Exploring the Use of "Honorary Transition Metals" To Push the Boundaries of Planar Hypercoordinate Alkaline-Earth Metals.

The quest for planar hypercoordinate atoms (phA) beyond six has predominantly focused on transition metals, with dodecacoordination being the highest reported thus far. Extending this bonding scenario to main-group elements, which typically lack d orbitals despite their larger atomic radius, has posed significant challenges. Intrigued by the potentiality of covalent bonding formation using the d orbitals of the heavier alkaline-earth metals (Ae = Ca, Sr, Ba), the so-called "honorary transition metals", we aim to push the boundaries of planar hypercoordination. By including rings formed by 12-15 atoms of boron-carbon and Ae centers, we propose a design scheme of 180 candidates with a phA. Further systematic screening, structural examination, and stability assessments identified 10 potential clusters with a planar hypercoordinate alkaline-earth metal (phAe) as the lowest-energy form. These unconventional structures embody planar dodeca-, trideca-, tetradeca-, and pentadecacoordinate atoms. Chemical bonding analyses reveal the important role of Ae d orbitals in facilitating covalent interactions between the central Ae atom and the surrounding boron-carbon rings, thereby establishing a new record for coordination numbers in the two-dimensional realm.

Multiple Bonding in AeN- (Ae=Ca, Sr, Ba).

Quantum chemical calculations using ab initio methods at the MRCI+Q(8,9)/def2-QZVPPD and CCSD(T)/def2-QZVPPD levels as well as using density functional theory are reported for the diatomic molecules AeN- (Ae=Ca, Sr, Ba). The anions CaN- and SrN- have electronic triplet (3Π) ground states with nearly identical bond dissociation energies De ~57 kcal/mol calculated at the MRCI+Q(8,9)/def2-QZVPPD level. In contrast, the heavier homologue BaN- has a singlet (1Σ+) ground state, which is only 1.1 kcal/mol below the triplet (3Σ-) state. The computed bond dissociation energy of (1Σ+) BaN- is 68.4 kcal/mol. The calculations at the CCSD(T)-full/def2-QZVPPD and BP86-D3(BJ)/def2-QZVPPD levels are in reasonable agreement with the MRCI+Q(8,9)/def2-QZVPPD data, except for the singlet (1Σ+) state, which has a large multireference character. The calculated atomic partial charges given by the CM5, Voronoi and Hirshfeld methods suggest small to medium-sized Ae←N- charge donation for most electronic states. In contrast, the NBO method predicts for all species medium to large Ae→N- electronic charge donation, which is due to the neglect of the (n)p AOs of Ae atoms as genuine valence orbitals. Neither the bond orders nor the bond lengths correlate with the bond dissociation energies. The EDA-NOCV calculations show that the heavier alkaline earth atoms Ca, Sr, Ba use their (n)s and (n-1)d orbitals for covalent bonding.

Therapeutic Effect and Adverse Event Rate of Different Treatment Methods in Patients with Multiple Myeloma and Renal Insufficiency.

INTRODUCTION: This study involves the collation and analysis of clinical characteristics and laboratory findings in patients with multiple myeloma (MM) combined with renal insufficiency. The objective was to assess the impact of various treatment methods on patient outcomes and the incidence of adverse events in individuals with MM and renal insufficiency. METHODS: We analyzed the correlation between clinical characteristics, gene loci, fluorescence in situ hybridization, treatment methods, and prognosis in patients with MM and renal insufficiency. The differences in hematological and therapeutic efficacy indexes between two groups subjected to different treatments were evaluated. The assessment of treatment effectiveness was based on the total effective rate, calculated as the sum of stringent CR rate, complete remission rate, very good partial remission rate, and partial remission rate. RESULTS: (1) The renal insufficiency group exhibited higher percentages of bone marrow abnormal plasma cells, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), blood calcium, white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, and blood ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG) levels compared to the normal renal function group. Conversely, hemoglobin levels and lymphocyte percentage were lower in the renal insufficiency group. Binary logistic regression analysis identified hemoglobin, blood calcium values, blood ß2-MG, and LDH as independent risk factors for the development of renal insufficiency in patients with MM (p < 0.05). (2) Based on the Durie-Salmon staging criteria, the proportion of Stage III patients was the highest (up to 81.8%), indicating that patients with MM usually suffer from insidious disease, often with high tumor load and late-disease stage at the time of consultation. International Staging System (ISS) and Revised ISS staging also revealed a higher proportion of Stage III patients in the renal insufficiency group (p < 0.05), indicating a worse long-term prognosis in patients with MM and renal insufficiency. (3) Before treatment, there was no significant difference between the two groups in the analysis of various indices. Complications such as sepsis, herpes zoster, peripheral neuropathy, thrombosis, secondary pulmonary infection, and cardiac complications were significantly lower in the BCD group (Bortezomib + Cyclophosphamide + Dexamethasone) compared to the BD group (Bortezomib + Dexamethasone) (χ2 = 6.333, p < 0.05), suggesting fewer complications with the BCD regimen. (4) The clinical treatment effects analysis indicated that the BCD group demonstrated a more significant impact than the BD group in the treatment of MM. CONCLUSION: The application of the BCD regimen in the treatment of MM has shown significant efficiency, effectively alleviating clinical symptoms with fewer adverse reactions and high safety.

MB16 - (M=Sc, Y, La): Perfect Bowl-Like Boron Clusters.

The introduction of transition-metal doping has engendered a remarkable array of unprecedented boron motifs characterized by distinctive geometries and bonding, particularly those heretofore unobserved in pure boron clusters. In this study, we present a perfect (no defects) boron framework manifesting an inherently high-symmetry, bowl-like architecture, denoted as MB16 - (M=Sc, Y, La). In MB16 -, the B16 is coordinated to M atoms along the C5v-symmetry axis. The bowl-shaped MB16 - structure is predicted to be the lowest-energy structure with superior stability, owing to its concentric (2 π+10 π) dual π aromaticity. Notably, the C5v-symmetry bowl-like B16 - is profoundly stabilized through the doping of an M atom, facilitated by strong d-pπ interactions between M and boron motifs, in conjunction with additional electrostatic stabilization by an electron transfer from M to the boron motifs. This concerted interplay of covalent and electrostatic interactions between M and bowl-like B16 renders MB16 - a species of exceptional thermodynamic stability, thus making it a viable candidate for gas-phase experimental detection.

The evolution of preexisting primary immune thrombocytopenia after COVID-19 onset: A nationally representative, prospective, multicentre, observational study.

The symptoms in patients with primary immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) after COVID-19 onset remain largely unclear. The aim of this study was to describe the platelet count fluctuations in ITP patients following the diagnosis of COVID-19. A prospective multicentre observational study was conducted from December 15th, 2022, to January 31st, 2023 in 39 general hospitals across China. Patients with preexisting primary ITP who were newly diagnosed with COVID-19 were enrolled. A total of 1216 ITP patients with newly-diagnosed COVID-19 were enrolled. 375 (30.8%) patients experienced ITP exacerbation within eight weeks after the diagnosis of COVID-19, and most exacerbation (266/375, 70.9%) developed in the first two weeks. Immunosuppressive therapy for ITP and severe/critical COVID-19 infection were independent variables associated with ITP exacerbation. Overall the platelet count had a transient increasing trend, and the platelet peak value occurred at two weeks after COVID-19 infection. Then, the platelet count decreased to the baseline level in the following weeks. The platelet count had a transient increasing trend in ITP patients following the diagnosis of COVID-19. ITP exacerbation only occurred in less than one-third of ITP patients. Nonimmunosuppressive therapy may have an advantage to prevent ITP exacerbation during COVID-19.

Near-infrared fluorescence-assisted superficial inguinal lymph-node excision for low-risk penile cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Identification of superficial inguinal lymph nodes during low-risk penile cancer surgery using near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence to improve the accuracy of lymph-node dissection and reduce the incidence of missed micrometastases and complications. METHODS: Thirty-two cases were selected, which were under the criteria of < T1, and no lymph-node metastasis was found with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detection. Two groups were randomly divided based on the fluorescence technique, the indocyanine green (ICG) group and the non-ICG group. In the ICG group, the ICG preparation was subcutaneously injected into the edge of the penile tumor 10 min before surgery, and the near-infrared fluorescence imager was used for observation. After the lymph nodes were visualized, the superficial inguinal lymph nodes were removed first, and then, the penis surgery was performed. The non-ICG group underwent superficial inguinal lymph-node dissection and penile surgery. RESULTS: Among the 16 patients in the ICG group, we obtained 11 lymph-node specimens using grayscale values of images (4.13 ± 0.72 vs. 3.00 ± 0.82 P = 0.003) along with shorter postoperative healing time (7.31 ± 1.08 vs. 8.88 ± 2.43 P = 0.025), and less lymphatic leakage (0 vs. 5 P = 0.04) than the 16 patients in the non-ICG group. Out of 11, 3 lymph nodes that are excised were further grouped into fluorescent and non-fluorescent regions (G1/G2) and found to be metastasized. CONCLUSION: Near-infrared fluorescence-assisted superficial inguinal lymph-node dissection in penile carcinoma is accurate and effective, and could reduce surgical complications.

Transition Metal Behavior of Heavier Alkaline Earth Elements in Doped Monocyclic and Tubular Boron Clusters.

Quantum chemical calculations are carried out to design highly symmetric-doped boron clusters by employing the transition metal behavior of heavier alkaline earth (Ae = Ca, Sr, and Ba) metals. Following an electron counting rule, a set of monocyclic and tubular boron clusters capped by two heavier Ae metals were tested, which leads to the highly symmetric Ae2B8, Ae2B18, and Ae2B30 clusters as true minima on the potential energy surface having a monocyclic ring, two-ring tubular, and three-ring tubular boron motifs, respectively. Then, a thorough global minimum (GM) structural search reveals that a monocyclic B8 ring capped with two Ae atoms is indeed a GM for Ca2B8 and Ba2B8, while for Sr2B8 it is a low-lying isomer. Similarly, the present search also unambiguously shows the most stable isomers of Ae2B18 and Ae2B30 to be highly symmetric two- and three-ring tubular boron motifs, respectively, capped with two Ae atoms on each side of the tube. In these Ae-doped boron clusters, in addition to the electrostatic interactions, a substantial covalent interaction, specifically the bonding occurring between (n - 1)d orbitals of Ae and delocalized orbitals of boron motifs, provides the essential driving force behind their highly symmetrical structures and overall stability.

Revisiting the Structure and Bonding in Li5H6- and the Exploration of Reactivity: Planar Pentacoordinate Hydrogen.

Recently, Guha and co-workers (Sarmah, K.; Kalita, A.; Purkayastha, S.; Guha, A. K. Pushing The Extreme of Multicentre Bonding: Planar Pentacoordinate Hydride. Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2024, e202318741) reported a highly intriguing bonding motif: planar pentacoordinate hydrogen (ppH) in Li5H6-, featuring C2v symmetry in the singlet state with two distinct H-Li (center-ring) bond distances. We herein revisited the potential energy surface of Li5H6- by using a target-oriented genetic algorithm. Our investigation revealed that the lowest-energy structure of Li5H6- exhibits a ppH configuration with very high D5h symmetry and a 1A1' electronic state. We did not find any electronic effect like Jahn-Teller distortion that could be responsible for lowering its symmetry. Moreover, our calculations demonstrated significant differences in the relative energies of other low-lying isomers. An energetically very competitive planar tetracoordinate hydrogen (ptH) isomer is also located, but it corresponds to a very shallow minimum on the potential energy surface depending on the used level of theory. Chemical bonding analyses, including AdNDP and EDA-NOCV, uncover that the optimal Lewis structure for Li5H6- involves H- ions stabilized by the Li5H5 crown. Surprisingly, despite the dominance of electrostatic interactions, the contribution from covalent bonding is also significant between ppH and the Li5H5 moiety, derived from H-(1s) → Li5H5 σ donation. Magnetically induced current density analysis revealed that due to minimal orbital overlap and the highly polar nature of the H-Li covalent interaction, the ppH exhibits local diatropic ring currents around the H centers, which fails to result in a global aromatic ring current. The coordination of Li5H6- with Lewis acids, BH3 and BMe3, instantly converts the ppH configuration to (quasi) ptH. These Lewis acid-bound ptH complexes show high electronic stability and high thermochemical stability against dissociation and, therefore, will be ideal candidates for the experimental realization.

BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BeM(CO)3 (M = Ni, Pd, Pt): Triply bonded terminal beryllium in zero oxidation state.

We perform detailed potential energy surface explorations of BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BeM(CO)3 (M = Ni, Pd, Pt) using both single-reference and multireference-based methods. The present results at the CASPT2(12,12)/def2-QZVPD//M06-D3/def2-TZVPPD level reveal that the global minimum of BeM(CO)3- (M = Co, Rh, Ir) and BePt(CO)3 is a C3v symmetric structure with an 1A1 electronic state, where Be is located in a terminal position bonded to M along the center axis. For other cases, the C3v symmetric structure is a low-lying local minimum. Although the present complexes are isoelectronic with the recently reported BFe(CO)3- complex having a B-Fe quadruple bond, radial orbital-energy slope (ROS) analysis reveals that the highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) in the title complexes is slightly antibonding in nature, which bars a quadruple bonding assignment. Similar weak antibonding nature of HOMO in the previously reported BeM(CO)4 (M = Ru, Os) complexes is also noted in ROS analysis. The bonding analysis through energy decomposition analysis in combination with the natural orbital for chemical valence shows that the bonding between Be and M(CO)3q (q = -1 for M = Co, Rh, Ir and q = 0 for M = Ni, Pd, Pt) can be best described as Be in the ground state (1S) interacting with M(CO)30/- via dative bonds. The Be(spσ) → M(CO)3q σ-donation and the complementary Be(spσ) ← M(CO)3q σ-back donation make the overall σ bond, which is accompanied by two weak Be(pπ) ← M(CO)3q π-bonds. These complexes represent triply bonded terminal beryllium in an unusual zero oxidation state.

Functional traits explain waterbirds' host status, subtype richness, and community-level infection risk for avian influenza.

Species functional traits can influence pathogen transmission processes, and consequently affect species' host status, pathogen diversity, and community-level infection risk. We here investigated, for 143 European waterbird species, effects of functional traits on host status and pathogen diversity (subtype richness) for avian influenza virus at species level. We then explored the association between functional diversity and HPAI H5Nx occurrence at the community level for 2016/17 and 2021/22 epidemics in Europe. We found that both host status and subtype richness were shaped by several traits, such as diet guild and dispersal ability, and that the community-weighted means of these traits were also correlated with community-level risk of H5Nx occurrence. Moreover, functional divergence was negatively associated with H5Nx occurrence, indicating that functional diversity can reduce infection risk. Our findings highlight the value of integrating trait-based ecology into the framework of diversity-disease relationship, and provide new insights for HPAI prediction and prevention.

Children with autism spectrum disorder perform comparably to their peers in a parent-child cooperation task.

This study investigates whether and how parent's cooperation affects child's cooperation, and whether that differs between children with/without autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The experiment involved a cooperative key-pressing task completed first by parent-parent dyads and then by parent-child dyads, meanwhile brain activity in the right frontal-parietal cortex of dyad partners was measured synchronously. The results showed the following: ASD children exhibited performance comparable to those of their peers, as was the level of brain synchronization with their parents, which was mainly due to parents with ASD children tending to adjust their own response patterns to match those of their children. These findings suggest that parents can somewhat actively mitigate the lower interpersonal synchronization ability of ASD children, in behavioral or/and neural level.

Mimicking the C2 molecule: M2B2 and M3B2+ clusters (M = Li, Na) and the reactivity of the N-heterocyclic carbene bound Li2B2 complex.

C2 has attracted considerable attention from the scientific community for its debatable bonding situation. Herein, we show that the global minima of M2B2 and M3B2+ (M = Li, Na) possess similar covalent bonding patterns to C2. Because of strong charge transfer from M2/M3 to B2 dimer, they can be better described as [M2]2+[B2]2- and [M3]3+[B2]2- salt complexes with the B22- core surrounded perpendicularly by two and three M+ atoms, respectively. The energy decomposition analyses in combination with the natural orbital for chemical valence theory give four bonding components in C2, M2B2, and M3B2+ clusters. However, the fourth component does not arise from a bonding interaction but from polarization/hybridization. Considering the effect of Pauli repulsion in σ-space, the attractive covalent interaction in these molecules mainly comes from the two π-bonds. We further presented stable N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) and triphenylphosphine (PPh3) ligands bound Li2B2(NHC)2 and Li2B2(PPh3)2 complexes. A comparative study of reactivity towards L = CO2, CO, and N2 between Li2B2(NHC)2 and B2(NHC)2 is also performed. L-Li2B2(NHC)2 is highly stable against L dissociation at room temperature for L = CO2 and CO, and the stability is markedly higher than that in L-B2(NHC)2. The larger B2→L π-backdonation in L-Li2B2(NHC)2 also makes L more activated than in L-B2(NHC)2.

Coupled patterns of natural and anthropogenic resources in typical ecosystems in coastal areas of China.

The coastal area of Yancheng, China, is one of the hotspots for ecological research. Under the coupling of human and natural ecosystems, the region has gradually evolved into a coexistence of aquatic, agricultural and mudflat ecosystems. What are the patterns of natural and artificial resource inputs and patterns of change in ecosystems? How can ecological flows be analyzed at a uniform scale? Here, we selected six typical local ecosystems, namely, rice‒wheat for enterprises (RWE), rice‒wheat for smallholder households (RWS), chrysanthemum‒wheat (CW), fish polyculture (FP), juvenile crab farming (JF) and clam polyculture (CP), and analyzed their energy flow flux and sustainability based on emergy theory. The results showed that anthropogenic resource inputs were higher than natural resource inputs in all ecosystems, and the inputs of aquatic ecosystems were greater than those of agroecosystems. The greatest total input was 2.0 E+17 seJ/ha/yr for FP, and the lowest was 1.9 E+16 seJ/ha/yr for RWE. The proportions of renewable and artificial inputs for RWE, RWS, CW, FP, JF and CP were 32.8% vs. 96.1%, 40.3% vs. 96.5%, 34.7% vs. 97.0%, 32.6% vs. 99.4%, 55.1% vs. 98.5%, and 62.5% vs. 98.6%, respectively. The highest input to agroecosystems was nitrogen fertilizer, while in JF and CP, it was water, and feed (63.3%) accounted for the highest percentage of input in FP. JF and CP had lower environmental loads and higher sustainability than other ecosystems, but this still represents a high input compared to agroecosystems. Human-led resource coupling profoundly affects ecosystem sustainability, and various thresholds of energy use and ecological sustainability need to be studied in depth. Continuous exploration of methods and mechanisms for the maintenance and evolution of ecosystems with low total inputs and low inputs of non-renewable resources can contribute to high-quality sustainable development of an area or region.

Relationship of liver fat content with systemic metabolism and chronic complications in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the correlation of liver fat content (LFC) with metabolic characteristics and its association with chronic complications in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. METHODS: Eighty-one prospectively enrolled T2DM patients were divided into non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) group and the non-NAFLD group according to the presence of NAFL complications. LFC was determined by MRI IDEAL-IQ Sequence, and patients were divided into 4 groups according to LFC by quartile method. Basic information, metabolic indexes, and occurrence of chronic complications in different groups were analyzed and compared. RESULTS: BMI, SBP, DBP, TG, ALT, AST, GGT, UA, HbA1c, FCP, 2 h CP, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-IS in the NAFLD group were significantly higher than the non-NAFLD group (P < 0.05). The incidences of chronic complications in the NAFLD group were higher than in the non-NAFLD group but not statistically significant (P > 0.05). BMI, SBP, DBP, TC, TG, ALT, AST, FCP, 2 h CP, HOMA-IR, and HOMA-IS showed significant differences between the patients with different LFC, and these indexes were significantly higher in patients with higher LFC than those with lower LFC (P < 0.05). Moreover, diabetes duration, TC, HOMA-IR, and LFC were the risk factors for ASCVD complications, while diabetes duration, TG, and LDL-C were risk factors for DN complications. Also, diabetes duration and SBP were risk factors for both DR and DPN complications in T2DM patients (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION: LFC is positively correlated with the severity of the systemic metabolic disorder and chronic complications in T2DM patients.

Self-compassion promoted educational flow through increased future orientation in left-behind children groups.

Left-behind children (LBC) have been found to be disadvantaged in academic adaption due to the lack of parental care and supervision they receive. Educational flow, which is known as an optimal learning state for adolescents, would be beneficial for academic adaption among LBC. Self-compassion may provide a growth mindset to improve their abilities and immersion in learning. The present study focuses on educational flow and explores both the level and the protective mechanism of educational flow among LBC using cross-sectional data. Specifically, we examine whether self-compassion contributes to educational flow through future orientation. The study sample comprises participants from a middle school in Henan province. A total of 371 LBC participated in the study, with a mean age of 14.04. We find that family income is positively associated to LBC's educational flow. Furthermore, self-compassion is positively associated with future orientation and educational flow, future orientation is positively associated with educational flow and self-compassion generates higher level of future orientation, which in turn promoting educational flow. Overall, our findings suggest that it is essential to incorporate self-compassion and future orientation when promoting the academic adaption of LBC.

Impact of influent strengths on nitrous oxide emission and its molecular mechanism in constructed wetlands treating swine wastewater.

Constructed wetlands (CWs) can remove nitrogen (N) through plant assimilation and microbial nitrification and denitrification, while it also releases large greenhouse gas nitrous oxide (N2O) into the atmosphere. However, N2O emissions and the underlying microbial mechanisms of CWs when treating high-strength wastewater have not been systematically surveyed. Here, the effect of three influent strengths on N2O emissions in a pilot-scale CW treatment of swine wastewater was determined and the underlying microbial mechanisms were explored. The results showed that the removal rates of ammonium (NH4+) and total nitrogen (TN) increased significantly with the increasing influent strengths, however, the ratio of N2O emission/TN removal rose by 1.5 times at the same time. Quantitation of microorganisms responsible for N-cycle in the sediment indicated that the abundance of ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in high influent strengths (COD, 962.38 ± 3.05 mg/L; NH4+, 317.89 ± 4.24 mg/L) was 51.6-fold compared with that in low influent strengths (COD, 516.94 ± 4.18 mg/L; NH4+, 100.65 ± 2.65), and AOB gradually replaced ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) to dominate ammonia oxidizers. Structural equation models demonstrated that NO2- accumulations promoted the ratio of AOB/AOA, which further led to an increase in the ratio of N2O emission/TN removal. It is worth noting both the N removal rates and N2O emissions increased with the increasing influent strength. To obtain reduced N2O emissions, pretreatment technology for strength reduction should be supplemented before high-strength wastewater enters the CWs. This study may shed new light on the sustainable operation and application of CWs.

Profiles and transition of mental health problems among Chinese adolescents: The predictive role of friendship quality, parental autonomy support, and psychological control.

INTRODUCTION: Mental health problems have become a global crisis of the 21st century, with adolescence being a typical period of the outbreak of these problems. However, the profiles and transition of mental health problems in Chinese adolescents remain unclear. In addition, protective and risk factors that shape mental health problems require further clarification. METHODS: We measured depression, anxiety, and stress as indicators to identify the profiles and transition patterns of mental health problems among Chinese adolescents, as well as environment-related predictors (i.e., friendship quality, parental psychological control, and autonomy support). A total of 722 participants (376 females; Mage = 15.21, SDage = 0.74) completed a set of questionnaires at two time points with a 1-year interval (T1: November 2018; T2: November 2019). RESULTS: The profile analysis revealed two groups: healthy and troubled. The development of mental health problems included four trajectories: steady low, steady high, increasing, and decreasing. Results indicated that parental autonomy support and friendship quality exerted protective and buffering effects, whereas parental psychological control acted as a risk factor for mental health problem profiles. Furthermore, friendship quality had a unique predictive effect on the decreasing trajectory. CONCLUSIONS: The profiles of mental health problems showed high concurrency of depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms, and developmental trajectories were largely stable over time. Friendship quality, parental autonomy support, and psychological control predicted the profiles of the mental health problems of Chinese adolescents, and only friendship quality predicted the transition from a troubled to healthy profile over 1 year.

The role of interpersonal trust and romantic experiences in mate copying.

Mate copying occurs when individuals imitate the mate choice of other same-sex individuals. These effects can be influenced by factors related to the rater and the model. The present study explored the roles of raters' interpersonal trust and models' romantic experiences in the decision-making progress. Study 1 replicated mate copying effects and found the effect of interpersonal trust was nonsignificant. Study 2 further tested the interaction effect among interpersonal trust, model's romantic experiences, and model's mate choice decision. Results showed that change in targets' attractiveness varied with the model's romantic experiences under the model acceptance condition. The attractiveness of targets showed a greater increase when models had one or two romantic experiences than when they had no or multiple romantic experiences. A three-way interaction effect occurred as well. Under the condition of model acceptance, for raters with a low or medium level of interpersonal trust, change in attractiveness increased with the model's romantic experiences and the relationship was non-monotonic. For individuals with high levels of trust, models' romantic experiences did not have any effect. These results reveal that both rater's interpersonal trust and models' romantic experiences matter in individuals' willingness to copy other's mate preference.

Characterization of a novel HDAC/RXR/HtrA1 signaling axis as a novel target to overcome cisplatin resistance in human non-small cell lung cancer.

BACKGROUND: Cisplatin is a first-line drug for the treatment of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); however, the majority of patients will develop drug resistance after treatment. In order to overcome cisplatin resistance, it is important to understand the mechanisms underlying the resistance. METHODS: A gene microarray was used to screen for genes related to cisplatin resistance in NSCLC cell lines. Subsequently, the correlation between the HDAC, RXR and HtrA1 genes, in NSCLC, were verified using gene manipulation. Immunohistochemical staining was used to detect HDAC, RXR and HtrA1 expression in NSCLC specimens. Proliferation, migration and invasion assays were performed in vitro and in vivo to determine the role of the HDAC/RXR/HtrA1 signaling axis in cisplatin resistance, and luciferase reporter analysis and ChIP assays were performed to ascertain the mechanisms by which HDAC and RXR regulate the expression of HtrA1. Furthermore, in vitro and in vivo experiments were conducted in NSCLC cisplatin-resistant NSCLC to elucidate the effect of the low molecular weight compound, DW22, which targets the NSCLC cisplatin resistance HDAC/RXR/HtrA1 signaling pathway. RESULTS: HtrA1 was identified as a cisplatin resistance-related gene in NSCLC cells. The regulation of HtrA1 by HDAC and RXR significantly decreased the efficacy of cisplatin in NSCLC cells resistant to cisplatin. Immunohistochemistry results showed a negative relationship between HDAC1 and HtrA1, and a positive relationship between RXRα and HtrA1 in NSCLC patients' tissues. Notably, the expression of HDAC1 and HtrA1 can be considered as biomarkers for the efficacy of platinum-based drugs and prognosis in NSCLC patients. Mechanistically, the heterodimers of the nuclear receptor RXR, in combination with the enzyme, HDAC, regulate the transcription of HtrA1 in NSCLC cells. The rescue of HtrA1 expression by dual targeting of HDAC and RXR with the compound, DW22, significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of NSCLC cells resistant to cisplatin, and induced NSCLC cell apoptosis. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that HtrA1, a cisplatin resistance-related gene, is synergistically regulated by HDAC and RXR in NSCLC. Targeting the HDAC/RXR/HtrA1 signaling axis can rescue HtrA1 expression and reverse cisplatin resistance in NSCLC.

Accurate measurement method for refractive index in a high efficiency interaction-free measurement system.

The state of the quantum system will inevitably be disturbed and changed in the testing process. Using interaction-free measurement (IFM), the information can be extracted without any interaction between objects and photons or particles. Here we present a novel approach that the refractive index can be measured accurately with "no-touch" measurement between testing materials and light beam. The design system is a non-traditional model of interaction-free measurement with an unbalanced Mach-Zehnder interferometer (UMZI), which is combined with the chain quantum Zeno effect and the technique for spatial separation of light field. We select two beams with different intensity distribution in cross-section and different frequency as the transmission source, and the refractive index of samples can be obtained from the contrast degree of two beams under the condition of a few beam splitters existing. The scheme could prevent the damage to the radiation-sensitive optical materials, and provide a new idea for the research and application of precision measurement.