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Abstract Manipulating Gilbert damping is of critical importance in spintronic devices. Here, this work reports the damping anisotropy of Heusler‐alloy Co3−xFexAl single crystalline thin films using inductive ferromagnetic resonance. A colossal Gilbert damping anisotropy ratio of up to 1400%, nearly three times higher than the highest value reported among known metallic ferromagnets, is observed in the optimized sample Co1.4Fe1.6Al. The Gilbert damping anisotropy with strong fourfold symmetry is attributed to the variation of the spin–orbit coupling, which is further corroborated by the current‐orientation‐dependent anisotropic magnetoresistance ratio in Co1.4Fe1.6Al thin film. These results provide a practical approach to adjust Gilbert damping continuously and show great promise for future spintronic applications.

Abstract Background Heterosis is a phenomenon that hybrids show superior performance over their parents. The successful utilization of heterosis has greatly improved rice productivity, but the molecular basis of heterosis remains largely unclear. Results Here, the transcriptomes of young panicles and leaves of the two widely grown two-line super hybrid rice varieties (Jing-Liang-You-Hua-Zhan (JLYHZ) and Long-Liang-You-Hua-Zhan (LLYHZ)) and their parents were analyzed by RNA-seq. Transcriptome profiling of the hybrids revealed 1,778 ~ 9,404 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in two tissues, which were identified by comparing with their parents. GO, and KEGG enrichment analysis showed that the pathways significantly enriched in both tissues of two hybrids were all related to yield and resistance, like circadian rhythm (GO:0,007,623), response to water deprivation (GO:0,009,414), and photosynthetic genes (osa00196). Allele-specific expression genes (ASEGs) were also identified in hybrids. The ASEGs were most significantly enriched in ionotropic glutamate receptor signaling pathway, which was hypothesized to be potential amino acid sensors in plants. Moreover, the ASEGs were also differentially expressed between parents. The number of variations in ASEGs is higher than expected, especially for large effect variations. The DEGs and ASEGs are the potential reasons for the formation of heterosis in the two elite super hybrid rice. Conclusions Our results provide a comprehensive understanding of the heterosis of two-line super hybrid rice and facilitate the exploitation of heterosis in hybrid rice breeding with high yield heterosis.

The particles in high-temperature and high-speed airflow in the battlefield environment will form sliding friction and wear on the aeroengine turbine blades, thus reducing the service performance of the blades. However, few studies has been reported on the tribological properties of Ni-based single crystal alloy. Accordingly, the tribological properties of Ni-based single crystal alloys with different contents of Re (0 wt%, 1.5 wt%, 2.5 wt%, 3.5 wt%, 4.5 wt% and 5.5 wt%) are investigated by tribological experiments and molecular dynamics simulations in this paper. The results of tribological experiments show that Ni-based single crystal alloy without Re exhibits the characteristics of abrasive wear and adhesive wear, while the wear state is significantly improved after adding Re element. In particular, the worn surface of Ni-based single crystal alloy containing 5.5% Re (NSCA5) is the smoothest and only a few minor defects are observed. In addition, the micro-tribological characteristics of Ni-based single crystal alloy are analyzed by molecular dynamics simulations, the results show that Re atoms can inhibit the dislocation movement and reduce the system potential energy, which enhance the stability and hardness of Ni-based single crystal alloy, thereby the wear resistance of the material are improved.

Abstract Wide‐bandgap, layered hexagonal boron nitride (h‐BN) possesses excellent electrical insulation and ultrahigh thermal conductivity simultaneously, offering a perfect candidate for the growing demands of heating dissipations in modern chip industries and power electronics. Hybrids of h‐BN with polymers fulfill the thermal management materials (TMMs) requirement of flexibility, while the composite poses severe challenges in the interfacial bonding and excess thermal resistance. To date, the practical bonding between h‐BN intrinsic surfaces and polymer matrices remains elusive. This work reports on the effective alignment of h‐BN micro‐lamellae by introducing nitrogen‐atoms‐containing polymers as inter‐lamellae bridging mediums. Based on theoretical calculations the hydrogen bonding between polymer chains and the BN surface is revealed by differential charge densities mapping. It is shown experimentally that the neuron‐like polymer bundles strongly bonding surfaces of two neighboring h‐BN platelets as direct, microscopic evidence of the structure models. An extra alignment of h‐BN induced by this strong interfacial interaction leads to a higher degree of h‐BN stacking order, boosting the thermal conduction by eight times. These results reveal one unprecedented method to non‐covalently functionalize the h‐BN surface and expand the TMMs family in the dimension of the filler size, paving the way for exploring the larger‐sized ceramic TMMs.

In this paper, we study a kind of dual generalized inverses of dual matrices, which is called the dual group inverse. Some necessary and sufficient conditions for a dual matrix to have the dual group inverse are given. If one of these conditions is satisfied, then compact formulas and efficient methods for the computation of the dual group inverse are given. Moreover, the results of the dual group inverse are applied to solve systems of linear dual equations. The dual group-inverse solution of systems of linear dual equations is introduced. The dual analog of the real least-squares solution and minimal P-norm least-squares solution are obtained. Some numerical examples are provided to illustrate the results obtained.

Interleukin-15 (IL15) is a proinflammatory cytokine that could induce the production of inflammatory cytokines. In this study, the α chain of the IL15 receptor of Epinephelus coioides (Ec-IL15Rα), a natural regulator of IL15, was identified, and immune response functions of fish were determined and characterized. Ec-IL15Rα contains a 720 bp open reading frame that encodes 239 amino acids, including four typical conserved cysteine residues with a highly conserved sushi domain. Ec-IL15Rα is closely related to Epinephelus lanceolatus and is the most clustered with teleost. Subcellular localization studies showed that Ec-IL15Rα was situated in the cytoplasm and cell membrane. Ec-IL15Rα was detected in 11 tissues, with the highest expression in the liver and blood. Meanwhile, the Ec-IL15Rα transcriptional levels substantially increased in nine tissues after Vibrio harveyi infection. Ec-IL15Rα was significantly up-regulated in HKLs by ConA, PHA, LPS and poly I:C stimulation. In vitro analysis, the recombinant protein of rEc-IL15Rα stimulates HKL proliferation and IL1R, IL6R, IL10, and IL16 expression. Challenge experiments revealed that IL15Rα protein showed an increase of 6.67–10% survival protection rate after V. harveyi infection. This study provides a better understanding of the immune protection of IL15Rα in vertebrate fish.

Hericium rajendrae is an emerging species in the genus Hericium with few members. Despite being highly regarded due to its rarity, knowledge about H. rajendrae remains limited. In this study, we sequenced, de novo assembled, and annotated the complete genome of H. rajendrae NPCB A08, isolated from the Qinling Mountains in Shaanxi, China, using the Illumina NovaSeq and Nanopore PromethION technologies. Comparative genomic analysis revealed similarities and differences among the genomes of H. rajendrae, H. erinaceus, and H. coralloides. Phylogenomic analysis revealed the divergence time of the Hericium genus, while transposon analysis revealed evolutionary characteristics of the genus. Gene family variation reflected the expansion and contraction of orthologous genes among Hericium species. Based on genomic bioinformation, we identified the candidate genes associated with the mating system, carbohydrate-active enzymes, and secondary metabolite biosynthesis. Furthermore, metabolite profiling and comparative gene clusters analysis provided strong evidence for the biosynthetic pathway of erinacines in H. rajendrae. This work provides the genome of H. rajendrae for the first time, and enriches the genomic content of the genus Hericium. These findings also facilitate the application of H. rajendrae in complementary drug research and functional food manufacturing, advancing the field of pharmaceutical and functional food production involving H. rajendrae.

Abstract Members of the Enterobacter genus are gram-negative bacteria, which are used as plant growth-promoting bacteria, and increasingly recovered from economic plants as emerging pathogens. A new Enterobacter mori strain, designated CX01, was isolated as an emerging bacterial pathogen of a recent outbreak of kiwifruit canker-like disease in China. The main symptoms associated with this syndrome are bleeding cankers on the trunk and branch, and brown leaf spots. The genome sequence of E. mori CX01 was determined as a single chromosome of 4,966,908 bp with 4640 predicted open reading frames (ORFs). To better understand the features of the genus and its potential pathogenic mechanisms, five available Enterobacter genomes were compared and a pan-genome of 4870 COGs with 3158 core COGs were revealed. An important feature of the E. mori CX01 genome is that it lacks a type III secretion system often found in pathogenic bacteria, instead it is equipped with type I, II, and VI secretory systems. Besides, the genes encoding putative virulence effectors, two-component systems, nutrient acquisition systems, proteins involved in phytohormone synthesis, which may contribute to the virulence and adaption to the host plant niches are included. The genome sequence of E. mori CX01 has high similarity with that of E. mori LMG 25,706, though the rearrangements occur throughout two genomes. Further pathogenicity assay showed that both strains can either invade kiwifruit or mulberry, indicating they may have similar host range. Comparison with a closely related isolate enabled us to understand its pathogenesis and ecology.

IntroductionAutism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder with a rising incidence. More and more studies have shown that abnormal microbiota composition may aggravate the behavioral symptoms and biological signs of ASD, and interventions of probiotics and diet have emerged as a potential improvement measure.MethodsLactiplantibacillus plantarum ST-III-fermented milk was applied as an oral intervention in a valproic acid (VPA)-induced ASD mice model, and the effect of probiotic intake on autistic-related behaviors and gut microbiota composition was evaluated by behavioral tests and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.ResultsGender specificity was shown in VPA-induced behavioral abnormalities in a mouse model, and L. plantarum ST-III-fermented milk was effective in ameliorating the impaired social interaction in male ASD mouse models, but not for the anxiety behavior exhibited by female ASD mouse models. Meanwhile, dietary changes were found to be the main cause of the altered gut microbiota in mice, and additional intake of L. plantarum ST-III-fermented milk seemed to improve autistic-like behaviors in male ASD mouse models by modulating specific gut microbes.DiscussionThese findings suggest that L. plantarum ST-III-fermented milk may play a beneficial role in improving the behavioral symptoms of ASD and is expected to be one of the candidate functional foods for ASD.

Ecosystem-based management (EBM) has attracted wide attention in climate change adaptation strategy. However, EBM requires the realization of co-benefits of biodiversity and human wellbeing improvement. Furthermore, overall and internal knowledge of the ecoregion of interest is essential. With this knowledge, EBM can be integrated better into the spatial planning process. The present study proposes a dual service strategy for ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA): the ecosystem-based adaptation for human index (EbA-HI) and the ecosystem-based adaptation for biodiversity index (EbA-BI), which are examined at finer spatial scales. The Qilian Mountain protected area was used as an example to investigate the spatiotemporal characteristics of the two indices. Panel quantile regression was used to identify factors influencing the spatial distribution variations. Both EbA-HI and EbA-BI increased by 1.87% and 0.84%, respectively, from 2003 to 2019 in the Qilian Mountain Protected Area. Nevertheless, variations in the values of these indices, as well as their factors, were evident in different areas. Higher air temperatures significantly facilitated the increase in both EbA-HI and EbA-BI. A higher degree of land use positively affected EbA-HI but negatively impacted EbA-BI. Our findings illustrate the complexity associated with EbA and elucidate the need for in-depth theoretical thinking and practical adaptation measures for efficient ecosystem management, which will help to sustain and improve both biodiversity and human well-being.

Immunostimulants are becoming one of the most effective models for healthy and sustainable development against vibriosis, which is a serious threat to the global aquaculture industry. This study evaluated the effects of different concentrations of Ganoderma lucidum polysaccharides (GLPs) on the immunomodulation and disease resistance of pearl gentian groupers. The relative percent survival of the pearl gentian groupers challenged with Vibrio harveyi ZJ0603 by intraperitoneal injection reached 53.3, 60, 70, and 73.3% in the GLPs2, GLPs4, GLPs6, and GLPs8 groups, respectively, which are significantly higher than that of 33.3% in the control group. Meanwhile, the expression levels of immune-relative genes, including IgM, MHC-Iα, MHC2, IL-1β, and TNF-α, were upregulated in the liver, spleen, head kidney, and thymus within 28 days after GLP injection. The total serum protein and the activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and lysozymes in serum were significantly upregulated in all GLP groups compared with those in the control. Moreover, the optimal immunity effect was observed with an injection of GLPs at concentrations of 6 or 8 mg/ml. The results demonstrate that GLPs were an effective immunostimulant, enhancing both specific and non-specific immunity as well as disease resistance in pearl gentian grouper.

The beneficial properties of Sodium Danshensu (SDSS) for controlling cerebral ischemia and reperfusion injury (CIRI) are elucidated here both in vivo and in vitro. SDSS administration significantly improved the viability of P12 cells, reduced lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) leakage, and decreased the apoptosis rate following exposure to an oxygen-glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD) environment. In addition, the results of a HuprotTM human protein microarray and network pharmacology indicated that AKT1 is one of the main targets of SDSS. Moreover, functional experiments showed that SDSS intervention markedly increased the phosphorylation level of AKT1 and its downstream regulator, mTOR. The binding sites of SDSS to AKT1 protein were confirmed by Autodock software and a surface plasmon resonance experiment, the result of which imply that SDSS targets to the PH domain of AKT1 at ASN-53, ARG-86, and LYS-14 residues. Furthermore, knockdown of AKT1 significantly abolished the role of SDSS in protecting cells from apoptosis and necrosis. Finally, we investigated the curative effect of SDSS in a rat model of CIRI. The results suggest that administration of SDSS significantly reduces CIRI-induced necrosis and apoptosis in brain samples by activating AKT1 protein. In conclusion, SDSS exerts its positive role in alleviating CIRI by binding to the PH domain of AKT1 protein, further resulting in AKT1 activation.

The culinary medicinal mushroom Hericium erinaceus holds significant global esteem and has garnered heightened interest within increasingly ageing societies due to its pronounced neuroprotective and anti-neuroinflammatory properties. Within this study, two novel diterpenes, 16-carboxy-13-epi-neoverrucosane (1) and Erinacine L (2); three known xylosyl cyathane diterpenoids, Erinacine A (3), Erinacine C (4), and Erinacine F (5); and four lanostane-type triterpenoids, and three cyclic dipeptides (10–12), in addition to orcinol (13), were isolated from the rice-based cultivation medium of H. erinaceus. Their structures were determined by NMR, HR-ESI-MS, ECD, and calculated NMR. Compound 1 marks a pioneering discovery as the first verrucosane diterpene originating from basidiomycetes, amplifying the scope of fungal natural product chemistry, and the intricate stereochemistry of Compound 5 has been comprehensively assessed for the first time. Compounds 2–5 not only showed encouraging neurotrophic activity in rat adrenal pheochromocytoma PC-12 cells, but also significantly inhibited lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) production in BV2 microglia cell cultures with IC50 values as low as 5.82 ± 0.18 μM. To elucidate the mechanistic underpinnings of these bioactivities, molecular docking simulation was used to analyze and support the interaction of 1 and 2 with inducible NO synthase (iNOS), respectively. In particular, compound 2, a cyathane-xyloside containing an unconventional hemiacetal moiety, is a compelling candidate for the prevention of neurodegenerative diseases. In summation, this investigation contributes substantively to the panorama of fungal diterpene structural diversity, concurrently furnishing additional empirical substantiation for the role of cyathane diterpenes in the amelioration of neurodegenerative afflictions.

The organic dyes used in printing and dyeing wastewater have complex components, diverse structures and strong chemical stability, which make them not suitable for treatment and difficult to degrade in the environment. Porphyrins are macromolecules with 18 π electrons formed by four pyrrole molecules connected with a methylene bridge that has a stable structure. Porphyrin combines with iron to form an active intermediate with a structure similar to the cytochrome P450 enzyme, so they are widely used in the biomimetic field. In the current study, 5,10,15,20-tetra (4-carboxyphenyl) porphine ferric chloride (III) (Fe(III)TCPP) was used as a catalyst and iodosobenzene was used as an oxidant to explore the catalytic degradation of triphenylmethane dyes, such as rhodamine B (RhB) and malachite green (MG). The results of UV-Vis spectral analysis have shown that the conversion rate of the rhodamine B was over 90% when the amount of Fe(III)TCPP was 0.027 mM and the amount of iodosobenzene was eight equivalents. When the catalyst was 0.00681 mM and the amount of the oxidant was five equivalents, the conversion rate of the malachite green reached over 95%. This work provides a feasible method for the degradation of triphenylmethane dyes.

In order to accurately analyze the load supply capability of power systems with high penetration of renewable energy generation, this paper proposes a probabilistic available load supply capability (ALSC) forecasting method. Firstly, the optimal input features are selected by calculating the maximal information coefficient (MIC) between the input features and the target output. Based on this, a stacking ensemble learning model is applied for the prediction of wind power, photovoltaic power and load power. Secondly, the distributions of the forecasting objects are obtained based on forecasting errors and the error statistics method. Finally, the forecasting distributions of wind power, photovoltaic power and load are set as the parameters of a power system, and then probabilistic ALSC is calculated using Latin hypercube sampling (LHS) and repeated power flow (RPF). In order to simulate a more realistic power system, multiple slack buses are introduced to conduct two types of power imbalance allocations with novel allocation principles during the RPF calculation, which makes the ALSC evaluation results more reasonable and accurate. The results of probabilistic ALSC forecasting can provide a reference for the load power supply capacity of a power system in the future, and they can also provide an early warning for the risk of ALSC threshold overlimit. Case studies carried out on the modified IEEE 39-bus system verify the feasibility and effectiveness of the proposed methods.

In recent decades, vibriosis caused by Vibrio alginolyticus has become a severe threat to the global mariculture industry. There is an urgent need for an effective vaccine to alleviate this unoptimistic situation. In this study, we evaluated the safety, immunoprotection, and specific and non-specific immune response effect of ΔdctP strain as a live-attenuated vaccine to pearl gentian grouper (♀Epinephelus fuscoguttatus × ♂Epinephelus lanceolatu). The results demonstrate that the safe dose of ΔdctP was ≤1.0 ×106 CFU in pearl gentian grouper. The relative percent survival of the pearl gentian grouper challenged with the ΔdctP mutant strain by intraperitoneal injection reached 74.4%, which was significantly higher than that of the control group. Meanwhile, the expression level of immune-relative genes, including IgM, IL-1β, IL-8, IL-10, MHC-Iα, MHC2, TNF-α, TLR3, and CD4, were upregulated in liver, spleen, and head kidney within 28 d post-vaccination. Moreover, specific antibody IgM, total serum protein as well as activities of catalase, superoxide dismutase, and lysozyme in serum were significantly up-regulated in vaccinated groupers compared with those in control. Collectively, ΔdctP could be used as a live-attenuated vaccine candidate against V. alginolyticus infection in pearl gentian grouper.

In situ conserved wild rice (Oryza rufipogon Griff.) is a promising source of alleles for improving rice production worldwide. In this study, we conducted a genomic analysis of an in situ conserved wild rice population (Guiping wild rice) growing at the center of wild rice genetic diversity in South China. Differences in the plant architecture in this population were investigated. An analysis using molecular markers revealed the substantial genetic diversity in this population, which was divided into subgroups according to the plant architecture. After resequencing representative individuals, the Guiping wild rice population was compared with other O. rufipogon and Oryza sativa populations. The results indicated that this in situ conserved wild rice population has a unique genetic structure, with genes that were introgressed from aromatic and O. sativa ssp. indica and japonica populations. The QTLs associated with plant architecture in this population were detected via a pair-wise comparison analysis of the sequencing data for multiple DNA pools. The results suggested that a heading date-related gene (DHD1) might be associated with variations in plant architecture and may have originated in cultivated rice. Our findings provide researchers with useful insights for future genomic analyses of in situ conserved wild rice populations.

Abstract Background Gene transcripts that show invariant abundance during development are ideal as reference genes (RGs) for accurate gene expression analyses, such as RNA blot analysis and reverse transcription–quantitative real time PCR (RT-qPCR) analyses. In a genome-wide analysis, we selected three “Commonly used” housekeeping genes (HKGs), fifteen “Traditional” HKGs, and nine novel genes as candidate RGs based on 80 publicly available transcriptome libraries that include data for receptacle development in eight strawberry cultivars. Results The results of the multifaceted assessment consistently revealed that expression of the novel RGs showed greater stability compared with that of the “Commonly used” and “Traditional” HKGs in transcriptome and RT-qPCR analyses. Notably, the majority of stably expressed genes were associated with the ubiquitin proteasome system. Among these, two 26 s proteasome subunits, RPT6A and RPN5A, showed superior expression stability and abundance, and are recommended as the optimal RGs combination for normalization of gene expression during strawberry receptacle development. Conclusion These findings provide additional useful and reliable RGs as resources for the accurate study of gene expression during receptacle development in strawberry cultivars.

Ubiquitination is a reversible protein post-translational modification that regulates various pivotal physiological and pathological processes in all eukaryotes. Recently, the antiviral immune response is enhanced by the regulation of ubiquitination. Intriguingly, Flaviviridae viruses can ingeniously hijack the ubiquitination system to help them survive, which has become a hot topic among worldwide researchers. The Flaviviridae family members, such as HCV and CSFV, can cause serious diseases of humans and animals around the world. The multiple roles of ubiquitination involved in the life cycle of Flaviviridae family would open new sight for future development of antiviral tactic. Here, we discuss recent advances with regard to functional roles of ubiquitination and some ubiquitin-like modifications in the life cycle of Flaviviridae infection, shedding new light on the antiviral mechanism research and therapeutic drug development.

Multi-view clustering (MVC) is a mainstream task that aims to divide objects into meaningful groups from different perspectives. The quality of data representation is the key issue in MVC. A comprehensive meaningful data representation should be with the discriminant characteristics in a single view and the correlation of multiple views. Considering this, a novel framework called Dynamic Guided Metric Representation Learning for Multi-View Clustering (DGMRL-MVC) is proposed in this paper, which can cluster multi-view data in a learned latent discriminated embedding space. Specifically, in the framework, the data representation can be enhanced by multi-steps. Firstly, the class separability is enforced with Fisher Discriminant Analysis (FDA) within each single view, while the consistence among different views is enhanced based on Hilbert-Schmidt independence criteria (HSIC). Then, the 1st enhanced representation is obtained. In the second step, a dynamic routing mechanism is introduced, in which the location or direction information is added to fulfil the expression. After that, a generalized canonical correlation analysis (GCCA) model is used to get the final ultimate common discriminated representation. The learned fusion representation can substantially improve multi-view clustering performance. Experiments validated the effectiveness of the proposed method for clustering tasks.

Aquatic environments are important reservoirs for drug resistance. Aquatic foods may act as carriers to lead antibiotic-resistant commensal bacteria into the human gastrointestinal system, then contacting gut microbiota and spreading antibiotic resistance. Here, several shrimp farms were investigated to identify colistin resistance among commensal bacteria of aquaculture. A total of 884 (41.6%) colistin-resistant isolates were identified among 2126 strains. Electroporation demonstrated that colistin-resistant fragments were present in some commensal bacteria that could be transferred to other bacteria. Most of the resistant bacteria were Bacillus spp., with 69.3% of the Bacillus species exhibiting multiple drug resistance. Bacillus licheniformis was prevalent, with 58 strains identified that comprised six sequence types (ST) based on multilocus sequence typing. Whole-genome sequencing and comparisons with previous B. licheniformis genomes revealed a high degree of genomic similarity among isolates from different regions. Thus, this species is widely distributed, and this study provides new insights into global antibiotic-resistant characteristics of B. licheniformis. Sequence analyses further revealed some of these strains are even pathogenic and virulent, suggesting the antibiotic resistance and hazards of commensal bacteria in aquaculture should be considered. Considering the “One Health” perspective, improved monitoring of aquatic food is needed to prevent the spread of drug-resistant commensal bacteria from food-associated bacteria to humans.

The interface pressure between the cable attachment and the body is crucial for the stable long-term operation of the cable. To solve the issue of interface insulation characteristics’ damage caused by the pressure transducer measurement method, a non-destructive testing method of silicone rubber interface pressure using nonlinear ultrasound is presented. Initially, the study analyzes the propagation characteristics of ultrasonic waves at the interface of cross-linked polyethylene and silicone rubber. The study also establishes the relationship between the nonlinear coefficient and the interface pressure. Subsequently, a nonlinear ultrasonic test platform is constructed using the pulse reflection method to measure the interface pressure of flat silicone rubber and cross-linked polyethylene through nonlinear ultrasonic testing. Theoretical and experimental results indicate that the fundamental amplitude of the frequency domain of the interface reflection wave decreases, and the second harmonic amplitude and nonlinear coefficient both increase as pressure increases. These results demonstrate that the nonlinear ultrasound, non-destructive testing method can accurately evaluate the interfacial pressure state of the cable accessories.

Background: Acute infectious diseases constitute the most prevalent public health emergency (PHE) in China. Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has long been used in the treatment of acute infections, but the overall evidence of its benefit and harm has not been comprehensively and systematically evaluated.Methods: We searched CBM, CNKI, Wanfang, PubMed, Cochrane Library, embase and preprint platforms to retrieve systematic reviews (SRs) on CHM for acute infectious. Participants with COVID-19, SARS, H1N1, tuberculosis, bacillary dysentery, mumps, herpangina, hand-foot-and-mouth disease (HFMD), and other acute infectious diseases were included. Interventional group consisting of patients treated with CHM combined with Western medicine or CHM alone. The AMSTAR 2 tool was used to assess the methodological quality of the retrieved studies. Information on interventions, control measures and outcomes of the included studies was extracted, and meta-analyses were qualitatively synthesized.Results: A total of 51 SRs and meta-analyses were eligible for this overview, including 19 for COVID-19, 11 for hand-foot-and-mouth disease, 8 for severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), 4 for tuberculosis, 3 for mumps, 2 for bacillary dysentery, 2 for H1N1 influenza and 2 for herpangina. Six systematic reviews were of high quality, all of which were on the use of CHM for COVID-19; 24 were of moderate quality; 10 were of low quality; and 11 were of very low quality. CHM appeared to have potential benefits in improving clinical symptoms and signs for most infections with an acceptable safety profile, and the clinical evidence of the benefits of CHM for acute respiratory infections such as COVID-19, SARS and H1N1 seems more sufficient than that for other acute infections.Conclusion: Overall, CHM, both decoction and Chinese patent medicine, used alone or in combination with conventional medicine may offer potential benefits to relieving symptoms of people with acute respiratory infections. Full reporting of disease typing, staging, and severity, and intervention details is further required for a better evidence translation to the responses for PHE. Future CHM research should focus mainly on the specific aspects of respiratory infections such as its single use for mild infections, and the adjunct administration for sever infections, and individual CHM prescriptions for well-selected outcomes should be prioritized.

Spin polarization and the Gilbert damping, as the two key parameters of the magnetic materials for spintronic applications, were suggested to be inversely proportional to each other in a series of Heusler alloys. Recently, large anisotropic Gilbert damping was found in Co2FeAl thin films, implying that spin polarization may be also anisotropic. Here, we report an isotropic spin polarization with a constant value of 60% in a 20-nm Co2FeAl thin film with a B2 structure, using spin- and angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and time-resolved magneto-optical Kerr effect. Furthermore, this result was also supported by the ab initio calculations that the difference of the spin polarization between all the orientations is less than 1% for the Co2FeAl thin film. This finding provides profound insight into the spin polarization in Co2FeAl alloys.

In this paper, we investigate the root cause for large MSMEs finance gap. We advance five propositions for the mechanism through which the distorted financial structure generated by a comparative-advantage-defying strategy leads to large MSMEs finance gap. We then use panel data from 115 countries to test the propositions and find that, the adoption of a comparative-advantage-defying strategy accelerates the development of state-owned enterprises in capital-intensive industries, leading to concentrated banking sector and oversized state-owned enterprises obtaining high proportions of loans and enjoying low interest rate on borrowings. Finally we use cross-sectional data in 2017 to show that the adoption of a comparative-advantage-defying strategy is associated with large MSMEs finance gap. The paper suggests that the root cause for large MSMEs finance gap is the government's inappropriate development strategy.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) RNA methylation has been determined to execute crucial functions in tumorigenesis and cancer development. WT1-associated protein (WTAP) has an important “writer” role in m6A modification, and it is also a nuclear protein that colocalizes with splicing factors and plays a critical role in cell function and cancer progression. However, little is known about the role of WTAP in ovarian cancer (OC) and its mechanisms. In this study, we found for the first time that hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1α could positively regulate increased expression of WTAP under hypoxia. And further results revealed that WTAP expression was closely associated with the clinicopathological features of OC, and high expression of WTAP predicted low survival rate in patients with OC. In addition, cell proliferation and invasive capacity were significantly reduced after knockdown of WTAP expression in OC cells. However, cell proliferation and invasive ability were significantly enhanced after overexpression of WTAP. Additionally, we find that WTAP interacts with DGCR8 (a crucial chip protein) to regulate the expression of microRNA-200 (miR-200) in an m6A-dependent way. Further experiments showed that the key glycolysis enzyme HK2 could be positively regulated by miR-200, which significantly affected the intracellular Warburg effect. In conclusion, this is considered uncovered that upregulation of WTAP expression by HIF-1α intercedes with miRNA processing, accelerates the Warburg impact, and advances the event and advancement of tumor, thus giving a novel viewpoint on m6A adjustment in OC movement.

In this study, ethylene glycol diglycidyl ether (EGDE) and melamine (ME) were used to prepare a spherical composite material CMC-LTO-EGDE-ME through the strategy of cross-linking reaction of biodegradable sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) with Li2TiO3 (LTO) to improve the cycle stability of the adsorption-desorption for lithium recovery. In the geothermal water at 333.15°K, the adsorption capacity of the spherical composite adsorbent for lithium-ion is 12.02 mg/g, and the adsorption equilibrium time is 8 h. There is a good selectivity of Li+ (Kd = 3.7 × 103) and high separation factors between Li+ and Na+, K+, Cs+ and Ca2+ (between 39.17 and 181.97). Studies on adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm showed that composite material’s adsorption process was obtained from the pseudosecond-order kinetics and the molecular diffusion model. It was found that the composite material has broad applications in lithium recovery from geothermal water.

As a powerful tool to solve nonlinear problems, artificial neural network method (ANN) gets a wide range of applications in data regression. However, the overfitting often occurs during the ANN training process, which results in high accuracy of correlating the training data but poor prediction performance. At the same time, the principle of k-Nearest Neighbor method (kNN) makes it impossible to make an accurate prediction exceeding the range of the training data, but it can confine the overfitting of ANN. In this work, combining ANN and kNN, a new machine learning method called ANN-kNN combination method (AKC) for thermophysical property prediction of material is proposed. To evaluate the performance of AKC, we take the thermophysical properties of natural gas as an example. The inputs of AKC are temperature, pressure and the components of natural gas, the outputs are the compressibility factor, speed of sound and viscosity. AKC not only overcomes the overfitting problem but also needs less training data than ANN. The average absolute relative deviation of AKC for prediction are 2.5%, which are better than ANN (5.9%) and kNN (19.2%).

Abstract Background and Aims Palliative care is a critical component of the response of a healthcare system to a pandemic. We present risk factors associated with mortality and highlight an operational palliative care consult service in facilitating early identification of risk factors to guide goal‐concordant care and rational utilization of finite healthcare resources during a pandemic. Methods In this case series of 100 consecutive patients hospitalized with COVID‐19, we analyzed clinical data, treatment including palliative care, and outcomes in patients with SARS‐CoV‐2 infection admitted to three hospitals in Seattle, Washington. We compared data between patients who were discharged and non‐survivors. Results Age (OR 4.67 [1.43, 15.32] ages 65‐79; OR 3.96 [1.05, 14.89] ages 80‐97), dementia (OR 5.62 [1.60, 19.74]), and transfer from a congregate living facility (OR 5.40 [2.07, 14.07]), as well hypoxemia and tachypnea (OR 7.00 [2.91, 22.41]; OR 2.78 [1.11, 6.97]) were associated with mortality. Forty‐one (41%) patients required intensive care and 22 (22%) invasive mechanical ventilation. Forty‐six (46%) patients were seen by the palliative care service, resulting in a change of resuscitation status in 54% of admitted patients. Fifty‐eight (58%) patients recovered and were discharged, 34 (34%) died, and eight (8%) remained hospitalized, of which seven ultimately survived and one died. Conclusions Older age, dementia, and congregate living were associated with mortality. Early discussions of goals of care facilitated by an operational palliative care consult service can effectively guide goal‐concordant care in patients at high risk for mortality during a pandemic. Development of a functional palliative care consult service is an important component of pandemic planning.

In this article, the catalysts of hydrotalcite-derived Ni1.5Co0.5AlO nanosheet-supported highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles (Ptn/Ni1.5Co0.5AlO, where n% is the weigh percentage of the Pt element in the catalysts) were elaborately fabricated by the gas-bubble-assisted membrane--reduction method. The specific porous structure formed by the stack of hydrotalcite-derived Ni1.5Co0.5AlO nanosheets can increase the transfer mass efficiency of the reactants (O2, NO, and soot) and the strong Pt–Ni1.5Co0.5AlO interaction can weaken the Ni/Co-O bond for promoting the mobility of lattice oxygen and the formation of surface-oxygen vacancies. The Ptn/Ni1.5Co0.5AlO catalysts exhibited excellent catalytic activity and stability during diesel soot combustion under the loose contact mode between soot particles and catalysts. Among all the catalysts, the Pt2/Ni1.5Co0.5AlO catalyst showed the highest catalytic activities for soot combustion (T50 = 350 °C, TOF = 6.63 × 10−3 s−1). Based on the characterization results, the catalytic mechanism for soot combustion is proposed: the synergistic effect of Pt and dual Ni/Co cations in the Pt/Ni1.5Co0.5AlO catalysts can promote the vital step of catalyzing NO oxidation to NO2 in the NO-assisted soot oxidation mechanism. This insight into the synergistic effect of Pt and dual Ni/Co cations for soot combustion provides new strategies for reducing the amounts of noble metals in high-efficient catalysts.

Microbial contamination causes serious damage in plant tissue culture, and attention is always being paid regarding how to control and prevent the unwanted pollution. Dwarf hygro (Hygrophila polysperma) is a popular ornamental aquatic plant and its tissue culture has been reported, but the microbial pollution and the cure of microbial pollution was unknown. In this study, a number of bacteria and fungi were isolated from contaminants in MS culture media. Based on the 16S rDNA and ITS sequencing, it was identified that fifteen bacteria belong to Bacillus, Enterobacter, Pantoea, Kosakonia, Ensifer and Klebsiella, and three fungi belong to Plectosphaerella, Cladosporium and Peniophora, respectively. In addition, some drugs were further tested to be free of the bacteria and fungi pollution. The results revealed that 10 μg/mL of kanamycin, 5 μg/mL of chloramphenicol, and 0.015625% potassium sorbate could be applied jointly in MS media to prevent the microbial pollution, and the survival rate of H. polysperma explants was highly improved. This study reveals the bacteria and fungi species from the culture pollution of H. polysperma and provides a practical reference for optimizing the tissue culture media for other aquatic plants.

BackgroundModifying the structure of anti-tumor chemotherapy drug is of significance to enhance the specificity and efficacy of drug-delivery. A novel proteolysis resistant PD-L1-targeted peptide (PPA1) has been reported to bind to PD-L1 and disrupt the PD-1/PD-L1 interaction, thus appearing as an outstanding tumor-targeting modification of synergistic drug conjugate for effective anti-tumor treatment. However, the combination regimen of coupling PD-L1 polypeptide with chemotherapeutic drug in tumoricidal treatment has not been reported thus far.MethodsWe developed a novel synergistic strategy by conjugating PPA1 to doxorubicin (DOX) with a pH sensitive linker that can trigger the release of DOX near acidic tumor tissues. The binding affinity of PPA1-DOX with PD-L1 and the acid-sensitive cleavage of PPA1-DOX were investigated. A mouse xenograft model of colon cancer was used to evaluate the biodistribution, cytotoxicity and anti-tumor activity of PPA1-DOX.ResultsPPA1-DOX construct showed high binding affinity with PD-L1 in vitro and specifically enriched within tumor when administered in vivo. PPA1-DOX exhibited a significantly lower toxicity and a remarkably higher antitumor activity in vivo, as compared with free PPA1, random polypeptide-DOX conjugate, DOX, or 5-FU, respectively. Moreover, increased infiltration of both CD4+ and CD8+ T cells was found in tumors from PPA1-DOX treated mice.ConclusionsWe describe here for the first time that the dual-functional conjugate PPA1-DOX, which consist of the PD-L1-targeted polypeptide that renders both the tumor-specific drug delivery and inhibitory PD-1/PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibition, and a cytotoxic agent that is released and kills tumor cells once reaching tumor tissues, thus representing a promising therapeutic option for colon cancer with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity.

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid metal–organic perovskites have been widely studied due to their good stability and unique optoelectronic properties. By incorporating different ligands on opposite sides of the inorganic octahedron plane, we construct a novel 2D Janus perovskite (2D-JP) exhibiting structural out-of-plane symmetry-breaking. Our first-principles calculations show that the proposed 2D-JPs have thermodynamic stability comparable to that of the corresponding non-Janus perovskites. By modifying the passivating ligands or the thickness of the perovskite phase, we show that the band gaps and the carriers’ effective masses of the 2D-JPs can be modulated up to 0.29 eV and 0.27me, respectively, compared to the non-Janus materials. Furthermore, the structural out-of-plane asymmetry of 2D-JPs leads to the asymmetrical distribution of electrostatic potential and band edge charge density, which facilitates the separation of electrons and holes. Furthermore, we explored the stability and the electronic structures of Ruddlesden–Popper layered Janus perovskites with two different stacking methods. Our results provide a new approach to regulate the electronic properties by constructing 2D-JPs for practical applications in electronic and optoelectronic devices.

The construction of the biologically interesting chromone skeleton was realized by PhIO-mediated dehydrogenation of chromanones under mild conditions. Interestingly, this method also found application in the synthesis of the naturally occurring frutinone A.

CaZrO3-modified (K0.48Na0.48Li0.04)(Nb0.95Sb0.05)O3 (CZ-KNLNS) lead-free piezoelectric powders were synthesized by microwave method followed by conventional solid state sintering. Different amounts of CaZrO3 were added (i.e. x = 0, 0.02, 0.03, 0.04, 0.06 mol) and their effects on the crystal structure, microstructure, as well as the electrical properties, were investigated. The results showed that CZ-KNLNS powders could be obtained by microwave heating at a relatively low temperature and short time of 650 °C and 10 min, respectively. The obtained CZ-KNLNS powders have cubic structure and good crystallinity with average particle size of 300–700 nm. The particle size gradually decreases with the increase of CaZrO3 amount, indicating that addition of CaZrO3 inhibits the growth of the particles. The powders were further sintered at 1120 °C for 4 h and CZ-KNLNS ceramics with homogeneous and highly dense microstructure were obtained. X-ray diffraction showed that, with increasing CaZrO3 content, the phase structure gradually changed from orthorhombic to rhombohedral, which can be considered as the coexistence zone of orthorhombic-rhombohedral (O-R) phase in the range of 0.03 < x < 0.06. The optimized content of CaZrO3 is x = 0.04, at which the CZ-KNLNS piezoelectric ceramics show good properties and maximum d33 = 201.2 pC/N and Kp = 36.8%.

Based on the associated network of passenger and freight transport in the New Western Land-Sea Corridor, the structure and characteristics of passenger and freight transport network in different years are analyzed using passenger volume and freight volume, and the resilience of the network is analyzed using the disturbance model. Finally, the coordinated development of passenger transport and logistics is discussed by applying a coupling coordination model. The results show that, from 2000 to 2018, the New Western Land-Sea Corridor has realized the evolution of the spatial pattern of passenger transport network from “two center and numerous branches” to “three centers and three auxiliaries”. Moreover, the evolution of the spatial pattern of the freight transport network changed from “two centers and one auxiliary” to “one center and multiple auxiliaries”. In terms of network tenacity, the disturbance strategy based on node degree value has the strongest damage to the performance of passenger and freight transport networks. The coupling coordination value is gradually rising from a low level and finally develops to an ordered trend. Therefore, it is proposed that passenger transport development could be supported from the “growth pole” and “zone” development modes, while the logistics development would adopt the “axis” development pattern and focus on the protection of the vital city nodes in the corresponding network. In this way, it can realize the effective connection of multiple paths, improve the tenacity of network and boost hub economy, consummate the regional coordination mechanism, and finally promote the advancement of the New Western Land-Sea Corridor.

In the network operation and management of rail transit systems, the occurrence of unexpected events causes damage to the network structure, further hindering regional accessibility performance and the function of the system. This study is based on the rail transit operation schedules in 2009, 2013, 2016, 2019 and 2022. We construct a directional weighted rail transit time network (RNNT) with train operation time as the weight, compare the betweenness centrality, sum of the shortest time path and entropy importance, etc., and quantitatively measure the network accessibility, connectivity and its resilience evolution. The results show that the current rail transportation network in China has a “small-world” effect, and there are a few stations with strong connections. The most densely distributed intervals of travel times between pairs of nodes changes from [440, 445] to [207, 210]. The fastest and best-performing disturbance to network connectivity and accessibility performance are both caused by the betweenness disturbance strategy. When the network connectivity remains 80% effective, the ratio of failed nodes under the static betweenness centrality strategy decreases from 3.96% in 2009 to 2.31% in 2022, with weaker connections between node pairs, and their network resilience diminishes. When the network accessibility remains 80% effective, the ratio of failed nodes under the static (dynamic) betweenness centrality strategy increases from 0.13% (0.13%) in 2009 to 0.20% (0.23%) in 2022. Therefore, the rail transit network can protect the corresponding rail stations based on the station ranking of the above strategies, and this research is beneficial to rail transit network protection and structure optimization.

Alternate tillage (AT) has the potential to reduce inputs and improve soil quality and crop yield, but there has been no research on the effect of AT on soil and wheat in a rice–wheat rotation system. In this study, field experiments were conducted to examine the effects of four tillage management methods (conventional tilling (CT) in each crop (RCT–WCT), no tilling (NT) in rice and conventional tilling in wheat (RNT–WCT, AT1), conventional tilling in rice and no tilling in wheat (RCT–WNT, AT2), and no tilling in each crop (RNT–WNT)) on the physical properties of soil, wheat growth, and yield. At the 0–5 cm soil layer, CT in the wheat season increased bulk density (BD) and decreased total properties, but it decreased BD at the 5–40 cm soil layer, and the effect of RCT–WCT was significantly greater than that of RNT–WCT. CT in the wheat season increased the root activity, root dry weight, net photosynthetic rate, leaf area index, antioxidant enzyme activities, and yield, and there was no significant effect between RCT–WCT and RNT–WCT. RNT-WCT has the potential to reduce inputs and maintain wheat yields.

Summary: Patient-derived tumor organoids (TOs) are emerging as high-fidelity models to study cancer biology and develop novel precision medicine therapeutics. However, utilizing TOs for systems-biology-based approaches has been limited by a lack of scalable and reproducible methods to develop and profile these models. We describe a robust pan-cancer TO platform with chemically defined media optimized on cultures acquired from over 1,000 patients. Crucially, we demonstrate tumor genetic and transcriptomic concordance utilizing this approach and further optimize defined minimal media for organoid initiation and propagation. Additionally, we demonstrate a neural-network-based high-throughput approach for label-free, light-microscopy-based drug assays capable of predicting patient-specific heterogeneity in drug responses with applicability across solid cancers. The pan-cancer platform, molecular data, and neural-network-based drug assay serve as resources to accelerate the broad implementation of organoid models in precision medicine research and personalized therapeutic profiling programs.

Myocardial infarction (MI) is identified as the myocardial necrosis due to myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury and remains a leading cause of mortality. C1q/TNF-related protein 13 (CTRP13) is a member of CTRP family that has been found to be involved in coronary artery disease (CAD). However, the role of CTRP13 in MI remains unclear. We aimed to explore the functional role of CTRP13 in H9c2 cells exposed to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R). Our results demonstrated that H/R stimulation significantly decreased the expression of CTRP13 in H9c2 cells. H/R-induced an increase in ROS production and reductions in activities of SOD and CAT were prevented by CTRP13 overexpression but were aggravated by CTRP13 silencing. Moreover, CTRP13 overexpression could reverse the inductive effect of H/R on caspase-3 activity and bax expression, as well as the inhibitory effect of H/R on bcl-2 expression in H9c2 cells. However, CTRP13 silencing presented opposite effects with CTRP13 overexpression. Furthermore, CTRP13 overexpression enhanced the H/R-stimulated the expression levels of p-AMPK and nuclear Nrf2, and Nrf2 transcriptional activity. However, inhibition of AMPK reversed the CTRP13-mediated activation of Nrf2/ARE signaling and the cardiac-protective effect in H/R-exposed H9c2 cells. Additionally, silencing of Nrf2 reversed the protective effects of CTRP13 against H/R-stimulated oxidative stress and apoptosis in H9c2 cells. Finally, recombinant CTRP13 protein attenuated myocardial I/R-induced injury in rats. Taken together, these findings indicated that CTRP13 protected H9c2 cells from H/R-stimulated oxidative stress and apoptosis via regulating the AMPK/Nrf2/ARE signaling pathway. Our results provided evidence for the therapeutic potential of CTRP13 in myocardial I/R injury.

Vibrio parahaemolyticus is one of the major pathogenic Vibrio species that contaminate seafood. Rapid and accurate detection is crucial for avoiding foodborne diseases caused by pathogens and is important for food safety management and mariculture. In this study, we established a system that combines chemically enhanced clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) and recombinase-aided amplification (RAA) (CE–RAA–CRISPR) for detecting V. parahaemolyticus in seafood. The method combines RAA with CRISPR-associated protein 12a (Cas12a) for rapid detection in a one-pot reaction, effectively reducing the risk of aerosol contamination during DNA amplifier transfer. We optimized the primers for V. parahaemolyticus, determined the optimal crRNA/Cas12a ratio, and demonstrated that chemical additives (bovine serum albumin and L-proline) could enhance the detection capacity of Cas12a. The limit of detection (at optimal conditions) was as low as 6.7 × 101 CFU/mL in pure cultures and 7.3 × 101 CFU/g in shrimp. Moreover, this method exhibited no cross-reactivity with other microbial pathogens. The CE–RAA–CRISPR assay was compared with the quantitative polymerase chain reaction assay using actual food samples, and it showed 100% diagnostic agreement.

Previous research studies of traffic networks are mainly based on planar networks and less considered the influence of multilayer networks, which illustrate and represent different appropriate urban traffic modes. Development of rail and road networks is inseparable from the development of a prosperous urban area; thus, research on multilayer networks has scientific potential and fulfils a real need. In this paper, a framework of complex network based integrated multilayer urban growth and optimisation model (CNIMUGOM) is proposed, to analyse the complex relationships between the traffic network structure, the population growth, and the urban land-use. The innovation of this paper is the combination of the traffic complex multilayer networks and the “Four Step Model” (which stands for trip generation, trip distribution, model split, and traffic assignment steps). With the multiobjective, multilayer network coevolution and optimisation model, a more efficient traffic network layout was generated based on different land-use, population density, and travel speed scenarios. Then, this paper has proved that the proposed CNIMUGOM can save the traffic network construction investment, reduce the travel cost, make the urban traffic network more efficient, and decrease the total traffic flow amount. This research has connected the recent complex multilayer network related study and traditional urban economic model based study. The findings of the study afford to improve the current land-use and traffic integrated models and can provide traffic network planning suggestions for urban agglomeration development.

Visible light communication (VLC) is an emerging technology that can transform lighting facilities into access points for wireless communication. Its development is bottlenecked by the cut-off frequencies (e.g., -6-dB electrical cut-off frequency fc and -3-dB electrical cut-off frequency f-3 dB) of hardware, such as light-emitting diodes (LEDs), color converters, and photodetectors (PDs). In the past decade, especially in 2018, many materials and devices have been tested for properties related to VLC, such as fc, response time, and transmission data rates, which are listed and analyzed here to get an updated overall picture. The f-3 dB for the latest blue LED and color converter can reach up to 1485 and 470 MHz, respectively, which are great improvements from c is 4.2 MHz. Moreover, the smallest response time of these PDs is 0.95 ns, which is promising to have fc of hundreds of megahertz. The limitation in the field of view when the active area is reduced to enlarge fc of the PD can be partially overcome with novel fluorescent antenna, whose fc is more than 40 MHz. These increments in the fc or f-3 dB of hardware not only enlarge the channel capacity of the VLC but also facilitate the channel impulse response measurement, and the system becomes more susceptible to changes in the environment. These advances will shed light on the future development of the VLC with faster speed, more portable devices, and more applications for the Internet of Things.

Background: Endometrial cancer (EC) is one of the most common gynecologic cancers of the female reproductive system. Its incidence and mortality are currently increasing. Patients with early-stage EC have a much better prognosis than those with late-stage EC. Therefore, early detection, diagnosis, and treatment are critical to improving the outcome for EC patients. The proposition of molecular classification promotes the individualization for diagnosis and treatment of EC. TCOF1 has been identified as an oncogenic gene in several tumors but has been seldom studied in EC. Methods: TCGA and immunohistochemistry (IHC) experiments were performed to verify the protein level of TCOF1 expressed in endometrial cancer while its prognostic ability in EC patients was assessed by the TCGA database. Linked Omics database, Web Gestalt gene enrichment, and string database were applied to analyze the possible biological functions of TCOF1 in EC. Mutation types of TCOF1 in EC and its mutation frequency were explored in c-BIOPORTAL. The Relationship between molecules was detected by utilizing the GEPIA database. Results: TCOF1 is up-regulated in endometrial cancer compared to para cancer and it was positively correlated with poor prognosis of patients. TCOF1 is mutated in endometrial cancer and is closely associated with microsatellite instability (MSI), this being one type of molecular classification in EC. Conclusions: TCOF1 may function as a potential biomarker and is associated with molecular classification in endometrial cancer.

(1) Background: Plants respond to pathogen challenge by activating a defense system involving pathogenesis-related (PR) proteins. The PR-5 family includes thaumatin, thaumatin-like proteins (TLPs), and other related proteins. TLPs play an important role in response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Many TLP-encoding genes have been identified and functionally characterized in the model plant species. (2) Results: We identified a total of 90 TLP genes in the G. barbadense genome. They were phylogenetically classified into 10 subfamilies and distributed across 19 chromosomes and nine scaffolds. The genes were characterized by examining their exon–intron structures, promoter cis-elements, conserved domains, synteny and collinearity, gene family evolution, and gene duplications. Several TLP genes were predicted to be targets of miRNAs. Investigation of expression changes of 21 GbTLPs in a G. barbadense cultivar (Hai7124) resistance to Verticillium dahliae revealed 13 GbTLPs being upregulated in response to V. dahliae infection, suggesting a potential role of these GbTLP genes in disease response. (3) Conclusions: The results of this study allow insight into the GbTLP gene family, identify GbTLP genes responsive to V. dahliae infection, and provide candidate genes for future studies of their roles in disease resistance.

Infiltrating tumor neutrophils and myeloid-derived suppressor cells represent major populations in the tumor microenvironment that contribute to tumor progression. However, the phenotype of circulating and tumor-associated neutrophils, and the impact of cancer patients’ metabolic state on neutrophil function need further characterization. Here we show that in kidney cancer patients, circulating neutrophils display an altered immature-like phenotype, and an activated/primed metabolic state. Circulating immature-like neutrophils acquire an activated phenotype upon migration into the tumor tissue, characterized by high expression of the immunosuppressive enzyme arginase-1, and active granule release. Interestingly, obesity and adipose tissue distribution were significantly associated with this activated phenotype of neutrophils, including the release of arginase-1 in the tumor tissue. These results provide a possible functional relationship between the metabolic status of the patients and disease progression, through an active immunosuppressive role of neutrophils within the kidney tumor microenvironment.

Cancer cells are characterized by malignant proliferation and aberrant metabolism and are thereby liable to the depletion of nutrients and accumulation of metabolic waste. To maintain cellular homeostasis, cancer cells are prone to upregulating the canonical autophagy pathway. Here, we identified paroxetine hydrochloride (Paxil) as a late autophagy inhibitor and investigated its killing effect on lung cancer cells and with a xenograft mouse model in vivo. Upregulated LC3-II and p62 expression indicated that Paxil inhibited autophagy. Acid-sensitive dyes (e.g., LysoTracker and AO staining) indicated reduced lysosomal acidity following Paxil treatment; consequently, the maturation of the pH-dependent hydroxylases (e.g., cathepsin B and D) substantially declined. Paxil also induced the fragmentation of mitochondria and further intensified ROS overproduction. Since the autophagy pathway was blocked, ROS rapidly accumulated, which activated JNK and p38 kinase. Such activity promoted the localization of Bax, which led to increased mitochondrial outer membrane permeability. The release of Cytochrome c with the loss of the membrane potential triggered a caspase cascade, ultimately leading to apoptosis. In contrast, the clearance of ROS by its scavenger, NAC, rescued Paxil-induced apoptosis accompanied by reduced p38 and JNK activation. Thus, Paxil blocked the autophagic flux and induced the mitochondria-dependent apoptosis via the ROS-MAPK pathway.

Background: Ovarian cancer is the deadliest gynecologic malignancy despite current first-line treatment with a platinum and taxane doublet. Artesunate has broad antineoplastic properties but has not been investigated in combination with carboplatin and paclitaxel for ovarian cancer treatment. Methods: Standard cell culture technique with commercially available ovarian cancer cell lines were utilized in cell viability, DNA damage, and cell cycle progression assays to qualify and quantify artesunate treatment effects. Additionally, the sequence of administering artesunate in combination with paclitaxel and carboplatin was determined. The activity of artesunate was also assessed in 3D organoid models of primary ovarian cancer and RNAseq analysis was utilized to identify genes and the associated genetic pathways that were differentially regulated in artesunate resistant organoid models compared to organoids that were sensitive to artesunate. Results: Artesunate treatment reduces cell viability in 2D and 3D ovarian cancer cell models. Clinically relevant concentrations of artesunate induce G1 arrest, but do not induce DNA damage. Pathways related to cell cycle progression, specifically G1/S transition, are upregulated in ovarian organoid models that are innately more resistant to artesunate compared to more sensitive models. Depending on the sequence of administration, the addition of artesunate to carboplatin and paclitaxel improves their effectiveness. Conclusions: Artesunate has preclinical activity in ovarian cancer that merits further investigation to treat ovarian cancer.