Comprehensive Analysis of the Immunosuppressive Function of Regulatory T Cells in Human Hepatocellular Carcinoma Tissues.

BACKGROUND: Immune-based therapies are commonly employed to combat hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the presence of immune-regulating elements, especially regulatory T cells (Tregs), can dramatically impact the treatment efficacy. A deeper examination of the immune-regulation mechanisms linked to these inhibitory factors and their impact on HCC patient outcomes is warranted. METHODS: We employed multicolor fluorescence immunohistochemistry (mIHC) to stain Foxp3, cytokeratin, and nuclei on an HCC tissue microarray (TMA). Leveraging liver cancer transcriptome data from TCGA, we built a prognostic model focused on Treg-associated gene sets and represented it with a nomogram. We then sourced liver cancer single-cell RNA sequencing data (GSE140228) from the GEO database, selectively focusing on Treg subsets, and conducted further analyses, including cell-to-cell communication and pseudo-time trajectory examination. RESULTS: Our mIHC results revealed a more substantial presence of Foxp3+Tregs in HCC samples than in adjacent normal tissue samples (P < .001). An increased presence of Foxp3+Tregs in HCC samples correlated with unfavorable patient outcomes (HR = 1.722, 95% CI:1.023-2.899, P = .041). The multi-factorial prognosis model we built from TCGA liver cancer data highlighted Tregs as a standalone risk determinant for predicting outcomes (HR = 3.84, 95% CI:2.52-5.83, P < .001). Re-analyzing the scRNA-seq dataset (GSE140228) showcased distinctive gene expression patterns in Tregs from varying tissues. Interactions between Tregs and other CD4+T cell types were predominantly governed by the CXCL13/CXCR3 signaling pathway. Communication pathways between Tregs and macrophages primarily involved MIF-CD74/CXCR4, LGALS9/CD45, and PTPRC/MRC1. Additionally, macrophages could influence Tregs via HLA-class II and CD4 interactions. CONCLUSION: An elevated presence of Tregs in HCC samples correlated with negative patient outcomes. Elucidating the interplay between Tregs and other immune cells in HCC could provide insights into the modulatory role of Tregs within HCC tissues.

DRESS/DiHS syndrome induced by Propylthiouracil: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Drug reaction with eosinophilia and systemic symptoms (DRESS), also known as Drug-induced hypersensitivity syndrome (DiHS), is a severe adverse drug reaction. Propylthiouracil, a member of thiouracils group, is widely used in medical treatment of hyperthyroidism. Propylthiouracil is associated with multiple adverse effects such as rash, agranulocytosis hepatitis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, but rarely triggers DRESS/DiHS syndrome. Here, we describe a severe case of propylthiouracil-induced DRESS/DiHS syndrome. CASE PRESENTATION: A 38-year-old female was treated with methimazole for hyperthyroidism at first. 4 weeks later, the patient developed elevated liver transaminase so methimazole was stopped. After liver function improved in 2 weeks, medication was switched to propylthiouracil therapy. The patient subsequently developed nausea and rash followed by a high fever, acute toxic hepatitis and multiple organ dysfunction (liver, lung and heart), which lasted for 1 month after propylthiouracil was started. According to the diagnostic criteria, the patient was diagnosed of DRESS/DiHS syndrome which was induced by propylthiouracil. As a result, propylthiouracil was immediately withdrawn. And patient was then treated with adalimumab, systematic corticosteroids and plasmapheresis in sequence. Symptoms were finally resolved 4 weeks later. CONCLUSIONS: Propylthiouracil is a rare cause of the DRESS/DiHS syndrome, which typically consists of severe dermatitis and various degrees of internal organ involvement. We want to emphasize through this severe case that DRESS/DiHS syndrome should be promptly recognized to hasten recovery.

Identifying and assessing the multiple effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions in China.

Against the backdrop of the global carbon peak and carbon neutrality goals, the role of informal environmental regulation, epitomized by public engagement, is assuming an increasingly pivotal position within the realm of environmental management. By contrast, amidst the prevailing landscape dominated by formal environmental regulation (command-and-control and market-driven approaches), the environmental effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions have received scant attention. Consequently, we examine the net, nonlinear, and mediation effects of informal environmental regulation on carbon emissions using panel data from 30 provinces in China, from 2003 to 2019. We find that informal environmental regulation has a significant effect on regional carbon emission reduction, especially in the eastern cities, pilot cities, and cities with long-term governor's tenure. Its U-shaped effect is confirmed by changes in environmental decentralization. The key points remain valid after the robustness test and the endogenous processing. The mechanism analysis shows that informal environmental regulation can reduce carbon emissions in the dual channels by improving industrial structure transition and renewable energy substitution. Therefore, this study assesses the management effectiveness of informal environmental regulation and determines the underlying mechanism between it and regional carbon emission reduction to provide a reference and an empirical basis for other countries regarding environmental improvement.

Occurrence, source tracking and removal of antibiotics in recirculating aquaculture systems (RAS) in southern China.

The recirculating aquaculture system (RAS) has attracted much attention in China as a way to rapidly transform and upgrade aquaculture ponds to realize zero-emissions of pollutants in aquaculture tail water. Tail water purification ponds (TWPPs) play an important role in the treatment of aquaculture wastewater. However, until now, there have been few reports on the occurrence of antibiotics in RAS and the removal of antibiotics from the TWPPs of RAS. Therefore, this study focused on the occurrence of antibiotics in a typical ecological RAS. For comparison, the same measurements were simultaneously carried out in nearby open aquaculture ponds and rivers. The pollution level and spatial distribution of antibiotics in the RAS and the removal of antibiotics in the TWPPs were explored. The results showed that (1) eleven and twelve antibiotics were detected in water and sediment samples in the RAS, respectively, but no antibiotics were found in fish muscles and feed. Erythromycin (ERY), lincomycin (LIN), and ciprofloxacin (CFX) were the three main types of antibiotics found in water and sediment samples. (2) The TWPPs of the RAS can effectively remove antibiotics in aquaculture water. The antibiotic concentration in recirculating aquaculture ponds of the RAS was as high as 180 ng/L. After treatments in the TWPPs, the antibiotic concentration of aquaculture water decreased to 81.6 ng/L (3) The antibiotic concentrations in recirculating aquaculture ponds (25.2-180 ng/L) were lower than those in the nearby open aquaculture ponds (126-267.3 ng/L), and the concentration of antibiotics in the sediments of recirculating aquaculture ponds was up to 22.9 ng/g, while that in TWPPs was as high as 56.1 ng/g. In conclusion, the antibiotic residues in the RAS were low after antibiotics were banned in feed in China, and the removal of antibiotics in the TWPPs was more pronounced. Furthermore, cross-contamination was found between the RAS, surrounding open aquaculture ponds and the river, and the water supply of the RAS was likely to be the main contributor of antibiotics in the aquaculture environments. This study can help the government formulate discharge standards for antibiotics in aquaculture and also provide a reference for the transformation and upgrading of aquaculture ponds to achieve a zero-emission aquaculture mode.

Platycodin D suppresses cisplatin-induced cytotoxicity by suppressing ROS-mediated oxidative damage, apoptosis, and inflammation in HEK-293 cells.

Cisplatin, a proven effective chemotherapeutic agent, has been used clinically to treat malignant solid tumors, whereas its clinical use is limited by serious side effect including nephrotoxicity. Platycodin D (PD), the major and marked saponin isolated from Platycodon grandiflorum, possesses many pharmacological effects. In this study, we evaluated its protective effect against cisplatin-induced human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK-293) cells injury and elucidated the related mechanisms. Our results showed that PD (0.25, 0.5, and 1 µM) can dose-dependently alleviate oxidative stress by decreasing malondialdehyde and reactive oxygen species, while increasing the levels of glutathione, superoxide dismutase, and catalase. Moreover, the elevation of apoptosis including Bax, Bad, cleaved caspase-3,-9, and decreased protein levels of Bcl-2, Bcl-XL induced by cisplatin were reversed after PD treatment. Importantly, PD pretreatment can also regulate PI3K/Akt and ERK/JNK/p38 signaling pathways. Furthermore, PD was found to reduce NF-κB-mediated inflammatory relative proteins. Our finding indicated that PD exerted significant effects on cisplatin induced oxidative stress, apoptosis and inflammatory, which will provide evidence for the development of PD to attenuate cisplatin-induced nephrotoxicity.

Gut microbiota in early pregnancy among women with Hyperglycaemia vs. Normal blood glucose.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggest that there is a link between the gut microbiota and glucose metabolism. This study aimed to compare the gut microbiota during early pregnancy of women with hyperglycymia to those with normal blood glucose. METHODS: Gut microbial composition was analysed in 22 women with hyperglycaemia and 28 age-matched healthy controls during their first prenatal visits (< 20 weeks) using high throughput sequencing of the V3-V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene. Hyperglycemia was diagnosed based on the criteria recommended by the International Association of Diabetes and Pregnancy Study Groups in 2010. RESULTS: Women with hyperglycemia in pregnancy (HIP) had significantly lower microbial richness and diversity compared with healthy pregnant women. The proportions of the Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes phyla and the ratio of Firmicutes:Bacteroidetes were not different between the two groups. We observed that individuals with HIP had an increased abundance of Nocardiaceae, Fusobacteriaceae, etc., whereas healthy controls had significantly higher levels of Christensenellaceae, Clostridiales_vadinBB60_group, Coriobacteriaceae, etc. Similarly, levels of the members of the Ruminococcaceae family, including Ruminococcaceae_UCG-014, Ruminococcaceae_UCG-003, and Ruminococcaceae_UCG-002, were significantly reduced in the HIP group and were negatively correlated with HbA1c. HbA1c levels were positively correlated with Bacteroidaceae and Enterobacteriaceae and negatively correlated with Christensenellaceae, etc. CRP was positively correlated with the Bacteroidaceae and Fusobacteriaceae families and the Fusobacterium genus. CONCLUSIONS: Our study revealed that individuals with HIP have gut microbial dysbiosis and that certain bacterial groups are associated with glucose metabolism during pregnancy. Further study is needed to provide new ideas to control glucose by modifying the gut microbiota.

FBXO11 inactivation leads to abnormal germinal-center formation and lymphoproliferative disease.

The BCL6 proto-oncogene encodes a transcriptional repressor that is required for the germinal center (GC) reaction and is implicated in lymphomagenesis. BCL6 protein stability is regulated by F-box protein 11 (FBXO11)-mediated ubiquitination and degradation, which is impaired in ∼6% of diffuse large B-cell lymphomas that carry inactivating genetic alterations targeting the FBXO11 gene. In order to investigate the role of FBXO11 in vivo, we analyzed GC-specific FBXO11 knockout mice. FBXO11 reduction or loss led to an increased number of GC B cells, to an altered ratio of GC dark zone to light zone cells, and to higher levels of BCL6 protein in GC B cells. B-cell receptor-mediated degradation of BCL6 was reduced in the absence of FBXO11, suggesting that FBXO11 contributes to the physiologic downregulation of BCL6 at the end of the GC reaction. Finally, FBXO11 inactivation was associated with the development of lymphoproliferative disorders in mice.

Down-regulation of KIAA1199/CEMIP by miR-216a suppresses tumor invasion and metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Colorectal cancer is one of the major causes of death from cancer. Metastasis is the leading cause of treatment failure, in which cancer stem cells and circulating tumor cells play crucial roles. Identifying the involved metastatic biomarkers and clarifying the regulation mechanisms are of great importance for targeting tumor metastasis. In the current research, we discovered that KIAA1199, a cell-migration inducing protein, showed higher expression in CD44+ cancer cells from metastatic compared with the paired primary tissues, and was upregulated in colorectal cancer and positively correlated with numbers and mesenchymal phenotype of circulating tumor cells, and predicted shorter progress-free survival. Moreover, we indicated that down-regulation of KIAA1199 suppressed migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells in vitro, and inhibited metastasis in vivo. Furthermore, we demonstrated that KIAA1199 was one of the direct and functional targets of miR-216a, and miR-216a overexpression led to decreased migration and invasion of colorectal cancer cells in vitro, and inhibited metastasis in vivo. Collectively, KIAA1199 plays a critical role in maintaining an aggressive phenotype of tumor cells, and suppression of KIAA1199-related motilities of tumor cells contributes to reduced tumor metastasis in colorectal cancer.

Mutations of multiple genes cause deregulation of NF-kappaB in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL), the most common form of lymphoma in adulthood, comprises multiple biologically and clinically distinct subtypes including germinal centre B-cell-like (GCB) and activated B-cell-like (ABC) DLBCL. Gene expression profile studies have shown that its most aggressive subtype, ABC-DLBCL, is associated with constitutive activation of the NF-kappaB transcription complex. However, except for a small fraction of cases, it remains unclear whether NF-kappaB activation in these tumours represents an intrinsic program of the tumour cell of origin or a pathogenetic event. Here we show that >50% of ABC-DLBCL and a smaller fraction of GCB-DLBCL carry somatic mutations in multiple genes, including negative (TNFAIP3, also called A20) and positive (CARD11, TRAF2, TRAF5, MAP3K7 (TAK1) and TNFRSF11A (RANK)) regulators of NF-kappaB. Of these, the A20 gene, which encodes a ubiquitin-modifying enzyme involved in termination of NF-kappaB responses, is most commonly affected, with approximately 30% of patients displaying biallelic inactivation by mutations and/or deletions. When reintroduced in cell lines carrying biallelic inactivation of the gene, A20 induced apoptosis and cell growth arrest, indicating a tumour suppressor role. Less frequently, missense mutations of TRAF2 and CARD11 produce molecules with significantly enhanced ability to activate NF-kappaB. Thus, our results demonstrate that NF-kappaB activation in DLBCL is caused by genetic lesions affecting multiple genes, the loss or activation of which may promote lymphomagenesis by leading to abnormally prolonged NF-kappaB responses.

Functional dissection of the chromosome 13q14 tumor-suppressor locus using transgenic mouse lines.

Deletion of chromosomal region 13q14 represents the most common genetic aberration in B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). 13q14 deletions are commonly large and heterogeneous in size and affect multiple genes. We recently found that targeted deletion in mice of the 0.11 megabase (mb)-long minimal deleted region (MDR) encompassing the DLEU2/miR-15a/16-1 cluster recapitulates the spectrum of CLL-associated lymphoproliferations in humans, including CLL, CD5(+) monoclonal B-cell lymphocytosis, and CD5(-) non-Hodgkin lymphomas. In the present study, we demonstrate that additional deletion of the 0.69-mb large genomic region telomeric to the MDR called the common deleted region (CDR) changed the spectrum of lymphoproliferations developing in CDR- versus MDR-deleted mice in that the number of CLL among B-cell lymphoproliferations was significantly elevated in the former. In addition, CDR-deleted mice seemed to succumb to their disease faster than MDR-deleted mice. Comparing HCDR3 regions of CD5(+) lymphoproliferations derived from this and published CLL mouse models, 44% (29 of 66) of junctions could be assigned to 8 sets of highly similar HCDR3 regions, demonstrating that CLL developing in mice frequently expresses almost identical, stereotypic Ag receptors. These results suggest that the size of 13q14 deletions influences the phenotype of the developing lymphoproliferations and potentially the severity of disease, suggesting a tumor-suppressor function for genetic elements in addition to DLEU2/miR-15a/16-1.

The anthraquinone derivatives from the fungus Alternaria sp. XZSBG-1 from the saline lake in Bange, Tibet, China.

Four new anthraquinone derivatives 1-4 were obtained along with seven known compounds 5-11 from the extracts of the fungal strain Alternaria sp. XZSBG-1 which was isolated from the sediments of the carbonate saline lake in Bange, Tibet, China. Their structures were determined by spectroscopic methods, mainly by 2D NMR spectra. Compound 1 is a novel tetrahydroanthraquinone with an epoxy ether bond between C-4a and C-9a. In the primary bioassays, compound 3 (alterporriol T) exhibited inhibition of a-glucosidase with a IC50 value 7.2 µM, and compound 9 showed good inhibitory activity against the HCT-116 and HeLa cell lines, with IC50 values of 3.03 and 8.09 µM, respectively.

Effects of recombinant human growth hormone therapy on carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolisms of children with Turner syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of recombinant human growth hormone (rhGH) therapy on carbohydrate, lipid and protein metabolisms of Turner syndrome (TS). Metho d s: Total 45 patients with TS admitted between Jul. 2008 and Jun. 2011 were involved in this study. All patients received the clinical evaluation of body fat, plasma lipids, proteins and oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) before and after rhGH therapy. Results : Our results indicated a significant decrease of body fat (FAT%) from 23.56±4.21 to 18.71±2.23 but no obvious change on the level of fat mass (FM) (p>0.05) was observed after rhGH therapy. We also detected significant changes on plasma high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) from (1.65±0.58 mmol/L) to (2.20±0.65 mmol/L) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDH-C) from (2.55±0.55 mmol/L) to (2.10±0.54 mmol/L) after rhGH exposure. However, no statistical significance was detected on the level of plasma triglyceride (TG), cholesterol (CHO). Interestingly, the levels of plasma retinol binding protein (RbP) (32.55±4.28mg/L), transferrin (TRF) (2.95±0.40 mg/L), serum albumin (PRE) (250.00±45.50 mg/L) and albumin (propagated) (33.58±4.25 mg/L) were significantly increased. When it goes to the oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) test, there were 10 impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) cases among all patients before and after rhGH therapy. No significant change was observed on homeostasis model assessment- insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) level during rhGH intervention. Conclusion : Abnormal lipid and protein metabolisms of the children with TS can be improved with rhGH therapy for 6 months.

XELOX (capecitabine plus oxaliplatin) plus bevacizumab (anti-VEGF-A antibody) with or without adoptive cell immunotherapy in the treatment of patients with previously untreated metastatic colorectal cancer: a multicenter, open-label, randomized, controlled, phase 3 trial.

Fluoropyrimidine-based combination chemotherapy plus targeted therapy is the standard initial treatment for unresectable metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC), but the prognosis remains poor. This phase 3 trial (ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT03950154) assessed the efficacy and adverse events (AEs) of the combination of PD-1 blockade-activated DC-CIK (PD1-T) cells with XELOX plus bevacizumab as a first-line therapy in patients with mCRC. A total of 202 participants were enrolled and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either first-line XELOX plus bevacizumab (the control group, n = 102) or the same regimen plus autologous PD1-T cell immunotherapy (the immunotherapy group, n = 100) every 21 days for up to 6 cycles, followed by maintenance treatment with capecitabine and bevacizumab. The main endpoint of the trial was progression-free survival (PFS). The median follow-up was 19.5 months. Median PFS was 14.8 months (95% CI, 11.6-18.0) for the immunotherapy group compared with 9.9 months (8.0-11.8) for the control group (hazard ratio [HR], 0.60 [95% CI, 0.40-0.88]; p = 0.009). Median overall survival (OS) was not reached for the immunotherapy group and 25.6 months (95% CI, 18.3-32.8) for the control group (HR, 0.57 [95% CI, 0.33-0.98]; p = 0.043). Grade 3 or higher AEs occurred in 20.0% of patients in the immunotherapy group and 23.5% in the control groups, with no toxicity-associated deaths reported. The addition of PD1-T cells to first-line XELOX plus bevacizumab demonstrates significant clinical improvement of PFS and OS with well tolerability in patients with previously untreated mCRC.

Deregulated BCL6 expression recapitulates the pathogenesis of human diffuse large B cell lymphomas in mice.

Diffuse large B cell lymphomas (DLBCL) derive from germinal center (GC) B cells and display chromosomal alterations deregulating the expression of BCL6, a transcriptional repressor required for GC formation. To investigate the role of BCL6 in DLBCL pathogenesis, we have engineered mice that express BCL6 constitutively in B cells by mimicking a chromosomal translocation found in human DLBCL. These mice display increased GC formation and perturbed post-GC differentiation characterized by a decreased number of post-isotype switch plasma cells. Subsequently, these mice develop a lymphoproliferative syndrome that culminates with the development of lymphomas displaying features typical of human DLBCL. These results define the oncogenic role of BCL6 in the pathogenesis of DLBCL and provide a faithful mouse model of this common disease.

[Costimulatory molecule CD40 expression in thyroid tissue of Graves' disease patients and its immune pathogenetic significance].

OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression of costimulatory molecule CD40 in thyroid tissue of Graves' disease patients and understand its immune pathogenetic significance. METHODS: From January 2008 to December 2011, 8 patients undergoing partial thyroidectomy for Graves' disease (n = 3) or non-toxic goiter (n = 5) at Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University and Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University were enrolled. Using the method of immunohistochemistry, the expression of CD40 was detected in their thyroid tissues. Variation in CD40 expression on thyroid follicular (TFC) in primary cultures was analyzed in the absence (no stimulation group) or presence of inflammatory cytokines including interleukin interferon-γ (IFN-γ) (IFN-γ stimulation group), interferon-6 (IL-6) (IL-6 stimulation group)and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α (TNF-α stimulation group) with flow cytometry. IFN-γ-stimulated TFC were cultured with agonist CD40 monoclonal antibody (5C11) (IFN-γ + CD40 group) or isotypic mouse IgG (mIgG) antibody (IFN-γ + mIgG group). And the proliferation of TFC was assessed by 3-(4,5)-dimethyl-thiazolyl-3,5-di-phenytetrazoliumromide (MTT) assays for each donor. The production of free triiodothyronine (FT3) and free thyroxine (FT4) and the release of thyroglobulin (Tg) were measured with radioimmunoassays. RESULTS: The expression of CD40 on infiltrated lymphocytes and TFC were detected in Graves' disease but not in non-toxic goiter patient tissues. Compared with no stimulation group (23.7% ± 7.3%), the expression of CD40 on TFC increased in IFN-γ stimulation group (86.4% ± 4.6%), IL-6 stimulation group (90.0% ± 4.2%) and TNF-α stimulation group (87.3% ± 4.2%). Compared with the IFN-γ + mIgG group (0.75 ± 0.06), the TFC proliferation of IFN-γ + CD40 group (1.14 ± 0.14) significantly increased (P < 0.01). The levels of FT3, FT4 and Tg secretion of IFN-γ + CD40 group were (1.10 ± 0.15) pmol/L, (0.80 ± 0.14) pmol/L and (30.23 ± 1.60) µg/L respectively. They were all significantly increased compared with the IFN-γ + mIgG group, of which the FT3, FT4 and Tg production were (0.76 ± 0.07) pmol/L, (0.63 ± 0.09) pmol/L and (21.37 ± 3.22) µg/L respectively (all P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: CD40 is abnormally expressed in thyroid tissue of Graves' disease patients. And its costimulatory signal may take part in the immunopathologic mechanism of Graves' disease.

Alternative Splicing of NAC Transcription Factor Gene CmNST1 Is Associated with Naked Seed Mutation in Pumpkin, Cucurbita moschata.

In pumpkin (Cucurbita moschata), the naked or hull-less seed phenotype has great benefits for breeding this crop for oil or snack use. We previously identified a naked seed mutant in this crop. In this study, we report genetic mapping, identification, and characterization of a candidate gene for this mutation. We showed that the naked seed phenotype is controlled by a single recessive gene (N). The bulked segregant analysis identified a 2.4 Mb region on Chromosome 17 with 15 predicted genes. Multiple lines of evidence suggested that CmoCh17G004790 is the most probable candidate gene for the N locus which encodes a NAC transcription factor WALL THICKENING PROMOTING FACTOR 1 (CmNST1). No nucleotide polymorphism or structural variation was found in the genomic DNA sequences of CmNST1 between the mutant and the wildtype inbred line (hulled seed). However, the cDNA sequence cloned from developing seed coat samples of the naked seed mutant was 112 bp shorter than that from the wildtype which is due to seed coat-specific alternative splicing in the second exon of the mutant CmNST1 transcript. The expression level of CmNST1 in the developing seed coat was higher in the mutant than in the wildtype during early seed coat development which was reversed later. Transcriptomic profiling with RNA-Seq at different stages of seed development in the mutant and wildtype revealed a critical role of CmNST1 as a master regulator for the lignin biosynthesis pathway during seed coat development while other NAC and MYB transcription factors were also involved in forming a regulatory network for the building of secondary cell walls. This work provides a novel mechanism for the well-characterized NST1 transcription factor gene in regulating secondary cell wall development. The cloned gene also provides a useful tool for marker-assisted breeding of hull-less C. moschata varieties.

Explaining and modeling the impact of industrial co-agglomeration on regional economic growth in China: integrated a quality concern of night-time light perspective.

The double-wheel drive of manufacturing industries and producer services industries is one of the key pathways to promote high-quality development relying on a modern industrial system. This paper explores the impacts of industrial co-agglomeration on regional economic growth in China with systematic consideration of static, dynamic, and spatio-temporal perspectives based on panel data for 285 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2020, employing the consolidated night-time light data. The empirical results show that industrial co-agglomeration significantly accelerates regional economic growth, especially high-tech intensity producer services industries, information industries, and finance industries. In addition, its spatial spillover effects are evidently established, which are characterized by cyclic accumulative, feedback features, and distance attenuation. Carrying out robustness tests, the preliminary regression results are verified. The heterogeneous influences are established across cities with different geographical locations, innovation capacities, and resource endowments. The further mechanism analysis indicates that industrial upgrading, technological progress, and efficiency enhancements account for the main channels for a sharp promotion in regional economic growth over the sample period. Furthermore, the government moderates this process more significantly than market forces do, especially when it comes to macroexogenous shocks that are regulated by the government. The findings of this study recommend policymakers to give full play to the positive externalities of industrial co-agglomeration and accelerate the industrial co-agglomeration process in a reasonable manner, so as to promote high-quality economic growth in China.

The impacts of industrial collaborative agglomeration on industrial sulfur dioxide emissions in China: from the novel perspective of spatiotemporal matrix.

This paper explores the impacts of industrial collaborative agglomeration on industrial sulfur dioxide intensity from a spatiotemporal perspective based on panel data on the 284 prefecture-level cities from 2003 to 2019, with systematic consideration of the underlying mechanism of channels and actions. The empirical results show that industrial co-agglomeration significantly intensifies industrial SO2 intensity, especially with increasing agglomeration. In addition, its positive spatial spillover effects are established in geographical proximity to the city. Furthermore, the channel analysis shows that the industrial structure path, industrial efficiency path, and industrial scale path account for a sharp increase in industrial SO2 intensity. The market forces reverse and moderate this exacerbating process more significantly than the government does, which provides evidence for the importance of pursuing a dynamic equilibrium between them. Finally, there exist heterogeneous effects across cities with different administrative levels, innovation capacities, and macropolicies of special emission limits for air pollutant policy. While arguing for the environmental pollution effects of industrial co-agglomeration, this paper also provides solid support and a new perspective for promoting sustainable economic development and achieving win-win economic and environmental benefits.

Identifying impacts of industrial co-agglomeration on carbon emissions: Evidence from China.

Based on panel data of 285 cities in China at the prefecture level and above from 2005 to 2020, this paper aims to study the nexus between industrial co-agglomeration and carbon emissions from dual perspectives including space and time. It adopts multiple approaches including a dynamic general method of moment, panel quantile regression model, panel threshold model, and dynamic spatial Durbin model. The non-spatial empirical results support the establishment of the threshold effect and the imbalance effect. The spatial empirical results indicate that industrial co-agglomeration poses a dramatic stimulating effect on urban carbon emissions, and its spatial spillover effect and spatial heterogeneity are conditionally established. Furthermore, heterogeneous effects are supported, such as the positive spillover effects of industrial co-agglomeration are more significant in western cities, resource-oriented cities, and non-low-carbon pilot cities. The heterogeneous influence of cost factors on industrial agglomeration and carbon emissions has also been partially confirmed. In terms of the channels and mechanism of action, the negative externalities of industrial co-agglomeration occupy a dominant position in the current status of economic development. The dynamic equilibrium between government intervention and marketization is a solid foundation for the optimization of carbon emission reduction paths.

The effectiveness of smart city policy on pollution reduction in China: new evidence from a quasi-natural experiment.

Based on panel data of 285 prefecture-level and above cities in China from 2003 to 2020, this study has explored the impacts of smart city policy (SCP) on environmental pollution by utilizing the difference-in-differences (DID) model and its derived models. The results indicate that SCP can significantly reduce environmental pollution, and this conclusion still holds after passing numerous robustness tests, such as the propensity-score-matching difference-in-differences (PSM-DID) test, the placebo test, all independent variables lagging one period test, the policy interference test, and the instrument variable (IV) test. Moreover, the heterogeneity analysis shows that the effect of reducing environmental pollution of SCP is heterogeneous. Furthermore, the results of the spatial difference-in-differences (SDID) model show that SCP has a "beggar-thy-neighbor" effect among the pilot cities, and there is no spillover effect of SCP on pollution reduction in neighboring non-pilot cities. Finally, the analysis of moderating effect reflects that the government intervention plays a negative inhibition role in the process of SCP affecting environmental pollution, while the market competition plays a positive catalytic role in the process of SCP reducing environmental pollution.