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Shadow education has burgeoned into a global phenomenon, and over the last 30 years, a substantial body of literature has emerged to explore this trend. Drawing on bibliometric data from 377 articles retrieved from the Web of Science (WOS), this study investigates the evolving landscape of shadow education research. It examines historical publication trends through performance analysis, intellectual sources and evolving themes using co‐citation analysis, complemented by co‐word analysis. Major authors and collaboration dynamics are discerned through co‐authorship analysis, contributing to a comprehensive understanding of collaborative networks. Additionally, the study constructs an evolution path for shadow education research published in journals, employing citation analysis supplemented by social network analysis methods. In conclusion, the study not only illuminates the historical trajectory of shadow education as a concept but also poses pertinent questions and offers recommendations for future research. Our research significantly contributes to the comprehension of how shadow education has evolved from a nascent concept into a global research discourse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is widely used to treat a variety of disorders because it is noninvasive, safe, and well tolerated by awake patients. However, long‐term and repetitive taVNS is difficult to achieve in awake mice. Therefore, developing a new taVNS method that fully mimics the method used in clinical settings and is well‐tolerated by awake mice is greatly important for generalizing research findings related to the effects of taVNS. The study aimed to develop a new taVNS device for use in awake mice and to test its reliability and effectiveness. Methods: We demonstrated the reliability of this taVNS device through retrograde neurotropic pseudorabies virus (PRV) tracing and evaluated its effectiveness through morphological analysis. After 3 weeks of taVNS application, the open field test (OFT) and elevated plus maze (EPM) were used to evaluate anxiety‐like behaviors, and the Y‐maze test and novel object recognition test (NORT) were used to evaluate recognition memory behaviors, respectively. Results: We found that repetitive taVNS was well tolerated by awake mice, had no effect on anxiety‐like behaviors, and significantly improved memory. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that this new taVNS device for repetitive stimulation of awake mice is safe, tolerable, and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Voltage‐dependent anion‐selective channels (VDACs) serve as pore proteins within the mitochondrial membrane, aiding in the regulation of cell life and cell death. Although the occurrence of cell death is crucial for defense against virus infection, the function played by VDAC in Bombyx mori, in response to the influence of Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV), remains unclear. RESULTS: BmVDAC was found to be relatively highly expressed both during embryonic development, and in the Malpighian tubule and midgut. Additionally, the expression levels of BmVDAC were found to be different among silkworm strains with varying levels of resistance to BmNPV, strongly suggesting a connection between BmVDAC and virus infection. To gain further insight into the function of BmVDAC in BmNPV, we employed RNA interference (RNAi) to silence and overexpress it by pIZT/V5‐His‐mCherry. The results revealed that BmVDAC is instrumental in developing the resistance of host cells to BmNPV infection in BmN cell‐line cells, which was further validated as likely to be associated with initiating programmed cell death (PCD). Furthermore, we evaluated the function of BmVDAC in another insect, Spodoptera exigua. Knockdown of the BmVDAC homolog in S. exigua, SeVDAC, made the larvae more sensitive to BmNPV. CONCLUSION: We have substantiated the pivotal role of BmVDAC in conferring resistance against BmNPV infection, primarily associated with the initiation of PCD. The findings of this study shine new light on the molecular mechanisms governing the silkworm's response to BmNPV infection, thereby supporting innovative approaches for pest biocontrol. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well accepted that the intrinsic thermal conductivity is extremely important in achieving excellent thermal conductivity composite and can be improved via incorporation of mesogens. In this work, an azomethine type liquid crystal epoxy (LCE) with aliphatic ether was designed and synthesized with expected structure, and the liquid crystal epoxy resin (LCER), together with KH‐550‐modified boron nitride (K‐BN)/LCER composites, has been obtained. Results show an increase of 31.6% in the thermal conductivity of the matrix, which could result in an enhancement of 57.7% for the composites when compared with E‐51. Additionally, the coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), dielectric properties, and shear strength of LCER and K‐BN/LCER composites were assessed across a broad temperature range. Remarkably, the 30 wt% K‐BN/LCER composites showed a maximum decrease of 37.8% in CTE, while maintaining adequate shear strength to fulfill the bonding requirement and high thermal conductivity at both RT and −196°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Actin filaments play important physiological functions, which have become potential targets of antitumor drugs. Using chemicals to intervene their polymerization‐depolymerization dynamics would generate new strategies for designing antitumor drugs. In this report, an artificial water channel appending acetazolamide moiety, a ligand that can selectively bind to carbonic anhydrase IX, has been prepared. We demonstrated that this conjugate can target colorectal cancer cells overexpressing carbonic anhydrase IX and trigger the depolymerization of actin filaments of the cancer cells by selectively mediating water transmembrane transport. Moreover, the conjugate‐promoted actin depolymerization led to tumor cell apoptosis and its high antitumor activity in vitro and in vivo against colorectal cancer. The method described herein represents a new and general strategy for designing antitumor drugs by using artificial channel‐mediated selective water transport to promote actin depolymerization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molybdenum cofactor sulfurase (MoCoS) is a key gene involved in the uric acid metabolic pathway that activates xanthine dehydrogenase to synthesise uric acid. Uric acid is harmful to mammals but plays crucial roles in insects, one of which is the immune responses. However, the function of Bombyx mori MoCoS in response to BmNPV remains unclear. In this study, BmMoCoS was found to be relatively highly expressed in embryonic development, gonads and the Malpighian tubules. In addition, the expression levels of BmMoCoS were significantly upregulated in three silkworm strains with different levels of resistance after virus infection, suggesting a close link between them. Furthermore, RNAi and overexpression studies showed that BmMoCoS was involved in resistance to BmNPV infection, and its antivirus effects were found to be related to the regulation of uric acid metabolism, which was uncovered by inosine‐ and febuxostat‐coupled RNAi and overexpression. Finally, the BmMoCoS‐mediated uric acid pathway was preliminarily confirmed to be a potential target to protect silkworms from BmNPV infection. Overall, this study provides new evidence for elucidating the molecular mechanism of silkworms in response to BmNPV infection and new strategies for the prevention of viral infections in sericulture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rice stem borer (RSB), Chilo suppressalis, a notorious rice pest in China, has evolved a high resistance level to commonly used insecticides. Tetraniliprole, a new anthranilic diamide insecticide, effectively controls multiple pests, including RSB. However, the potential resistance risk of RSB to tetraniliprole is still unknown. In this study, the tetraniliprole‐selection (Tet‐R) strain was obtained through 10 continuous generations of selection with tetraniliprole 30% lethal concentration (LC30). The realized heritability (h2) of the Tet‐R strain was 0.387, indicating that resistance of RSB to tetraniliprole developed rapidly under the continuous selection of tetraniliprole. The Tet‐R strain had a high fitness cost (relative fitness = 0.53). We established the susceptibility baseline of RSB to tetraniliprole (lethal concentration at LC50 = 0.727 mg/L) and investigated the resistance level of 6 field populations to tetraniliprole. All tested strains that had resistance to chlorantraniliprole exhibited moderate‐ to high‐level resistance to tetraniliprole (resistance ratio = 27.7−806.8). Detection of ryanodine receptor (RyR) mutations showed that the Y4667C, Y4667D, I4758M, and Y4891F mutations were present in tested RSB field populations. RyR mutations were responsible for the cross‐resistance between tetraniliprole and chlorantraniliprole. Further, the clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR‐associated protein 9‐mediated genome‐modified flies were used to study the contribution of RyR mutations to tetraniliprole resistance. The order of contribution of a single RyR mutation to tetraniliprole resistance was Y4667D > G4915E > Y4667C ≈ I4758M > Y4891F. In addition, the I4758M and Y4667C double mutations conferred higher tetraniliprole resistance than single Y4667C mutations. These results can guide resistance management practices for diamides in RSB and other arthropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to different smelting processes, nonmetallic inclusions are divided into four grades: basic purity, industrial purity, high purity and ultra‐high purity to cope with the influence of inclusion size and quantity on INVAR foil. Smelting production was carried out according to different needs in OLED field. The concept of "extreme manufacturing" was inducted to design process. The "Four‐Ultra quality" controling that Ultra‐purity, Ultra‐smooth surface, Ultra‐flat shape and Ultra‐precise dimension were put forward and realized in the production process of INVAR alloy foil for FMM. The prepared INVAR alloy foil reached a high level and met the application requirements of FMM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread occurrence of microplastics (MPs) in the food chain has gained substantial recognition as a pressing concern, highlighting the inevitability of human exposure through ingestion of foodborne MPs, coupled with the release of MPs from plastic packaging. However, there are notable disparities in the reported numbers of MPs in foods and beverages, warranting a thorough investigation into the factors contributing to these discrepancies. Table salt is one of the major sources of MPs, and there was an approximately hundred‐fold difference between the reviewed studies that reported the highest and lowest number of MPs. In addition, more noticeable discrepancies were discovered between studies on MPs released from teabags. One study reported that approximately 15 billion MPs were released into a cup of tea from a single teabag, whereas another research paper found only approximately 106.3 ± 14.6 MP/teabag after brewing. This comprehensive review focuses on the inconsistencies observed across studies examining MPs, shedding light on the plausible factors underlying these variations. Furthermore, the review outlines areas in analytical procedures that require enhancement and offers recommendations to promote accuracy and standardization in future research efforts, such as employing analytical methods capable of confirming the presence of MPs, using appropriate filter sizes, considering representative sample sizes when extrapolation is involved, and so on. By pinpointing the detection processes leading to the inconsistent results observed in MP studies, this comparative analysis will contribute to the development of reliable analytic methods for understanding the extent of microplastic contamination in the human food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sustained cardiac hypertrophy damages the heart and weakens cardiac function, often leading to heart failure and even death. Pathological cardiac hypertrophy has become a central therapeutic target for many heart diseases including heart failure. However, the underlying mechanisms of cardiac hypertrophy, especially the involvement of autophagy program, are still ill‐understood. Synaptotagmin‐7 (Syt7), a multifunctional and high‐affinity calcium sensor, plays a pivotal role in asynchronous neurotransmitter release, synaptic facilitation, and vesicle pool regulation during synaptic transmission. However, little is known about whether Syt7 is expressed in the myocardium and involved in the pathogenesis of heart diseases. Here we showed that Syt7 was significantly upregulated in Ang II‐treated hearts and cardiomyocytes. Homozygous syt7 knockout (syt7−/−) mice exhibited significantly attenuated cardiac hypertrophy and fibrosis and improved cardiac function. We further found that Syt7 exerted a pro‐hypertrophic effect by suppressing the autophagy process. In exploring the upstream mechanisms, microRNA (miR)‐93 was identified to participate in the regulation of Syt7 expression. miR‐93 protected hearts against Ang II‐induced hypertrophy through targeting Syt7‐autophagy pathway. In summary, our data reveal a new cardiac hypertrophy regulator and a novel hypertrophy regulating model composed of miR‐93, Syt7 and autophagy program. These molecules may serve as potential therapeutic targets in the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic foods are nutritious, enjoyable, and highly favored by consumers. In recent years, young consumers have shown a preference for prefabricated food due to its convenience, nutritional value, safety, and increasing market share. However, aquatic foods are prone to microbial spoilage due to their high moisture content, protein content, and unsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, traditional processing methods of aquatic foods can lead to issues such as protein denaturation, lipid peroxidation, and other food safety and nutritional health problems. Therefore, there is a growing interest in exploring new technologies that can achieve a balance between antimicrobial efficiency and food quality. This review examines the mechanisms of cold plasma, high-pressure processing, photodynamic inactivation, pulsed electric field treatment, and ultraviolet irradiation. It also summarizes the research progress in nonthermal physical field technologies and their application combined with other technologies in prefabricated aquatic food. Additionally, the review discusses the current trends and developments in the field of prefabricated aquatic foods. The aim of this paper is to provide a theoretical basis for the development of new technologies and their implementation in the industrial production of prefabricated aquatic food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to develop and validate a scoring system for predicting the need for esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD) in clinical practice to enhance accuracy and reduce misapplications. Methods: From February 2021 to April 2022, outpatients scheduled for EGD at the Department of Gastroenterology in our hospital were recruited. Patients completed the system evaluation by providing clinical symptoms, relevant medical history, and endoscopic findings. Patients were randomly divided into the training and validation cohorts (at 2:1 ratio). The optimal algorithm was selected from five alternatives including a parallel test. Six physicians participated in a human‐computer comparative validation. Sensitivity and negative likelihood ratio (−LR) were used as the primary indicators. Results: Altogether 865 patients were enrolled, with 578 in the training cohort and 287 in the validation cohort. The scoring system comprised 21 variables, including age, 13 typical clinical symptoms, and seven medical history variables. The parallel test was selected as the final algorithm. Positive EGD findings were reported in 54.5% of the training cohort and 62.7% of the validation cohort. The scoring system demonstrated a sensitivity of 79.0% in the training cohort and 83.9% in the validation cohort, with −LR being 0.627 and 0.615, respectively. Compared to physicians, the scoring system exhibited higher sensitivity (84.0% vs 68.7%, P = 0.02) and a lower −LR (1.11 vs 2.41, P = 0.439). Conclusions: We developed a scoring system to predict the necessity of EGD using a parallel test algorithm, which was user‐friendly and effective, as evidenced by single‐center validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In CASP15, we used an integrated hierarchical and hybrid approach to predict RNA structures. The approach involves three steps. First, with the use of physics-based methods, Vfold2D-MC and VfoldMCPX, we predict the 2D structures from the sequence. Second, we employ template-based methods, Vfold3D and VfoldLA, to build 3D scaffolds for the predicted 2D structures. Third, using the 3D scaffolds as initial structures and the predicted 2D structures as constraints, we predict the 3D structure from coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations, IsRNA and RNAJP. Our approach was evaluated on 12 RNA targets in CASP15 and ranked second among all the 34 participating teams. The result demonstrated the reliability of our method in predicting RNA 2D structures with high accuracy and RNA 3D structures with moderate accuracy. Further improvements in RNA structure prediction for the next round of CASP may come from the incorporation of the physics-based method with machine learning techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The white epidermis of silkworms is due to the accumulation of uric acid crystals. Abnormal silkworm uric acid metabolism decreases uric acid production, leading to a transparent or translucent phenotype. The oily silkworm op50 is a mutant strain with a highly transparent epidermis derived from the p50 strain. It shows more susceptibility to Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) infection than the wild type; however, the underlying mechanism is unknown. This study analysed the changes in 34 metabolites in p50 and op50 at different times following BmNPV infection based on comparative metabolomics. The differential metabolites were mainly clustered in six metabolic pathways. Of these, the uric acid pathway was identified as critical for resistance in silkworms, as feeding with inosine significantly enhanced larval resistance compared to other metabolites and modulated other metabolic pathways. Additionally, the increased level of resistance to BmNPV in inosine‐fed silkworms was associated with the regulation of apoptosis, which is mediated by the reactive oxygen species produced during uric acid synthesis. Furthermore, feeding the industrial strain Jingsong (JS) with inosine significantly increased the level of larval resistance to BmNPV, indicating its potential application in controlling the virus in sericulture. These results lay the foundation for clarifying the resistance mechanism of silkworms to BmNPV and provide new strategies and methods for the biological control of pests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel SA/PEI/PDA@CNF (SPCP) aerogel adsorbent was prepared for efficient hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) and dyes removal. Sodium alginate was used as the skeleton ingredient, nanocellulose fiber as the reinforcing agent, while polyethyleneimine provides functional groups, and polydopamine was added to improve the adsorption capacity of the aerogel toward cationic dyes. Several methods were used to characterize the SPCP aerogel, and thorough research showed that the aerogel's adsorption capacities for CR, Cr(VI), and MB were 1078.06, 2827.38, and 596.96 mg/g, respectively. In addition, it was established that the pseudo-second-order kinetics provides the most accurate way to the adsorption kinetic process while the Langmuir model provides the most accurate representation of the adsorption isotherm. Additionally, SPCP aerogel still retained exceptional adsorption capability after five adsorption-desorption cycles. Thereupon, SPCP, this biomass composite aerogel exhibits notable benefits, such as high adsorption capacity, marvelous sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and easy operation, which was considered to be a promising adsorbent for the wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycomb group (PcG) proteins are critical chromatin regulators for cell fate control. The mono‐ubiquitylation on histone H2AK119 (H2AK119ub1) is one of the well‐recognized mechanisms for Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1)‐mediated transcription repression. Unexpectedly, the specific H2AK119 deubiquitylation complex composed by additional sex comb‐like proteins and BAP1 has also been genetically characterized as Polycomb repressive deubiquitnase (PR‐DUB) for unclear reasons. However, it remains a mystery whether and how PR‐DUB deficiency affects chromatin states and cell fates through impaired PcG silencing. Here through a careful epigenomic analysis, we demonstrate that a bulk of H2AK119ub1 is diffusely distributed away from promoter regions and their enrichment is positively correlated with PRC1 occupancy. Upon deletion of Asxl2 in mouse embryonic stem cells (ESCs), a pervasive gain of H2AK119ub1 is coincident with increased PRC1 sampling at chromatin. Accordingly, PRC1 is significantly lost from a subset of highly occupied promoters, leading to impaired silencing of associated genes before and after lineage differentiation of Asxl2‐null ESCs. Therefore, our study highlights the importance of genomewide H2AK119ub1 restriction by PR‐DUB in safeguarding robust PRC1 deposition and its roles in developmental regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent retention capacity (SRC) is an important tool for assessing wheat quality by estimating the biochemical characteristics of flour components. Although it has been widely used in wheat breeding programs, its genetic architecture is still poorly understood. Hence, the objective of this study was to find quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with four SRC traits, namely sucrose SRC, sodium carbonate SRC, water SRC and lactic acid SRC, in a recombinant inbred line population consisting of 173 lines descended from Shannong 01–35/Gaocheng 9411 and an association panel of 205 wheat varieties. The 90K single nucleotide polymorphism array was used to genotype both populations. SRC was primarily influenced by genotype, with broad‐sense heritability (H2) ranging from 59.72% to 80.76%. Linkage mapping revealed seven major QTLs on chromosomes 1B, 4B, 5B, and 6B. Among them, QSc1B.6‐27 was repeatedly identified in two different environments, with a 14.7% phenotypic variance explained value. Additionally, 24 significant QTLs, consisting of 57 marker‐trait associations, were identified using association mapping across four environments. Nineteen of them explained more than 10.0% of the phenotypic variance, with QSU6A.141 explaining the most (20.1%). Two common chromosomal regions were discovered when combining the two mapping populations. These regions were located between IACX5803 and BS00067000_51 on chromosome 1B and between IACX557 and CAP11_c3631_75 on chromosome 4B, respectively. In addition, four candidate genes associated with wheat SRC were identified. These findings shed light on the complex genetic mechanisms underlying wheat SRC and may help to genetically enhance wheat quality. Core Ideas: Two common genomic regions responsible for wheat solvent retention capacity (SRC) were identified in both linkage and association mapping.For wheat SRC, several new loci were found by combined quantitative trait locus mapping and genome‐wide association study.Four candidate genes may be related to solvent retention capacity were searched. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The great majority of microorganisms are as-yet-uncultivated, mostly found in extreme environments. High-throughput sequencing provides data-rich genomes from single-cell and metagenomic techniques, which has enabled researchers to obtain a glimpse of the unexpected genetic diversity of "microbial dark matter." However, cultivating microorganisms from extreme environments remains essential for dissecting and utilizing the functions of extremophiles. Here, we provide a straightforward protocol for efficiently isolating prokaryotic microorganisms from different extreme habitats (thermal, xeric, saline, alkaline, acidic, and cryogenic environments), which was established through previous successful work and our long-term experience in extremophile resource mining. We propose common processes for extremophile isolation at first and then summarize multiple cultivation strategies for recovering prokaryotic microorganisms from extreme environments and meanwhile provide specific isolation tips that are always overlooked but important. Furthermore, we propose the use of multi-omics-guided microbial cultivation approaches for culturing these as-yet-uncultivated microorganisms and two examples are provided to introduce how these approaches work. In summary, the protocol allows researchers to significantly improve the isolation efficiency of pure cultures and novel taxa, which therefore paves the way for the protection and utilization of microbial resources from extreme environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Comprehensive Summary: Bioinspired membranes are advantageous in capturing the osmotic energy. However, the conventional hybrid membranes possess low harvesting power density due to their low interfacial ionic transport efficiency and high internal resistance. Herein, a new kind of hybrid membranes consisting of porous polymer and flexible organic frameworks was developed. The 3D porous framework enables ions to flux with high efficiency at the polymer‐framework interface, resulting in high osmotic energy harvesting efficiency. By systematically screening the pore size of the frameworks, the output power density as high as 5.7 W/m2 was achieved under 50‐fold KCl salinity gradient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pedunculopontine nucleus (PPN) is a small brainstem structure and has attracted attention as a potentially effective deep brain stimulation (DBS) target for the treatment of Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the in vivo location of PPN remains poorly described and barely visible on conventional structural magnetic resonance (MR) images due to a lack of high spatial resolution and tissue contrast. This study aims to delineate the PPN on a high-resolution (HR) atlas and investigate the visibility of the PPN in individual quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) images. We combine a recently constructed Montreal Neurological Institute (MNI) space unbiased QSM atlas (MuSus-100), with an implicit representation-based self-supervised image super-resolution (SR) technique to achieve an atlas with improved spatial resolution. Then guided by a myelin staining histology human brain atlas, we localize and delineate PPN on the atlas with improved resolution. Furthermore, we examine the feasibility of directly identifying the approximate PPN location on the 3.0-T individual QSM MR images. The proposed SR network produces atlas images with four times the higher spatial resolution (from 1 to 0.25 mm isotropic) without a training dataset. The SR process also reduces artifacts and keeps superb image contrast for further delineating small deep brain nuclei, such as PPN. Using the myelin staining histological atlas as guidance, we first identify and annotate the location of PPN on the T1-weighted (T1w)-QSM hybrid MR atlas with improved resolution in the MNI space. Then, we relocate and validate that the optimal targeting site for PPN-DBS is at the middle-to-caudal part of PPN on our atlas. Furthermore, we confirm that the PPN region can be identified in a set of individual QSM images of 10 patients with PD and 10 healthy young adults. The contrast ratios of the PPN to its adjacent structure, namely the medial lemniscus, on images of different modalities indicate that QSM substantially improves the visibility of the PPN both in the atlas and individual images. Our findings indicate that the proposed SR network is an efficient tool for small-size brain nucleus identification. HR QSM is promising for improving the visibility of the PPN. The PPN can be directly identified on the individual QSM images acquired at the 3.0-T MR scanners, facilitating a direct targeting of PPN for DBS surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To characterize alpha-fetoprotein (AFP)-producing gastric cancer (AFPGC) at the single-cell level and to identify regulatory factors for AFP expression and malignancy. Methods: ScRNA-seq was performed on two tumors collected from patients with AFPGC. InferCNV and sub-clustering were applied to identify typical AFPGC cells, followed by AddModuleScore, pathway enrichment, Pseudo-time, and Scenic analyses. Data from a gastric cancer (GC) cohort were collected for conjoint analysis. The analytical results were verified by cell experiments and immunohistochemistry. Results: AFPGC cells are similar to hepatocytes in transcriptome and transcriptional regulation, with kinetic malignancy-related pathways, compared to the common malignant epithelium. In addition, compared to common GC cells, malignancy-related pathways, such as epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and angiogenesis, were upregulated in AFPGC. Mechanistically, Dickkopf-1 (DKK1) was found to be associated with AFP expression and malignant phenotype upon combining our scRNA-seq data with a public database, which was further verified by a series of in vitro experiments and immunohistochemistry. Conclusion: We demonstrated the single-cell characteristics of AFPGC and that DKK1 facilitates AFP expression and malignancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Flos Sophorae Immaturus (FSI) is rich in polyphenols and a potential uric acid-lowering food. However, the processing of FSI is greatly restricted due to the heat sensitivity and low solubility of polyphenols. In this study, hydrothermal treatment - an effective strategy - was applied to FSI processing. The variation of xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitory effect and polyphenol composition of FSI during hydrothermal treatment were recorded. RESULTS: The XO inhibition rate of FSI increased from 32.42% to 89.00% after hydrothermal treatment at 220 °C for 30 min, as well as total polyphenols (from 0.66 to 1.11 mg mL-1) and flavonoids (from 1.21 to 1.58 mg mL-1). However, high thermal temperature (>160 °C) and extended thermal time (>90 min) caused the degradation of polyphenols. Rutin, kaempferol-3-Orutinoside and narcissoside rapidly degraded and converted to quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin when the temperature exceeded 160 °C. The maximum yields of quercetin, kaempferol and isorhamnetin were at 220 °C for 30 min, 90 min and 90 min, respectively. Meanwhile, the conversion kinetics conformed to the first-order model. Interestingly, these newly formed polyphenols possessed better XO inhibitory effects than their derivatives with 3-O-rutinoside. CONCLUSION: Polyphenol conversion during hydrothermal treatment was the main reason for enhancing XO inhibitory activity. Therefore, hydrothermal treatment is an appropriate method for improving the XO inhibitory effect of FSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoralen and isopsoralen are the pharmacologically important but hepatotoxic components in Psoraleae Fructus. The purpose of this study was to reveal the underlying mechanism of psoralen/isopsoralen-induced hepatotoxicity. Initially, we applied integrated analyses of transcriptomic and metabolomic profiles in mice treated with psoralen and isopsoralen, highlighting the xenobiotic metabolism by cytochromes P450 as a potential pathway. Then, with verifications of expression levels by qRT-PCR and western blot, affinities by molecular docking, and metabolic contributions by recombinant human CYP450 and mouse liver microsomes, CYP1A2 was screened out as the key metabolic enzyme. Afterwards, CYP1A2 induction and inhibition models in HepG2 cells and mice were established to verify the role of CYP1A2, demonstrating that induction of CYP1A2 aggravated the hepatotoxicity, and conversely inhibition alleviated the hepatotoxic effects. Additionally, we detected glutathione adducts with reactive intermediates of psoralen and isopsoralen generated by CYP1A2 metabolism in biosystems of recombinant human CYP1A2 and mouse liver microsomes, CYP1A2-overexpressed HepG2 cells, mice livers and the chemical reaction system using UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS. Ultimately, the high-content screening presented the cellular oxidative stress and relevant hepatotoxicity due to glutathione depletion by reactive intermediates. In brief, our findings illustrated that CYP1A2-mediated metabolic activation is responsible for the psoralen/isopsoralen-induced hepatotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of hepatic malignancies with high mortality and poor prognosis. Baicalein, one of the major and bioactive flavonoids isolated from Scutellaria baicalensis Georgi, which is reported to have antiproliferation effect in varying cancers, including HCC, whose underlying molecular mechanism is still largely unknown. In this study, we found that baicalein significantly inhibited proliferation and colony formation, blocked cell cycle, and promoted apoptosis in HCC cells MHCC-97H and SMMC-7721 in vitro and reduced tumor volume and weight in vivo. Increased microRNA (miR)-3,178 levels and decreased histone deacetylase 10 (HDAC10) expression were found in cells treated with baicalein and in patients' HCC tissues. HDAC10 was identified as a target gene of miR-3,178 by luciferase activity and western blot. Both baicalein treatment and overexpression of miR-3,178 could downregulate HDAC10 protein expression and inactivated AKT, MDM2/p53/Bcl2/Bax and FoxO3α/p27/CDK2/Cyclin E1 signal pathways. Not only that, knockdown of miR-3,178 could partly abolish the effects of baicalein and the restoration of HDAC10 could abated miR-3,178-mediated role in HCC cells. Collectively, baicalein inhibits cell viability, blocks cell cycle, and induces apoptosis in HCC cells by regulating the miR-3,178/HDAC10 pathway. This finding indicated that baicalein might be promising for treatment of HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reverse design of a tunable terahertz metasurface antenna is proposed based on the deep neural network (DNN). To obtain the tunable properties of the terahertz antenna, the phase‐changed material vanadium dioxide (VO2) is introduced by controlling the voltage without changing the structures of the metasurface antenna. To improve the efficiency and accuracy of the terahertz antenna, the DNN is used to establish the relationship of amplitude and phase for the antenna unit. The prediction errors are below 10%. The radiation direction of the antenna can be changed from 0° to 52° by the VO2 with different states. The prediction error of angle is only 1° difference from the theoretical calculation. This reverse design method can be extended to other metasurface devices with improved efficiency and accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Nucleopolyhedrovirus (NPV), one of the baculoviruses, is a promising biopesticide for pest control. Lepidopteran account for 70% of pests, therefore investigation on highly conserved genes associated with viral infections in the lepidopteran model, the silkworm, will serve as a valuable reference for improving the effectiveness of pest management. BmE74A is a member of the erythroblast transformation‐specific (ETS) family of transcription factors in Bombyx mori, which we previously found to be highly conserved and closely associated with BmNPV. This study aimed to elucidate the role of BmE74A in viral infection. RESULTS: A significantly high expression of BmE74A in eggs indicated its important role in embryonic development, as did relatively high expressions in the hemolymph and midgut. Significant differences in BmE74A expression in different resistant strains after BmNPV infection suggested its involvement as a response to viral infection. Moreover, RNA interference (RNAi) and overexpression experiments confirmed the important role of BmE74A in promoting viral infection. BmNPV infection was significantly suppressed and enhanced by BmE74A knockdown and overexpression, respectively. Besides, BmE74A was found to regulate the expression of BmMdm2 and Bmp53. Furthermore, the binding of ETS, the functional domain of BmE74A, to occlusion‐derived virus proteins was confirmed by far‐western blotting, and four viral proteins that may interact with ETS proteins were identified by mass spectrometry. Similarly, a homolog of BmE74A in Spodoptera litura was also found to be involved in larval susceptibility to BmNPV. CONCLUSION: BmE74A promotes BmNPV proliferation by directly interacting with the virus, which may be related to the suppression of the p53 pathway. © 2022 Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Construction of an anti‐biofouling coating on the surface has been proven to be an effective way to guarantee long‐last anti‐biofouling performance. However, amounts of heavy metal ions will be released, causing irreversible damage to the marine environment. In this work, a series of active components are extracted and isolated from Zanthoxylum bungeanum (Z. bungeanum), and their anti‐biofouling characteristic and non‐toxic to organisms are demonstrated with anti‐barnacle larvae experiments and anti‐algae tests. Furthermore, a novel resin contained with triclosan is prepared, and different self‐polishing coatings are obtained by combining the pulverized materials of the Z. bungeanum fruit/seeds/leaves with the resin. The surface morphology, mechanical properties and anti‐biofouling performance of the coatings are shown that incorporating the triclosan into self‐polishing acrylic resin can improve broad‐spectrum anti‐biofouling properties, the algae adhesion densities (Amphora sp. and Porphyridium sp.) on the resin are almost to zero. According to the results of surface wettability, water resistance and anti‐biofouling properties tests, it can be concluded that the coating with pulverized Z. bungeanum seeds (CWS) has a hydrophobic surface, it can continuously release antifoulant under seawater, exhibiting excellent anti‐biofouling performances. This work therefore suggests Z. bungeanum can be used as a potential agent for developing environmentally friendly antifouling coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Endogenous dynorphin signaling via kappa opioid receptors (KORs) plays a key role in producing the depressive and aversive consequences of stress. We investigated the behavioral effects of the dynorphin/KOR system in the ventral pallidum (VP) and studied the underlying mechanisms. Methods: To investigate the effects of dynorphin on the VP, we conducted behavioral experiments after microinjection of drugs or shRNA and brain‐slice electrophysiological recordings. Histological tracing and molecular biological experiments were used to identify the distribution of KORs and the possible sources of dynorphin projections to the VP. Results: An elevated dynorphin concentration and increased KOR activity were observed in the VP after acute stress. Infusion of dynorphin‐A into the VP produced depressive‐like phenotypes including anhedonia and despair and anxiety behaviors, but did not alter locomotor behavior. Mechanistically, dynorphin had an inhibitory effect on VP neurons—reducing their firing rate and inhibiting excitatory transmission—through direct activation of KORs and modulation of downstream G‐protein‐gated inwardly rectifying potassium (GIRK) channels and high‐voltage gated calcium channels (VGCCs). Tracing revealed direct innervation of VP neurons by dynorphin‐positive projections; potential sources of these dynorphinergic projections include the nucleus accumbens, amygdala, and hypothalamus. Blockade of dynorphin/KOR signaling in the VP by drugs or viral knock‐down of KORs significantly reduced despair behavior in rats. Conclusions: Endogenous dynorphinergic modulation of the VP plays a critical role in mediating depressive reactions to stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The classic CUSUM chart assumes that the in-control (IC) mean and variance are known. In practice, these parameters are usually estimated from an IC Phase I sample. Recently, Capizzi andMasarotto proposed a cautious parameter learning scheme to incorporate Phase II IC observations in the estimation of the IC mean and variance to reduce the variation of conditional average run lengths (ARLs). In this paper,we develop a new cautious parameter learning scheme that can distinguish IC observations from out-of-control (OC) observations in the Phase II sample more effectively than Capizzi and Masarotto’s scheme. As a result, our cautious parameter learning scheme can provide better estimation of the IC mean and variance. Combining the new cautious parameter learning scheme with an adaptive CUSUM chart, our proposed monitoring procedure is easy to implement, and is shown to have less variability in conditional ARLs and better overall performance for detecting different mean shifts than existing methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of entecavir(ETV) versus ETV maleate in Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis B(CHB). This was a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, controlled, multicentre study. Patients were randomly assigned to receive 48 weeks of treatment with 0.5 mg/day ETV (group A) or 0.5 mg/day ETV maleate (group B), then, all patients received treatment with 0.5 mg/day ETV maleate from week 49 onwards. Patients were regularly followed up. Serum hepatitis B virus (HBV) markers were detected. Adverse events (AE) were recorded. The primary endpoint was the decline in HBV DNA in each group at the end of treatment. Secondary endpoints included the rate of HBV DNA below the lower limit of detection (LLOD) (20 I U/ml) at the end of treatment, the rate of hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) loss, the rate of HBeAg seroconversion and serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT) normalization. One hundred and thirty-seven (71 in group A) patients with HBeAg-positive CHB and 46 (21 in group A) patients with HBeAg-negative CHB completed the 240-week treatment and follow-up. Baseline characteristics were well balanced between the two groups. For the HBeAg-positive CHB patients, the mean HBV DNA level had similarly decreased from baseline in both groups (A: by 6.67 log10 IU/ ml vs. B: by 6.74 log10 IU/ml; p > .05) at Week 240. Patients who achieved undetectable levels of serum HBV DNA (<20 IU/ml) at Week 240 were similar between groups (A:91.55% vs. B:87.88%; p > .05). Both groups achieved similar HBeAg seroconversion rates at week 240 (A:26.98% vs. B:20.97%; p > .05). Both groups achieved similar normalization of ALT (A:87.32% vs. B:83.61%; p > .05) at Week 240 (p > .05). For the HBeAg-negative CHB patients, the mean HBV DNA level had similarly decreased from baseline in both groups (A: by 6.05 log10 IU/ml vs. B: by 6.10 log10 IU/ml; p > .05) at Week 240. Patients who achieved undetectable levels of serum HBV DNA at Week 240 were similar between groups (A:100% vs. B:100%). Both groups achieved similar normalization rates (A:90.91% vs. B: 95.45%; p > .05) of ALT at Week 240 (p > .05). In conclusion, long- term ETV maleate treatment was safe and efficient in Chinese CHB predominantly of genotype B or C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To date, little is known about the past evolutionary trajectories of rare and endangered orchids native to mainland China, Japan, and Korea (the CJK region). In this study, we focus on two endangered orchids, Cypripedium japonicum (present in the three countries) and C. formosanum (endemic to Taiwan), to understand the divergence/speciation models that would have been operating in this group, including genetic diversity, geographic structure, and colonization pathways across the region. Using a combination of five cpDNA regions, we reconstructed phylogenetic trees and investigated the genetic diversity/structure of 20 populations. Ecological niche modeling was used to gain insight into the paleodistribution and dispersal corridors at the Last Glacial Maximum and to survey climatic niche differences. Populations from mainland China + Korea, Japan, and Taiwan formed three distinct monophyletic lineages and were placed into separate genetic clusters, agreeing with geographic barriers and species boundaries. Populations of C. japonicum in mainland China harbored the highest diversity, suggesting the presence of multiple glacial refugia. The Korean populations would have originated from either western/central or eastern China, probably using a dispersal corridor across the East China Sea shelf. The divergence of C. formosanum is proposed under an allopatric speciation model, also highly influenced by a climate niche shift. In the context of previous studies, a deep divergence in cpDNA sequences between Chinese + Korean and Japanese populations of C. japonicum may be taken as an example of the speciation events of the CJK flora since the late Neogene that have led to its current species richness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND Probiotics exhibit antibiotic properties and are capable of treating certain bacterial infections, including diarrhea. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with multispecies probiotic (MSP) on diarrhea, average daily gain (ADG) and intestinal development of neonatal calves challenged with Escherichia coli K99. RESULTS: Thirty‐six neonatal Holstein calves were randomly assigned to three treatment groups. After E. coli K99 challenge, calves in the control (C) and MSP treatment groups had significantly higher ADG and feed efficiency, and significantly lower fecal scores than those of calves in the diarrhea (D) group. The mean time of diarrhea resolution was 4.5 and 3.1 days for calves in the D and MSP treatment groups, respectively. Furthermore, the structures of the various segments (duodenum, jejunum and ileum) of the small intestine of the calves, activities of several small intestinal enzymes, and expression of several energy metabolism‐related genes in the small intestine segments were significantly affected by MSP treatments. CONCLUSION: Dietary supplementation of MSP had a positive effect in treating calf diarrhea; it improved ADG and feed efficiency and promoted development of the small intestine. © 2022 The Authors. Journal of The Science of Food and Agriculture published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of Society of Chemical Industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tellurium (Te) recently attracts much attention owing to its peculiar band structure arousing high‐efficiency thermoelectricity and layered crystal structure suitable for band engineering. Herein, the temperature evolution of band structure and lattice vibration in Te single crystal are studied by mid‐and‐far infrared transmission (7500–370 and 680–30 cm−1) and Raman spectra measurements. Mid‐infrared absorption spectra confirm Te is a narrow indirect gap semiconductor, in which the direct (indirect) bandgap is about 0.333 (0.325) eV, the two upper valence bands (H4 and H5) and the third valence band (H6) being about 0.333, 0.42, and 0.76 eV, respectively, below the conduction‐band minima at 5 K. Meanwhile, the direct and indirect gaps of Te reveal non‐monotonic variation from 5 to 290 K due to the competition between electron–phonon interaction and lattice thermal expansion, which is well described by the modified Manoogian–Leclerc model. Moreover, the temperature evolution of Raman and far‐infrared transmission spectra proves there are two kinds of phonons in Te, which originates from the different thermal expansion of Te atoms along parallel and vertical directions of spiral chain. Thus, the anisotropic thermal expansion in Te is indicated and a reference for studying thermoelectricity of Te‐based optoelectronic devices is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption and purification of biological molecules with pharmacological functions over advanced adsorption materials are always a concern. In this work, manganese oxide octahedral molecular sieve (OMS‐2)‐modified ZrO2 nanocomposites (ZrO2‐OMS‐2) were fabricated and their adsorption performance towards rutin from aqueous solution was investigated. As‐obtained nanocomposites were fully characterized by N2 adsorption/desorption isothermal, ICP‐AES, XRD, SEM and TEM, which indicates that OMS‐2‐modification significantly promoted the textural properties of the nanocomposites. 10 mol% Mn amount for ZrO2‐OMS‐2 showed the optimal adsorption capacity for rutin due to the enhanced specific surface aera (104 m2/g) and better ZrO2 dispersion. The adsorption rate of 85 % was realized over 10 mg of the optimal adsorbent and the desorption rate could reach nearly 100 % in 0.2 % TFA/methanol solution. Moreover, the adsorbent could be reused for at least 3 times. The adsorption behavior was fitted the pseudo‐second‐order model and Freundlich model. Kinetic and thermodynamic studies suggested that an endothermic chemosorption from Lewis acid‐base paring on the surface of ZrO2‐OMS‐2 was responsible for the good adsorption. This work shows the positive effect of manganese oxide‐modification for ZrO2 during adsorption process and the potential of ZrO2‐based nanocomposites being adsorbents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Primary liver cancer, mainly comprising hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), remains a major global health problem. Although ICC is clinically different from HCC, their molecular differences are still largely unclear. In this study, precision N-glycoproteomic analysis was performed on both ICC and HCC tumors as well as paracancer tissues to investigate their aberrant site-specific N-glycosylation. By using our newly developed glycoproteomic methods and novel algorithm, termed 'StrucGP', a total of 486 N-glycan structures attached on 1235 glycosites were identified from 894 glycoproteins in ICC and HCC tumors. Notably, glycans with uncommon LacdiNAc (Gal-NAcß1-4GlcNAc) structures were distinguished from their isomeric glycans. In addition to several bi-antennary and/or bisecting glycans that were commonly elevated in ICC and HCC, a number of LacdiNAc-containing, tri-antennary, and core-fucosylated glycans were uniquely increased in ICC. More interestingly, almost all LacdiNAc-containing N-glycopeptides were enhanced in ICC tumor but not in HCC tumor, and this phenomenon was further confirmed by lectin histochemistry and the high expression of ß1-4 GalNAc transferases in ICC at both mRNA and protein expression levels. The novel N-glycan alterations uniquely detected in ICC provide a valuable resource for future studies regarding to the discovery of ICC diagnostic biomarkers, therapeutic targets, and mechanism investigations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Of note, HNF1A and HNF1B are associated with Fanconi syndrome and kidney cystic diseases in humans.4,5 Gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) of Hnf4 target genes (Table S3) corroborated the motif enrichment analysis, as it suggested that Hnf4 target genes were upregulated in PG rats (Figure 3E). The PG rat tubules were dilated compared to WT, thus accounting for the discrepant diameters of the tubules between the WT and PG rats. No histological kidney abnormalities were noted in WT and PS rats, while the PG rats had minimal to moderate histological changes (n = 3 for WT and PS rats, n = 6 for PG rats). Dear editor, We identified angiomotin ( I AMOT i ) as a novel candidate gene for X-linked recessive nephropathy associated with glomerular disease, tubulopathy and progressive kidney cystic disease. [Extracted from the article]

Comprehensive Summary: The investigation on the relationship between structure and transport activity of artificial transmembrane channels has still remained a challenge because of lacking strategy to precisely arrange the functional group in the channel structures. Herein, we report a general strategy to monitor ion transport through the artificial channels by using unimolecular tubular molecules containing introverted groups. We found that the ion transport rate decreased with elongation of the introverted sidechains and the channel with propyl group as the introverted sidechain exhibited the longest opening duration time. Moreover, we have revealed that, comparing to the ion transport rate, the opening duration is a more important factor for determining the transport activity of the artificial channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of forkhead box protein P3 (FOXP3) intron single nucleotide variants (SNVs) in high‐risk human papilloma virus (HR‐HPV) infection and cervical cancer (CC) malignant lesions. We performed FOXP3 genotyping in 350 patients with CC and 350 healthy controls using the ImLDR multiple single nucleotide polymorphism genotyping technology. The heterozygous mutation TC in rs2294021 decreased the risk of HR‐HPV infection and CC malignant lesions (TC vs. TT: OR = 0.71, 95% CI = 0.51–0.99); the dominant model TC+CC and allele C in rs2294021 decreased the risk of CC malignant lesions (TC+CC vs. TT: OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.50–0.95; C vs. T: OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.63–0.97). The heterozygous mutation GA, dominant model GA+AA and allele A in rs3761549 also decreased the risk of HR‐HPV infection and CC malignant lesions (GA vs. GG: OR = 0.70, 95% CI = 0.51–0.96; GA+AA vs. GG: OR = 0.69, 95% CI = 0.51–0.94; A vs. G: OR = 0.75, 95% CI = 0.58–0.96). Patients with CC and HR‐HPV infection carrying rs2294021 TC and rs3761549 GA had lower expression of FOXP3 protein. Haplotype analysis revealed that T‐C‐A decreased the risk of HR‐HPV infection. Furthermore, we found a significant association between immune cells infiltration and prognosis in patients with CC. Our findings demonstrated that rs2294021 and rs3761549 variants may protect against HR‐HPV and CC malignant lesions by downregulating FOXP3 and that FOXP3 was associated with immune cells infiltration, which affected the prognosis of CC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multinational studies have reported monogenic etiologies in 25%–30% of children with steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome. Such large studies are lacking in Asia. We established Deciphering Diversities: Renal Asian Genetics Network (DRAGoN) and aimed to describe the genetic and clinical spectrums in Asians. We prospectively studied a cohort of 183 probands with suspected genetic glomerulopathies from South and Southeast Asia, of whom 17% had positive family history. Using multi-gene panel sequencing, we detected pathogenic variants in 26 (14%) probands, of whom one-third had COL4A4 or COL4A5 variants (n = 9, 5%). Of those with COL4A5 defects, only 25% had features suggestive of Alport syndrome. Besides traditional predictors for genetic disease (positive family history and extrarenal malformations), we identified novel predictors, namely older age (6.2 vs. 2.4 years; p = 0.001), hematuria (OR 5.6; 95% CI 2.1–14.8; p < 0.001), and proteinuria in the absence of nephrotic syndrome (OR 4.6; 95% CI 1.8–11.8; p = 0.001) at first manifestation. Among patients who first presented with proteinuria without nephrotic syndrome, the genetic diagnostic rates were >60% when a second risk factor (positive family history or extrarenal manifestation) co-existed. The genetic spectrum of glomerulopathies appears different in Asia. Collagen IV genes may be included in sequencing panels even when suggestive clinical features are absent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]