Comorbidity Burden and Health Care Utilization by Substance use Disorder Patterns among People with HIV in Florida.

Substance use disorder (SUD), a common comorbidity among people with HIV (PWH), adversely affects HIV clinical outcomes and HIV-related comorbidities. However, less is known about the incidence of different chronic conditions, changes in overall comorbidity burden, and health care utilization by SUD status and patterns among PWH in Florida, an area disproportionately affected by the HIV epidemic. We used electronic health records (EHR) from a large southeastern US consortium, the OneFlorida + clinical research data network. We identified a cohort of PWH with 3 + years of EHRs after the first visit with HIV diagnosis. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) codes were used to identify SUD and comorbidity conditions listed in the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI). A total of 42,271 PWH were included (mean age 44.5, 52% Black, 45% female). The prevalence SUD among PWH was 45.1%. Having a SUD diagnosis among PWH was associated with a higher incidence for most of the conditions listed on the CCI and faster increase in CCI score overtime (rate ratio = 1.45, 95%CI 1.42, 1.49). SUD in PWH was associated with a higher mean number of any care visits (21.7 vs. 14.8) and more frequent emergency department (ED, 3.5 vs. 2.0) and inpatient (8.5 vs. 24.5) visits compared to those without SUD. SUD among PWH was associated with a higher comorbidity burden and more frequent ED and inpatient visits than PWH without a diagnosis of SUD. The high SUD prevalence and comorbidity burden call for improved SUD screening, treatment, and integrated care among PWH.

Who wants long-Acting injectable antiretroviral therapy? Treatment preferences among adults with HIV in Florida.

Long-acting injectable (LAI) antiretroviral therapy (ART) is available to people with HIV (PWH), but it is unknown which PWH prefer this option. Using the Andersen Behavioral Model this study identifies characteristics of PWH with greater preference for LAI ART. Cross-sectional data from the Florida Cohort, which enrolled adult PWH from community-based clinics included information on predisposing (demographics), enabling (transportation, income), and need (ART adherence <90%) factors. ART preference was assessed via a single question (prefer pills, quarterly LAI, or no preference). Confounder-adjusted multinomial logistic regressions compared those who preferred pills to the other preference options, with covariates identified using directed acyclic graphs. Overall, 314 participants responded (40% non-Hispanic Black, 62% assigned male, 63% aged 50+). Most (63%) preferred the hypothetical LAI, 23% preferred pills, and 14% had no preference. PWH with access to a car (aRRR 1.97 95%CI 1.05-3.71), higher income (aRRR 2.55 95%CI 1.04-6.25), and suboptimal ART adherence (aRRR 7.41 95% CI 1.52-36.23) were more likely to prefer the LAI, while those who reported having no social network were less likely to prefer the LAI (aRRR 0.32 95% CI 0.11-0.88). Overall LAI interest was high, with greater preference associated with enabling and need factors.

Spatial and temporal analysis of HIV clinical outcomes in Florida reveals counties with persistent racial and ethnic disparities during 2012-2019.

BACKGROUND: Racial/ethnic disparities in the HIV care continuum have been well documented in the US, with especially striking inequalities in viral suppression rates between White and Black persons with HIV (PWH). The South is considered an epicenter of the HIV epidemic in the US, with the largest population of PWH living in Florida. It is unclear whether any disparities in viral suppression or immune reconstitution-a clinical outcome highly correlated with overall prognosis-have changed over time or are homogenous geographically. In this analysis, we 1) investigate longitudinal trends in viral suppression and immune reconstitution among PWH in Florida, 2) examine the impact of socio-ecological factors on the association between race/ethnicity and clinical outcomes, 3) explore spatial and temporal variations in disparities in clinical outcomes. METHODS: Data were obtained from the Florida Department of Health for 42,369 PWH enrolled in the Ryan White program during 2008-2020. We linked the data to county-level socio-ecological variables available from County Health Rankings. GEE models were fit to assess the effect of race/ethnicity on immune reconstitution and viral suppression longitudinally. Poisson Bayesian hierarchical models were fit to analyze geographic variations in racial/ethnic disparities while adjusting for socio-ecological factors. RESULTS: Proportions of PWH who experienced viral suppression and immune reconstitution rose by 60% and 45%, respectively, from 2008-2020. Odds of immune reconstitution and viral suppression were significantly higher among White [odds ratio =2.34, 95% credible interval=2.14-2.56; 1.95 (1.85-2.05)], and Hispanic [1.70 (1.54-1.87); 2.18(2.07-2.31)] PWH, compared with Black PWH. These findings remained unchanged after accounting for socio-ecological factors. Rural and urban counties in north-central Florida saw the largest racial/ethnic disparities. CONCLUSIONS: There is persistent, spatially heterogeneous, racial/ethnic disparity in HIV clinical outcomes in Florida. This disparity could not be explained by socio-ecological factors, suggesting that further research on modifiable factors that can improve HIV outcomes among Black and Hispanic PWH in Florida is needed.

Perception and Acceptance of Telemedicine Use in Health Care Among the General Public in China: Web-Based Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing about substantial changes in health care systems, leading to a significant shift toward telemedicine for the delivery of health care services. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine the relationship between perceived usefulness and ease of use of telemedicine services and their association with the behavioral intention to use telemedicine. METHODS: An anonymous cross-sectional survey was conducted in China. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to determine significant predictors of intention to use telemedicine consultation. Types of illnesses that favored seeking telemedicine consultation, as well as the most preferred platform for conducting telemedicine consultations, were also investigated. RESULTS: In total, 1006 participants completed the survey. A total of 44.3% (n=446) reported being very likely and 49.3% (n=496) reported being likely to seek telemedicine consultation. Overall, the majority of participants expressed strong agreement or agreement regarding the perceived usefulness of telemedicine. Likewise, the majority indicated strong agreement or agreement when it came to their perception of the ease of using telemedicine. In the partial least squares structural equation modeling, perceived usefulness (ß=0.322; P<.001) and perceived ease of use (ß=0.118; P=.01) were significantly associated with a higher likelihood of seeking telemedicine consultation. A considerable number of participants expressed willingness to use telemedicine services for various medical conditions, particularly respiratory (n=340, 33.8%), skin (n=316, 31.4%), and musculoskeletal issues (n=316, 31.4%) while showing less interest in seeking telemedicine consultations for reproductive health (n=44, 4.4%) and cancer (n=64, 6.4%). The majority preferred video chat (n=443, 44%) and text chat (n=317, 31.5%) as their most preferred platforms for telemedicine consultation, while a smaller proportion preferred telephone (n=193, 19.2%) and email (n=53, 5.3%). CONCLUSIONS: Telemedicine has the potential to play a larger role in China's health care system. The preferences for certain platforms over others may influence service design and implementation.

Ordered Membrane Electrode Assembly with Drastically Enhanced Proton and Mass Transport for Proton Exchange Membrane Water Electrolysis.

In this work, an ordered membrane electrode assembly (MEA) based on a cone Nafion array with gradient Nafion distribution, tightly bonded catalytic layer/proton exchange membrane (CL/PEM) interface, and abundant vertical channels has been engineered by an anodic aluminum oxide template and magnetron sputtering method. Benefiting from a highly efficient CL/PEM interface, plentiful proton transfer highways, and rapid oxygen bubble release, this ordered MEA achieves an ultralow Ir loading of 20.0 µg cm-2 and a high electrochemical active area by 8.7 times compared to traditional MEA with Ir loading of 1.0 mg cm-2. It yields a mass activity of 168 000 mA mgIr-1 cm-2 at 2.0 V, which is superior to most reported PEM electrolyzers. Notably, this ordered MEA maintains excellent durability at a current density of 500 mA cm-2. This work opens a simple, cost-effective, and scalable route to design ordered MEAs for proton exchange membrane water electrolysis.

Genome-Wide Identification and Evolution-Profiling Analysis of TPS Gene Family in Triticum Plants.

Terpenoids play a crucial role in plant growth and development, as well as in regulating resistance mechanisms. Terpene synthase (TPS) serves as the final step in the synthesis process of terpenoids. However, a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of the TPS gene family in Triticum plants had not previously been systematically undertaken. In this study, a total of 531 TPS members were identified in Triticum plants. The evolutionary tree divided the TPS proteins into five subfamilies: Group1, Group2, Group3, Group4, and Group5. The results of the duplication events analysis showed that TD and WGD were major driving forces during the evolution of the TPS family. The cis-element analysis showed that the TPS genes were related to plant growth and development and environmental stress. Moreover, the GO annotation displayed that the biological function of TPS was relatively conserved in wheat plants. The RNA-seq data showed that the rice and wheat TPS genes responded to low-temperature stress and exhibited significantly different expression patterns. This research shed light on the functions of TPSs in responding to abiotic stress and demonstrated their modulatory potential during root development. These findings provide a foundation for further and deeper investigation of the TPSs' functions in Triticum plants.

[Clinical significance of prostatic exosomal protein and PSA in detecting prostate cancer with the PSA gray zone and PI-RADS-3 lesions].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical value of prostatic exosomal protein (PSEP) and PSA in the diagnosis of PCa with PSA in the gray zone (4－10 µg/L) and Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System category 3 (PI-RADS-3) lesions. METHODS: From 2019 to 2022, 211 patients with the PSA gray zone and PI-RADS-3 lesions underwent prostate multi-parameter MRI, prostate needle biopsy or transurethral resection/enucleation of the prostate. We collected the baseline urine samples from the patients, examined the content of PSEP in the urine by ELISA and evaluated the performance of PSEP and PSA in the diagnosis of PCa. RESULTS: Among the total number of patients, 57 were confirmed with PCa (the positive group) and the other 154 with benign prostate conditions (the negative group) by biopsy pathology. The free PSA level (fPSA), free to total PSA ratio (f/tPSA) and PSEP content were dramatically lower in the positive than in the negative group (all P< 0.01). Uni- and multivariate analyses showed f/tPSA and PSEP to be independent factors for predicting PCa with the PSA gray zone and PI-RADS-3 lesions, with the AUC values of 0.70 and 0.78, best cutoff values of 0.18 and 1.45 µg/L, sensitivity of 84.21% and 70.18%, and specificity of 58.44% and 77.27%, respectively (P< 0.01). The multivariate model with combined use of f/tPSA and PSEP (AUC: 0.82, best cutoff value: 0.31, sensitivity: 82.46%, specificity: 75.32%) outperformed either f/tPSA or PSEP alone in the diagnosis of PCa with the PSA gray zone and PI-RADS-3 lesions (P< 0.01, P = 0.04). CONCLUSION: For patients with the PSA gray zone and PI-RADS-3 lesions, f/tPSA and PSEP are significant predictors of PCa. The multivariate model of PSEP combined with f/tPSA can replace f/tPSA in the detection of PCa to improve diagnostic performance and avoid unnecessary prostate biopsy.

Titanium Nitride Nanorods Array-Decorated Graphite Felt as Highly Efficient Negative Electrode for Iron-Chromium Redox Flow Battery.

Iron-chromium redox flow batteries have attracted widespread attention because of their low cost. However, the performance of these batteries is still lower than that of vanadium redox flow batteries due to the poor electrochemical activity of Cr3+ /Cr2+ redox couples on graphite felt electrodes. Herein, binder-free TiN nanorods array-decorated 3D graphite felt composite electrode-is demonstrated. The dendrite-like TiN nanorods array increases the specific surface area of the electrode. The nitrogen and oxygen elements on the surface provide more adsorption sites and electrochemically active sites for Cr3+ /Cr2+ . The contact resistance of the composite electrode is effectively reduced and its homogeneity and stability are improved by avoiding the use of a binder and mixing process. A battery prepared using the TiN nanorods array-decorated 3D graphite felt electrode has enabled the maximum power density to be 427 mW·cm-2 , which is 74.0% higher than a battery assembled with TiN nanoparticles bonded to graphite felt. At a current density of 80 mA·cm-2 , the TiN nanorods battery exhibits the highest coulombic efficiency of 93.0%, voltage efficiency of 90.4%, and energy efficiency of 84.1%. Moreover, the battery efficiency and composite electrode structure remains stable during a redox flow battery cycle test.

Substance Use and Adherence to HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis in Studies Enrolling Men Who Have Sex with Men and Transgender Women: A Systematic Review.

Optimal adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is critical, but challenging. Men who have sex with men and transgender women have high rates of HIV incidence and substance use. Substance use is associated with reduced adherence to other medications, but associations between substance use and adherence to PrEP are less clear. Thus, the current review 1) systematically evaluates the measurement of substance use and PrEP adherence in studies examining both and 2) summarizes reported findings. Peer-reviewed articles published between 2010 - April 2021 examining associations between substance use and PrEP adherence were reviewed. Fifty studies met inclusion criteria. Assessment of substance use (i.e., mostly via self-reports at baseline) and PrEP adherence (i.e., often via tenofovir diphosphate [TFV-DP] concentration levels at follow-up) varied considerably across studies. Many studies used categorical variables (e.g., substance use: yes/no). Studies using TFV-DP levels defined adherence consistently (i.e., TFV-DP ≥ 700 fmol/punch), with slight variations. Qualitative studies (n = 10) indicated that substance use (mainly alcohol) is related to poorer PrEP adherence. While quantitative findings to date are equivocal for alcohol, there is a pattern of findings linking stimulant use with poorer PrEP adherence. This review reveals four methodological gaps, which can be addressed in future research by: 1) use of uniform benchmarks for substance use measures, 2) prospective assessment for substance use, 3) use of continuous outcome variables wherever possible, and 4) more extensive consideration of potential confounders. Addressing these methodological gaps may help us reach more definitive conclusions regarding associations between substance use and PrEP adherence.

Psychosocial Syndemic Classes and Longitudinal Transition Patterns Among Sexual Minority men Living with or Without HIV in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS).

Mental health and substance use epidemics interact to create psychosocial syndemics, accelerating poor health outcomes. Using latent class and latent transition analyses, we identified psychosocial syndemic phenotypes and their longitudinal transition pathways among sexual minority men (SMM) in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS, n = 3,384, mean age 44, 29% non-Hispanic Black, 51% with HIV). Self-reported depressive symptoms and substance use indices (i.e., smoking, hazardous drinking, marijuana, stimulant, and popper use) at the index visit, 3-year and 6-year follow-up were used to model psychosocial syndemics. Four latent classes were identified: "poly-behavioral" (19.4%), "smoking and depression" (21.7%), "illicit drug use" (13.8%), and "no conditions" (45.1%). Across all classes, over 80% of SMM remained in that same class over the follow-ups. SMM who experienced certain psychosocial clusters (e.g., illicit drug use) were less likely to transition to a less complex class. These people could benefit from targeted public health intervention and greater access to treatment resources.

Bioinspired Engineering of Fillable Gradient Structure into Flexible Capacitive Pressure Sensor Toward Ultra-High Sensitivity and Wide Working Range.

Tactile sensing is required for electronic skin and intelligent robots to function properly. However, the dielectric layer's poor structural compressibility in conventional pressure sensors results in a limited pressure sensing range and low sensitivity. To solve this issue, a flexible pressure sensor with a crocodile-inspired fillable gradient structure is provided. The fillable gradient structure and grooves in the pressure sensor accommodate the deformed microstructure that permits the enhancement of the media layer compressibility via COMSOL finite element simulation and optimization. The pressure sensor exhibits a high sensitivity of up to 0.97 k Pa-1 (0-4 kPa), a wide pressure detection range (7 Pa-380 kPa), and outstanding repeatability. The sensor can detect Morse code, robotic grabbing, and human motion monitoring. As a result, flexible sensors with a bionic fillable gradient structure pave the way for wearable devices and offer a novel method for achieving highly precise tactile perception.

Probing the local structure of FLiBe melts and solidified salts by in situ high-temperature NMR.

The 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) salt melt is considered the primary choice for a coolant and fuel carrier for the generation IV molten salt reactor (MSR). However, the basics of ionic coordination and short-range ordered structures have been rarely reported due to the toxicity and volatility of beryllium fluorides, as well as the lack of suitable high-temperature in situ probe methods. In this work, the local structure of FLiBe melts was investigated in detail using the newly designed HT-NMR method. It was found that the local structure was comprised of a series of tetrahedral coordinated ionic clusters (e.g., BeF42-, Be2F73-, Be3F104-, and polymeric intermediate-range units). Li+ ions were coordinated by BeF42- ions and the polymeric Be-F network through the analysis of the NMR chemical shifts. Using solid-state NMR, the structure of solid FLiBe solidified mixed salts was confirmed to form a 3D network structure, significantly similar to those of silicates. The above results provide new insights into the local structure of FLiBe salts, which verifies the strong covalent interactions of Be-F coordination and the specific structural transformation to the polymeric ions above 25% BeF2 concentration.

Marine-Derived Natural Product HDYL-GQQ-495 Targets P62 to Inhibit Autophagy.

Autophagy is widely implicated in pathophysiological processes such as tumors and metabolic and neurodegenerative disorders, making it an attractive target for drug discovery. Several chemical screening approaches have been developed to uncover autophagy-modulating compounds. However, the modulation capacity of marine compounds with significant pharmacological activities is largely unknown. We constructed an EGFPKI-LC3B cell line using the CRISPR/Cas9 knock-in strategy in which green fluorescence indicated endogenous autophagy regulation. Using this cell line, we screened a compound library of approximately 500 marine natural products and analogues to investigate molecules that altered the EGFP fluorescence. We identified eight potential candidates that enhanced EGFP fluorescence, and HDYL-GQQ-495 was the leading one. Further validation with immunoblotting demonstrated that cleaved LC3 was increased in dose- and time-dependent manners, and the autophagy adaptor P62 showed oligomerization after HDYL-GQQ-495 treatment. We also demonstrated that HDYL-GQQ-495 treatment caused autophagy substrate aggregation, which indicated that HDYL-GQQ-495 serves as an autophagy inhibitor. Furthermore, HDYL-GQQ-495 induced Gasdermin E (GSDME) cleavage and promoted pyroptosis. Moreover, HDYL-GQQ-495 directly combined with P62 to induce P62 polymerization. In P62 knockout cells, the cleavage of LC3 or GSDME was blocked after HDYL-GQQ-495 treatment. The EGFPKI-LC3B cell line was an effective tool for autophagy modulator screening. Using this tool, we found a novel marine-derived compound, HDYL-GQQ-495, targeting P62 to inhibit autophagy and promote pyroptosis.

Genome-Wide Analysis of the SNARE Family in Cultivated Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) Reveals That Some Members Are Involved in Stress Responses.

The superfamily of soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor attachment protein receptor (SNARE) proteins mediates membrane fusion during vesicular transport between endosomes and the plasma membrane in eukaryotic cells, playing a vital role in plant development and responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a major oilseed crop worldwide that produces pods below ground, which is rare in flowering plants. To date, however, there has been no systematic study of SNARE family proteins in peanut. In this study, we identified 129 putative SNARE genes from cultivated peanut (A. hypogaea) and 127 from wild peanut (63 from Arachis duranensis, 64 from Arachis ipaensis). We sorted the encoded proteins into five subgroups (Qa-, Qb-, Qc-, Qb+c- and R-SNARE) based on their phylogenetic relationships with Arabidopsis SNAREs. The genes were unevenly distributed on all 20 chromosomes, exhibiting a high rate of homolog retention from their two ancestors. We identified cis-acting elements associated with development, biotic and abiotic stresses in the promoters of peanut SNARE genes. Transcriptomic data showed that expression of SNARE genes is tissue-specific and stress inducible. We hypothesize that AhVTI13b plays an important role in the storage of lipid proteins, while AhSYP122a, AhSNAP33a and AhVAMP721a might play an important role in development and stress responses. Furthermore, we showed that three AhSNARE genes (AhSYP122a, AhSNAP33a and AhVAMP721) enhance cold and NaCl tolerance in yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae), especially AhSNAP33a. This systematic study provides valuable information about the functional characteristics of AhSNARE genes in the development and regulation of abiotic stress responses in peanut.

Identifying the coupling coordination relationship between urbanization and forest ecological security and its impact mechanism: Case study of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, China.

Boosting the coordination and symbiosis of urbanization and forest ecological security is notably critical for promoting regional green and sustainable development and achieving emission peak and carbon neutrality goals. However, there was still a lack of in-depth analysis of the coupling coordination relationship between urbanization and forest ecological security and its impact mechanism. On the basis of the data from 844 counties in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, this paper explored the spatial differences and influencing factors of the coupling coordination degree of urbanization and forest ecological security. The results manifested that: i) There were apparent spatial disparities in the urbanization index, forest ecological security index, comprehensive index, coupling degree and coupling coordination degree of the Yangtze River Economic Belt. Among them, the spatial pattern of coupling coordination degree had a strong consistency with urbanization index, that is, areas with higher urbanization index also had higher coupling coordination degree. ii) Based on coupling feature identification, it was found that 249 'problem areas' were mainly located in Yunnan Province, southeastern Guizhou Province, central Anhui Province, and central and eastern Jiangsu Province. The main factor for the formation was due to the lag of urbanization in coordinated development. iii) Among the socioeconomic indicators, population structure (0.136), per capita year-end financial institutions loan balance (0.409) and per capita fixed asset investment (0.202) all had a positive impact on coupling coordination degree, while location conditions (-0.126) had a negative impact. Among the natural indicators, soil organic matter (-0.212) and temperature (-0.094) had a negative impact on coupling coordination degree. iv) During the process of coordinated development, it was necessary to increase financial investment and financial support, actively formulate policies to attract talents, enhance the education and publicity of ecological civilization, and develop a green circular economy. The above measures can promote the harmonious development of urbanization and forest ecological security in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

Bio-Inspired Polyanionic Electrolytes for Highly Stable Zinc-Ion Batteries.

For zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs), the non-uniform Zn plating/stripping results in a high polarization and low Coulombic efficiency (CE), hindering the large-scale application of ZIBs. Here, inspired by biomass seaweed plants, an anionic polyelectrolyte alginate acid (SA) was used to initiate the in situ formation of the high-performance solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the Zn anode. Attribute to the anionic groups of -COO- , the affinity of Zn2+ ions to alginate acid induces a well-aligned accelerating channel for uniform plating. This SEI regulates the desolvation structure of Zn2+ and facilitates the formation of compact Zn (002) crystal planes. Even under high depth of discharge conditions (DOD), the SA-coated Zn anode still maintains a stable Zn stripping/plating behavior with a low potential difference (0.114 V). According to the classical nucleation theory, the nucleation energy for SA-coated Zn is 97 % less than that of bare Zn, resulting in a faster nucleation rate. The Zn||Cu cell assembled with the SA-coated electrode exhibits an outstanding average CE of 99.8 % over 1,400 cycles. The design is successfully demonstrated in pouch cells, where the SA-coated Zn exhibits capacity retention of 96.9 % compared to 59.1 % for bare Zn anode, even under the high cathode mass loading (>10 mg/cm2 ).

When It's Heavier: Interfacial and Solvation Chemistry of Isotopes in Aqueous Electrolytes for Zn-ion Batteries.

The electrochemical effect of isotope (EEI) of water is introduced in the Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) electrolyte to deal with the challenge of severe side reactions and massive gas production. Due to the low diffusion and strong coordination of ions in D2 O, the possibility of side reactions is decreased, resulting in a broader electrochemically stable potential window, less pH change, and less zinc hydroxide sulfate (ZHS) generation during cycling. Moreover, we demonstrate that D2 O eliminates the different ZHS phases generated by the change of bound water during cycling because of the consistently low local ion and molecule concentration, resulting in a stable interface between the electrode and electrolyte. The full cells with D2 O-based electrolyte demonstrated more stable cycling performance which displayed ∼100 % reversible efficiencies after 1,000 cycles with a wide voltage window of 0.8-2.0 V and 3,000 cycles with a normal voltage window of 0.8-1.9 V at a current density of 2 A g-1 .

Genome-wide identification and expression of SAUR gene family in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and functional identification of AhSAUR3 in drought tolerance.

BACKGROUND: Small auxin-upregulated RNAs (SAURs) gene family plays important roles in plant growth, development, and stress responses. However, the function of few SAUR genes is known in the peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), one of the world's major food legume crops. This study aimed to perform a comprehensive identification of the SAUR gene family from the peanut genome. RESULTS: The genome-wide analysis revealed that a total of 162 SAUR genes were identified in the peanut genome. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that the SAUR proteins were classified into eight subfamilies. The SAUR gene family experienced a remarkable expansion after tetraploidization, which contributed to the tandem duplication events first occurring in subgenome A and then segmental duplication events occurring between A and B subgenomes. The expression profiles based on transcriptomic data showed that SAUR genes were dominantly expressed in the leaves, pistils, perianth, and peg tips, and were widely involved in tolerance against abiotic stresses. A total of 18 AhSAUR genes selected from different subfamilies randomly presented 4 major expression patterns according to their expression characteristics in response to indole-3-acetic acid. The members from the same subfamily showed a similar expression pattern. Furthermore, the functional analysis revealed that AhSAUR3 played a negative role in response to drought tolerance. CONCLUSIONS: This study provided insights into the evolution and function of the SAUR gene family and may serve as a resource for further functional research on AhSAUR genes.

SPTBN1 abrogates renal clear cell carcinoma progression via glycolysis reprogramming in a GPT2-dependent manner.

BACKGROUND: Renal clear cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most prevalent tumors worldwide. Discovering effective biomarkers is essential to monitor the prognosis and provide alternative clinical options. SPTBN1 is implicated in various cancerous processes. However, its role in ccRCC remains unelucidated. This study intends to explore the biological function and mechanism of SPTBN1 in ccRCC. METHODS: Single-cell and bulk RNA-seq, tissue microarray, real-time quantitative PCR, and western blotting were applied to verify the expression and predictive value of SPTBN1 in ccRCC. Gain or loss of functional ccRCC cell line models were constructed, and in vitro and in vivo assays were performed to elucidate its tumorigenic phenotypes. Actinomycin D experiment, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), specific inhibitors, and rescue experiments were carried out to define the molecular mechanisms. RESULTS: SPTBN1 was down-regulated in ccRCC and knockdown of SPTBN1 displayed a remarkably oncogenic role both in vitro and in vivo; while overexpressing SPTBN1 reversed this effect. SPTBN1 mediated ccRCC progression via the pathway of glutamate pyruvate transaminase 2 (GPT2)-dependent glycolysis. The expression of GPT2 was significantly negatively correlated with that of SPTBN1. As an RNA binding protein SPTBN1, regulated the mRNA stability of GPT2. CONCLUSION: Our research demonstrated that SPTBN1 is significantly down-regulated in ccRCC. SPTBN1 knockdown promotes ccRCC progression via activating GPT2-dependent glycolysis. SPTBN1 may serve as a therapeutic target for the treatment of ccRCC.

First Indirect Drive Experiment Using a Six-Cylinder-Port Hohlraum.

The new hohlraum experimental platform and the quasi-3D simulation model are developed to enable the study of the indirect drive experiment using the six-cylinder-port hohlraum for the first time. It is also the first implosion experiment for the six laser-entrance-hole hohlraum to effectively use all the laser beams of the laser facility that is primarily designed for the cylindrical hohlraum. The experiments performed at the 100 kJ Laser Facility produce a peak hohlraum radiation temperature of ∼222 eV for ∼80 kJ and 2 ns square laser pulse. The inferred x-ray conversion efficiency η∼87% is similar to the cylindrical hohlraum and higher than the octahedral spherical hohlraum at the same laser facility, while the low laser backscatter is similar to the outer cone of the cylindrical hohlraum. The hohlraum radiation temperature and M-band (>1.6 keV) flux can be well reproduced by the quasi-3D simulation. The variations of the yield-over-clean and the hot spot shape can also be semiquantitatively explained by the calculated major radiation asymmetry of the quasi-3D simulation. Our work demonstrates the capability for the study of the indirect drive with the six-cylinder-port hohlraum at the cylindrically configured laser facility, which is essential for numerically assessing the laser energy required by the ignition-scale six-cylinder-port hohlraum.