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Simple Summary: Bladder cancer (BLCA) stands as the predominant malignancy within the global urinary system. Small Cajal body-specific RNAs (scaRNAs), constituting a distinct subset of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs), have recently recognized as crucial players in various physiological and pathological processes. The aim of our retrospective study was to elucidate the potential role and mechanism of SCARNA12 in BLCA, offering a foundational understanding the functionalities of scaRNAs. Employing integrated transcriptomic and single-cell proteomic analyses, we comprehensively investigate the impact of SCARNA12 on extracellular matrix (ECM) signaling pathways. Biological experiments provide additional insights into the oncogenic nature of SCARNA12, highlighting its interaction with the transcription factor H2AFZ as a pivotal factor in contributing to the carcinogenesis and progression of BLCA. This study suggests SCARNA12 as a promising diagnostic biomarker and therapeutic target, unveiling its involvement in BLCA through modulation of ECM signaling and interaction with H2AFZ. Background: Small Cajal body-specific RNAs (scaRNAs) are a specific subset of small nucleolar RNAs (snoRNAs) that have recently emerged as pivotal contributors in diverse physiological and pathological processes. However, their defined roles in carcinogenesis remain largely elusive. This study aims to explore the potential function and mechanism of SCARNA12 in bladder cancer (BLCA) and to provide a theoretical basis for further investigations into the biological functionalities of scaRNAs. Materials and Methods: TCGA, GEO and GTEx data sets were used to analyze the expression of SCARNA12 and its clinicopathological significance in BLCA. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) and in situ hybridization were applied to validate the expression of SCARNA12 in both BLCA cell lines and tissues. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) combined with bioinformatics analyses were conducted to reveal the changes in gene expression patterns and functional pathways in BLCA patients with different expressions of SCARNA12 and T24 cell lines upon SCARNA12 knockdown. Single-cell mass cytometry (CyTOF) was then used to evaluate the tumor-related cell cluster affected by SCARNA12. Moreover, SCARNA12 was stably knocked down in T24 and UMUC3 cell lines by lentivirus-mediated CRISPR/Cas9 approach. The biological effects of SCARNA12 on the proliferation, clonogenic, migration, invasion, cell apoptosis, cell cycle, and tumor growth were assessed by in vitro MTT, colony formation, wound healing, transwell, flow cytometry assays, and in vivo nude mice xenograft models, respectively. Finally, a chromatin isolation by RNA purification (ChIRP) experiment was further conducted to delineate the potential mechanisms of SCARNA12 in BLCA. Results: The expression of SCARNA12 was significantly up-regulated in both BLCA tissues and cell lines. RNA-seq data elucidated that SCARAN12 may play a potential role in cell adhesion and extracellular matrix (ECM) related signaling pathways. CyTOF results further showed that an ECM-related cell cluster with vimentin+, CD13+, CD44+, and CD47+ was enriched in BLCA patients with high SCARNA12 expression. Additionally, SCARNA12 knockdown significantly inhibited the proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion abilities in T24 and UMUC3 cell lines. SCARNA12 knockdown prompted cell arrest in the G0/G1 and G2/M phase and promoted apoptosis in T24 and UMUC3 cell lines. Furthermore, SCARNA12 knockdown could suppress the in vivo tumor growth in nude mice. A ChIRP experiment further suggested that SCARNA12 may combine transcription factors H2AFZ to modulate the transcription program and then affect BLCA progression. Conclusions: Our study is the first to propose aberrant alteration of SCARNA12 and elucidate its potential oncogenic roles in BLCA via the modulation of ECM signaling. The interaction of SCARNA12 with the transcriptional factor H2AFZ emerges as a key contributor to the carcinogenesis and progression of BLCA. These findings suggest SCARNA12 may serve as a diagnostic biomarker and potential therapeutic target for the treatment of BLCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cassiae Semen, the dried seed of Cassia obtusifolia L. (Leguminosae), is a traditional Chinese medicine. It has long been used as the treatment of diabetic hyperlipidemia and diabetic constipation in Traditional Chinese Medicine formulae. The present study was designed to investigate the anti-diabetic and renoprotective effects of Cassiae Semen extract (CSE) in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Quality control of CSE was performed using HPLC. CSE were orally administered at 27, 54 and 81 mg/kg dose to high-sucrose-high-fat (HSHF) diet and STZ-induced diabetic rats for 60 days. Body weight, glucose metabolism and lipid metabolism profiles were measured to assess the anti-diabetic effect of CSE. Oxidative stress markers and inflammatory factors were determined using commercial kits. Renal function related parameters were also measured. Histopathological examination of kidney was conducted for the validation of pathological changes in the diabetic rats. Immunohistochemical examination of kidney was measured to investigate the expression of RAGE in renal tissues. Five compounds, including two anthraquinones and three naphtopyrones were simultaneously determined in CSE. Compared with diabetic control, groups treated with CSE exhibited an anti-diabetic effect, including a significant amelioration in body weight, glycemic control, oral glucose tolerance and lipid metabolism (P < 0.01). Moreover, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses decreased after oral administration of CSE (P < 0.01). CSE also showed protective effects on renal functions, decreasing the ratio of kidney/body weight, 24 h urine volume, 24 h urine protein, serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) (P < 0.01). Additionally, renal protective effect was also observed in histopathological examination. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that CSE downregulated the expression of RAGE. It turned out that CSE had both anti-diabetic and renoprotective effects in diabetic rats. CSE can be a potential agent in the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and its complications. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitriles are of significant interest in the flavor and fragrance industries with potential application in cosmetics due to their higher stability than analogous aldehydes. However, the traditional methods to prepare nitriles need toxic reagents and hash conditions. This work aimed to develop a chemoenzymatic strategy to synthesize nitriles from natural aldehydes with aldoxime as the intermediate. A non-classical aldoxime dehydratase (Oxd) was discovered from the fungus Aspergillus ibericus (OxdAsp) to catalyze the dehydration of aldoximes to corresponding nitriles under mild conditions. The amino acid sequence of OxdAsp exhibits an approximately 20% identity with bacterial Oxds. OxdAsp contains a heme prosthetic group bound with the axial H287 in the catalytic pocket. The structure models of OxdAsp with substrates suggest that its catalytic triad is Y138-R141-E192, which is different from the classically bacterial Oxds of His-Arg-Ser/Thr. The catalytic mechanism of OxdAsp was proposed based on the mutagenesis of key residues. The hydroxyl group of the substrate is fixed by E192 to increase its basicity. Y138 acts as a general acid-based catalyst, and its phenolic proton is polarized by the adjacent R141. The protonated Y138 would donate a proton to the hydroxyl group of the substrate and eliminate a water molecule from aldoxime to produce nitrile. The recombinant OxdAsp can efficiently dehydrate citronellal oxime and cinnamaldoxime to citronellyl nitrile and cinnamonitrile in aqueous media, which are applied as fragrance ingredients in the food and cosmetic fields. Key points: • A novel aldoxime dehydratase from the Aspergillus genus was first characterized as a heme-binding protein. • The catalytic mechanism was predicted based on the molecular interactions of the catalytic pocket with the substrate. • A chemoenzymatic strategy was developed to synthesize nitriles from natural aldehydes with aldoxime as the intermediate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suaeda salsa is an important salt- and drought-tolerant plant with important ecological restoration roles. However, little is known about its underlying molecular regulatory mechanisms. Therefore, understanding the response mechanisms of plants to salt and drought stress is of great importance. In this study, metabolomics analysis was performed to evaluate the effects of salt and drought stress on S. salsa. The experiment consisted of three treatments: (1) control (CK); (2) salt stress (Ps); and (3) drought stress (Pd). The results showed that compared with the control group, S. salsa showed significant differences in phenotypes under salt and drought stress conditions. First, a total of 207 and 292 differential metabolites were identified in the Ps/CK and Pd/CK groups, respectively. Second, some soluble sugars and amino acids, such as raffinose, maltopentoses, D-altro-beptulose, D-proline, valine-proline, proline, tryptophan and glycine-L-leucine, showed increased activity under salt and drought stress conditions, suggesting that these metabolites may be responsible for salt and drought resistance in S. salsa. Third, the flavonoid biosynthetic and phenylalanine metabolic pathways were significantly enriched under both salt and drought stress conditions, indicating that these two metabolic pathways play important roles in salt and drought stress resistance in S. salsa. The findings of this study provide new insights into the salt and drought tolerance mechanisms of S. salsa. This study used liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to study the changes of small molecule metabolites of Suaeda salsa under salt and drought stress. We showed the main metabolites and metabolic pathways that changed under salt and drought stress environments, and revealed the molecular responses of S. salsa in response to salt and drought from the level of metabolomics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the past decades, linear codes with a few weights have been extensively studied for their applications in space communication, data storage and cryptography etc. We construct several classes of binary linear codes and determine their weight distributions. Most of these codes can be used in secret sharing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sepsis has become one of the main factors inducing the development of acute lung injury (ALI) in clinical practice. Currently, inhibiting the activation of NLRP3 mediated pyroptosis is the target of multiple drugs in the treatment of sepsis induced ALI. This study aimed to explore the effects of METTL14 on the pyroptosis in the sepsis induced ALI progression. Methods: LPS-stimulated A549 cells and cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-treated mice were used to establish the ALI model in vitro and in vivo. Then, the cell viability was measured by CCK-8 assay. ELISA kits were used to determine the IL-18 and IL-1β contents. Pyroptosis rate was tested by flow cytometry. M6A dot blot was conducted to analyze the global m6A levels and MeRIP assay was performed to detect the m6A levels of NLRP3. The relationship between METTL14 and NLRP3 was confirmed by RIP and dual-luciferase report assays. Results: The global m6A levels were significantly increased in the LPS-stimulated A549 cells and CLP-treated mice. METTL14 knockdown decreased the cell viability, IL-18 and IL-1β contents, and pyroptosis rate of the LPS-stimulated A549 cells. Furthermore, the increase of pyroptosis-related proteins in LPS-stimulated A549 cells was significantly decreased after METTL14 knockdown. Additionally, METTL14 knockdown decreased the m6A and mRNA levels of NLRP3, and NLRP3 overexpression reversed the effects of METTL14 knockdown on the pyroptosis in the LPS-stimulated A549 cells. In CLP-treated mice, METTL14 knockdown relieved the injury and decreased the IL-18 and IL-1β contents in the lung tissues, serum and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that METTL14 knockdown inhibited the pyroptosis in the sepsis-induced ALI progression through decreasing the NLRP3 levels dependent on m6A methylation modification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new idea is proposed to improve the fracability of hot dry rock under alternating temperature loads. • Effects of alternating temperature loads on mechanical properties of hot dry rock are experimentally investigated. • Microstructure analysis under alternating temperature loads are given in detail. Inspired by the physical process of thermal expansion and cold shrinkage, this study proposes a new idea to improve the capacity to form complex fractures (i.e., fracability) in hot dry rock (HDR) under alternating temperature loads. However, the evolution of the HDR mechanical properties under alternating temperature loads is rarely reported. This study analyzed the evolution mechanism of the HDR rock mechanics properties under alternating temperature loads by using the high-temperature high-pressure rock mechanics triaxial test system. The results show that mechanical parameters such as compressive strength, dilatancy stress, and elastic modulus are significantly reduced after alternating temperature loading, compared with those after simple heat treatment. After alternating temperature loading, compared with the case of simple heat treatment, the HDR rock samples reach the dilatancy stress earlier; its stress-strain curve features a visible concave arc at the micro-fracture closure segment; the axial loading ends up with the shear failure and enhanced complexity. The microstructural analysis shows that cyclic thermal stress occurs inside the HDR as the temperature increases and extensive mineral metasomatism is triggered, which is dominated by quartz penetrating plagioclase via metasomatism. Therefore, the decrease of quartz content and the HDR mineral metasomatism under alternating temperature loads are the fundamental causes for the great changes in the HDR mechanical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective C–P cross-coupling of diarylphosphine oxides with ortho -substituted aryl iodides has been achieved via kinetic resolution strategy, affording chiral triarylphosphine oxides in high yields and with moderate to high enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a disease with great heterogeneity and a high mortality rate. It is crucial to identify reliable biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment to improve clinical outcomes in patients with HCC. Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) is not only a widely used biomarker in clinical practice but also plays a complicated role in HCC, and it has recently been considered to be related to immunotherapy. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are regarded as key regulators and promising biomarkers of HCC. We investigated the role of an AFP-related miRNA, miR-135b-5p, in HCC progression. Methods. Identification of miR-135b-5p was performed based on a cohort of 65 HCC cases and the liver hepatocellular carcinoma cohort of The Cancer Genome Atlas (Asian people only). A combination of whole-transcriptome sequencing and high-dimensional proteomic technologies was used to study the role of miR-135b-5p in HCC. Results. Upregulation of miR-135b-5p was detected in patients with HCC with high serum AFP levels (AFP > 400 ng / ml). Elevated miR-135b-5p expression was associated with adverse prognosis. We also identified the relevance between high miR-135b-5p expression and tumor-related pathological characteristics, such as Edmondson grade and vascular invasion. We revealed tyrosine kinase nonreceptor 1 as a potential target of miR-135b-5p. Additionally, the transcriptional start site of miR-135b-5p had potential binding sites for SRY-box transcription factor 9, and the stemness properties of tumor cells were more remarkable in HCC with the upregulation of miR-135b-5p. The molecular characterization of the miR-135b-5p-high group was similar to that of the HCC subclasses containing moderately and poorly differentiated tumors. Finally, gene signatures associated with improved clinical outcomes in immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy were upregulated in the miR-135b-5p-high group. Conclusion. miR-135b-5p could be a biomarker for predicting the prognosis and antiprogrammed cell death protein 1 monotherapy response in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: To date, sepsis remains the main cause of mortality in intensive care units (ICU). This study aimed analyze the risk factors of the prognosis in sepsis patients. Methods: In this case-control study, patients with sepsis admitted to the intensive care unit of a Chinese hospital between January and November 2020 were analyzed. Ultrasound and clinical data were analyzed and compared between non-survivors and survivors. The ROC curve analysis was also performed to determine the best indicator for predicting mortality. Results: A total of 72 patients with sepsis in ICU were included for analysis. The basic characteristics between the survivals and non-survivals were similar, except for acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) Ⅱ score, sepsis-related organ failure assessment (SOFA) score, lactate level, ultrasound parameters from superior mesenteric artery (SMA) such as peak systolic velocity (PSV), end-diastolic velocity (EDV) and resistive index (RI). Univariate analysis revealed that the APACHE Ⅱ score, SOFA score, lactate, low PSV, EDV, and RI were potential risk factors for mortality in sepsis, while multivariate analysis suggested that low PSV was an independent risk factor for mortality, and the adjusted odds ratio was 0.295 (95% CI: 0.094–0.925). The ROC analysis showed that the PSV (AUC = 0.99; sensitivity and specificity were 0.99 and 0.96, respectively) had good predictive value for mortality in sepsis. Conclusion: Low PSV as found to be an independent risk factor and good predictor for mortality in patients with sepsis. This study shows the promise of ultrasound in predicting mortality in patients with sepsis; however, further studies are needed to validate these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphical abstract is provided for this study, which summarized the contents of the manuscript in a concise. We hope it will capture the attention of a wide readership of Chemical Engineering Science , as well as be helpful for understanding the content of study easily. [Display omitted] • The rapidly and quantitatively poisoning to the catalyst was effective strategy for the study of its sulfur poisoning mechanism. • The high activity of catalyst was dominated by nano-sized effect and strong lattice oxygen deliverability from PtO 2 particles. • The decrease in PtO 2 is the transition to PtO rather than the common sulfation of active species. • The decline in reactive property of active lattice oxygen resulted in the deactivation of catalyst. The present study involved the synthesis of a kaolin-based NaY zeolite (KL-NY) supported nanocrystal PtO 2 (5–10 nm) catalyst, which exhibited complete benzene conversion at 195 °C. However, a certain amount of sulfur species led to severe deactivation of the catalyst. This deactivation was mainly caused by the reduction of active lattice oxygen. XPS, H 2 -TPR and HRTEM results confirmed that adsorbed sulfur species competitively consumed active lattice oxygen, resulting in a transition of partial PtO 2 to PtO. Generated PtO cannot actively participate in the oxidation reaction due to its weaker oxidation property, indicating a decrease of active species induced by sulfur poisoning. Furthermore, Al 2 O 3 outside the KL-NY framework can adsorb sulfur species and form Al 2 (SO 4) 3 , leading to an increase in acid sites. Due to the weak acid-tolerance of KL-NY, partial porous structure destruction occurred with a decrease in specific surface area and pore volume, thereby negatively impacting catalyst performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Geometric boundary features of nanostructures impact the wetting state of droplets on their surface. • Droplet motion near the edges of concave structures is influenced by the length of the edges. • The asymmetric pores of a membrane affect the motion direction of droplets. Structured surfaces with micro and nanostructures have shown great potential for a wide range of applications, such as self-cleaning, deicing, and drag reduction. Previous research has extensively explored the interactions between droplets and microstructures, particularly in terms of Cassie-Baxter and Wenzel states. However, there is still a notable gap in systematically studying the interactions between droplets and various types of geometrical boundary features. In this study, we employed molecular dynamics simulations to investigate how different geometric boundary features affect the wetting behavior and motion of water droplets. Our detailed analysis led to the derivation of a formula to calculate the critical contact angle for a droplet interacting with any geometric boundary feature from a mechanical perspective. Based on these findings, we successfully controlled motion direction of water droplets along a separation membrane. We observed that due to the influence of geometric boundary features at the holes, droplets exhibited unidirectional motion on the separation membrane. By considering the influence of geometric boundary features, our research provides valuable insights for preventing wetting transition, enhancing the storage of lubricating oil in grooves, facilitating efficient oil–water separation, and regulating fluid flow in microchannels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To establish a stable and efficient immobilization technique under microwave irradiation, a focused microwave reaction system was used, where the temperature was set appropriately in the microwave system and cooling module to produce consecutive microwave irradiation. 2-Deoxy-D-ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) was rapidly and efficiently immobilized in mesocellular siliceous foams (MCFs) under microwave irradiation. When the output power in the microwave system was set to 30W, after 3min, 88.4% of the enzyme protein was coupled to the wall of the support pores and the specific activity of the immobilized enzyme was 2.24Umg−1, 149.2% higher than that of the free enzyme and 157.0% higher than that of the non-microwave-assisted immobilized enzyme. In catalysis, microwave-assisted immobilized DERA tolerated a wider range of both pH and temperature than other DERA preparations. The thermal and storage stabilities were also significantly improved. This focused; microwave-assisted immobilization technique has proven to be simple, stable and highly efficient. This technique could also be applied to other enzyme immobilizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ce0.67Zr0.33O2 (CZ) doped by nickel oxide with different content and the corresponding Pd-only three-way catalysts before and after aging has been prepared and characterized. The investigations show that CZ doped with nickel oxide obviously results in more active fresh catalysts with enhanced textural properties, but suffers from a net loss of activity after aging. The introduction of Ni promotes the reducibility of samples, causing the enhancement of oxygen storage capacity (OSC) of fresh samples. CZNi(3%) exhibits better textural and structural properties because of the formation of more homogeneous Ce–Zr–Ni–O ternary solid solution, which promotes the interaction between Ce–Zr and Ni. However, the thermal aging leads to a loss of surface area and a significant decrease of the reducibility and OSC, except for CZNi(3%). Only Pd/CZNi(3%) represents better catalytic activity after aging. It reveals that the catalytic behavior of these bimetallic systems is strongly affected by the nature of support. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: CeO2–ZrO2–Al2O3 (CZA) mixed oxides were synthesized using sol–gel and supercritical drying methods, and their physicochemical properties were characterized by BET surface area (BET), X-ray diffraction (XRD), H2-temperature-programmed reduction (H2-TPR) and O2-temperature-programmed desorption (O2-TPD) techniques. The catalytic performances of Pd/CZA catalysts with different thermal treatment were also investigated. The results indicate that catalytic activities are affected by thermal treatment of support or catalyst and Pd/CZA catalysts exhibit good thermal stability. H2-TPR results show that the effect of thermal treatment on the dispersion state of PdO is different between catalyst and support after calcination. However, O2-TPD results show that the influence of thermal treatment on the desorption performance of oxygen is similar in both cases. Desorption of surface oxygen is closely related to surface area of the support. During the calcination of the supports or the catalysts at high temperature, the surface oxygen desorption capacity and the mobility of lattice oxygen decrease due to the sintering of supports, which is harmful to the dispersion of active species, corresponding to the decrease of three-way catalytic activities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The zinc finger-containing protein A20 is a negative regulator of TNF-induced JNK (c-Jun-N-terminal kinase) and NFκB (nuclear factor κB) signaling. A20 is an unusual enzyme that contains both ubiquitinating and deubiquitinating activities. Although A20 is mostly localized in the cytosol, our recent studies reveal that a fraction of A20 can associate with a lysosome-interacting compartment in a manner that requires its carboxy terminal zinc fingers, but independent of its ubiquitin modifying activities. Whether the lysosome-associated A20 has a function in cellular signaling is unclear. Here, we demonstrate that A20 is capable of targeting an associated signaling molecule such as TRAF2 to the lysosomes for degradation. This process is dependent on the membrane tethering zinc finger domains of A20, but does not require A20 ubiquitin modifying activity. Our findings suggest a novel mode of A20 action that involves lysosomal targeting of signal molecules bound to A20. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effects of carrageenans’ structural features on its interaction with granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) and on the growth and differentiation of a G-CSF dependent leukemia cell line (NFS-60) were studied. λ, ι, and κ carrageenans, with decreasing contents of sulfation, bound to G-CSF with binding constants of (6.2±0.6)×105 M−1, (7.4±0.5)×105 M−1 and (6.0±0.4)×105 M−1, and with 27.7±0.2, 17.4±0.1 and 8.4±0.1 binding sites, respectively. However, κ carrageenan oligosaccharide had no affinity for G-CSF. The three carrageenans significantly inhibited G-CSF-induced growth of NFS-60 cells. The high sulfate content λ carrageenan could also induce the maturation of the cells, but relatively low sulfate content ι and κ carrageenans could not. The results suggested that G-CSF–carrageenan bindings were dependent on carrageenans’ sulfate contents and chain lengths, which could also affect the growth and differentiation of NFS-60 cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A multi-step synthesis of the title compound has been devised. In spite of its P=C double bond, the compound does not react at 100 °C with methanol and 2,3-dimethyl-1,3-butadiene. DFT calculations indicate a planar core, a long P=C double bond at 1.725 Å and a high-lying LUMO. Complexation can force the methoxy substituent to rotate out of the plane, thus restoring partly the double bond character of the P=C bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In quantum information theory, symmetric informationally complete positive operator-valued measures (SIC-POVMs) are related to quantum state tomography, quantum cryptography and foundational studies. However, constructing SIC-POVMs is notoriously hard. Although some SIC-POVMs have been constructed numerically, there does not exist an infinite family of them until now. In this paper, we utilize Jacobi sums over finite fields to propose a construction of approximately SIC-POVMs. The dimension of this approximately SIC-POVMs is q - 2 , where q is a prime power. Notably, the dimension of the obtained approximately SIC-POVM from our framework is new. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Accumulating evidence indicates that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) play critical roles in the development of many cancer types. However, the changes of lncRNAs expression profiles in hepatocarcinogenesis remain largely unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to identify the clinical significance, oncogenic functions, and potential mechanism of cancer-related lncRNAs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Materials and Methods: An in vitro hepatocellular carcinoma model was established via oncogene-mediated transformation with a combination of three genetic alterations, including hTERT overexpression, inactivation of P53, and KRAS activation. Changes of biological function and transcriptome profile in these cell lines were determined by colony formation assay, MTT assay, wound-healing scratch assay, xenograft nude mice model, mass cytometry and RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq). Furthermore, 116 HCC tissues and its corresponding normal tumor-adjacent tissues were explored to validate the results of cell lines. Finally, RNA sequencing, single-cell mass cytometry and fluorescence-activated cell sorter were applied to evaluate the potential association between the expression of lncRNA and the stemness of HCC. Results: LncRNA HOXA-AS2 was aberrantly upregulated and it may be involved in the regulation of cancer stem cells during oncogenic transformation. Consistently, lncRNA HOXA-AS2 expression was significantly upregulated in HCC and its higher expression positively correlated with poor prognosis and stem cell-related functions. Moreover, a specific cancer stem cell subpopulation with EPCAM+, C-MYC+ and CK19+ may exist in higher HOXA-AS2 expression HCC patients. Conclusion: LncRNA HOXA-AS2 plays pivotal roles in the occurrence and progression of HCC, which may act as a therapeutic target for prognostic biomarker in hepatocellular carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: 1. To review the contemporary literature and present a list of the imaging findings for patients with autoinflammatory diseases from our hospital. All these patients are found to have a genetic mutation that is responsible for their disease. 2. To present follow-up imaging findings, when available, and correlate those with symptoms and type of treatment administered in approximately 40 patients with autoinflammatory diseases of a single tertiary pediatric health care center including familial Mediterranean fever, Cryopyrin-associated autoinflammatory syndrome, PAPA (pyogenic arthritis, pyoderma gangrenousum, and acne) syndrome, and more. These findings are related to disease progression, treatment response, or treatment-induced changes. Conclusion: Autoinflammatory diseases are relatively rare entities that can affect any system of the body. Given the many nonspecific imaging features, awareness of these diseases and good communication with clinicians aid in reaching an accurate diagnosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: An InDel marker closely linked with a major and stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) on chromosome 4BS, QSnpa.cau-4B, controlling spike number per unit area will benefit wheat yield improvement. Spike number per unit area (SNPA) is an essential yield-related trait, and analyzing its genetic basis is important for cultivar improvement in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). In this study, we used the F2 population derived from a cross between two wheat accessions displaying significant differences in SNPA to perform quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis. Through bulked segregant analysis, a major and stable QTL that explained 18.11–82.11% of the phenotypic variation was identified on chromosome 4BS. The QTL interval was validated using F4:5 and F6:7 families and narrowed it to a 24.91–38.36 Mb region of chromosome 4BS according to the 'Chinese Spring' reference genome sequence. In this region, variations in 16 genes caused amino acid changes and three genes were present in only one parent. Among these, we annotated a gene orthologous to TB1 in maize (Zea mays), namely TraesCS4B01G042700, which carried a 44-bp deletion in its promoter in the higher-SNPA parent. An InDel marker based on the insertion/deletion polymorphism was designed and used to diagnose the allelic distribution within a natural population. The frequency of the 44-bp deletion allele associated with higher SNPA was relatively low (13.24%), implying that this favorable allele has not been widely utilized and could be valuable for wheat yield improvement. In summary, we identified a major and stable QTL for SNPA and developed a diagnostic marker for the more-spiked trait, which will be beneficial for molecular-assisted breeding in wheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: H2A.Z is an oncogenic histone variant that is overexpressed in cancers. Two isoforms of H2A.Z, H2AFZ and H2AFV, are identical except for a three-amino acid difference. However, their isoform-specific functions remain unclear in cancer development. Thereby, this study aimed to investigate whether the two isoforms play distinct functions in hepatocarcinogenesis. Materials and Methods: Expressions of H2A.Z isoforms in 116 paired hepatocellular cancerous and para-cancerous tissues were detected by employing qPCR. GEO and TCGA databases were used to probe expressions and prognostic value of the two H2A.Z isoforms. A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted. Furthermore, co-expressed analysis of H2AFZ and H2AFV was performed by using cBioPortal database. H2A.Z binding genes from Chip-seq were intersected with H2A.Z isoforms co-expressed genes to perform functional annotations. Cell proliferation experiments from H2AFZ knockout HepG2 and BEL-7402 cells were implemented. Finally, RNA-seq was applied to analyse alternative splicing in H2AFZ knockout and wild-type cells. Results: H2AFZ and H2AFV were both significantly upregulated (P < 0.01) in hepatocellular carcinoma and related to poor prognosis (P < 0.01). The two H2A.Z isoforms played vital roles in cell proliferation. It is also predicted that unique functions of H2AFV contain spindle midzone and microtubule, while H2AFZ is especially associated with RNA export and spliceosome. Further, devoid H2AFZ may restrain liver cancer cell proliferation and cause many alternative splicing events. Conclusion: Both H2A.Z isoforms play vital and distinct roles in the occurrence and progression of liver cancer, which may pave a way for novel therapeutic applications for cancers in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report the phenomenon of fast changes in aerosol hygroscopicity between clean and polluted periods observed frequently in urban Beijing during winter using a hygroscopicity tandem mobility analyzer. The cause of this phenomenon and the formation process of particles in different modes are discussed. During clean periods, ultrafine‐mode particles (i.e., nucleation and Aitken modes) stem mainly from nucleation events with subsequent growth. During heavily polluted periods, ultrafine‐mode particles originate chiefly from primary emissions. Larger‐mode particles like accumulation‐mode particles are mainly from primary emissions during clean periods and aqueous reactions during polluted periods. This finding based on hygroscopicity tandem mobility analyzer measurements can make up the deficiency of mass‐dependent instruments in analyzing sources and chemical processes of ultrafine‐mode particles. Plain Language Summary: The mass concentration of ultrafine‐mode particles in the atmosphere is extremely low, and their properties are rarely investigated using instruments specialized in measuring such things. The hygroscopicity tandem mobility analyzer makes it possible to study sources and chemical processes of ultrafine‐mode particles. They were measured in terms of aerosol number concentration, and aerosol hygroscopicity indirectly reflects aerosol chemical compositions. The properties of ultrafine‐ and accumulation‐mode particles differed considerably between clean and polluted urban environments. Investigated were their different formation processes. Key Points: Aerosol hygroscopicity changes quickly between clean and polluted periods in BeijingUltrafine‐mode particles stem chiefly from nucleation in clean environments and from primary emissions in polluted environmentsUltrafine‐ and accumulation‐mode particles have distinct properties in urban environments [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The temporary plugging and diverting fracturing (TPDF) technique is important for improving the production capacity of hot dry rock (HDR) reservoirs. The key to this technique is to form effective plugged layers in existing fractures. However, HDR reservoirs have a high temperature, high pressure, and tight rocks. Accordingly, temporary plugging agents (TPAs) deliver different plugging performances for HDR fractures and conventional tight reservoirs. To investigate the plugging mechanisms of TPAs for rough fractures in HDRs, this study first reconstructed the physical models of rough fractures in HDRs using the computed tomography (CT) and 3D printing techniques. Second, it proposed a computational method of fracture surface roughness based on the joint roughness coefficient (JRC) theory. Using this method, the surface roughness of the physical models was calculated and then compared with the rock roughness spectra recommended by the International Society for Rock Mechanics and Rock Engineering (ISRM). Third, with the aid of the temporary plugging characteristic experimental system, this study designed and conducted temporary plugging characteristic experiments on rough fractures in HDRs under a high temperature. Last, this study analyzed the influences of different factors, including fracture surface roughness and the particle concentration and type of TPAs, on the fracture plugging efficiency under a high temperature. The results of this study are as follows: Under the same conditions, the temporary plugging efficiency for fractures in HDRs increased by 67.6% when the fracture surface roughness increased by 10.44; the amount of the required TPA mixture increased by 82.5% when the temperature doubled in value, and the optimal particle concentration of TPAs was 1.5% in this experiment. These results can be used as a reference for the hydraulic fracturing of HDRs. [Display omitted] • The plugging mechanisms of particulate diverter for rough fractures is experimentally investigated at high temperature. • The computed tomography and 3D printing techniques are used. • Key factors such as fracture roughness and particle concentration and type are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Ferritin is not only a biomarker of total iron status and systemic inflammation but is also associated with metabolic disorders. A number of genetic variations have been identified to affect serum ferritin, but there is limited understanding of the genetic variations in serum ferritin. To evaluate the relationships among genetic variations, metabolism and ferritin, we performed a secondary analysis of our previous genome-wide association study of ferritin. After adjusting for population stratification and age, the rs671 in ALDH2 was significantly associated with ferritin concentrations (P -combined = 2.98 × 10−8). Men carrying the mutated genotype of rs671 had lower serum ferritin levels. BMI was the mediation between rs671 and ferritin (P = 0.003). Moreover, a significant interaction between rs671 and alcohol consumption on ferritin levels was observed (P = 3.02 × 10−4). rs671 genotypes were significantly relevant to serum ferritin in drinkers (P = 2.39 × 10−7). We reported that rs671 was associated with ferritin in a manner of BMI mediation. These findings will provide new insights into the impacts of genetic variations and metabolisms on serum ferritin levels. Highlights • rs671 is significantly associated with ferritin concentrations. • Men carrying the mutated genotype of rs671 have lower serum ferritin levels. • BMI is the mediation between rs671 and ferritin. • rs671 interacts with alcohol consumption in determining ferritin concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Low testosterone concentrations have been suggested as a risk factor for hypertension, but their contribution to the development of hypertension is not well studied. We carried out a cohort study based on the results of an earlier cross-sectional investigation. We established the association between testosterone concentrations and hypertension. Method Data on 2427 healthy male subjects, aged from 17 to 88 y, were collected for the cross-sectional study. A representative sample of 853 individuals who did not suffer from hypertension at baseline was followed up for 4 y. Differences between the tertiles groups of sex hormones were analyzed, relative risks (RR) were estimated using binary logistic regression model. Results In the cross-sectional analysis, the serum total testosterone (TT), free testosterone (FT), and bioavailable testosterone (BT) concentrations of the hypertensive population were lower than those of the non-hypertensive population. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that TT, BT, and FT were inversely associated with hypertension. Moreover, decreasing odds ratio (OR) was observed from the lowest tertile group to the highest tertile group. After multivariate adjustment, the correlation between FT, BT, and hypertension was attenuated. Statistically significant differences remained only in the middle tertile group of TT and in the highest tertile group of TT, FT, and BT. In the longitudinal analysis, the 4-y incidence of hypertension was higher in participants with lower TT than in those with higher TT. Subjects in the middle and highest tertile groups of TT had an RR of 0.35 (0.22–0.57) and 0.30 (0.18–0.50), respectively (P for trend <0.001). After further adjustments, these associations still remained statistically significant. Conclusions Serum TT, FT, and BT concentrations were inversely associated with blood pressure in man, and TT independent of age and body mass index (BMI) influences the development of hypertension. Furthermore, TT can be employed as a risk marker for hypertension in the identification of high-risk individuals. Highlights • TT, BT, FT were inversely associated with hypertension. • TT independently of age and BMI influence the development of hypertension. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nephrolithiasis is a common urological disease with high prevalence and recurrence rates. Characterizing gut microbiome profiles of nephrolithiasis patients may provide valuable insights and potential biomarkers for the disease. Therefore, we explored the relation between gut microbiome and nephrolithiasis using 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) gene sequencing. 13 patients with multiple kidney stones and 13 matched healthy controls were recruited. A decreasing trend in number of observed species in nephrolithiasis patients was detected, although statistical significance was not reached (p = 0.086). The inter-group variability in community structure by beta diversity analysis showed a clear separation between nephrolithiasis patients and healthy controls. Twenty genera differentiated significantly in relative abundance between nephrolithiasis patients and healthy controls (all p < 0.05). Among the 20 genera, Phascolarctobacterium, Parasutterella, Ruminiclostridium_5, Erysipelatoclostridium, Fusicatenibacter and Dorea were correlated with the concentration of the trace elements in blood, including potassium, sodium, calcium and chlorinum. Characteristic microbiome in nephrolithiasis patients was also identified by linear discriminant analysis effect size (LEfSe). These findings may provide novel and non-invasive potential diagnostic biomarkers for nephrolithiasis, and contribute to prevention and treatment of nephrolithiasis from the perspective of maintaining micro-ecological equilibrium in gut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Serum folate is important in clinical researches and DNA synthesis and methylation. Some loci and genes that are associated with folate levels had been detected by genome-wide association studies (GWAS), such as rs1801133 in MTHFR and rs1979277 in SHMT1 . Nevertheless, only a small part of variants has been clearly identified for serum folate. Hence, we conducted a GWAS to discover new inherited susceptibility and gene-environment interactions on serum folate concentration. Materials and methods In a healthy Chinese population of 1999 men, genotyping was performed using Illumina HumanOmni1-Quad BeadChip. Serum folate levels were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), pathway enrichment analysis and statistical analysis were performed by Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) and Statistic Package for Social Science (SPSS). Results We validated that rs1801133 in MTHFR was significantly involved in serum folate ( P  = 4.21 × 10 −19 ). Surprisingly, we discovered three novel loci rs3782886, rs671, and rs4646776 of ALDH2 gene were suggestively significantly associated with folate serum folate levels in the male population studied ( P  = 2.17 × 10 −7 , P  = 3.60 × 10 −7 , P  = 3.99 × 10 −7 , respectively) after adjusting for population stratification, BMI and age. Men with the AA genotype had significantly higher serum folate levels compared with men with the GG/AG genotype. But we found ALDH2 gene mutation no relation to part of environmental factors on serum folate levels. Conclusion In a male Chinese population, genome-wide association study discovered that three novel SNPs rs3782886, rs671 and rs4646776 of ALDH2 gene were suggestively significantly associated with serum folate levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A miniaturized solid‐phase method was proposed for the extraction of aflatoxin M1 and B1 from milk and jujube samples. Target analytes were identified by ultra high performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time‐of‐flight tandem mass spectrometry in positive mode. The main factors that affected the extraction ability and sensitivity of the analytical method were evaluated in detail. In the optimal conditions, 30 mg of silica particles functionalized with octadecyltrimethoxysilane and methanol were used as sorbent and desorption solvent in miniaturized solid‐phase extraction, respectively. The calibration curves for aflatoxin B1 and M1 showed good linearity (r2 > 0.9921) within linear ranges. The limit of detection (S/N = 3) were determined to be 0.049 and 0.023 μg/kg for aflatoxin M1 and B1, respectively. In addition, the good spiked recoveries were obtained ranging from 88.24 to 105.35%. The results demonstrated that the proposed method had significant advantages including simple, inexpensive, rapid, and accurate, which considered as a suitable method for the trace analysis of aflatoxins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrile hydratase (NHase) has attracted considerable attention since it can efficiently catalyze the hydration of nitriles to valuable amides. However, the poor stability of NHase is one of the main drawbacks in the industrial application. In this study, we compared the structural difference between Fe-type and Co-type NHase and found that an extra α helix existed at the β-subunit surface of Co-type NHase (defined as the β-6th helix). Then, the effects of the β-6th helix were investigated on the thermal stability and the catalytic kinetics of a Co-type NHase from Aurantimonas manganoxydans ATCC BAA-1229 (NHase1229). When the β-6th helix was deleted or disrupted, the thermal stability of NHase1229 was reduced to 17.6 and 12.9% of that of wild NHase1229, respectively. Thus, the β-6th helix is important for the thermal stability of Co-type NHase. Based on the structural characteristics of Co-type NHase, the β-6th helix may be interacted with another helix at the α-subunit (defined as the α-2nd helix) by hydrophobic network just as a “magnetic suction buckle” on the enzyme surface to stabilize the binding of α- and β-subunits. The β-6th helix is located at the mouth of the substrate and product tunnel, so it plays crucial roles in catalytic process. Furthermore, the β-6th helix in NHase1229 was swapped with a thermophilic NHase fragment from Pseudonocardia thermophila JCM3095 (NHase1229-Swap). The thermal stability of NHase1229-Swap was significantly improved, and the half-life was approximately 2.4-fold at 40 °C than that of the wild NHase1229. The knowledge is useful for improving the stability of NHases by restriction fragment swapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Directional movement of liquid AuNPs induced by the Laplace pressure difference. • Surface structures influence interactions of liquid AuNPs. • Curved surfaces contribute generation of the Laplace pressure. Due to superior ductility, oxidation resistance, and conductive properties, gold nanoparticles are widely used in semiconductor devices. From printing inks to electronic chips, gold nanoparticles are widely used as conductors. Nowadays, with the size of electronic chips getting smaller, gold nanoparticles have become an essential component in chip design. For example, they can connect resistors, conductors, and other electronic chip components. However, interactions of gold nanoparticles with curved substrates at high temperatures have rarely been studied. In our study, we simulated interactions of gold nanoparticles at high temperatures on a curved silicon substrate. It is observed that at above the metlting point, gold nanoparticles moved directionally under the effect of curvature gradients, and the curved surface can be used to control the coalescence of gold nanoparticles. The size, temperature of gold nanoparticles, and curvature gradients of the substrate are altered to observe their effects on gold nanoparticle movement. According to the results, we conclude that surface curvature gradients induce the Laplace pressure, and the Laplace pressure drives liquid gold nanoparticles to move directionally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Aldoxime dehydratase was engineered to accept benzyl substrates by a semi-rational protein design. • The amino acid residues in the substrate access tunnel affect the substrate transportation. • Two catalytic processes of oxidation and dehydration were coupled to convert benzyl amines to nitrile derivatives. • The chemoenzymatic cascade was conducted under mild conditions without highly toxic cyanide. A chemoenzymatic strategy has been implemented to synthesize nitriles from benzyl amines under mild conditions. Aldoxime dehydratase (Oxd) plays a decisive role to convert aldoximes into corresponding nitriles. However, natural Oxds commonly exhibit extremely low catalytic capacity toward benzaldehyde oximes. Here, we engineered the OxdF1 from Pseudomonas putida F1 to enhance its catalytic efficiency toward benzaldehyde oximes by a semi-rational design strategy. The protein structure-based CAVER analysis indicates that M29, A147, F306, and L318 are located adjacent to the substrate tunnel entrance of OxdF1, which were responsible for the transportation of substrate into the active site. After two rounds of mutagenesis, the maximum activities of the mutants L318F and L318F/F306Y were 2.6 and 2.8 U/mg respectively, which were significantly higher than the wild OxdF1 of 0.7 U/mg. Meanwhile, the lipase type B from Candida antarctica was functionally expressed in Escherichia coli cells to selectively oxidize benzyl amines to aldoximes using urea-hydrogen peroxide adduct (UHP) as an oxidant in ethyl acetate. To merge the oxidation and dehydration reactions, a reductive extraction solution was added to remove the residue UHP, which is critical to eliminate its inhibition on the Oxd activity. Consequently, nine benzyl amines were efficiently converted into corresponding nitriles by the chemoenzymatic sequence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The stone processing sector has begun to implement the Cleaner Production (CP) strategy to tackle with these burdens caused by the production process. Decision-makers need to select the most suitable cutting fluid for achieving the CP mode in their firm. However, the assessment methods of characteristics and performances of cutting fluid in granite processing field have rarely been examined in the literature. This paper proposed a multi-criteria evaluation system that enables decision-makers to quantitatively analyze the comprehensive effectiveness of application of cutting fluid in their granite production lines. A four-hierarchy indicator system was initially structured with three attributes, 13 characteristics and 30 indicators according to the context and literature of the stone processing field. The definitions of measurement method for all the indicators were closely related to the laws, rules, regulations and discharge standards. The decision algorithm was designed based on the integration of two distinctive Multiple Attribute Decision Making (MADM) techniques: Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) approach was used to determine the weights of each indicator, and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) technique was applied to obtain the prioritization of alternative cutting fluids. This research introduced the statistical analysis principle to help the decision makers to further understand the nature of the final ranking: confidence interval (CI) provided the decision-makers an interval where the ranking may be valid instead of a single absolute rank; and Tukey's HSD tests were done to show if the final score of alternatives were statistically different from each other. A case of application demonstrated that the proposed decision method and procedures can become a scientific foundation for formulating guidelines to select the most suitable cutting fluid for implementing CP strategy in the granite processing organizations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aim Recent studies have shown that genetic factors are involved in the development of kidney stone disease (KSD). A case–control association analysis was performed to investigate the association between homeodomain-interacting protein kinase 2 (HIPK2; OMIM *606868) polymorphisms and KSD. Methods A total of 890 KSD patients and 920 healthy subjects were analyzed. Polymorphisms were genotyped using SNPscanTM high-throughput SNP classification technology. The genotypic and allelic frequencies in KSD patients and healthy individuals were analyzed using a Chi-square test. Results The genotype and allele distributions of the three polymorphisms (rs2058265, rs6464214, and rs7456421 in HIPK2) displayed strong associations with KSD in males (rs2058265: odds ratio [OR] 2.480,95%confidence interval [CI] 1.205–5.106, p  = 0.014; rs6464214: OR 2.466, 95%CI 1.198–5.078, p  = 0.014; rs7456421: OR 2.846, 95%CI 1.362–5.947, p  = 0.005; perallele: r2058265T, OR 1.357, 95%CI 1.073–1.715, p  = 0.011; rs6464214G, OR 1.340, 95%CI 1.060–1.693, p  = 0.014; rs7456421C, OR 1.356, 95%CI 1.073–1.713, p  = 0.011). Patients carrying the T allele of rs2058265, the G allele of rs6464214, or the C allele of rs7456421 showed higher systolic blood pressure, creatinine, and uric acid levels compared with wild-genotype individuals after adjusting for age, gender, and body mass index ( p  < 0.005). Conclusion The association of HIPK2 gene polymorphisms with KSD was only observed in males but not in females. HIPK2 gene polymorphisms were also involved in the changes of KSD-related metabolic traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estimating individual tree diameters at breast height (DBH) from delineated crowns and tree heights on the basis of airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) data provides a good opportunity for large-scale forest inventory. Generally, ground-based measurements are more accurate, but LiDAR data and derived DBH values can be obtained over larger areas for a relatively smaller cost if a right procedure is developed. A nonlinear least squares (NLS) regression is not an appropriate approach to predict the aboveground biomass (AGB) of individual trees from the estimated DBH because both the response variable and the regressor are subject to measurement errors. In this study, a system of compatible individual tree DBH and AGB error-in-variable models was developed using error-in-variable regression techniques based on both airborne LiDAR and field-measured datasets of individual Picea crassifolia Kom. trees, collected in northwestern China. Two parameter estimation algorithms, i.e., the two-stage error-in-variable model (TSEM) and the nonlinear seemingly unrelated regression (NSUR), were proposed for estimating the parameters in the developed system of compatible individual tree DBH and AGB error-in-variable models. Moreover, two model structures were applied to estimate AGB for comparison purposes: NLS with AGB estimation depending on DBH (NLS&DD) and NLS with AGB estimation not depending on DBH (NLS&NDD). The results showed that both TSEM and NSUR led to almost the same parameter estimates for the developed system. Moreover, the developed system effectively accounted for the inherent correlation between DBH and AGB as well as for the effects of measurement errors in the DBH on the predictions of AGB, whereas NLS&DD and NLS&NDD did not. A leave-one-out cross-validation indicated that the prediction accuracy of the developed system of compatible individual tree DBH and AGB error-in-variable models with NSUR was the highest among those estimated by the four methods evaluated, but, statistically, the accuracy improvement was not significantly different from zero. The main reason might be that, except for the measurement errors, other source errors were ignored in the modeling. This study implies that, overall, the proposed method provides the potential to expand the estimations of both DBH and AGB from individual trees to stands by combining the error-in-variable modeling and LiDAR data and improve their estimation accuracies, but its application needs to be further validated by conducting a systematical uncertainty analysis of various source errors in a future study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AlNi pillared clay (AlNi-PILC) was synthesized firstly, and then MnO 2 was supported via wetness impregnation from nitrate precursors. Sulphation was performed by in-situ decomposing ammonium sulfate with different concentrations over MnO 2 /AlNi-PILC. Catalysts before and after sulfur poisoning were characterized by XRD, N 2 adsorption/desorption, HRTEM, XPS, H 2 -TPR and NH 3 -TPD. MnO 2 /AlNi-PILC exhibited high catalytic activity, allowing the complete toluene combustion. Structure of the catalyst was obviously damaged after sulfur poisoning. (001) crystal plane strength of AlNi-PILC was decreased significantly. Meanwhile, the specific surface area and pore volume reduced with increase of sulfate concentration. Sulfur species were readily formed on the surface of poisoned catalyst and deposited in the pore structure of AlNi-PILC, which resulted in significant impacts on the structural stability, acidity and the number of active species. These changes were responsible for the decreased catalytic performance. [Display omitted] • In-situ (NH 4) 2 SO 4 decomposition method was used to simulate sulfur poisoning. • Sulfur poisoning damaged the layer structure and (001) crystal plane of AlNi-PILC. • Sulfur poisoning reduced S BET , strong acid sites, redox property and Mn4+ content. • Deactivation of catalyst was attributed to inactive and stable sulfate species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate representation of surface solar radiation (SSR) trends is an important indicator for global climate models (GCMs) to correctly reproducing the historical climate evolution. This study examines the annual mean SSR trends in China under all-sky and clear-sky conditions for the period 1961–2014 in 34 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models using the latest homogenized in-situ SSR dataset. The site-observed annual mean SSR over China shows a significant decadal decline during 1961–2005 but an uptrend during 2006–2014, with the trends being −6.4 (−8.6) W m−2 and + 2.5 (+5.9) W m−2 per decade under all-sky (clear-sky) condition, respectively. All CMIP6 models simulate the sustained decline in SSR over China for the period 1961–2005 but significantly underestimate the dimming. The model results show trends of −1.9 ± 0.5 W m−2 and -2.5 ± 0.7 W m−2 per decade during 1961–2005 under all-sky and clear-sky conditions, respectively, which are around one third of the observed results. Furthermore, the models fail to capture the reversal of SSR trends in China during 2006–2014, with the trends being −1.1 ± 1.7 W m−2 and -2.2 ± 0.9 W m−2 per decade under all-sky and clear-sky conditions, respectively. We infer that the underestimation of anthropogenic aerosol emissions, especially absorbing black carbon emissions cause the underestimated simulation of SSR in dimming period over China. After 2005, the unseasonal increase in carbonaceous aerosol emissions and the weaker decline of sulfur dioxide emissions in China in the models result in an opposite SSR trends relative to the trends based on the site-observations. Our results suggest that improving the anthropogenic aerosol emissions inventory will be useful for generating a more accurate reproduction of the regional SSR evolution over China in GCMs. • Annual mean SSR trends in China during 1961–2014 in 34 CMIP6 models were evaluated. • The homogenized in-situ SSR data under all-sky and clear-sky conditions were used. • CMIP6 models significantly underestimated the dimming in China during 1961–2005. • CMIP6 models failed to capture the brightening in China after 2005. • Improving aerosol emissions was useful for reproducing the SSR evolution in models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Culture-independent approaches to analyze metagenome are practical choices for rapid exploring useful genes. The mg- MSDH gene, acquired from the hot spring metagenomic, was retrieved full lengths of functional gene using semi-nest touch-down PCR. Two pairs of degenerate primers were used to separate seven conserve partial sequences by semi-nest touch-down PCR. One of them showed similarity with aldehyde dehydrogenase was used as a target fragment for isolating full-length sequence. The full-length mg-MSDH sequence contained a 1,473 bp coding sequence encoding a 490-amino-acid polypeptide and assigned an accession number JQ715422 in Genbank. The upstream sequences TAGGAG of the start codon (GTG), suggested that was a ribosome binding site. The coding sequence of mg-MSDH was ligated to pET-303 vector and the reconstructive plasmid was successfully overexpressed in E. coli. The purified recombinant mg-MSDH enzyme showed propionaldehyde oxidative activity of 3.0 U mg at 37 °C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] A genome mining method was developed to discover Fe-type NHases from GenBank. [•] A new Fe-type NHase was cloned and expressed in Escherichia coli. [•] An activator gene was necessary to assist functional expression of the Fe-NHase. [•] The Fe-type NHase can efficiently hydrate aliphatic and aromatic nitriles. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aerosol growth potentials were investigated based on measurements of aerosol properties from three field campaigns carried out at sites in urban Beijing (BJ) and suburban Xingtai (XT) located in the North China Plain (NCP). BJ and XT were located in a northern megalopolis area and a central-southern industrial area, respectively, in the NCP. Results suggest new particle formation (NPF) events occurred more frequently, and the particle growth potential was greater in the central-southern NCP region than in the northern NCP region in summer. It is found that differences in primary emissions and meteorological conditions can cause regional and seasonal variations in aerosol growth potential in the NCP. Photochemical reactions were more important for particle growth in summer, while nocturnal aqueous chemical reactions were more important in winter. The large nocturnal particle growth rate (7.5 nm h−1) was the reason inducing the severe aerosol pollution in winter BJ. Further analyses of submicron aerosol chemical species indicate more sulfate in submicron aerosols at XT, suggesting that the growth of new particles in the central-southern NCP in summer may be mainly dominated by the secondary formation of inorganics. Diurnal variations in aerosol chemical species during the three field campaigns suggest that the downward vertical mixing of nitrate over the nocturnal boundary layer played an important role in aerosol growth in the morning in summer. Moreover, the enhanced anthropogenic emissions during the late-day rush hours can cause clear increases in nitrate and organics. Our results highlight the distinct aerosol growth potentials in the northern and central-southern areas of NCP, implying that different emission control measures are needed in two regions to further improve air quality in the future. ● Diverse aerosol growth potentials were found in different regions of the North China Plain. ● Different particle growth mechanisms in winter and summer were reported. ● Distinct emission control measures are needed in different regions of the North China Plain to further improve air quality in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The tumor microenvironment (TME) is considered to play a key role in the development of many types of tumors. Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC), which is well known for its heterogeneity, has a highly complex TME. Herein, we integrated mass cytometry and imaging mass cytometry to systematically investigate the complexity of the MIBC TME. Our investigation revealed tumor and immune cells with diverse phenotypes. We identified a specific cancer stem-like cell cluster (ALDH+PD-L1+ER-β−), which is associated with poor prognosis and highlighted the importance of the spatial distribution patterns of MIBC TME components. The present study comprehensively elucidated the complexity of the MIBC TME and provides potentially valuable information for future research. Muscle invasive bladder cancer (MIBC) is a malignancy with considerable heterogeneity. The MIBC tumor microenvironment (TME) is highly complex, comprising diverse phenotypes and spatial architectures. The complexity of the MIBC TME must be characterized to provide potential targets for precision therapy. Herein, an integrated combination of mass cytometry and imaging mass cytometry was used to analyze tumor cells, immune cells, and TME spatial characteristics of 44 MIBC patients. We detected tumor and immune cell clusters with abnormal phenotypes. In particular, we identified a previously overlooked cancer stem-like cell cluster (ALDH+PD-L1+ER-β−) that was strongly associated with poor prognosis. We elucidated the different spatial architectures of immune cells (excluded, infiltrated, and deserted) and tumor-associated collagens (curved, stretched, directionally distributed, and chaotic) in the MIBC TME. The present study is the first to provide in-depth insight into the complexity of the MIBC TME at the single-cell level. Our results will improve the general understanding of the heterogeneous characteristics of MIBC, potentially facilitating patient stratification and personalized therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The east-west trending Tsinling Mountains in central China were uplifted at the end of the Middle Jurassic [176-161 million years ago (Ma)] in Yanshanian, thus effectively and geographically defining the northern climate as cold and dry, and the southern climate as warm and humid. Influenced by paleoenvironmental variation, the karst process shows differences between northern and southern China. Using the systems approach, the authors integrated the geologic history, climate, and hydrological conditions to analyze the causes of the karst differences in northern and southern China, as well as in the Tibetan Plateau. Carbonate rock deposition began in the Mesoproterozoic Era (1,600-1,000 Ma) in north China, and in the Sinian Sub-Era (825-570 Ma) in south China. In north China, the rock formation ended in the Mid-Ordovician (466 Ma), while in South China the deposition continued to the Triassic (250-200 Ma). Tibetan Plateau was deposited in the Late Permian (257-250 Ma). The different depositional environment caused different lithologies: the limestones are largely micritic in the north, but are massive and sparry in the south. The modern karst features were formed mainly in the Tertiary (53-2.6 Ma) and the Quaternary. In the Quaternary, the Tibetan Plateau arose sharply, which formed the monsoon system of East Asia, and loess started to deposit in north China, which partly delayed or prevented karstification in north China, and differentiated the karst features from those in south China. Thus, the karst process in north China is mainly hypogene, while the south is epigene in the Quaternary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, an esterase, designated EstC23, was isolated from a soil metagenomic library. The protein was amenable to overexpression in Escherichia coli under control of the T7 promoter, resulting in expression of the active, soluble protein that constituted 30% of the total cell protein content. This enzyme showed optimal activity at 40°C and retained about 50% maximal activity at 5–10°C. EstC23 showed remarkable stability in up to 50% (v/v) benzene and alkanes (high log P solvents). When incubated for 7days in the presence of 50% benzene or alkanes, the enzyme maintained its 2–3 fold elevated activity. The purified enzyme also cleaved sterically hindered esters of tertiary alcohols. These results indicate that EstC23 has potential for use in industrial processes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Sodium chloride salting-in and microwave irradiation were combined to drive thermolysin molecules into mesoporous support to obtain efficiently immobilized enzyme. When the concentration of sodium chloride was 3M and microwave power was 40W, 93.2% of the enzyme was coupled to the support by 3min, and the maximum specific activity of the immobilized enzyme was 17,925.1Umg−1. This was a 4.5-fold increase in activity versus enzyme immobilized using conventional techniques, and a 1.6-fold increase versus free enzyme. Additionally, the thermal stability of the immobilized thermolysin was significantly improved. When incubated at 70°C, there was no reduction in activity by 3.5h, whereas free thermolysin lost most of its activity by 3h. Immobilization also protected the thermolysin against organic solvent denaturation. The microwave-assisted immobilization technique, combined with sodium chloride salting-in, could be applied to other sparsely soluble enzymes immobilization because of its simplicity and high efficiency. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The objective of the study was to obtain pharmacokinetic parameters for melamine and blend of melamine (MEL) and cyanuric acid (CYA) in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss). The single target dosage of MEL (20mg/kg bw) and the blend of MEL and CYA (5 and 1.67mg/kg bw, respectively) were designed and plasma samples were collected at 30min, 1, 4, 8, 12, 20, 24, 36, 48, 72, 144 and 240h sequentially. An optimized method for simultaneous determination of MEL and CYA in plasma and animal tissues by LC–MS/MS was used. The data were shown to best fit a non-compartment model with first order processes of linear characters for melamine, with half-life (t 1/2) of 32.2–32.9h, clearance (Cl z / F ) of 35.9–36.6ml/h/kg, and volume of distribution (V ss) of 1.67–1.74l/kg. Withdrawal of CYA was much more rapid than that of MEL with higher Cl z / F (783.56ml/h/kg) and shorter t 1/2 (7.92h). T max of MEL20 and MEL5 were 12 and 20h, respectively, which showed that T max of MEL5 was delayed when MEL and CYA were given together. The results are quite different from those in mammals and showed much slower elimination of MEL and CYA from rainbow trout body. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

n inter-laboratory comparison of the AOAC mouse bioassay for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) toxicity in shellfish was carried out among 25 Chinese laboratories to examine the overall performance for PSP testing in China, and to analyze the main factors affecting the performance of this method. The toxic scallop Patinopecten yessoensis collected from coast of Bohai Sea, China, was used as a test sample in the comparison study. The results were reported and evaluated using robust statistical methods. The z scores showed that 80%, 8%, and 12% of laboratories reported satisfactory results, unsatisfactory results, and questionable results, respectively. This evaluation demonstrates that the PSP mouse bioassay is an appropriate method for screening and testing PSP toxicity in shellfish. However, it was found that the experience and skill of technicians, as well as the body weight and health status of mice being used significantly affected the accuracy of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Four types of Ce0.67Zr0.33O2 (CZCP, CZH, CZHP and CZM) mixed oxides as supports were prepared by coprecipitation, hydrothermal, homogeneous precipitation and microemulsion methods, respectively. The results show that both the preparation methods and the aging procedures have significant influences on the physicochemical properties of Ce0.67Zr0.33O2 mixed oxides. All these fresh Ce0.67Zr0.33O2 samples develop mesopore structure, especially that, CZCP obtains the largest diameter (20.87nm) and volume (0.455cm3/g). The XRD results indicate that fresh CZHP and CZCP samples contain cubic and tetragonal phases, while only cubic solid solution is found in fresh CZH and CZM samples, which show better low-temperature reducibility. Moreover, higher oxygen storage capacity complete (OSCC) values and faster O2 uptake are observed in CZH and CZM samples compared with those of fresh CZCP and CZHP. After calcination at 1100°C, it is found that the OSCC values and the kinetics of the O2 uptake for CZM and CZHP samples are deteriorated due to the coexistence of cubic and tetragonal phases as well as strong sintering of samples. On the contrary, the aged CZCP and CZH samples keep satisfactory low-temperature reducibility and oxygen storage capacity. For fresh catalysts, the pore-size distribution of mixed oxides seems to be important for catalytic activities. In contrast, for aged catalysts, their activities are related to both the redox properties and the textural properties of aged mixed oxides. Therefore, the Pd-only three-way catalyst supported on the CZCP exhibits the most promising amplified amplitude of stoichiometric window. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]