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Prostate cancer accounts for 29% of malignant diagnoses among men in the United States and is the second leading cause of death from cancer. Effective screening methods and improved treatment have decreased the mortality rate significantly. This decreased mortality rate, however, does not apply to all histologic variants. Adenosquamous carcinoma of the prostate is an extremely aggressive neoplasm with no current known curative therapy. It is often diagnosed after chemotherapy, radiation, or androgen deprivation therapy for traditional prostatic adenocarcinomas. Primary carcinomas of the prostate with squamous features include, but are not limited to, pure squamous cell carcinoma and adenocarcinoma mixed with squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). Important distinguishable clinical features of adenosquamous carcinoma include normal prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, even with advanced disease and osteolytic versus osteoblastic metastatic lesions in adenocarcinoma. Additional entities to consider in the differential diagnosis are squamous metaplasia of the prostate, secondary involvement of pure SCC, and urothelial carcinoma with squamous differentiation. Here, we present a de novo case of adenosquamous carcinoma in a 48-year-old man who rapidly developed extensive metastatic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hybrid p‐GaN Ohmic drain reverse blocking high electron mobility transistors (RB‐HEMTs) and conventional p‐GaN Enhancement‐mode (E‐mode) HEMTs are designed and fabricated on the Si substrates. Compared with the conventional p‐GaN HEMT, the RB‐HEMT can achieve great reverse blocking capability. The forward and reverse blocking voltages of the RB‐HEMT are 1116 V and 1056 V and the turn‐on voltage of the device is 1.07 V. When the temperature rises from 25 °C to 150 °C, the turn‐on voltage of the RB‐HEMT increases from 1.07V to 1.10 V, and the Vth increases from 1.97V to 2.07 V. The difference in turn‐on voltage and threshold voltage is mainly due to the different metals in contact between the gate and drain electrodes and p‐GaN. The reverse leakage current of the RB‐HEMT is 1.16 × 10−1 mA mm−1 when the temperature is 150 °C, which still keep good reverse blocking ability at high temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomyogenic hemangioendothelioma (PMHE), a rare vascular neoplasm, was first described in 1992 asa fibroma-like variant of epithelioid sarcoma, and would be termed as epithelioid sarcoma-like hemangioendothelioma a decade later due to its significant histologic overlap with epithelioid sarcoma and diffuse cytokeratin expression. PHME is currently defined as a distinct, potentially intermediate malignant, rarely metastasizing neoplasm with vascular/endothelial differentiation. It is characterized by young age (typically less than 40 years old), extremity location (approximately ~80%), and t(7:19) SERPINE1::FOSB fusion as the most common molecular alteration. Herein, we report a case of a 59-year-old male presenting with multifocal lesions, including in the right temporalis muscle, right frontoparietal calvarium, right pterygoid muscles, and right mandibular condyle. Histologic examination of the right temporal lesion revealed a multinodular biphasic lesion composed of sheets and fascicles of elongated spindle and epithelioid cells infiltrating into the adjacent skeletal muscle. Admixed abundant neutrophilic infiltration is noted; however, areas of necrosis, increased mitosis, nuclear atypia, or rhabdomyoblast-like cells are absent. Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining showed that the tumor cells were diffusely and strongly positive for FOSB, pan-cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), CD31, and ERG. Molecular testing demonstrated a t(9:19) EGFL7::FOSB fusion mRNA. This constellation of morphological, IHC and molecular findings was consistent with a diagnosis of PMHE. This is the first reported case of multifocal PMHE with EGFL7::FOSB fusion in the head and neck area of a patient aged more than 50 years old. Since the differential diagnoses for PMHE includes high-grade malignancies with aggressive clinical behavior, coupled with the rare reports of PMHE in the head and neck region, awareness of this tumor in the head and neck region will avoid the misdiagnosis and overtreatment of this entity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semantic segmentation of remote sensing images is crucial for various practical applications. In the field of deep learning, convolutional neural network (CNN) has been the primary approach for semantic segmentation over the past decade. Recently, Transformer-based models have achieved superior segmentation performance due to their exceptional global modelling capabilities. However, the Transformer-based models tend to focus more on extracting global contextual information, leading to suboptimal performance in segmenting local edges and difficulties in preserving fine-grained details during the patch token downsampling process. Inspired by the local receptive field of CNN, this article proposes a Local-Enhanced Multi-Scale Aggregation Swin Transformer (LMA-Swin) for semantic segmentation of high-resolution remote sensing images. Specifically, we adopt Swin Transformer as main encoder, introduce convolutional blocks as auxiliary encoder, and design a feature modulation module (FMM) to integrate the local contextual modelling ability of CNN into the Transformer backbone. Additionally, we propose a novel cross-aggregation decoder (CAD) to effectively aggregate shallow edge information and deep semantic information, thereby enhancing the discriminative ability for multi-scale objects. On the ISPRS Vaihingen and Potsdam datasets, experimental results illustrate noteworthy improvement in segmentation performance accomplished through the proposed approach. Code: . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FAM64A is a mitotic regulator which promotes cell metaphase-anaphase transition and is highly expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. In this study, we examined the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of FAM64A mRNA expression in gynecological cancers. We conducted a bioinformatics analysis of FAM64A mRNA expression using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), xiantao, The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN), and Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter databases. FAM64A expression was elevated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers when compared with normal tissue. Expression was positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade and TP53 mutation, and endometrial cancer serous subtype. FAM64A expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. FAM64A functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer patients. FAM64A-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, and chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes in breast, cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Top hub genes primarily included cell cycle-related proteins in breast cancer, mucins and acetylgalactosaminyl transferases in cervical cancer, kinesin family members in endometrial cancer, and synovial sarcoma X and the cancer/testis antigen in ovarian cancer. FAM64A mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration, but negatively associated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. FAM64A expression may be considered a potential biomarker reflecting carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressive behaviour, and prognosis in gynecological cancers. What is already known on this subject? FAM64A is located in cell nucleolar and nucleoplasmic regions, and during mitosis it putatively controls metaphase-to-anaphase transition. FAM64A appears to regulate different physiological processes, including apoptosis, tumorigenesis, neural differentiation, stress responses, and the cell cycle. Whatthe results of this study add?FAM64A expression was up-regulated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade, and TP53 mutation, and a serous subtype in endometrial cancer. FAM64A expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. FAM64A functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer. FAM64A-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes, while FAM64A mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration but negatively correlated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in four gynecological cancers. Whatthe implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? In the future, abnormal FAM64A mRNA expression may serve as a biomarker of carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressiveness, and prognosis in gynecological malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Osmylopsychopidae, an extinct family of Neuroptera, is closely related to the extant Psychopsidae. The sporadic records of this family and limited preservation of fossil specimens have hindered the understanding of the evolution of Osmylopsychopidae. In this paper, one new genus with four new species of Osmylopsychopidae are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of northeastern China. These newly discovered osmylopsychopids with a forewing length of ca. 10 mm (implying small body size), clearly distinguished from the traditional sense of Osmylopsychopidae, suggest that Osmylopsychopidae possibly underwent a significant diversification during the Mesozoic. One new genus with four new species sharing the similar character of a forewing length of ca. 10 mm, namely, Minipsychops spasulus gen. et sp. nov., Minipsychops polychotomus sp. nov., Minipsychops densus sp. nov., and Minipsychops unicus sp. nov., are described from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia in China. These new insects can be attributed to Osmylopsychopidae for their distinctive configuration of costal space and the venations of RP1 and Cu. Compared with the typically medium to large body sizes of known osmylopsychopids, these new Middle Jurassic taxa of a particularly miniaturized lineage not only enrich the species diversity of Osmylopsychopidae, but also enhance our understanding of the historical evolution of these poorly known lacewings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FAM64A is a mitotic regulator which promotes cell metaphase-anaphase transition and is highly expressed in a cell-cycle-dependent manner. In this study, we examined the clinicopathological and prognostic significance of FAM64A mRNA expression in gynecological cancers. We conducted a bioinformatics analysis of FAM64A mRNA expression using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), xiantao, The University of ALabama at Birmingham CANcer data analysis Portal (UALCAN), and Kaplan-Meier (KM) plotter databases. FAM64A expression was elevated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers when compared with normal tissue. Expression was positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade and TP53 mutation, and endometrial cancer serous subtype. FAM64A expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. FAM64A functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer patients. FAM64A-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, and chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes in breast, cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Top hub genes primarily included cell cycle-related proteins in breast cancer, mucins and acetylgalactosaminyl transferases in cervical cancer, kinesin family members in endometrial cancer, and synovial sarcoma X and the cancer/testis antigen in ovarian cancer. FAM64A mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration, but negatively associated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers. FAM64A expression may be considered a potential biomarker reflecting carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressive behaviour, and prognosis in gynecological cancers. What is already known on this subject? FAM64A is located in cell nucleolar and nucleoplasmic regions, and during mitosis it putatively controls metaphase-to-anaphase transition. FAM64A appears to regulate different physiological processes, including apoptosis, tumorigenesis, neural differentiation, stress responses, and the cell cycle. Whatthe results of this study add?FAM64A expression was up-regulated in breast, cervical, endometrial, and ovarian cancers, and positively correlated with white race, low T stages, infiltrating ductal carcinoma, or favourable PAM50 classification in breast cancer patients, and with clinical stage, histological grade, and TP53 mutation, and a serous subtype in endometrial cancer. FAM64A expression was negatively associated with overall and/or recurrence-free survival rates in breast and endometrial cancer patients, while the opposite was observed in cervical and ovarian cancer patients. FAM64A functioned as an independent predictor of overall and disease-specific survival in breast cancer. FAM64A-correlated genes were involved in ligand-receptor interactions, chromosomal, cell cycle, and DNA replication processes, while FAM64A mRNA expression was positively related to Th2 cell infiltration but negatively correlated with neutrophil and Th17 cell infiltration in four gynecological cancers. Whatthe implications of these findings for clinical practice and/or further research? In the future, abnormal FAM64A mRNA expression may serve as a biomarker of carcinogenesis, histogenesis, aggressiveness, and prognosis in gynecological malignancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To determine the effect of endplate reduction on the final healing morphology and degenerative changes in intervertebral discs. Methods: Forty-eight patients with single-level thoracolumbar fractures with endplate injury were included. All patients underwent posterior reduction and pedicle screw fixation, and postoperative imaging was used to determine whether endplate reduction was successful. The healing morphology of the endplate was divided into three types: increased endplate curvature, irregular healing and traumatic Schmorl node. MRI was performed at baseline and at the last follow-up evaluation to observe changes in disc degeneration (disc height and nucleus pulposus signal) and Modic changes. Results: The reduction rate in the central area was significantly lower than that in the peripheral area (P = 0.017). In patients with successful reduction, 90.9% (20/22) of the endplates healed with increased curvature. In patients with an unsuccessful endplate reduction, 63.4% (26/41) of the endplates healed irregularly, and 34.1% (14/41) of the endplates formed traumatic Schmorl nodes. Endplate reduction was closely related to the final healing morphology of the endplate (P < 0.001), which had a significant protective effect on the degeneration of the intervertebral disc. At the last follow-up evaluation, there was no statistically significant correlation between different endplate healing morphologies and new Modic changes. Conclusions: The reduction rate in the central area is significantly lower than that in the peripheral area. Although all of the intervertebral discs corresponding to fractured endplates had degenerated to different degrees, successful endplate fracture reduction can obviously delay the degeneration of intervertebral discs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although unsupervised domain adaptation (UDA) has been extensively studied in remote sensing image segmentation tasks, most UDA models are designed based on single-target domain settings. Large-scale remote sensing images often have multiple target domains in practical applications, and the simple extension of single-target UDA models to multiple target domains is unstable and costly. Multi-target unsupervised domain adaptation (MTUDA) is a more practical scenario that has great potential for solving the problem of crossing multiple domains in remote sensing images. However, existing MTUDA models neglect to learn and control the private features of the target domain, leading to missing information and negative migration. To solve these problems, this paper proposes a multibranch unsupervised domain adaptation network (MBUDA) for orchard area segmentation. The multibranch framework aligns multiple domain features, while preventing private features from interfering with training. We introduce multiple ancillary classifiers to help the model learn more robust latent target domain data representations. Additionally, we propose an adaptation enhanced learning strategy to reduce the distribution gaps further and enhance the adaptation effect. To evaluate the proposed method, this paper utilizes two settings with different numbers of target domains. On average, the proposed method achieves a high IoU gain of 7.47% over the baseline (single-target UDA), reducing costs and ensuring segmentation model performance in multiple target domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data fusion is an effective method to obtain high-precision and high-spatiotemporal-resolution precipitable water vapor (PWV) products, which play an important role in understanding climate change and meteorological monitoring. However, existing fusion methods have some shortcomings, such as ignoring the applicability of the model space or the high complexity of model operation. In this study, the high-precision and high-temporal-resolution Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) PWV was used to calibrate and optimize the ERA5 PWV product of the European Center for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts Reanalysis 5 (ERA5) with high spatial resolution to improve its accuracy, and its applicability was verified at the spatiotemporal scale. First, this study obtained accurate GNSS PWV from meteorological data from stations and used it as the true value to analyze the distribution of the ERA5 PWV in mainland China. The results showed that the ERA5 PWV showed significant spatial and temporal differences. Then, a backpropagation neural network (BPNN) fusion correction model with additional constraints was established. The correction results showed that the bias of the ERA5 PWV mainly fluctuated near 0, the correlation between the ERA5 PWV and GNSS PWV was increased to 0.99, and the positive improvement rate of the root-mean-square error (RMSE) was 95%. In the temporal scale validation, the RMSE of the ERA5 PWV decreased from 2.05 mm to 1.67 mm, an improvement of 18.54%. In the spatial scale validation, the RMSE of the four seasons decreased by 0.26–80% (spring), 0.28–70.71% (summer), 0.28–45.23% (autumn), and 0.30–40.75% (winter). Especially in the summer and plateau mountainous areas where the ERA5 PWV performance was poor, the model showed suitable stability. Finally, the fusion model was used to generate a new PWV product, which improved the accuracy of ERA5 PWV on the basis of ensuring the spatial resolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortical spreading depression (CSD) is a slow wave of cortical depolarization closely associated with migraines with an aura. Previously, it was thought that CSD depolarization was mainly driven by neurons, with characteristic changes in neuronal swelling and increased extracellular potassium (K+) and glutamate. However, the role of astrocytes, a member of the neurovascular unit, in migraine with CSD has recently received increasing attention. In the early stages of CSD, astrocytes provide neurons with energy support and clear K+ and glutamate from synaptic gaps. However, in the late stages of CSD, astrocytes release large amounts of lactic acid to exacerbate hypoxia when the energy demand exceeds the astrocytes’ compensatory capacity. Astrocyte endfoot swelling is a characteristic of CSD, and neurons are not similarly altered. It is primarily due to K+ influx and abnormally active calcium (Ca2+) signaling. Aquaporin 4 (AQP-4) only mediates K+ influx and has little role as an aquaporin. Astrocytes endfoot swelling causes perivascular space closure, slowing the glymphatic system flow and exacerbating neuroinflammation, leading to persistent CSD. Astrocytes are double-edged swords in migraine with CSD and may be potential targets for CSD interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current study aimed to explore the lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA networks associated with alcohol-related esophageal cancer (EC). RNA-sequencing and clinical data were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas and the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs, DELs), and miRNAs (DEMs) in patients with alcohol-related and non-alcohol-related EC were identified. Prognostic RNAs were identified by performing Kaplan–Meier survival analyses. Weighted gene co-expression network analysis was employed to build the gene modules. The lncRNA–miRNA–mRNA competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks were constructed based on our in silico analyses using data from miRcode, starBase, and miRTarBase databases. Functional enrichment analysis was performed for the genes in the identified ceRNA networks. A total of 906 DEGs, 40 DELs, and 52 DEMs were identified. There were eight lncRNAs and miRNAs each, including ST7-AS2 and miR-1269, which were significantly associated with the survival rate of patients with EC. Of the seven gene modules, the blue and turquoise modules were closely related to disease progression; the genes in this module were selected to construct the ceRNA networks. SNHG12–miR-1–ST6GAL1, SNHG3–miR-1–ST6GAL1, SPAG5-AS1–miR-133a–ST6GAL1, and SNHG12–hsa-miR-33a–ST6GA interactions, associated with the N-glycan biosynthesis pathway, may have key roles in alcohol-related EC. Thus, the identified biomarkers provide a novel insight into the molecular mechanism of alcohol-related EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing direct Z-scheme heterostructure is an effective way to promote the separation of photogenerated carriers and optimize the redox ability of the photocatalytic system. This work reports the in-situ synthesis of sea-urchin-like ZnS/SnO 2 Z-scheme heterojunctions via a one-step hydrothermal method. Both experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations indicate that the tight interfaces derived from in-situ precursor dissociation can ensure a fast transfer for photogenerated carriers, meanwhile, the Z-scheme type of heterojunctions can increase the carrier separation efficiency and maintain the high reduction ability of photogenerated electrons. As expected, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution rate of the as-optimized ZnS/SnO 2 sample can reach 2.17 mmol g−1 h−1, which is 15.5 times higher than that of the commercial ZnS. This work can offer a novel strategy for designing Z-scheme heterojunction as well as controlling the contact interface for boosted photocatalytic activity. • The sea-urchin-like ZnS/SnO 2 Z-scheme heterojunctions were successfully in-situ synthesized. • The as-optimized ZnS/SnO 2 heterojunctions show high photocatalytic hydrogen evolution activities. • The enhanced photocatalytic mechanism was uncovered by experimental results and density functional theory calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cannulated screw fixation is widely used in the treatment of femoral neck fractures. During surgery, we often face the situation that a guide wire needs to be adjusted because of poor positioning in the femoral neck. It is difficult to adjust the direction of the guide wire in the neck of the femur due to its elasticity. This study developed a practical technique to adjust the guide wire to the correct position. When the direction of insertion of the guide wire has deviated, first, measure the length of the guide wire. Second, select the appropriate cannulated screw based on the measurement, and screw the cannulated screw in along the direction of the guide wire to Ward's triangle. Then return the guide wire to the front of the cannulated screw. At this time, the cannulated screw can be used as a built‐in guide, and a screwdriver can be used to fine‐tune the position of the screw to the optimal direction under the X‐ray guidance. Finally, the cannulated screw is screwed in in this direction until it passes through the Ward triangle area, and the guide wire is inserted. This technique can help doctors insert a guide wire more quickly and accurately, reducing intraoperative injury and the operation time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: In tibial plateau fractures, the posterolateral segment of the tibia plateau is frequently affected and challenging to treat. Although there are many surgical approaches and fixation methods for the treatment of these fractures, all of these methods have limitations. We designed a new rotational support plate (RSP) and a special pressurizer that can fix the fracture directly via the anterolateral approach. This method is advantageous because it leads to little trauma, involves a simple operation, and has a reliable fixation effect. This study details the technique of treating these fractures with the RSP and special pressurizer and provides the outcomes. Methods: From May 2016 to January 2019, the data of 12 patients with posterolateral tibial plateau fractures treated with the RSP and special pressurizer in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed. Postoperative rehabilitation was advised, knee X-rays were taken at follow-ups, and fracture healing, complications, and knee range of motion were assessed. The Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) knee score and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) were used to evaluate knee function at the last follow-up. Results: The average follow-up time of all patients was 16.5 months (range, 12–25 months). The average bony union time was 3.2 months (range, 3–4.5 months). At the last follow-up, the average knee range of motion was 138° (range, 107–145°). The average HSS score was 91 (range, 64–98). The average KOOS Symptoms score was 90 (range, 75–96). The average KOOS Pain score was 91 (range, 72–97). The average KOOS ADL score was 91 (range, 74–97). The average KOOS sport/recreation score was 83 (range, 70–90). The average KOOS QOL score was 88 (range, 69–93). Skin necrosis, incision infections, and fixation failure did not occur during the follow-up period. Conclusions: With our newly designed RSP and special pressurizer, posterolateral tibial plateau fractures can be easily and effectively reduced and fixed through the anterolateral approach, which serves as a novel treatment for posterolateral tibial plateau fractures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the electro-negativity and structural characteristics of CR, a novel copper-organic framework (Cu-MOF) was synthesized with unique cage topology and cation network. The Cu-MOF exhibited efficient and targeted adsorption, separation and recovery characteristics for CR. The DFT calculation and two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy analysis further revealed that the energy distribution in CR adsorption was dominated by electrostatic interactions, followed by π-π stacking and van der Waals interactions. [Display omitted] • A novel Cu-MOF with caged topology and cation framework was synthesized for Congo Red (CR) specific-adsorption. • The Cu-MOF exhibited the efficient performance with the maximal adsorption capacity of 119.76 mg/g. • The Cu-MOF realized the separation, purification and recovery of the CR from mixed dyes. • Mechanism revealed the adsorption was spontaneous and exothermic with monolayer diffusion. • DFT and 2D-COS analysis clarified the adsorption was generated through electronic interaction and π-π stacking. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) with a three-dimensional (3D) caged structure and charged networks are promising adsorbents for separation and purification applications. However, it is a challenge to synthesize the MOFs in crystalline structures with a targeted ability of efficiently removing and reutilizing the individual diazo dye from sewage. Here, we report the synthesis of a novel copper-organic framework (Cu-MOF) with a 3D caged stucture and cationic networks using CuCl 2 and a triazole ligand (methyl-1H-1,2,4-triazole-3-carboxylate MTC). The novel Cu-MOF exhibited highly efficient and targeted adsorption, separation and recovery characteristics for Congo Red (CR). Specifically, the maximal adsorption capacity was 119.76 mg·g−1, and the adsorbed CR can be efficiently released in NaCl-DMF solution with a recovery rate of almost 100%. After suffered from three adsorption–desorption cycles, the Cu-MOF could still reach a adsorption rate of >85% and maintain an intact skeleton structure. The batch-equilibrium experiment combined with density functional theory calculation further revealed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic, following the pseudo-second-order kinetic equation with monolayer diffusion. The specific adsorption of Cu-MOF for CR was precisely generated through electronic interaction with the –NH 2 and -SO 3 groups, exhibiting the adsorption energies of −2.16 eV and −2.04 eV, respectively. The two-dimensional correlation spectroscopy analysis comfirmed that the energy distribution in CR adsorption was dominated by electrostatic interactions, followed by π-π stacking and van der Waals interactions. In summary, our work not only presents a promising strategy for the targeted separation and purification of CR from wastewater, but also contributes to the design of highly efficient MOF-adsorbents for other organic pollutants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Poly Ether Ether Ketone (PEEK) has been considered as a potential alternative material for endosseous dental implants, for its low elastic modulus, biocompatibility, and low cost in customized device manufacture. Hydroxyapatite-incorporation is supposed to improve the poor osseointegration of PEEK. Methods: In the present study we analyzed the in vivo response of hydroxyapatite-incorporated PEEK (PEEK-HA) implants in canine tibia. PEEK-HA and PEEK implants were implanted and were examined 4 weeks and 12 weeks after implantation with radiology and histology. Commercial titanium dental implants served as controls. Results: The ratio of bone volume to tissue volume of PEEK-HA implants was higher than that of PEEK implants 4 weeks after implantation in the μ-CT analysis. The bone implant contact of PEEK and PEEK-HA implants showed no statistical difference in the histological examination, but newly-formed bone around PEEK-HA implants showed more signs of mineralization than that around PEEK implants. Conclusion: The study suggested that bone formation was improved with hydroxyapatite-incorporation in PEEK. Hydroxyapatite-incorporated PEEK implants may represent a potential material for endosseous dental implant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the surgical feasibility, oncological and functional results between sutureless and suture techniques in retroperitoneal laparoscopic nephron-sparing surgery (LNSS). Materials and Methods: This retrospective study collected consecutive patients with a renal mass who underwent retroperitoneal LNSS in two high-volume centers. Propensity score matching (PSM) analysis was conducted to select two baseline homogeneous cohorts. Descriptive statistics was performed both before and after PSM. Moreover, univariate and multivariate logistic analyses were carried out to identify the risk factors of postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), whereas Kaplan-Meier analysis for functional deterioration (new-onset stage 3 chronic kidney disease [CKD], estimated glomerular filtration rate [eGFR] <60 mL/min/1.73 m2, or CKD upstaging after surgery) was utilized to compare the two cohorts. Results: After PSM at a ratio of 1:3, the sutureless group (n = 65) was compared with the suture group (n = 152) with no remaining statistically significant differences in baseline characteristics. With regard to patient outcomes, differences in warm ischemia time (WIT) (P < .001), estimated blood loss (P < .001), AKI (P = .002), length of hospital stay (P = .020), and eGFR at discharge (P < .001) were statistically significant. Meanwhile, the postoperative complication rates (9.2% versus 13.8%, P = .378) and positive surgical margins (0% versus 2.0%, P = .556) were not statistically different. At the last follow-up, the eGFR decline percent was the same (-1.5% versus -2.2%, P = .192). No difference was detected on Kaplan-Meier analysis for functional deterioration (log-rank test, P = .304). Conclusions: Sutureless technique in LNSS is safe and feasible, compared with the traditional suture method, with shorter WIT, lower AKI rate, and comparable long-term oncological and functional outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroptera, as a small relic group of Insecta undergoing a rapid species diversification during the Mesozoic Era, is known by diverse extinct endemic lineages preserved as impression fossils and in amber. The current understanding of Mesozoic neuropterans′ diversity has mainly focused on the adults, because the contemporaneous larvae have been fairly rare especially for the Jurassic lacewings. Herein, a new giant lacewing larva, Natator giganteus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Beds of China. The remarkable larva is characterized by its impressively large body size, distinctively elongated cervix, and presence of swimming hairs on legs, which provide direct evidence to reveal an aquatic habit for the Jurassic lacewing larva. The morphological analysis indicates this giant larva would have probably inhabited the benthic environments of Jurassic montane rivers and streams. In addition, its morphological specialization suggests that it might have adopted an ambush predation strategy to catch its prey. The finding enhances our knowledge of the species diversity and morphological plasticity for the Jurassic lacewing larvae, and reveals that the aquatic lineages of Neuroptera exhibited dramatically structural and ecological convergence across the evolutionary process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the existence of a horizontal magnetic field, we experimentally investigate the process of a liquid metal drop with high surface tension impacting a film of the same liquid. High-speed photography is adopted here to capture the dynamics of the interaction between the drop and the liquid film. We observe three typical outcomes after drop impact on the film, namely, symmetric crown, asymmetric crown, and prompt splashing, among which the asymmetric crown is first discovered by the present experiments. Moreover, the experimental variables, such as the drop size, impact velocity, initial film thickness, and intensity of the magnetic field, are included to study the three outcomes in detail. For crown formation, the external horizontal magnetic field changes the shape of the crown from symmetric to asymmetric during the crown expansion process, while for prompt splashing, the external horizontal magnetic field promotes splashing from the liquid layer where the drop and the liquid film meet and reduces the critical Weber number where prompt splashing occurs. Therefore, the present experimental results conclusively prove that the external horizontal magnetic field affects the process of liquid metal drop impact on a liquid metal film. Finally, by selecting a typical case, we carried out the direct numerical simulation to calculate the distribution of the magnetic-field-induced Lorentz force inside the droplet after impact, which helps us fully understand the phenomena observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present study was to analyze the effects of methylprednisolone pulse therapy (MPPT) courses on bone metabolism in patients with Graves' ophthalmopathy (GO). A retrospective analysis of 45 patients with moderate-to-severe active GO who received 1 or 2 courses of MPPT was performed. Of these, 16 patients underwent 2 courses of treatment. Bone metabolic markers and the density of the lumbar spine (L1-4), femoral neck and total hip were measured using a dual-energy X-ray bone density instrument, and the differences in bone metabolism prior to and after treatment were determined for each group and compared. The results indicated that serum I collagen N-terminal peptide (P1NP) and serum β-collagen crosslinked C-terminal peptide (CTX) were markedly decreased after the first pulse of treatment. In those patients who received a second course of MPPT, CTX levels were significantly decreased, but P1NP was not significantly different from the baseline value. CTX and P1NP levels remained unchanged between the first and second course of MPPT; similarly, there were no changes from baseline in 25(OH) vitamin D3 and bone mineral density after the first and second course of MPPT. However, the level of 25(OH) vitamin D3 was significantly elevated after the second course compared with the first course. In conclusion, the side effects of MPPT on bone metabolism were marginal and a second course of MPPT did not worsen bone metabolism. These MPPT regimens may therefore be considered to be a safe and effective treatment option for patients with moderate-to-severe active GO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gastric cancer (GC) is a very common type of cancer. Although current treatment modalities include surgical resection and chemotherapy, many patients are either not eligible for radical resection or have a poor response to chemotherapy. Due to the complex features of the disease, there is a need for complementary therapy. In the present study, the effects of oridonin on cell proliferation, invasion and apoptosis were assessed in the HGC-27 cell line using the Cell Counting Kit-8 assay, real-time cell analysis, and an Annexin V-FITC/propidium iodide (PI) detection kit, respectively. The effect of oridonin on apoptosis, through the JNK pathway, was also investigated using western blotting. The present study demonstrated that oridonin can suppress cell viability and inhibit cell proliferation by inducing G2/M arrest. Oridonin also induced caspase-dependent apoptosis in cells by activating the phosphorylated-JNK/C-JUN pathway. These results demonstrate the potential of oridonin as a potential therapeutic compound for the treatment of GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of stem Orthoptera, namely Phtanomiamia gui gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Pennsylvanian Xiaheyan locality in China. Despite the intensive collecting efforts undertaken at this locality, a single forewing was recovered. It shares with the "lobeattid" Miamia spp. two peculiar traits, namely a broad ScP–R/RA area and a very early branching of CuA + CuPa. On the other hand, it displays a free portion of CuA (between its divergence from M + CuA and its fusion with CuPa), a trait allowing exclusion of the new species from Miamia , to which it is most likely very closely related. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• pH and redox-responsive nanoparticles were manufactured by electrostatic self-assembly. • γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs displayed well resistance protein adsorption ability in blood environment. • γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs showed well pH/redox response ability in the drug release. • γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs (-) had good inhibitory effects on HeLa cells. • γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs showed higher cellular uptake ability under tumor microenvironment than free DOX. Stimuli-responsive nanomaterials drug delivery systems have attracted much attention owing to the ability to deliver drugs to designated locations especially for tumor cells. Here, positively and negatively charged pH/redox dual stimuli-responsive nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared with biocompatible poly-γ-glutamic acid (γ-PGA), cysteine (Cys), and chitosan (CS) through amide bond and electrostatic interactions. These nanocarriers (γ-PGA-S-S-CS NPs) were used to load the anticancer drug doxorubicin (DOX) to reduce toxicity to normal cells and increase uptake by tumor cells. The drug-loaded nanoparticles γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs were characterized via DLS, XRD, FT-IR and TEM techniques. The DOX was released from γ-PGA-S-S-CS-DOX NPs under an acidic and redox environment, while the nanoparticles were kept stable under physiological conditions. in vitro cytotoxicity studies showed that the drug carriers do not impair the growth of cells, and cellular uptake experiments indicated that the drug-loaded NPs were taken up easily by tumor cells compared with the free drug. The results suggested that the dual response nanosystem carrier can be applied to the targeted delivery of other drugs in the cancer field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The 'south forestflies' (Notonemouridae) are known from the southern hemisphere. However, their successive closest sister-groups all occur in the northern hemisphere, suggesting a north-to-south migration at some stage of their evolution. No reliable fossil remains that would provide age constraints for this event have been identified. According to previously published divergence date estimates, the group arose recently (65-98 Ma), implying a late transcontinental dispersal. Here, we describe a new fossil insect, Paranotonemoura zwicki Cui & Béthoux sp. nov. (Daohugou, China), and revise Paranotonemoura fidelis Sinitshenkova, 1987 comb. nov. (Bakhar, Mongolia), both of Jurassic age (c. 165 Ma). Based on the study of their wing venation pattern and of that of extant 'south forestflies', we demonstrate that the fossils belong to this group, and therefore are its first fossils. Our discovery demonstrates that the lineage is much more ancient than previously estimated. Plausible scenarios on the origin, migration and partial extinction are proposed based on the dispersal abilities of these insects and palaeogeographical reconstructions during the Mesozoic. We assume that the north-to-south migration took place between 220 and 160 Ma. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:66E22602-FE0D-4641-AB14-D8CB129D8F67 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (LncRNAs) have been reported to participate in cancer development, including osteosarcoma. Here, in our study, we observed that lncRNA metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcription 1 (MALAT1) was remarkably overexpressed in osteosarcoma. However, the role it plays in osteosarcoma proliferation mediated by miR‐206/cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) axis remains uninvestigated. It was found that miR‐206 was decreased and CDK9 was elevated in human osteosarcoma cells including MG63, Saos‐2, U2OS, and KHOS compared with human osteoblast cell line hFOB 1.19. In addition, it was exhibited that knockdown of MALAT1 was able to inhibit osteosarcoma cell proliferation, which suggested that MALAT1 played an oncogenic role in osteosarcoma development. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that MALAT1 can function as a competing endogenous RNA by sponging miR‐206. Because miR‐206 has been identified as a significant tumor suppressive gene in multiple cancers, we validated that mimics of miR‐206 can restrain osteosarcoma progression. Furthermore, dual‐luciferase reporter assay, RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation, and RNA pull‐down assay demonstrated the correlation between miR‐206 and MALAT1. Besides these, CDK9 was predicted as a downstream gene of miR‐206, and we observed that MALAT1 can regulate osteosarcoma progress by modulating CDK9 expression via sponging miR‐206. In conclusion, our study implied that MALAT1/miR‐206/CDK9 axis can provide novel insights into the biological mechanism of osteosarcoma progression. We found that metastasis‐associated lung adenocarcinoma transcription 1 (MALAT1) inhibition can repress osteosarcoma development by regulating miR‐206 and cyclin‐dependent kinase 9 (CDK9) in vitro, and a negative correlation between MALAT1 and miR‐206 was confirmed in our study. In addition, we observed that MALAT1 can regulate CDK9 expression by sponging miR‐206. Hence, it was concluded that MALAT1/miR‐206/CDK9 axis was responsible for osteosarcoma progression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this work, the near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) technology was applied to nondestructively evaluate the freshness of pork. The total volatile basic-nitrogen (TVB-N) and pH value of pork were detected as freshness evaluation indicators. A multi-index statistical information fusion (MSIF) modeling method based on variable selection was proposed to evaluate pork freshness. In the experiment, the proposed MSIF was compared with other state-of-the-art variable selection methods. Results showed that the proposed method achieved the best generalization performance and stability. The prediction correlation coefficient (Rval) and root mean square error (RMSEP) of MSIF were: Rval = 0.8618 and RMSEP = 3.910 for TVB-N content, Rval = 0.9379 and RMSEP = 0.1046 for pH value. The research demonstrated that NIR combined with MSIF has the potential for rapid and nondestructive determination of pork freshness, and so hopefully to provide a promising tool for monitoring meat quality and enriching the extracted information from food industry. Highlights • A multi-index statistical information fusion (MSIF) method was proposed to detect pork freshness. • MSIF used an ensemble framework to select variables interactively. • A comprehensive evaluation index (CEI) was proposed to control the selected variables in MSIF. • TVB-N and pH of pork were detected as the freshness evaluation indicators. • MSIF has good stability and precision in the quantitative detection of pork freshness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This note presents an investigation on the lateral continuous wear caused weight loss of disc cutter in soft ground condition with quartz sand. The energy consumed during the wearing process is evaluated by analysing the friction process. The contact pressure on cutter ring is analysed by the cavity expansion theory. A regressed equation is proposed to convert the consumed energy into the weight loss of a disc cutter. A new model to predict the lateral continuous wear of cutter rings is then proposed. The model is validated using the field observed data from tunnel constructed in Shenzhen, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When shield tunnelling is constructed in complex geological conditions using a tunnel boring machine, the disc cutter in the cutterhead easily wears to the failure state, particularly when the ground conditions are heterogeneous. This paper summarises the failure modes of the disc cutter in heterogeneous ground conditions into three categories, based on the observed wear data from field: (1) uniform disc cutter wear, (2) non-uniform disc cutter wear, and (3) breakage of cutter ring. Subsequently, the stress state of a disc cutter in the heterogeneous ground was analysed and the effective factors were investigated. The relationships between friction energy during cutting, working status of the machine and the characteristics of the geological conditions were evaluated. Based on the stress analysis and friction energy, a prediction model was proposed. The proposed model was applied to two field case studies: pertaining to uniform and mixed-face ground conditions, for which the empirical coefficient k for energy transfer was also determined. The preliminary results from this research indicated that the proposed model was valid for both homogeneous and heterogeneous ground conditions. Further case studies provided by co-operators are expected to improve the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The moss Bryoerythrophyllum latinervium var. rotundatum X.L.Bai, D.M.Ren et L.Q.Yang is described as a new variety from Inner Mongolia, China. It is distinguished from Bryoerythrophyllum latinervium (Holmen) Fedosov et Ignatova by its rounded leaf apex. Light microscope photographs of the significant characters are provided and its distinctions from closely related taxa are discussed. A key to the Chinese species of Bryoerythrophyllum is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The breakage of cutter ring during shield tunnelling is studied in this paper. The field observation reveals that the major reason for the cutter ring breakage is attributed to the unbalanced forces between two sides of the cutter ring during cutting process. Based on the three-dimensional (3D) circular cutting analysis, a semi-theoretical equation for the inner side force acting on the cutter ring is derived, by assuming that the cutting groove in the rock sample is caused by shearing failure. Numerical simulations are performed to determine the effect of angular velocity and further verify the proposed equation for the inner side force. Based on the proposed equation, the following influential factors for the magnitude of inner side force can be identified: i) circular cutting radius, ii) penetrating depth, and iii) angular velocity. The contribution to the inner side force from the above factors is discussed then. Finally, the relationship between cutter ring breakage and inner side force is analysed, which indicates that the inner side force has a significant effect on the breakage of the cutter ring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Word-Fi is a handwriting input system, driven by wireless backscattering technology and machine learning methods. It could effectively mitigate the surrounding noise and extract the weak signals incurred by tiny writing gestures accurately. Leveraging our customized wireless backscattering system, Word-Fi could be noise tolerant across relatively complex environments, especially when multiple persons are presented around, which significantly differs from status quo wireless sensing systems that suffer from multi-user presentation. For weak signal extraction, Word- Fi incorporates an efficient feature selection scheme for classification and improves the classifier by fully exploiting the physical layer information. After using the word suggestion module, it could recognize writing words with fairly high accuracy (above 90 percent) across different volunteers (7-10). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the influence of moving trajectories on ground loss ratio (GRL) due to the double-O-tube (DOT) tunnelling method. DOT tunnelling has three moving trajectories: pitching, yawing, and rolling, which have different behaviours during tunnel construction compared with those from single circular shield tunnelling. These moving trajectories cause overexcavation during tunnelling. The calculation method of gap area between the DOT shield machine and linings is evaluated in this research. Based on the superposition concept, the modification equation of GLR is proposed, which takes both moving trajectory and grouting volume into consideration. A field DOT tunnelling case is analysed to determine the correlation between moving trajectories and ground settlement. The influence of tail grouting is discussed by adjusting the grouting volume in different periods. The finite element method is also employed by setting the modified ground loss ratio (GLR′) as the contraction increment of linings. Results from both the measured and simulated settlements verify the reasonability of the proposed equation and the effect of moving trajectories on ground loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: We investigated whether BCMO1 variants and dietary patterns are associated with lung cancer risk.Methods: Case-control study including 1166 lung cancer cases and 1179 frequency matched controls was conducted for three BCMO1 variants (rs6564851, rs12934922, and rs7501331) and four dietary patterns were investigated. Logistic regression was used to estimate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs).Results: The rs6564851, rs12934922, and rs7501331 were not found to be associated with lung cancer risk (P > 0.05). In multivariable-adjusted models, compared to the lowest quartile of the score on the "fruits and vegetables" pattern, the highest quintile was associated with a 78.4% decreased risk (OR Q4 vs. Q1 = 0.216; 95% CI, 0.164-0.284; P for trend < 0.001). Other patterns were not found the association. The "fruits and vegetables" pattern was associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer with all 3 SNPs irrespective of genotypes (all P for trend< 0.001). The association for the "Frugal" pattern was associated with increased risk of lung cancer among smokers (P for interaction = 0.005). The protective effects of the "cereals/wheat and meat" pattern was more evident for squamous cell carcinoma and other histological type.Conclusions: We did not observe associations of BCMO1 variants and lung cancer. Diets rich in fruits and vegetables may be protective against lung cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Small GTP binding protein Rac1 is a component of NADPH oxidases and is essential for superoxide-induced cell death. Rac1 is activated by guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), and this activation can be blocked by regulator of chromosome condensation 2 (RCC2), which binds the switch regions of Rac1 to prevent access from GEFs.Methods: Three cancer cell lines with up- or down-regulation of RCC2 were used to evaluate cell proliferation, apoptosis, Rac1 signaling and sensitivity to a group of nine chemotherapeutic drugs. RCC2 expression in lung cancer and ovarian cancer were studied using immunochemistry stain of tumor tissue arrays.Results: Forced RCC2 expression in tumor cells blocked spontaneous- or Staurosporine (STS)-induced apoptosis. In contrast, RCC2 knock down in these cells resulted in increased apoptosis to STS treatment. The protective activity of RCC2 on apoptosis was revoked by a constitutively activated Rac1, confirming a role of RCC2 in apoptosis by regulating Rac1. In an immunohistochemistry evaluation of tissue microarray, RCC2 was over-expressed in 88.3% of primary lung cancer and 65.2% of ovarian cancer as compared to non-neoplastic lung and ovarian tissues, respectively. Because chemotherapeutic drugs can kill tumor cells by activating Rac1/JNK pathway, we suspect that tumors with RCC2 overexpression would be more resistant to these drugs. Tumor cells with forced RCC2 expression indeed had significant difference in drug sensitivity compared to parental cells using a panel of common chemotherapeutic drugs.Conclusions: RCC2 regulates apoptosis by blocking Rac1 signaling. RCC2 expression in tumor can be a useful marker for predicting chemotherapeutic response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fossils from the mid-Cretaceous (c. 99 Ma) Myanmar (Burma) amber include all extant orders of Arachnida, including the earliest representatives of Schizomida, Parasitiformes, and Palpigradi. Schizomids are figured from Burmese amber herein for the first time. The most abundant and diverse arachnid order is the Araneae, with 38 families, 93 genera, and 165 species recorded to date. The araneofauna is dominated by haplogynes and palpimanoids, whilst araneoids are rare and members of the RTA clade absent. The arachnofauna is typical of a tropical rainforest habitat, which concurs with evidence from other Burmese amber biota. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between serum uric acid (SUA) level and sexual dysfunction in patients with diabetes is not well characterized. Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) causes metabolic disorders, including abnormal serum uric acid (SUA) levels. In this study, we enrolled 205 male patients with T2DM and investigated the relationship between sex hormone levels and SUA. Patients were divided into four groups based on SUA quartiles. On the other hand, based on the total testosterone (TT) level, patients were divided into three groups; SUA and other laboratory indices were determined. Increase in SUA level was significantly associated with decreased levels of TT, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, sex hormone-binding globulin, and increased levels of dehydroepiandrosterone, age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, glycated hemoglobin, serum creatinine, and HOMA-IR levels. SUA, waist circumference, BMI, and HOMA-IR showed a negative correlation with TT level, while age showed a positive correlation with TT level. SUA and body mass index were found to be risk factors for gonadal dysfunction. Therefore, we conclude that hypogonadism of male patients with T2DM is related to SUA level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgroud:Constitutive activation of TGF-β signalling is a well-recognised mechanism in bone metastasis of prostate cancer (PCa). Protein Interacting with PRKCA 1 (PICK1) is a critical negative regulator of the TGF-β pathway. However, the clinical significance and biological role of PICK1 in PCa bone metastasis remain obscure.Methods:PICK1 expression is evaluated by immunohistochemistry (IHC) in 198 PCa patients. Statistical analysis is performed to explore correlation between PICK1 expression and clinicopathological features in PCa patients. The biological role of PICK1 is examined in PC-3 and C4-2B cells in vitro and a mouse intracardial model in vivo.Results:PICK1 expression is decreased in PCa tissues with bone metastasis and bone-derived cells and downregulation of PICK1 positively correlates with serum PSA level, Gleason grade and bone metastasis status in PCa patients. Overexpression of PICK1 suppresses PCa cell invasion and migration in vitro and bone metastasis in vivo. Our results further indicate downregulation of PICK1 is caused by miR-210-3p overexpression in PCa tissues with bone metastasis. Clinical negative correlation of PICK1 with miR-210-3p is confirmed in PCa tissues.Conclusions:Our findings uncover a novel functionally and clinically relevant epigenetic regulatory mechanism for constitutive activation of TGF-β signalling in bone metastasis of PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) is a Chinese mega-science project to build the largest single dish radio telescope in the world. A unique karst depression in Guizhou Province has been selected as the site to build an active reflector radio telescope with a diameter of 500 m and to realize the large sky coverage and high precision astronomical observations. Chinese Academy of Sciences and Guizhou Province are in charge of the FAST construction. The first light of the telescope was realized on September 25, 2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxiredoxin (Prx) was previously known as a Cys-dependent thioredoxin. However, we unexpectedly observed that Prx1 from the green spotted puffer fish Tetraodon nigroviridis (TnPrx1) was able to reduce H2O2 in a manner independent of Cys peroxidation and reductants. This study aimed to validate a novel function for Prx1, delineate the biochemical features and explore its antioxidant role in cells. We have confirmed that Prx1 from the puffer fish and humans truly possesses a catalase (CAT)-like activity that is independent of Cys residues and reductants, but dependent on iron. We have identified that the GVL motif was essential to the CAT-like activity of Prx1, but not to the Cys-dependent thioredoxin peroxidase (POX) activity, and generated mutants lacking POX and/or CATlike activities for individual functional validation. We discovered that the TnPrx1 POX and CAT-like activities possessed different kinetic features in the reduction of H2O2. The overexpression of wild-type TnPrx1 and mutants differentially regulated the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the phosphorylation of p38 in HEK-293T cells treated with H2O2. Prx1 is a dual-function enzyme by acting as POX and CAT with varied affinities towards ROS. This study extends our knowledge on Prx1 and provides new opportunities to further study the biological roles of this family of antioxidants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photodegradation is an important abiotic pathway transforming organic pollutants in natural waters. Humic substances (HS), including humic and fulvic acids, are capable of accelerating the photodegradation of steroid estrogens. However, how the photodegradtion of the emerging pollutants influenced by HS is not clear. Thus, we studied the roles and mechanisms of HS in inducing the photodegradation of 17α-ethynylestradiol (EE2). HS generally induces EE2 photodegradation through binding and reactive species generation. Apart from hydroxyl radical (HO ), the excited triplets of humic substances ( 3 HS*) are other key reactive species degrading EE2 by abstracting electrons. HO and 3 HS* were responsible for about 60% of the overall EE2 photodegradation at 250 μmol HS L −1 . Most of EE2 molecules bound to the HS via H-bonding, π-π and hydrophobic interactions. The binding role of HS in promoting EE2 photodegradation was rationalized by 17β-estradiol competitive binding with EE2 to the humic and fulvic acids. Furthermore, HS-promoted photodegradation can alter EE2 toxicity to wheat, rice and Ormosia plants. This study extends our knowledge on the photochemical behaviors and ecological risks of steroid estrogens in natural waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17α-Ethynylestradiol (EE2) in natural waters may cause adverse effects on organisms due to its high estrogenic potency. Laboratory studies were performed to study the effects of a local humic acid (LHA), fulvic acid (LFA) and Aldrich humic acid (AHA) on the photochemical behavior and estrogenic potency of EE2. Here photolytic experiments demonstrated that pure aqueous EE2 could undergo direct and self-sensitized photodegradation at a global rate of 0.0068 hr − 1 . Photodegradation rate of EE2 in 5.0 mg/L dissolved humic substances (DHS) was determined to be 0.0274, 0.0296 and 0.0254 hr − 1 for LHA, LFA and AHA, respectively. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and triplet dissolved humic substances ( 3 DHS*) scavenging experiments indicated that the promotion effect of DHS on EE2 photodegradation was mainly aroused by the reactions of HO (35%–50%), 1 O 2 (< 10%) and 3 DHS* (22%–34%). However, the photodegradation of EE2 could also be inhibited when DHS exceeded the threshold of 10 mg/L. Three hydroxylation products of EE2 were identified using GC–MS and their formation pathways were also proposed. In vitro estrogenicity tests showed that EE2 was transformed into chemicals without estrogenic potency. These findings could extend our knowledge on the photochemical behaviors of steroid estrogens in sunlit natural waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The association between height and risk of hip fracture has been investigated in several studies, but the evidence is inconclusive. We therefore conducted this meta-analysis of prospective cohort studies to explore whether an association exists between height and risk of hip fracture. We searched PubMed and EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library for studies of height and risk of hip fracture up to February 16, 2016. The random-effects model was used to combine results from individual studies. Seven prospective cohort studies, with 7,478 incident hip fracture cases and 907,913 participants, were included for analysis. The pooled relative risk (RR) was 1.65 (95% confidence interval (CI): 1.26–2.16) comparing the highest with the lowest category of height. Result from dose-response analysis suggested a linear association between height and hip fracture risk (P-nonlinearity = 0.0378). The present evidence suggests that height is positively associated with increased risk of hip fracture. Further well-designed cohort studies are needed to confirm the present findings in other ethnicities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the ways in creating a responsive learning community for English language learner (ELL). the providing of culture and language support, the integration of mathematics teaching with language instruction, and the need of mathematics teachers to change their teaching methods.

When the technique of boosting regression is applied to near-infrared spectroscopy, the full spectrum of samples are generally used to perform partial least squares (PLS) modeling. However, there is a large amount of redundant information and noise contained in the full spectrum. This not only increases the complexity of the model, but also reduces its predictive performance. In addition, the boosting method is sensitive to data noise. When the data are mixed with too much noise, the generalization performance of boosting will decrease, and the prediction error and the variance of PLS will be relatively large. To solve these problems, a gradient descent boosting ensemble method combined with backward interval PLS (GD-Boosting-BiPLS) is proposed in this paper. BiPLS is used to select the effective variables for the boosting base model, and each base model is trained sequentially by resampling. The spectral segmentation parameter of BiPLS and the iteration parameter of boosting are fused, and the weight of each base model is distributed by the gradient descent strategy. This leads to a new ensemble model (forward additive model) in the direction of reduced residuals. The final model is the ensemble model that obtains the minimum root mean square error of prediction (RMSEP). The proposed method is applied to the quantitative prediction of ethanol concentrations. Over iterations 1–50, the average correlation coefficients of the calibration and validation sets are 0.9628 and 0.9388, and the average RMSE of cross-validation and RMSEP are 0.0732 and 0.0675, respectively. The overall performance of the proposed GD-Boosting-BiPLS method is compared with those of various ensemble strategies and 4 kinds of state-of-the-art spectral modeling methods. The experimental results reveal that the proposed method has the best generalization performance and stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes a new spider with the most numerous specimens (c. two-thirds) known from the Middle Jurassic Jiulongshan Formation of Daohugou, China, asZhizhu daohugouensisgen. et sp. nov, together with a related form from the Early Cretaceous Yixian Formation of Huangbanjigou,Zhizhu jeholensissp. nov., and another, unnamed, specimen known only from an immature female from Daohugou. These spiders are all placed in the stem-Deinopoidea. Two recent studies of the phylogeny of spiders using phylogenomics have shown that deinopoids may be closer to non-orb-weaving cribellates than to ecribellate orbicularians, and that if the evolution of the orb web is a unique event, then it occurred deeper in time, perhaps among early Mesozoic cribellates such as these. The new spiders described here contribute to knowledge of the biodiversity and palaeoecology of the forested lake margins of the North China Block in mid-Mesozoic times. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:53C1BDD0-C9A9-4E9D-8515-A57BE437581F [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Backgound: Saucrosmylids are characterized by the typically large body size, complicated venation and diverse wing markings, which were only discovered in Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Ningcheng county, Inner Mongolia, China. Principal Findings: Saucrosmylinae Ren, 2003, originally included as a subfamily in the Osmylidae, was transferred and elevated to family rank based on the definitive synapomorphic character. The updated definition of Saucrosmylidae stat. nov. was outlined in detail: presence of nygma and trichosors; diverse markings on membrane; complicated cross-veins; distal fusion of Sc and R1; expanded space between R1 and Rs having 2–7 rows of cells that should be a synapomorphic character of the family; proximal MP fork. And the previous misuses of Saucrosmylidae are also clarified. Furthermore, a new genus with a new species and an indeterminate species of Saucrosmylidae are described as Ulrikezza aspoeckae gen. et sp. nov. and Ulrikezza sp. from the Middle Jurassic of Daohugou, Inner Mongolia, China. A key to genera of Saucrosmylidae is provided. Conclusions/Significance: The intriguing group represents a particular lineage of Neuroptera in the Mesozoic Era. The familial status of Saucrosmylidae was firstly advanced that clarified the former incorrect citation and use of the family name. As an extinct clade, many species of the saucrosmylids were erected just based on a single fore- or hindwing, and it should be realized that providing more stable characters is necessary when describing new lacewing taxa just based on an isolated hindwing. It is vital for the systematics of Saucrosmylidae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peroxiredoxins (Prxs) are a ubiquitous family of antioxidant proteins that are known as thioredoxin peroxidases. Here we report that Prx1 proteins from Tetraodon nigroviridis and humans also possess a previously unknown catalase-like activity that is independent of Cys residues and reductants but dependent on iron. We identified that the GVL motif was essential to the catalase (CAT)-like activity of Prx1 but not to the Cys-dependent thioredoxin peroxidase (POX) activity, and we generated mutants lacking POX and/or CAT activities for individually delineating their functional features. We discovered that the TnPrx1 POX and CAT activities possessed different kinetic features in reducing H2O2. The overexpression of wild-type TnPrx1 and mutants differentially regulated the intracellular levels of reactive oxygen species and p38 phosphorylation in HEK-293T cells treated with H2O2. These observations suggest that the dual antioxidant activities of Prx1 may be crucial for organisms to mediate intracellular redox homeostasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]