Clinicopathologic features and surgical treatment prognosis of esophageal carcinosarcoma.

Background: Carcinosarcoma is a rare esophageal tumor, accounting for approximately 0.27-2.8% of malignant esophageal tumors. This study aims to investigate the clinical pathological characteristics, surgical treatment outcomes, and analysis of prognostic factors in esophageal carcinosarcoma (ECS). Methods: Clinical data from sixteen patients diagnosed with esophageal sarcomatoid carcinoma who underwent surgical interventions were retrospectively analyzed. Clinical and pathological features, treatment modalities, and postoperative outcomes were systematically examined. Results: Out of the 1261 patients who underwent surgical treatment for esophageal cancer, 16 cases were pathologically confirmed as carcinosarcoma. Among them, two underwent neoadjuvant chemotherapy, six received postoperative chemotherapy. Carcinosarcomas predominantly occurred in the middle (43.75%) and lower (50%) segments of the esophagus. Among the 16 cases, 10 presented as polypoid, 4 as ulcerative, and 2 as medullary types. Microscopic examination revealed coexistence and transitional transitions between sarcomatous and carcinoma components. Pathological staging showed 5 cases in stage T1, 2 in stage T2, and 9 in stage T3, with lymph node metastasis observed in 8 cases (50%). TNM staging revealed 2 cases in stage I, 9 in stage II, and 5 in stage III. The overall 1, 3, and 5-year survival rates were 86.67%, 62.5%, and 57.14%, respectively. Univariate analysis indicated that pathological N staging influenced survival rates, while multivariate analysis demonstrated that pathological N staging was an independent prognostic factor. Conclusions: Carcinosarcoma is a rare esophageal tumor, accounting for approximately 0.27-2.8% of malignant esophageal tumors. Histologically, the biphasic pattern is a crucial diagnostic feature, although the carcinomatous component may not always be evident, especially in limited biopsies, leading to potential misclassification as pure sarcoma or squamous cell carcinoma. Despite its large volume and cellular atypia, carcinosarcoma carries a favorable prognosis. Complete surgical resection of the tumor and regional lymph node dissection is the preferred treatment approach for esophageal carcinosarcoma.

Gut symbiont-derived sphingosine modulates vector competence in Aedes mosquitoes.

The main vectors of Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) are Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, with Ae. aegypti being more competent. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we find Ae. albopictus shows comparable vector competence to ZIKV/DENV with Ae. aegypti by blood-feeding after antibiotic treatment or intrathoracic injection. This suggests that midgut microbiota can influence vector competence. Enterobacter hormaechei_B17 (Eh_B17) is isolated from field-collected Ae. albopictus and conferred resistance to ZIKV/DENV infection in Ae. aegypti after gut-transplantation. Sphingosine, a metabolite secreted by Eh_B17, effectively suppresses ZIKV infection in both Ae. aegypti and cell cultures by blocking viral entry during the fusion step, with an IC50 of approximately 10 µM. A field survey reveals that Eh_B17 preferentially colonizes Ae. albopictus compared to Ae. aegypti. And field Ae. albopictus positive for Eh_B17 are more resistant to ZIKV infection. These findings underscore the potential of gut symbiotic bacteria, such as Eh_B17, to modulate the arbovirus vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes. As a natural antiviral agent, Eh_B17 holds promise as a potential candidate for blocking ZIKV/DENV transmission.

Highly sensitive site-specific SUMOylation proteomics in Arabidopsis.

SUMOylation-the attachment of a small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) to target proteins-plays roles in controlling plant growth, nutrient signalling and stress responses. SUMOylation studies in plants are scarce because identifying SUMOylated proteins and their sites is challenging. To date, only around 80 SUMOylation sites have been identified. Here we introduce lysine-null SUMO1 into the Arabidopsis sumo1 sumo2 mutant and establish a two-step lysine-null SUMO enrichment method. We identified a site-specific SUMOylome comprising over 2,200 SUMOylation sites from 1,300 putative acceptors that function in numerous nuclear processes. SUMOylation marks occur on several motifs, differing from the canonical ψKxE motif in distant eukaryotes. Quantitative comparisons demonstrate that SUMOylation predominantly enhances the stability of SUMO1 acceptors. Our study delivers a highly sensitive and efficient method for site-specific SUMOylome studies and provides a comprehensive catalogue of Arabidopsis SUMOylation, serving as a valuable resource with which to further explore how SUMOylation regulates protein function.

Modeling the distribution of pine wilt disease in China using the ensemble models MaxEnt and CLIMEX.

Pine wilt disease (PWD) is a devastating plant disease caused by the pinewood nematode (PWN, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus) that is transmitted by several beetle species in the genus, Monochamus. Once present, the disease is difficult to control. Prevention rather than control is regarded as an effective strategy for PWD management. Central to this prevention strategy is the ability to predict the potential distribution of the disease. Here, we employed an integrated MaxEnt and CLIMEX approach to model the potential distribution of PWD under various climate-change scenarios. Our results indicate that rising temperatures and lower humidity under climate change will render some of the northern regions of China more suitable for the nematode and these beetles, causing the gradual northward movement of PWD. Furthermore, suitable habitats for three pine species, Pinus massoniana, P. taiwanensis and P. shurbergia, overlap with PWN and Monochamus, suggesting that these three species are potentially at high risk of PWD. Thus, PWD management should target the northern regions of China and the three pine species that are most susceptible to PWD.

E3 ubiquitin ligase BTBD3 inhibits tumorigenesis of colorectal cancer by regulating the TYRO3/Wnt/ß-catenin signaling axis.

Clinical trials and studies have implicated that E3 ubiquitin ligase BTBD3 (BTB Domain Containing 3) is a cancer-associated gene. However, the role and underlying mechanism of BTBD3 in colorectal cancer (CRC) is not fully understood yet. Herein, our study demonstrated that the mRNA and protein levels of BTBD3 were decreased in CRC tissues and associated with TYPO3 and Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Our results showed that circRAE1 knockdown and TYRO3 overexpression activated Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway and the EMT process-associated markers, indicating that circRAE1/miR-388-3p/TYRO3 axis exacerbated tumorigenesis of CRC by activating Wnt/ß-catenin signaling pathway. In addition, overexpression of BTBD3 reduced CRC cell migration and invasion in vitro and inhibited tumor growth in vivo. Our data demonstrated that BTBD3 suppressed CRC progression through negative regulation of the circRAE1/miR-388-3p/TYRO3 axis and the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway. Our data further confirmed that BTBD3 bound and ubiquitinated ß-catenin and led to ß-catenin degradation, therefore blocked the Wnt/ß-catenin pathway and suppressed the CRC tumorigenesis. This study explored the mechanism of BTBD3 involved in CRC tumorigenesis and provided a new theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of CRC.

Identification and analysis of inflammation-related biomarkers in tetralogy of Fallot.

Background: Studies have revealed that inflammatory response is relevant to the tetralogy of Fallot (TOF). However, there are no studies to systematically explore the role of the inflammation-related genes (IRGs) in TOF. Therefore, based on bioinformatics, we explored the biomarkers related to inflammation in TOF, laying a theoretical foundation for its in-depth study. Methods: TOF-related datasets (GSE36761 and GSE35776) were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between TOF and control groups were identified in GSE36761. And DEGs between TOF and control groups were intersected with IRGs to obtain differentially expressed IRGs (DE-IRGs). Afterwards, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) and random forest (RF) were utilized to identify the biomarkers. Next, immune analysis was carried out. The transcription factor (TF)-mRNA, lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA, and miRNA-single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-mRNA networks were created. Finally, the potential drugs targeting the biomarkers were predicted. Results: There were 971 DEGs between TOF and control groups, and 29 DE-IRGs were gained through the intersection between DEGs and IRGs. Next, a total of five biomarkers (MARCO, CXCL6, F3, SLC7A2, and SLC7A1) were acquired via two machine learning algorithms. Infiltrating abundance of 18 immune cells was significantly different between TOF and control groups, such as activated B cells, neutrophil, CD56dim natural killer cells, etc. The TF-mRNA network contained 4 mRNAs, 31 TFs, and 33 edges, for instance, ELF1-CXCL6, CBX8-SLC7A2, ZNF423-SLC7A1, ZNF71-F3. The lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA network was created, containing 4 mRNAs, 4 miRNAs, and 228 lncRNAs. Afterwards, nine SNPs locations were identified in the miRNA-SNP-mRNA network. A total of 21 drugs were predicted, such as ornithine, lysine, arginine, etc. Conclusions: Our findings detected five inflammation-related biomarkers (MARCO, CXCL6, F3, SLC7A2, and SLC7A1) for TOF, providing a scientific reference for further studies of TOF.

Dispersal patterns of Reeves's pheasant based on genetic and behavioral evidence.

Dispersal is an important life history trait that plays a crucial role in avoiding inbreeding. Uncovering the dispersal pattern of a threatened species facilitates conservation efforts. Most species of Galliformes are forest-dwelling terrestrial birds with a weak dispersal ability and high conservation priorities. However, little is known about the dispersal behavior and dispersal pattern of Galliformes species such as Reeves's pheasant Syrmaticus reevesii, a globally vulnerable species endemic to China. Here, we integrated behavioral and genetic analyses to investigate the dispersal pattern of Reeves's pheasant. Our results revealed that both females and males would disperse, although the overall dispersal pattern was more likely to be male-biased. Reeves's pheasant population had a low level of genetic diversity and a mild level of inbreeding. Speculation low genetic diversity was resulted from fragmented habitat, and male-biased dispersal may reduce the opportunity of inbreeding. Our research indicated that sex-biased dispersal patterns may be a behavioral mechanism adopted by wildlife to avoid inbreeding in a fragmented habitat.

The adaptive regulation mechanism of Anammox granule sludge under calcium ions stress: Defense modes transformation.

Anammox granular sludge (AnGS) has received considerable attention due to its low carbon footprint (less aeration energy and carbon source consumption) and high biomass density, but growth rate and stability are still the bottlenecks of AnGS process. Calcium ion (Ca2+) is essential for the growth of anaerobic ammonium oxidation bacteria (AnAOB) and plays an important role in the formation and stability of AnGS. Response of AnGS to Ca2+ under different concentrations was comprehensively investigated by multi-spectral and metagenomics analysis in four aspects: nitrogen removal performance, surface morphology, extracellular polymeric substance (EPS) composition and characterization, and microbial community. The nitrogen removal efficiency was significantly enhanced at appropriate Ca2+ concentration (2 mmol/L), owning to the more favorable morphology and functional microbial composition of AnGS. However, the nitrogen removal performance of AnGS declined with the Ca2+concentration increased from 2 to 8 mmol/L, due to the negative effects of excess Ca2+on EPS, mass transfer efficiency, and functional microorganisms. Meanwhile, an unexpected slight "rebound" of nitrogen removal efficiency was observed at Ca2+ = 6 mmol/L and attributed to the defense mode transformation of AnGS (from "ion stabilization" to "precipitate shield" modes) against excess Ca2+ stress. Based on the findings, the response mechanism of AnGS to Ca2+ with different concentrations was established. Our results enhanced the understanding of the interaction between AnGS and Ca2+, which may be valuable for filling the theoretical gap in enhancing the granulation and stability of AnGS and providing a reference for the practical operation of the AnGS process.

Association between paraoxonase 1 -108C/T polymorphism and coronary heart disease: an updated meta-analysis.

Background: At present, no consensus is reached among articles that investigate the relationship of paraoxonase 1(PON1) -108C/T polymorphism with susceptibility of coronary heart disease (CHD) so far. In this regard, the present meta-analysis was conducted to comprehensively review existing articles related to the relationship of PON1 -108C/T polymorphism with CHD susceptibility. It was preregistered in the International Platform of Registered Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols (INPLASY)-INPLASY202430117. Methods: Articles that explored the relationship between PON1 -108C/T polymorphism and CHD incidence were searched from electronic databases according to our preset study selection criteria. Thereafter, we adopted stata 12.0 software to analyze our screened studies. At the same time, odds ratios (ORs) and related 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were determined for evaluating association strength. Results: At last, this meta-analysis selected altogether 13 case-control studies that involved 2,979 cases and 2,887 control subjects. We found that the PON1 -108C/T polymorphism displayed marked relationship with CHD susceptibility (T vs. C: OR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.07-1.45; CT vs. CC: OR = 1.33, 95% CI 1.17-1.52; TT vs. CC: OR = 1.51, 95% CI 1.09-2.09; Recessive model: OR = 1.16, 95% CI 0.93-1.45; Dominant model: OR = 1.45, 95% CI 1.16-1.81). Moreover, subgroup analysis showed that race and sample size had no impact on the results. Bioinformatics analysis showed that -108C>T polymorphism was relation to PON1 gene expression (https://gtexportal.org/home/). Conclusions: The PON1 -108T allele is identified as the possible low-penetrant risk factor of CHD, as suggested by our present meta-analysis.Systematic Review Registration: https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2024-3-0117/, Identifier INPLASY202430117.

Crack-Resistant Si-C Hybrid Microspheres for High-Performance Lithium-Ion Battery Anodes.

To effectively solve the challenges of rapid capacity decay and electrode crushing of silicon-carbon (Si-C) anodes, it is crucial to carefully optimize the structure of Si-C active materials and enhance their electron/ion transport dynamic in the electrode. Herein, a unique hybrid structure microsphere of Si/C/CNTs/Cu with surface wrinkles is prepared through a simple ultrasonic atomization pyrolysis and calcination method. Low-cost nanoscale Si waste is embedded into the pyrolysis carbon matrix, cleverly combined with the flexible electrical conductivity carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and copper (Cu) particles, enhancing both the crack resistance and transport kinetics of the entire electrode material. Remarkably, as a lithium-ion battery anode, the fabricated Si/C/CNTs/Cu electrode exhibits stable cycling for up to 2300 cycles even at a current of 2.0 A g-1, retaining a capacity of ≈700 mAh g-1, with a retention rate of 100% compared to the cycling started at a current of 2.0 A g-1. Additionally, when paired with an NCM523 cathode, the full cell exhibits a capacity of 135 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 1.0 C. Therefore, this synthesis strategy provides insights into the design of long-life, practical anode electrode materials with micro/nano-spherical hybrid structures.

Development and Validation of a Stromal-Immune Signature to Predict Prognosis in Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma.

Background: Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC) is a highly desmoplastic tumor with poor prognosis even after curative resection. We investigated the associations between the composition of the ICC stroma and immune cell infiltration and aimed to develop a stromal-immune signature to predict prognosis in surgically treated ICC. Patients and methods: We recruited 359 ICC patients and performed immunohistochemistry to detect α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), CD3, CD4, CD8, Foxp3, CD68, and CD66b. Aniline was used to stain collagen deposition. Survival analyses were performed to detect prognostic values of these markers. Recursive partitioning for a discrete-time survival tree was applied to define a stromal-immune signature with distinct prognostic value. We delineated an integrated stromal-immune signature based on immune cell subpopulations and stromal composition to distinguish subgroups with different recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) time. Results: We defined four major patterns of ICC stroma composition according to the distributions of α-SMA and collagen: dormant (α-SMAlow/collagenhigh), fibrogenic (α-SMAhigh/collagenhigh), inert (α-SMAlow/collagenlow), and fibrolytic (α-SMAhigh/collagenlow). The stroma types were characterized by distinct patterns of infiltration by immune cells. We divided patients into six classes. Class I, characterized by high CD8 expression and dormant stroma, displayed the longest RFS and OS, whereas Class VI, characterized by low CD8 expression and high CD66b expression, displayed the shortest RFS and OS. The integrated stromal-immune signature was consolidated in a validation cohort. Conclusion: We developed and validated a stromal-immune signature to predict prognosis in surgically treated ICC. These findings provide new insights into the stromal-immune response to ICC.

SnF2-Catalyzed Lithiophilic-Lithiophobic Gradient Interface for High-Rate PEO-based All-Solid-State Batteries.

Polyethylene oxide (PEO)-based all solid-state lithium metal batteries (ASSLMBs) are strongly hindered by the fast dendrite growth at the Li metal/electrolyte interface, especially under large rates. The above issue stems from the suboptimal interfacial chemistry and poor Li+ transport kinetics during cycling. Herein, a SnF2-catalyzed lithiophilic-lithiophobic gradient solid electrolyte interphase (SCG-SEI) of LixSny/LiF-Li2O is in-situ formed. The superior ionic LiF-Li2O rich upper layer (17.1 nm) possesses high interfacial energy and fast Li+ diffusion channels, wherein lithiophilic LixSny alloy layer (8.4 nm) could highly reduce the nucleation overpotential with lower diffusion barrier and promote rapid electron transportation for reversible Li+ plating/stripping. Simultaneously, the insoluble SnF2-coordinated PEO promotes the rapid Li+ ion transport in the bulk phase. As a result, an over 46.7 and 3.5 times improvements for lifespan and critical current density of symmetrical cells are achieved, respectively. Furthermore, LiFePO4-based ASSLMBs deliver a recorded cycling performance at 5 C (over 1000 cycles with a capacity retention of 80.0%). More importantly, impressive electrochemical performances and safety tests with LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 and pouch cell with LiFePO4, even under extreme conditions (i.e., 100 ℃), are also demonstrated, reconfirmed the importance of lithiophilic-lithiophobic gradient interfacial chemistry in the design of high-rate ASSLMBs for safety applications.

Temperature Compensation Method Based on Bilinear Interpolation for Downhole High-Temperature Pressure Sensors.

Due to their high accuracy, excellent stability, minor size, and low cost, silicon piezoresistive pressure sensors are used to monitor downhole pressure under high-temperature, high-pressure conditions. However, due to silicon's temperature sensitivity, high and very varied downhole temperatures cause a significant bias in pressure measurement by the pressure sensor. The temperature coefficients differ from manufacturer to manufacturer and even vary from batch to batch within the same manufacturer. To ensure high accuracy and long-term stability for downhole pressure monitoring at high temperatures, this study proposes a temperature compensation method based on bilinear interpolation for piezoresistive pressure sensors under downhole high-temperature and high-pressure environments. A number of calibrations were performed with high-temperature co-calibration equipment to obtain the individual temperature characteristics of each sensor. Through the calibration, it was found that the output of the tested pressure measurement system is positively linear with pressure at the same temperatures and nearly negatively linear with temperature at the same pressures, which serves as the bias correction for the subsequent bilinear interpolation temperature compensation method. Based on this result, after least squares fitting and interpolating, a bilinear interpolation approach was introduced to compensate for temperature-induced pressure bias, which is easier to implement in a microcontroller (MCU). The test results show that the proposed method significantly improves the overall measurement accuracy of the tested sensor from 21.2% F.S. to 0.1% F.S. In addition, it reduces the MCU computational complexity of the compensation model, meeting the high accuracy demand for downhole pressure monitoring at high temperatures and pressures.

Tailoring the Hydrogen Spillover Effect in Ni-Based Heterostructure Catalysts for Boosting the Alkaline Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction.

Improving the catalytic efficiency of platinum group metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts for the sluggish alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) is crucial to the anion exchange membrane fuel cell. Recently, numerous Ni-based heterostructures have been designed based on bifunctional theory to enhance HOR activity by optimizing the binding energy of both H* and OH*; however, their activities are still far inferior to those of PGM catalysts. Indeed, the long transfer pathway for intermediates between different active sites in such heterostructures has rarely been investigated, which could be the reason for the bottleneck. Here, we design a Ni/MoOxHy heterostructure catalyst to promote H* migration from the Ni side to the interface for alkaline HOR via the hydrogen spillover effect. In situ X-ray absorption fine structure, Raman characterizations, H/D kinetic isotope effects, and theoretical calculations have proven facile H* migration from the Ni side to the interface, which further reacts with OH* on the MoOxHy surface. Besides, the hydrogen spillover effect is also beneficial for the preservation of the metallic phase of Ni during the reaction. The catalyst exhibits a high activity with Jk,m of 58.5 mA mgNi-1 and j0,s of 42 µA cmNi-2, which is among the best PGM-free catalysts and is even comparable to some PGM catalysts. It also shows the highest power density (511 mW cm-2) as a PGM-free anode when assembled into fuel cells under moderate back pressure. These findings prove that in addition to optimizing electrophilicity and oxophilicity for active sites, we could also improve the HOR activity from the transfer pathway for intermediates, which provides insight into the design of other efficient HOR catalysts.

Buyang huanwu decoction improves synaptic plasticity of ischemic stroke by regulating the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway.

ETHNOPHARMACOLOGICAL RELEVANCE: Ischemic stroke is an acute central nervous system disease that poses a threat to human health. It induces a series of severe pathological mechanisms, ultimately leading to neuronal cell death in the brain due to local ischemia and hypoxia. Buyang Huanwu decoction (BYHWD), as a representative formula for treating ischemic stroke, has shown good therapeutic effects in stroke patients. AIM OF THE STUDY: This study aimed to explore the mechanism of BYHWD in promoting neural remodeling after ischemic stroke from the perspective of neuronal synaptic plasticity, based on the cAMP/PKA/CREB signaling pathway. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A modified suture technique was employed to establish a rat model of MCAO. The rats were divided into sham, model, and BYHWD (20 g/kg) groups. After the corresponding intervention, rat brains from each group were collected. TMT quantitative proteomics technology was employed for the research. Following proteomics studies, we investigated the mechanism of BYHWD in the intervention of ischemic stroke through animal experiments and cell experiments. The experimental animals were divided into sham, model, and BYHWD (5 g/kg, 10 g/kg, and 20 g/kg) groups. Infarct volume and severity of brain injury were measured by TTC staining. HE staining was utilized to evaluate alterations in tissue morphology. The Golgi staining was used to observe changes in cell body, dendrites, and dendritic spines. Transmission electron microscopy was used to observe the ultrastructure of synapses in the cortex and hippocampus. TUNEL staining was conducted to identify apoptotic neurons. Meanwhile, a stable and reliable (OGD/R) SH-SY5Y cell model was established. The effect of BYHWD-containing serum on SH-SY5Y cell viability was measured by CCK-8 kit. The apoptosis situation of SH-SY5Y cells was determined by Annexin V-FITC/PI. Immunofluorescence was employed to measure the fluorescence intensity of synaptic-related factors Syt1, Psd95, and Syn1. Synaptic plasticity pathways were assessed by using RT-qPCR and Western blot to determine the expression levels of cAMP, Psd95, Prkacb, Creb1/p-Creb1, BDNF, Shank2, Syn1, Syt1, Bcl-2, Bcl-2/Bax mRNA and proteins. RESULTS: After treatment with BYHWD, notable alterations were detected in the signaling pathways linked to synaptic plasticity and the cAMP signaling pathway-related targets among the intervention targets. This trend of change was also reflected in other bioinformatics analyses, indicating the important role of synaptic plasticity changes before and after modeling and drug intervention. The results of vivo and vitro experiments showed that BYHWD improved local pathological changes, and reduced cerebral infarct volume, and neurological function scores in MCAO rats. It increased dendritic spine density, improved synaptic structural plasticity, and had a certain neuroprotective effect. BYHWD increased the postsynaptic membrane thickness, synaptic interface curvature, and synaptic quantity. 10% BYHWD-containing serum was determined as the optimal concentration for treatment. 10% BYHWD-containing serum significantly reduced the overall apoptotic rate of (OGD/R) SH-SY5Y cells. Immunofluorescence experiments demonstrated that 10% BYHWD-containing serum could improve synaptic plasticity and increase the relative expression levels of synaptic-related proteins Syt1, Psd95, and Syn1. BYHWD and decoction-containing serum upregulated the mRNA and protein expression levels in (OGD/R) SH-SY5Y cells and MCAO rats, suggesting its ability to improve damaged neuronal synaptic plasticity and enhance transmission efficiency, which might be achieved through the regulation of the cAMP/PKA/CREB pathway. CONCLUSIONS: This study may provide a basis for clinical medication by elucidating the underlying experimental evidence for the promotion of neural plasticity after ischemic stroke by BYHWD.

Spatiotemporal characteristics of ecological resilience and its influencing factors in the Yellow River Basin of China.

Maintaining and improving ecological resilience is of great practical significance for the Yellow River Basin to reduce potential ecological risks and deliver sustainable development. Based on the essential characteristics of evolutionary resilience, this paper developed an ecological resilience index system of "resistance-recovery-reconstruction-renewal" and calculated the ecological resilience of 75 prefecture-level cities in the Yellow River Basin from 2007 to 2021 with the improved TOPSIS method. Then the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of ecological resilience were analyzed using the gravity center-standard deviation ellipse, Dagum Gini coefficient decomposition, and spatial autocorrelation analysis. Furthermore, the dynamic spatial Durbin model (DSDM) was used to investigate the influencing factors of ecological resilience. The main results are as follows: (1) The ecological resilience of the Yellow River Basin showed an overall fluctuating upward trend, and the average annual growth rate in the downstream region was larger than in the upstream and midstream regions. (2) Cities with similar levels of ecological resilience were distributed in a "large settlement, small scattered" pattern. The center of gravity shifted to the southeast, and the spatial distribution exhibited a "northwest-southeast" pattern and a trend towards an "east-west" pattern. The primary source of spatial differences was the intensity of transvariation. (3) The ecological resilience in the Yellow River Basin showed significant spatial clustering, with the H-H clustering area shifting from the Hubao-Eyu urban agglomeration to the Shandong Peninsula urban agglomeration, and the L-L clustering area mainly distributed around the Central Plains city cluster. (4) The ecological resilience of the Yellow River Basin exhibited significant snowball, spillover, and siphon effects in time, space, and space-time dimensions, respectively. In the short and long term, population density and openness significantly positively affected the ecological resilience of local and surrounding cities. Urbanization had a long-term effect on ecological resilience without a short-term effect. GDP per capita and industrial structure only imparted a significant positive influence on local ecological resilience. The negative spatial spillover of the intensity of financial investment in technological innovation gradually turned into a positive effect.

Predicting soil thermal properties in freeze-thaw cycles using EFAttNet: A comparative analysis.

This study investigates the thermal conductivity (λ) and volumetric heat capacity (C) of sandy soil samples under a variety of conditions, including freeze-thaw cycles at temperatures both above and below zero and differing moisture levels. To estimate these thermal properties, a novel predictive model, EFAttNet, was developed, which utilizes custom-designed embedding and attention-based fusion networks. When compared to traditional de Vries empirical models and other baseline algorithms, EFAttNet demonstrated superior accuracy. Preliminary measurements showed that λ values increased linearly with moisture content but decreased with temperature, whereas C values exhibited a rising trend with both moisture content and freezing temperature. Following freeze-thaw cycles, both λ and C were positively influenced by moisture content and freezing temperature. The EFAttNet-based model proved highly accurate in predicting thermal properties, particularly effective at capturing nonlinear relationships among the influencing factors. Among these factors, the degree of saturation had the most significant impact, followed by the number of freeze-thaw cycles, subzero temperatures, porosity, and moisture content. Notably, dry density exerted minimal influence on thermal properties, likely due to the overriding effects of other factors or specific soil characteristics, such as particle size distribution or mineralogical composition. These findings have significant implications for construction and engineering projects, especially in terms of sustainability and energy efficiency. The demonstrated accuracy of the EFAttNet-based model in estimating thermal properties under various conditions holds promise for practical applications. Although focused on specific soil types and conditions, the insights gained can guide further research and development in managing soil thermal properties across diverse environments, thereby enhancing our understanding and application in this field.

Unraveling the Photodissociation Branching and Pathways of Methane at 118 nm by Imaging the CH3, CH2, and CH Fragments.

Under irradiation of a vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) photon, methane dissociates and yields multiple fragments. This photochemical behavior is not only of fundamental importance but also with wide-ranging implications in several branches of science. Despite that and numerous previous investigations, the product channel branching is still under debate, and the underlying dissociation mechanisms remain elusive. In this study, the photofragment imaging technique was exploited for the first time to map out the momentum and anisotropy parameter distributions of the CH3, CH2, and CH fragments at the 118 nm photolysis wavelength (10.48 eV photon energy). In conjunction with previously reported results of the H atom fragment at 121.6 nm (10.2 eV), a complete set of product channel branching in both two-body and three-body fragmentations is accurately determined. We concluded that extensive nonadiabatic transitions partake in the processes with two-body fragmentations accounting for more than 90% of overall photodissociation, for which the channel branching values for CH2 + H2 and CH3 + H are about 0.66 and 0.25, respectively. Careful kinematic analysis enables us to untangle the intertwined triple fragmentations into the CH2(X̃ 3B1 and ã 1A1) + H + H and CH(X2Π) + H + H2 channels and to evidence their underlying sequential (or stepwise) mechanisms. With the aid of electronic correlation and prior theoretical calculations of the potential energy surfaces, the most probable or dominant dissociation pathways are elucidated. Comparisons with fragmentary reports in the literature on various photochemical aspects are also documented, and discrepancies are clarified. This comprehensive study benchmarks the VUV photochemistry of methane and advances our understanding of this important process.

Rapid and dynamic detection of endogenous proteins through in locus tagging in rice.

Understanding the behavior of endogenous proteins is crucial for functional genomics, yet their dynamic characterization in plants presents substantial challenges. Whereas mammalian studies have leveraged in locus tagging with the luminescent HiBiT peptide and genome editing for rapid quantification of native proteins, this approach remains unexplored in plants. Here, we introduce the in locus HiBiT tagging of rice proteins and demonstrate its feasibility in plants. We found that although traditional HiBiT blotting works in rice, it failed to detect two of the three tagged proteins, a result attributable to low luminescence activity in plants. To overcome this limitation, we engaged in extensive optimization, culminating in a new luciferin substrate coupled with a refined reaction protocol that enhanced luminescence up to 6.9 fold. This innovation led to the development of TagBIT (tagging with HiBiT), a robust method for high-sensitivity protein characterization in plants. Our application of TagBIT to seven rice genes illustrates its versatility on endogenous proteins, enabling antibody-free protein blotting, real-time protein quantification via luminescence, in situ visualization using a cross-breeding strategy, and effective immunoprecipitation for analysis of protein interactions. The heritable nature of this system, confirmed across T1 to T3 generations, positions TagBIT as a powerful tool for protein study in plant biology.

Numerical Investigation of the Operating Characteristics of the Passive and Active Prechamber Jet Ignition in a Natural Gas Engine.

Prechamber jet ignition is a promising technology that enables stable ignition and fast combustion by combining thermal effects, chemical kinetics, and turbulent disturbance. The development and application of the prechamber ignition require a comprehensive and in-depth understanding of the operating characteristics of the prechamber ignition in the real engine working cycle. Therefore, numerical simulations are conducted to explore the operating performance of the prechamber ignition applied to a large-bore natural gas engine in this study. The differences between the passive prechamber (PPRE) and active prechamber (APRE) near the lean burn limit are compared. The results show that the jet ignition performance of the PPRE is hampered by the high residual gas coefficient and lean mixture in the prechamber under lean burn conditions. The ignition mode of the PPRE is similar to torch ignition, and the combustion process in the main chamber is mainly turbulent flame propagation. The ignition mechanism of the APRE is flame jet ignition. The main chamber combustion process presents a two-stage heat release characteristic, which can be subdivided into three phases: the initial flame development phase, the rapid combustion phase, and the late combustion phase. The heat release rate during the initial flame development phase depends on the physical and chemical properties of the prechamber jet and the mixture conditions in the main chamber. During the rapid combustion phase, the flame propagation along the radial direction of the jet largely depends on the time scale of the chemical reaction. The heat release rate depends on the coverage area of the jet, the jet residual momentum, and the turbulent flame speed. During the late combustion phase, the flame propagation is mainly affected by the turbulent flame speed. These results provide theoretical guidance for the subsequent application of prechamber ignition systems in various powertrains.