Genomic Prediction of Growth Traits in Yorkshire Pigs of Different Reference Group Sizes Using Different Estimated Breeding Value Models.

The need for sufficient reference population data poses a significant challenge in breeding programs aimed at improving pig farming on a small to medium scale. To overcome this hurdle, investigating the advantages of combing reference populations of varying sizes is crucial for enhancing the accuracy of the genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV). Genomic selection (GS) in populations with limited reference data can be optimized by combining populations of the same breed or related breeds. This study focused on understanding the effect of combing different reference group sizes on the accuracy of GS for determining the growth effectiveness and percentage of lean meat in Yorkshire pigs. Specifically, our study investigated two important traits: the age at 100 kg live weight (AGE100) and the backfat thickness at 100 kg live weight (BF100). This research assessed the efficiency of genomic prediction (GP) using different GEBV models across three Yorkshire populations with varying genetic backgrounds. The GeneSeek 50K GGP porcine high-density array was used for genotyping. A total of 2295 Yorkshire pigs were included, representing three Yorkshire pig populations with different genetic backgrounds-295 from Danish (small) lines from Huaibei City, Anhui Province, 500 from Canadian (medium) lines from Lixin County, Anhui Province, and 1500 from American (large) lines from Shanghai. To evaluate the impact of different population combination scenarios on the GS accuracy, three approaches were explored: (1) combining all three populations for prediction, (2) combining two populations to predict the third, and (3) predicting each population independently. Five GEBV models, including three Bayesian models (BayesA, BayesB, and BayesC), the genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) model, and single-step GBLUP (ssGBLUP) were implemented through 20 repetitions of five-fold cross-validation (CV). The results indicate that predicting one target population using the other two populations yielded the highest accuracy, providing a novel approach for improving the genomic selection accuracy in Yorkshire pigs. In this study, it was found that using different populations of the same breed to predict small- and medium-sized herds might be effective in improving the GEBV. This investigation highlights the significance of incorporating population combinations in genetic models for predicting the breeding value, particularly for pig farmers confronted with resource limitations.

Effect of total dissolved gas supersaturation on the passage behavior of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and ya-fish (Schizothorax prenanti) through an experimental vertical slot fishway.

Total dissolved gas (TDG) supersaturation caused by flood discharge water poses a threat to vital activities such as migration, foraging, and evasion in fish species upstream of the Yangtze River, which may impair the ability of fish to pass through fishways during the migration period, causing poor utilization of fishways. Previous studies have shown that TDG supersaturation reduces the critical and burst swimming abilities of fish, suggesting potential adverse effects on swimming performance. However, studies focusing on the impact of TDG on fish swimming behavior in experimental vertical-slot fishways remain scarce. Therefore, in this study, silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) and ya-fish (Schizothorax prenanti) were used as the study species, and comparative passage experiments were carried out in an experimental vertical slot fishway to systematically analyze the effects of TDG supersaturation on their passage behavior. The passage success of the silver carp was 57%, 39%, 26%, and 27% at TDG levels of 100%, 110%, 120%, and 130%, respectively. Passage success of ya-fish was 73%, 37%, 31%, and 35% at TDG concentrations of 100%, 110%, 120%, and 130%, respectively. The passage time for both species increased significantly with increasing TDG levels. Furthermore, the passage routes of silver carp changed significantly compared to the control group, whereas the passage routes of ya-fish changed insignificantly. High levels of TDG supersaturation (≥120%) also contributed to a higher mortality rate of ya-fish passing through the vertical slot fishway. The research results provide valuable data on the influence of TDG supersaturation on fish movement behavior responses in experimental vertical slot fishways, offering a reference for the design of fishways and the formulation of reservoir operation schemes.

Evolutionary patterns of DNA base composition at polymorphic sites highlight the role of the environment in shaping barley and rice genomes.

Insights into changes in genome base composition underlying crop domestication can be gained by using comparative genomics. With this approach, previous studies have reported that crop genomes during domestication accumulate more nucleotides adenine (A) and thymine (T) (termed as [AT]-increase) across polymorphic sites. However, the potential influence of the environment or its factors, for example, solar ultraviolet (UV) radiation and temperature, on the [AT]-increase has not been well elucidated. Here, we investigated the [AT]-increase in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and rice (Oryza sativa L.) and the association with natural environments, where accessions are distributed. With 12,798,376 and 2,861,535 single-nucleotide polymorphisms from 368 barley and 1375 rice accessions, respectively, we discovered that [AT] increases from wild accessions to improved cultivars, and genomic regions with larger [AT]-increase tend to have higher UV-related motif frequencies, suggesting solar UV radiation as a potential factor in driving genome variation. To link [AT] change with the geographic distribution, we gathered georeferenced accessions and examined their local environments. Interestingly, negative correlations between [AT] and environmental factors were observed (r = -0.39 ∼ -0.75) and modern accessions with higher [AT] values, as compared with wild relatives, are from the environments with lower solar UV radiation or lower temperature. With [AT] and environmental factors as phenotypes, genome-wide association mapping identified three candidate genes that have the potential to contribute to [AT] variation under the effect of environmental conditions. Our findings provide genomic and environmental insights into evolutionary pattern of DNA base composition and underlying mechanisms.

Risk stratification of stage II rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma to predict the benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy following neoadjuvant chemoradiation and surgery.

Background: The treatment strategy for stage II rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (RMA) recommends neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (NCR) followed by total mesorectal excision (TME). However, the necessity of adjuvant chemotherapy (AC) remains controversial. Materials and methods: Chi-square test was used to assess the relationship between pathological classification, AC and clinicopathological characteristics. Kaplan-Meier (KM) curves and the log-rank test were utilized to analyze differences in overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) among different groups. Cox regression identified prognostic factors. Nomogram was established utilizing the independent prognostic factors. X-tile divided patients into three risk subgroups. Results: Compared to RMA, rectal adenocarcinoma (RA) demonstrates longer OS and CSS in all and non-AC stage II patients, with no difference in OS and CSS for AC stage II patients. Propensity score matching analyses yielded similar results. Stratified analysis found that AC both improve OS of RA and RMA patients. Age, gender, pathologic T stage, regional nodes examined, and tumor size were identified as independent prognostic factors for RMA patients without AC. A nomogram was constructed to generate risk scores and categorize RMA patients into three subgroups based on these scores. KM curves revealed AC benefits for moderate and high-risk groups but not for the low-risk group. The external validation cohort yielded similar results. Conclusions: In summary, our study suggests that, compared to stage II RA patients, stage II RMA patients benefit more from AC after NCR. AC is recommended for moderate and high-risk stage II RMA patients after NCR, whereas low-risk patients do not require AC.

Design, Synthesis, and Antifungal/Anti-Oomycete Activities of Novel 1,2,4-Triazole Derivatives Containing Carboxamide Fragments.

Plant diseases caused by pathogenic fungi or oomycetes seriously affect crop growth and the quality and yield of products. A series of novel 1,2,4-triazole derivatives containing carboxamide fragments based on amide fragments widely used in fungicides and the commercialized mefentrifluconazole were designed and synthesized. Their antifungal activities were evaluated against seven kinds of phytopathogenic fungi/oomycete. Results showed that most compounds had similar or better antifungal activities compared to mefentrifluconazole's inhibitory activity against Physalospora piricola, especially compound 6h (92%), which possessed outstanding activity. Compound 6h (EC50 = 13.095 µg/mL) showed a better effect than that of mefentrifluconazole (EC50 = 39.516 µg/mL). Compound 5j (90%) displayed outstanding anti-oomycete activity against Phytophthora capsici, with an EC50 value of 17.362 µg/mL, far superior to that of mefentrifluconazole (EC50 = 75.433 µg/mL). The result of molecular docking showed that compounds 5j and 6h possessed a stronger affinity for 14α-demethylase (CYP51). This study provides a new approach to expanding the fungicidal spectrum of 1,2,4-triazole derivatives.

Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes: a promising alternative in the therapy of preeclampsia.

Preeclampsia (PE) is a common morbid complication during pregnancy, affecting 2%-8% of pregnancies globally and posing serous risks to the health of both mother and fetus. Currently, the only effective treatment for PE is timely termination of pregnancy, which comes with increased perinatal risks. However, there is no effective way to delay pathological progress and improve maternal and fetal outcomes. In light of this, it is of great significance to seek effective therapeutic strategies for PE. Exosomes which are nanoparticles carrying bioactive substances such as proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids, have emerged as a novel vehicle for intercellular communication. Mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes (MSC-Exos) participate in various important physiological processes, including immune regulation, cell proliferation and migration, and angiogenesis, and have shown promising potential in tissue repair and disease treatment. Recently, MSC-Exos therapy has gained popularity in the treatment of ischaemic diseases, immune dysfunction, inflammatory diseases, and other fields due to their minimal immunogenicity, characteristics similar to donor cells, ease of storage, and low risk of tumor formation. This review elaborates on the potential therapeutic mechanism of MSC-Exos in treating preeclampsia, considering the main pathogenic factors of the condition, including placental vascular dysplasia, immunological disorders, and oxidative stress, based on the biological function of MSC-Exos. Additionally, we discuss in depth the advantages and challenges of MSC-Exos as a novel acellular therapeutic agent in preeclampsia treatment.

NiCS3: A cocatalyst surpassing Pt for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

Cocatalysts play a key role in improving photocatalytic performance by enhancing conductivity and providing an enormous number of active sites simultaneously. However, cocatalysts are usually made of noble metals such as Pt, which are expensive and rare. Therefore, cocatalysts derived from cheap and abundant elements are highly desirable. Here, for the first time, we demonstrate that NiCS3, which is made from nickel that is abundant and costs less than 0.04 % of Pt, is an effective substitute for Pt cocatalysts for the photocatalytic activity of CdS nanorods in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Under visible light, the NiCS3/CdS composite with NiCS3 as the cocatalyst achieved an astonishing H2 production of 61.9 mmol·g-1·h-1 while maintaining high stability, which is 14 times higher than that observed when using CdS alone and nearly 2 times higher than that of Pt/CdS. We also established that the metallicity of NiCS3 results in good carrier conductivity, which promotes the electron transfer and the separation of photo-induced carriers. Due to the appropriate adsorption energy ΔGH*, NiCS3 more readily adsorbs hydrogen protons and desorbs molecular hydrogen during the photocatalytic process compared with Pt. Additionally, NiCS3 can effectively inhibit the photo-corrosion effect of CdS itself, ensuring a good stability of HER. These results suggest that NiCS3 is a promising substitute for Pt cocatalysts.

Paternal chromosome elimination of inducer triggers induction of double haploids in Brassica napus.

A synthetic octoploid rapeseed, Y3380, induces maternal doubled haploids when used as a pollen donor to pollinate plant. However, the mechanism underlying doubled haploid formation remains elusive. We speculated that double haploid induction occurs as the inducer line's chromosomes pass to the maternal egg cell, and the zygote is formed through fertilization. In the process of zygotic mitosis, the paternal chromosome is specifically eliminated. Part of the paternal gene might have infiltrated the maternal genome through homologous exchange during the elimination process. Then, the zygote haploid genome doubles (early haploid doubling, EH phenomenon), and the doubled zygote continues to develop into a complete embryo, finally forming doubled haploid offspring. To test our hypothesis, in the current study, the octoploid Y3380 line was back bred with the 4122-cp4-EPSPS exogenous gene used as a marker into hexaploid Y3380-cp4-EPSPS as paternal material to pollinate three different maternal materials. The fertilization process of crossing between the inducer line and the maternal parent was observed 48 h after pollination, and the fertilization rate reached 97.92% and 98.72%. After 12 d of pollination, the presence of cp4-EPSPS in the embryo was detected by in situ PCR, and at 13-23 d after pollination, the probability of F1 embryos containing cp4-EPSPS gene was up to 97.27%, but then declined gradually to 0% at 23-33 d. At the same time, the expression of cp4-EPSPS was observed by immunofluorescence in the 3rd to 29th day embryo. As the embryos developed, cp4-EPSPS marker genes were constantly lost, accompanied by embryonic death. After 30 d, the presence of cp4-EPSPS was not detected in surviving embryos. Meanwhile, SNP detection of induced offspring confirmed the existence of double haploids, further indicating that the induction process was caused by the loss of specificity of the paternal chromosome. The tetraploid-induced offspring showed infiltration of the induced line gene loci, with heterozygosity and homozygosity. Results indicated that the induced line chromosomes were eliminated during embryonic development, and the maternal haploid chromosomes were synchronously doubled in the embryo. These findings support our hypothesis and lay a theoretical foundation for further localization or cloning of functional genes involved in double haploid induction in rapeseed.

Adjuvant Radiotherapy Is Not Necessary for Stage III Mucinous Rectal Cancer: Evidence Based on Long Survival Analysis from SEER Data.

BACKGROUND: Although rectal mucinous adenocarcinoma (RMC) is less sensitive to radiotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy is still recommended for RMC patients. This study aimed to explore whether adjuvant radiotherapy is necessary for stage III RMC. METHODS: Data of patients with stage III RMC were obtained from the National Cancer Institute's SEER database (2004-2015). The survival rates were calculated by Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were used to assess the impact of clinicopathological parameters on overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: RMC has a worse T and N stage at diagnosis than rectal adenomatous carcinoma (RAC) (all p < 0.001). Multivariate Cox regression analyses revealed that histopathological type MC was an independent poor prognostic factor for OS (HR 1.27; 95%CI 1.14-1.41; p < 0.001) and CSS (HR 1.34; 95%CI 1.18-1.51; p < 0.001). Subgroup analysis based on different treatment regimens showed no significant difference between chemotherapy group and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group. After the propensity score matching, no significant difference was also found in OS and CSS between chemotherapy group and chemotherapy plus radiotherapy group. CONCLUSIONS: RMC is an independent poor prognostic factor for OS and CSS. Adjuvant radiotherapy for RMC was not beneficial in improving survival outcomes.

Optimization of combustion organization scheme for pre-combustion chamber of pre-cooled engine.

Pre-cooled engines, in which the incoming air is cooled by a pre-cooler before it enters the subsequent components for operation, are one of the important developments in combined power solutions. Therefore, how to optimize the gas temperature uniformity of the high temperature gas stream at the outlet of the pre-combustion chamber to achieve higher efficiency of the pre-cooled engine will be the main research content. In this paper, grid partitioning was performed on the pre combustion chamber model, and the k-omega model and EDC model were used to simulate the internal flow field of the pre combustion chamber. And verify the correctness of the simulation through engine hot testing. Explored the changing trends of the internal velocity and temperature fields of the engine under different secondary injection structures. The larger the secondary injection flow rate, the more obvious the obstruction to high-temperature gas, and the better the uniformity of gas temperature. However, in experiments, the secondary injection components often cannot withstand a large flow rate ratio. Ultimately, the gas temperature uniformity is best when the secondary injection flow rate ratio is 65%. Circumferential deflection will cause the gas to spin, and the spinning process will make the gas temperature at the same radius more uniform. However, due to the decrease in radial velocity, the obstruction effect on the overall high-temperature gas is weakened. When the gas is deflected towards the head by 30°, the velocity of the incoming gas and the velocity of the secondary injection gas are combined and perpendicular to the axis. At this time, the gas temperature uniformity is the best.

Roles of salt­inducible kinases in cancer (Review).

Salt inducible kinases (SIKs) with three subtypes SIK1, SIK2 and SIK3, belong to the AMP­activated protein kinase family. They are expressed ubiquitously in humans. Under normal circumstances, SIK1 regulates adrenocortical function in response to high salt or adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation, SIK2 is involved in cell metabolism, controlling insulin signaling and gluconeogenesis and SIK3 coordinates with the mTOR complex, promoting cancer. The dysregulation of SIKs has been widely detected in various types of cancers. Based on most of the existing studies, SIK1 is mostly considered a tumor inhibitor, SIK2 and SIK3 are usually associated with tumor promotion. However, the functions of SIKs have shown contradictory in certain tumors, suggesting that SIKs cannot be simply classified as oncogenes or tumor suppressor genes. The present review provided a comprehensive summary of the roles of SIKs in the initiation and progression of different cancers, aiming to elucidate their clinical value and discuss potential strategies for targeting SIKs in cancer therapy.

Shortest path core-selection incentive for federated learning platform with medical applications.

As the main technology to solve data islands and mine data value, federated learning has been widely researched and applied, and more and more federated learning platforms are emerging. The federated learning platform organizes users, devices and data to collaborate in a crowdsourcing manner and complete specific federated learning tasks. This paper designs the shortest path core-selection incentive mechanism by combining the VCG auction mechanism and the core concept of cooperative games. This mechanism solves the problems of overpayment, false-name attack, and deviation from the core of the VCG mechanism, and saves the expenditure of the federated learning task issuer. It adopts the VCG-nearest principle in the core selection, so that the federated learning task participants get rewards as close as possible to the outcome of VCG mechanism. This mechanism can guarantee four economic attributes: incentive compatibility, individual rationality, alliance rationality, and maximization of social efficiency. Medical experimental results illustrate the effectiveness of the mechanism.

Interaction of total dissolved gas supersaturation and suspended sediment on swimming performance of bighead carp (Hypopthalmichthys nobilis).

When dams discharge floodwaters, the river downstream often becomes supersaturated in total dissolved gases (TDG) and contains high volumes of suspended sediments (SS). Supersaturated TDG and high SS concentrations in water may affect fish physiologically in ways that manifest in swimming performance. Despite increasing awareness of the separate effects of TDG supersaturation and SS, knowledge about their synergistic effects remains unknown. To explore the interactive effects of TDG and SS on the swimming performance of bighead carp, the juveniles were exposed to 100, 110, 115, 120, 125, 130, 135, and 140% of TDG-supersaturated water with SS concentrations of 0, 50, 100, and 150 mg/L, respectively, and the critical swimming ability speed (Ucrit ) and burst swimming ability speed (Uburst ) were measured. The results indicated that the swimming ability (Ucrit and Uburst ) decreased when TDG levels and SS concentrations increased. TDG and SS did not interact significantly to decrease both Ucrit and Uburst . In contrast, exposure to TDG alone significantly decreased both Ucrit and Uburst , whereas exposure to SS alone decreased only Uburst . In addition, our results suggested that there was a negative linear relationship between TDG and fatigue time. Swimming ability can decline significantly due to high TDG levels (>130%). Therefore, high TDG levels (>130%) should be restricted during reservoir operation to prevent the stress caused by TDG.

Genomic Scan for Runs of Homozygosity and Selective Signature Analysis to Identify Candidate Genes in Large White Pigs.

Large White pigs are extensively utilized in China for their remarkable characteristics of rapid growth and the high proportion of lean meat. The economic traits of pigs, comprising reproductive and meat quality traits, play a vital role in swine production. In this study, 2295 individuals, representing three different genetic backgrounds Large White pig populations were used: 500 from the Canadian line, 295 from the Danish line, and 1500 from the American line. The GeneSeek 50K GGP porcine HD array was employed to genotype the three pig populations. Firstly, genomic selective signature regions were identified using the pairwise fixation index (FST) and locus-specific branch length (LSBL). By applying a top 1% threshold for both parameters, a total of 888 candidate selective windows were identified, harbouring 1571 genes. Secondly, the investigation of regions of homozygosity (ROH) was performed utilizing the PLINK software. In total, 25 genomic regions exhibiting a high frequency of ROHs were detected, leading to the identification of 1216 genes. Finally, the identified potential functional genes from candidate genomic regions were annotated, and several important candidate genes associated with reproductive traits (ADCYAP1, U2, U6, CETN1, Thoc1, Usp14, GREB1L, FGF12) and meat quality traits (MiR-133, PLEKHO1, LPIN2, SHANK2, FLVCR1, MYL4, SFRP1, miR-486, MYH3, STYX) were identified. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the genetic basis of economic traits in Large White pigs and may have potential use in future pig breeding programs.

Robbsia betulipollinis sp. nov., Isolated from Pollen of Birch (Betula pendula).

One gram-negative strain designated Bb-Pol-6 T was isolated from birch (Betula pendula) pollen at Giessen area, Germany. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene-based phylogenies indicated the next-relative genera were Robbsia, Chitinasiproducens, Pararobbsia and Paraburkholderia (96-95.6%). Further comparative genome analysis and phylogenetic tree-based methods revealed its phylogenetic position under the genus Robbsia. The genome of strain Bb-Pol-6 T was 5.04 Mbp with 4401 predicted coding sequences and a G + C content of 65.31 mol%. Average amino acid identity, average nucleotide identity, digital DNA-DNA hybridization and percentage of conserved proteins values to Robbsia andropogonis DSM 9511 T were 68.0, 72.5, 22.7 and 65.85%, respectively. Strain Bb-Pol-6 T was rod-shaped, non-motile, facultative anaerobic and grew optimally at 28 °C and pH 6-7. Ubiquinone 8 was the major respiratory quinone and the major cellular fatty acids were C16:0, C19:0 cyclo ω7c, C17:0 cyclo ω7c and C17:1 ω6c. The dominant polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol and an unidentified aminophospholipid. Based on the genomic physiological and phenotypic characteristics, strain Bb-Pol-6 T was considered a novel species under the genus Robbsia, for which the name Robbsia betulipollinis sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain is Bb-Pol-6 T (= LMG 32774 T = DSM 114812 T).

Pregnancy feasibility in women with mild pulmonary arterial hypertension: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to evaluate the pregnancy feasibility of women with mild pulmonary hypertension according to pregnancy outcomes. METHODS: This systematic review and meta-analysis compared the differences in maternal and fetal outcomes between mild and moderate-to-severe pulmonary hypertension. Relevant English and Chinese literature were searched in the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (COCHRANE), CNKI, WanFang Data, and VIP databases between January 1st, 1990 and April 18th, 2023, and the references of the included articles and relevant systematic reviews were reviewed to determine whether studies were missed. The inclusion criteria were randomized controlled and observational studies (including case-control studies and cohort studies) examining maternal and fetal pregnancy outcomes with pulmonary hypertension. Conference abstracts, case reports, case series reports, non-comparative studies, and review articles were excluded. RESULTS: This meta-analysis included 32 studies. In this study, maternal and fetal outcomes were better in the mild pulmonary hypertension group than in the moderate-to-severe group. Regarding maternal mortality, the mild group was much lower than the moderate to severe group. We found a significant decrease in maternal mortality in the mild group after 2010. However, no significant difference in maternal mortality before and after 2010 was observed in the moderate to severe group. Cardiac complications, ICU admission, neonatal preterm birth, small for gestational age infants, low birth weight infants, neonatal asphyxia, and neonatal mortality were significantly lower in the mild pulmonary hypertension group than in the moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension group. The cesarean section rates of the two groups were similar. However, the vaginal delivery rate in the mild pulmonary hypertension group was significantly higher than that in the moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension group. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis confirmed that pregnancies with mild pulmonary hypertension had significantly better maternal and fetal outcomes than those with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension. For patients with mild pulmonary hypertension and good cardiac function, continued pregnancy or even delivery should be considered under multidisciplinary monitoring. However, maternal and fetal complications with moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension significantly increase. Hence, it is essential to evaluate pregnancy risk and terminate it in time.

Development and validation of a clinical survival model for young-onset colorectal cancer with synchronous liver-only metastases: a SEER population-based study and external validation.

Background: The morbidity and mortality of young-onset colorectal cancer (YO-CRC) patients have been increasing in recent years. Moreover, YO-CRC patients with synchronous liver-only metastases (YO-CRCSLM) have various survival outcomes. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to construct and validate a prognostic nomogram for patients with YO-CRCSLM. Methods: The YO-CRCSLM patients were rigorously screened from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database in January 2010 and December 2018 and then assigned to a training and validation cohort randomly (1488 and 639 patients, respectively). Moreover, the 122 YO-CRCSLM patients who were enrolled in The First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang University were served as a testing cohort. The variables were selected using the multivariable Cox model based on the training cohort and then developed a nomogram. The validation and testing cohort were used to validate the model's predictive accuracy. The calibration plots were used to determine the Nomogram's discriminative capabilities and precision, and the decision analysis (DCA) was performed to evaluate the Nomogram's net benefit. Finally, the Kaplan-Meier survival analyses were performed for the stratified patients based on total nomogram scores classified by the X-tile software. Results: The Nomogram was constructed including ten variables: marital status, primary site, grade, metastatic lymph nodes ratio (LNR), T stage, N stage, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), Surgery, and chemotherapy. The Nomogram performed admirably in the validation and testing group according to the calibration curves. The DCA analyses showed good clinical utility values. Low-risk patients (score<234) had significantly better survival outcomes than middle-risk (234-318) and high-risk (>318) patients (P < 0.001). Conclusion: A nomogram predicting the survival outcomes for patients with YO-CRCSLM was developed. In addition to facilitating personalized survival prediction, this nomogram may assist in developing clinical treatment strategies for patients with YO-CRCSLM who are undergoing treatment.

A Medium-entropy oxide as a promising cocatalyst to promote photocatalytic hydrogen evolution.

As emerging materials, medium-entropy oxides have attracted wide attention for the huge potential in energy storage, catalytic, magnetic and thermal applications. The electronic effect or the strong synergic effect caused by the construction of medium-entropy system leads to the unique properties of catalysis. In this contribution, we reported a medium-entropy CoNiCu oxide as an efficient cocatalyst for enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction. The target product was synthesized by a process of laser ablation in liquids and graphene oxide was applied as a conductive substrate of it, then it was loaded on the photocatalyst g-C3N4. The results showed that the modified photocatalysts exhibited the reduced [Formula: see text] and enhanced abilities of photoinduced charges separation and transfer. Furthermore, a maximum hydrogen production rate was measured to be 1177.52 µmol ·g-1·h-1 under the visible light irradiation, which was about 291 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4. These findings suggest that the medium-entropy CoNiCu oxide serves as an eminent cocatalyst, which offers a possible pathway towards the broadening of the applications of medium-entropy oxides and provides the alternatives to conventional cocatalysts.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of circRNAs in wheat tiller.

KEY MESSAGE: This study found that the intergenic circRNAs of wheat were more abundant than those of other plants. More importantly, a circRNA-mediated network associated with tillering was constructed for the first time. Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of endogenous non-coding RNAs with covalently closed circular structures, which play an important role in transcriptional and post-transcriptional regulation. Tiller is an important agronomic trait that determines plant morphological architecture and affects spike number in wheat. However, no studies on the characteristics and functions of circRNAs involved in the regulation of wheat tiller. Here, we performed a genome-wide identification of circRNAs using ribosomal-depleted RNA-seq from wheat tiller of two pairs near-isogenic lines. A total of 686 circRNAs were identified and distributed on 21 chromosomes of wheat, of which 537 were novel circRNAs. Unlike other plants, the majority of these circRNAs (61.8%) were derived from intergenic regions. One circRNA-mediated network associated with tillering was constructed through weighted gene co-expression network analysis, including 323 circRNAs, 117 miRNAs, and 968 mRNAs. GO and pathway enrichment analysis of mRNAs suggested that these circRNAs are involved in cell cycle, ncRNA export from nucleus, developmental process, plant hormone signal transduction, MAPK signaling pathway, RNA degradation. Of these circRNAs, ten circRNAs are associated with known tillering/branching genes in rice or Arabidopsis thaliana, including OsCesA7, EBR1, DTE1, CRD1, LPA1, PAY1, LRK1, OsNR2, OsCCA1, OsBZR1. In summary, we present the first study of the identification and characterization of circRNAs in wheat tiller, and the results suggest these circRNAs associated with tillering could play an important role in wheat tiller formation and development.

Genome-wide association analysis of Fusarium crown rot resistance in Chinese wheat landraces.

KEY MESSAGE: A novel locus for Fusarium crown rot (FCR) resistance was identified on chromosome 1B at 641.36-645.13 Mb using GWAS and could averagely increase 39.66% of FCR resistance in a biparental population. Fusarium crown rot can cause considerable yield losses. Developing and growing resistance cultivars is one of the most effective approaches for controlling this disease. In this study, 361 Chinese wheat landraces were evaluated for FCR resistance, and 27 with the disease index lower than 30.00 showed potential in wheat breeding programs. Using a genome-wide association study approach, putative quantitative trait loci (QTL) for FCR resistance was identified. A total of 21 putative loci on chromosomes 1A, 1B, 2B, 2D, 3B, 3D, 4B, 5A, 5B, 7A, and 7B were significantly associated with FCR resistance. Among these, a major locus Qfcr.sicau.1B-4 was consistently identified among all the trials on chromosome 1B with the physical regions from 641.36 to 645.13 Mb. A polymorphism kompetitive allele-specific polymerase (KASP) marker was developed and used to validate its effect in an F2:3 population consisting of 136 lines. The results showed the presence of this resistance allele could explain up to 39.66% of phenotypic variance compared to its counterparts. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction showed that two candidate genes of Qfcr.sicau.1B-4 were differently expressed after inoculation. Our study provided useful information for improving FCR resistance in wheat.