Astrocytic trans-Differentiation Completes a Multicellular Paracrine Feedback Loop Required for Medulloblastoma Tumor Growth.

The tumor microenvironment (TME) is critical for tumor progression. However, the establishment and function of the TME remain obscure because of its complex cellular composition. Using a mouse genetic system called mosaic analysis with double markers (MADMs), we delineated TME evolution at single-cell resolution in sonic hedgehog (SHH)-activated medulloblastomas that originate from unipotent granule neuron progenitors in the brain. First, we found that astrocytes within the TME (TuAstrocytes) were trans-differentiated from tumor granule neuron precursors (GNPs), which normally never differentiate into astrocytes. Second, we identified that TME-derived IGF1 promotes tumor progression. Third, we uncovered that insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF1) is produced by tumor-associated microglia in response to interleukin-4 (IL-4) stimulation. Finally, we found that IL-4 is secreted by TuAstrocytes. Collectively, our studies reveal an evolutionary process that produces a multi-lateral network within the TME of medulloblastoma: a fraction of tumor cells trans-differentiate into TuAstrocytes, which, in turn, produce IL-4 that stimulates microglia to produce IGF1 to promote tumor progression.

Leisure-time physical activity and the incidence of atrial fibrillation in senior adults: a prospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: Whether physical activity could reduce the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) remains unclear. This study was to investigate the relationship of leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) with AF incidence among Chinese older adults. METHODS: A total of 3253 participants aged ≥60 years from the Guangzhou Heart Study were successfully followed between March 2018 and September 2019. LTPA was assessed using a modified Global Physical Activity Questionnaire. AF was ascertained by 12-lead electrocardiograms, 24-hour single-lead Holter and clinical examination. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to the estimate hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) after adjustment for confounders, and the population-attributable fraction (PAF) was estimated. RESULTS: A total of 76 (2.34%) new-onset cases of AF were identified during a median of 31.13 months of follow-up. After adjustment for confounders, subjects who had LTPA at least 10.0 metabolic equivalent (MET)-hours/week had a 55% lower risk of developing AF (HR: 0.45, 95%CI: 0.25-0.81), and at least 20 MET-hours/week reduced the risk by 45% (HR: 0.55, 95%CI: 0.34-0.92). At least 11% (PAF: 11%, 95%CI: 0%-20%) or 14% (PAF: 14%, 95%CI: 0%-26%) of AF cases could be avoided, respectively, if the subjects do LTPA at least 10 MET-hours/week or 20 MET-hours/week. A significant exposure-response trend was also observed between LTPA and AF risk (Plinear-trend = 0.002). For a specific LTPA, doing housework was associated with a 43% reduced risk, while engaging in ball games was associated with an increased risk. CONCLUSION: This prospective cohort study indicated that a higher LTPA volume was associated with a lower AF risk in Chinese older adults.

[Construction of age group vegetation index and preliminary application].

In the present paper, one remote sensing index-age group vegetation index (AGVI) was put forward, and its feasibility was verified. Taking 518 groups of pine forest age group data collected in 13 counties (cities) of Sanming, Jiangle, Shaxian, Nanping, Huaan, Yunxiao, Nanping, Anxi, Putian, Changting, Jianyang, Ningde and Fuqing, Fujian Province and HJ-1 CCD multi-spectral image at the same time-phase as the basis, the spectrum differences of blue, green, red, near infrared and NDVI of each age group were analyzed, showing the characteristics of young forest>middle-aged forest>over-mature forest>mature forest>near mature forest at near infrared band and mature forest>near mature forest>over-mature forest>young forest>middle-aged forest at NDVI, thus the age group vegetation index (AGVI) was constructed; the index could increase the absolute and relative spectrum differences among age groups. For the pine forest AGVI, cluster analysis was conducted with K-mean method, showing that the division accuracy of pine forest age group was 80.45%, and the accurate rate was 90.41%. Therefore, the effectiveness of age group vegetation index constructed was confirmed.

[Spectral features analysis of Pinus massoniana with pest of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker and levels detection].

Taking 51 field measured hyperspectral data with different pest levels in Yanping, Fujian Province as objects, the spectral reflectance and first derivative features of 4 levels of healthy, mild, moderate and severe insect pest were analyzed. On the basis of 7 detecting parameters construction, the pest level detecting models were built. The results showed that (1) the spectral reflectance of Pinus massoniana with pests were significantly lower than that of healthy state, and the higher the pest level, the lower the reflectance; (2) with the increase in pest level, the spectral reflectance curves' "green peak" and "red valley" of Pinus massoniana gradually disappeared, and the red edge was leveleds (3) the pest led to spectral "green peak" red shift, red edge position blue shift, but the changes in "red valley" and near-infrared position were complicated; (4) CARI, RES, REA and REDVI were highly relevant to pest levels, and the correlations between REP, RERVI, RENDVI and pest level were weak; (5) the multiple linear regression model with the variables of the 7 detection parameters could effectively detect the pest levels of Dendrolimus punctatus Walker, with both the estimation rate and accuracy above 0.85.

[Construction of vegetation shadow index (SVI) and application effects in four remote sensing images].

Taking the images of Landsat TM, ALOS AVNIR-2, CBERS-02B CCD and HJ-1 CCD as the experimental data, for increasing the differences among shaded area, bright area and water further, the present paper construed a novel vegetation index-Shaded Vegetation Index(SVI), which can not only keep the absolute differences among bright area, shaded area and water area in the near-infrared band, but also can enlarge NDVI, eliminate the possible mixes, and change the histogram "skewed" phenomenon of NDVI, so the vegetation index value is closer to normal distribution, and more in line with the filed condition; this new index was applied to the surface features of large difference of the near-infrared radiation characteristics. Verified by accuracy assessment for the bright area, shaded area and water area recognition effects with SVI, it was showed that the overall classification accuracies of these images were up to 98. 89%, 100%, 97.78% and 97.78% respectively, with the overall Kappa statistics of 0.9833, 1, 0.9667, and 0.966 7, indicating that SVI has excellent detection effects for bright area, shaded area and water area; the statistical comparison of sub-images between SVI and NDVI also illustrated the reliability and effectiveness of SVI, which can be applied in the shadow removal for remote sensing images.

Fracture Process Analysis and Acoustic Emission Response of Cemented Tailings Backfill with Different Sizes under Uniaxial Compression.

To investigate the effect of dimensional changes on the mechanical properties of cemented tailings backfill (CTB), uniaxial compression tests are performed on square CTBs of four different sizes. Combining digital image correlation (DIC) and acoustic emission (AE) methods, the fracture process and AE behavior characteristics of backfills with different sizes are analyzed. The results show that as the backfill size increases, its uniaxial compressive strength decreases, and its strength stabilizes gradually when it measures 100 mm. Under uniaxial compression loading, surface cracks on the smaller specimens evolve rapidly and aggressively, with no significant shedding area, whereas the larger specimens show plastic failure. The cracks expand and penetrate gradually, forming a large shedding area. As the specimen size increases, the backwards trend of the peak value of the ringing count relative to the peak value of the stress becomes increasingly evident. Combining the change law between the r value and the average frequency centroid, the sudden drop point of r value and the lowest value of average frequency centroid can be regarded as the precursor of macroscopic damage.

Effect of ultrasonic surface deep rolling combined with oxygen boost diffusion treatment on fatigue properties of pure titanium.

Ultrasonic surface deep rolling (USDR), oxygen boost diffusion (OBD), and their combination (USDR-OBD) were all used to improve the surface hardening of pure titanium. The microstructure, microhardness, and fatigue life of pure titanium treated by USDR, OBD, and USDR-OBD methods were analyzed. USDR treatment induced a severe deformation area, while OBD treatment produced a brittle oxygen diffusion zone. The USDR-OBD treated samples approached the highest hardness in comparison with other treated samples. The fatigue lives of USDR treated samples were improved, which was due to the high compressive residual stress and refined grains. However, the fatigue lives of both OBD treated samples and USDR-OBD treated samples were decreased due to premature crack initiation and rapid propagation in the oxygen diffusion zone. Finally, the fatigue fracture mechanisms of different samples were proposed.

Design and construction of a novel instrument for high-frequency micro-force electrical sliding friction testing.

Sliding electrical contact exists in various electrical equipment. However, its performance is significantly affected by the sliding condition such as the load, electricity, and the surface state of friction pairs. In this study, a novel instrument is designed and constructed for high-frequency microforce electrical sliding friction testing. The new instrument provides a unique experimental platform that enables high-frequency reciprocating friction and microforce loading, and it has an innovative data collection system that includes a cantilever beam structure to measure the microforce. In this instrument, parameters (positive force, friction, displacement, and voltage of frictional pair) are obtained and monitored in real time. The steel sheet and nickel-plated steel wire were used as materials to conduct an experiment, and the steel sheet morphology after the experiment was observed using a light microscope. Results show that the voltage and positive load significantly influence the friction coefficient and friction wear, which is crucial in understanding friction and wear behaviors.