Synergistic microcystin degradation by a novel bacterium isolated from shrimp pond and fulvic acids

Using the Widdel medium with extracted microcystin(MC)as the sole carbon and nitrogen sources,the MC-degrading bacteria community S_6 was enriched from the sediment of Litopenaeus vannamei pond,and a novel MC-degrading bacteria strain was isolated from S_6.According to 16S rDNA gene sequence and biochemical characteristics,the isolated strain was identified and named Nitratireductor aquimarinus D_(1).Fulvic acid(FA),as a widely existing photosensitizer involved in MC photodegradation,coexists with MC-degrading bacteria in natural water.The synergistic effects of N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA on MC degradation were evaluated via comparing the degradation rate of MC induced by N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA alone and in combination under natural light conditions.Compared with the control group,the supplementation of N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA alone or in combination could significantly increase the degradation rate of MC(P<0.05).In the first 36 h,the degradation effect of FA on MC was better than that of N.aquimarinus D_(1),but the degradation effect was opposite at 48 h.N.aquimarinus D_(1) and FA did not show synergistic effect on MC degradation until 48 h.In the application of N.aquimarinus and FA to degrade MC in aquaculture pond,there might be a time-lag effect in the synergistic degradation.

CHCHD2 Thr61Ile mutation impairs F1F0-ATPase assembly in in vitro and in vivo models of Parkinson's disease

Mitochondrial dysfunction is a significant pathological alte ration that occurs in Parkinson's disease(PD),and the Thr61lle(T61I)mutation in coiled-coil helix coiled-coil helix domain containing 2(CHCHD2),a crucial mitochondrial protein,has been reported to cause Parkinson's disease.FIFO-ATPase participates in the synthesis of cellular adenosine triphosphate(ATP)and plays a central role in mitochondrial energy metabolism.However,the specific roles of wild-type(WT)CHCHD2 and T611-mutant CHCHD2 in regulating F1FO-ATPase activity in Parkinson's disease,as well as whether CHCHD2 or CHCHD2 T61I affects mitochondrial function through regulating F1FO-ATPase activity,remain unclea r.Therefore,in this study,we expressed WT CHCHD2 and T61l-mutant CHCHD2 in an MPP^(+)-induced SH-SY5Y cell model of PD.We found that CHCHD2 protected mitochondria from developing MPP^(+)-induced dysfunction.Under normal conditions,ove rexpression of WT CHCHD2 promoted F1FO-ATPase assembly,while T61I-mutant CHCHD2 appeared to have lost the ability to regulate F1FO-ATPase assembly.In addition,mass spectrometry and immunoprecipitation showed that there was an interaction between CHCHD2 and F1FO-ATPase.Three weeks after transfection with AAV-CHCHD2 T61I,we intraperitoneally injected 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine into mice to establish an animal model of chronic Parkinson's disease and found that exogenous expression of the mutant protein worsened the behavioral deficits and dopaminergic neurodegeneration seen in this model.These findings suggest that WT CHCHD2 can alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction in PD by maintaining F1F0-ATPase structure and function.

Cloud-Model-Based Feature Engineering to Analyze the Energy-Water Nexus of a Full-Scale Wastewater Treatment Plant

Wastewater treatment plants(WWTPs)are important and energy-intensive municipal infrastructures.High energy consumption and relatively low operating performance are major challenges from the perspective of carbon neutrality.However,water-energy nexus analysis and models for WWTPs have rarely been reported to date.In this study,a cloud-model-based energy consumption analysis(CMECA)of a WWTP was conducted to explore the relationship between influent and energy consumption by clustering its influent’s parameters.The principal component analysis(PCA)and K-means clustering were applied to classify the influent condition using water quality and volume data.The energy consumption of the WWTP is divided into five standard evaluation levels,and its cloud digital characteristics(CDCs)were extracted according to bilateral constraints and golden ratio methods.Our results showed that the energy consumption distribution gradually dispersed and deviated from the Gaussian distribution with decreased water concentration and quantity.The days with high energy efficiency were extracted via the clustering method from the influent category of excessive energy consumption,represented by a compact-type energy consumption distribution curve to identify the influent conditions that affect the steady distribution of energy consumption.The local WWTP has high energy consumption with 0.3613 kW·h·m^(-3)despite low influent concentration and volumes,across four consumption levels from low(I)to relatively high(IV),showing an unsatisfactory operation and management level.The average oxygenation capacity,internal reflux ratio,and external reflux ratio during high energy efficiency days recognized by further clustering were obtained(0.2924-0.3703 kg O_(2)·m^(-3),1.9576-2.4787,and 0.6603-0.8361,respectively),which could be used as a guide for the days with low energy efficiency.Consequently,this study offers a water-energy nexus analysis method to identify influent conditions with operational management anomalies and can be used as an empirical reference for the optimized operation of WWTPs.

Theoretical insights into the structures and fundamental properties of pnictogen nitrides

Recent experimental advancements reported a chemical reaction between antimony and nitrogen under high temperature and high pressure,yielding crystalline antimony nitride(Sb_(3)N_(5))with an orthorhombic structure.Motivated by this statement,we calculate the stability,elastic properties,electronic properties and energy density of the Cmc2_(1) structure for pnictogen nitrides X_(3)N_(5)(X=P,As,Sb,and Bi)using first-principles calculations combined with particle swarm optimization algorithms.Calculations of formation enthalpies,elastic constants and phonon spectra show that P_(3)N_(5),As_(3)N_(5) and Sb_(3)N_(5) are thermodynamically,mechanically and kinetically stable at 35 GPa,whereas Bi_(3)N_(5) is mechanically and kinetically stable but thermodynamically unstable.The computed electronic density of states shows strong covalent bonding between the N atoms and the phosphorus group atoms in the four compounds,confirmed by the calculated electronic localization function.We also calculate the energy densities for Sb_(3)N_(5) and find it to be a potentially high-energy-density material.

Biocompatibility of light responsive materials prepared for accommodative intraocular lenses manufacturing

AIM:To investigate the biocompatibility and bacterial adhesion properties of light responsive materials(LRM)and analyze the feasibility and biosafety of employing LRM in the preparation of accommodative intraocular lenses(AIOLs).METHODS:Employing fundamental experimental research techniques,LRM with human lens epithelial cells(hLECs)and human retinal pigment epithelium cells(ARPE-19 cells)were co-cultured.Commercially available intraocular lenses(IOLs)were used as controls to perform cell counting kit-8(CCK-8),cell staining under varying light intensities,cell adhesion and bacterial adhesion experiments.RESULTS:LRM exhibited a stronger inhibitory effect on the proliferation of ARPE19 cells than commercially available IOLs when co-cultured with the undiluted extract for 96h(P<0.05).Under other culturing conditions,the effects on the proliferation of hLECs and ARPE-19 cells were not significantly different between the two materials.Under the influence of light irradiation at intensities of 200 and 300 mW/cm^(2),LRM demonstrated a markedly higher inhibitory effect on the survival of hLECs compared to commercially available IOLs(P<0.0001).They also showed a stronger suppressive effect on the survival rate of ARPE-19 cells,with significant differences observed at 200 mW/cm^(2)(P<0.001)and extremely significant differences at 300 mW/cm^(2)(P<0.0001).Additionally,compared to commercially available IOLs,LRM had a higher number of cells adhering to their surface(P<0.05),as well as a significantly greater number of adherent bacterium(P<0.0001).CONCLUSION:LRM,characterized by their excellent non-contact tunable deformability and low cytotoxicity to ocular tissues,show considerable potential for use in the fabrication of AIOLs.These materials demonstrate strong cell adhesion;however,during photothermal conversion processes involving shape deformation under various light intensities,the resultant temperature rise may harm surrounding cells.These factors suggest that while the material plays a positive role in reducing the incidence of posterior capsule opacification(PCO),it also poses potential risks for retinal damage.Additionally,the strong bacterial adhesion of these materials indicates an increased risk of endophthalmitis.

Clinical implications of the latest advances in gastrointestinal tumor research

In this editorial,we provide commentary on six articles recently published in the World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology.These articles collectively present the latest findings in the field of gastric and colorectal cancer(CRC)research.The global incidence of gastric cancer varies based on geographical location,age,and sex.The disease predominantly affects middle-aged and elderly individuals,with a slightly higher prevalence in men than in women.CRC is characterized by a low 5-year survival rate and high mortality rate.It primarily affects individuals over the age of 50,and the risk of disease increases with age.Both gastric and CRC pose significant health threats,thus requiring more effective diagnostic,therapeutic,and supportive care strategies to improve patient outcomes.The articles discussed in this editorial encompass topics such as screening,diagnosis,mechanisms of progression,and postoperative recovery in gastric and CRC,and the findings offer valuable insights for clinical decision-making in the diagnosis,treatment,and prognosis of gastrointestinal cancers.

ConGCNet:Convex geometric constructive neural network for Industrial Internet of Things

The intersection of the Industrial Internet of Things(IIoT)and artificial intelligence(AI)has garnered ever-increasing attention and research interest.Nevertheless,the dilemma between the strict resource-constrained nature of IIoT devices and the extensive resource demands of AI has not yet been fully addressed with a comprehensive solution.Taking advantage of the lightweight constructive neural network(LightGCNet)in developing fast learner models for IIoT,a convex geometric constructive neural network with a low-complexity control strategy,namely,ConGCNet,is proposed in this article via convex optimization and matrix theory,which enhances the convergence rate and reduces the computational consumption in comparison with LightGCNet.Firstly,a low-complexity control strategy is proposed to reduce the computational consumption during the hidden parameters training process.Secondly,a novel output weights evaluated method based on convex optimization is proposed to guarantee the convergence rate.Finally,the universal approximation property of ConGCNet is proved by the low-complexity control strategy and convex output weights evaluated method.Simulation results,including four benchmark datasets and the real-world ore grinding process,demonstrate that ConGCNet effectively reduces computational consumption in the modelling process and improves the model’s convergence rate.

An observation control system for radio telescopes based on Python and C++languages

An observation control system is the foundation to support automatic observations by any radio telescope.Traditional observation control systems are usually coded using a compiled language,which is of higher efficiency compared with interpreted languages.Indeed,observation control systems are usually programmed using the C or C++languages.However,the high execution efficiency of C/C++is at the cost of a long development cycle,which is not only time consuming but also requires considerable skills for the developers.The development of computer hardware performance,as well as the optimization of the just-in-time compiler for new interpreted languages such as Python,provides a good balance between execution and development efficiency.In this paper,we introduce the observation control system developed for the Kunming 40-meter radio telescope run by Yunnan Observatories,Chinese Academy of Sciences.The system is developed mainly with the Python language,and we have optimized computationally intensive components with C++.We demonstrate that it is possible to achieve the required functionality and control precision with such a Python-C++programming paradigm.The performance of the control system is also assessed in this paper,demonstrating that satisfactory pointing accuracy and user experience can be attained.

应用超高速SS-OCTA定量评估DR患者的脉络膜毛细血管血流灌注

目的:利用超高速扫频源光学相干断层扫描血管成像(SS-OCTA)测量脉络膜毛细血管(CC)灌注密度(PFD)评估不同糖尿病视网膜病变(DR)患者脉络膜毛细血管血流特征。方法:横断面研究。选取2022-03/12在合肥市第二人民医院就诊的受试者139例139眼:包括糖尿病患者115例115眼和对照组24例24眼。根据早期糖尿病视网膜病病变研究(ETDRS)标准对彩色视网膜图像进行DR分级,将糖尿病患眼分为无DR组、非增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变(NPDR)组、NPDR合并糖尿病黄斑水肿(DME)组、增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变(PDR)组。采用超高速SS-OCTA设备扫描以黄斑中央凹为中心3mm×3mm的区域,利用系统内置软件测量CC灌注面积,计算PFD,采用多元线性回归评估CC的PFD与DR程度的相关性。结果:DR程度与CC血流灌注相关,调整各种混杂因素后,与对照组相比,NPDR组中心凹CC的PFD减少9.358个单位(95%CI-18.484~-0.232,P=0.045),旁中心凹减少9.284个单位(95%CI-18.487~-0.090,P=0.048);NPDR合并DME组中心凹CC PFD减少18.173个单位(95%CI-28.583~-7.762,P=0.001),旁中心凹减少17.032个单位(95%CI-27.521~-6.544,P=0.002);PDR组中心凹CC PFD减少28.309个单位(95%CI-39.978~-16.640,P<0.001),旁中心凹减少25.841个单位(95%CI-37.597~-14.085,P<0.001)。结论:超高速SS-OCTA测量CC血流密度可以客观量化黄斑灌注,黄斑区CC血流灌注密度与DR严重程度相关,随着DR进展黄斑区CC灌注密度降低,未来纵向研究可阐明CC灌注与DR进展之间的因果关系。

SS-OCTA评估增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变玻璃体切除术后黄斑微血管的变化

目的:探讨增殖性糖尿病视网膜病变(PDR)经扁平部玻璃体切除(PPV)术后黄斑区视网膜、脉络膜血流的变化。方法:横断面研究。选取2020-09/2022-07在合肥市第二人民医院眼科诊断为单眼PDR并接受23G PPV手术治疗的患者35例35眼,所有患者均行扫频源光学相干断层扫描血管造影(SS-OCTA)检查,采用系统内置分析软件测量黄斑区3mm×3mm范围内视网膜、脉络膜血流参数,并分析其与术后最佳矫正视力(BCVA)的相关性。结果:术后随访1~22(平均9.72±6.67)mo,末次随访时,纳入患者PPV术眼鼻侧旁中心凹区域中层毛细血管层(ICP)灌注面积(FA)(0.31±0.06mm^(2))较对侧眼(0.38±0.05mm^(2))明显减少,颞侧旁中心凹区域深层毛细血管层(DCP)FA(0.19±0.08mm^(2))较对侧眼(0.27±0.07mm^(2))明显减少(均P<0.05),除颞侧旁中心凹区域,PPV术眼其他旁中心凹区域脉络膜血管指数(CVI)均较对侧眼显著降低(P<0.05)。PPV术眼术后BCVA与视网膜中、深层血管密度和灌注面积均有一定的相关性。结论:严重PDR患者患眼PPV术后较对侧眼可能更易出现旁中心凹区域视网膜深层及脉络膜血流灌注的减少。

日粮添加丁酸梭菌及其复合菌剂对蛋鸡夏季生产性能的影响

试验旨在探究日粮添加丁酸梭菌及其复合菌剂对蛋鸡夏季生产性能、蛋品质和血清生化指标的影响。随机选用380日龄京粉2号蛋鸡360只,随机分成4组,每组6个重复,每个重复15只鸡。对照组饲喂基础日粮,3个试验组分别在基础日粮中添加1×105 CFU/g丁酸梭菌(活菌数1×109 CFU/g)、2×106 CFU/g复合益生菌A(由丁酸梭菌和凝结芽孢杆菌组成,活菌数分别为4×108 CFU/g和1.96×1010 CFU/g)、5×106 CFU/g复合益生菌B(由丁酸梭菌和地衣芽孢杆菌组成,活菌数分别为1×108 CFU/g和9.9×109 CFU/g)。预试期1周,正试期12周。结果表明:与对照组相比,丁酸梭菌组和复合益生菌A组的料蛋比分别降低6.7%和6.3%(P<0.05),产蛋率提高3.0%和2.9%(P<0.05);与对照组相比,复合益生菌A组的蛋白高度、蛋黄重和蛋黄比例分别提高7.1%、6.3%和3.6%(P<0.05),复合益生菌B组的蛋黄重和蛋黄比例提高3.9%和3.8%(P<0.05),丁酸梭菌组蛋白高度和哈氏单位提高16.8%和12.2%(P<0.05),试验56 d采集鸡蛋保存14 d之后,丁酸梭菌组蛋白高度提高18.5%(P<0.05),复合益生菌A组的哈氏单位和蛋壳强度分别提高21.3%和15.2%(P<0.05);复合益生菌B组血清总蛋白和白蛋白分别降低13.9%和10.9%(P<0.05)。由此可见,日粮添加丁酸梭菌及其复合菌剂能有效缓解夏季高温对产蛋鸡生产性能和蛋品质造成的负面影响,并延长鸡蛋存放时间,改善血清生化指标。

单孔与多孔胸腔镜肺叶切除术后3个月患者生活质量比较

背景与目的肺癌术后3个月的生活质量在不同手术入路之间的关系尚不明确,本研究旨在对比单孔与多孔胸腔镜肺叶切除术后3个月患者的生活质量。方法收集2021年4月至2021年10月在四川省肿瘤医院胸外科行肺部手术患者的资料,采用欧洲癌症研究与治疗组织生活质量核心量表C30 (European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer quality of life core 30,EORTC QLQ-C30)和肺癌生活质量量表29 (Quality of Life QuestionnaireLung Cancer 29,QLQ-LC29)收集患者的生活质量资料。将基线资料中潜在混杂因素纳入多因素回归模型中校正,比较两组患者术后3个月的生活质量与传统临床结局。结果共纳入130例肺癌患者,男性57例(43.8%),女性73例(56.2%),平均年龄(57.1±9.5)岁。两组患者基线资料中,放置引流管数量具有统计学差异(P<0.001)。经回归模型校正后,在术后3个月时,两组患者全部症状及功能状态评分无明显差异(P均>0.05)。多孔组的手术时间(120.0 min vs 85.0 min,P=0.001)、术后住院时间(6.0 d vs 4.0 d,P=0.020)比单孔组更长,早期>2级并发症发生率(39.0%vs 10.1%,P=0.011)比单孔组更高。结论单孔与多孔胸腔镜肺叶切除术患者在术后3个月时具有相似的生活质量。单孔组在手术时间、术后住院时间及术后早期并发症等传统临床结局指标上可能具有一定的优势。

不同屈光状态儿童及青少年的脉络膜参数比较及与眼球生物学参数相关性

目的:比较不同屈光状态儿童及青少年的脉络膜参数,探讨眼球生物学参数与脉络膜参数之间的关系。方法:横断面研究。收集就诊于合肥市第二人民医院眼科3~18岁的121例儿童及青少年眼部资料,均取右眼入组。散瞳验光测量屈光度,计算等效球镜(SER),根据SER分为三组:正视组(-0.500.05)。矫正年龄后三组患者TCA、LA、SA、CT和CVI均有差异(均P<0.001),三组TCA、LA、SA、CT两两比较均有差异(均P<0.001),均正视组中最高,中高度近视组最低。而三组CVI两两比较显示仅中高度近视组明显低于正视组(P=0.014)。多元回归分析表明,SER与LA显著相关(P=0.020),CT是影响眼轴长度(AL)的因素(P=0.028)。结论:较高的近视程度伴随脉络膜LA减少和CVI的下降,提示中心凹下脉络膜血流减少可能与近视进展有关。

The interplay of host genetic factors and Epstein-Barr virus in the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma

The interplay between host cell genetics and Epstein-Barr virus(EBV) infection contributes to the development of nasopharyngeal carcinoma(NPC). Understanding the host genetic and epigenetic alterations and the influence of EBV on cell signaling and host gene regulation will aid in understanding the molecular pathogenesis of NPC and provide useful biomarkers and targets for diagnosis and therapy. In this review, we provide an update of the oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes associated with NPC, as well as genes associated with NPC risk including those involved in carcinogen detoxification and DNA repair. We also describe the importance of host genetics that govern the human leukocyte antigen(HLA) complex and immune responses, and we describe the impact of EBV infection on host cell signaling changes and epigenetic regulation of gene expression. High-power genomic sequencing approaches are needed to elucidate the genetic basis for inherited susceptibility to NPC and to identify the genes and pathways driving its molecular pathogenesis.

Spatial variability of soil organic carbon in the forestlands of northeast China

Soil organic carbon （SOC） is an effective indicator of soil fertility and productivity, and it varies spatially and temporally in relation to other soil properties. Spatial variability of SOC in the forestlands of northeast China was characterized using geostatistics. Soil samples at the depths of 0-20 era, 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm were collected from six- ty-three temporary plots to evaluate SOC concentration and density （SOCD） and other soil properties. We analyzed correlations between SOC and soil properties. Soil organic carbon concentrations were high. The total amount of C stored in soil （0-60 cm） was 16.23 kg·m-2 with the highest SOCD of 7.98 kg·m-2 in topsoil. Soil properties in most cases differed by horizon, suggesting different processes and effects in each horizon. Soil organic carbon had positive relationships with total N, P and K as well as readily available K, but did not show a significant posi- tive correlation with available P. Spatial factors including elevation, slope and aspect affected SOC distribution. Soil organic carbon at 0-60 cm had strong spatial autocorrelation with nugget/sill ratio of 5.7%, and moderate structured dependence was found at 0-20 cm, which indicated the existence of a highly developed spatial structure. Spatial distributionsof SOC concentration and SOCD were estimated using regres- sion-kriging, with higher prediction accuracy than ordinary kriging. The fractal dimension of SOC indicated the preferential pattern of SOC dis- tribution, with the greatest spatial heterogeneity and strongest spatial dependence in the northeast-southwest direction.

Characteristics of soil organic carbon mineralization and influence factor analysis of natural Larix olgensis forest at different ages

Soil organic carbon(SOC)mineralization is closely related to carbon source or sink of terrestrial ecosystem.Natural stands of Larix olgensis on the Jincang forest farm,Jilin Province were selected to investigate the dynamics of SOC mineralization and its correlations with other soil properties in a young forest and mid-aged forest at soil depths of 0–10,>10–20,>20–40 and>40–60 cm.The results showed that compared with a mid-aged forest,the SOC stock in the young forest was 32%higher.Potentially mineralizable soil carbon(C0)in the young forest was 1.1–2.5 g kg^-1,accounting for 5.5–8.1%of total SOC during the 105 days incubation period and 0.3–1.5 g kg^-1 in the mid-aged forest at different soil depths,occupying 2.8–3.4%of total SOC.There was a significant difference in C0 among the soil depths.The dynamics of the SOC mineralization was a good fit to a three-pool(labile,intermediate and stable)carbon decomposition kinetic model.The SOC decomposition rate for different stand ages and different soil depths reached high levels for the first 15 days.Correlation analysis revealed that the C0 was significantly positively related with SOC content,soil total N(TN)and readily available K(AK)concentration.The labile soil carbon pool was significantly related to SOC and TN concentration,and significantly negatively correlated with soil bulk density.The intermediate carbon pool was positively associated with TN and AK.The stable carbon pool had negative correlations with SOC,TN and AK.

Rig-I^-/- mice develop colitis associated with downregulation of Gαi2

RIG-I （retinoid acid-inducible gene-I）, a putative RNA helicase with a cytoplasmic caspase-recrultment domain （CARD）, was identified as a pattem-recognition receptor （PRR） that mediates antiviral immunity by inducing type I interferon production. To further study the biological function of RIG-I, we generated Rig-I^-/- mice through homologous recombination, taking a different strategy to the previously reported strategy. Our Rig-I^-/- mice are viable and fertile. Histological analysis shows that Rig-I^-/ mice develop a colitis-like phenotype and increased susceptibility to dextran sulfate sodium-induced colitis. Accordingly, the size and number of Peyer＇s patches dramatically decreased in mutant mice. The peripheral T-cell subsets in mutant mice are characterized by an increase in effector T cells and a decrease in naive T cells, indicating an important role for Rig-I in the regulation ofT-cell activation. It was further found that Rig-I deficiency leads to the downregulation of G protein αi2 subunit （Gαi2） in various tissues, including T and B lymphocytes. By contrast, upregulation of Rig-I in NB4 cells that are treated with ATRA is accompanied by elevated Gαi2 expression. Moreover, Gαi2 promoter activity is increased in co-transfected NIH3T3 cells in a Rig-I dose-dependent manner. All these findings suggest that Rig-I has crucial roles in the regulation of Gαi2 expression and T-cell activation. The development of colitis may be, at least in part, associated with downregulation of Gαi2 and disturbed T-cell homeostasis.

lncRNA-SNHG15 accelerates the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by targeting mi R-490-3p/histone deacetylase 2 axis

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)has become a great threat for people’s health.Many long noncoding RNAs are involved in the pathogenesis of HCC.SNHG15,as a tissue specific long noncoding RNAs,has been studied in many human cancers,except HCC.AIM To explore the regulatory mechanism of SNHG15 in HCC.METHODS In the present research,101 HCC patient samples,two HCC cell lines and one normal liver cell line were used.RT-qPCR and Western blot analysis were applied to detect SNHG15,miR-490-3p and histone deacetylase 2(HDAC2)expression.The regulatory mechanism of SNHG15 was investigated using CCK-8,Transwell and luciferase reporter assays.RESULTS Our research showed that up-regulation of SNHG15 was found in HCC and was related to aggressive behaviors in HCC patients.Moreover,knockdown of SNHG15 restrained HCC cell proliferation,migration and invasion.In addition,SNHG15 served as a molecular sponge for miR-490-3p.Further,miR-490-3p directly targets HDAC2.HDAC2 was involved in HCC progression by interacting with the SNHG15/miR-490-3p axis.CONCLUSION In conclusion,long noncoding RNA SNHG15 promotes HCC progression by mediating the miR-490-3p/HDAC2 axis in HCC.

Soil carbon budget in different-aged Chinese fir plantations in south China

Understanding the age effect on soil carbon balance in forest ecosystems is important for other material cycles and forest man-agement. In this research we investigated soil organic carbon density, litter production, litter decomposition rate, soil respiration, and soil mi-crobial properties in a chronosequence of four Chinese fir plantations of 7, 16, 23 and 29 years at Dagangshan mountain range, Jiangxi Province, south China. There was a significant increasing trend in litter production with increasing plantation age. Litter decomposition rate and soil respira-tion, however, declined from the 7-year to the 16-year plantation, and then increased after 16 years. This was largely dependent on soil micro-organisms. Soil carbon output was higher than carbon input before 16 years, and total soil carbon stock declined from 35.98 t＆#183;ha-1 in the 7-year plantation to 30.12 t＆#183;ha-1 in the 16-year plantation. Greater litter produc-tion could not explain the greater soil carbon stock, suggesting that forest growth impacted this microbial process that controlled rates of soil car-bon balance together with litter and soil respiration. The results highlight＆amp;nbsp;the importance of the development stage in assessing soil carbon budget and its significance to future management of Chinese fir plantations.

Prognostic and incremental value of computed tomography-based radiomics from tumor and nodal regions in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma

Objective:This study aimed to evaluate the prognostic value of preoperative radiomics and establish an integrated model for esophageal squamous cell cancer(ESCC).Methods:A total of 931 patients were retrospectively enrolled in this study(training cohort,n=624;validation cohort,n=307).Radiomics features were obtained by contrast-enhanced computed tomography(CT)before esophagectomy.A radiomics index was set based on features of tumor and reginal lymph nodes by using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator(LASSO)Cox regression.Prognostic nomogram was built based on radiomics index and other independent risk factors.The prognostic value was assessed by using Harrell’s concordance index,time-dependent receiver operating characteristics and Kaplan-Meier curves.Results:Twelve radiomic features from tumor and lymph node regions were identified to build a radiomics index,which was significantly associated with overall survival(OS)in both training cohort and validation cohort.The radiomics index was highly correlated with clinical tumor-node-metastasis(cTNM)and pathologic TNM(pTNM)stages,but it demonstrated a better prognostic value compared with cTNM stage and was almost comparable with pTNM stage.Multivariable Cox regression showed that the radiomics index was an independent prognostic factor.An integrated model was constructed based on gender,preoperative serum sodium concentration,pTNM and the radiomics index for clinical usefulness.The integrated model demonstrated discriminatory ability better compared with the traditional clinical-pathologic model and pTNM alone,indicating incremental value for prognosis.Conclusions:CT-based radiomics for primary tumor and reginal lymph nodes was sufficient in predicting OS for patients with ESCC.The integrated model demonstrated incremental value for prognosis and was robust for clinical applications.