Search Results (436)

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), an aggressive and poorly prognosed subtype of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC), has prompted urgent calls for innovative therapeutic approaches. Evodiamine (EVO), a natural alkaloid extracted from the Chinese herb Evodia rutaecarpa, has demonstrated significant potential in curbing tumor cell proliferation and slowing tumor expansion. However, its specific effects on cell senescence within the context of OSCC have remained shrouded in uncertainty. This study delves into the mechanisms of EVO’s impact on OSCC by harnessing databases such as the Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology Database and Analysis Platform (TCMSP), The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and CellAge to pinpoint potential targets and carry out in-depth bioinformatics analysis. The findings reveal that EVO can markedly enhance the expression of the androgen receptor (AR) in OSCC cells, inducing cellular senescence and thereby inhibiting tumor progression. Furthermore, the research indicates that AR expression is considerably lower in OSCC tissues than in normal tissues. This low expression of AR in tumor tissues is closely associated with advanced clinical stages and unfavorable prognoses in HNSCC patients. These discoveries open up new avenues for therapeutic strategies, and suggest that AR holds promise as a potential therapeutic target for OSCC, and EVO may amplify its antitumor effects by enhancing AR-mediated cellular senescence in the treatment of OSCC. Full article

Background/Objectives: Proton therapy delivers highly conformal doses to the target area without producing an exit dose, minimizing cumulative doses to healthy liver tissue. This study aims to evaluate current practices, challenges, and variations in the implementation of proton stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) and hypofractionated therapy for liver malignancies, with the goal of providing a technical assessment to promote broader adoption and support future clinical trials. Methods and Materials: An extensive survey was conducted by NRG Oncology across North American proton treatment centers to assess the current practices of proton liver SBRT and hypofractionated therapy. The survey focused on key aspects, including patient selection, prescription and normal tissue constraints, simulation and motion management, treatment planning, quality assurance (QA), treatment delivery, and the use of image-guided radiation therapy (IGRT). Results: This survey captures the current practice patterns and status of proton SBRT and hypofractionated therapy in liver cancer treatment.  Proton therapy is increasingly preferred for treating inoperable liver malignancies due to its ability to minimize healthy tissue exposure. However, the precision required for proton therapy presents challenges, particularly in managing uncertainties and target motion during high-dose fractions and short treatment courses. Survey findings revealed significant variability in clinical practices across centers, highlighting differences in motion management, dose fractionation schedules, and QA protocols. Conclusion: Proton SBRT and hypofractionated therapy offer significant potential for treating liver malignancies. A comprehensive approach involving precise patient selection, treatment planning, and QA is essential for ensuring safety and effectiveness. This survey provides valuable insights into current practices and challenges, offering a foundation for technical recommendations to optimize the use of proton therapy and guide future clinical trials. Full article

Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), the most common RCC subtype, displays significant intratumoral heterogeneity driven by metabolic reprogramming, which complicates our understanding of disease progression and limits treatment efficacy. This study aimed to construct a comprehensive cellular and transcriptional landscape of ccRCC, with emphasis on gene expression dynamics during malignant progression. An integrated analysis of 90 scRNA-seq samples comprising 534,227 cells revealed a progressive downregulation of sodium ion transport-related genes, particularly CHP1 (calcineurin B homologous protein isoform 1), which is predominantly expressed in epithelial cells. Reduced CHP1 expression was confirmed at both mRNA and protein levels using bulk RNA-seq, CPTAC proteomics, immunohistochemistry, and ccRCC cell lines. Survival analysis showed that high CHP1 expression correlated with improved prognosis. Functional analyses, including pseudotime trajectory, Mfuzz clustering, and cell–cell communication modeling, indicated that CHP1⁺ epithelial cells engage in immune interaction via PPIA–BSG signaling. Transcriptomic profiling and molecular docking suggested that CHP1 modulates amino acid transport through SLC38A1. ZNF460 was identified as a potential transcription factor of CHP1. Virtual screening identified arbutin and imatinib mesylate as candidate CHP1-targeting compounds. These findings establish CHP1 downregulation as a novel molecular feature of ccRCC progression and support its utility as a prognostic biomarker. Full article

To address the challenges of prolonged current isolation times and high dependency on varistors in traditional flexible short-circuit fault isolation schemes for DC systems, this paper proposes a rapid fault isolation circuit design based on an adaptive solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB). By introducing an adaptive current-limiting branch topology, the proposed solution reduces the risk of system oscillations induced by current-limiting inductors during normal operation and minimizes steady-state losses in the breaker. Upon fault occurrence, the current-limiting inductor is automatically activated to effectively suppress the transient current rise rate. An energy dissipation circuit (EDC) featuring a resistor as the primary energy absorber and an auxiliary varistor (MOV) for voltage clamping, alongside a snubber circuit, provides an independent path for inductor energy release after faults. This design significantly alleviates the impact of MOV capacity constraints on the fault isolation process compared to traditional schemes where the MOV is the primary energy sink. The proposed topology employs a symmetrical bridge structure compatible with both pole-to-pole and pole-to-ground fault scenarios. Parameter optimization ensures the IGBT voltage withstand capability and energy dissipation efficiency. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this scheme achieves fault isolation within 0.1 ms, reduces the maximum fault current-to-rated current ratio to 5.8, and exhibits significantly shorter isolation times compared to conventional approaches. This provides an effective solution for segment switches and tie switches in millisecond-level self-healing systems for both low-voltage (LVDC, e.g., 750 V/1500 V DC) and medium-voltage (MVDC, e.g., 10–35 kV DC) smart DC distribution grids, particularly in applications demanding ultra-fast fault isolation such as data centers, electric vehicle (EV) fast-charging parks, and shipboard power systems. Full article

Blue-green algae blooms present persistent environmental challenges in freshwater ecosystems, yet ecological interactions within the bacterial communities of Cylindrospermopsis-bloom reservoirs remain poorly understood. In this study, water samples were collected from February to May 2024 from 11 sampling sites in a Cylindrospermopsis-bloom reservoir in western Guangdong province, China. At each sampling point, a water sample was collected every month. High-throughput sequencing was applied to analyze the interaction between Cylindrospermopsis and other bacteria. As shown in our results, the phyla Actinobacteriota, Proteobacteria, Bacteroidota, Verrucomicrobiota, and Cyanobacteria were revealed as dominant phyla. Bacterial communities exhibited significant seasonal differences between flood and non-flood periods (ANOSIM: R = 0.472, p = 0.001). Cylindrospermopsis (dominance index Y = 0.53) acted as the keystone in the co-occurrence network (Z_i < 2.5, P_i > 0.62) and closely interacted with other bacteria. For better management of the blue-green algae bloom reservoir, the phyla of Actinobacteriota, Dependentiae, Acidobacteriota, Armatimonadota, Gemmatimonadota, and Desulfobacterota were proposed as microbial indicators for the eutrophic process. This study provides a new insight into the interactions of Cyanobacteria with other bacteria and the management of blue-green algae outbreaks in reservoirs. Full article

Background: Obesity is characterized by a chronic state of low-grade inflammation. Investigating immune-critical genes and their biological functions in the adipose tissue of postmenopausal obese women is crucial for elucidating the underlying mechanisms of immune dysregulation associated with obesity. Methods: In this study, microarray (GSE151839) and single-cell RNA-seq (GSE176171) datasets were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO). For microarray data analysis, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), protein–protein interaction network (PPI) analysis, and immune infiltration analysis (ssGSEA) were employed to identify obesity-related immune-critical genes. Subsequently, the candidate genes were validated using scRNA-seq data to explore their expression patterns at the single-cell level. Finally, the expression levels of these immune-critical genes were experimentally verified in adipose tissue from obese and control zebrafish models using RT-qPCR. Results: Analysis of microarray data through WGCNA, PPI and ssGSEA identified 16 obesity-related immune-critical genes, including IL7R, CD3E, CD2, CCR5, CD3D, MS4A1, TRAT1, SLAMF8, CCL3L1, SPP1, CCL5, IL2RG, CD3G, TLR8, ITK, and CCL3. Differential expression of SPP1, ITK and CCL5 was confirmed in scRNA-seq data, with ITK and CCL5 showing distinct expression patterns in natural killer (NK) cells. Furthermore, RT-qPCR analysis revealed upregulation of SPP1 and ITK in adipose tissue of obese zebrafish compared to lean controls. Conclusions: This study identifies SPP1, ITK and CCL5 as key immune hub genes in the adipose tissue of postmenopausal obese women, with NK cells playing a significant role in adipose tissue inflammation through the expression of these genes. These findings provide novel insights into potential therapeutic targets for the prevention and treatment of obesity in postmenopausal women. Full article

Longshan Lilium lancifolium is a well-known medicinal and edible lily and has been registered as a geographical indicator in China. Polyploidization confers many advantages in lily production; however, characteristics of Longshan L. lancifolium improved by polyploidization have not been reported. Here, polyploidization was induced in regenerated Longshan L. lancifolium shoots using colchicine, and the mutant plantlets were characterized by morphological observation, flow cytometry, and inter simple sequence repeat (ISSR) marker technology. The optimal medium for inducing shoot regeneration was Murashige and Skoog (MS) media supplemented with 0.2 mg/L of naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) and 0.4 mg/L of thidiazuron (TDZ). The greatest mutation induction effect was obtained after soaking the regenerated shoots in 0.10% colchicine for 48 h, for an 80.00% frequency of morphological variants. Forty-one mutant plantlets were subjected to flow cytometry, identifying one homozygous polyploid, ‘JD-12’, and one chimeric polyploid, ‘JD-37’. Additionally, 68 chromosomes were found in the ‘JD-12’ root tip cells. Compared with the control, both the tissue-cultured and field-generated ‘JD-12’ plantlets presented a slight decrease in plant height, a darker green leaf color, a rougher leaf surface, and a larger bulblet diameter; furthermore, the upper epidermal and guard cells of ‘JD-12’ were much larger with a significantly lower stomatal density. The ISSR marker detection indicated a genetic variation rate of 6.10% in ‘JD-12’. These results provide a basis for lily polyploidization breeding and the cultivation of superior Longshan L. lancifolium via shoot regeneration. Full article

The current paper is devoted to the dynamical property of the stochastic Cox–Ingersoll–Ross (CIR) model with pure jump noise, which is an extension of the CIR model. Firstly, we characterize the existence and 2-moment of the CIR process with a pure jump process. Consequently, we provide sufficient conditions for the compensated Poisson random measure under which the CIR process with a pure jump process is ergodic. Moreover, the stationary solution can be constructed from the invariant measure. Some numerical simulations are provided to visualize the theoretical results. Full article

Silicon carbide (SiC) materials have demonstrated promising application prospects in modern manufacturing due to their outstanding physical and chemical properties. With its process flexibility and formation feasibility, binder jetting 3D printing technology has become a crucial technical approach to meet the demand for mass production of complex, high-performance SiC components. Addressing the technical challenges of traditional manufacturing techniques in achieving high-quality, complex-shaped SiC components, this paper systematically reviews the application of binder jetting 3D printing technology in fabricating high-quality SiC-based ceramic components, with a particular focus on the regulation of key process parameters affecting SiC green body formation quality and the optimization of post-densification processes. Firstly, this paper elaborates on the powder pretreatment, green part formation process, and post-processing chain involved in this technology, establishes an evaluation index system for formation quality, and provides research directions for rapid prototyping of SiC powders. Secondly, it provides an in-depth analysis of the influence patterns of jetting parameters (e.g., jetting conditions, powder characteristics, binder properties) and various post-processing techniques on the quality of SiC-based components, along with optimization methods to enhance the dimensional accuracy and mechanical properties of 3D-printed SiC components. Furthermore, this paper systematically summarizes advanced characterization methods for evaluating formation quality and demonstrates the technology’s application potential across multiple industrial fields through representative engineering cases. Finally, it predicts the future development trends of this technology and discusses potential application expansion directions and key scientific issues in current research, aiming to provide theoretical references for promoting in-depth development of this technology. Full article

The internal growth patterns and surface micromorphology of diamonds provide a record of their multi-stage evolution, from initial formation within the mantle to their eventual ascent to the Earth’s surface via deeply derived kimberlite magmas. In this study, gemological microscopic examination, Diamond View^TM, Raman spectroscopy, and electron probe analysis were employed to analyze the surface features, internal patterns, and inclusions of the Tancheng alluvial diamonds in Shandong Province, China. The results show that surface features of octahedra with triangular and sharp edges, thick steps with irregular contours or rounded edges, and thin triangular or serrated layers are developed on diamonds during deep-mantle storage, as well as during the growth process of diamonds, when they are not subjected to intense dissolution. The rounding of octahedral and cubic diamond edges and their transformation into tetrahedral (THH) shapes are attributed to resorption in kimberlitic magma. These characteristics indicate that the Tancheng diamonds were commonly resorbed by carbonate–silicate melts during mantle storage. Abnormal birefringence phenomena, including irregular extinction patterns, petaloid and radial extinction patterns, and banded birefringence, were formed during the diamond growth stage. In contrast, fine grid extinction patterns and composite superimposed extinction patterns are related to later plastic deformation. The studied diamonds mainly contain P-type inclusions of olivine and graphite, with a minority of E-type inclusions, including coesite and omphacite. The pressure of entrapment of olivine inclusions within the Tancheng diamonds ranges from 4.3 to 5.9 GPa, which is consistent with that of coesite inclusions, which yield pressure ranging from 5.2 to 5.5 GPa, and a temperature range of 1083–1264 °C. Overall, the evidence suggests that Tancheng diamonds probably originated from hybrid mantle sources metasomatized by the subduction of ancient oceanic lithosphere. Full article

Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe), valued both for its medicinal and culinary uses, can be adversely affected by abiotic stresses such as high temperature and drought, which can impact its growth and development. The HSP90 gene family has been recognized as a crucial element for enhancing heat and drought resistance in plants. Nevertheless, no studies have yet reported on the HSP90 gene family in ginger. This study investigates the HSP90 gene family in ginger and its crucial role in the plant’s responses to abiotic stresses. A total of 11 ZoHSP90 members were identified in the ginger genome, and these genes were unevenly distributed across five chromosomes. Bioinformatics analyses revealed that the HSP90 proteins in ginger vary in size, ranging from 306 to 886 amino acids. These proteins are predominantly located in the cytoplasm, endoplasmic reticulum, and mitochondria. Notably, ten conserved motifs were identified, with variations in motif distribution correlating with phylogenetic relationships among the genes. Furthermore, the gene structure analysis indicated differences in exon numbers, which may reflect specialized regulatory mechanisms and functional differentiation among the ZoHSP90 genes. Cis-acting elements within the promoter regions of the ZoHSP90 genes were identified, and their involvement in stress responses and hormonal signaling pathways was revealed. These elements are critical for regulating gene expression patterns in response to environmental stimuli, such as methyl jasmonate, salicylic acid, and abscisic acid. The presence of these elements indicates that ZoHSP90 genes play significant regulatory roles in plant adaptation to environmental changes. Expression profiling of the ZoHSP90 genes under various abiotic stress conditions demonstrated tissue specificity and dynamic regulation. Different ZoHSP90 genes exhibited distinct expression patterns in response to low-temperature, drought, high-temperature, and salt stresses. This suggests that the HSP90 gene family in ginger possesses both conserved functions and species-specific adaptations to optimize stress responses. Overall, this research provides valuable insights into the molecular functions of the HSP90 gene family in ginger and lays the groundwork for future studies aimed at enhancing crop resilience through genetic engineering. The findings contribute to a deeper understanding of plant adaptability to environmental stressors, which is crucial for improving agricultural productivity in the face of climate change. Full article

Dragon fruit comprises a wide variety of species that are rich in nutritional value and have great economic potential; however, numerous studies have focused on their nutritional and commercial quality. In contrast, few studies have addressed their flavor quality, particularly with respect to the regulatory networks responsible for their flavor-related substance contents. To this end, we sequenced the transcriptomes and metabolomes of red-skin/white-fleshed and red-skin/red-fleshed dragon fruit at different timepoints during fruit development. RNA-seq and metabolome data were used to divide the seven developmental stages of the dragon fruit into four categories (young fruit, expansion, maturity, and senescence). In all, 16,827 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), including 958 transcription factors, were identified and grouped into 10 clusters, and the pathways in each cluster were annotated. Additionally, 318 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified, including 88 common metabolites. The main flavor-related substances and the key genes regulating them were determined via joint analysis via RNA-seq and metabolomics. Furthermore, 10 volatile active components related to green flavors and aromas were screened according to the relative odor activity value (ROAV), and 15 candidate genes related to key flavor compounds were screened via WGCNA, 3 of which encoded transcription factors. In conclusion, our results provide a theoretical basis for an in-depth understanding of the volatile flavor compounds in dragon fruit and provide new genetic resources for the subsequent study of fruit flavor compounds. Full article

Dermacentor is the most widely distributed tick genus in China. Dermacentor nuttalli, a predominant tick species in Inner Mongolia, can carry and transmit pathogenic microorganisms. Here, D. nuttalli were collected from Ordos (O-D) and Hinggan League (H-D) in the Inner Mongolia. D. nuttalli specimens at different developmental stages were subsequently reared under identical laboratory conditions. Sample processing, nucleic acid extraction, high-throughput sequencing, and microbial community analyses were conducted. Bacterial communities in O-D and H-D were annotated to 8 phyla, 145 genera and 16 phyla, 141 genera, respectively, with Proteobacteria showing the highest relative abundance. Differences in dominant bacterial genera were observed across developmental stages between the two regions. The most abundant bacterial species were Arsenophonus_uncultured_bacterium in O-D and Rickettsia japonica in H-D. Viral communities were annotated to 4 orders, 25 families, 61 genera, and 126 species in O-D and 6 orders, 28 families, 49 genera, 135 species in H-D. Notable difference in the viral genera with >1% abundance were identified at different developmental stages in the two regions. To our knowledge, this is the first study to compare microbial community compositions of D. nuttalli across developmental stages in two Inner Mongolian regions under under identical rearing conditions and to report the presence of R. japonica, Tacheng Tick Virus-2, and bovine viral diarrhea virus in D. nuttalli. Full article

Advanced high-strength steels (AHSSs) are prone to process defects such as fracture and springback during forming operations. Local warm forming technology represents an innovative forming process that applies targeted heating to specific stamping features of high-strength steel blanks. This study focuses on dual-phase steel DP780 as the research material, obtaining mechanical property parameters at various temperatures through uniaxial tensile tests. Based on investigations into temperature-dependent constitutive models and heat-transfer analysis methods, Abaqus VUMAT and UMAT subroutines were developed using Fortran language to establish a local warm forming simulation algorithm that incorporates predictions of fracture failure and springback. A U-shaped component was designed for local warm forming bend-stretch tests, with experimental data compared against results from the developed algorithm. This validation confirmed the algorithm’s capability to accurately predict local warm forming behaviors of U-shaped components. Leveraging the validated algorithm, sensitivity analyses were conducted to examine the influence of local warm forming process parameters on springback, with the response surface methodology employed to quantitatively assess the effects of heating temperature and localized heating zones on springback characteristics. Full article