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Abstract Background Due to China’s rapid urbanization, many farmers have relocated to urban resettlement regions. There is limited research on the glycemic control of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) farmers in these areas. This study examined their blood glucose control and its determinants. Methods This study took place from March 2021 to January 2022 in a resettlement community in Yiwu, Zhejiang Province, China. In the first phase, a quantitative survey of 181 T2DM farmers was conducted using a questionnaire to gather demographic data, blood glucose control status, disease cognition levels, and treatment compliance. Inclusion criteria were migrant workers with ≥ 3 months of residence and local household registration and T2DM patients who met the diagnostic criteria of the Chinese guidelines. In the second phase, qualitative research involved face-to-face, semi-structured interviews with 15 patients with varying blood glucose control levels to analyze their experiences. Results The blood glucose control rate in this particular group was 27.62%, and the average disease cognition score was 2.5 ± 0.75. Many patients (67.96%) had inadequate treatment compliance, specifically in monitoring compliance (4.45 ± 1.92) and regular review compliance (3.58 ± 1.74). Conclusion There is a need for tailored programs to improve glycemic control among resettled farmers. Enhancing disease awareness and treatment compliance through targeted education and support is crucial. Further studies are needed to evaluate different treatment regimens’ impact on glycemic control. Clinical trial number Not applicable.

Abstract Purpose To investigate the role of prognostic genes related to cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer during disease progression. Method The gene expression profile of the NCI-60 cell line was acquired through comprehensive analysis of the GEO database accession GSE116439. We performed a thorough analysis of gene expression differences in samples from seven individuals exposed to cisplatin concentrations of 0 nM compared to seven samples exposed to 15000 nM over a 24-h period. Key genes were initially identified through LASSO regression, followed by their enrichment through differential gene function analysis (GO) and pathway enrichment analysis (KEGG). Subsequently, a prognostic risk model was established for these key genes. The prognostic model's performance was assessed through K-M survival curves and ROC curves. To examine the variance in immune cell infiltration between the high and low-risk groups, CIBERSORTx analysis was employed. Finally, validation of prognostic gene expression in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer was carried out using clinical samples, employing RT-qPCR and Western Blot techniques. Results A total of 132 differential genes were found between cisplatin resistance and control group, and 8 key prognostic genes were selected by analysis, namely VPS13B, PLGRKT, CDKAL1, TBC1D22A, TAP1, PPP3CA, CUX1 and PPP1R15A. The efficacy of the risk assessment model derived from prognostic biomarkers, as indicated by favorable performance on both Kaplan–Meier survival curves and ROC curves. Significant variations in the abundance of Macrophages M1, T cells CD4 memory resting, T cells follicular helper, and T cells gamma delta were observed between the high and low-risk groups. To further validate our findings, RT-qPCR and Western Blot analyses were employed, confirming differential expression of the identified eight key genes between the two groups. Conclusion VPS13B, TBC1D22A, PPP3CA, CUX1 and PPP1R15A were identified as poor prognostic genes of cisplatin resistance in ovarian cancer, while PLGRKT, CDKAL1 and TAP1 were identified as good prognostic genes. This offers a novel perspective for future advancements in ovarian cancer treatment, suggesting potential avenues for the development of new therapeutic targets.

Chitin has proven to be a valuable alternative to mineral fertilizers in growing media. We recently hypothesized that chitin might work as a biostimulant, attracting plant growth-promoting microbes to the rhizosphere. In particular, Mortierellales species increase in abundance massively with chitin application and might have a profound role in chitin-mediated plant growth promotion. We isolated four strains of this order classified as Linnemannia elongata from chitin-enriched growing medium and the lettuce rhizosphere. The isolates induced a consistent increase in shoot and root fresh weight and increased chlorophyll content of Arabidopsis thaliana in vitro, as measured by multispectral imaging. By studying the isolate's genomes, we postulated that this growth promotion was induced through auxin production, translocation of calcium to the plant, or both. The synergy between chitin and L. elongata was demonstrated by (i) the chitinase activity and chitin degradation potential of all isolates and (ii) the positive effect of chitin and L. elongata seed coating on germination of A. thaliana seeds compared with L. elongata seed coating without chitin. We conclude that chitin-related growth promotion is dependent on activation of the microbial community, with L. elongata as a key species. [Graphic: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Chitin amendment of peat substrate has been proven effective in promoting lettuce growth and increasing phenolic compounds in lettuce seedlings. However, the effect of chitin soil amendment on lettuce growth in mineral soil remains unexplored. The effect of chitin amendment of mineral soil on lettuce growth and metabolite changes was investigated for the first time in the present study in comparison with chitin-amended peat substrate. Our findings showed that chitin addition in peat substrate increased lettuce head weight by approximately 50% at harvest, whereas this increase was 30% when chitin was added to mineral soil. Targeted metabolomics analysis indicated that chitin addition affected the phenolic compounds in lettuce seedlings, but this effect varied between soil types. Moreover, untargeted metabolomics analysis suggested that using peat substrate or mineral soil had a greater influence on produced lettuce metabolites than chitin addition. Rhizobiome analysis showed that specifically Mortierellaceae family members, known for chitin degradation and plant growth promotion, significantly increased in peat substrate upon chitin treatment. In mineral soil, three bacterial genera and five fungi, including known plant-growth-promoting genera, were significantly more abundant upon chitin treatment but Mortierellaceae family members were not. We assume that the observed effects primarily stem from soil characteristics and from chitin-induced alterations in rhizobiome composition, particularly the presence of Mortierellaceae members, leading to promoted lettuce growth. Despite the variability, chitin remains an environmentally friendly alternative to synthetic fertilizers in lettuce production, but its beneficial effects are dependent on rhizobiome composition, which should be considered before chitin application. [Graphic: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

ABSTRACTPreviously, we reported a cohort of Japanese encephalitis (JE) patients with Guillain–Barré syndrome. However, the evidence linking Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV) infection and peripheral nerve injury (PNI) remains limited, especially the epidemiology, clinical presentation, diagnosis, treatment, and outcome significantly differ from traditional JE. We performed a retrospective and multicenter study of 1626 patients with JE recorded in the surveillance system of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, spanning the years 2016–2020. Cases were classified into type 1 and type 2 JE based on whether the JE was combined with PNI or not. A comparative analysis was conducted on demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations, imaging findings, electromyography data, laboratory results, and treatment outcomes. Among 1626 laboratory confirmed JE patients, 230 (14%) were type 2 mainly located along the Yellow River in northwest China. In addition to fever, headache, and disturbance of consciousness, type 2 patients experienced acute flaccid paralysis of the limbs, as well as severe respiratory muscle paralysis. These patients presented a greater mean length of stay in hospital (children, 22 years [range, 1–34]; adults, 25 years [range, 0–183]) and intensive care unit (children, 16 years [range, 1–30]; adults, 17 years [range, 0–102]). The mortality rate was higher in type 2 patients (36/230 [16%]) compared to type 1 (67/1396 [5%]). The clinical classification of the diagnosis of JE may play a crucial role in developing a rational treatment strategy, thereby mitigating the severity of the disease and potentially reducing disability and mortality rates among patients.

Summary: This work introduces a pioneering approach in the development of organic thin-film transistors (OTFTs), featuring a double-layer dielectric structure that combines poly(para-xylylene)s (Parylene) and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) to leverage the high insulation properties and high surface polarity of Parylene with the low insulation properties and low surface polarity of PMMA. This combination results in devices that showcase significantly enhanced electrical performance, including superior charge carrier mobility, increased current on/off ratios, and greater transconductance. Utilizing poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) for the active layer, the study demonstrates the advantage of the dual dielectric layers in minimizing hysteresis in the transfer curve, thereby facilitating the systematic growth of the organic active layer and enhancing electrical conductivity over single-layer alternatives. The superior performance of the Parylene/PMMA double-layer insulating structure opens new avenues for the advancement of organic electronics, presenting methodologies for performance optimization and expanding the application spectrum of OTFTs.

In the two-phase high-entropy alloys (HEAs) (i.e., FCC, BCC), the modulation of the BCC phase is crucial for improving the mechanical properties of FCC-type HEAs. The stability of the phase of (CoCrNi)100−xAlx (0 ≤ x ≤ 28 at. %) HEAs is studied using first-principles calculations. The Al content on the phase transition of CoCrNi HEAs is discussed. The theoretical values of lattice parameter a (x) increase with increasing Al concentration, which is consistent with the earlier experimental findings. The crystal structure transitions from the FCC to BCC crystal structure as the Al content increases. At x < 11.8 at. %, Al alloying lowers the elastic stability of the BCC and FCC phases, whereas excessive Al doping causes the FCC phase to BCC phase transition (x > 21.4 at. %). The crystal structure has an ideal mix phase of BCC and FCC at x = 18.8 at. %, which results in excellent strength-ductility synergy of HEAs. There is a phase transition point at x = 11.8 at. %, where there may be a competition between phase transition and dislocation nucleation, which improves strength. The work in this paper provides new ideas for the design of future high-performance duplex phase HEAs.

Abstract Background Fibroblasts, especially cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs), represent the predominant stromal cell population in the tumor microenvironment and have an important function in tumorigenesis by interacting with tumor cells. However, their interaction remains elusive in an inflammatory tumor microenvironment induced by Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori). Methods The expression of Serpin family E member 1 (Serpin E1) was measured in fibroblasts with or without H. pylori infection, and primary gastric cancer (GC) cells. Serpin E1 knockdown and overexpression fibroblasts were generated using Serpin E1 siRNA or lentivirus carrying Serpin E1. Co-culture models of fibroblasts and GC cells or human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were established with direct contact or the Transwell system. In vitro functional experiments and in vivo tumorigenesis assay were employed to study the malignant behaviors of GC cells interacting with fibroblasts. ELISA was used for quantifying the levels of Serpin E1 and VEGFA in the culture supernatant. The tube formation capacity of HUVECs was assessed using a tube formation assay. Recombinant human Serpin E1 (recSerpin E1), anti-Serpin E1 antibody, and a MAPK pathway inhibitor were utilized to treat HUVECs for elucidating the underlying molecular mechanisms. Results Serpin E1 was predominantly expressed in gastric CAFs. H. pylori infection significantly enhanced the expression and secretion of Serpin E1 by CAFs. Both fibroblast-derived Serpin E1 and recSerpin E1 enhanced the growth, invasion, and migration of GC cells, along with increased VEGFA expression and tube formation in HUVECs. Furthermore, the co-inoculation of GC cells and fibroblasts overexpressing Serpin E1 triggered the expression of Serpin E1 in cancer cells, which facilitated together xenograft tumor growth and peritoneal dissemination of GC cells in nude mice, with an increased expression of Ki67, Serpin E1, CD31 and/or VEGFA. These processes may be mediated by Serpin E1-induced migration and p38 MAPK/VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis of HUVECs. Conclusion H. pylori infection induces Serpin E1 expression in fibroblasts, subsequently triggering its expression in GC cells through their interaction. Serpin E1 derived from these cells promotes the migration and p38 MAPK/VEGFA-mediated angiogenesis of HUVECs, thereby facilitating GC growth and peritoneal metastasis. Targeting Serpin E1 signaling is a potential therapy strategy for H. pylori-induced GC.

Abstract Background The 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 (25 (OH) D3) is crucial for follicular development. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the level of 25 (OH) D3 in endometriosis patients, pregnancy outcomes of in vitro fertilization (IVF), and the underlying mechanism. Methods The 25 (OH) D3 levels in serum and follicular Fluid (FF) samples were detected using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Clinical features and pregnancy outcomes of endometriosis patients were also compared between the deficient group (

The hot compression tests of Fe–28Mn–11Al–1.5C–5Cr (wt.%) lightweight steel were carried out by Gleeble-3500 at temperature of 900, 1050 and 1150 °C with strain rates of 0.01 and 1 s−1. The effect of various precipitates on the hot deformation mechanism and dynamic recrystallization (DRX) mechanism was studied by electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). When deformed at 900 °C, the dislocations tend to cut through intragranular κ carbides to form unidirectional microbands and deformation twins. The intergranular precipitates (intergranular κ carbides, B2 (FeAl type) precipitates and (Cr,Mn)23C6 precipitates) hinder the migration of the original grain boundaries, so that the discontinuous DRX (DDRX) is suppressed at the initial stage, but with the increase of strain, the dislocations accumulate at the grain boundaries to promote the nucleation of DRX grains. Meanwhile, the nucleation of DRX grains by continuous DRX (CDRX) mechanism within grains is also activated. Therefore, bimodal distribution of DRX grains is formed at low strain rate of 0.01 s−1, while the degree of DRX is low at high strain rate of 1 s−1. When the deformation temperature is 1050 °C, the content of microbands and deformation twins decreases. There are only a few B2 precipitates at the grain boundaries, so the original grain boundaries tend to bulge to promote DDRX nucleation. When deformed at 1150 °C, large-sized κ carbides are easily formed near the dislocations due to the fast diffusion rate of atoms, which inhibits the formation of microbands and deformation twins, and only slip bands are observed. There is no precipitate on the grain boundary, and the DDRX is the dominant mechanism of DRX. Moreover, the special yield-point-like elongation phenomenon has been proved to be caused by intragranular κ carbides.

Fe–Mn–xAl–C steel ingots have been fabricated by vacuum melting with Al compositions varied from x = 0 to 3 and 5 wt.%, respectively. After properly hot-forging and hot-rolling as well as solution heat treatments, impact toughness tests were carried out at 77 K using a standard full-size of Charpy impact V-notch configuration. It was found that the addition of Al element is more conducive to enhance the cryogenic toughness. The relationship between the cryogenic toughness and the Al composition has been revealed through detailed microstructural studies by electron back scatter diffraction and transmission-electron microscopy. The stack fault energy (SFE) increases with the increase of Al content at various temperature. The plastic deformation is dominated by deformation bands which are dominated by deformation twins (DTs) and ε-martensite at x = 0 and DTs at x = 3 and 5%, respectively. The DTs near fracture the notch-tip area increased in the order of the 0Al, 3Al, and 5Al steel. The DTs with high density, together with their contented dislocations, significantly contributed to the high cryogenic toughness of the studied high manganese steel with higher Al content. Banded ε-martensite will deterioration cryogenic toughness due to its large size compared to DTs at 0Al steel.

Heterostructured austenitic stainless steels (ASS) are becoming a significant research area because of their outstanding mechanical properties and considerable potential for various applications. However, the thermal stability of heterogeneous microstructures, particularly the bimodal microstructure, has received limited attention and lacks systematic investigation. Additionally, there is a scarcity of reports regarding the biocompatibility of bimodal microstructures. Herein, the thermal stability and biocompatibility of the bimodal microstructure prepared by cold rolling and annealing in Cr–Mn–N series ASS (without and with Nb microalloying) are studied. The findings demonstrate that the bimodal microstructures of ASS are formed after annealing at 700 °C, 800 °C, and short-time annealing at 900 °C. Moreover, the addition of Nb significantly enhances the thermal stability of the bimodal microstructure and maintains the bimodal feature up to 1000 °C. The thermal stability of bimodal microstructures depends on the competition in coarse and fine grains growth. The good thermal stability of Nb(C, N) at high temperatures leads to consistently higher pinning force within the fine-grained zone. As a result, the growth of fine grains lags behind that of coarse grains, which leads to the persistence of bimodal microstructure at higher temperatures. The bimodal microstructure of ASS demonstrates superior biocompatibility, attributed to its ability to promote higher cell viability, exhibit stronger fibronectin intensity, and facilitate a wider fibronectin expression network in osteoblasts. These characteristics make the bimodal ASS more favorable for osteoblast attachment and proliferation compared to its coarse-grained counterpart. This study significantly enhances our understanding of the thermal stability and cellular functionality of bimodal ASS, highlighting its potential for various biomedical applications.

ObjectiveAiming at the problem of too many influencing factors and too little reference data for determining the dimensions of medium-sized cruise ships in the concept phase, a simplified multi-objective optimization method based on the fitting of dimensions and performance is proposed. MethodFirst, the dimension relations of medium-sized cruise ships are analyzed and the influence of the latest SOLAS requirements used to determine the optimization range. Second, the influence of cruise ship dimensions on space, resistance, stability and seakeeping are analyzed. Next, based on the principles of genetic algorithms, a multi-objective optimization algorithm with high robustness and high engineering adaptability is determined to establish a multi-objective optimization model for the concept design of medium-sized cruise ships. Finally, the Pareto solution obtained by multi-objective optimization is analyzed to provide initial references for determining the dimensions of the target cruise ship. ResultsImplemented via a genetic algorithm, the optimization program proposed herein is applied in the concept design of a medium-sized cruise ship in order to optimize the initial dimensions, thereby achieving the expected outcome of providing reasonable initial dimensions for cruise ship design. ConclusionThe proposed simplified multi-objective optimization model can provide feasible initial dimensions for medium-sized cruise ships in the concept phase. As the Pareto solution obtained by multi-objective optimization has different focuses such as resistance and stability, the most suitable solution needs to be selected according to the design object.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of cancer, including lung cancer. However, the exact underlying mechanism and therapeutic potential are largely unknown. Here we report that protein arginine methyltransferase 6 (PRMT6) is highly expressed in lung cancer and is required for cell metabolism, tumorigenicity, and cisplatin response of lung cancer. PRMT6 regulated the oxidative pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) flux and glycolysis pathway in human lung cancer by increasing the activity of 6-phospho-gluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD) and α-enolase (ENO1). Furthermore, PRMT6 methylated R324 of 6PGD to enhancing its activity; while methylation at R9 and R372 of ENO1 promotes formation of active ENO1 dimers and 2-phosphoglycerate (2-PG) binding to ENO1, respectively. Lastly, targeting PRMT6 blocked the oxidative PPP flux, glycolysis pathway, and tumor growth, as well as enhanced the anti-tumor effects of cisplatin in lung cancer. Together, this study demonstrates that PRMT6 acts as a post-translational modification (PTM) regulator of glucose metabolism, which leads to the pathogenesis of lung cancer. It was proven that the PRMT6-6PGD/ENO1 regulatory axis is an important determinant of carcinogenesis and may become a promising cancer therapeutic strategy.

Abstract With the widespread use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HARRT), the survival time of AIDS patients has been greatly extended. However, the incidence of lung cancer in HIV‐infected patients is increasing and has become a major problem threatening the survival of AIDS patients. The aim of this study is to use Weighted Gene Co‐expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) and differential gene analysis to find possible key genes involved in HIV‐infected lung cancer. In this study, using lung tissue samples from five pairs of HIV‐infected lung cancer patients, second‐generation sequencing was performed and transcriptomic data were obtained. A total of 132 HIV‐infected lung cancer‐related genes were screened out by WGCNA and differential gene expression analysis methods. Based on gene annotation analysis, these genes were mainly enriched in mitosis‐related functions and pathways. In addition, in protein–protein interaction (PPI) analysis, a total of 39 hub genes were identified. Among them, five genes (ASPM, CDCA8, CENPF, CEP55, and PLK1) were present in both three hub gene lists (intersection gene, DEGs, and WCGNA module) suggesting that these five genes may become key genes involved in HIV‐infected lung cancer.

BackgroundOverexpression of heat shock proteins (HSPs) has been observed in a wide range of human tumors, and there is an increasing evidence demonstrated that HSPs play a key role in tumor progression. Several studies were conducted to explore the clinicopathological characteristics and prognostic value of HSPs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), but the results remain controversial. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis.MethodsThe eligible literature was obtained from PubMed, Cochrane library, Web of science, Embase, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure and Wan Fang databases. We used the odds ratio (OR) and hazard ratio (HR) as the suitable parameters to assess the clinicopathological features and prognostic value of HSPs in HCC patients.ResultsThe meta-analysis results showed that HSPs expression was associated with overall survival (OS) of HCC patients (HR = 1.61, 95%CI = 1.22-2.13, P=0.001, I2 = 62.7%). In addition, the pooled results suggested that HSPs expression was significantly correlated with tumor differentiation (OR = 1.33, 95%CI = 1.08-1.65, P = 0.907), vascular invasion (OR = 1.31, 95%CI = 1.02-1.69, P = 0.921) and lymphatic metastasis (OR=1.98, 95%CI= 1.70-2.31, P = 0.740). Meanwhile, the subgroup analysis showed a significant correlation between the expression of HSP27 (HR=1.69, 95%CI = 1.24-2.31, P = 0.674) and HSP90α (HR=2.03, 95%CI = 1.73-2.40, P = 0.743) with OS of HCC patients.ConclusionsOur meta-analysis confirms that HSPs expression is closely associated with a worse prognosis in HCC patients, and may be directly involved in tumor differentiation and distant metastasis. In addition, the subgroup analysis results demonstrate that the expression of HSP27 and HSP90α can be served as potential prognostic predictors of HCC.

Chitin soil amendment is known to improve soil quality, plant growth and stress resilience, but the underlying mechanisms are not well understood. In this study, we monitored chitin’s effect on lettuce physiology every two weeks through an eight-week growth period, analyzed the early transcriptional reprogramming and related metabolomic changes of lettuce, in response to crab chitin treatment in peat-based potting soil. In commercial growth conditions, chitin amendment still promoted lettuce growth, increased chlorophyll content, the number of leaves and crop head weight from week six. The flavonoid content in lettuce leaves was altered as well, showing an increase at week two but a decrease from week six. Transcriptomic analysis showed that over 300 genes in lettuce root were significantly differentially expressed after chitin soil treatment. Gene Ontology-term (GO) enrichment analysis revealed statistical overrepresentation of GO terms linked to photosynthesis, pigment metabolic process and phenylpropanoid metabolic process. Further analysis of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) showed that the flavonoid pathway was mostly upregulated whereas the bifurcation of upstream phenylpropanoid pathway towards lignin biosynthesis was mostly downregulated. Metabolomic analysis revealed the upregulation of salicylic acid, chlorogenic acid, ferulic acid, and p-coumaric acid in chitin-treated lettuce seedlings. These phenolic compounds (PCs) mainly influence the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway and may play important roles in plant defense reactions. Our results suggest that chitin soil amendments might activate induced resistance by priming lettuce plants and promote lettuce growth via transcriptional changes.

This research analyzes extreme precipitation events in the Huaihe River Basin in China, a densely populated region with a history of human settlements and agricultural activities. This study aims to explore the impact of extreme precipitation index changes and provide decision-making suggestions for flood early warning and agricultural development in the Huaihe River Basin. The study utilizes the NEX-GDDP-CMIP6 climate model dataset and daily value dataset (V3.0) from China’s national surface weather stations to investigate temporal and spatial changes in the extreme precipitation indices from 1960 to 2014 and future projections. At the same time, this study adopts the RclimDex model, Taylor diagram, and Sen+Mann–Kendall trend analysis research methods to analyze the data. The results reveal a slight increase in extreme precipitation indices from the northwest to southeast within the basin, except for the CDD, which shows a decreasing trend. Regarding the spatial variation, the future increase in extreme precipitation in the Huaihe River Basin shows a spatial variation characteristic that decreases from the northwest to southeast. These findings suggest that extreme precipitation events are intensifying in the region. Understanding these trends and their implications is vital for adaptation strategy planning and mitigating the risks associated with extreme precipitation events in the Huaihe River Basin.

Cotton fiber yield depends on the density of fiber cell initials that form on the ovule epidermis. Fiber initiation is triggered by MYB-MIXTA-like transcription factors (GhMMLs) and requires a sucrose supply. Ethylene or its precursor ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid) is suggested to affect fiber yield. The Gossypium hirsutum (L.) genome contains 35 ACS genes (GhACS) encoding ACC synthases. Here, we explored the role of a GhACS family member in the regulation of fiber initiation. Expression analyses showed that the GhACS6.3 gene pair was specifically expressed in the ovules during fiber initiation (3 days before anthesis to 5 days post anthesis, −3 to 5 DPA), especially at −3 DPA, whereas other GhACS genes were expressed at very low or undetectable levels. The expression profile of GhACS6.3 during fiber initial development was confirmed by qRT-PCR analysis. Transgenic lines overexpressing GhACS6.3 (GhACS6.3-OE) showed increased ACC accumulation in ovules, which promoted the formation of fiber initials and fiber yield components. This was accompanied by increased transcript levels of GhMML3 and increased transcript levels of genes encoding sucrose transporters and sucrose synthase. These findings imply that GhACS6.3 activation is required for fiber initial development. Our results lay the foundation for further research on increasing cotton fiber production.

C36H38N2O12Ti2, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 10.3151(7) Å, b = 15.8747(11) Å, c = 11.5020(8) Å, β = 98.471(3)°, V = 1862.9(2) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0386, wR ref(F 2) = 0.1075, T = 296(2) K.

C34H76N4O16Ti4, monoclinic, P21/n (no. 14), a = 10.0452(6) Å, b = 16.9053(8) Å, c = 14.6374(8) Å, β = 108.029(6)°, V = 2363.6(2) Å3, Z = 2, R gt(F) = 0.0678, wR ref(F 2) = 0.2126, T = 293(2) K.

Ferrite rolling is generally used to produce deep-drawn steel sheets, which can replace cold rolling to achieve short-flow production. Realizing low-cost production of deep-drawn steel. However, the deep-drawn performance of ferrite rolling products is not as good as the deep-drawn performance of cold rolled products. Of which dynamic recrystallization microstructure have a great effect on the deep-drawn performance. In the present study, ferrite steel was compressed at different deformation parameters (including deformation temperatures and strain rates) in a thermo-mechanical testing system to simulate the deformation behavior during the ferrite regions. The flow behavior of the ferrite steel was studied, and processing maps of the ferrite steel were plotted. The relationship between the Zener-Hollomon parameter and the dynamic recrystallization mechanisms of the ferrite steel was studied in this paper. The microstructure evolution in the steel was characterized by optical microstructure, electron backscatter diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy. The results show that both dynamic recovery and dynamic recrystallization happened during deformation process. The main softening mechanism was dynamic recovery. Discontinuous dynamic recrystallization, continuous dynamic recrystallization and geometric dynamic recrystallization were found in ferrite steel. Meanwhile, it was found that a corresponding relationship between dynamic recrystallization mechanisms and ln Zener-Hollomon values. At high ln Zener-Hollomon value, the dynamic recrystallization mechanism was discontinuous dynamic recrystallization. At middle ln Zener-Hollomon value, the dynamic recrystallization mechanism was continuous dynamic recrystallization. At low ln Zener-Hollomon value, the dynamic recrystallization mechanism in addition to continuous dynamic recrystallization and geometric dynamic recrystallization.

Rice lacks sufficient amounts of zinc despite its vitality for human health. Leaf senescence enables redistribution of nutrients to other organs, yet Zn retransfer during deficiency is often overlooked. In this hydroponic experiment, we studied the effect of Zn deficiency on rice seedlings, focusing on the fourth leaf under control and deficient conditions. Growth phenotype analysis showed that the growth of rice nodal roots was inhibited in Zn deficiency, and the fourth leaf exhibited accelerated senescence and increased Zn ion transfer. Analyzing differentially expressed genes showed that Zn deficiency regulates more ZIP family genes involved in Zn ion retransfer. OsZIP3 upregulation under Zn-deficient conditions may not be induced by Zn deficiency, whereas OsZIP4 is only induced during Zn deficiency. Gene ontology enrichment analysis showed that Zn-deficient leaves mobilized more biological pathways (BPs) during aging, and the enrichment function differed from that of normal aging leaves. The most apparent “zinc ion transport” BP was stronger than that of normal senescence, possibly due to Zn-deficient leaves mobilizing large amounts of BP related to lipid metabolism during senescence. These results provide a basis for further functional analyses of genes and the study of trace element transfer during rice leaf senescence.

Ultrasonic cutting is an advanced technology for processing Nomex honeycomb materials. The disc cutter is one of the most commonly used tools, whose wear and breakage state have an important impact on the honeycomb material machining process. Currently, the disc cutter lacks systematic characterization methods, and its tool wear laws are not yet clear. This paper conducts a wear experiment of the disc cutter in an ultrasonic cutting Nomex honeycomb core and proposes the attributes of cutting edge rounding (CER), flank wear VB, diameter reduction, and cutting edge breakage width to characterize the tool wear and breakage forms quantitatively. Moreover, the tool wear and breakage forms of the disc cutter are categorized, and the variation laws of the disc cutter wear and breakage characteristics are studied. The experimental study reveals that the wear forms of the disc cutter are mainly cutting edge dulling and flank wear. The CER and flank wear VB increase with increasing cutting length, and the wear mechanism is mainly abrasive wear. The breakage forms are mainly chipping and cracking breakage. The diameter reduction changed slowly, and the cutting edge breakage width tended to increase. The surface quality of the honeycomb gradually deteriorates with the increase of tool wear and breakage. The experimental results are important to study the tool wear mechanism of ultrasonic cutting of the Nomex honeycomb core with the disc cutter as well as tool design and manufacture.

Objective: We present prenatal diagnosis and molecular cytogenetic characterization of a chromosome 1q42.3q44 deletion and 8q24.3 duplication in a fetus with single umbilical artery and ventricular septal defects, and we discuss the genotype–phenotype correlation. Case report: Here, we describe a fetus with abnormal sonography findings showing a single umbilical artery and ventricular septal defects. Conventional karyotyping initially described the fetus as 46,XX,1q? and molecular cytogenetic analysis (CMA) revealed a 13-Mb deletion and 4.6-Mb duplication of regions 1q42.3q44 and 8q24.3, respectively. The father's karyotype was 46,XY. The mother's karyotype was 46,XX,t(1;8)(q42;q24). Therefore, the karyotype of the fetus was identified as 46,XX,der(1)t(1;8)(q42;q24) mat. After genetic counseling, the couple chose to terminate the pregnancy. We suggest that the ACTN2, RYR2 and PUF60 genes may be responsible for the ultrasound abnormalities observed in the fetus. Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of a 1q deletion and 8q duplication identified by prenatal detection. The application of karyotype analysis and CMA provides more accurate characterization for unidentified chromosomal anomalies, and benefits appropriate genetic counseling in the clinic.

BackgroundClinical treatment of RAS mutant cancers is challenging because of the complexity of the Ras signaling pathway. SLC7A5 is a newly discovered downstream gene of the Ras signaling pathway, but the regulatory mechanism is unclear. We aimed to explore the molecular mechanism and role in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma progression.MethodsKey gene that regulated SLC7A5 in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma was screened by RNA sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. The effect of this gene on the expression of SLC7A5 was studied by RNAi. The regulatory mechanism between the two genes was investigated by immunofluorescence, CoIP, pulldown and yeast two-hybrid assays. The location of the two genes was determined by inhibiting Ras and the downstream pathways PI3K-AKT and MEK-ERK. By in vivo and in vitro experiments, the effects of the key gene on the biological functions of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma were explored.ResultsWe found a novel gene, ZNF24, which upregulated SLC7A5 protein expression rather than mRNA expression in KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma. Endogenous protein interactions occurred between ZNF24 and SLC7A5. Ras inhibition reduced the expression of ZNF24 and SLC7A5. ZNF24 and SLC7A5 are located downstream of the MEK-ERK and PI3K-AKT pathways. In vivo and in vitro functional experiments confirmed that the ZNF24-SLC7A5 signaling axis promoted the proliferation, invasion and migration of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma.ConclusionsZNF24 promoted the growth of KRAS mutant lung adenocarcinoma by upregulating SLC7A5 protein expression, which suggested that ZNF24 is a new biomarker of KRAS mutant tumors and could be a new potential therapeutic target for Ras-driven tumors.

ObjectiveOccupational stress is a critical global public health problem. We aimed to evaluate the prevalence of occupational stress among the workers in the electricity, heat, gas, water production and supply (EHGWPS), manufacturing, and transportation industries in Beijing, China. We explored the demographic differences in occupational stress status among workers in industrial enterprises.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on 13,867 workers. The self-administered New Brief Job Stress Questionnaire was used to evaluate high occupational stress status, which includes four sub-dimensions (job stressors, stress response, social support, job stressors & social support). Multiple regression and logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between high occupational stress and the four occupational stress sub-dimensions with risk factors.ResultsA total of 13,867 workers were included. The prevalence of high occupational stress was 3.3% in the EHGWPS industries, 10.3% in manufacturing, and 5.8% in transportation. The prevalence of high occupational stress was higher than in the other two categories (p < 0.05) in manufacturing industries. Logistic regression analysis showed that male workers with lower educational status, more job experience, and working in manufacturing were vulnerable to high occupational stress. Further analysis of the four occupational stress sub-dimensions showed that male workers, older adult workers, workers with lower educational levels, and longer working time were associated with higher scores in job stressors, stress response, social support, and job stress & social support (all p < 0.05). Moreover, divorced or widowed workers had higher occupational stress scores.ConclusionMale workers with lower educational levels and longer working time may have an increased risk of occupational stress.

ZrB2-SiC-Zr2Al4C5 multi-phase ceramics with uniform structure and high density were successfully prepared through the introduction of in situ synthesized Zr2Al4C5 into ZrB2-SiC ceramic via SPS at 1800 °C. A systematic analysis and discussion of the experimental results and proposed mechanisms were carried out to demonstrate the composition-dependent sintering properties, mechanical properties and oxidation behavior. The results showed that the in situ synthesized Zr2Al4C5 could be evenly distributed in the ZrB2-SiC ceramic matrix and inhibited the growth of ZrB2 grains, which played a positive role in the sintering densification of the composite ceramics. With increasing Zr2Al4C5 content, the Vickers hardness and Young’s modulus of composite ceramics gradually decreased. The fracture toughness showed a trend that first increased and then decreased, and was increased by about 30% compared with ZrB2-SiC ceramics. The major phases resulting from the oxidation of samples were ZrO2, ZrSiO4, aluminosilicate and SiO2 glass. With increasing Zr2Al4C5 content, the oxidative weight showed a trend that first increased then decreased; the composite ceramic with 30 vol.% Zr2Al4C5 showed the smallest oxidative weight gain. We believe that the presence of Zr2Al4C5 results in the formation of Al2O3 during the oxidation process, subsequently resulting in a lowering of the viscosity of the glassy silica scale, which in turn intensifies the oxidation of the composite ceramics. This would also increase oxygen permeation through the scale, adversely affecting the oxidation resistance of the composites with high Zr2Al4C5 content.

Cleft palate is one of the most common birth defects. Previous studies revealed that multiple factors, including impaired intracellular or intercellular signals, and incoordination of oral organs led to cleft palate, but were little concerned about the contribution of the extracellular matrix (ECM) during palatogenesis. Proteoglycans (PGs) are one of the important macromolecules in the ECM. They exert biological functions through one or more glycosaminoglycan (GAG) chains attached to core proteins. The family with sequence similarity 20 member b (Fam20b) are newly identified kinase-phosphorylating xylose residues that promote the correct assembly of the tetrasaccharide linkage region by creating a premise for GAG chain elongation. In this study, we explored the function of GAG chains in palate development through Wnt1-Cre; Fam20bf/f mice, which exhibited complete cleft palate, malformed tongue, and micrognathia. In contrast, Osr2-Cre; Fam20bf/f mice, in which Fam20b was deleted only in palatal mesenchyme, showed no abnormality, suggesting that failed palatal elevation in Wnt1-Cre; Fam20bf/f mice was secondary to micrognathia. In addition, the reduced GAG chains promoted the apoptosis of palatal cells, primarily resulting in reduced cell density and decreased palatal volume. The suppressed BMP signaling and reduced mineralization indicated an impaired osteogenesis of palatine, which could be rescued partially by constitutively active Bmpr1a. Together, our study highlighted the key role of GAG chains in palate morphogenesis.

Abstract Background Trisomy 19q is a recognizable syndrome and associated with a wide spectrum of clinical phenotypes in clinic. The purpose of this study was to explore the prenatal phenotypes of 19q13.42 duplication, which was rarely reported in clinic. Case presentation Three pregnant women presenting diverse indications for prenatal diagnosis accepted amniocentesis: increased nuchal translucency and fetal pyelic separation (case 2) and high risk of maternal serum screening for Down syndrome (case 1 and case 3). Case 1 and case 2 shared similar duplicated locus in the region of 19q13.42, encompassing part NLRP12 gene. The latter inherited the chromosomal duplication from the mother with normal phenotypes. Case 3 carried a 1.445 Mb duplication in the 19q13.42q13.43 region. It was proposed that evolutionary duplication of NLRP12 gene could have a causative role in autoinflammatory diseases development. The genotype–phenotype correlation depends mainly on the duplicated size and functional genes involved, which is still yet to be determined. All pregnant women chose to continue the pregnancy and delivered healthy children with no apparent abnormalities. Conclusions The 19q13.42 microduplications in our study were the smallest fragments compared to previous literature. Our findings enriched the prenatal phenotypes for this chromosomal microscopic imbalance. It was proposed that long term follow up analysis should be guaranteed till adulthood to determine whether there will be other emerging clinical symptoms and developmental-behavioral disorders for such carriers.

Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient, and an important component of plant metabolism. However, little is known about the effects of low P availability on P absorption, the photosynthetic electron transport chain, and the antioxidant system in cotton. This study used cotton genotypes (sensitive FJA and DLNTDH and tolerant BX014 and LuYuan343) with contrasting low-P tolerance in a hydroponic experiment under 15 µM, 50 µM, and 500 μM P concentrations. The results showed that low P availability reduced plant development and leaf area, shoot length, and dry weight in FJA and DLNADH, compared to BX014 and LuYuan343. The low P availability decreased the gas-exchange parameters such as the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance, and increased the intercellular CO2 concentration. Chlorophyll a fluorescence demonstrated that the leaves’ absorption and trapped-energy flux were largely steady. In contrast, considerable gains in absorption and trapped-energy flux per reaction center resulted from decreases in the electron transport per reaction center under low-P conditions. In addition, low P availability reduced the activities of antioxidant enzymes and increased the content of malondialdehyde in the cotton genotypes, especially in FJA and DLNTDH. Moreover, low P availability reduced the activity of PEPC and generated a decline in the content of ATP and NADPH. Our research can provide a theoretical physiological basis for the growth and tolerance of cotton under low-P conditions.

Abstract Background The aim of this study was to determine the secondary sex ratio (SSR) of offspring in assisted reproduction technology (ART) in Jilin Province, China, and to analyse the influencing factors associated with SSR. Methods A cross-sectional study of 3833 babies including singletons and twins born to 2990 couples treated by ART between May 2011 and December 2018 was performed. Results The main outcomes of this study were that the SSR of ART babies in Jilin Province was 50.64% and the SSR was associated with fertilization methods (p

BackgroundTo effectively reduce the irradiated bowel volume so as to reduce intestinal toxicity from pelvic radiotherapy, treatment in the prone position with a full bladder on a belly board is widely used in pelvic radiotherapy for rectal cancer patients. However, the clinical applicable condition of this radiotherapy mode is unclear. The aim of this study was to preliminarily identify patients who were not eligible for this radiotherapy mode by analyzing the effect of abdominal circumference on the irradiated bowel volume.MethodsFrom May 2014 to September 2019, 179 patients with locally advanced rectal cancer were retrospectively reviewed in our center. All patients received pelvic radiotherapy. Weight, height, AC, and body mass index (BMI) were used as the research objects, and the irradiated bowel volume at different dose levels (V10, V20, V30, V40, V50) was selected as the outcome variable. Multivariate linear regression and sensitivity analyses were used to evaluate the correlation between AC and irradiated bowel volume. Generalized additive model (GAM) and piecewise linear regression were used to further analyze the possible nonlinear relationship between them.ResultsAmong the four body size indicators, AC showed a negative linear correlation with the irradiated bowel volume, which was the most significant and stable. In adjuvant radiotherapy patients, we further discovered the threshold effect between AC and irradiated bowel volume, as AC was greater than the inflection point (about 71 cm), irradiated bowel volume decreased rapidly with the increase in AC. t-test showed that in patients with small AC (

Abstract Background To evaluate the impact of primary tumor radiotherapy on survival in patients with unresectable metastatic rectal or rectosigmoid cancer. Methods From September 2008 to September 2017, 350 patients with unresectable metastatic rectal or rectosigmoid cancer were retrospectively reviewed in our center. All patients received at least 4 cycles of chemotherapy and were divided into two groups according to whether they received primary tumor radiotherapy. A total of 163 patients received primary tumor radiotherapy, and the median radiation dose was 56.69 Gy (50.4–60). Survival curves were estimated with the Kaplan–Meier method to roughly compare survival between the two groups. Subsequently, the 18-month survival rate was used as the outcome variable for this study. This study mainly evaluated the impact of primary tumor radiotherapy on the survival of these patients through a series of multivariate Cox regression analyses after propensity score matching (PSM). Results The median follow-up time was 21 months. All 350 patients received a median of 7 cycles of chemotherapy (range 4–12), and 163 (46.67%) patients received primary tumor radiotherapy for local symptoms. The Kaplan–Meier survival curves showed that the primary tumor radiotherapy group had a significant overall survival (OS) advantage compared to the group without radiotherapy (20.07 vs 17.33 months; P = 0.002). In this study, the multivariate Cox regression analysis after adjusting for covariates, multivariate Cox regression analysis after PSM, inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) analysis and propensity score (PS)-adjusted model analysis consistently showed that primary tumor radiotherapy could effectively reduce the risk of death for these patients at 18 months (HR: 0.62, 95% CI 0.40–0.98; HR: 0.79, 95% CI: 0.93–1.45; HR: 0.70, 95% CI 0.55–0.99 and HR: 0.74, 95% CI: 0.59–0.94). Conclusion Compared with patients with stage IV rectal or rectosigmoid cancer who did not receive primary tumor radiotherapy, those who received primary tumor radiotherapy had a lower risk of death. The prescription dose (59.4 Gy/33 fractions or 60 Gy/30 fractions) of radiation for primary tumors might be considered not only to relieve symptoms improve the survival of patients with inoperable metastatic rectal or rectosigmoid cancer.

Abstract Background 46,XX male syndrome is a rare disorder that usually causes infertility. This study was established to identify the genetic causes of this condition in a series of 46,XX males through the combined application of cytogenetic and molecular genetic techniques. Case presentation We identified eight azoospermic 46,XX males who underwent infertility-related consultations at our center. They all presented normal male phenotypes. In seven of the eight 46,XX males (87.5%), translocation of the SRY gene to the terminal short arm of the X chromosome was clearly involved in their condition, which illustrated that this translocation is the main mechanism of 46,XX sex reversal, in line with previous reports. However, one patient presented a homozygous DAX1 mutation (c.498G > A, p.R166R), which was not previously reported in SRY-negative XX males. Conclusions We proposed that this synonymous DAX1 mutation in case 8 might not be associated with the activation of the male sex-determining pathway, and the male phenotype in this case might be regulated by some unidentified genetic or environmental factors. Hence, the detection of genetic variations associated with sex reversal in critical sex-determining genes should be recommended for SRY-negative XX males. Only after comprehensive cytogenetic and molecular genetic analyses can genetic counseling be offered to 46,XX males.

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC1) is a glycoprotein hormone whose abnormal expression has been reported to be associated with a variety of tumors, but its function in breast cancer is not well understood. Through modulation of STC1 expression in different breast cancer cell lines, our study found that STC1 could promote the proliferation and growth of breast cancer cells and promote metastasis. Furthermore, STC1 reduced apoptosis induction by irradiation. We also found that STC1 could promote a homologous recombination-mediated DNA damage repair by recruiting BRCA1 to sites of damage. Moreover, STC1 silencing sensitized breast cancer cells to treatment with irradiation (IR), olaparib, or cisplatin in vitro. In clinical settings, the serum concentration of STC1 was higher in breast cancer patients than in healthy women, as detected by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). In addition, immunohistochemical staining of breast cancer specimens showed that a high expression of STC1 was negatively correlated with recurrence-free survival in breast cancer, indicating that STC1 expression could be used as a predictive marker for a poor prognosis in breast cancer. All these findings indicate that STC1 promotes breast cancer tumorigenesis and that breast cancers with a high level of STC1 are more resistant to treatment, probably through homologous recombination (HR) promotion. Furthermore, combining STC1 inhibition and DNA damage-inducing drugs may be a novel approach to improve the survival of patients with STC1-expressing breast cancer.

Two new luminescent metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), namely [Cd4(TFBA)3(H2O)4]n (CdMOF-1) and [Cd(TFBA) (bipy)]n (CdMOF-2) (H3TFBA = tris(3′-F-4′-carboxybiphenyl)amine, 4,4′-bipy = 4,4’-bipyridine), have been prepared and successfully constructed via solvothermal conditions. Single-crystal structure analysis reveals that CdMOF-1 are two-dimensional network containing [Cd4O26] units. CdMOF-2 shows a non-interpenetration 3D microporous structure with a hexagon pore of 24.6 × 25.9 Å. Notably, CdMOF-2 exhibits turn off fluorescence behavior towards picric acid (TNP) and 4-Nitrophenol (PNP) with a limit of detection (LOD) value of 9.2 × 10−6 M and 1.81 × 10−5 M, respectively. Furthermore, CdMOF-2 shows obvious turn-on luminescence responses toward acetylacetone (Acac) with luminescence red-shift and a detection limit of 19.40 ppm. Additionally, the possible quenching or enhancing mechanism during the sensing process were evaluated by PXRD, UV-vis, and luminescence decay lifetime.

Silicon (Si) could alleviate the adverse effect of salinity in many crops, but the effect in cotton remains unclear. In this study, we evaluated the role of Si in regulating the salt stress tolerance of cotton by analyzing the induced morpho-physiological changes. A hydroponic experiment was conducted by using contrasting salt-tolerant cotton genotypes (sensitive Z0102; tolerant Z9807) and four treatments (CK, control; CKSi, 0.4 mM Si; NaCl, 150 mM NaCl; NaClSi, 150 mM NaCl+0.4 mM Si). The results showed that Si significantly enhanced the net photosynthesis rate and improved the growth of cotton seedling under salt stress in both salt-sensitive and salt-tolerant genotypes. Exogenous Si significantly reduced the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased the malondialdehyde (MDA) content in salt-stressed cotton. In addition, the application of Si up-regulated the expression of CAT1, SODCC and POD, and significantly enhanced the antioxidant enzymatic activities, such as catalase (CAT) and peroxidase (POD), of the salt-stressed cotton seedlings. Further, Si addition protected the integrity of the chloroplast ultrastructure, including key enzymes in photosynthesis such as ferredoxin-NADP reeducates (FNR), ATP synthase (Mg2+Ca2+-ATPase) and ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RubisCO), and the structure and function of the photosynthetic apparatus PSII from salt stress. Moreover, Si significantly increased the effective stomatal density and stomatal aperture in the salt-stressed cotton seedlings. Taken together, Si could likely ameliorate adverse effects of salt stress on cotton by improving the ROS scavenging ability and photosynthetic capacity.

Drug resistance often occurs after chemotherapy in esophageal cancer patients, leading to cancer metastasis and recurrence. However, the relationship among cancer cell migration, recurrence and drug resistance in esophageal cancer drug-resistant cells has not been clearly explained. In this study, we constructed paclitaxel (PTX)-resistant esophageal cancer cells to explore the causes of drug resistance and poor prognosis after chemotherapy in esophageal cancer. Colony formation assay was used to evaluate the difference of colony formation between parental cells and drug resistance cells. Microsphere formation assay was used to examine the phenotype of stem cells. Wound healing and Transwell assays were used to detect the migration ability of drug-resistant cells. Western blotting and immunofluorescence assays were used to explore the mechanisms. Finally, we used nude mouse xenograft model to explore the tumor characteristics and the expression of relative proteins to verify our findings in vivo. Our study demonstrated that the cancer cell stemness characteristics exist in drug-resistant esophageal cancer cells, that expressed the biomarkers of stem cells and were prone to epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our results suggested that the expression of EMT biomarkers and stemness-related proteins increased in esophageal cancer cells after continuously using chemotherapeutic drugs for a period of time. This study indicated that simultaneously targeting EMT and stemness could be a better strategy for the treatment of esophageal cancer drug resistance.

Abstract Background Hypoxia is a key feature of breast cancer, which affects cancer development, metastasis and metabolism. Previous studies suggested that circular RNAs (circRNAs) could participate in cancer progression and hypoxia regulation. This study aimed to investigate the role of circRNA differentially expressed in normal cells and neoplasia domain containing 4C (circDENND4C) in breast cancer progression under hypoxia. Methods Forty-three patients with breast cancer were involved in this study. Breast cancer cell lines MDA-MB-453 and SK-BR-3 were cultured under hypoxia (1% O2) for experiments in vitro. The expression levels of circDENND4C, microRNA-200b (miR-200b) and miR-200c were measured by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Glycolysis was investigated by glucose consumption, lactate production and hexokinase II (HK2) protein level. Migration and invasion were evaluated via trans-well assay and protein levels of matrix metallopeptidase 9 (MMP9) and MMP2. The interaction between circDENND4C and miR-200b or miR-200c was explored by bioinformatics analysis, luciferase assay and RNA immunoprecipitation. Murine xenograft model was established to investigate the anti-cancer role of circDENND4C in vivo. Results circDENND4C highly expressed in breast cancer was up-regulated in response to hypoxia. Knockdown of circDENND4C decreased glycolysis, migration and invasion in breast cancer cells under hypoxia. circDENND4C was validated as a sponge of miR-200b and miR-200c. Deficiency of miR-200b or miR-200c reversed the suppressive effect of circDENND4C knockdown on breast cancer progression. Moreover, silence of circDENND4C reduced xenograft tumor growth by increasing miR-200b and miR-200c. Conclusion circDENND4C silence suppresses glycolysis, migration and invasion in breast cancer cells under hypoxia by increasing miR-200b and miR-200c.

A quantum secure direct communication (QSDC) protocol is presented. In the proposed protocol, the omega state is introduced to detect the eavesdropping during the quantum communication, eavesdropping behaviors will change the state of the omega state, and the sender Alice and the receiver Bob detect eavesdropping through the state measurement results. The relationship between the amount of information that the eavesdropper gets and the probability of being detected is also given. Compared with the original QSDC protocol based on the Bell state, when the same amount of information is obtained, the eavesdropper must face a higher detection probability in the proposed protocol, and the eavesdropper mostly can obtain 0.676 (bit) of information. The security analysis is also given, and the result indicates that the proposed protocol is more secure. A simulation based on the law of large number and the Monte Carlo method is also given, and the mean square error is introduced to describe the similarity between the simulation data and the theoretical value. The simulation result indicates that the proposed security in an ideal environment and the security analysis are correct, and the proposed protocol is more secure by sending more quantum particles in detecting eavesdropping.

The rapid growth of remote sensing data calls for the construction of new computational models for algorithmic exploration, which requires on-demand execution, instant response, and multitenancy. We call this model on-the-fly computing, which could reduce the complexity of cloud programming for remote sensing data analysis and benefit from efficient multiplexing. As an advancement of cloud computing, serverless computing makes it possible to realize the on-the-fly computational model. In the study, the concise definition of an on-the-fly computing model for remote sensing data analysis and the corresponding software architecture based on the serverless computing commodities are presented. The proof-of-concept experiments have suggested that the on-the-fly computing model for remote sensing data analysis can be efficiently implemented as a serverless software. The response time is mainly related to the tile reading operation and data structure conversion. In the case of high concurrency, the system can scale to hundreds of instances in seconds.

In this paper, a 420 km Optical transport network (OTN) transmission system of 8 × 100 Gbit/s signals was achieved with amplifier combination of a low cost second order Raman amplifier and an enhanced remotely pump amplifier. The second order Raman amplifier consist of a commercial first order Raman amplifier and two auxiliary lasers which is completely controlled by the first order Raman amplifier. The total link budget is 84 dB with a power margin of more than 4 dB. The new amplifier structure increased the link power budget by 6.5 dB and OSNR by 1.4 dB on average.

Abstract Background Isolated hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH) and Kallmann syndrome (KS) are rare genetic diseases that cause male infertility. The chromodomain helicase DNA‐binding protein 7 (CHD7) gene is commonly associated with KS and IHH. We speculated that CHD7 variants may be associated with male infertility. Methods Two hundred males with azoospermia and 120 with oligozoospermia were recruited. The patients underwent clinical examination and reproductive hormone testing. A panel of genes including CHD7 and others related to spermatogenic failure was sequenced by targeted‐gene exome sequencing. Results Three patients with severe oligozoospermia had CHD7 variants (a detection rate of 0.94% (3/320)). After prediction software analysis, two of the variants c.3464G>A (p.R1155H) and c.4516G>A (p.G1506S) were predicted to be likely pathogenic. Although predicted to be benign, the variants of c.2824A>G (p.T942A) located in the chromodomain 2 could not be excluded as disease causing. The patients with variants had small testicular volumes. In particular, the testes of the patient with a p.G1506S variant varied in size (left, 8 ml; right, 4.5 ml). Two patients (patients 31 and 120) had low E2 levels and two (patients 83 and 120) had low T levels. Ultimately, these variants were classified as “variants of unknown significant” that may be associated with male infertility. Conclusions There may be a relationship between the CHD7 gene missense variants and male infertility. These variants are easier to find in patients with azoospermia and severe oligospermia whose testosterone levels are decreased.

The mosaic 45,X/46,XY karyotype is a common sex chromosomal abnormality in infertile men. Males with this mosaic karyotype can benefit from assisted reproductive therapies, but the transmitted abnormalities contain 45,X aneuploidy as well as Y chromosome microdeletions. The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical and genetic characteristics of infertile men diagnosed with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism in China. Of the 734 infertile men found to carry chromosomal abnormalities, 14 patients were carriers of 45,X/46,XY mosaicism or its variants, giving a prevalence of 0.27% (14/5269) and accounting for 1.91% (14/734) of patients with a chromosomal abnormality. There were ten cases (71.43%, 10/14) of 45,X mosaicism exhibiting AZF microdeletions. Case 1 and Case 4 had AZFc deletions, and the other eight cases had AZFb+c deletions. A high frequency of Y chromosome microdeletions were detected in male patients with 45,X/46,XY mosaicism. Preimplantation genetic diagnosis should be offered to men having intracytoplasmic sperm injection for hypospermatogenesis caused by 45,X/46,XY mosaicism, to avoid the risk of transfering AZF microdeletions in addition to X monosomy in male offspring.

Abstract Background Resistance to tamoxifen (TAM) frequently occurs in the treatment of estrogen receptor positive (ER+) breast cancer. Accumulating evidences indicate that transcription factor HOXB13 is of great significance in TAM resistance. However, the regulation of HOXB13 in TAM-resistant breast cancer remains largely unexplored. Here, we were interested in the potential effect of HBXIP, an oncoprotein involved in the acceleration of cancer progression, on the modulation of HOXB13 in TAM resistance of breast cancer. Methods The Kaplan-Meier plotter cancer database and GEO dataset were used to analyze the association between HBXIP expression and relapse-free survival. The correlation of HBXIP and HOXB13 in ER+ breast cancer was assessed by human tissue microarray. Immunoblotting analysis, qRT-PCR assay, immunofluorescence staining, Co-IP assay, ChIP assay, luciferase reporter gene assay, cell viability assay, and colony formation assay were performed to explore the possible molecular mechanism by which HBXIP modulates HOXB13. Cell viability assay, xenograft assay, and immunohistochemistry staining analysis were utilized to evaluate the effect of the HBXIP/HOXB13 axis on the facilitation of TAM resistance in vitro and in vivo. Results The analysis of the Kaplan-Meier plotter and the GEO dataset showed that mono-TAM-treated breast cancer patients with higher HBXIP expression levels had shorter relapse-free survivals than patients with lower HBXIP expression levels. Overexpression of HBXIP induced TAM resistance in ER+ breast cancer cells. The tissue microarray analysis revealed a positive association between the expression levels of HBXIP and HOXB13 in ER+ breast cancer patients. HBXIP elevated HOXB13 protein level in breast cancer cells. Mechanistically, HBXIP prevented chaperone-mediated autophagy (CMA)-dependent degradation of HOXB13 via enhancement of HOXB13 acetylation at the lysine 277 residue, causing the accumulation of HOXB13. Moreover, HBXIP was able to act as a co-activator of HOXB13 to stimulate interleukin (IL)-6 transcription in the promotion of TAM resistance. Interestingly, aspirin (ASA) suppressed the HBXIP/HOXB13 axis by decreasing HBXIP expression, overcoming TAM resistance in vitro and in vivo. Conclusions Our study highlights that HBXIP enhances HOXB13 acetylation to prevent HOXB13 degradation and co-activates HOXB13 in the promotion of TAM resistance of breast cancer. Therapeutically, ASA can serve as a potential candidate for reversing TAM resistance by inhibiting HBXIP expression.

Interstitial free (IF) steel is widely used in the automotive industry, due to its excellent deep drawing performance. In this study, in order to study the influence of different rolling processes on the texture evolution and deep drawing performance of IF steel, we conducted rolling experiments on IF steel with different temperatures, different reduction rates, and different lubrication conditions. The impact of texture on the deep drawing performance of the steel was also analyzed. The microscopic and macroscopic texture analyses were performed using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. Deep drawing performance was analyzed by measuring the r-value. The results showed that in non-lubricated rolling, the r-value increased with the decrease in the reduction rate, and the r-value increased with the increase in the deformation temperature. The maximum value of r is 0.85. But in the case of lubricated rolling, the r-value increased significantly from 0.74 to 1.47 compared to non-lubricated (keeping the reduction rate and the rolling temperature constant). The lubrication reduced the shear deformation of the steel surface, resulting in a γ texture on the surface. Texture uniformity along the thickness direction resulted in an increase in the r-value of the steel.

In the multicast network, network coding has proven to be an effective technique to approach maximum flow capacity. Although network coding has the advantage of improving performance, encoding nodes increases the cost and delay in wireless networks. Therefore, minimizing encoding nodes is of great significance to improve the actual network’s performance under a maximum multicast flow. This paper seeks to achieve partial improvements in the existing selection algorithm of encoding nodes in wireless networks. Firstly, the article gives the condition for an intermediate node to be an encoding node. Secondly, a maximum flow algorithm, which depends on the depth-first search method, is proposed to optimize the search time by selecting the larger augmentation flow in each step. Finally, we construct a random graph model to simulate the wireless network and the maximum multicast flow algorithm to analyze the statistical characteristics of encoding nodes. This paper aims at the optimization to find the minimal number of required coding nodes which means the minimum energy consumption. Meanwhile, the simulations indicate that the curve of coding nodes tends to be a geometric distribution, and that the curve of the maximum flow tends to be symmetric as the network scale and the node covering radius increase.

Copper chaperone for superoxide dismutase (CCS) is a critical component of oxidation–reduction system and functions as a potential tumor promoter in several cancers. However, the function and clinical significance of CCS in breast cancer remain unclear. Here, we found CCS was highly expressed in breast cancer, where it promoted breast cancer cell proliferation and migration. Suppression of CCS expression was sufficient to attenuate the phosphorylation level of ERK1/2 and increase the accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Mechanistically, we found that knockdown of CCS decreases the activity of ERK1/2 mediated by the accumulation of ROS, which leads to the inhibition of cell proliferation and migration. In summary, these results indicated that CCS promotes the growth and migration of breast cancer cells via regulating the ERK1/2 activity mediated by ROS.

Objective This study aimed to assess the value of measuring the tubule diameter during microdissection testicular sperm extraction (micro-TESE) in predicting outcomes in patients with Sertoli cell-only syndrome (SCOS). Methods Fifty-six consecutive patients with SCOS were included. Patients were classified into two groups on the basis of the diameter of seminiferous tubules measured against 5/0 surgical suture (≥100 µm or