Comprehensive bioinformatics analysis of CYB561 expression in breast cancer:Link between prognosis and immune infiltration

Background:Cytochrome b561(CYB561)plays a critical role in neuroendocrine function,cardiovascular regulation,and tumor growth;however,the prognostic value of CYB561 in patients with breast cancer and the relationship between CYB561 expression and immune infiltration in breast cancer remain unclear.Methods:The mRNA expression and clinical data of patients with breast cancer were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas database.Functional enrichment analysis was used to explore underlying biological functions associated with CYB561.The methylation status of CYB561 was analyzed using the MethSurv database.The enrichment score of immune cell infiltration for CYB561 in breast cancer was calculated using single-sample gene set enrichment analysis.The prognostic value of CYB561 was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression analysis.Based on the results of the multivariate Cox analysis,a nomogram was constructed to predict the effect of CYB561 expression on overall survival(OS).Results:The results showed that CYB561 was highly expressed in breast cancer tissues.Hypomethylation of CYB561 is associated with an unfavorable prognosis.In multivariate Cox regression analysis,CYB561 was an independent prognostic factor for OS.Functional enrichment analysis indicated that estrogen signaling pathway,inflammatory response,KRAS signaling pathway,epithelial-mesenchymal transition,leukocyte migration,and regulation of lymphocyte activation were strongly enriched in the low CYB561 expression group.Additionally,CYB561 expression was negatively correlated with immune infiltration of B cells,plasmacytoid dendritic cells,dendritic cells,and neutrophils.Conclusion:CYB561 may serve as a potential biomarker for breast cancer diagnosis and prognosis.

Late Holocene hydroclimatic variations and possible forcing mechanisms over the eastern Central Asia

Hydroclimatic variations over the eastern Central Asia are highly sensitive to changes in hemispheric-scale atmospheric circulation systems. To fully understand the long-term variability and relationship between hydroclimate and atmospheric circulation system, we present a high-resolution lascustrine record of late Holocene hydroclimate from Lake Sayram, Central Tianshan Mountains, China, based on the total organic carbon, total nitrogen, and carbonate contents, carbon/nitrogen ratios, and grain size. Our results reveal four periods of substantially increased precipitation at the interval of 4000–3780, 3590–3210, 2800–2160, and 890–280 cal yr BP, and one period of slightly increased precipitation from 1700–1370 cal yr BP. These wetter periods broadly coincide with those identified in other records from the mid-latitude Westerlies-dominated eastern Central Asia, including the northern Tibetan Plateau. As such, a similar hydroclimatic pattern existed over this entire region during the late Holocene. Based on a close similarity of our record with reconstruction of North Atlantic Oscillation indices and solar irradiance, we propose that decreased solar irradiance and southern migration of the entire circum-North Atlantic circulation system, particularly the main pathway of the mid-latitude Westerlies, significantly influenced hydroclimate in eastern Central Asia during the late Holocene. Finally, the inferred precipitation at Lake Sayram has increased markedly over the past 100 years, although this potential future changes in hydroclimate in Central Asia need for further investigation.

The biological content of ballast water in China:A review

The introduction of species through the release of ballast water has become a major threats to marine biodiversity and ecosystem function worldwide.China is one of the top trading countries,yet little is known about exotic species in the ballast water of ships coming to its ports.Here,we review the biological surveys of ballast water from major Chinese ports.These surveys reveal that 40 species of nonindigenous phytoplankton that,belong to 25 genera and five phyla,have been observed in ballast water.The dominant species are diatoms and dinoflagellates.There were 17 red-tide causing species observed,five of which are noxious algae.Seventeen species of non-indigenous zooplankton have been reported,most of them(11)copepods.There were also 22 species of pathogenic bacteria recorded,including Vibrio alginolyticus,V.carchariae,V.parahaemolyticus,and V.vulnificus.These studies show that species introduction through ballast water potentially a serious threat to the ecology and human health in China.More research,including collaboration with the international community,is urgently needed to address this problem.

Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates in reclaimed and natural tidal flats of the Yangtze River estuary

Previous studies have found differences between communities of benthic macroinvertebrates living in constructed tidal flats compared with natural ones.We analyzed the distributional characteristics of benthic macroinvertebrates in a blowing sand reclamation area(Area A),a dike-building silting area(Area B),an out-ofsiltation area(Area C),and a natural tidal flat(Area D)in order to characterize the community structure and diversity of benthic macroinvertebrates in a human-disturbed estuarine tidal-flat wetland.A total of 32 benthic macroinvertebrate species were identified(Area A=7;Area B=12;Area C=10;Area D=27).The diversity index was variable where:Area B<Area C<Area A<Area D.A higher average annual abundance of benthic macroinvertebrates was found at Area B(840.43±569.23)ind/m^(2) than in Area D(203.00±5.85)ind/m^(2),Area A(42.87±10.21)ind/m^(2),and Area C(17.64±1.50)ind/m^(2).The biomass in Area C(3.18±0.39)g/m^(2) was lower than in the other areas.One-Way ANOVAs detected significant differences(P<0.05)in the abundance and biomass within Area B among seasons;however,there were no significant seasonal differences(P>0.05)in the abundance and biomass of Areas A,C,and D.An abundance/biomass curve showed that the habitat in Areas A,B,and C could be categorized as moderately disturbed,whereas Area D was categorized as undisturbed.The results of cluster analysis suggested distinct assemblages in the four sampling areas.Reclamation raised the altitude of tidal flats,weakening the tidal power and changing the physical and chemical parameters of the water,leading to a change in the community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates.

ON CHARACTERIZATIONS OF D-η-PROPERLY PREQUASI-INVEX FUNCTION

Recently, various concepts of D-η-properly prequasi-invex functions were introduced and characterizations of D-η-properly prequasi-invex functions were presented under a certain set of conditions. In this paper, we show that the same results can be obtained under weaker assumptions.

Analysis of the diet of the tadpole shrimp, Triops sinensis, in paddy fields of Shouchang River watershed

The tadpole shrimp,Triops sinensis,was discovered in the paddy fields of the Shouchang River watershed.The gut contents of the shrimp from these field populations were analyzed in order to quantify their dietary patterns.Some species of tadpole shrimps were found to prey on mosquito larvae as well as uproot weeds.Mosquito larvae and weeds were seldom found in the paddy fields which the tadpole shrimp inhabited in the Shouchang River watershed.The results further showed that the larvae of these tadpole shrimp mainly feed on algae and rice lamina.The tadpole shrimp could feed on animal food including protozoa,nematodes,rotifers,crustaceans,and aquatic insect larvae,though the animal food was subsidiary.