A microporous bismuth-based MOF for efficient separation of acetylene from carbon dioxide.

The separation of acetylene from carbon dioxide is challenging due to their almost identical molecular sizes and volatilities. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) in general are strong candidates for the separation of gas mixtures owing to the presence of functional pore surfaces that can selectively capture specific target molecules. Herein, we report a stable and easily synthesized bismuth-based MOF, Bi-BTC, which can achieve the separation of acetylene and carbon dioxide. We performed a detailed analysis of the sorption properties of the Bi-MOF. Bi-BTC shows good adsorption capacities for C2H2 with a capacity of 53.8 cm3 g-1 at 298 K and 1.0 bar, and C2H2/CO2 selectivity of 5.14/7.69 at 298 K and 1.0/0.1 bar. IAST selectivity calculations indicate that Bi-BTC possesses good separation capacity, and dynamic breakthrough experiments were performed to prove the separation of C2H2 and CO2. Bi-MOFs as a group of relatively less studied types of MOFs have interesting adsorption characteristics, and this study on Bi-based MOF will enrich three-dimensional Bi-MOF adsorbents for gas adsorption and separation applications.

[Bacterial acid tolerance mechanism based on acid signal transduction system and its applications].

The acid signal transduction system can sense the acidic environment and translate it into signals to regulate various acid tolerance mechanisms within bacteria, helping them to cope with the stress of the acidic environment and survive the acidic environments. This review describes several major acid signal transduction systems that play important roles in acid-tolerant bacteria: EvgS/EvgA, PhoQ/PhoP, ArsS/ArsR, and CadC. The structural components of these systems and their regulation of acid-tolerant systems were used to analyze how acid-tolerant bacteria transduce signal in an acid environment to activate the corresponding acid-tolerance mechanisms and cope with the acid stress. An in-depth understanding of the regulatory mechanisms of acid-tolerant systems can help the mining, optimal design and construction of multiple acid-tolerant parts to improve the growth and metabolism of target strains in acidic environments. It helps to better utilize engineered microorganisms with super acid-resistance for industrial production of valuable metabolites, bioremediation of pollution in acidic environments. Moreover, it also helps to provide novel targets for inhibiting the growth of acid-tolerant pathogenic bacteria.

Assimilation of phthalate esters in bacteria.

The massive usage of phthalate esters (PAEs) has caused serious pollution. Bacterial degradation is a potential strategy to remove PAE contamination. So far, an increasing number of PAE-degrading strains have been isolated, and the catabolism of PAEs has been extensively studied and reviewed. However, the investigation into the bacterial PAE uptake process has received limited attention and remains preliminary. PAEs can interact spontaneously with compounds like peptidoglycan, lipopolysaccharides, and lipids on the bacterial cell envelope to migrate inside. However, this process compromises the structural integrity of the cells and causes disruptions. Thus, membrane protein-facilitated transport seems to be the main assimilation strategy in bacteria. So far, only an ATP-binding-cassette transporter PatDABC was proven to transport PAEs across the cytomembrane in a Gram-positive bacterium Rhodococcus jostii RHA1. Other cytomembrane proteins like major facilitator superfamily (MFS) proteins and outer membrane proteins in cell walls like FadL family channels, TonB-dependent transporters, and OmpW family proteins were only reported to facilitate the transport of PAEs analogs such as monoaromatic and polyaromatic hydrocarbons. The functions of these proteins in the intracellular transport of PAEs in bacteria await characterization and it is a promising avenue for future research on enhancing bacterial degradation of PAEs. KEY POINTS: • Membrane proteins on the bacterial cell envelope may be PAE transporters. • Most potential transporters need experimental validation.

New monoterpene phenol dimers from the fruits of Psoralea corylifolia.

Three new monoterpene phenol dimers, bisbakuchiols V-X (1-3), and two bakuchiol ethers (4 and 5), along with four known compounds (6-9) were isolated from the fruits of Psoralea corylifolia. Their structures were elucidated based on extensive spectral analysis. The absolute configurations of 1, 2, 4, and 5 were specified by quantum chemical calculations of ECD spectra.

Comparative effectiveness and safety of DOACs vs. VKAs in treatment of left ventricular thrombus- a meta-analysis update.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Left ventricular thrombus (LVT) formation in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or cardiomyopathies is not uncommon. The optimal oral anticoagulation therapy for resolving LVT has been under intense debate. Vitamin K antagonists (VKAs) remain the anticoagulant of choice for this condition, according to practice guidelines. Evidence supporting the use of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the management of LVT continues to grow. We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare the efficacy and safety of DOACs versus VKAs. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was carried out in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Embase, and Scopus databases in July 2023. The efficacy outcomes of this study were thrombus resolution, ischemic stroke, systemic embolism, stroke/systemic embolism, all-cause mortality, and adverse cardiovascular events. The safety outcomes were any bleeding, major bleeding, and intracranial hemorrhage. A total of twenty-seven eligible studies were included in the meta-analysis. Data were analyzed utilizing Stata software version 15.1. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between DOACs and VKAs with regard to LVT resolution (RR = 1.00, 95% CI 0.95-1.05, P = 0.99). In the overall analysis, DOACs significantly reduced the risk of stroke (RR = 0.74, 95% CI 0.57-0.96, P = 0.021), all-cause mortality (RR = 0.70, 95% CI 0.57-0.86, P = 0.001), any bleeding (RR = 0.75, 95% CI 0.61-0.92, P = 0.006) and major bleeding (RR = 0.67, 95% CI 0.52-0.85, P = 0.001) when compared to VKAs. Meanwhile, in the sub-analysis examining randomized controlled trials (RCTs), the aforementioned outcomes no longer differed significantly between the DOACs and VKAs groups. The incidences of systemic embolism (RR = 0.81, 95% CI 0.54-1.22, P = 0.32), stroke/systemic embolism (RR = 0.85, 95% CI 0.72-1.00, P = 0.056), intracranial hemorrhage (RR = 0.59, 95% CI 0.23-1.54, P = 0.28), and adverse cardiovascular events (RR = 0.99, 95% CI 0.63-1.56, P = 0.92) were comparable between the DOACs and VKAs groups. A subgroup analysis showed that patients treated with rivaroxaban had a significantly lower risk of stroke (RR = 0.24, 95% CI 0.08-0.72, P = 0.011) than those in the VKAs group. CONCLUSION: With non-inferior efficacy and superior safety, DOACs are promising therapeutic alternatives to VKAs in the treatment of LVT. Further robust investigations are warranted to confirm our findings.

MOF-derived Fe/Ni@C marigold-like nanosheets as heterogeneous electro-Fenton cathode for efficient antibiotic oxytetracycline degradation.

The widespread occurrence of organic antibiotic pollution in the environment and the associated harmful effects necessitate effective treatment method. Heterogeneous electro-Fenton (hetero-EF) has been regarded as one of the most promising techniques towards organic pollutant removal. However, the preparation of efficient cathode still remains challenging. Herein, a novel metal-organic framework (MOF)-derived Fe/Ni@C marigold-like nanosheets were fabricated successfully for the degradation of oxytetracycline (OTC) by serving as the hetero-EF cathode. The FeNi3@C (Fe/Ni molar ratio of 1:3) based hetero-EF system exhibited 8.2 times faster OTC removal rate than that of anodic oxidation and possessed many advantages such as excellent OTC degradation efficiency (95.4% within 90 min), broad environmental adaptability (satisfactory treatment performance for multiple antibiotics under various actual water matrixes), good stability and reusability, and significant toxicity reduction. The superior hetero-EF catalytic performance was mainly attributed to: 1) porous carbon and Ni existence were both conducive to the in-situ generation of H2O2 from dissolved O2; 2) the synergistic effects of bimetals together with electron transfer from the cathode promoted the regeneration of ≡ FeII/NiII, thereby accelerating the production of reactive oxygen species; 3) the unique nanosheet structure derived from the precursor two-dimensional Fe-Ni MOFs enhanced the accessibility of active sites. This work presented a promising hetero-EF cathode for the electrocatalytic treatment of antibiotic-containing wastewaters.

A hemizygous loss-of-function variant in BCORL1 is associated with male infertility and oligoasthenoteratozoospermia.

Oligoasthenoteratozoospermia (OAT) is a common type of male infertility; however, its genetic causes remain largely unknown. Some of the genetic determinants of OAT are gene defects affecting spermatogenesis. BCORL1 (BCL6 corepressor like 1) is a transcriptional corepressor that exhibits the OAT phenotype in a knockout mouse model. A hemizygous missense variant of BCORL1 (c.2615T > G:p.Val872Gly) was reported in an infertile male patient with non-obstructive azoospermia (NOA). Nevertheless, the correlation between BCORL1 variants and OAT in humans remains unknown. In this study, we used whole-exome sequencing to identify a novel hemizygous nonsense variant of BCORL1 (c.1564G > T:p.Glu522*) in a male patient with OAT from a Han Chinese family. Functional analysis showed that the variant produced a truncated protein with altered cellular localization and a dysfunctional interaction with SKP1 (S-phase kinase-associated protein 1). Further population screening identified four BCORL1 missense variants in subjects with both OAT (1 of 325, 0.31%) and NOA (4 of 355, 1.13%), but no pathogenic BCORL1 variants among 362 fertile subjects. In conclusion, our findings indicate that BCORL1 is a potential candidate gene in the pathogenesis of OAT and NOA, expanded its disease spectrum and suggested that BCORL1 may play a role in spermatogenesis by interacting with SKP1.

Establishment of a mandible defect model in rabbits infected with multiple bacteria and bioinformatics analysis.

Objective: A model of chronic infectious mandibular defect (IMD) caused by mixed infection with Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa was established to explore the occurrence and development of IMD and identify key genes by transcriptome sequencing and bioinformatics analysis. Methods: S. aureus and P. aeruginosa were diluted to 3 × 108 CFU/mL, and 6 × 3 × 3 mm defects lateral to the Mandibular Symphysis were induced in 28 New Zealand rabbits. Sodium Morrhuate (0.5%) and 50 µL bacterial solution were injected in turn. The modeling was completed after the bone wax closed; the effects were evaluated through postoperative observations, imaging and histological analyses. Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway, and protein‒protein interaction (PPI) network analyses were performed to investigate the function of the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Results: All rabbits showed characteristics of infection. The bacterial cultures were positive, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was used to identify S. aureus and P. aeruginosa. Cone beam CT and histological analyses showed inflammatory cell infiltration, pus formation in the medullary cavity, increased osteoclast activity in the defect area, and blurring at the edge of the bone defect. Bioinformatics analysis showed 1,804 DEGs, 743 were upregulated and 1,061 were downregulated. GO and KEGG analyses showed that the DEGs were enriched in immunity and osteogenesis inhibition, and the core genes identified by the PPI network were enriched in the Hedgehog pathway, which plays a role in inflammation and tissue repair; the MEF2 transcription factor family was predicted by IRegulon. Conclusion: By direct injection of bacterial solution into the rabbit mandible defect area, the rabbit chronic IMD model was successfully established. Based on the bioinformatics analysis, we speculate that the Hedgehog pathway and the MEF2 transcription factor family may be potential intervention targets for repairing IMD.

2-Methylimidazole-modulated 2D Cu metal-organic framework for 5-hydroxymethylfurfural hydrodeoxygenation.

Preparation of the high value-added chemical 2,5-dimethylfuran (2,5-DMF) from the biomass-derived platform molecule 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is of great significance in the preparation of biofuels. Here, a bottom-up strategy was used to prepare a metal-organic framework (MOF) material with a two-dimensional nanosheet morphology, named CPM, in which an additive 2-methylimidazole was introduced into the hydrothermal process of Cu2+ ions and terephthalic acid. Subsequently, CPM-700 prepared by heat treatment under an inert atmosphere showed excellent catalytic performance in the reaction of HMF hydrodeoxygenation to 2,5-DMF. The materials before and after pyrogenation were characterized by PXRD, XPS, TEM, N2 adsorption and desorption and so on. It was confirmed that compared with the catalyst derived from the cubic MOF material self-assembled by Cu2+ and terephthalic acid, the morphology of 2D nanosheets was beneficial for the reaction of HMF to 2,5-DMF. Combined with the experimental data, the possible reaction path of 2,5-DMF preparation from HMF is that 2,5-dihydroxymethylfuran was formed by hydrogenation of the aldehyde group on the furan ring, and then 2,5-DMF was obtained by hydrogenolysis. This paper provides an effective route for 2D MOF-derived catalytic materials in the selective hydrogenation of HMF.

Isoquercitrin alleviates lipopolysaccharide-induced intestinal mucosal barrier damage in mice by regulating TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and intestinal flora.

Intestinal mucosal barrier damage is closely associated with the development of several intestinal inflammatory diseases. Isoquercitrin (IQ) is a natural flavonoid compound derived from plants, which exhibits high antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity with minimal side effects in humans. Therefore, it shows great potential for preventing and treating intestinal mucosal barrier damage. This study aims to investigate the ameliorative effect and mechanism of IQ on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced intestinal mucosal barrier damage in mice. The mice were treated with IQ for 7 days and then injected with LPS to induce intestinal mucosal barrier damage. The results revealed that IQ treatment alleviated LPS-induced intestinal mucosal barrier damage in mice, which can be evidenced by the improvements in intestinal morphology and the promotion of expression in intestinal tight junctions (ZO-1, Claudin-1, and Occludin), as well as MUC2 mucin. IQ also attenuated intestinal inflammatory responses by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and reducing the expression and plasma levels of IL-6, IL-1ß, and TNF-α. Furthermore, IQ significantly increased the relative abundance of beneficial bacteria, including Dubosiella, Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibaculum rodentium, while suppressing the growth of harmful bacteria such as Mucispirillum schaedleri in the intestinal flora of mice. Consequently, IQ can alleviate the LPS-induced intestinal mucosal barrier damage in mice by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB signaling pathway and modulating the intestinal flora.

Comparison of Efficacy and Safety Between Dronedarone and Amiodarone Used During the Blind Period in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation After Catheter Ablation.

Background: Dronedarone is an effective drug for maintaining the sinus rhythm in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The efficacy and safety of dronedarone versus amiodarone in patients with AF after catheter ablation (CA) needs more evidence. We retrospectively compared the efficacy and safety of dronedarone and amiodarone in our hospital. Methods: Patients who underwent CA from January 2021 to January 2022 and used dronedarone (n=229) or amiodarone (n=202) during the blind period were enrolled. The recurrence of AF in post-and during the blanking period was compared between the groups; the rehospitalization for re-ablation and adverse drug events (ADE) were also calculated. Results: During an average follow-up period of 14.28 months, the long-term recurrence rate of AF did not differ significantly between the amiodarone group and dronedarone group (22.71% vs 21.29%, hazard ratio [HR], 1.033, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.661-1.614; p=0.888). The recurrence rate in the blanking period also showed no statistically significant differences between the amiodarone group and dronedarone group (9.90% vs 14.41%, HR, 0.851; 95% CI, 0.463-1.564; p=0.604). The re-hospitalization rates for re-ablation between two groups did not differ between the amiodarone group and dronedarone group (4.65% vs 13.46%; p =0.144). The incidence of ADE was higher in the dronedarone groups than that in the amiodarone group (16.59% vs 5.45%, p <0.001). The main adverse drug events in the dronedarone and amiodarone groups were gastrointestinal (6.99%) and bradycardia (2.48%), respectively. Conclusion: Compared to the amiodarone group, the dronedarone group had a similar blank-period and long-term recurrence rate of AF and a higher incidence of ADE.

Research on a Multimodel Fusion Diagnosis Method for Evaporation Ducts in the East China Sea.

Evaporation ducts are abnormal states of the atmosphere in the air-sea boundary layer that directly affect the propagation trajectory of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Therefore, an accurate diagnosis of the evaporation duct height (EDH) is important for studying the propagation trajectory of EM waves in evaporation ducts. Most evaporation duct models (EDMs) based on the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory are empirical methods. Different EDMs have different levels of environmental adaptability. Evaporation duct diagnosis methods based on machine learning methods only consider the mathematical relationship between data and do not explore the physical mechanism of evaporation ducts. To solve the above problems, this study observed the meteorological and hydrological parameters of the five layers of the low-altitude atmosphere in the East China Sea on board the research vessel Xiangyanghong 18 in April 2021 and obtained the atmospheric refractivity profile. An evaporation duct multimodel fusion diagnosis method (MMF) based on a library for support vector machines (LIBSVM) is proposed. First, based on the observed meteorological and hydrological data, the differences between the EDH diagnosis results of different EDMs and MMF were analyzed. When ASTD ≥ 0, the average errors of the diagnostic results of BYC, NPS, NWA, NRL, LKB, and MMF are 2.57 m, 2.92 m, 2.67 m, 3.27 m, 2.57 m, and 0.24 m, respectively. When ASTD < 0, the average errors are 2.95 m, 2.94 m, 2.98 m, 2.99 m, 2.97 m, and 0.41 m, respectively. Then, the EM wave path loss accuracy analysis was performed on the EDH diagnosis results of the NPS model and the MMF. When ASTD ≥ 0, the average path loss errors of the NPS model and MMF are 5.44 dB and 2.74 dB, respectively. When ASTD < 0, the average errors are 5.21 dB and 3.46 dB, respectively. The results show that the MMF is suitable for EDH diagnosis, and the diagnosis accuracy is higher than other models.

CO2 uptake in ethanol-driven chain elongation system: Microbial metabolic mechanisms.

CO2 as a byproduct of organic waste/wastewater fermentation has an important impact on the carboxylate chain elongation. In this study, a semi-continuous flow reactor was used to investigate the effects of CO2 loading rates (Low = 0.5 LCO2·L-1·d-1, Medium = 1.0 LCO2·L-1·d-1, High = 2.0 LCO2·L-1·d-1) on chain elongation system Ethanol and acetate were utilized as the electron donor and electron acceptor, respectively. The results demonstrate that low loading rate of CO2 has a positive effect on chain elongation. The maximum production of caproate and CH4 were observed at a low CO2 loading rate. Caproate production reached 1.88 g COD·L-1·d-1 with a selectivity of 62.55 %, while CH4 production reached 129.7 ml/d, representing 47.4 % of the total. Metagenomic analysis showed that low loading rate of CO2 favored the enrichment of Clostridium kluyveri, with its abundance being 3.8 times higher than at of high CO2 loading rate. Metatranscriptomic analysis revealed that high CO2 loading rate induced oxidative stress in microorganisms, as evidenced by increased expression of heat shock proteins and superoxide dismutase genes. Further investigation suggested that genes associated with the reverse ß-oxidation pathway, CO2 uptake pathway and hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis pathway were reduced at high CO2 loading rate. These findings provide insight into the underlying mechanisms of how CO2 affects chain elongation, and it could be a crucial reason for the poor performance of chain elongation systems with high endogenous CO2 production.

Research advances on impacts micro/nanoplastics and their carried pollutants on algae in aquatic ecosystems: A review.

The widespread presence of micro/nanoplastics in aquatic ecosystems has certainly affected ecosystem functions and food chains/webs. The impact is worsened by the accumulation of different pollutants and microorganisms on the surface of microplastics. At the tissue, cellular, and molecular levels, micro/nanoplastics and the contaminants they carry can cause damage to aquatic organisms. Problematically, the toxic mechanism of micro/nanoplastics and contaminants on aquatic organisms is still not fully understood. Algae are key organisms in the aquatic ecosystem, serving as primary producers. The investigation of the toxic effects and mechanisms of micro/nanoparticles and pollutants on algae can contribute to understanding the impact on the aquatic ecosystem. Micro/nanoplastics inhibit algal growth, reduce chlorophyll and photosynthesis, induce ultrastructural changes, and affect gene expression in algae. The effects of energy flow can alter the productivity of aquatic organisms. The type, particle size, and concentration of micro/nanoparticles can influence their toxic effects on algae. Although there has been some research on the toxic effects of algae, the limited information has led to a significant lack of understanding of the underlying mechanisms. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the interactions between micro/nanoplastics, pollutants, and algae. The effects of various factors on algal toxicity are also analyzed. In addition, this article discusses the combined effects of microplastics, global warming, and oil pollution on algae and aquatic ecosystems in the context of global change. This research is of great importance for predicting future environmental changes. This review offers a more comprehensive understanding of the interactions between microplastics/nanoplastics and algae, as well as their impact on the carbon cycle.

High-fat diet promotes colitis-associated tumorigenesis by altering gut microbial butyrate metabolism.

Background: Dietary fat intake is associated with an increased risk of colitis associated cancer (CAC). A high-fat diet (HFD) leads to systemic low-grade inflammation. The colon is believed to be the first organ suffering from inflammation caused by the infiltration of pro-inflammatory macrophages, and promotes CAC progression. We explored the role of HFD in driving CAC by altering gut microbial butyrate metabolism. Methods: Changes in the gut microbiota caused by HFD were investigated via HFD treatment or fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT). The underlying mechanisms were further explored by analyzing the role of gut microbiota, microbial butyrate metabolism, and NLRP3 inflammasome in colon tissues in a CAC mouse model. Results: HFD accelerated CAC progression in mice, and it could be reversed by broad-spectrum antibiotics (ABX). 16S-rRNA sequencing revealed that HFD inhibited the abundance of butyrate-producing bacteria in the gut. The level of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate, in the gut of mice treated with HFD was significantly reduced. In addition, treatment with exogenous butyrate reversed the M1 polarization of proinflammatory macrophages, aggravation of intestinal inflammation, and accelerated tumor growth induced by HFD; the NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway activated by HFD in the colon was also significantly inhibited. In vitro, macrophages were treated with lipopolysaccharide combined with butyrate to detect the M1 polarization level and NLRP3/Caspase-1 pathway expression, and the results were consistent with those of the in vivo experiments. Conclusion: HFD drives colitis-associated tumorigenesis by inducing gut microbial dysbiosis and inhibiting butyrate metabolism to skew macrophage polarization. Exogenous butyrate is a feasible new treatment strategy for CAC, and has good prospect for clinical application.

Unraveling the interplay between antibiotic resistance genes and microbial communities in water and sediments of the intensive tidal flat aquaculture.

Tidal flats are formed valuably resources by the interaction of terrestrial and marine processes. Aquaculture on tidal flats has brought significant economic profits, but the over usage of antibiotics has resulted in the prevalence antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) which pose serious threats to ecosystems. However, ARG abundances and bacterial community assemblies in the overlying water and sediments of tidal flat aquaculture areas have not been fully explored. Thus, antibiotic concentrations, ARG abundances, microbial communities and the influences of environmental factors in the Jiangsu tidal flat aquaculture ponds were investigated using high-throughput sequencing and qPCR. The concentrations of antibiotics at sampling ranged from not detectable to 2322.4 ng g-1, and sulfamethazine and ciprofloxacin were the dominant antibiotics. The sul1 and sul2 abundances were highest and the ARG abundances were higher in sediment than in water. Meanwhile, bacterial community diversities and structures were significantly different (P < 0.05) between water and sediment samples. Network analysis identified Sphingomonadacear, Pseudomonas, and Xanthobacteraceae as potential ARG-carrying pathogens. A positive correlation between ARGs and intI1 indicated that horizontal gene transfer occurred in water, while antibiotics and TN significantly influenced ARG abundances in sediment. Neutral modeling showed that deterministic and stochastic processes contributed most to the bacterial community assemblies of water and sediment samples, respectively. This study comprehensively illustrates the prevalence of ARGs in intensive tidal flat aquaculture regions and provides an effective foundation for the management of antibiotics usage.

Cancer-derived non-coding RNAs endow tumor microenvironment with immunosuppressive properties.

Non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) have attracted extensive attention due to their vital roles in tumorigenesis and progression, especially in the immunotherapy resistance. Tumor immunotherapy resistance is a crucial factor hindering the efficacy of tumor treatments, which can be largely attributed to the immunosuppressive properties of tumor microenvironment. Current studies have revealed that cancer-derived ncRNAs are involved in the formation of tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment (TIME) through multiple ways. They not only promote the expression of immune checkpoint ligands (e.g., PD-L1, CD47, Gal-9, and CD276) on cancer cell surfaces, but also enhance the secretion of immunosuppressive cytokines (e.g., TGF-ß, IL-6, IL-10, VEGF, and chemokines). Cancer-derived ncRNAs could also be transferred into surrounding immune-related cells through extracellular vesicles, thereby inhibiting the cytotoxicity of CD8+ T cells and NK cells, restraining the DC-mediated antigen presentation, inducing the immunosuppressive phenotype transformation of TAMs and CAFs, and enhancing the immunosuppressive functions of Tregs and MDSCs. Herein, we summarize the roles of cancer-derived ncRNAs in regulating TIME formation and further explore their potential applications as prognostic biomarkers and immunotherapeutic targets, which will help us to address the TIME-mediated immunotherapy resistance in the future. This article is categorized under: RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Disease Regulatory RNAs/RNAi/Riboswitches > Regulatory RNAs.

Prediction model of water content in surface dead fuel based on convolution neural network and meteoro-logical factors regression.

Water content of surface fuels is an important indicator of forest fire risk level and fire behavior, and the prediction model of which has a significant effect on fire risk prediction and management. Based on field meteorological factors of Quercus mongolica and Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica forests and water content data of dead fuels on the ground, we conducted the relative importance ranking of meteorological factors random forest and Pearson correlation analysis, and predicted water content of fuels using deeply learned convolutional neural network and meteorological factors regression. The results showed that water content of Q. mongolica fuels in the wild was significantly higher than that of P. sylvestris var. mongolica. The results of random forest showed that the factors that had significant effect on water content of fuel were humidity, temperature, rainfall, wind speed, and solar radiation, with the importance ranking from the largest to the smallest. Results of correlation analysis showed that temperature, humidity, and rainfall of current day had a significant impact on water content of fuels, and certain correlations were observed between meteorological factors. The prediction R2 of the convolutional neural network model for the surface fuel water content of Q. mongolica and P. sylvestris var. mongolica forest was 0.928 and 0.905, the mean absolute error (MAE) was 6.1% and 8.1%, and the mean relative error (MRE) was 8.9% and 4.2%, respectively. However, the R2, MAE, MRE of meteorological factors regression were 0.495 and 0.525, 30.5% and 39.5%, 52.1% and 32.6%, respectively. The precision of convolution neural network model was significantly higher than that of meteorological factors regression. Our results showed that the deeply learned convolutional neural network could provide some reference for the prediction of fuel water content in the future, and effectively support higher level forest fire management.

Prediction models of fire spread rate of Pinus koraiensis plantation's surface fuel.

Pinus koraiensis plantation has high fire risks due to high oil content in branches and leaves. The spread of surface fire is the main way of forest fire expansion. Understanding the surface fire spread rate can provide scientific guidance for fire fighting. We carried out a laboratory experiment with surface fuel of Pinus koraiensis plantation in Maoershan area of Heilongjiang Province. We set different levels of fuel moisture contents (5%, 15%, 25%), fuel loads (0.5, 0.7, 0.9, 1.1 kg·m-2), and slope (0°, 10°, 20°, 30°, 40°) to simulate the characteristics of fuel bed in the field, and quantified the spread rate by thermocouple method. We further compared and analyzed the prediction accuracy of Rothermel model, modified Rothermel model and random forest model, and evaluated the optimal model for predicting the surface fire spread rate of P. koraiensis plantation. The results showed that the overall efficacy of directly using the Rothermel model to predict the surface fire spread rate of P. koraiensis plantations was good, but the prediction result of the spread rate under the conditions of high slope and high moisture content was not satisfied. The Rothermel model after refitting the slope parameters and the random forest model had good prediction efficacy and similar prediction accuracy. The random forest model needed to be further evaluated and verified due to its own characteristics. The modified Rothermel model was more suitable for predicting the surface fire spread rate of P. koraiensis plantations at a slope range of 0°-40° than the others.