A long noncoding RNA functions in pumpkin fruit development through S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase.

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various biological processes. However, the regulatory roles of lncRNAs underlying fruit development have not been extensively studied. The pumpkin (Cucurbita spp.) is a preferred model for understanding the molecular mechanisms regulating fruit development because of its variable shape and size and large inferior ovary. Here, we performed strand-specific transcriptome sequencing on pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima "Rimu") fruits at 6 developmental stages and identified 5,425 reliably expressed lncRNAs. Among the 332 lncRNAs that were differentially expressed during fruit development, the lncRNA MSTRG.44863.1 was identified as a negative regulator of pumpkin fruit development. MSTRG.44863.1 showed a relatively high expression level and an obvious period-specific expression pattern. Transient overexpression and silencing of MSTRG.44863.1 significantly increased and decreased the content of 1-aminocyclopropane carboxylic acid (a precursor of ethylene) and ethylene production, respectively. RNA pull-down and microscale thermophoresis assays further revealed that MSTRG.44863.1 can interact with S-adenosyl-L-methionine synthetase (SAMS), an enzyme in the ethylene synthesis pathway. Considering that ethylene negatively regulates fruit development, these results indicate that MSTRG.44863.1 plays an important role in the regulation of pumpkin fruit development, possibly through interacting with SAMS and affecting ethylene synthesis. Overall, our findings provide a rich resource for further study of fruit-related lncRNAs while offering insights into the regulation of fruit development in plants.

Design and analysis of unequal aperture off-axis optical integrator for solar simulators.

The unequal aperture off-axis optical integrator design method is proposed to improve the irradiation uniformity of solar simulators and solve the problem of limited uniformity of optical integrator due to aberrations and uneven distribution of incident radiation. Firstly, the unequal aperture off-axis optical integrator structure is designed based on the scalar diffraction theory to analyze the factors affecting the optical homogenization ability of the optical integrator. Then, the relationship between sub-eye lens aperture and arrangement is explored in combination with Lagrange invariance principle and semi-definite programming theory. Finally, the optimum off-axis amount of sub-eye lens with different ring band is determined from the perspective of geometric optics by using the aberration theory and following the principle of edge light, so as to improve the evenness of optical integrator. The design results are verified by the simulation analysis. The simulation results show that: In the picture plane of optical integrator, the irradiation non-uniformity in the ф 26 mm irradiation plane is 14.87%, which is better than 26.02% in the traditional optical integrator. At the same time, at the effective irradiated surface, the irradiation non-uniformity of 0.53% within the ф 300 mm reaches the irradiation standard of the class A + solar simulator, and the irradiance only decreases by 16.5% compared with the traditional optical integrator, which still meets the index requirement of a solar constant. The goal of improving the evenness of optical integrator is realized without greatly affecting irradiance and without introducing aspherical design.

Simulation method for multi-source information fusion space target.

Current space target simulation systems suffer from limitations, such as a single simulated spectral band, inability to allocate spectral ratios between bands, and poor imaging quality of multi-spectral simulated images. We propose a multi-source information fusion spatial target simulation method system that features a "series-parallel" hybrid connection. We optimize the design of a multi-spectral common aperture optical system and experimentally verify the proposed method. The experimental results show that the proposed system can simulate a wide range of spectral bands ranging from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared. Furthermore, it achieves precise control over the ratio of simulated radiant energy among spectral bands, with a spectral simulation error of less than 4.8%. Notably, it effectively images stars against the cosmic background and spacecraft across different spectral bands. This system serves as a theoretical cornerstone and provides crucial technological support for performance testing and rapid iterative development of multi-source information fusion space exploration systems.

The value of CT shape quantification in predicting pathological classification of lung adenocarcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether quantification of lung GGN shape is useful in predicting pathological categorization of lung adenocarcinoma and guiding the clinic. METHODS: 98 patients with primary lung adenocarcinoma were pathologically confirmed and CT was performed preoperatively, and all lesions were pathologically ≤ 30 mm in size. On CT images, we measured the maximum area of the lesion's cross-section (MA). The longest diameter of the tumor (LD) was marked with points A and B, and the perpendicular diameter (PD) was marked with points C and D, which was the longest diameter perpendicular to AB. and D, which was the longest diameter perpendicular to AB. We took angles A and B as big angle A (BiA) and small angle A (SmA). We measured the MA, LD, and PD, and for analysis we derived the LD/PD ratio and the BiA/SmA ratio. The data were analysed using the chi-square test, t-test, ROC analysis, and binary logistic regression analysis. RESULTS: Precursor glandular lesions (PGL) and microinvasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) were distinguished from invasive adenocarcinoma (IAC) by the BiA/SmA ratio and LD, two independent factors (p = 0.007, p = 0.018). Lung adenocarcinoma pathological categorization was indicated by the BiA/SmA ratio of 1.35 and the LD of 11.56 mm with sensitivity of 81.36% and 71.79%, respectively; specificity of 71.79% and 74.36%, respectively; and AUC of 0.8357 (95% CI: 0.7558-0.9157, p < 0.001), 0.8666 (95% CI: 0.7866-0.9465, p < 0.001), respectively. In predicting the pathological categorization of lung adenocarcinoma, the area under the ROC curve of the BiA/SmA ratio combined with LD was 0.9231 (95% CI: 0.8700-0.9762, p < 0.001), with a sensitivity of 81.36% and a specificity of 89.74%. CONCLUSIONS: Quantification of lung GGN morphology by the BiA/SmA ratio combined with LD could be helpful in predicting pathological classification of lung adenocarcinoma.

Magnetically Induced Binary Ferrocene with Oxidized Iron.

Ferrocene is perhaps the most popular and well-studied organometallic molecule, but our understanding of its structure and electronic properties has not changed for more than 70 years. In particular, all previous attempts of chemically oxidizing pure ferrocene by binding directly to the iron center have been unsuccessful, and no significant change in structure or magnetism has been reported. Using a metal organic framework host material, we were able to fundamentally change the electronic and magnetic structure of ferrocene to take on a never-before observed physically stretched/bent high-spin Fe(II) state, which readily accepts O2 from air, chemically oxidizing the iron from Fe(II) to Fe(III). We also show that the binding of oxygen is reversible through temperature swing experiments. Our analysis is based on combining Mößbauer spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, in situ infrared, SQUID, thermal gravimetric analysis, and energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectroscopy measurements with ab initio modeling.

Luminescent Metal-Organic Framework for the Selective Detection of Aldehydes.

The detection of toxic, hazardous chemical species is an important task because they pose serious risks to either the environment or human health. Luminescent metal-organic frameworks (LMOFs) as alternative sensors offer rapid and sensitive detection of chemical species. Interactions between chemical species and LMOFs result in changes in the photoluminescence (PL) profile of the LMOFs which can be readily detected using a simple fluorometer. Herein, we report the use of a robust, Zn-based LMOF, [Zn5(µ3-OH)2(adtb)2(H2O)5·5 DMA] (Zn-adtb, LMOF-341), for the selective detection of benzaldehyde. Upon exposure to benzaldehyde, Zn-adtb experiences significant luminescent quenching, as characterized through PL experiments. Photoluminescent titration experiments reveal that LMOF-341 has a detection limit of 64 ppm and a Ksv value of 179 M-1 for benzaldehyde. Furthermore, we study the guest-host interactions that occur between LMOF-341 and benzaldehyde through in situ Fourier transform infrared and computational modeling employing density functional theory. The results show that benzaldehyde interacts more strongly with LMOF-341 compared to formaldehyde and propionaldehyde. Our combined studies also reveal that the mechanism of luminescence quenching originates from an electron-transfer process.

Proteomic Analysis of Frozen-Thawed Spermatozoa with Different Levels of Freezability in Dairy Goats.

The results of artificial insemination (AI) are adversely affected by changes in sperm motility and function throughout the cryopreservation procedure. The proteome alterations of frozen-thawed spermatozoa with various levels of freezability in dairy goats, however, remain largely unknown. To discover differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) and their roles in dairy goat sperm with high or low freezability (HF or LF), we conducted 4D-DIA quantitative proteomics analysis, the results of which are presented in this work. Additionally, we explored the underlying processes that may lead to the variations in sperm freezing resistance. A total of 263 DEPs (Fold Change > 2.0, p-value < 0.05) were identified between the HF group and LF group in frozen-thawed dairy goat spermatozoa. In our Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, the DEPs were mostly associated with the regulation of biological processes, metabolic processes, and responses to stress and cellular component biogenesis. Our Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis also revealed that the DEPs were predominantly engaged in oxidative phosphorylation, N-Glycan biosythesis, and cysteine and methionien metabolism. A protein-protein interaction (PPI) network analysis revealed 14 potential proteins (NUDFB8, SDHC, PDIA4, HSPB1, etc.) that might influence the freezability of dairy goat sperm. These findings shed light on the processes underlying alterations in the proteome and sperm freezability, aiding further research on sperm cryopreservation.

Anthropogenic land-use activities within watersheds reduce comammox activity and diversity in rivers.

Nitrogen cycling plays a key role in maintaining river ecological functions which are threatened by anthropogenic activities. The newly discovered complete ammonia oxidation, comammox, provides novel insights into the ecological effects of nitrogen on that it oxidizes ammonia directly to nitrate without releasing nitrite as canonical ammonia oxidization conducted by AOA or AOB which is believed to play an important role in greenhouse gas generation. Theoretically, contribution of commamox, AOA and AOB to ammonia oxidization in rivers might be impacted by anthropogenic land-use activities through alterations in flow regime and nutrient input. While how land use pattern affects comammox and other canonical ammonia oxidizers remains elusive. In this study, we examined the ecological effects of land use practices on the activity and contribution of three distinctive groups of ammonia oxidizers (AOA, AOB, comammox) as well as the composition of comammox bacterial communities from 15 subbasins covering an area of 6166 km2 in North China. The results showed that comammox dominated nitrification (55.71%-81.21%) in less disturbed basins characterized by extensive forests and grassland, while AOB became the major player (53.83%-76.43%) in highly developed basins with drastic urban and agricultural development. In addition, increasing anthropogenic land use activities within the watershed lowered the alpha diversity of comammox communities and simplified the comammox network. Additionally, the alterations of NH4+-N, pH and C/N induced by land use change were found to be crucial drivers in determining the distribution and activity of AOB and comammox. Together, our findings cast a new light on aquatic-terrestrial linkages from the view of microorganism-mediated nitrogen cycling and can further be applied to target watershed land use management.

Rehabilitation effects of game therapy in people living with dementia: A systematic review and meta-analysis: Three formats of game therapy for Alzheimer's patients.

BACKGROUND: As a devastating neurodegenerative disease, Alzheimer's disease (AD) imposes a considerable direct and indirect financial burden. However, effective drug treatment options are limited. In recent years, game therapy has become a research hotspot in this field. AIMS: The purpose of this study was to synthesize the conclusions of existing studies and integrate the data to evaluate the effects of game therapy on people living with dementia (PLWD). METHODS: We included randomized clinical trials and quasi-experimental studies which assessed the impacts of game therapy on PLWD and took cognitive function, quality of life, and depression as outcome indicators. Two trained researchers independently screened the studies, evaluated the quality, and extracted the data. Statistical analysis was performed by Review Manager (Revman) 5.3 and STATA16.0 software. RESULTS: There were 12 studies involving 877 PLWD included, total. The results of the meta-analysis demonstrated that the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores of the test group were significantly higher than that of the control group (SMD = 2.69, 95% CI [1.88, 3.51], p < .01), and the Cornell Scale for Depression in Dementia scores of the test group were significantly lower than those of the control group (SMD = -4.28, 95% CI [-6.96, -1.60], p < .01); but in terms of quality of life (SMD = 0.17, 95% CI [-0.82, 1.16], p = .74), the difference was not statistically significant. LINKING EVIDENCE TO ACTION: Game therapy can improve cognitive function and depression in PLWD. The combination of different types of games can improve the different clinical symptoms of PLWD, and different intervention time also have different effects on the outcome, which shows that we can develop unique, systematic, safe, and scientific game intervention programs for PLWD to improve their cognitive function and depression.

Optical design of a solar simulator for meteorological fields to improve irradiance uniformity and expand the range of irradiation regulation.

Aiming at the problems of low irradiation uniformity and a narrow irradiance regulation range in the existing solar simulators, an optical design method for meteorological solar simulators with high irradiation uniformity and wide-range irradiance is proposed. Using a xenon lamp and a variable coefficient non-coaxial ellipsoid reflector as the concentrator system, we analyze the causes of stray light in the optical integrator. The optimal design method of the integrator based on the anti-crosstalk diaphragm and the light propagation matrix model, which effectively suppress the stray light, is proposed. The irradiance regulation system is designed to continuously regulate the irradiance in a wide range. The optimal design method of the collimated system is given. The rationality of the system design is verified by the simulation of LightTools software. The results show that within the effective irradiation surface of 100mm×100mm, the irradiance is continuously adjustable in the range of 100-1400W/m2, and the irradiation uniformity is better than 99.10% under different irradiances. This research breaks through the limitations of low irradiation uniformity and a narrow irradiance adjustment range of traditional meteorological solar simulators and can provide accurate and reliable solar irradiance for the verification and calibration of pyranometers.

Copper-Catalyzed Coupling of Amines with Carbazates: An Approach to Carbamates.

A new approach for the preparation of carbamates via the copper-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of amines with alkoxycarbonyl radicals generated from carbazates is described. This environmentally friendly protocol takes place under mild conditions and is compatible with a wide range of amines, including aromatic/aliphatic and primary/secondary substrates.

Ultrastable Zirconium-Based Cationic Metal-Organic Frameworks for Perrhenate Removal from Wastewater.

The effective removal of radioactive 99TcO4- anion from nuclear wastewater remains a very difficult unsolved problem. Functional adsorbent materials with high stability, anion-exchange capacity, excellent selectivity, and recyclability are much needed to solve this problem. In this work, we designed two stable cationic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs)-Zr-tcbp-Me and Zr-tcpp-Me-for possible use as adsorbent materials to remove 99TcO4-. Both compounds were synthesized by solvothermal reactions of the tetracarboxylate ligand with zirconium salt, followed by postsynthetic modification (N-methylation). The crystallinity of both zirconium-based MOFs can be well retained under harsh conditions, and they exhibit high adsorption capacity and selectivity toward ReO4- anion, a nonradioactive analogue of 99TcO4-. Zr-tcbp-Me and Zr-tcpp-Me demonstrate the highest framework stability toward acidity among all previously reported cationic MOFs that have been tested for perrhenate removal from wastewater.

Modeling and analysis of a monocentric multi-scale optical system.

A monocentric lens combined with a multi-scale form can achieve a large field of view while maintaining the resolution. This report describes an analytical model that is suitable for both Galilean- and Keplerian-type monocentric multi-scale (MMS) systems; this model also analyzes the correlation between the two types of systems. Moreover, the off-axis aberration associated with the analytical model was derived, on this basis, the Galilean- and Keplerian-type MMS systems were compared. It was concluded that the Galilean-type MMS system performs better with respect to aberration performance. This report provides a useful reference for further applications and developments of MC systems.

Design and analysis of inner focus for a large spectral bandwidth optical system.

In this paper, we present a method of solving the chromatic aberration problem of large spectral bandwidth optical systems encountered during the internal focusing process. Rational selection of the focal length of each lens group and the distance between them retained the achromatic characteristic of the optical system when the inner focus lens group was mobilized. The proposed design was experimentally validated. This paper can be useful to research on internal focusing in wide-band systems.

Asymmetric Coupling of Carbon-Centered Radicals Adjacent to Nitrogen: Copper-Catalyzed Cyanation and Etherification of Enamides.

The first copper-catalyzed asymmetric cyanation and etherification reactions of enamides have been established, where a carbon-centered radical adjacent to a nitrogen atom (CRAN) is enantioselectively trapped by a chiral copper(II) species. Moreover, the asymmetric cyanation of vinyl esters was disclosed as well. These reactions feature very mild reaction conditions and high functional group tolerance, and give a series of chiral α-cyano amides, α-cyano esters and α-hemiaminals in good yields with excellent enantioselectivity. The chiral α-cyano amides can be easily converted into enantioenriched 1,2-diamines and amino acids.

Interleukin-35 Expression in Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer is Associated with Tumor Progression.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: Lung cancer continues to be the leading cause of cancer related deaths worldwide due to its high incidence, malignant behavior and lack of major advancements in treatment strategy. The occurrence and development of lung cancer is closely related to inflammation. Thus, we conducted the present study to investigate the effects of IL-35 (Interleukin 35), a newly identified anti-inflammatory factor, on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), which accounts for about 85% of all lung cancers. METHODS: We first evaluated the IL-35 expression in 384 pairs of NSCLC samples and their adjacent normal mucosa by realtime PCR, ELISA (Enzyme-linked immunoassay) and tissue microarrays. Then the role of IL-35 on patient survival rates, cancer progression and their sensitivity to chemotherapy drugs were assessed. RESULTS: IL-35 was barely expressed in the NSCLC tissues but highly expressed in the adjacent normal tissues. The down-regulation of IL-35 was significantly correlated with the results of American Joint Committee on Cancer stage, differentiation and it was also shown to be an independent prognostic indicator of disease-free survival and overall survival for patients with NSCLC. Overexpression of IL-35 in NSCLC cells suppressed cell migration, invasion, proliferation, colony formation through suppressing ß-catenin. IL-35 inhibited NSCLC formation in the mice model and sensitize the cancer cells to chemotherapy drugs. CONCLUSION: Our results showed that IL-35 plays an inhibitory role in NSCLC development and function as a novel prognostic indicator and a potential therapeutic target.

Copper-Catalyzed TBHP-Mediated Radical Cross-Coupling Reaction of Sulfonylhydrazides with Thiols Leading to Thiosulfonates.

A tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-mediated coupling of sulfonylhydrazides with thiols catalyzed by CuBr2 to afford thiosulfonates via a radical process is described.

[Study on Outliers Influence in NIR Quantitative Analysis Model].

As a secondary analysis method, reproducibility and reliability of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) quantitative analysis are quite dependent on modelling process. In this paper, it is focused on outlier analysis for protein quantitative model of wheat based on NIRS. The purpose is to discuss the outlier effect in modelling process of complex sample set. The indicator of outliers is the deviation between two interpretative percentage curves in partial least squares regression (PLSR) modelling, when two percentage curves have significant deviation or departure point, the sample set should include the outliers. The innovative research work is the analysis and treatment of outliers. On the basis of sub-model ergodic calculation method, outliers can be gradually identified and picked-up. The standard deviation of model's prediction residual is used as the reference graduation to distinguish the degree of deviation. According to the degree of deviation from sample population, outliers can also be divided into significant outliers, relative outliers and potential outliers. In this paper, the significant outliers of the sample set are about 7.8%, and the relative outliers are about 15.6%. The outliers will pull normal samples apart from the ideal fitting line and make the dispersity increase. No matter modelling with removed outliers or weighted samples, the purpose is to make the fitting results of quantitative analysis modelling more inclined to majority samples, while reducing or eliminating the impact of outliers.

A high-density genetic map for anchoring genome sequences and identifying QTLs associated with dwarf vine in pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.).

BACKGROUND: Pumpkin (Cucurbita maxima Duch.) is an economically important crop belonging to the Cucurbitaceae family. However, very few genomic and genetic resources are available for this species. As part of our ongoing efforts to sequence the pumpkin genome, high-density genetic map is essential for anchoring and orienting the assembled scaffolds. In addition, a saturated genetic map can facilitate quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping. RESULTS: A set of 186 F2 plants derived from the cross of pumpkin inbred lines Rimu and SQ026 were genotyped using the genotyping-by-sequencing approach. Using the SNPs we identified, a high-density genetic map containing 458 bin-markers was constructed, spanning a total genetic distance of 2,566.8 cM across the 20 linkage groups of C. maxima with a mean marker density of 5.60 cM. Using this map we were able to anchor 58 assembled scaffolds that covered about 194.5 Mb (71.7%) of the 271.4 Mb assembled pumpkin genome, of which 44 (183.0 Mb; 67.4%) were oriented. Furthermore, the high-density genetic map was used to identify genomic regions highly associated with an important agronomic trait, dwarf vine. Three QTLs on linkage groups (LGs) 1, 3 and 4, respectively, were recovered. One QTL, qCmB2, which was located in an interval of 0.42 Mb on LG 3, explained 21.4% phenotypic variations. Within qCmB2, one gene, Cma_004516, encoding the gibberellin (GA) 20-oxidase in the GA biosynthesis pathway, had a 1249-bp deletion in its promoter in bush type lines, and its expression level was significantly increased during the vine growth and higher in vine type lines than bush type lines, supporting Cma_004516 as a possible candidate gene controlling vine growth in pumpkin. CONCLUSIONS: A high-density pumpkin genetic map was constructed, which was used to successfully anchor and orient the assembled genome scaffolds, and to identify QTLs highly associated with pumpkin vine length. The map provided a valuable resource for gene cloning and marker assisted breeding in pumpkin and other related species. The identified vine length QTLs would help to dissect the underlying molecular basis regulating pumpkin vine growth.

MicroRNA-130a and -130b enhance activation of hepatic stellate cells by suppressing PPARγ expression: A rat fibrosis model study.

Hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) are the primary sources of extracellular matrix (ECM) in normal and fibrotic liver. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) maintains HSCs in a quiescent state, and its downregulation induces HSC activation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) can induce PPARγ mRNA degradation, but the mechanism by which miRNAs regulate PPARγ in rat HSCs is unclear. This study aimed to investigate some miRNAs which putatively bind to the 3'-untranslated region (3'-UTR) of PPARγ mRNA, and increase expression of ECM genes in rat HSCs. In carbon tetrachloride injection (CCl4) and common bile duct ligation (CBDL) liver fibrosis models, miRNAs miR-130a, miR-130b, miR-301a, miR-27b and miR-340 levels were found to be increased and PPARγ expression decreased. Overexpression of miR-130a and miR-130b enhanced cell proliferation by involving Runx3. MiR-130a and miR-130b decreased PPARγ expression by targeting the 3'-UTR of PPARγ mRNA in rat HSC-T6 cells. Transforming growth factor-ß1 (TGF-ß1) may mediate miR-130a and miR-130b overexpression, PPARγ downregulation, and ECM genes overexpression in cell culture. These findings suggest that miR-130a and miR-130b are involved in downregulation of PPARγ in liver fibrosis.