly efficient antimicrobial agents is limited by their agglomeration and instability. Environmentally friendly silver-based nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention, owing to the superior dispersion and antibacterial activity of AgNPs. In this work, polyurushiol (PUL) was used to modify an AgNPs-based material and prepare PUL-decorated AgNPs (PUL-AgNPs). The stability and dispersion of the composites varied with the reaction conditions. The PUL-AgNPs material showed higher antibacterial activity than the AgNPs, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against E. coli and S. aureus of 3.13 mg/L (p < 0.01) and 6.25 mg/L (p < 0.01), respectively. PUL-AgNPs also showed inhibitory potential against three microalgae, P. tricornutum, I. zhanjiangensis, and N. closterium. The 72-h LC50 values of PUL-AgNPs for the three algae were 1.95, 1.89, and 4.07 mg/L, respectively. This study shows the promising potential of PUL-AgNPs for antibacterial and anti-microalgae applications, especially for marine antifouling.Graphical Abstract: The performance of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as highly efficient antimicrobial agents is limited by their agglomeration and instability. Environmentally friendly silver-based nanomaterials have attracted considerable attention, owing to the superior dispersion and antibacterial activity of AgNPs. In this work, polyurushiol (PUL) was used to modify an AgNPs-based material and prepare PUL-decorated AgNPs (PUL-AgNPs). The stability and dispersion of the composites varied with the reaction conditions. The PUL-AgNPs material showed higher antibacterial activity than the AgNPs, with minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against E. coli and S. aureus of 3.13 mg/L (p < 0.01) and 6.25 mg/L (p < 0.01), respectively. PUL-AgNPs also showed inhibitory potential against three microalgae, P. tricornutum, I. zhanjiangensis, and N. closterium. The 72-h LC50 values of PUL-AgNPs for the three algae were 1.95, 1.89, and 4.07 mg/L, respectively. This study shows the promising potential of PUL-AgNPs for antibacterial and anti-microalgae applications, especially for marine antifouling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible electronics is the research field with interdisciplinary crossing and integration. It shows the promising advantages of novel device configurations, low-cost and low-power consumption due to their flexible and soft characteristics. Atomic layered two-dimensional (2D) materials especially transition metal dichalcogenides, have triggered great interest in ultra-thin 2D flexible electronic devices and optoelectronic devices because of their direct and tunable bandgaps, excellent electrical, optical, mechanical, and thermal properties. This review aims to provide the recent progress in 2D TMDs and their applications in flexible electronics. The fundamental electrical properties and mechanical properties of materials, flexible device configurations, and their performance in transistors, sensors, and photodetectors are thoroughly discussed. At last, some perspectives are given on the open challenges and prospects for 2D TMDs flexible electronic devices and new device opportunities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sertoli cells are essential for spermatogenesis in the testicular seminiferous tubules by forming blood–testis barrier (BTB) and creating a unique microenvironment for spermatogenesis. Many lncRNAs have been reported to participate in spermatogenesis. However, the role of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in Sertoli cells has rarely been examined. Herein, we found that a high-fat diet (HFD) decreased sperm quality, impaired BTB integrity and resulted in accumulation of saturated fatty acids (SFAs), especially palmitic acid (PA), in mouse testes. PA decreased the expression of tight junction (TJ)-related proteins, increased permeability and decreased transepithelial electrical resistance (TER) in primary Sertoli cells and TM4 cells. Moreover, lncRNA Tug1 was found to be involved in PA-induced BTB disruption by RNA-seq. Tug1 depletion distinctly impaired the TJs of Sertoli cells and overexpression of Tug1 alleviated the disruption of BTB integrity induced by PA. Moreover, Ccl2 was found to be a downstream target of Tug1, and decreased TJ-related protein levels and TER and increased FITC–dextran permeability in vitro. Furthermore, the addition of Ccl2 damaged BTB integrity after overexpression of Tug1 in the presence of PA. Mechanistically, we found that Tug1 could directly bind to EZH2 and regulate H3K27me3 occupancy in the Ccl2 promoter region by RNA immunoprecipitation and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Our study revealed an important role of Tug1 in the BTB integrity of Sertoli cells and provided a new view of the role of lncRNAs in male infertility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Promoting new energy vehicles (NEVs) is considered to be one of the most effective ways to solve the increasingly serious problems of energy security and environmental pollution. Under the background of a gradual decline in the use of subsidy policy, the dual-credit policy (DCP), as a market-incentive environmental regulation, has been introduced to the process of policy development. This is of great significance in promoting NEVs and upgrading of the automobile industry. Based on data for 56 listed companies related to NEVs from 2012 to 2019, this study investigated the impact of the DCP on total factor productivity (TFP) under the framework of the propensity score matching difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) and further analyzed the mechanisms by how the DCP impacted on TFP. In addition, the heterogenous impacts of different firms were investigated. The results reveal three key findings. (1) After using instrumental variable to overcome endogenous problems and carrying out a series of robustness tests, the DCP can significantly improve firms' TFP, and this effect is increasing annually. (2) The results of the mechanism analysis show that technological innovation, reputation enhancements, and the reduction of manager motivation have promotional effects on firms' TFP. Besides, environmental tax can reduce the contribution of research and development (R&D) innovation to TFP. (3) In terms of regional and market structural levels, the promotional effect of the DCP on firms' TFP in the eastern region is greater than that in the midwestern region. Furthermore, it has no significant effect on competitive firms, but plays a significant role in the improvement of oligopolistic firms' TFP. This study supported the Porter Hypothesis that flexible market-incentive environmental regulation is likely to trigger positive productivity effects, and provided an empirical basis and latest information for promoting the accuracy and effectiveness of the DCP implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Being a node of the energy-water consumer and carbon dioxide (CO2) emitter, the household is one key sector to pilot integrated energy-carbon-water (ECW) management. This study developed an integrated framework to explore China's provincial household ECW nexus as well as their drivers from the years 2000 through 2016. The absolute amount and growth rate of household energy use (HEU), household CO2 emissions (HCE), and household water use (HWU) were abstracted to reveal the dynamic characteristics of the household ECW nexus. Efficiency advance, income growth, urbanization, family size, and household number were defined to explain the changes in the household ECW nexus. This study revealed that there is a huge regional heterogeneity in China's household ECW nexus. Developed regions such as Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Guangdong, and Shanghai are the most important household ECW nexus nodes with larger amounts and growth rates of household ECW. Income growth overwhelmingly increases ECW, while efficiency advance effectively curbs its growth. Comparatively, household number, family size, and urbanization have small effects. Therefore, implementing differentiated management and focusing on the synergy of socioeconomic factors are the keys to achieving integrated household ECW management. And the analytical framework can be used to analyze ECW nexus from a sector, city, or country perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose of Review: Analytical treatment interruption (ATI) remains an essential component in clinical studies investigating novel agents or combination treatment strategies aiming to induce HIV treatment-free remission or long-term viral control. We provide an overview on key study design aspects of ATI trials from the perspective of statisticians. Recent Findings: ATI trial designs have evolved towards shorter treatment interruption phases and more frequent viral load monitoring aiming to reduce prolonged viremia risks. Criteria for ART resumption have evolved as well. Common outcome measures in modern ATI trials include time to viral rebound, viral control, and viral set point. Summary: Design of the ATI component in HIV clinical trials is driven by the scientific question and the mechanism of action of the intervention being investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yeasts cell were detected in the tissue on Periodic Acid-Schiff (PAS) and Gomori Methenamine-Silver (GMS) staining (Fig. Microscopic examination of slide culture revealed hyaline septate hyphae, conidiophores, and conidia, characteristic structures of I Sporothrix complex i (Fig. [Extracted from the article]

The sedimentation rate (dated by 210Pb), sediment characteristics, pollution, and polymetallic (Cd, Pb, Zn, As, Hg) sediment record were studied from two reservoirs (Maoshui Reservoir and Lexi Reservoir), which are located in the zinc smelting area of Weining County, Guizhou Province, China. The results showed that the Maoshui reservoir is mainly polluted by Cd, Pb, and Zn, with average concentrations of 53, 84, and 2108 mg/kg, respectively. While the mean concentrations of Cd, Pb, and Zn in the sediments of the Lexi reservoir are relatively low, which are 18, 196, and 553 mg/kg, respectively. The high concentrations of heavy metals in the sediment reflected the regional environmental pollution caused by indigenous zinc smelting. The scale of indigenous zinc smelting can be inferred from the concentration and ratio of elements in the sedimentary column. Therefore, it was confirmed that the peak of indigenous zinc smelting mainly occurred in the Maoshui area in the 1980s–1990s, while the zinc smelting activity expanded at the turn of the twenty-first century, and there were peaks in the indigenous zinc smelting activity in both the Maoshui basin and the Lexi basin. In the middle part of the sediment column of the Maoshui Reservoir (1990s), the sediment column had a high Pb concentration and a high Zn/Cd ratio, which represented the mixing of zinc smelting slag in this period. In the upper part of the sedimentary column of the Lexi Reservoir (after 2000), the sediment had a high concentration of Cd (18 mg/kg) and a low Zn/Cd ratio, which indicated that after the end of indigenous zinc smelting, the polluted soil continued to affect the regional environment. These results show that the sedimentary column of the reservoir in the area of indigenous zinc smelting completely recorded the history of regional zinc smelting activities and can be used to reconstruct the history of regional indigenous zinc smelting and its impact on the regional environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]