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The nasopharynx is the initial site of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection, and neutrophils play a critical role in preventing viral transmission into the lower airways or lungs during the early phases of infection. However, neutrophil dynamics, functional signatures, and predictive roles in the nasopharynx of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) patients have not yet been elucidated. In this study, we carried out RNA sequencing of nasopharyngeal swabs from a cohort of COVID‐19 patients with mild, moderate, severe outcomes and healthy donors as controls. Over 32.7% of the differentially expressed genes associated with COVID‐19 severity were neutrophil‐related, including those involved in migration, neutrophil extracellular traps formation, and inflammasome activation. Multicohort single‐cell RNA sequencing analysis further confirmed these findings and identified a population of neutrophils expressing Vacuolar‐type ATPase (V‐ATPase) and the chemokine receptor CXCR4 in the nasopharynx. This population of neutrophils preferentially expressed pro‐inflammatory genes relevant to phagosomal maturation as well as local reactive oxygen species and reactive nitrogen species production in the nasopharynx of patients with severe outcomes. A four‐gene panel defined as a neutrophil signature associated with COVID‐19 progression (NSAP) was identified as an early diagnostic predictor of severe COVID‐19, which potentially distinguished severe patients from mild cases with influenza, respiratory syncytial virus, dengue virus, or hepatitis B virus infection. NSAP is mainly expressed on CXCR4high neutrophils and exhibits a significant association with the cell fraction of this neutrophil population. This study highlights novel potential therapeutic targets or diagnostic tools for predicting patients at a higher risk of severe outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dear Editor, Colorectal cancer (CRC) is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers and cancer-related causes of death worldwide.[1] Early diagnosis is critical to provide curable treatment and improving survival rates for CRC patients.[2] Circulating-free DNA (cfDNA) carrying cancer-specific methylation signature is a promising specific marker for cancer diagnosis.[3] However, previous studies were based either on high-throughput sequencing or did not consider the specificity of the methylation pattern for different cancers. Pan-cancer analysis of genome-wide methylation profiling discover type-specific markers targeting circulating free DNA for the detection of colorectal cancer Furthermore, the methylation status of selected CRC-specific markers was evaluated by MethylTarget sequencing (Genesky) in CRC tissue ( I N i = 227), adjacent normal tissue ( I N i = 24), WBC ( I N i = 52) and cfDNA ( I N i = 14) samples from CRC patients and healthy controls. [Extracted from the article]

Subduction and closure of the Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean in the south‐eastern (SE) Tibetan Plateau accounted for the amalgamation of the Indochina Block with the Sibumasu and Yangtze blocks during the Triassic, however, the spatial distribution of the Main Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean and the nature of the Ailaoshan ocean in this region remain controversial. This is partially due to the absence of related magmatic records in the middle‐north segment of the Lancangjiang tectonic belt (LTZ) and consequently, the lack of regional comparison with the Ailaoshan tectonic belt (ATZ). In this contribution, we reported for the first time the presence of subduction‐related Triassic dioritic‐granitic rocks from the Chongshan metamorphic belt (CMB) and the Diancangshan metamorphic belt (DMB) along both sides of the Simao terrane. Zircon U–Pb‐Hf isotopic and whole‐rock geochemical data for these dioritic‐granitic rocks and 135 previously published magmatic rocks in the LTZ, ATZ and the Longmu Co‐Shuanghu suture (LSS) are compared and place important constraints on (1) the spatial distribution of the Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean in this region and (2) the nature of the Ailaoshan Ocean. All these dioritic‐granitic samples from the CMB and DMB yielded Triassic crystallization ages from 225 to 251 Ma, representing late‐stage magmatic records for the Palaeo‐Tethyan evolution in the middle‐north segment of both the LTZ and ATZ in this region. These Triassic dioritic‐granitic rocks in the CMB and DMB share similar geochemical features. Dioritic samples display positive εHf(t) values and relatively high MgO, Cr, Ni contents, moderately differentiated rare earth element (REE) patterns and depletion in Nb‐Ta‐Ti, suggesting their generation from partial melts of metasomatized mantle wedge. Granitic rocks are mostly S‐type with low MgO contents but high K2O/Na2O and A/CNK ratios, mainly generated by regional clastic rocks dominant by juvenile contributions, except for granodiorite samples CS1601 and DC1734‐2, exhibiting identical geological features subduction‐derived hybridized magma from regional clastic sediments and basalts. Our discovery of the Triassic dioritic‐granitic rocks in the CMB stands as the first direct evidence for the Main Palaeo‐Tethyan evolution in the middle‐north segment of the LTZ. This discovery bridges 135 contemporaneous reported magmatic records and supports the spatial distribution of the Main Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean from the LTZ to the LSS. Our Triassic dioritic‐granitic rocks in the CMB and DMB recorded comparable late‐stage evolution involving slab break‐off of the Main Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean and the Ailaoshan Ocean, respectively. Together with previous studies, the Ailaoshan ocean should be a wide oceanic Basin that shares similar time span and evolution processes as the Main Palaeo‐Tethyan ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Lymph node metastasis risk stratification is crucial for the surgical decision‐making of thyroid cancer. This study investigated whether the integrated gene profiling (combining expression, SNV, fusion) of Fine‐Needle Aspiration (FNA) samples can improve the prediction of lymph node metastasis in patients with papillary thyroid cancer. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, patients with papillary thyroid cancer who went through thyroidectomy and central lymph node dissection were included. Multi‐omics data of FNA samples were assessed by an integrated array. To predict lymph node metastasis, we built models using gene expressions or mutations (SNV and fusion) only and an Integrated Risk Stratification (IRS) model combining genetic and clinical information. Blinded histopathology served as the reference standard. ROC curve and decision curve analysis was applied to evaluate the predictive models. Results: One hundred and thirty two patients with pathologically confirmed papillary thyroid cancer were included between 2016–2017. The IRS model demonstrated greater performance [AUC = 0.87 (0.80–0.94)] than either expression classifier [AUC = 0.67 (0.61–0.74)], mutation classifier [AUC = 0.61 (0.55–0.67)] or TIRADS score [AUC = 0.68 (0.62–0.74)] with statistical significance (p < 0.001), and the IRS model had similar predictive performance in large nodule [>1 cm, AUC = 0.88 (0.79–0.97)] and small nodule [≤1 cm, AUC = 0.84 (0.74–0.93)] subgroups. The genetic risk factor showed independent predictive value (OR = 10.3, 95% CI:1.1–105.3) of lymph node metastasis in addition to the preoperative clinical information, including TIRADS grade, age, and nodule size. Conclusion: The integrated gene profiling of FNA samples and the IRS model developed by the machine‐learning method significantly improve the risk stratification of thyroid cancer, thus helping make wise decisions and reducing unnecessary extensive surgeries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The number of human rabies cases caused by pet dogs in Guangzhou has been decreasing after years of comprehensive interventions. Consequently, attacks by stray dogs become a major issue in rabies control. Objectives: To share our experience of successfully dealing with rabies to provide some inspiration for prevention and control in countries and regions affected by it. Methods: A multidisciplinary One Health response was initiated to control this outbreak. Rabies virus was detected by PCR in the brain tissue of the associated stray dog. The sequences were aligned with reference sequences downloaded from GenBank using ClustalX. The maximum likelihood method implemented in MEGA 5.0 software package was used in a phylogenetic analysis of the aligned sequences. Results: Twelve patients with exposure to the stray dog were identified in the field investigation. Rabies vaccines and immunoglobulin were administered to all patients within 48 h. After 1 year of follow‐up, no exposed patients showed symptoms. Maximum likelihood analysis of the nucleotide sequences obtained from the PCR products indicated that the rabies virus in the dog was closely related to isolates from neighbouring provinces of Guangdong as well as those from surrounding countries of China. Conclusions: Multidisciplinary One Health intervention is effective not only in the control of rabies but also in rapid emergency responses to attacks by rabid stray dogs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: As one of the most devastating cancers, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) has a short survival time and poor prognosis. Pescadillo ribosomal biogenesis factor 1 (PES1) plays a critical role in the progression of numerous cancers. However, its role and underlying mechanisms in HNSCC remain unclear. Methods: A variety of bioinformatic approaches were used to identify the expressions, prognostic and diagnostic value of PES1 in HNSCC. qRT‐PCR, immunofluorescence (IF) assay, western blotting and immunohistochemical (IHC) were used to evaluate the expression of PES1 in HNSCC cell lines and clinical tissues. PES1 was knocked down in TU177 and FaDu cells which have high PES1 expression. The effects of PES1 on cell proliferation and tumour growth in HNSCC were elevated by colony formation, CCK8 assays and tumorigenicity assay in nude mice. The effects on cisplatin (CDDP) sensitivity upon silencing of PES1 were assessed using a patient‐derived xenograft (PDX) model. Results: PES1 expression was an independent prognostic factor for HNSCC and negatively associated with the overall survival rate. Silencing of PES1 reduces HNSCC cell proliferation and tumour growth. Moreover, PES1 inhibition significantly sensitises HNSCC cells to cisplatin. Furthermore, we found a PES1 has a high correlation with c‐Myc and plays an essential role in the tumour immune microenvironment. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that PES1 is associated with tumour growth and drug resistance and served as a potential cancer marker for diagnosis and a putative therapeutic target for HNSCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intra‐ and intertumoral heterogeneity of epithelial cells in human papillomavirus (HPV+) cervical adenocarcinoma (CEAD) remains largely unknown. To investigate this issue, we performed single‐cell RNA sequencing on 19 229 epithelial cells sorted from three tumor samples of three patients with HPV+ CEAD. Six epithelial subclusters (Epi1–Epi6) were identified that showed distinct gene expression. Among these, Epi1 and Epi4 had apparent tumor hallmarks and metabolic activities. Epi1 was highly enriched in hallmarks of hypoxia, IL2/STAT5 signaling, retinol metabolism, glycolysis, and arachidonic acid metabolism, while Epi4 was highly enriched in hallmarks of G2M checkpoint, E2F targets, DNA repair, PI3K/AKT/MTOR signaling, glycolysis, fatty acid degradation, TCA cycle, and glutathione metabolism. We also investigated intertumoral epithelial heterogeneity and found that Patient 1 was highly enriched for KRAS signaling and angiogenesis, while Patient 2 was highly enriched for epithelial–mesenchymal transition and TGF‐β signaling, and Patient 3 was highly enriched for hypoxia, DNA repair, G2M checkpoint, and E2F targets. Using single‐cell RNA sequencing, we revealed the intra‐ and intertumoral heterogeneity of epithelial cells in HPV+ CEAD, providing insights into the importance of personalized treatment for patients with HPV+ CEAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the success of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) vaccines, there remains a clear need for new classes of preventatives for respiratory viral infections due to vaccine hesitancy, lack of sterilizing immunity, and for at‐risk patient populations, including the immunocompromised. While many neutralizing antibodies have been identified, and several approved, to treat COVID‐19, systemic delivery, large doses, and high costs have the potential to limit their widespread use, especially in low‐ and middle‐income countries. To use these antibodies more efficiently, an inhalable formulation is developed that allows for the expression of mRNA‐encoded, membrane‐anchored neutralizing antibodies in the lung to mitigate SARS‐CoV‐2 infections. First, the ability of mRNA‐encoded, membrane‐anchored, anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies to prevent infections in vitro is demonstrated. Next, it is demonstrated that nebulizer‐based delivery of these mRNA‐expressed neutralizing antibodies potently abrogates disease in the hamster model. Overall, these results support the use of nebulizer‐based mRNA expression of neutralizing antibodies as a new paradigm for mitigating respiratory virus infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gas exchange between water bodies and air is difficult to measure, thus the approximations of air–water gas exchange coefficient based solely on wind speed has been widely used. However, such approaches may not work well in river environments. In rivers, water currents may govern gas exchange. Thus, a new approximation for calculating the gas exchange coefficient (k) based on the near‐surface velocity scale (us) is suggested and compared to wind‐based estimates. Our velocity scale estimates are based on field observations during summer 2016 on the Yenisei River using an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler, high‐frequency temperature profilers and a vessel‐mounted meteorological sensors‐suite. The results demonstrate that us‐derived gas exchange coefficients are higher than those based solely on wind speed. The results demonstrate that the wind approximation underestimates gas exchange coefficients during low‐wind conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The poor adhesion performance of typical gels still remains a challenge to find a simple method to achieve strong and reversible adhesion with the existence of water. Here, a poly(acryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride‐co‐2‐vinyl‐4‐6‐diamino‐1,3,5‐triazine) (P(DAC‐co‐VDT)) gel with high and adjustable interfacial adhesion is fabricated by combining cation‐triazine π interaction and multiple hydrogen bonding and through a one‐pot route. Characterization of the gels reveals that the two types of interactions are introduced into the gel network and that the gel–gel and gel–glass interfacial adhesion can be readily adjusted in a wide range from 15.98 to 123.60 kPa. This approach enables the creation of high‐strength composites using P(DAC‐co‐VDT) gel as matrix, anionic monomer sodium p‐styrene sulfonate as ion concentration adjustor, and discrete quartz sands as filler with easy and repeated moldability and self‐healing capability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Tenebrio molitor is rich in protein, but its protein has not been fully utilised in the food industry. In the present study, the physicochemical properties and emulsifying ability of Tenebrio molitor protein (TMP, extracted by the alkaline method) were systematically studied. Results showed that the protein content of TMP was up to 91.2% ± 0.5. SEM and three‐phase contact angle (θ) observations showed that TMP was an amphiphilic protein with spherical structure. Then, TMP was used as a natural emulsifier to construct oil‐in‐water emulsion systems (TMPEs). TMP at concentrations of 0.5–2.5% (m/v) could be used to obtain stable emulsions with 50–80% (v/v) oil fraction under high‐speed dispersion. TMPEs had excellent stabilising effects and the ability to become high internal phase emulsions, and exhibited good thermal stability and pH stability. Moreover, TMPEs demonstrated remarkable shear‐thinning characteristics in rheological test. In general, as a new type of emulsion system, TMPEs showed excellent application prospects. The excellent stabilising effect of TMPEs provided a prerequisite for its commercial application and the delivery of fat‐soluble active ingredients, and our research provided relevant reference for its further application in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrathin inorganic nanosheets (e.g., 2D nanomaterials, thin films, etc.) have attracted tremendous research interest because of their unique properties and promising applications. However, because of their ultrathin thickness (<100 nm) and low flexural rigidity, it is difficult to manufacture low‐dimensional structures using these nanosheets. In this work, the observation of an intriguing elasto‐capillary unfolding phenomenon is first reported which occurs on a variety of freestanding inorganic nanosheets floating on a liquid surface. Through theoretical modeling and experiments, it is demonstrated that one can easily unfold, re‐roll, and transport different kinds of nanosheets by tuning the interfacial properties of the liquid. As a result, one can assemble nanosheets on the liquid surface into small structures (e.g., heterogeneous scrolls, optical resonators) and/or transfer them out of the liquid surface onto other surfaces for the manufacturing of flexible devices. The outcome of this research paves the way for nano‐manufacturing of low‐dimensional structures with ultrathin inorganic nanosheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Fifth Assessment Report lists sea‐level rise as one of the major future climate challenges. Based on pre‐industrial and historical‐and‐future climate simulations with the Community Earth System Model, we analyze the projected sea‐level rise in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean with two sets of simulations at different horizontal resolutions. Compared with observations, the low resolution (LR) model simulated Gulf Stream does not separate from the shore but flows northward along the entire coast, causing large biases in regional dynamic sea level (DSL). The high resolution (HR) model improves the Gulf Stream representation and reduces biases in regional DSL. Under the RCP8.5 future climate scenario, LR projects a DSL trend of 1.5–2 mm/yr along the northeast continental shelf (north of 40° N), which is 2–3 times the trend projected by HR. Along the southeast shelf (south of 35° N), HR projects a DSL trend of 0.5–1 mm/yr while the DSL trend in LR is statistically insignificant. The different spatial patterns of DSL changes are attributable to the different Gulf Stream reductions in response to a weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Due to its poor representation of the Gulf Stream, LR projects larger (smaller) current decreases along the north (south) east continental slope compared to HR. This leads to larger (smaller) trends of DSL rise along the north (south) east shelf in LR than in HR. The results of this study suggest that the better resolved ocean circulations in HR can have significant impacts on regional DSL simulations and projections. Plain Language Summary: Projecting future sea‐level rise has great socioeconomic value. Based on long‐term global high‐resolution Community Earth System Model simulations, we analyze future sea‐level rise in the Northwest Atlantic Ocean. Two identical sets of simulations were conducted with different horizontal resolutions. Comparisons between the two sets of simulations show different sea‐level rise projections along the US east continental shelf between the low‐resolution (LR) and high‐resolution (HR) models. At the northeast shelf, HR projects a sea‐level rise of 0.8 mm/yr, less than half of the trend (1.7 mm/yr) projected by LR. At the southeast shelf, HR projects a sea‐level rise of 0.6 mm/yr, while the trend in LR is statistically insignificant at only 0.15 mm/yr. We attribute the different sea‐level rise projections to the different ocean circulations simulated in LR and HR. Under global warming, LR projects a decrease in Gulf Stream flow along the entire east continental slope, while the decrease in Gulf Stream strength is confined to the southeast continental slope in HR. This study provides an explanation for the discrepancy in regional sea‐level rise projections between low‐ and high‐resolution climate models and thus improves our understanding of projected future sea‐level rise. Key Points: The high resolution (HR) Community Earth System Model reduces biases in dynamic sea level (DSL) and circulation on US east continental shelfCompared to the low resolution model, the HR projects enhanced (reduced) trends of DSL rise along the US south (north) east continental shelfDifferent DSL rise patterns are related to different Gulf Stream reductions under a weakening Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The accurate and robust automatic segmentation of cardiac structures in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is significant in calculating cardiac clinical functional indices, and diagnosing heart diseases. Most U‐Net based methods use pooling, transposed convolution, and skip connection operations to integrate the multiscale features for improved segmentation in cardiac MRI. However, this architecture lacks adequate semantic connection between the channel and spatial information, and robustness in segmenting objects with significant shape variations. In this paper, a new multiscale feature attentive U‐Net for cardiac MRI structural segmentation method is proposed. An attention mechanism is adopted after concatenating the multi‐level features to aggregate different scale features and determine on which features to focus. Cascade and parallel dilated convolution is also employed in the decoder blocks and skip connection is employed to enhance the ability of sensing receptive fields for multiscale context information. Furthermore, deep supervision approach with a loss function that combines the dice and cross‐entropy losses to reduce overfitting and ensure better prediction is introduced. The proposed method was evaluated on three public cardiac datasets. The experimental results indicate that the method achieved competitive segmentation performance with the three datasets, which verifies the robustness and generalisability of the proposed network. In comparison with conventional U‐Net methods, the model leverages attention mechanism and dilated convolution block, which increases the semantic connection between the channel and the spatial information, and improves the robustness of the right ventricle segmentation performance. From the view of the Dice scores and segmentation results, the multiscale feature attentive U‐Net method is one of effective methods in segmenting cardiac MRI structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Rosai–Dorfman disease (RDD) is an uncommon, benign, and idiopathic histiocytic proliferative disorder. Multiple intracranial RDD is extremely rare and treatment varies. Case presentation: A 9‐year‐old girl was admitted with 3‐month history of blurred vision and facial paralysis, a 2‐month history of recurrent giggle, and cognitive impairment. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging scans revealed bilateral ventricular masses based on the dural membrane and the diameters of the masses were 9.1 cm and 9.2 cm, respectively. The lesions were completely removed with staging surgeries. Fifteen months after operation, blurred vision was still present but facial paralysis and giggle and cognitive impairment disappeared. Imaging examinations suggested that there were no new or recurring lesions. Conclusion: For multiple large intracranial masses, surgical treatment is necessary and staged surgery benefits perioperative safety. Active follow‐up with magnetic resonance imaging is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify dosimetric parameters associated with acute hematological toxicity (HT) and identify the corresponding normal tissue complication probability (NTCP) model in cervical cancer patients receiving helical tomotherapy (Tomo) or fixed‐field intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (ff‐IMRT) in combination with chemotherapy, that is, concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) using the Lyman–Kutcher–Burman normal tissue complication probability (LKB‐NTCP) model. Methods: Data were collected from 232 cervical cancer patients who received Tomo or ff‐IMRT from 2015 to 2018. The pelvic bone marrow (PBM) (including the ilium, pubes, ischia, acetabula, proximal femora, and lumbosacral spine) was contoured from the superior boundary (usually the lumbar 5 vertebra) of the planning target volume (PTV) to the proximal end of the femoral head (the lower edge of the ischial tubercle). The parameters of the LKB model predicting ≥grade 2 hematological toxicity (Radiation Therapy Oncology Group [RTOG] grading criteria) (TD50(1), m, and n) were determined using maximum likelihood analyses. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify correlations between dose–volume parameters and the clinical factors of HT. Results: In total, 212 (91.37%) patients experienced ≥grade 2 hematological toxicity. The fitted normal tissue complication probability model parameters were TD50(1) = 38.90 Gy (95%CI, [36.94, 40.96]), m = 0.13 (95%CI [0.12, 0.16]), and n = 0.04 (95%CI [0.02, 0.05]). Per the univariate analysis, the NTCP (the use of LKB‐NTCP with the set of model parameters found, p = 0.023), maximal PBM dose (p = 0.01), mean PBM dose (p = 0.021), radiation dose (p = 0.001), and V16–53 (p < 0. 05) were associated with ≥grade 2 HT. The NTCP (the use of LKB‐NTCP with the set of model parameters found, p = 0.023; AUC = 0.87), V16,V17, and V18 ≥ 79.65%, 75.68%, and 72.65%, respectively (p < 0.01, AUC = 0.66∼0.68), V35 and V36 ≥ 30.35% and 28.56%, respectively (p < 0.05; AUC = 0.71), and V47 ≥ 13.43% (p = 0.045; AUC = 0.80) were significant predictors of ≥grade 2 hematological toxicity from the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Conclusions: The volume of the PBM of patients treated with concurrent chemoradiotherapy and subjected to both low‐dose (V16–18) and high‐dose (V35,36 and V47) irradiation was associated with hematological toxicity, depending on the fractional volumes receiving the variable degree of dosage. The NTCP were stronger predictors of toxicity than V16–18, V35, 36, and V47. Hence, avoiding radiation hot spots on the PBM could reduce the incidence of severe HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a potent neurotoxic metal present in the environment and food. In this study, CdCl2 (2 or 4 μM) induced cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity in PC12 cells, causing decreases in cell viability and NEP protein expression and increase in p‐tau protein expression. For the first time, CdCl2‐initiated injury was found to result from the induction of not only apoptosis but also ferroptosis, as evidenced by the increased iron content, ROS production, and mitochondrial membrane potential along with changes in the expressions of iron death‐related genes (FTH1, GPX4, ASCL4, PTGS2, and NOX1) and levels of caspase9, Bax, and Bcl‐2 proteins. The molecular mechanisms leading to apoptosis and ferroptosis at least included the participation of the miR‐34a‐5p/Sirt1 axis, in which miR‐34a‐5p promoted CdCl2‐induced neurotoxicity through targeting Sirt1. Knocking out miR‐34a‐5p attenuated CdCl2‐induced damage of PC12 cells, cytotoxicity and neurotoxicity. This research provides the underlying molecular mechanisms of CdCl2‐induced damage and asserts the role of miRNAs as critical regulators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This paper introduced a kind of binary composite particle constructed by zein particles and grape seed proanthocyanidins (PAs). The physicochemical performance of the zein/PAs complex colloidal particles (ZPAPs) was systematically evaluated. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) showed that the interactions between zein and PAs were mainly hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The three‐phase contact angle (θo/w) of zein particles was around 120.7 ± 0.7°, and it was decreased to 100.8 ± 0.6° after the addition of PAs, indicating that ZPAPs were more suitable for stabilising Pickering emulsion. ZPAPs stabilised peanut oil Pickering emulsion (ZPAPEs) at 0.5–0.7 (v/v) oil fractions had no obvious phase separation during a 30‐day storage, indicating its good storage stability. Rheological results showed that ZPAPEs had excellent plasticity and viscoelasticity. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that particles had stably anchored on the surface of oil droplets which could effectively prevent from Ostwald ripening. The incorporation of PAs to zein endowed zein with stronger affinity, thus enhancing the stability of Pickering emulsion. This research constructed a new novel food‐grade emulsifier to prepare Pickering emulsion with potential applications, and further broaden the bioavailability of PAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this study, whey protein isolate (WPI) and polydextrose (PDX) were used to produce WPI‐PDX covalent conjugates via dry‐heating Maillard reaction, and their characteristics and functional properties including abilities to emulsify and stabilise the corn germ oil/water emulsions were measured. Compared with WPI alone, the WPI‐PDX conjugates had higher water solubility and DPPH radical scavenging ability, and the derived emulsions exhibited good storage stability over 60 days prepared under these conditions: reaction time 24 h, conjugate concentration 4–6%, oil fraction ratio 0.6 and emulsion system pH 3–8. Further, we found that the emulsion possessed the best storage stability under the condition of 4% WPI‐PDX conjugates and 0.6% oil fraction. These results provide a potent to prepare a beneficial Maillard conjugation following an optimised reaction condition and highlight the potential use of WPI‐PDX conjugates as the emulsifier in food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, healthy Wuchang bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) juveniles were exposed to 0, 5, 10, 20 and 30 mg/L total ammonia nitrogen for 30 days to elucidate toxic effects and mechanisms of ammonia on growth performance involved with the regulation of growth hormone/insulin‐like growth factor (GH/IGF) and hypothalamic–pituitary‐thyroid (HPT) axes. Our results showed that the increasing total ammonia nitrogen concentrations caused dose‐depend decreases in the weight gain and specific growth rate but increases in the food conversion ratio and mortality in juvenile bream, indicating growth inhibitory effects induced by ammonia. Concurrently, GH, IGF‐1 at protein and mRNA levels were significantly decreased in ammonia exposure groups (p <.05), while serum thyroid stimulating hormone, free thyroxine, free triiodothyronine levels were significantly reduced only in fish exposed to higher concentrations of 20 and 30 mg/L ammonia (p <.05), suggesting that ammonia exposure could perturb both GH/IGF‐axis and HPT‐axis functions. Furthermore, transcriptional levels of extracellular regulated protein kinases 2 (erk2), phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase (pi3k), protein kinase B (akt), target of rapamycin (tom) and ribosomal protein S6 kinase‐polypeptide 1(s6k1) in the dorsal muscle were significantly down‐regulated in the fish exposed to ammonia (p <.05). This fact indicated that MAPK/ERK pathway and PI3K/AKT pathway should be responsible for the growth inhibition. Combining the results of spearman correlation coefficient, it should be noted that the GH/IGF axis played a more important role in regulating the growth than the HPT axis in Wuchang bream under persistent ammonia stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on eddy‐rich (0.1° horizontal resolution for ocean) Community Earth System Model simulations, we compute the Ekman pumping induced vertical eddy heat flux using two formulations: the classical and the Stern‐Ekman pumping. The two mechanisms yield similar patterns in the eddy‐induced vertical heat flux, showing strong upward heat flux in ocean frontal regions such as the western boundary current regions. Using the Gulf Stream Extension region as an example, we estimate (1) the Stern‐Ekman pumping induced eddy heat flux is 23% and 12% of the total vertical eddy heat flux at 50 m depth during summer and winter, respectively; (2) the classical Ekman pumping accounts for 82% and 88% of the Stern‐Ekman pumping induced eddy heat flux at 50 m during summer and winter, respectively. The second finding indicates eddy current feedback on wind stress is the primary cause for the upward eddy heat flux generated by Ekman pumping. Plain Language Summary: The classical Ekman pumping is well‐known for its role in driving global ocean circulations. Stern‐Ekman pumping modifies the classical Ekman pumping by taking into consideration of ocean eddy vorticity. In this study, we investigate the Ekman pumping induced eddy vertical heat flux using the two formulations above. Based on an eddy‐rich climate model simulation, we find the eddy heat flux induced by the Stern‐Ekman pumping can account for ∼10%–20% the total vertical eddy heat flux at 50 m in eddy‐rich ocean frontal regions, such as the Antarctic circumpolar region and the subtropical western boundary current regions. Comparison of the two Ekman pumping formulations shows the classical Ekman pumping can account for the majority of the Stern‐Ekman pumping induced eddy heat flux, although the classical Ekman pumping generates much weaker vertical motions than the Stern‐Ekman pumping. The results of this work suggest that parameterizing vertical eddy heat flux within the upper ocean mixed layer should take into consideration of the wind‐forced eddy heat flux component. Key Points: In eddy‐rich ocean frontal regions, Ekman pumping can account for 10%–20% of vertical eddy heat flux at 50 m depthEddy current feedback on wind stress is the key mechanism for Ekman pumping induced vertical eddy heat fluxThe results of this work suggest the wind‐forced vertical eddy heat transport should be considered in the submesoscale parameterization [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a data‐driven method of mmWave beam selection in multi‐cell systems to achieve a near‐optimal fast beam allocation with low complexity. In particular, an online learning algorithm based on support vector machine (SVM) equipped with the radial basis function kernel, namely SVM‐based online beam selection (SBOS) algorithm is proposed. The proposed algorithm starts with an adaptive beam selection process for certain traffic pattern that uses an SVM learning model to adaptively refine the beam selection strategy. Specifically, SVM‐based model labels the feedback (the average information rate) from the cellular system, then learns from samples, and makes the scheme space smaller by maximising samples' minimum distances to all labelled samples in the sample space constrained by newly learned boundaries. Then, according to the aggregated data about the traffic patterns and the performance of corresponding beam selection strategy, SBOS algorithm exploits beam selection schemes recorded in the database or explores new schemes for unknown situations, respectively, and how to tune the hyperparameters for the SBOS algorithm is discussed. Furthermore, the extensive simulation results show that the proposed algorithm achieves a better performance versus upper confidence bound and Random methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Asian carp, which are widely distributed in Asia and Europe, are nutritious and popular with consumers. In China, Asian carp is a tasty dish and has been consumed for thousands of years. However, they are considered aggressive invasive species that threaten rivers, lakes, and indigenous species in the United States. Asian carp have proliferated greatly in the water basin of the Mississippi River and its tributaries, and they have caused severe ecological problems over the past 20 years. In recent years, several state governments along the Mississippi River have implemented assistance programs to eliminate invasive Asian carp, but these did not alleviate the threat. We conducted a survey to understand consumers' attitudes toward Asian carp in the United States, and related reports were reviewed to explore the possibility of Asian carp as food fish on American tables. Emphasis is placed on the farming history, functional characteristics, consumption preferences, and successful utilization methods for Asian carp in China. In addition, suggestions and possible utilization methods were proposed to improve the negative impression of Asian carp in the United States. Further research is needed to take full advantage of this huge excellent source of food or health supplements. This review provides ideas and directions for the use of Asian carp in the United States. We believe that through effective cooperation between China and the United States, the negative aspects of Asian carp in the United States could be diminished, and a mutually beneficial situation could be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There were more robust IgA, IgG, and IgM responses in severe patients, more rapid but less robust IgA and IgG responses in asymptomatic and mild patients. To investigate whether the serological assay of different antibody isotypes could improve the early diagnostic power of COVID-19 patients, the seroconversion rates of single or combined antibody isotypes and the detection of viral RNA in the first month after disease onset were analyzed irrespective of disease severity. This study provides a comprehensive dynamic analysis of different antibody isotypes against SARS-CoV-2 and their relation to disease severity or early COVID-19 diagnosis in a large patient cohort over a 6-month follow-up period, which will benefit the early diagnosis and assessment of disease severity for COVID-19. To understand the correlation between antibody responses and disease severity, the levels of viral-specific IgA, IgG, and IgM were analyzed in four groups, and their kinetics are shown in Figures 1A-C and 2A-C. All three antibody isotypes (IgA, IgG, and IgM) peaked 1 month after disease onset (Figure 1A-C). [Extracted from the article]

The newly discovered Shanzhuang BIF is hosted in the Shancaoyu Formation of the Taishan Group within the Eastern Block, southeastern margin of the North China Craton. The ores can be subdivided into three types in terms of mineral assemblages, corresponding to three types (I, II, III). The element concentration of the type I magnetite is similar to that of the type II magnetite, while the type III magnetite is similar to that of the schist. In general, magnetite and hematite grains from the ores show high concentrations of Mn (1317, 1162 ppm), Co (787, 1023 ppm), Al (2224, 2435 ppm) and Ti (540, 300 ppm), Whereas magnetite is depleted in Si (420 ppm) and hematite enriched in Si (1690 ppm). Detailed petrographic and mineral chemical analysis of magnetite, hematite, amphibole/hornblende and pyroxene, reveals that almost all the minerals occur as subhedral‐anhedral grains with pits and fractures, and the BIF is recrystallized to metamorphic assemblages of high amphibolite facies. Hornblende is highly enriched in Fe, Mg and Ca, but depleted in K and Na, mostly belonging to magnesiohornblende. In addition, the ratios of Mg/(Mg+Fe2+), Fe3+/(Fe3++Fe2+), Si/(Si+Ti+Al) and Al/Si are 0.48–0.64, 0.17–0.36, 0.79–0.88 and 0.14–0.27, respectively. It is suggested that hornblende is neither a typical magmatic origin nor a typical metamorphic. Pyroxene has the characteristics of high Ca and Fe, but low Ti and Al, with end‐member components En, Wo and Fs in the ranges of 25.22–28.64 wt%, 43.71–46.40 wt% and 24.51–27.62 wt%, respectively, belonging to clinopyroxene, and mostly diopside, might be formed during the prograde metamorphism in the absence of H2O. The carbonate such as dolomite‐ankerite series is probably a precursor mineral of the BIF deposit. Mass mineral chemical and structural characteristics indicate that the Shanzhuang iron deposit has been subjected to varying degrees of oxidized hydrothermal superimposed reformation, metamorphism, and supergenesis after mineralization, during which some elements have been migrated in some degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diagnostic markers for both colorectal cancer (CRC) and its precursor lesions are lacking. Although aberrant methylation of the secretin receptor (SCTR) gene was observed in CRC, the diagnostic performance has not been evaluated. Therefore, this study aimed to assess and verify the diagnostic value of SCTR methylation of CRC and its precursor lesions through integrating the largest methylation data. The diagnostic performance of SCTR methylation was analyzed in the discovery set from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) CRC methylation data (N = 440), and verified in a large‐scale test set (N = 938) from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). Targeted bisulfite sequencing analysis was developed and applied to detect the methylation status of SCTR in our independent validation set (N = 374). Our findings revealed that the SCTR gene was frequently hypermethylated at its CpG islands in CRC. In the TCGA discovery set, the diagnostic score was constructed using 4 CpG sites (cg01013590, cg20505223, cg07176264, and cg26009192) and achieved high diagnostic performance (area under the ROC curve [AUC] = 0.964). In the GEO test set, the diagnostic score had robust diagnostic ability to distinguish CRC (AUC = 0.948) and its precursor lesions (AUC = 0.954) from normal samples. Moreover, hypermethylation of the SCTR gene was also found in cell‐free DNA samples collected from CRC patients, but not in those from healthy controls. In the validation set, consistent results were observed using the targeted bisulfite sequencing array. Our study highlights that hypermethylation at CpG islands of the SCTR gene is a potential diagnostic biomarker in CRCs and its precursor lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Over the past decade, edible colloidal particle‐stabilised Pickering emulsions have regained research interest. However, little information is available regarding the application of amidated pectin in stabilising Pickering emulsions. In this work, a 'two‐step' method was used to synthesise gliadin/pectin composite colloidal particles. The effects of pectin type, particle ratio, particle amount and oil fraction on the formation and stability of the resulting Pickering emulsion were systematically investigated by particle size and microscopy. The results showed that the particles formed after the addition of amidated pectin could better stabilise the o/w Pickering emulsion with a concentration of 2%, lower than that of the gliadin colloid particles. Confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) revealed the cross‐sectional structure and the attachment of protein particles to the external interface. These results may provide reference for the selection of shell materials for Pickering colloidal particles (especially gliadin) in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A versatile ionic crosslink lithography (ICL) approach is reported to achieve geometry transitions of strong polyvinyl alcohol/sodium alginate (PVA/SA) hydrogels in a controllable and programmable manner. Specifically, localized PVA/SA and PVA/SA/Fe3+ hydrogel domains of significantly different swellabilities (i.e., in‐plane gradient) are created by patterning and selective ionic crosslinking of one single type of PVA/SA hydrogel. A simple two‐step sequential pre‐ and free‐swelling, or each alone, directs the patterned, inhomogeneous hydrogel to transform in various programmable and quasi‐quantitative ways through local bulging and/or global buckling. All types of shape changing are reversible and repeatable due to the reversible nature of ionic coordination in the hydrogel networks. The flexibility and versatility of 3D printing is also demonstrated in creating through‐thickness gradient in PVA and PVA/SA hydrogel assemblies with similar morphing capability. The ICL approach developed in this work may help shed some light on developing strong and shape morphing hydrogels as soft sensors and actuators and for potentially biomimetic transformations. The ICL approach may also be transferable to fabrication of many other types of hydrogel materials for similar applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tectonic affinity between the Qaidam‐Qilian Block and the Western Qinling Block is an outstanding issue that has not been fully understood. Detrital zircon U–Pb dating and Hf isotope data for the Precambrian and Permian–Triassic strata around the Gonghe Basin area in both the Western Qinling and Qaidam‐Qilian blocks were studied. Detrital zircons from Precambrian strata range in age from Archean to Late Neoproterozoic, with age peaks at ~2.7–2.5, ~1.8–1.6, and ~0.95–0.75 Ga. Except for Precambrian age groups, Early Palaeozoic (550–500 Ma and ~450 Ma) and Late Palaeozoic–Triassic (~250 Ma) age peaks were also detected in the Triassic strata. The juvenile accreted crustal materials were detected at 1.85–1.5 Ga and over ~2.5 Ga based on zircon Hf isotope studies. Different Precambrian and Triassic strata in both the Western Qinling Block and the Qaidam‐Qilian Block show parallel age distribution patterns and Hf isotopes. A Qaidam‐Qilian source contributed to the majority of detritus in Precambrian strata. Besides sources from the Qaidam‐Qilian Block, Late Permian intrusions around the Gonghe Basin area also provided inputs for the Triassic strata. Detrital zircon studies show a strong connection of the Qaidam‐Qilian Block and the majority of detritus in the Gonghe Basin area of the Western Qinling Block. Tectonomagmatic and provenances comparison of the Western Qinling and Qaidam‐Qilian blocks are supportive of their tectonic continuity at least in three stages, that is, in the Precambrian, Middle Palaeozoic, and Permian to Early Triassic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The premise to discuss the evolution of an orogenic belt is to understand the origins and tectonic affinities of various blocks that constitute the orogen. The Baoshan Block in the SE Tibetan Plateau is an ultimate window to observe the orogenic evolution, but its origin and eastern boundary remains debated. In this contribution, we report new detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotopic data from the Cambrian Baoshan Formation in the middle–western part of the Baoshan Block. Detrital zircon ages range from the Archean to Early Palaeozoic, with age peaks at ~2.5, ~0.95, and ~0.55 Ga. Zircon εHf(t) values exhibit a wide range from negative to positive for each of the three major age groups, indicating diverse magma sources. The eastern boundary for the Baoshan Block should be extended from the Kejie‐Nandinghe Fault to the Changning‐Menglian suture belt, based on not only comparisons of Early Palaeozoic magmatism, sedimentary facies, and provenances for the Palaeozoic strata that developed on both sides of the Kejie‐Nandinghe Fault but also on the regional tectonic framework correlation. The Baoshan Block should be along the Indian margin as the Qiangtang, Tengchong, and Simao‐Indochina blocks in Early Palaeozoic according to the provenance analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toward pursuing high‐performance photodetectors based on 2D transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) such as molybdenum disulfide (MoS2), it is desirable to reduce the high dark current and sluggish response time. Here, in multilayer MoS2‐based photodetectors, a 2D halide perovskite, (C6H5C2H4NH3)2PbI4 ((PEA)2PbI4), is introduced as a bifunctional material: both as electron reservoir to reduce free carriers and passivation agent to passivate defects. Surprisingly, dark current is suppressed by six orders of magnitude after coating a (PEA)2PbI4 thin layer onto pristine MoS2 photodetector, with the dark current decreased to 10−11 A. This huge reduction of dark current suggests an efficient interlayer charge transfer from MoS2 to (PEA)2PbI4, which is further verified by photoluminescence quenching phenomenon. It indicates that (PEA)2PbI4 serves as electron reservoir to reduce carrier density of MoS2, resulting in ultrahigh detectivity (1.06 × 1013 Jones). Moreover, the response speed is also accelerated by more than 100‐fold due to passivation by 2D perovskite. In addition, it is found that this type of photodetectors can further work at self‐power mode (with the bias of 0 V). Therefore, the strategy of applying 2D perovskite on the surface of TMDs provides a novel way to fabricate high‐performance photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore the risk factors of thrombosis in patients with JAK2V617F‐mutated myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a cohort of 1537 Chinese patients with JAK2V617F‐mutated MPN was retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan‐Meier method and multivariate Cox analysis were used to study the risk factors of thrombosis in patients with JAK2V617F‐mutated MPN. Among the 1537 MPN patients, 931, 468, and 138 had polycythemia vera (PV), essential thrombocythemia (ET), and primary myelofibrosis (PMF), respectively. The median follow‐up time was 7 years (range 1‐47), and 12.8% of patients (197/1537) died during this period. A total of 16.8% (259/1399) of PV and ET patients had secondary myelofibrosis, and 2.5% (38/1537) of patients developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML). Thrombotic events occurred in 43.9% (675/1537) of patients, among which 91.4% (617/675) were arterial thrombosis and 16.6% (112/675) were venous thrombosis. The number of thrombotic events in PV, ET, and PMF patients was 439 (47.2%), 197 (42.1%) and 39 (28.2%), respectively. The multivariate analysis indicated that age ≥60 years old, HCT ≥48%, at least one cardiovascular risk factor, a history of thrombosis, and JAK2V617F allele burden (V617F%) ≥50% are risk factors for thrombosis in JAK2V617F‐mutated MPN. According to the results of the multivariate analysis, a risk model of thrombosis was established and comprised low‐risk (0 points), intermediate‐risk (1 points) and high‐risk (≥2 points) groups, among which the incidence of thrombosis was 9.1%, 33.7% and 72.9%. For elderly patients with JAK2V617F‐mutated MPN and a history of thrombosis, reducing the V617F%, controlling HCT and preventing cardiovascular risk factors are necessary measures to prevent thrombosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detrital zircon U–Pb dating, Hf isotopic data, and Nd isotopic compositions of river sediments are used to constrain crustal evolution processes of their provenance in the South Qilian orogenic belt. The detrital zircons from the Yuka, Tataleng, and Bayinguole rivers range in age from Neoarchean (2,772 Ma) to Permian (261 Ma), with age peaks at ca. 2.4 Ga, ca. 1.95 Ga, and ca. 0.45 Ga. Hf isotopic compositions of Paleoproterozoic, Pan‐African, and Caledonian zircon age groups display a wide range of εHf(t) values, suggesting diverse sources of host magma of the zircon grains. The basement formation of the South Qilian orogenic belt from depleted mantle occurred at two stages; ca. 3.1–2.5 Ga and ca. 2.0–1.6 Ga. Meanwhile, the Nd model ages of silt‐mud from the region are between 1.98 Ga and 2.27 Ga with an average value of 2.12 Ga. Our study indicates that the Qilian oceanic plate formed between the Qaidam and Alxa blocks from late Neoproterozoic to Silurian. The South Qilian orogenic belt is a product of the Qilian Ocean closure and subsequent collision between the Qaidam Block and central Qilian belt during Ordovician–Silurian times. Combining regional tectonothermal events with new results of river sediments suggests that rifting from a continent and opening of the Qilian Ocean occurred at ca. 780–520 Ma, subduction of the oceanic crust at ca. 520–440 Ma, ocean closure and continental subduction at ca. 440–420 Ma, exhumation of subducted crust at ca. 420–400 Ma, and orogenic collapse and extension at ca. 400–360 Ma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug resistance is recognized as one of the main reasons leading to the failure of chemotherapy. Studies have shown that glutathione S‐transferase inhibitors could be regarded as multidrug resistance reversal agents. Herein, a method of applying enzyme immobilization, molecular docking, and high‐performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight mass spectrometry was employed to screen glutathione S‐transferase inhibitors from natural products. Magnetic mesoporous silica microspheres were synthesized and modified with a poly(dopamine) layer, which has a large quantity of amino, enabling further non‐covalent binding with glutathione S‐transferase. Moreover, the immobilization conditions, namely, potential of hydrogen, catalase concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time, were optimized. In total, six potential compounds were isolated and identified from Perilla frutescens (L.) Britt leaves and green tea and molecular docking was applied to identify the binding site. Rosmarinic acid, (−)‐epigallocatechin‐3‐O‐gallate and (−)‐epicatechin‐3‐gallate showed higher binding affinity than the compounds, and their half maximal inhibitory concentration values were further determined. The results suggested that this proposed method was effective and convenient for identifying glutathione S‐transferase inhibitors from natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The dramatic advances in our understanding of the molecular biology and biochemistry of jasmonate (JA) signaling have been the subject of several excellent recent reviews that have highlighted the phytohormonal function of this signaling pathway. Here, we focus on the responses mediated by JA signaling which have consequences for a plant's Darwinian fitness, i.e. the organism‐level function of JA signaling. The most diverse module in the signaling cascade, the JAZ proteins, and their interactions with other proteins and transcription factors, allow this canonical signaling cascade to mediate a bewildering array of traits in different tissues at different times; the functional coherence of these diverse responses are best appreciated in an organismal/ecological context. From published work, it appears that jasmonates can function as the 'Swiss Army knife' of plant signaling, mediating many different biotic and abiotic stress and developmental responses that allow plants to contextualize their responses to their frequently changing local environments and optimize their fitness. We propose that a deeper analysis of the natural variation in both within‐plant and within‐population JA signaling components is a profitable means of attaining a coherent whole‐plant functional perspective of this signaling cascade, and provide examples of this approach from the Nicotiana attenuata system. Significance Statement: Natural variation in jasmonate signaling, both within the plant and within populations, can provide a means of gaining a coherent whole‐plant functional perspective of this signaling cascade. Multiparent advanced generation inter‐cross (MAGIC) populations can capture this natural variation for a species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The significance of gene methylation in peripheral blood leukocytes (PBLs) for assessing cancer prognosis is poorly understood. Our purpose is to assess the association between PBX3 methylation in PBLs and colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis. Methods: A total of 369 CRC patients were followed up for up to 10 years in this cohort study. PBL PBX3 methylation levels were determined by methylation‐sensitive high‐resolution melting. Cox regression models and Log‐rank tests were used to analyze the associations between PBX3 methylation status and CRC prognosis with a propensity score (PS) method to control confounding biases. Results: In this study, we found that CRC patients with PBL PBX3 hypermethylation status had a better overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HRPS‐adjusted], 0.72 [95% CI, 0.52‐1.00]; P = 0.049). Subgroup analyses showed that the beneficial effect of PBX3 hypermethylation status on CRC 10‐years OS remained significant among UICC stage III patients ([HRPS‐adjusted], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.38 to 0.95]; P = 0.029) and colon cancer patients ([HRPS‐adjusted], 0.49 [95% CI, 0.26 to 0.92]; P = 0.027). Conclusion: PBL PBX3 hypermethylation is positively associated with better prognosis of CRC, especially for the UICC stage III CRC patients and colon cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Qilian Orogenic Belt (NQOB) is an important element of the northern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and several rivers run along it. Zircon U–Pb dating, trace elements, and Hf isotopic data derived from the sediments carried by the rivers have been used to deduce the crustal evolution of the NQOB. U–Pb ages obtained from detrital zircons found in the sediments of the Zamu, Zhuanglan, and Beida rivers can be divided into five major age groups, that is, 2,600–1,500, 1,500–1,100, 1,100–650, 550–400, and 360–150 Ma, and the corresponding peaks occur at ~2,450, ~1,750, ~950, ~450, and ~250 Ma. Archean components, which may be derived from the ancient continental nucleus in the region, are rare in the river sediments. The zircon grains with ages of 360–150 Ma are most likely related to crustal thickening and decompression melting in a post‐collisional tectonic setting. The age distribution patterns indicate that the sediments carried by the Zamu, Zhuanglang, and Beida rivers are derived from the NQOB. Furthermore, the Hf isotopic compositions of Meso‐ and Neoarchean, Mesoproterozoic, Grenvillian, Pan‐African, Caledonian, and Hercynian zircon age groups exhibit a wide range of εHf (t) values, suggesting diverse sources. The existence of strongly negative εHf (t) values among the Grenvillian and Paleoproterozoic zircons indicates that the source magma included reworked Palaeoarchean crustal materials. New results indicate that continental rifting and the opening of the Qilian Ocean occurred at 775–520 Ma; the subduction and closure of the Qilian Ocean occurred at 520–440 Ma; arc–continent collision and continental subduction occurred at 440–420 Ma; and orogen collapse and extension occurred at 400–360 Ma. Our study indicates that the formation of the NQOB was mainly related to the evolutionary history of the Proto‐Tethys Ocean. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beneficial effects of plant‐–bacterial interactions in controlling plant pests have been extensively studied with single bacterial isolates. However, in nature, bacteria interact with plants in multitaxa consortia, systems which remain poorly understood. Previously, we demonstrated that a consortium of five native bacterial isolates protected their host plant Nicotiana attenuata from a sudden wilt disease. Here we explore the mechanisms behind the protection effect against the native pathosystem. Three members of the consortium, Pseudomonas azotoformans A70, P. frederiksbergensis A176 and Arthrobacter nitroguajacolicus E46, form biofilms when grown individually in vitro, and the amount of biofilm increased synergistically in the five‐membered consortium, including two Bacillus species, B. megaterium and B. mojavensis. Fluorescence in situ hybridization and scanning electron microscopy in planta imaging techniques confirmed biofilm formation and revealed locally distinct distributions of the five bacterial strains colonizing different areas on the plant‐root surface. One of the five isolates, K1 B. mojavensis produces the antifungal compound surfactin, under in vitro and in vivo conditions, clearly inhibiting fungal growth. Furthermore, isolates A70 and A176 produce siderophores under in vitro conditions. Based on these results we infer that the consortium of five bacterial isolates protects its host against fungal phytopathogens via complementary traits. The study should encourage researchers to create synthetic communities from native strains of different genera to improve bioprotection against wilting diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synergistic anti-inflammatory effect of quercetin and catechin was investigated using lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated macrophage RAW 264.7 cells. Results showed that the combined treatment of quercetin with catechin synergistically attenuated LPS-stimulated increase of some proinflammatory molecules, including nitric oxide, tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β, nitric oxide synthase, and cyclooxygenase-2. Moreover, it exhibited significantly (p < 0.05) stronger inhibitory effect on nuclear translocation of nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) by suppressing the phosphorylation of NF-κB p65 and p50 submits and on the phosphorylation of ETS domain-containing protein and c-Jun N-terminal kinase than any of quercetin or catechin alone. Besides, the cotreatment of quercetin with catechin significantly (p < 0.05) restored the impaired expression of toll-like receptor 4, myeloid differentiation primary response gene 88, and some downstream effectors (IRAK1, TRAF6, and TAK1). These results suggest that quercetin and catechin possessed synergistic anti-inflammatory effects, which may be attributed to their roles in suppressing the activation of TLR4-MyD88-mediated NF-κB and mitogen-activated protein kinases signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]