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［Objective］ In the ZDJ9 double-machine traction speed-up turnout electric switch control circuit, 1DQJ is an instantaneous suction relay. When the outdoor switch circuit does not form a loop, that is, in the event of a fault, the 1DQJ relay only maintains a short-term suction state for about 1s. When dealing with the fault point, technicians usually use a multimeter to measure. A digital multimeter can only flash once for a short period of time within 1 second, and the maximum displayed data is about 170 V; the pointer of a pointer multimeter can only swing slightly in 1 second, and it only swings to about 120 V, making it impossible to conduct a detailed search for the fault point. On the other hand, the control circuit adopts a 380 V three-phase AC power supply, which may ignite during the troubleshooting process. Due to the fear of technicians, the troubleshooting is slow, time-consuming, labor-intensive, and safety is greatly compromised. Innovative research is conducted on the common problems currently existing, and targeted fault diagnosis devices and methods are proposed. ［Method］ Three 200W light bulbs are combined to form a bulb diagnostic device, sharing one grounding electrode, and the other polarity is connected to the A, B, and C three-phase power supply. The bulbs are connected by the instantaneous suction of the 1DQJ relay. If the light is on, it means that there is no fault in the circuit. If the light is off, it means that there is a fault. The method of finding faults using the A, B, and C three-phase power supply is explained in detail. ［Result & Conclusion］ The proposed fault point diagnosis device and method can accurately and quickly diagnose the fault point of the control circuit and greatly improve the safety in fault diagnosis.

Abstract The outcomes of patients with sepsis are influenced by the contractile function of the right ventricle (RV), but the impact of cardiopulmonary interaction in ICU-mortality of sepsis patients remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the ICU-mortality impact of right ventricular-pulmonary artery (RV-PA) coupling in patients with sepsis. We employed echocardiography to assess patients with sepsis within the initial 24 h of their admission to the ICU. RV-PA coupling was evaluated using the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) to pulmonary artery systolic pressure (PASP) ratio. A total of 92 subjects were enrolled, with 55 survivors and 37 non-survivors. TAPSE/PASP ratio assessed mortality with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.766 (95% CI 0.670–0.862) and the optimal cutoff value was 0.495 mm/mmHg. We constructed a nomogram depicting the TAPSE/PASP in conjunction with IL-6 and Lac for the joint prediction of sepsis prognosis, and demonstrated the highest predictive capability (AUC = 0.878, 95% CI 0.809–0.948). In conclusion, the TAPSE/PASP ratio demonstrated prognostic value for ICU mortality in sepsis patients. The nomogram, which combines the TAPSE/PASP, IL-6, and LAC, demonstrated enhanced predictive efficacy for the prognosis of sepsis patients.

Abstract 5-Fluorouracil (5-Fu) is a basic drug that is used to treat colorectal cancer. Patients who receive 5-Fu chemotherapy often experience side effects that affect the digestive system, such as intestinal injury and diarrhoea, which significantly affect patient compliance with anticancer treatment and quality of life. Therefore, identifying approaches to treat or prevent these side effects is urgent. Dasabuvir (DSV) is a hepatitis C virus inhibitor, but its impact on 5-Fu-induced intestinal injury remains unknown. Our study investigated the effects of DSV on 5-Fu-induced intestinal injury in HUVECs, HIECs and male BALB/c mice. We found that 5-Fu caused intestinal damage by inducing senescence, increasing inflammatory factor expression, and generating oxidative stress. Compared with 5-Fu treatment alone, DSV inhibited senescence by reducing senescence-β-galactosidase (SA-β-gal) activity, the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP, including IL-1, IL-6, and TNF-α) and senescence marker expression levels (p16, p21, and p53). Moreover, the anti-senescence effect of DSV was achieved by inhibiting the mTOR signaling pathway. DSV increased antioxidant enzyme levels and alleviated intestinal tissue injury in mice. In addition, DSV suppressed the 5-Fu-induced increase the diarrhoea scores and ameliorated the weight loss, food intake and water intake of the mice. Overall, this study indicated that DSV could be used to treat chemotherapy-induced intestinal damage.

Abstract All types of ginger have common fundamental components, although they possess distinct strengths and inclinations when it comes to effectiveness and medicinal applications. Fresh ginger possesses the ability to effectively stimulate movement within the body, alleviate the act of vomiting, induce sweating, and provide relief for external syndromes. Dried ginger possesses both defensive and stimulant characteristics, which effectively raise the internal temperature and enhance the Yang energy. Fresh ginger is more hydrating than dried ginger, highly skilled at heating the Middle-jiao, alleviating pain, halting bleeding, and managing diarrhea. Dried ginger possesses the ability to alleviate coldness when consumed in a heated form, as well as to alleviate diarrhea when consumed in a heated form. It thrives in warm conditions and has a tendency to revert back to its warm nature. The moisture content of baked ginger is inferior to that of dried ginger, but it is highly effective in alleviating pain, bleeding, and diarrhea by warming the Middle-jiao. Ginger charcoal and stir-fried charcoal, produced through carbonization, have excellent heat retention properties and are effective in warming meridians and stopping bleeding. The potency and ability to spread of roasted ginger is less intense compared to fresh ginger, and its moisture content is not as low as that of dried ginger. The medicinal characteristics of this substance are gentle, making it beneficial for alleviating vomiting in patients who are physically frail. Its primary mode of action is on the Middle-jiao. Nevertheless, the main chemical compositions of various traditional Chinese medicines are nearly identical due to their shared base element. Ginger, in particular, possesses a range of pharmacological activities including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-bacterial, and anticoagulant properties. However, modern pharmacological research has not fully acknowledged the clinical medicinal value of ginger and consequently, fails to provide accurate guidance for clinical medication. This situation has a negative impact on the contemporary advancement of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM). The research on modernizing ginger is conducted by analyzing and considering the prospects. It is based on Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) theory and incorporates the comprehensive perspective of TCM philosophy. In order to modernize ginger, it is essential to have a proper knowledge of the concepts of “recognizing nature by efficacy, homology, and mutual expression of nature and efficacy” and “rationally utilizing modern drug research technology”. By applying these principles, we can construct a bridge towards the advancement of ginger.

Abstract Immune checkpoint blockade therapy targeting the programmed death-1(PD-1) pathway has shown remarkable efficacy and durable response in patients with various cancer types. Early prediction of therapeutic efficacy is important for optimizing treatment plans and avoiding potential side effects. In this work, we developed an efficient machine learning prediction method using routine hematologic and biochemical parameters to predict the efficacy of PD-1 combination treatment in Pan-Cancer patients. A total of 431 patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma, esophageal cancer and lung cancer who underwent PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor combination therapy were included in this study. Patients were divided into two groups: progressive disease (PD) and disease control (DC) groups. Hematologic and biochemical parameters were collected before and at the third week of PD-1 therapy. Six machine learning models were developed and trained to predict the efficacy of PD-1 combination therapy at 8–12 weeks. Analysis of 57 blood biomarkers before and after three weeks of PD-1 combination therapy through statistical analysis, heatmaps, and principal component analysis did not accurately predict treatment outcome. However, with machine learning models, both the AdaBoost classifier and GBDT demonstrated high levels of prediction efficiency, with clinically acceptable AUC values exceeding 0.7. The AdaBoost classifier exhibited the highest performance among the 6 machine learning models, with a sensitivity of 0.85 and a specificity of 0.79. Our study demonstrated the potential of machine learning to predict the efficacy of PD-1 combination therapy based on changes in hematologic and biochemical parameters.

IntroductionA critical issue in tropical forests is that anthropogenic deforestation (i.e., mining) degrades the integrity of its ecosystem. Reforestation with appropriate native plant species helps to alleviate these detrimental impacts. A protocol to select appropriate plant species for this purpose currently lacks efficacy and timeliness.MethodsWe provided a trait-based protocol to quickly and effectively select native plant species for mining reforestation. A 0.2-km2 area of Baopoling (BPL) at Hainan Island, China, was used as a study site, which has been severely degraded by 20 years of limestone mining for cement production. First, we identified the tree species in nearby undisturbed tropical forests, followed by evaluating the similarities in functional traits of the most dominant one (target species) and 60 local candidate native plant species (candidate species) whose saplings can be purchased from a local market.Results and discussionThis dataset was used in our trait-based protocol, and only within 1 month, we successfully selected eight plant species which are very similar to target species from the 60 candidate species. We also quantified whether the eight selected plant species were indeed suitable for sustained reforestation by testing their effects on landscape and also their survival rate and recruitment ability after using them to perform reforestation in BPL from 2016 to 2023. Finally, these eight plant species are indeed suitable for reforestation due to their huge influences on a significant shift from originally degraded landscape (comprising only barren rocks) to a forest landscape totally and also their high survival rate (90%–97%) and ability for natural recruitment after 7 years’ reforestation in BPL. Thus, we anticipate that this protocol would be integral to species selection during reforestation of tropical mining areas.

Multi GPU systems achieve performance improvement through scaling out to meet the ever-increasing computation demand brought about by increasingly complex algorithms and the continuously increasing data in artificial intelligence. The interconnection bandwidth between processors, as well as topologies of systems are the key factors that determine the performance of multi-GPU systems. In traditional PCIe-based multi-GPU systems, the PCIe bandwidth is the bottleneck that limits system performance. GPU-oriented high speed interconnection technologies become an effective method to solve the bandwidth limitation problem of multi-GPU systems at present. This article first introduces the PCIe interconnection technology and the typical topologies used in traditional multi-GPU systems. Then taking Nvidia NVLink, AMD Infinity Fabric Link, Intel Xe Link, and Biren Technology BLink as examples, GPU-oriented high speed interconnection technologies and topologies of representative GPU vendors at home and abroad are reviewed and analyzed. Finally, the research implication of interconnection technologies is discussed.

Abstract Pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy (PERT) has been recommended as the preferred method for pancreatic exocrine insufficiency caused by chronic pancreatitis (CP). However, at present, the patient-related factors for the poor PERT management are not clear, and there are no studies on the adherence to PERT in patients with CP in East China. This was a mixed-method study following the principle of sequential explanatory design and included two parts: a quantitative and qualitative study. A cross-sectional survey of medication adherence (MA) was first carried out, followed by a semi-structured interview to further explore and explain the influencing factors of adherence to PERT. Of the 148 patients included in this study, 48.0% had poor MA and only 12.8% had good MA. Multivariate logistic regression showed that lower levels of education and income were contributing factors for non-adherence to PERT. Semi-structured interviews with 24 patients revealed that the reasons for non-adherence also included lack of knowledge, self-adjustment of PERT, lifetime of medication, side effects of PERT, forgetfulness, financial burdens, and accessibility issues. The adherence to PERT was poor among patients with CP in East China. Healthcare providers should personalize medication strategies to improve patients’ MA.

Abstract Background Since the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, many COVID-19 variants have emerged, causing several waves of pandemics and many infections. Long COVID-19, or long-term sequelae after recovery from COVID-19, has aroused worldwide concern because it reduces patient quality of life after rehabilitation. We aimed to characterize the functional differential profile of the oral and gut microbiomes and serum metabolites in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms associated with long COVID-19. Methods We prospectively collected oral, fecal, and serum samples from 983 antibiotic-naïve patients with mild COVID-19 and performed a 3-month follow-up postdischarge. Forty-five fecal and saliva samples, and 25 paired serum samples were collected from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms of long COVID-19 at follow-up and from healthy controls, respectively. Eight fecal and saliva samples were collected without gastrointestinal symptoms of long COVID-19 at follow-up. Shotgun metagenomic sequencing of fecal samples and 2bRAD-M sequencing of saliva samples were performed on these paired samples. Two published COVID-19 gut microbiota cohorts were analyzed for comparison. Paired serum samples were analyzed using widely targeted metabolomics. Results Mild COVID-19 patients without gastrointestinal symptoms of long COVID-19 showed little difference in the gut and oral microbiota during hospitalization and at follow-up from healthy controls. The baseline and 3-month samples collected from patients with gastrointestinal symptoms associated with long COVID-19 showed significant differences, and ectopic colonization of the oral cavity by gut microbes including 27 common differentially abundant genera in the Proteobacteria phylum, was observed at the 3-month timepoint. Some of these bacteria, including Neisseria, Lautropia, and Agrobacterium, were highly related to differentially expressed serum metabolites with potential toxicity, such as 4-chlorophenylacetic acid, 5-sulfoxymethylfurfural, and estradiol valerate. Conclusions Our study characterized the changes in and correlations between the oral and gut microbiomes and serum metabolites in patients with gastrointestinal symptoms associated with long COVID-19. Additionally, our findings reveal that ectopically colonized bacteria from the gut to the oral cavity could exist in long COVID-19 patients with gastrointestinal symptoms, with a strong correlation to some potential harmful metabolites in serum.

Four heat treatment process routes were designed to study the microstructure evolution and mechanical properties of Mg–Li–Al–Ca alloy in relation to the heat treatment process. After heat treatment (Mg,Al)2Ca phase decomposed, and Li element volatilized. A large number of fine α-Mg precipitated phases appeared in β-Li matrix. The optimum mechanical properties of heat-treated alloy were obtained at 350 °C for 120 min, which are 190 MPa and 12% for tensile properties and 507 MPa and 51.9% for compression properties. Segregation of Al and Ca element was observed at grain boundaries. The phase boundaries between newly precipitated α-Mg phase and β-Li matrix impeded the slip of dislocations. It is believed that both the precipitation strengthening due to the formation of α-phase and the solid solution strengthening enhanced by the decomposition of (Mg,Al)2Ca phase play crucial roles in the improvement of mechanical properties.

ObjectiveTo explore the chain-mediated role of sense of career benefit and sense of career mission in the mechanism of psychological flexibility’s effect on nurses’ work engagement.MethodsAdopting the convenience sampling method, 1032 nurses in 10 general hospitals in Sichuan Province were surveyed by questionnaires using the General Information Questionnaire, Sense of Occupational Benefit Scale, Sense of Occupational Mission Scale, Psychological Flexibility Scale, and work engagement Scale in August-October 2022, and the model of the chained-mediated effect was constructed and validated.ResultsThe total psychological resilience score of nurses in 10 general hospitals in Sichuan Province was (91.29 ± 17.38), the total score of sense of occupational benefit was (137.85 ± 21.02), the total score of sense of occupational mission was (40.27 ± 7.37), and the total score of work engagement was (34.99 ± 9.80). The total score of nurses’ work engagement was positively correlated with the total scores of psychological elasticity, sense of professional benefit, and sense of professional mission (all P < 0.05). The direct effect of psychological elasticity on nurses’ work engagement was significant, with an effect value of 0.321; the chain mediation effects of occupational benefit and occupational mission as separate mediators and the chain mediation effects of the two were 0.039, 0.032, and 0.062, respectively.ConclusionNurses’ work engagement in 10 general hospitals in Sichuan province is at a medium level, and occupational benefit and occupational mission play a significant role in the mechanism of the psychological elasticity’s effects on nurses’ work commitment, and the chain mediation effect of occupational mission in the mechanism of psychological elasticity is established. The chain mediation effect in the mechanism was established. Managers should pay attention to nurses with low psychological elasticity, improve their sense of occupational benefit, and enhance their sense of occupational mission in order to further promote the enhancement of work engagement.

The use of an initial state value function and an optimal strategy are used in this paper to solve educational problems based on deep reinforcement learning. Deep reinforcement learning’s approximate function is defined, and the matrix model is created by training tuning using learning methods like gradient descent. To analyze the modeling process of reinforcement learning, reward values are added to the Markov decision transfer matrix and the expected value of cumulative returns is calculated. The weights are trained using the Bellman equation to enhance the algorithm’s stability. In evaluating the effect of reform and innovation in Civic Education, the teacher education concept is rated as 10 points. The reform and innovation of civic education, combined with deep reinforcement learning, can promote the reform of education and teaching modes, improving the efficiency and quality of education.

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC) combined with Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), and to compare the efficacy of different surgical methods. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on data from 692 patients with DTC initially treated at Liaoning Cancer Hospital & Insititute from January 2018 to May 2019. The patients were divided into DTC group (n=485) and DTC combined with HT (DTC-HT) group (n=207). Clinical characteristics and postoperative complications were compared between two groups. Results There were statistically significant differences between two groups in terms of gender, microcarcinoma, multifocality, thyroid invasion, neck lymph node metastasis, reoperation, and thyroid peroxidase antibody (P0.05). Conclusion Patients with DTC combined with HT often present with microcarcinomas and multifocality, mainly females. After surgery, residual thyroid tissue may reveal new lesions, often necessitating a second surgery. Planned total thyroidectomy with ipsilateral central lymph node dissection should be considered.

Abstract Background Late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins play an important role in dehydration process of seed maturation. The seeds of Panax notoginseng (Burkill) F. H. Chen are typically characterized with the recalcitrance and are highly sensitive to dehydration. However, it is not very well known about the role of LEA proteins in response to dehydration stress in P. notoginseng seeds. We will perform a genome-wide analysis of the LEA gene family and their transcriptional responses to dehydration stress in recalcitrant P. notoginseng seeds. Results In this study, 61 LEA genes were identified from the P. notoginseng genome, and they were renamed as PnoLEA. The PnoLEA genes were classified into seven subfamilies based on the phylogenetic relationships, gene structure and conserved domains. The PnoLEA genes family showed relatively few introns and was highly conserved. Unexpectedly, the LEA_6 subfamily was not found, and the LEA_2 subfamily contained 46 (75.4%) members. Within 19 pairs of fragment duplication events, among them 17 pairs were LEA_2 subfamily. In addition, the expression of the PnoLEA genes was obviously induced under dehydration stress, but the germination rate of P. notoginseng seeds decreased as the dehydration time prolonged. Conclusions We found that the lack of the LEA_6 subfamily, the expansion of the LEA_2 subfamily and low transcriptional levels of most PnoLEA genes might be implicated in the recalcitrant formation of P. notoginseng seeds. LEA proteins are essential in the response to dehydration stress in recalcitrant seeds, but the protective effect of LEA protein is not efficient. These results could improve our understanding of the function of LEA proteins in the response of dehydration stress and their contributions to the formation of seed recalcitrance.

Abstract Background Anxiety and depression are common psychological comorbidities in patients with chronic pancreatitis (CP). There is still a lack of epidemiological studies on anxiety and depression in Chinese CP patients. This study aimed to identify the incidence and related factor of anxiety and depression among East Chinese CP patients and explore the relationship between anxiety, depression, and coping styles. Methods This prospective observational study was conducted from June 1, 2019 to March 31, 2021 in Shanghai, China. Patient diagnosed with CP were interviewed using the sociodemographic and clinical characteristics questionnaire, Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Coping Style Questionnaire (CSQ). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was conducted to identify the related factors of anxiety and depression. Correlation test was preformed to analyze the correlation between anxiety, depression, and coping styles. Results The incidence of anxiety and depression in East Chinese CP patients was 22.64% and 38.61%, respectively. Patients’ previous health status, level of disease coping, frequency of abdominal pain episodes, and pain severity were significantly associated with anxiety and depression. Mature coping styles (Problem solving, Seeking for help) had a positive impact on anxiety and depression, while immature coping styles (Self-blame, Fantasy, Repression, Rationalization) had negative effects on anxiety and depression. Conclusion Anxiety and depression were common in patients with CP in China. The factors identified in this study may provide references for the management of anxiety and depression in CP patients.

Abstract Background Panax notoginseng (Burk) F.H. Chen is an essential plant in the family of Araliaceae. Its seeds are classified as a type of morphophysiological dormancy (MPD), and are characterized by recalcitrance during the after-ripening process. However, it is not clear about the molecular mechanism on the after-ripening in recalcitrant seeds. Results In this study, exogenous supply of gibberellic acid (GA3) with different concentrations shortened after-ripening process and promoted the germination of P. notoginseng seeds. Among the identified plant hormone metabolites, exogenous GA3 results in an increased level of endogenous hormone GA3 through permeation. A total of 2971 and 9827 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in response to 50 mg L−1 GA3 (LG) and 500 mg L−1 GA3 (HG) treatment, respectively, and the plant hormone signal and related metabolic pathways regulated by GA3 was significantly enriched. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) revealed that GA3 treatment enhances GA biosynthesis and accumulation, while inhibiting the gene expression related to ABA signal transduction. This effect was associated with higher expression of crucial seed embryo development and cell wall loosening genes, Leafy Contyledon1 (LEC1), Late Embryogenesis Abundant (LEA), expansins (EXP) and Pectinesterase (PME). Conclusions Exogenous GA3 application promotes germination and shorts the after-ripening process of P. notoginseng seeds by increasing GA3 contents through permeation. Furthermore, the altered ratio of GA and ABA contributes to the development of the embryo, breaks the mechanical constraints of the seed coat and promotes the protrusion of the radicle in recalcitrant P. notoginseng seeds. These findings improve our knowledge of the contribution of GA to regulating the dormancy of MPD seeds during the after-ripening process, and provide new theoretical guidance for the application of recalcitrant seeds in agricultural production and storage.

Abstract Background To investigate the secular trends in breast cancer burden with attributable risk factors, and make projections over time, which would contribute to the control and prevention of breast cancer. Methods We extracted detailed data on breast cancer incident cases and age‐standardized incidence rate (ASIR), deaths and age‐standardized mortality rate (ASMR), disability‐adjusted life‐years (DALYs), and age‐standardized DALYs rate (ASDR), as well as the attributable risk factors in China from the Global Burden of Diseases Study 2019. The estimated annual percentage change (EAPC) was calculated to quantify the changing trends. The national DALYs attributable to Socio‐demographic Index (SDI) values were also presented. Projections to 2030 were estimated using the Bayesian age‐period‐cohort model. Results From 1990 to 2019, the number of breast cancer incident cases increased fourfold to 375,484, with deaths and DALYs over doubling to 96.306 and 2,957,454, respectively. The ASIR (EAPC = 2.84; 95% CI, 2.74–2.95) and ASMR (EAPC = 0.06; 95% CI, 0.00–0.12) increased, while the ASDR decreased with the EAPC of −0.13 (95% CI, −0.19 to −0.06) at the same period. The ASDR varied across provincial regions, which appeared to be in a wave‐like upcurve with SDI values increasing. High body mass index became the first contribution to breast cancer DALYs for females in 2019, and alcohol use for males. Breast Cancer incident cases and deaths would increase to 587.7 and 125.6 thousand in 2030, of which there will be 577.1 and 122.7 thousand for females, and 10.6 and 2.9 thousand for males, respectively. Conclusion Breast cancer remains a major public health problem in China. The absolute burden has been increasing over time, and varied across sex and regions. To control the potential risk factors and develop specific strategies will help to reduce the disease burden.

Abstract Efferent loop syndrome is a very rare complication following pancreatoduodenectomy. The treatment of efferent loop syndrome varies depending on the cause of the syndrome. Conservative treatment methods, including nasogastric drainage and enteral nutrition, are adopted that are effective in most of patients; however, surgical treatment is usually required in patients with complete loop obstruction. Herein, we report a case of severe efferent loop obstruction that occurred after pancreatoduodenectomy, which was refractory to conservative treatment and successfully resolved by insertion of a fully covered self‐expandable metal stent.

The seeds of Panax notoginseng (Burk.) F. H. Chen are typically characterized by their recalcitrance and after-ripening process and exhibit a high water content at harvest as well as a high susceptibility to dehydration. Storage difficulty and the low germination of recalcitrant seeds of P. notoginseng are known to cause an obstacle to agricultural production. In this study, the ratio of embryo to endosperm (Em/En) in abscisic acid (ABA) treatments (1 mg·l−1 and 10 mg·l−1, LA and HA) was 53.64% and 52.34%, respectively, which were lower than those in control check (CK) (61.98%) at 30 days of the after-ripening process (DAR). A total of 83.67% of seeds germinated in the CK, 49% of seeds germinated in the LA treatment, and 37.33% of seeds germinated in the HA treatment at 60 DAR. The ABA, gibberellin (GA), and auxin (IAA) levels were increased in the HA treatment at 0 DAR, while the jasmonic acid (JA) levels were decreased. ABA, IAA, and JA were increased, but GA was decreased with HA treatment at 30 DAR. A total of 4,742, 16,531, and 890 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the HA-treated and CK groups, respectively, along with obvious enrichment in the ABA-regulated plant hormone pathway and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathway. The expression of pyracbactin resistance-like (PYL) and SNF1-related protein kinase subfamily 2 (SnRK2s) increased in the ABA-treated groups, whereas the expression of type 2C protein phosphatase (PP2C) decreased, both of which are related to the ABA signaling pathway. As a result of the changes in expression of these genes, increased ABA signaling and suppressed GA signaling could inhibit the growth of the embryo and the expansion of developmental space. Furthermore, our results demonstrated that MAPK signaling cascades might be involved in the amplification of hormone signaling. Meanwhile, our study uncovered that the exogenous hormone ABA could inhibit embryonic development, promote dormancy, and delay germination in recalcitrant seeds. These findings reveal the critical role of ABA in regulating the dormancy of recalcitrant seeds, and thereby provide a new insight into recalcitrant seeds in agricultural production and storage.

Thymic carcinoma is a rare and aggressive disease with poor outcome. There is no established treatment regimen for advanced thymic carcinoma. While the efficacy of pembrolizumab was proved to be promising, as a single agent, in patients with refractory/recurrent thymic carcinoma that progressed after chemotherapy, the efficacy and safety of combination of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy as front-line treatment in metastatic thymic carcinoma have not been explored yet. Herein, we report the first two cases of metastatic thymic squamous cell carcinoma receiving the combined approaches of pembrolizumab and chemotherapy as first-line treatment. Of the two patients, one had a complete radiological response of mediastinal masses with sustained remission over 3 years, and the other one with widespread disease had a good partial response over 20 months and achieved no evidence of disease radiologically after undergoing percutaneous radiofrequency ablation for residual liver metastases. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) showed low tumor mutation burden and MSS in both patients. Immunohistochemistry analysis of the tumor showed high PD-L1 expression in patient 1 and low PD-L1 expression in patient 2. Pembrolizumab combined with chemotherapy may be an attractive strategy for the first-line treatment of metastatic thymic carcinoma and thus warrants further evaluation.

When Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) are used in search and rescue operations, electro-optical (EO) devices are usually used as the detection equipment, and area coverage is used as the main search method. However, the sector scanning mode of EO puts forward higher requirements for task parameter planning. First, to ensure there is no missing coverage, a method to determine the full coverage width of EO equipment in sector scanning mode is proposed. Second, the constraint of no interval missing and the model of the speed-to-high ratio constraint are established, and the constraints of other factors are addressed in the context of the problem situation. Third, a coverage efficiency index is proposed for the boustrophedon coverage of a rectangular area, and a comprehensive coverage index is established. Finally, task parameter planning algorithms are designed, based on Immune Algorithm (IA), Grey Wolf Optimization (GWO) and Variable Neighborhood Search (VNS), respectively. The simulation results showed that the designed algorithms, based on IA, GWO and VNS, can effectively solve task planning problems. In general, IA is more suitable for offline occasions, VNS is suitable for online real-time planning, and GWO has characteristics between the two. The coverage process, based on optimized parameters, meets all constraints, has higher search efficiency and does not miss areas, proving the correctness of these models and the effectiveness of the planning algorithm. The research presented in this paper provides a technical basis for efficient and fully automated target search and rescue.

Abstract Background The Naxi people, living in Southwest China, have a long history and rich characteristic culture. Their ancestors recorded their life practices by ancient hieroglyphs and gradually formed the Dongba Sutras, which, among other knowledge, included the traditional knowledge of Naxi medicine. In the past, most studies on the Dongba Sutras focused on the humanistic culture of Naxi people, whereas studies have rarely focused on Naxi herbal medicinal plants and fungi described in the Dongba Sutras. Studying this aspect is helpful for exploring the traditional culture of Naxi people from the perspective of traditional medicine. Methods From February to September 2019, we screened the medicinal plants and fungi from the Dongba Sutras with the help of Dongba. Then, we carried out field investigations and collected voucher specimens of traditional medicinal plants and fungi with the help of 104 Naxi folk healers. The specimens were identified and stored in the Herbarium of Yunnan Branch, Institute of Medicinal Plants, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences (IMDY). Through semi-structured interviews, we obtained ethnobotanical information of medicinal plants and fungi. The obtained quantitative data were analyzed using the informant consensus factor (ICF) method and the number of citations. Results A total of 85 species of medicinal plants and fungi belonging to 51 families and 71 genera were recorded in the Dongba Sutras. Among them, 25 species were endemic to China, and eight species were only distributed in Naxi distribution areas. These medicinal plants and fungi were mainly obtained from the wild, and 22 species could be used as food. The most frequent method of taking medicinal materials was oral-taking after decoction, followed by topical and sometimes buccal. The methods of processing these medicinal materials included water decoction, warm water flushing, and drinking after soaking. The medicinal plants and fungi in the Dongba Sutras are used to treat 96 conditions classified into 13 disease groups according to the International Classification of Primary Care second edition. Further analysis indicated that most of these species were utilized for treating diseases from the digestive (D) group, followed by those from the respiratory (R) group, musculoskeletal (L) group, general, and unspecified (A) group. Moreover, the Naxi people have a high consensus on the treatments of diseases from these four pathological groups. Conclusions The Naxi traditional medicine is characterized by simple materials, easy operation, and distinctive national characteristics. The ancient Naxi people recorded their highly developed medical culture in the Dongba Sutras. Natural plant resources found around them were their primary choices for both medicine and diet therapy. The ecological ethics of Naxi people have positive significance for the conservation of wild resources in their area.

Abstract Background Although the number of existing cases of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in China has been decreasing since late February 2020, the number of confirmed cases abroad is surging. Improving public knowledge of COVID-19 is critical to controlling the pandemic. This study aimed to determine China’s public knowledge of COVID-19 and the attitudes towards control measures. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted over 48 h from 22:30 29 February 2020 to 22:30 2 March 2020 based on a self-administered web-based questionnaire. The survey was conducted on the WeChat network. Exponential non-discriminative snowball sampling was applied. The questionnaire was voluntarily completed by WeChat users. The questionnaire covered basic demographic information, public knowledge of the epidemiological and clinical characteristics of COVID-19, psychological state, and attitudes towards the overall control measures. The primary outcome was the China’s public knowledge of COVID-19 and the attitudes towards control measures and secondary outcome was the psychological state of the public during this pandemic. Results The study included 10,905 participants and 10,399 valid questionnaires were included for analysis. Participants with tertiary education, younger participants and healthcare workers had better overall knowledge than other participants (all P

Abstract Background To develop an effective model of predicting fatal outcomes in the severe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) patients. Methods Between February 20, 2020 and April 4, 2020, consecutive confirmed 2541 COVID-19 patients from three designated hospitals were enrolled in this study. All patients received chest computed tomography (CT) and serological examinations at admission. Laboratory tests included routine blood tests, liver function, renal function, coagulation profile, C-reactive protein (CRP), procalcitonin (PCT), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and arterial blood gas. The SaO2 was measured using pulse oxygen saturation in room air at resting status. Independent high-risk factors associated with death were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard model. A prognostic nomogram was constructed to predict the survival of severe COVID-19 patients. Results There were 124 severe patients in the training cohort, and there were 71 and 76 severe patients in the two independent validation cohorts, respectively. Multivariate Cox analysis indicated that age ≥ 70 years (HR = 1.184, 95% CI 1.061–1.321), panting (breathing rate ≥ 30/min) (HR = 3.300, 95% CI 2.509–6.286), lymphocyte count 10 pg/ml (HR = 3.029, 95% CI 1.567–7.116) were independent high-risk factors associated with fatal outcome. We developed the nomogram for identifying survival of severe COVID-19 patients in the training cohort (AUC = 0.900, 95% CI 0.841–0.960, sensitivity 95.5%, specificity 77.5%); in validation cohort 1 (AUC = 0.811, 95% CI 0.763–0.961, sensitivity 77.3%, specificity 73.5%); in validation cohort 2 (AUC = 0.862, 95% CI 0.698–0.924, sensitivity 92.9%, specificity 64.5%). The calibration curve for probability of death indicated a good consistence between prediction by the nomogram and the actual observation. The prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients with high levels of IL-6 receiving tocilizumab were better than that of those patients without tocilizumab both in the training and validation cohorts, but without difference (P = 0.105 for training cohort, P = 0.133 for validation cohort 1, and P = 0.210 for validation cohort 2). Conclusions This nomogram could help clinicians to identify severe patients who have high risk of death, and to develop more appropriate treatment strategies to reduce the mortality of severe patients. Tocilizumab may improve the prognosis of severe COVID-19 patients with high levels of IL-6.

Serpula similis is an interesting member of Hymenomycetes in association with bamboo clumps. However, the functions of Serpula similis on cellular senescence are not clear yet. In this study, the protective effect of fermentation broth of Serpula similis (FeBrSS) on cellular senescence-induced by oxidative stress and the potential mechanism was studied. The stress-induced premature senescence model was established by hydrogen peroxide, and model cells were subjected to the intervention with FeBrSS. As a result, we found that FeBrSS administration certainly repressed activity of senescence associated β-Galactosidase and expression of senescence-associated genes. Interestingly, the effects of FeBrSS are related to the restoration of impaired autophagy via activation of AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) other than via mTORC1 pathway. Together, our study demonstrated for the first time that FeBrSS have the effects of inhibiting senescence via autophagy restoration which occurs due to activation of AMPK pathway, and therefore, supported that autophagy plays a critical role in anti-aging. Our findings expanded the list of fermentation broth of fungus of significance and may provide new evidence or strategies for developing new drugs for anti-aging.

Asparaginase/pegaspargase containing regimens combined with radiotherapy are highly effective and considered the cornerstone of localized Natural killer/T-cell lymphoma (NKTL) treatment. However, these chemotherapy regimens inevitably cause relatively high incidence of treatment-related adverse events (TRAEs). Herein we retrospectively evaluated the efficacy and safety of the combined regimen of anti-PD-1 antibody, anlotinib and pegaspargase “sandwich” with radiotherapy in localized NKTL. Anti-PD-1 antibody and pegaspargase at 2500 U/m2 were administered on day 1, while anlotinib (12 mg once a day) was orally administered on days 1-14. The treatment was repeated every 3 weeks. All the eight patients included received 3 cycles of the regimen followed by radiotherapy and an additional 3 cycles. The overall response rate was 100%, and the complete response rate was 87.5%. With a median follow-up time of 35.5 months (range, 34.03-40.90 months), median PFS and OS times were not reached. The 3-year PFS and OS rates were 100% and 100%, respectively. All patients were alive at the last follow-up. No treatment-related death and no grade 4 TRAE was reported. No grade 3/4 hematological toxicity was detected, and half of the patients didn’t report any hematological toxicity. This study indicates that anti-PD-1 antibody combined with anlotinib and pegaspargase is a promising chemoradiotherapy regimen for localized NTKL, with mild toxicity and good tolerance.

BackgroundUltrasound, cytology, and BRAFV600E mutation analysis were applied as valuable tools in the differential diagnosis of thyroid nodules. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the diagnostic efficiency of the three methods and their combined use in screening for papillary thyroid microcarcinoma (PTMC).MethodsA total of 1,081 patients with 1,157 thyroid nodules (0.5–1 cm in maximum diameter) classified as thyroid imaging reporting and data system (TIRADS) 4–5 were recruited. All patients underwent ultrasound, fine-needle aspiration (FNA) examination, and an additional BRAFV600E mutation test. TIRADS and Bethesda System for Reporting Thyroid Cytopathology (BSRTC) were adopted to judge the ultrasound and cytological results. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was established to assess the diagnostic values of different methods.ResultsOf the 1,157 nodules, 587 were benign and 570 were PTMCs. BRAFV600E mutation test had highest sensitivity (85.4%), specificity (97.1%), accuracy (91.4%), and area under the ROC curve (Az) value (0.913) among the three methods. The combination of BSRTC and BRAFV600E mutation analysis yielded a considerably high sensitivity (96.0%), accuracy (94.3%), and negative predictive value (95.9%) than either BSRTC or BRAFV600E mutation alone (P < 0.0001 for all comparisons). Of all the methods, the combined use of the three methods produced the best diagnostic performance (Az = 0.967), which was significantly higher than that (Az = 0.943) for the combination of BSRTC and BRAFV600E mutation (P < 0.0001). The diagnostic accuracy of the molecular method in the 121 nodules with indeterminate cytology was 90.1% (109/121), which was significantly higher than that of TIRADS classification, 74.4% (90/121) (P = 0.002).ConclusionThe combined use of ultrasound, cytology, and BRAFV600E mutation analysis is the most efficient and objective method for diagnosing PTMC. Both BRAFV600E mutation and TIRADS classification are potentially useful adjuncts to differentiate thyroid nodules, especially indeterminate samples classified as BSRTC III.

Adaptation to different host plants is considered to be an important driver of the divergence and speciation of herbivorous insects. The application of molecular data and integrated taxonomic practices in recent years may contribute to our understanding of population divergence and speciation, especially for herbivorous insects considered to be polyphagous. Aphis aurantii is an important agricultural and forestry pest with a broad range of host plants. In this study, samples of A. aurantii feeding on different host plants in the same geographical area were collected, and their population genetic divergence and morphological difference were analyzed. Phylogenetic analysis and haplotype network analysis based on five genes revealed that the population on Ficus exhibited significantly genetic divergence from populations on other host plants, which was also supported by the statistical analysis based on measurements of 38 morphological characters. Our results suggest that A. aurantii has undergone specialized evolution on Ficus, and the Ficus population may represent a lineage that is experiencing ongoing sympatric speciation.

This article has been retracted. Please see the Retraction Notice for more detail: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12943-017-0586-y.

Salvia hispanica is an annual food and oil crop native to Mexico and Guatemala. In this study, we report the complete chloroplast genome (plastome) of S. hispanica. The plastome was 150,980 bp in length and comprises a large single-copy region (82,274 bp), a small single-copy region (17,534 bp), and a pair of inverted repeats (25,586 bp). It encodes 114 unique genes, including 80 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 30 tRNAs, and 4 rRNAs. The overall GC content of this plastome was 38.0%. Phylogenomic analysis of all PCGs revealed that S. hispanica was closely related to S. bulleyana.

Abstract Background Metastasis remains the main cause of cancer-related death for gastric cancer (GC) patients, but the mechanisms are poorly understood. Using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data base and bioinformatics analyses, we identified C12orf59 might act as a potential oncogenic protein in GC. Methods We investigate the expression pattern and clinical significance of C12orf59 in two independent cohorts of GC samples. In the training cohort, we used the X-tile program software to generate the optimal cutoff value for C12orf59 expression in order to classify patients accurately according to clinical outcome. In the validation cohort, this derived cutoff score was applied to exam the association of C12orf59 expression with survival outcome. A series of in vivo and in vitro assays were then performed to investigate the function of C12orf59 in GC. Results C12orf59 was significantly upregulated, and associated with poor survival outcome in two cohorts of GC samples. Gain- and loss of- function studies demonstrated C12orf59 promotes GC cell invasive and metastatic capacity both in vitro and in vivo, and induces epithelial–mesenchymal transition and angiogenesis. Mechanically, C12orf59 exerts oncogenic functions by up-regulating CDH11 expression via NF-κB signaling. Interesting, CDH11 could in turn promote NF-κB bind to C12orf59’s promoter and form a positive feedback loop to sustain the metastatic ability of GC cells. Additionally, downregulation of miR-654-5p is another important mechanism for C12orf59 overexpression in GC. Conclusion Our finding suggested the newly identified C12orf59/NF-κB/CDH11 feedback loop may represent a new strategy for GC treatment.

Abstract The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the efficacy and toxicity of high‐dose methotrexate plus temozolomide (MT regimen) and rituximab plus MT (RMT regimen) in patients with untreated primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL). A total of 62 patients with untreated PCNSL were enrolled between January 2005 and December 2015, with the median age of 53.5 years (range 29‐77).In this study, 32 patients received RMT as induction therapy, and 30 received MT. Objective responses were noted in 93.7% of the patients in the RMT group and in 69.0% of the patients in the MT group (P = 0.018), while complete responses were noted in 53.2% of the patients in the RMT group and 27.6% of the patients in the MT group (P

All the time, the wear resistance of TC4 titanium alloy restricts its application in friction parts. In order to solve this problem, in this work, CeO 2 /Ni60A composite coatings (0, 1, 2, 3, 4 wt.% CeO 2 ) were prepared on TC4 titanium alloy by laser cladding technology. The detection and characterization of the coatings were mainly carried out by X-ray diffraction (XRD), Scanning electron microscope (SEM), Energy-dispersive spectrometer, Vickers hardness test, and wear test. The results showed that appropriate proportion of CeO 2 powder could effectively reduce the crack sensitivity of Ni60A coating on TC4 substrate. While the amount of CeO 2 powder was 3wt.%, there were no obvious cracks, pores, and other defects in the coating. Coatings mainly consisted of Ti 2 Ni, TiC, TiB 2 , Ce 2 O 3 , and the substrate α–Ti. CeO 2 has negligible influence on the composition of the phase, but it significantly increased the absorption rate of the powder to light, promoted the fluidity of the molten pool. Among five coatings, the average hardness of the 3Ce coating was the highest and the highest hardness value could reach 1163.7 HV 0.3 , which was 3.58 times higher than TC4 substrate, the friction coefficient was 0.307, and the wear rate was 1.11 × 10 −5 mm 3 /N m, which reflected extremely high wear resistance performance. Adding an appropriate amount of CeO 2 improved the microstructure of the coating, and realized the fine crystal strengthening of the coating.

The basic helix−loop−helix (bHLH) proteins are a superfamily of transcription factors (TFs) that can bind to specific DNA target sites, playing a central role in a wide range of metabolic, physiological, and developmental processes in higher organisms. However, no systemic analysis of bHLH TFs has been reported in banana, a typical climacteric fruit in tropical and subtropical regions. In our study, 259 MabHLH TF genes were identified in the genome of Musa acuminata (A genome), and phylogenetic analysis indicated that these MabHLHs could be classified into 23 subfamilies with the bHLHs from rice and Arabidopsis. The amino acid sequences of the bHLH domain in all MabHLH protein sequences were quite conserved, especially Arg-12, Arg-13, Leu-23, and Leu-79. Distribution mapping results showed that 258 MabHLHs were localized on the 11 chromosomes in the M. acuminata genome. The results indicated that 40.7% of gene duplication events were located in collinear fragments, and segmental duplications might have played a key role in the expansion of MabHLHs. Moreover, the expression profiles of MabHLHs in different fruit development and ripening stages and under various abiotic and biotic stresses were investigated using available RNA-sequencing data to obtain fruit development, ripening-specific, and stress-responsive candidate genes. Finally, a co-expression network of MabHLHs was constructed by weighted gene co-expression network analysis to elucidate the MabHLHs that might participate in important metabolic biosynthesis pathways in banana during development and the response to stress. A total of 259 MabHLHs were identified, and their sequence features, conserved domains, phylogenetic relationships, chromosomal distributions, gene duplications, expression profiles, and co-expression networks were investigated. This study systematically identified the MabHLHs in the M. acuminata genome at the genome-wide level, providing important candidate genes for further functional analysis. These findings improve our understanding of the molecular basis of developmental and stress tolerance in an important banana cultivar.

Abstract Objectives The aim of the study is to explore the relationship between CCDC69 expression and resistance of ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin and reveal the underlying mechanism. Methods One hundred thirty five ovarian cancer patients with intact chemo-response information from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were included and analyzed. Stable CCDC69 overexpressing 293 and ovarian cancer A2780 cell lines were established and subjected to examine cell apoptosis and cell cycle distribution using CCK-8 assay and flow cytometry. Cell cycle and apoptosis pathway were evaluated by immunoblots. Stability of p14ARF/MDM2/p53 pathway related proteins were determined by half-life analysis and ubiquitination experiments. Results We found that CCDC69 expression was significantly higher in chemo-sensitive groups compared with chemo-resistant groups from TCGA database. High CCDC69 expression was associated longer survival. CCDC69 overexpressing 293 and A2780 cells with wildtype p53 and contributes to cisplatin sensitivity following treatment with cisplatin. We further found over-expression of CCDC69 activated p14ARF/MDM2/p53 pathway. Importantly, we also demonstrated that CCDC69 expression extended p53 and p14ARF protein half-life and shortened MDM2 protein half-life. Ubiquitination assay revealing a decrease in p14 ubiquitination in CCDC69 over-expression cells comparing to cells expressing empty vector. Conclusions It is tempting to conclude that targeting CCDC69 may play a role in cisplatin resistance.

Alginate oligosaccharides (AOS) have many biological activities and significant applications in prebiotics, nutritional supplements, and plant growth development. Alginate lyases have unique advantages in the preparation of AOS. However, only a limited number of alginate lyases have been so far reported to have potentials in the preparation of AOS with specific degrees of polymerization. Here, an alginate-degrading strain Pseudoalteromonasarctica M9 was isolated from Sargassum, and five alginate lyases were predicted in its genome. These putative alginate lyases were expressed and their degradation products towards sodium alginate were analyzed. Among them, AlyM2 mainly generated trisaccharides, which accounted for 79.9% in the products. AlyM2 is a PL6 lyase with low sequence identity (≤28.3%) to the characterized alginate lyases and may adopt a distinct catalytic mechanism from the other PL6 alginate lyases based on sequence alignment. AlyM2 is a bifunctional endotype lyase, exhibiting the highest activity at 30 °C, pH 8.0, and 0.5 M NaCl. AlyM2 predominantly produces trisaccharides from homopolymeric M block (PM), homopolymeric G block (PG), or sodium alginate, with a trisaccharide production of 588.4 mg/g from sodium alginate, indicating its promising potential in preparing trisaccharides from these polysaccharides.

To improve the detection performance of the radar transmit waveform while enabling the transmitter to perform at its maximal efficiency, a joint design method is proposed for the transmit and receive filter in the presence of signal-dependent clutter with a Peak-to-Average-power Ratio (PAR) constraint of the transmit waveform. First, an optimized model of the radar’s output Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) for range-extended target detection is established. Second, the analytic expression of the receiver is obtained by converting the optimization problem into the Rayleigh quotient model. The optimal matrix solution is then obtained by transforming the non-convex problem into a convex problem via the semi-definite matrix of the waveform. Finally, the optimal vector solution of the waveform is extracted from the optimal matrix solution by combining the rank-one approximation method combined with the nearest neighbor method. An optimal waveform with a maximal output SINR for a given PAR range is obtained using the proposed method. The SINR value of the waveform when PAR = 2 is the same as the SINR value of the optimized waveform under the energy constraint and is about 0.5 dB higher than the waveform when PAR = 1. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Due to extensive water pollution in Chinese rivers and lakes, large efforts have to be made to improve the quality of drinking water and manage the sewage water treatment process. We propose a general workflow for integrating a large number of heterogeneous data sets relating to various hydrological compartments into a Virtual Geographic Environment (VGE). This allows both researchers and stakeholders to easily access complex data collections in a unified context, find interrelations or inconsistencies between data sets and evaluate simulation results with respect to other observations or simulations in the same region. A prototype of such a VGE has been set up for the region around Chao Lake, containing more than 20 spatial data sets and collections as well as first simulation result. The prototype has been successfully presented to researchers and stakeholders from China and Germany.

We developed a direct vicinal difunctionalization of alkenes with iodine and TBHP at room temperature. This iodination and peroxidation in a one-pot synthesis produces 1-(tert-butylperoxy)-2-iodoethanes, which are inaccessible through conventional synthetic methods. This method generates multiple radical intermediates in situ and has excellent regioselectivity, a broad substrate scope and mild conditions. The iodine and peroxide groups of 1-(tert-butylperoxy)-2-iodoethanes have several potential applications and allow further chemical modifications, enabling the preparation of synthetically valuable molecules.

We present a metal-free method for α-acetoxyarone synthesis by self-intermolecular oxidative coupling of aryl ketones using I2−tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). Under the optimum conditions, various aryl ketones gave the corresponding products in moderate to excellent yields. A series of control experiments were performed; the results suggest the involvement of radical pathways. Multiple radical intermediates were generated in situ and the overall process involved several different reactions, which proceeded self-sequentially in a single reactor. A labeling experiment using 18O-labeled H2O confirmed that the oxygen in the product was derived from TBHP, not from H2O in the TBHP solvent.

Abstract Inosine monophosphate dehydrogenase type II (IMPDH2) has been shown to play critical roles in the development and progression of several human cancers. However, little is known about IMPDH2 expression and its clinical significance in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Western blotting, qRT-PCR and immunohistochemistry were employed to evaluate IMPDH2 expression in NPC cell lines and tissues. In our study, elevated expression of IMPDH2 was observed at both the protein and mRNA levels in NPC cell lines than in NPEC2 Bmi-1. IMPDH2 protein expression was markedly higher in NPC tissues than in adjacent non-tumorous tissues. Moreover, IMPDH2 expression in NPC correlated with several clinicopathological parameters, including T classification (P = 0.023), TNM stage (P = 0.020), distant metastasis (P = 0.001) and death (P = 0.002). Further Cox regression analysis suggested that IMPDH2 expression was an independent prognostic factor for overall survival (P = 0.001) and disease-free survival (P