Genetic variants in C1GALT1 are associated with gastric cancer risk by influencing immune infiltration

Core 1 synthase glycoprotein-N-acetylgalactosamine 3-β-galactosyltransferase 1(C1GALT1)is known to play a critical role in the development of gastric cancer,but few studies have elucidated associations between genetic variants in C1GALT1 and gastric cancer risk.By using the genome-wide association study data from the database of Genotype and Phenotype(dbGAP),we evaluated such associations with a multivariable logistic regression model and identified that the rs35999583 G>C in C1GALT1 was associated with gastric cancer risk(odds ratio,0.83;95% confidence interval[CI],0.75-0.92;P=3.95×10^(-4)).C1GALT1 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in gastric tumor tissues than in normal tissues,and gastric cancer patients with higher C1GALT1 mRNA levels had worse overall survival rates(hazards ratio,1.33;95%CI,1.05-1.68;P_(log-rank)=1.90×10^(-2)).Furthermore,we found that C1GALT1 copy number differed in various immune cells and that C1GALT1 mRNA expression levels were positively correlated with the infiltrating levels of CD4^(+)T cells and macrophages.These results suggest that genetic variants of C1GALT1 may play an important role in gastric cancer risk and provide a new insight for C1GALT1 into a promising predictor of gastric cancer susceptibility and immune status.

Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 play different roles in constitutively active Rheb-mediated retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration after optic nerve injury

Ras homolog enriched in brain(Rheb) is a small GTPase that activates mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1(mTORC1).Previous studies have shown that constitutively active Rheb can enhance the regeneration of sensory axons after spinal cord injury by activating downstream effectors of mTOR.S6K1 and4E-BP1 are important downstream effectors of mTORC1.In this study,we investigated the role of Rheb/mTOR and its downstream effectors S6K1 and 4E-BP1in the protection of retinal ganglion cells.We transfected an optic nerve crush mouse model with adeno-associated viral 2-mediated constitutively active Rheb and observed the effects on retinal ganglion cell survival and axon regeneration.We found that overexpression of constitutively active Rheb promoted survival of retinal ganglion cells in the acute(14 days) and chronic(21 and 42 days) stages of injury.We also found that either co-expression of the dominant-negative S6K1mutant or the constitutively active 4E-BP1 mutant together with constitutively active Rheb markedly inhibited axon regeneration of retinal ganglion cells.This suggests that mTORC1-mediated S6K1 activation and 4E-BP1 inhibition were necessary components for constitutively active Rheb-induced axon regeneration.However,only S6K1 activation,but not 4E-BP1 knockdown,induced axon regeneration when applied alone.Furthermore,S6K1 activation promoted the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury,whereas 4E-BP1 knockdown unexpectedly slightly decreased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days postinjury.Ove rexpression of constitutively active 4E-BP1 increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells at 14 days post-injury.Likewise,co-expressing constitutively active Rheb and constitutively active 4E-BP1 markedly increased the survival of retinal ganglion cells compared with overexpression of constitutively active Rheb alone at 14 days post-injury.These findings indicate that functional 4E-BP1 and S6K1 are neuroprotective and that 4E-BP1 may exert protective effects through a pathway at least partially independent of Rhe b/mTOR.Together,our results show that constitutively active Rheb promotes the survival of retinal ganglion cells and axon regeneration through modulating S6K1 and 4E-BP1 activity.Phosphorylated S6K1 and 4E-BP1 promote axon regeneration but play an antagonistic role in the survival of retinal ganglion cells.

In-situ growth of CNTs encapsulating P-doped NiSe_(2) nanoparticles on carbon framework as efficient bifunctional electrocatalyst for overall water splitting

Nickel diselenide(NiSe_(2)) is a promising low-cost catalyst for both hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) and oxygen evolution reaction(OER),due to its suitable d-electron configuration and high electrical conductivity.Several representative elements,e.g.,Co,Fe and P,have been utilized as cation or anion to promote the electrocatalytic activity of NiSe_(2) by modulating the interaction with Se element,whilst the catalyst stability is less concerned.In this work,the catalytic Ni nanoparticles were in-situ encapsulated in carbon nanotubes grown on three-dimensional conducting carbon framework.Subsequent phosphorization and selenization yield dispersed P-doped NiSe_(2) nanoparticles protected by carbon shell with highly exposed yet stable active sides,resulting in significantly promoted HER and OER activities as well as accelerated kinetics.In detail,the P-NiSe_(2)@N-CNTs/NC hybrid catalyst deliver low overpotentials of 95 and 306 mV at10 mA cm^(-2) for HER and OER in alkaline media,respectively.DFT calculations reveal that P doping reduces the electron density surrounding Ni atoms while accumulates the charges to Se, respectively,which in turn reduces the energy barriers for both water dissociation and intermediates adsorption for both HER and OER.As a concept of proof,a cell assembled by P-NiSe_(2)@N-CNTs/NC hybrid catalystbased anode and cathode performs a low applied voltage of 1.609 V to reach 10 mA cm^(-2),and outstanding long-term stability.

Integration of advanced biotechnology for green carbon

Carbon neutralization has been introduced as a long-term policy to control global warming and climate change.As plant photosynthesis produces the most abundant lignocellulosic biomass on Earth,its conversion to biofuels and bioproducts is considered a promising solution for reducing the net carbon release.However,natural lignocellulose recalcitrance crucially results in a costly biomass process along with secondary waste liberation.By updating recent advances in plant biotechnology,biomass engineering,and carbon nanotechnology,this study proposes a novel strategy that integrates the genetic engineering of bioenergy crops with green-like biomass processing for cost-effective biofuel conversion and high-value bioproduction.By selecting key genes and appropriate genetic manipulation approaches for precise lignocellulose modification,this study highlights the desirable genetic site mutants and transgenic lines that are raised in amorphous regions and inner broken chains account for high-density/length-reduced cellulose nanofiber assembly in situ.Since the amorphous regions and inner-broken chains of lignocellulose substrates are defined as the initial breakpoints for enhancing biochemical,chemical,and thermochemical conversions,desirable cellulose nanofibers can be employed to achieve nearcomplete biomass enzymatic saccharification for maximizing biofuels or high-quality biomaterials,even under cost-effective and green-like biomass processes in vitro.This study emphasizes the optimal thermal conversion for generating high-performance nanocarbons by combining appropriate nanomaterials generated from diverse lignocellulose resources.Therefore,this study provides a perspective on the potential of green carbon productivity as a part of the fourth industrial revolution.

型谱化高流强质子回旋加速器自主研发及创新应用

回旋加速器是开展核装备研制、核科学和生命科学等前沿研究,以及核技术创新应用的关键科学手段和不可或缺的研究平台.强流回旋加速器研究团队研发了高流强紧凑型回旋加速器,创建了径向调变磁场梯度强聚焦理论,研发了多束团强流束流动力学并行计算算法和软件,突破了紧凑型回旋加速器的极限能量、显著提升了空间电荷制约下的束流强度;独创了奇偶三角形单元垫补函数的等时场和非理想谐波场垫补方法,有效提高了轴向聚焦力,解决了磁铁工程难题;突破了“馈管-腔体”耦合振荡抑制、动态负载变化均衡等关键技术,实现了长期稳定运行.团队自主研制了十余台不同能量强流回旋加速器,其流强、注入和引出效率等主要性能指标处于国际同类装置前列,在中国原子能科学研究院、中国科学院国家空间科学中心、国防科技工业抗辐照应用技术创新中心、北京大学等单位的相关研究项目中做出了重要贡献,为近百个单位常年供束开展空间科学、生命科学与核科学技术的研究,应用领域广泛.

Photonic-reconfigurable entanglement distribution network based on silicon quantum photonics

The entanglement distribution network connects remote users by sharing entanglement resources,which is essential for realizing quantum internet.We propose a photonic-reconfigurable entanglement distribution network(PR-EDN)based on a silicon quantum photonic chip.The entanglement resources are generated by a quantum light source array based on spontaneous four-wave mixing in silicon waveguides and distributed to different users through time-reversed Hong–Ou–Mandel interference by on-chip Mach–Zehnder interferometers with thermo-optic phase shifters(TOPSs).A chip sample is designed and fabricated,supporting a PR-EDN with3 subnets and 24 users.The network topology of the PR-EDN could be reconfigured in three network states by controlling the quantum interference through the TOPSs,which is demonstrated experimentally.Furthermore,a reconfigurable entanglement-based quantum key distribution network is realized as an application of the PR-EDN.The reconfigurable network topology makes the PR-EDN suitable for future quantum networks requiring complicated network control and management.Moreover,it is also shown that silicon quantum photonic chips have great potential for large-scale PR-EDN,thanks to their capacities for generating and manipulating plenty of entanglement resources.

Roles of neutrophil reactive oxygen species(ROS) generation in organ function impairment in sepsis

Sepsis is a condition of severe organ failure caused by the maladaptive response of the host to an infection.It is a severe complication affecting critically ill patients,which can progress to severe sepsis,septic shock,and ultimately death.As a vital part of the human innate immune system,neutrophils are essential in resisting pathogen invasion,infection,and immune surveillance.Neutrophil-produced reactive oxygen species(ROS) play a pivotal role in organ dysfunction related to sepsis.In recent years,ROS have received a lot of attention as a major cause of sepsis,which can progress to severe sepsis and septic shock.This paper reviews the existing knowledge on the production mechanism of neutrophil ROS in human organ function impairment because of sepsis.

A dendrite-free Li plating host towards high utilization of Li metal anode in Li–O_2 battery

The intense interest of Li–O_2 battery stems from its ultrahigh theoretical energy density, but its application is still hindered by the issues of Li anode. Herein, RuO_2-CNTs composite, a conventional O_2 cathode catalyst in Li–O_2 battery, is first utilized as an anode host for dendrite-free Li plating/stripping with high Coulombic efficiency. It is demonstrated that such excellent plating/stripping performance arises from the lithiophilicity characteristic of Ru nanoparticles(that is derived from the in-situ electrochemical conversion from RuO_2 to Ru/Li_2O) and buffer space provided by CNTs. Furthermore, the RuO_2-CNTs electrode pre-deposited with limited Li(RuO_2-CNTs@Li anode) is coupled with a RuO_2-CNTs catalytic cathode to form a Li–O_2 full cell, which displays an extended cycle life with dramatically improved energy density.The achieved cell shows a high stability of 200 cycles with RuO_2-CNTs@Li anode(1 mg Li) that sheds light on the efficient utilization of Li anode in Li–O_2 batteries.

Effect of surface roughness on the aerodynamic performance of turbine blade cascade

The effect of surface roughness on the boundary development and loss behavior of turbine blades is investigated with different Reynolds numbers in this paper.The result shows that the velocity profile in boundary layer is plumper on rough surface than on smooth blade.The aerodynamic loss is lowered at low Reynolds number,but becomes significantly large at high Reynolds number.The total pressure loss coefficient of cascade can reach a top increase of 129%for rougher blades comparing with smooth blades at Re=300000.

First Human Infection Case of Monkey B Virus Identified in China,2021

Monkey B virus(BV),initially isolated in 1932,is currently designated as Macacine alphaherpesvirus 1 by the International Committee on Taxonomy of Viruses(1).BV is an alphaherpesvirus enzootic in macaques of the genus Macaca,normally transmitted horizontally via direct contact and exchange of bodily secretions,just like herpes simplex virus(HSV)in humans.

Insights into the efficiency and stability of Cu-based nanowires for electrocatalytic oxygen evolution

Copper oxide nanowires with varying oxidation states are prepared and their activity for water oxidation is studied. The nanowires with a CuO phase are found to be the most active, and their degree of crystallinity is important in achieving efficient water oxidation. For the crystalline CuO nanowires in a weakly basic Na2CO3 electrolyte, a Tafel slope of 41 mV/decade, an overpotential of approximately 500 mV at - 10 mA/crn2 （without compensation for the solution resistance）, and a faradaic efficiency of nearly 100% are obtained. This electrode maintains a stable current for over 15 lx The low overpotential of 500 mV at 10 mA/cm2, small Tafel slope, long-term stability, and low cost make CuO one of the most promising catalysts for water oxidation. Moreover, the evolution of the CuO nanowire morphology over time is studied by electron microscop）-revealing that the diffusion of Cu ions from the interior of the nanowires to their surface causes the aggregation of individual nanowires over time. However, despite this aggregation, the current density remains nearly constant, because the total electrochemically active surface area of CuO does not change.

Human Plague Case Diagnosed in Ningxia Tracked to Animal Reservoirs—Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region,China,2021

Summary What is already known about this topic?There were a total of 4 and 3 human plague cases that occurred in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region in 2019 and 2020,respectively,with 1 and 2 deaths in 2019 and 2020 respectively,which indicated that plague still poses a significant threat to human health especially for farmers,shepherds,or residents living in native plague foci.What is added by this report?On August 14,2021,1 patient from the Otog Qi(County)in the Inner Mongolia sought treatment in Yinchuan City(the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region).

Noninvasive ventilation in a young infant with congenital central hypoventilation and 7-year follow-up

Introduction:Congenital central hypoventilation syndrome(CCHS)is a rare disorder characterized by alveolar hypoventilation and autonomic system dysregulation secondary to mutations of the PHOX2B gene.Treatment consists of assisted ventilation using positive-pressure ventilators via tracheostomy,bi-level positive airway pressure(BPAP)via a noninvasive interface,negative-pressure ventilators,or diaphragm pacing.The long-term use of BPAP in younger children at home has been less frequently reported.Case presentation:We present a case of a 2-month-old infant with CCHS who was successfully managed by BPAP without the need for tracheostomy and followed up for 7 years.Conclusion:CCHS is a rare disease that manifests as nocturnal desaturation and carbon dioxide retention in early life.Noninvasive ventilation can be successfully used in young infants via an appropriate mask.

Distinct durability of IgM/IgG antibody responses in COVID-19 patients with differing severity

Dear Editor,The coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19)pandemic is generating a demand for simultaneous vaccine development,which is expected to prevent future outbreaks by eliciting sufficient and protective immunity.