Mechanisms of cuproptosis and its relevance to distinct diseases.

Copper is a trace element required by the organism, but once the level of copper exceeds the threshold, it becomes toxic and even causes death. The underlying mechanisms of copper-induced death are inconclusive, with different studies showing different opinions on the mechanism of copper-induced death. Multiple investigations have shown that copper induces oxidative stress, endoplasmic reticulum stress, nucleolar stress, and proteasome inhibition, all of which can result in cell death. The latest research elucidates a copper-dependent death and denominates it as cuproptosis. Cuproptosis takes place through the combination of copper and lipoylated proteins of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, triggering agglomeration of lipoylated proteins and loss of iron-sulfur cluster proteins, leading to proteotoxic stress and ultimately death. Given the toxicity and necessity of copper, abnormal levels of copper lead to diseases such as neurological diseases and cancer. The development of cancer has a high demand for copper, neurological diseases involve the change of copper contents and the binding of copper to proteins. There is a close relationship between these two kinds of diseases and copper. Here, we summarize the mechanisms of copper-related death, and the association between copper and diseases, to better figure out the influence of copper in cell death and diseases, thus advancing the clinical remedy of these diseases.

Historic dog furs unravel the origin and artificial selection of modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog breeds.

The origins and extreme morphological evolution of the modern dog breeds are poorly studied because the founder populations are extinct. Here, we analyse eight 100-200 years old dog fur samples obtained from traditional North Swedish clothing, to explore the origin and artificial selection of the modern Nordic Lapphund and Elkhound dog breeds. Population genomic analysis confirmed the Lapphund and Elkhound breeds to originate from the local dog population, and showed a distinct decrease in genetic diversity in agreement with intense breeding. We identified eleven genes under positive selection during the breed development. In particular, the MSRB3 gene, associated with breed-related ear morphology, was selected in all Lapphund and Elkhound breeds, and functional assays showed that a SNP mutation in the 3'UTR region suppresses its expression through miRNA regulation. Our findings demonstrate analysis of near-modern dog artifacts as an effective tool for interpreting the origin and artificial selection of the modern dog breeds.

Intermittent blood flow restriction with low-load resistance training for older adults with knee osteoarthritis: a randomized, controlled, non-inferiority trial protocol.

BACKGROUND: Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder characterized by pain and functional impairment. Blood flow restriction (BFR) with low-load resistance training (LLRT) demonstrates a similar improvement in clinical outcomes to high-load resistance training (HLRT) in treating KOA. It has not been established whether intermittent blood flow restriction (iBFR) with LLRT can lead to clinical outcomes that are comparable to those produced by continuous blood flow restriction (cBFR) with LLRT and HLRT. The aim of the proposed study is to evaluate the efficacy of iBFR with LLRT on pain, Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), muscle strength, muscle mass, physical function, perceptions of discomfort and effort, and adherence in KOA patients. METHODS: This is a three-arm, non-inferiority, randomized controlled trial utilizing blinded assessors. Two hundred thirteen participants will be randomly allocated to one of the following three groups: iBFR group-receiving 4 months of LLRT with iBFR, twice weekly (n = 71); cBFR group-receiving 4 months of LLRT with cBFR, twice weekly (n = 71); or HLRT group-receiving 4 months of HLRT without BFR, twice weekly (n = 71). The primary outcome is pain. The secondary outcomes include the WOMAC, muscle strength, muscle mass, physical function, perceptions of discomfort and effort, and adherence. Pain and WOMAC will be measured at the baseline and 4 and 12 months after randomizations. Muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical function will be measured at the baseline and 4 months after randomizations. The perceptions of discomfort and effort will be measured during the first and final sessions. DISCUSSION: BFR with LLRT has a similar improvement in clinical outcomes as HLRT. However, cBFR may cause elevated ratings of perceived exertion and local discomfort, compromising patient tolerability and treatment adherence. If iBFR with LLRT could produce improvement in clinical outcomes analogous to those of HLRT and iBFR with LLRT, it could be considered an alternative approach for treating patients with KOA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR2300072820. Registered on June 26, 2023.

Characterization of a novel antioxidant byssal protein from Mytilus coruscus foot.

Mussel byssal proteins are of biomimetic importance for the development of novel underwater bio-adhesive agents. It is important to maintain a reduced state during the process of byssus adhesion. There are 19 mussel foot proteins (MFPs) have been reported in previous studies, among which only MFP-6 had been confirmed as an antioxidant protein in mussel byssus due to the function of cysteines, and playing an essential role in the redox balance of mussel byssus during adhesion process. Although the other four MFPs (MFP-16 ~ MFP-19) also have abundant cysteines, their function is still unknown. In this study, a novel mussel foot protein, named MFP-20, was identified from Mytilus coruscus foot. The sequential features, expression profile, and function of recombinant MFP-20 were verified. The results showed that MFP-20 has more abundant cysteines than other MFPs, the relative expression of mfp-20 was upregulated in Fe3+ stress and low pH seawater. In addition, different adhesive substrates induced significant changes of expression level of mfp-20. Furthermore, rMFP-20 showed strong antioxidant capacity in the DPPH assay, and the abundant cysteines in its sequence may play vital roles in the antioxidation activity. Our findings revealed the possible function of MFP-20 with a totally different sequence from the reported MFP-6 and provided new clues for exploring the redox balance of mussel byssus during the adhesion process.

Regulation of carbohydrate metabolism during anther development in a thermo-sensitive genic male-sterile wheat line.

Bainong sterility (BNS) is a thermo-sensitive genic male sterile wheat line, characterised by anther fertility transformation in response to low temperature (LT) stress during meiosis, the failure of vacuole decomposition and the absence of starch accumulation in sterile bicellular pollen. Our study demonstrates that the late microspore (LM) stage marks the transition from the anther growth to anther maturation phase, characterised by the changes in anther structure, carbohydrate metabolism and the main transport pathway of sucrose (Suc). Fructan is a main storage polysaccharide in wheat anther, and its synthesis and remobilisation are crucial for anther development. Moreover, the process of pollen amylogenesis and the fate of the large vacuole in pollen are closely intertwined with fructan synthesis and remobilisation. LT disrupts the normal physiological metabolism of BNS anthers during meiosis, particularly affecting carbohydrate metabolism, thus determining the fate of male gametophytes and pollen abortion. Disruption of fructan synthesis and remobilisation regulation serves as a decisive event that results in anther abortion. Sterile pollen exhibits common traits of pollen starvation and impaired starch accumulation due to the inhibition of apoplastic transport starting from the LM stage, which is regulated by cell wall invertase TaIVR1 and Suc transporter TaSUT1.

Perinatal prevalence of birth defects in the Mainland of China, 2000-2021: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Although birth defects are of great concern globally, the latest national prevalence has not yet been quantified in China. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the perinatal prevalence of birth defects in the Mainland of China between 2000 and 2021. METHODS: We performed a systematic literature search of six databases for relevant articles published between January 1, 2000, and March 1, 2023. We included published studies that reported data on the perinatal prevalence of birth defects in the Mainland of China. The DerSimonian and Laird random-effects models were used to estimate the pooled prevalence and its 95% confidence interval (CI). We also conducted subgroup analyses and univariable meta-regressions to explore differences in prevalence by time period, geographic region, and other characteristics. RESULTS: We included 254 studies reporting the perinatal prevalence of birth defects and 86 studies reporting only the prevalence of specific types of birth defects. Based on 254 studies covering 74,307,037 perinatal births and 985,115 cases with birth defects, the pooled perinatal prevalence of birth defects was 122.54 (95% CI 116.20-128.89) per 10,000 perinatal births in the Mainland of China during 2000-2021. Overall, the perinatal prevalence of birth defects increased from 95.60 (86.51-104.69) per 10,000 in 2000-2004 to 208.94 (175.67-242.22) per 10,000 in 2020-2021. There were also significant disparities among different geographical regions. Congenital heart defects (33.35 per 10,000), clefts of the lip and/or palate (13.52 per 10,000), polydactyly (12.82 per 10,000), neural tube defects (12.82 per 10,000), and inborn errors of metabolism (11.41 per 10,000) were the five most common types of birth defects. The perinatal prevalence among males was significantly higher than that among females (ß = 2.44 × 10-3, P = 0.003); a higher perinatal prevalence of birth defects was observed among perinatal births whose mothers were ≥ 35 years (ß = 4.34 × 10-3, P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive and sustained efforts are needed to strengthen surveillance and detection of birth defects, improve prenatal and postnatal healthcare, and promote rehabilitation, especially in underdeveloped areas.

Short-Term Effects of Combining Moxibustion Therapy and Gua sha on Post-Multiple Cerebral Infarction Rehabilitation.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the impact of combined moxibustion therapy and Gua sha on enhancing functional independence, reducing fall risk, and alleviating pain in patients undergoing post-rehabilitation for multiple cerebral infarctions. Methods: In a prospective clinical trial, 67 patients diagnosed with multiple cerebral infarctions (age range: 40 to 93 years) were enrolled. Baseline health characteristics included a median hospital stay of 10 days, prevalent medical conditions such as hypertension (64.18%), and various comorbidities like spondylosis (17.91%) and heart disease (14.93%). Patients received moxibustion treatment daily for 20-30 minutes on specific acupoints of the upper and lower extremities. Additionally, Gua sha therapy targeting the the head, back, chest, abdomen, and selected acupoints was administered twice a week with an interval of 3 to 4 days. Assessments included Barthel Index (BI) for functional independence, Morse Fall Scale (MFS) for fall risk, and Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) for pain intensity before and after the intervention. Results: After one week of rehabilitation, significant improvements were observed in the patient's functional independence, as indicated by a median BI score of 100 (IQR: 95-100), compared to the pre-rehabilitation median score of 95 (IQR: 90-100). The MFS score also showed a significant decrease after rehabilitation, with a median score of 35 (IQR: 35-45) compared to the pre-rehabilitation median score of 45 (IQR: 35-45). Additionally, pain intensity significantly decreased, with a median VAS score of 0 (range: 0-2) after rehabilitation, compared to the pre-rehabilitation median score of 0 (range: 0-3). Conclusion: Combined moxibustion therapy and Gua sha demonstrated positive effects on functional independence, fall risk reduction, and pain alleviation in post-rehabilitation for multiple cerebral infarctions. These findings suggest the potential of moxibustion and Gua sha as complementary interventions in stroke rehabilitation. The observed improvements in functional independence, fall risk, and pain underscore the potential benefits of these therapies for patients with multiple cerebral infarctions. Further exploration could delve into long-term effects, larger-scale trials, and mechanistic studies to elucidate the underlying pathways of efficacy.

Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis treatment for periappendiceal abscess: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Acute appendicitis is the most common abdominal emergency. At present, the main treatments for periappendiceal abscess include antibiotics and surgery. However, the complications and mortality of emergency surgery are high. The preferred therapy is conservative treatment with antibiotics first, ultrasound-guided puncture drainage or surgical treatment is followed when necessary. Endoscopic retrograde appendicitis therapy (ERAT) for acute uncomplicated appendicitis have been proved clinically effective, but it is rarely used in periappendiceal abscess. CASE SUMMARY: We report a patient admitted to hospital because of "right lower abdominal pain for six days". The computerized tomography (CT) of patient showed that appendicitis with fecaliths and abscess in the pelvis. The patient was treated by CT-guided puncture and drainage of abdominal abscess combined with ERAT to remove appendiceal fecaliths, irrigation and stent placement. CONCLUSION: The patient did not receive surgery because of impoverished family. Abdominal pain did not recur during the follow-up period. This case confirms the value of ERAT in the treatment of periappendiceal abscess.

Home-based exercise program and Health education in patients with patellofemoral pain: a randomized controlled trial.

BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral pain (PFP) is one of the most common disorders of the knee joint. Home-based exercise is an effective intervention to achieve self-management for chronic diseases. This study evaluated the effects of home-based exercise and health education in patients with PFP. METHODS: Patients who had PFP were randomly allocated to an intervention group (IG) or control group (CG). Patients in the IG received a 6-week tailored home-based exercise program with health education via remote support, while patients in the CG group only received health education. Clinical outcomes were compared using the Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS) to measure function and the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to measure "worst pain" and "pain with daily activity". Muscle strength was measured according to the peak torque of the knee muscles using an isokinetic system. RESULTS: Among a total of 112 participants screened for eligibility, 38 were randomized and analyzed, including 19 participants in the intervention group and 19 participants in the control group. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the groups. At 6-week follow-up, the intervention group showed a greater worst pain reduction (between-group difference, -19.3 [95%CI, -23.2 to -15.5]; P < 0.01) and pain with daily activity (between-group difference, -22.9 [95%CI, -28.3 to -17.4]; P < 0.01) than the control group. Similarly, the intervention group had better improvements in AKPS (between-group difference, 9.0 [95%CI, 4.1 to 13.9]; P < 0.01) and knee extensor strength (between-group difference, 20.1 [95%CI, 14.5 to 25.8]; P < 0.01), compared to the control group. No adverse events were reported. CONCLUSION: Home-based exercise and health education resulted in less pain, better function, and higher knee muscle strength compared with no exercise in patients with PFP. A large randomized controlled trial with long-term follow-up is required to confirm these findings. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry, ChiCTR2200056224 ( https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=135506 ). Registered on February 1, 2022.

In Situ Observation of Cellular Structure Changes in and Chain Segregations of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 on TiO2 Films under a Photocatalytic Device.

Cyanobacteria outbreaks are serious water pollution events, causing water crises around the world. Photocatalytic disinfection, as an effective approach, has been widely used to inhibit blue algae growth. In this study, a tiny reaction room containing a TiO2 film was designed to fulfill in situ optical observation of the destruction process of a one-dimensional multicellular microorganism, Anabaena sp. PCC 7120, which is also a typical bacterial strain causing water blooms. It was found that the fragment number increased exponentially with the activation time. The fracture mechanics of the algae chains were hypothesized to be the combining functions of increased local tensile stress originated from the cell contracting as well as the oxidative attacks coming from reactive oxygen species (ROSs). It was assumed that the oxidative species were the root cause of cellular structure changes in and chain fractures of Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 in the photocatalytic inactivation activity.

A CT-based nomogram established for differentiating gastrointestinal heterotopic pancreas from gastrointestinal stromal tumor: compared with a machine-learning model.

OBJECTIVE: To identify CT features and establish a nomogram, compared with a machine learning-based model for distinguishing gastrointestinal heterotopic pancreas (HP) from gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective study included 148 patients with pathologically confirmed HP (n = 48) and GIST (n = 100) in the stomach or small intestine that were less than 3 cm in size. Clinical information and CT characteristics were collected. A nomogram on account of lasso regression and multivariate logistic regression, and a RandomForest (RF) model based on significant variables in univariate analyses were established. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, mean area under the curve (AUC), calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were carried out to evaluate and compare the diagnostic ability of models. RESULTS: The nomogram identified five CT features as independent predictors of HP diagnosis: age, location, LD/SD ratio, duct-like structure, and HU lesion/pancreas A. Five features were included in RF model and ranked according to their relevance to the differential diagnosis: LD/SD ratio, HU lesion/pancreas A, location, peritumoral hypodensity line and age. The nomogram and RF model yielded AUC of 0.951 (95% CI: 0.842-0.993) and 0.894 (95% CI: 0.766-0.966), respectively. The DeLong test found no statistically significant difference in diagnostic performance (p > 0.05), but DCA revealed that the nomogram surpassed the RF model in clinical usefulness. CONCLUSION: Two diagnostic prediction models based on a nomogram as well as RF method were reliable and easy-to-use for distinguishing between HP and GIST, which might also assist treatment planning.

Left hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm complicating endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography: A case report.

BACKGROUND: Pseudoaneurysms of the hepatic artery or its branches have been reported following abdominal trauma, iatrogenic injury at the time of many operations such as percutaneous transhepatic biliary drainage and cholecystectomy. Hepatic artery pseudoaneurysms after endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) are uncommon and potentially life threatening and should be identified and treated rapidly. CASE SUMMARY: We report a case of intra-abdominal hemorrhage secondary to a left hepatic artery pseudoaneurysm resulting from guide wire injury at ERCP. The patient primary diagnosis was acute biliary pancreatitis with cholangitis, he underwent ERCP on the third day of admission. During ERCP, the left intrahepatic bile duct was cannulated three times. Over the sixth day, Contrast enhanced computed tomography scan demonstrated left hepatic lobe contusion and a pseudoaneurysm formation. The patient was successfully treated with the embolization of a small branch of left hepatic artery angiographically. CONCLUSION: The common complications of ERCP are pancreatitis, bleeding and perforation. False aneurysms occur as a result of damage to the wall of an artery. As far as we know, it is rare complication has been reported following ERCP. We advise urgent referral for angiographic embolization in this situation to avoid aneurysm rupture.

Fever burden within 24 h after hematoma evacuation predicts early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage: a retrospective analysis.

Background: Early neurological deterioration after hematoma evacuation is closely associated with a poor prognosis in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. However, the relationship between body temperature after hematoma evacuation and early neurological deterioration remains unclear. Therefore, this study aims to explore the possible relationship between body temperature and early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage after hematoma evacuation. Methods: We retrospectively collected data from patients with cerebral hemorrhage at our institute between January 2017 and April 2022. The Student's t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, and χ2 Test and Fisher's exact test were used to analyze the clinical baseline data. A univariate logistic regression model was used to evaluate the association between the body temperature indices and early neurological deterioration. The predictive power was assessed using the area under the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve. The secondary outcome was a poor functional outcome. Results: Among 2,726 patients with intracerebral hemorrhage, 308 who underwent hematoma evacuation were included in the present analysis. A total of 82 patients (22.6%) developed early neurological deterioration. Univariate analysis showed that sex (p = 0.041); body temperature at 6 h (p = 0.005), 12 h (p = 0.01), and 24 h (p = 0.008) after surgery; duration of fever (p = 0.008); and fever burden (p < 0.001) were associated with early neurological deterioration. Multivariate logistic regression showed that fever burden was independently associated with early neurological deterioration (OR = 1.055 per °C × hour, 95%CI 1.008-1.103, p = 0.020). ROC showed that fever burden (AUC = 0.590; 95%CI: 0.514-0.666) could predict the occurrence of early neurological deterioration. Conclusion: Fever burden is associated with early neurological deterioration in intracerebral hemorrhage patients undergoing hematoma evacuation. Our findings add to previous evidence on the relationship between the fever burden and the occurrence of early neurological deterioration in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage. Future studies with larger sample sizes are required to confirm these findings.

The paralogues MAGOH and MAGOHB are oncogenic factors in high-grade gliomas and safeguard the splicing of cell division and cell cycle genes.

The exon junction complex (EJC) plays key roles throughout the lifespan of RNA and is particularly relevant in the nervous system. We investigated the roles of two EJC members, the paralogs MAGOH and MAGOHB, with respect to brain tumour development. High MAGOH/MAGOHB expression was observed in 14 tumour types; glioblastoma (GBM) showed the greatest difference compared to normal tissue. Increased MAGOH/MAGOHB expression was associated with poor prognosis in glioma patients, while knockdown of MAGOH/MAGOHB affected different cancer phenotypes. Reduced MAGOH/MAGOHB expression in GBM cells caused alterations in the splicing profile, including re-splicing and skipping of multiple exons. The binding profiles of EJC proteins indicated that exons affected by MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown accumulated fewer complexes on average, providing a possible explanation for their sensitivity to MAGOH/MAGOHB knockdown. Transcripts (genes) showing alterations in the splicing profile are mainly implicated in cell division, cell cycle, splicing, and translation. We propose that high MAGOH/MAGOHB levels are required to safeguard the splicing of genes in high demand in scenarios requiring increased cell proliferation (brain development and GBM growth), ensuring efficient cell division, cell cycle regulation, and gene expression (splicing and translation). Since differentiated neuronal cells do not require increased MAGOH/MAGOHB expression, targeting these paralogs is a potential option for treating GBM.

A novel microRNA-182/Interleukin-8 regulatory axis controls osteolytic bone metastasis of lung cancer.

Bone metastasis is one of the main complications of lung cancer and most important factors that lead to poor life quality and low survival rate in lung cancer patients. However, the regulatory mechanisms underlying lung cancer bone metastasis are still poor understood. Here, we report that microRNA-182 (miR-182) plays a critical role in regulating osteoclastic metastasis of lung cancer cells. We found that miR-182 was significantly upregulated in both bone-metastatic human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line and tumor specimens. We further demonstrated that miR-182 markedly enhanced the ability of NSCLC cells for osteolytic bone metastasis in nude mice. Mechanistically, miR-182 promotes NSCLC cells to secrete Interleukin-8 (IL-8) and in turn facilitates osteoclastogenesis via activating STAT3 signaling in osteoclast progenitor cells. Importantly, systemically delivered IL-8 neutralizing antibody inhibits NSCLC bone metastasis in nude mice. Collectively, our findings identify the miR-182/IL-8/STAT3 axis as a key regulatory pathway in controlling lung cancer cell-induced osteolytic bone metastasis and suggest a promising therapeutic strategy that targets this regulatory axis to interrupt lung cancer bone metastasis.

Effects of coal gangue on soil property and plant growth in mining area.

With indoor and outdoor treatments, coal gangue with different ratios (10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50%) and different particle sizes (0-2, 2-5, 5-8 and 8-10 mm) were mixed into soil, and formed reconstructed soil with different soil bulk densities (1.3, 1.35, 1.4, 1.45 and 1.5 g·cm-3). The effects of soil reconstruction modes on soil water condition, structure stability of aggregate and the growth of Lolium perenne, Medicago sativa, and Trifolium repens were investigated. Soil saturated water (SW), capillary water (CW), and field water capacity (FC) were decreased with increasing coal gangue ratio, particle size, and bulk density of reconstructed soil. >0.25 mm particle size aggregate (R0.25), mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD) increased first and then decreased with the increases of coal gangue particle size, reaching the peak at 2-5 mm coal gangue particle size. R0.25, MWD and GMD were significantly and negatively correlated with coal gangue ratio. Based on boosted regression tree (BRT) model, the coal gangue ratio contributed 59.3%, 67.0% and 40.3% to the variation of SW, CW and FC, respectively, which was a main influencing factor of soil water content. The coal gangue particle size contributed 44.7%, 32.3% and 62.1% to the variation of R0.25, MWD, and GMD, respecti-vely, which was the greatest influencing factor. Coal gangue ratio had a great effect on the growth of L. perenne, M. sativa, and T. repens, which contributed to 49.9%, 17.4% and 10.3% of their variations, respectively. Soil reconstruction mode of 30% coal gangue ratio and 5-8 mm coal gangue particle size was the best condition for plant growth, indicating that coal gangue could change soil water content and structure stability of aggregate. The soil reconstruction mode of 30% coal gangue ratio and 5-8 mm coal gangue particle size was recommended.

Common Driving Forces of Provincial-Level Greenhouse Gas and Air Pollutant Emissions in China.

By developing a filtering framework and a sector-level multi-regional input-output structural decomposition model, this study identifies key common emission sources, motivation sources, and inter-provincial emission flows of both GHGs and air pollutants and reveals the key driving forces of changes in different emissions from 2012 to 2017. Results show that key common emission sources are electricity sector, non-metallic mineral products, and smelting and processing of metals in Shandong and Hebei. However, key common motivation sources are the construction sectors in Guangdong, Henan, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shandong. The key inflow regions include Guangdong and Zhejiang and key outflow regions include Jiangsu and Hebei. The emission reductions are attributed to the emission intensity effect of the construction sector; contrastingly, the emission increase is from the investment scale of the construction sector. Here, Jiangsu could be a key target for future emission reduction because of its high absolute emissions and low past reduction. The scale of investment in construction might be a significant factor in reducing emissions in Shandong and Guangdong. Henan and Zhejiang could concentrate on sound new building planning and resource recycling.

ELF4 is a critical component of a miRNA-transcription factor network and is a bridge regulator of glioblastoma receptor signaling and lipid dynamics.

BACKGROUND: The loss of neurogenic tumor suppressor microRNAs miR-124, miR-128, and miR-137 is associated with glioblastoma's undifferentiated state. Most of their impact comes via the repression of a network of oncogenic transcription factors. We conducted a high-throughput functional siRNA screen in glioblastoma cells and identify E74 like ETS transcription factor 4 (ELF4) as the leading contributor to oncogenic phenotypes. METHODS: In vitro and in vivo assays were used to assess ELF4 impact on cancer phenotypes. We characterized ELF4's mechanism of action via genomic and lipidomic analyses. A MAPK reporter assay verified ELF4's impact on MAPK signaling, and qRT-PCR and western blotting were used to corroborate ELF4 regulatory role on most relevant target genes. RESULTS: ELF4 knockdown resulted in significant proliferation delay and apoptosis in GBM cells and long-term growth delay and morphological changes in glioma stem cells (GSCs). Transcriptomic analyses revealed that ELF4 controls two interlinked pathways: 1) Receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and 2) Lipid dynamics. ELF4 modulation directly affected receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) signaling, as mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activity was dependent upon ELF4 levels. Furthermore, shotgun lipidomics revealed that ELF4 depletion disrupted several phospholipid classes, highlighting ELF4's importance in lipid homeostasis. CONCLUSIONS: We found that ELF4 is critical for the GBM cell identity by controlling genes of two dependent pathways: RTK signaling (SRC, PTK2B, and TNK2) and lipid dynamics (LRP1, APOE, ABCA7, PLA2G6, and PITPNM2). Our data suggest that targeting these two pathways simultaneously may be therapeutically beneficial to GBM patients.

Photosynthetic mechanism of maize yield under fluctuating light environments in the field.

The photosynthetic mechanism of crop yields in fluctuating light environments in the field remains controversial. To further elucidate this mechanism, we conducted field and simulation experiments using maize (Zea mays) plants. Increased planting density enhanced the light fluctuation frequency and reduced the duration of daily high light, as well as the light-saturated photosynthetic rate, biomass, and yield per plant. Further analysis confirmed a highly significant positive correlation between biomass and yield per plant and the duration of photosynthesis related to daily high light. The simulation experiment indicated that the light-saturated photosynthetic rate of maize leaves decreased gradually and considerably when shortening the daily duration of high light. Under an identical duration of high light exposure, increasing the fluctuation frequency decreased the light-saturated photosynthetic rate slightly. Proteomic data also demonstrated that photosynthesis was mainly affected by the duration of high light and not by the light fluctuation frequency. Consequently, the current study proposes that an appropriate duration of daily high light under fluctuating light environments is the key factor for greatly improving photosynthesis. This is a promising mechanism by which the photosynthetic productivity and yield of maize can be enhanced under complex light environments in the field.