Search Results (3,001)

Integrin αvβ3, a key member of the integrin family, plays a crucial role in cell localization, mobilization, and signal transduction through collaborating with extracellular proteins. Its unique expression and activation in tumor cells and rapidly dividing endothelial cells suggest its potential role in cancer cell growth and metastasis, making it a promising therapeutic target. In genomic pathways, estrogen binds to its receptors to form transcription complexes that bind to the promoters of steroid hormone-receptive genes. Conversely, G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER) and integrin αvβ3 have been shown to play oles in non-genomic actions that contribute to estrogen-induced cancer growth. The molecular mechanisms of these non-genomic functions involve signal transduction via focal activated kinase (FAK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (ERK1/2), and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), as well as the differential expression of multiple genes associated with various cellular processes. As a hormone receptor, integrin αvβ3, collaborating with ER-α and GPER, exhibits a wide range of cellular effects relevant to cancer biology. Full article

Ammonia is a key water quality factor limiting shrimp aquaculture. Intestinal health is closely associated with the nutrition, metabolism and immunity of shrimp. However, the response characteristics of the shrimp intestine to ammonia stress under seawater and low-salinity environments remain unclear. In this study, the shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei reared in seawater (salinity 30) or low-salinity (salinity 3) water were subjected to ammonia stress for 14 days, respectively. The changes in intestinal morphology, antioxidant capacity, immune response, energy metabolism, and microbial community were systematically investigated. The results showed that ammonia stress induced intestinal tissue damage in both seawater and low-salinity cultured shrimp, characterized by epithelial cell detachment and mucosal structural disruption. At the molecular level, ammonia stress triggered intestinal stress responses by interfering with key physiological processes such as antioxidant defense and endoplasmic reticulum stress. This process further led to varying degrees of disorders in physiological functions, including immune regulation, inflammatory response, and autophagic activity. In addition, ammonia stress disrupted the homeostatic balance of intestinal energy metabolism by affecting the expression of genes related to glucose metabolism, the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, and mitochondrial respiratory chain. In addition, ammonia stress increased the diversity of intestinal microbiota and caused microbial dysbiosis by increasing harmful bacteria (e.g., Vibrio) and decreasing beneficial bacterial groups (e.g., Bacillus). Ammonia stress generally enhanced intestinal microbiota chemotaxis. Specifically, predicted functions of microbiota in seawater-cultured shrimp showed increased carbohydrate, linoleic acid, and cofactor/vitamin metabolism; in low-salinity-cultured shrimp, functions including protein digestion/absorption, flavonoid/steroid hormone biosynthesis, and glycosaminoglycan degradation were reduced. These results revealed that ammonia stress compromised shrimp intestinal health by disrupting mucosal structure, triggering stress responses, and disturbing immune function, energy metabolism, and microbial homeostasis. Notably, low-salinity cultured shrimp exhibited more pronounced intestinal stress responses and greater physiological vulnerability than seawater-cultured counterparts. Full article

Clematis henryi (C. henryi) is a valuable medicinal plant in the Tujia ethnic family, which is widely used for the treatment of rheumatism arthritis and limb numbness. There are few studies on the chemical composition and biological activity of C. henryi at present. In this study, we isolated and purified thirty-one compounds in total, including four new compounds (1, 29–31) and twenty-seven known compounds (2–28). These isolated compounds were identified by a variety of spectroscopic data including NMR spectrometry and mass spectroscopy. These thirty-one compounds were tested for their proliferation inhibition activity on RAFLs and HepG2 cells. The results indicated that compound 29 and 30 exhibited weak inhibition of proliferation activity against RAFLs cells. Meanwhile, compounds 8, 10, 29, and 30 exhibited moderate inhibition of proliferation activity on HepG2 cells with an IC₅₀ value between 16.07 and 19.83 µM. The results of this study could serve as a reference for the further comprehensive utilization of C. henryi. Full article

The optimization of fishway design relies on a deep understanding of fish swimming performance and behavioral traits. Traditional methods often underestimate fish swimming performance and overlook their behavior under high-flow conditions, particularly in the context of high-altitude species. This study, based on an open-channel flume system and combined with high-speed video tracking and Acoustic Doppler Velocity (ADV) measurements, constructs a Resource Selection Function-Generalized Additive Mixed Models (RSF-GAMMs) to quantify the swimming performance and behavior mechanisms of the high-altitude species, Schizothorax oconnori Lloyd, 1908 (S. oconnori), in high-velocity environments. The results show that S. oconnori significantly outperforms traditional swimming tests and exhibits strong dependence on movement modes. Endurance analysis reveals the breakpoints of endurance models, indicating the species’ high sensitivity to variations in exercise intensity, showcasing the unique physiological and behavioral characteristics of high-altitude fish. In high-velocity conditions, adult S. oconnori primarily aims to optimize energy conservation and stability, selectively choosing water bodies with varying disturbance levels depending on its movement mode and endurance state, thus optimizing path selection. This study presents a systematic method for quantifying the extreme swimming abilities and nonlinear behavioral responses of adult S. oconnori under complex flow conditions, providing scientific guidance for setting hydraulic thresholds and developing protection strategies for fishways. Full article

The practical application of vanadium-based cathode materials in aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) is severely hindered by vanadium dissolution, low electronic conductivity, and sluggish reaction kinetics in aqueous electrolytes. In this work, a three-dimensional confined V₂O₅@ nitrogen-doped carbon (V₂O₅@NC) composite was rationally designed and constructed through a dual-regulation strategy combining oxygen-vacancy engineering and conductive network enhancement. In this architecture, the nitrogen-doped carbon framework provides a highly conductive network and robust structural support, while in situ carbonization induces the generation of oxygen vacancies within V₂O₅. These oxygen vacancies cause lattice distortion and expand the interlayer spacing, thereby accelerating Zn²⁺ diffusion and improving reaction kinetics. Benefiting from this synergistic effect, the V₂O₅@NC electrode exhibits an excellent specific capacity of 437 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹ and maintains a remarkable 89.3% capacity retention after 2000 cycles at 3 A g⁻¹, demonstrating outstanding rate performance and cycling stability. This study provides new insights and an effective design strategy for developing high-performance cathode materials for next-generation aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Full article

The accurate analysis of the sealing performance of underground lined cavern hydrogen storage is critical for enhancing the stability and economic viability of storage facilities. This study conducts an innovative investigation into hydrogen leakage behavior by developing a multiphysical coupled model for a composite system of support structures and surrounding rock in the operation process. By integrating Fick’s first law with the steady-state gas permeation equation, the gas leakage rates of stainless steel and polymer sealing layers are quantified, respectively. The Arrhenius equation is employed to characterize the effects of temperature on hydrogen permeability and the evolution of gas permeability. Thermalmechanical coupled effects across different materials within the storage system are further considered to accurately capture the hydrogen leakage process. The reliability of the established model is validated against analytical solutions and operational data from a real underground compressed air storage facility. The applicability of four materials—stainless steel, epoxy resin (EP), ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH), and polyimide (PI)—as sealing layers in underground hydrogen storage caverns is evaluated, and the influences of four operational parameters (initial temperature, initial pressure, hydrogen injection temperature, and injection–production rate) on sealing layer performance are also systematically investigated. The results indicate that all four materials satisfy the required sealing performance standards, with stainless steel and EP demonstrating superior sealing performance. The initial temperature of the storage and the injection temperature of hydrogen significantly affect the circumferential stress in the sealing layer—a 10 K increase in initial temperature leads to an 11% rise in circumferential stress, while a 10 K increase in injection temperature results in a 10% increase. In addition, the initial storage pressure and the hydrogen injection rate exhibit a considerable influence on airtightness—a 1 MPa increase in initial pressure raises the leakage rate by 11%, and a 20 kg/s increase in injection rate leads to a 12% increase in leakage. This study provides a theoretical foundation for sealing material selection and parameter optimization in practical engineering applications of underground lined caverns for hydrogen storage. Full article

Heading date, also known as flowering time, plays a crucial role in determining the regional adaptability of rice (Oryza sativa L.). Heading date is regulated by numerous genes involved in various photoperiod pathways. Here, we isolated the Delayed Heading Date 6 (DHD6) gene from a whole-genome-sequenced rice mutant population. We demonstrated that a 2 bp deletion in the coding region of DHD6 truncates the protein and confers early flowering. Genetic analysis shows that DHD6 functions upstream of Ehd1 and is synergistic with Se14 and PHYC to regulate flowering time. In addition, we identified natural alleles of DHD6 that are associated with heading date and likely contribute to the geographic adaptation of rice. In summary, DHD6 functions upstream of Ehd1, reducing the transcriptional level of Ehd1, thereby delaying flowering. Full article

Prediction models for polymer injection molding quality often degrade due to shifts in operating conditions caused by variations in melting temperature, cooling efficiency, or machine conditions. To address this challenge, this study proposes a drift-aware dynamic quality-monitoring framework that integrates hybrid-feature autoencoder (HFAE) drift detection, sliding-window reconstruction error analysis, and a mixed-feature artificial neural network (ANN) for online quality prediction. First, shifts in processing parameters are rigorously quantified to uncover continuous drifts in both input and conditional output distributions. A HFAE monitors reconstruction errors within a sliding window to promptly detect anomalous deviations. Once the drift index exceeds a predefined threshold, the system automatically triggers a drift-event response, including the collection and labeling of a small batch of new samples. In benchmark tests, this adaptive scheme outperforms static models, achieving a 35.4% increase in overall accuracy. After two incremental updates, the root-mean-squared error decreases by 42.3% across different production intervals. The anomaly detection rate falls from 0.86 to 0.09, effectively narrowing the distribution gap between training and testing sets. By tightly coupling drift detection with online model adaptation, the proposed method not only maintains high-fidelity quality predictions under dynamically evolving injection molding conditions but also demonstrates practical relevance for large-scale industrial production, enabling reduced rework, improved process stability, and lower sampling frequency. Full article

Background: Seed shattering enhances ecological adaptation in perennial grasses but severely limits harvestable seed yield in forage crops. Psathyrostachys juncea is an important perennial forage species in arid and cold regions, yet the genetic basis of its seed shattering remains largely unknown. Here we asked which genomic regions and biological pathways underlie natural variation in seed shattering in P. juncea, and whether cellulose synthase (CESA)-mediated cell-wall formation contributes to abscission-zone strength. Results: We evaluated seed shattering in a diverse association panel of P. juncea across four environment–-year combinations and performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using genotyping-by-sequencing single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The analysis identified 36 significant SNP loci distributed on multiple chromosomes, consistent with a highly polygenic and environment-responsive architecture. Candidate-gene annotation highlighted pathways related to cell-wall biosynthesis, hormone signaling and sugar transport. Notably, in the BT23SHT environment a cluster of association signals on chromosome 3D co-localized with several genes annotated as cellulose synthase (CESA). Abscission-zone transcriptome profiling and qRT-PCR at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days after heading revealed that CESA genes, including TraesCS3D02G010100.1 located near the lead SNP Chr3D_3539055, showed higher early expression in low-shattering lines and a decline toward baseline in high-shattering lines. Comparative analyses placed P. juncea CESA proteins within a broadly conserved but lineage-divergent framework among grasses. Conclusion: Together, these results define the genetic landscape of seed shattering in P. juncea and nominate cellulose-biosynthetic genes on chromosome 3D as promising targets for marker-assisted selection of low-shattering, high-seed-yield forage cultivars. Full article

Internal reference genes are a prerequisite for ensuring the accuracy of gene verification experiments, but few relevant studies on Lyophyllum decastes have investigated the growth cycle and different environmental conditions. In this study, the qPCR results of 22 house-keeping genes were analyzed using GeNorm, BestKeeper, NormFinder and RefFinder. The results revealed that the most stable gene differed under different conditions. Across all developmental stages and under hot, cold, acidic, alkaline, and salt conditions, UBCE gene displays the greatest expression stability. However, EF1b, β-ACT, HSD17B3, and Cyb presented the greatest stability under cold, heat, and acidic conditions, and heavy metal exposure, respectively. To screen for genes suitable for all conditions, RefFinder’s ranking results revealed that UBCE and EF1b ranked in the top 2, demonstrating the highest gene expression stability. In contrast, Cyb was positioned at the bottom of the comprehensive ranking table. This study not only revealed potential factors affecting the suitability of reference genes but also identified optimal reference genes from a set of candidate genes across diverse conditions. Full article

Evaluating the management effectiveness of protected areas (PAs) is critical for refining conservation strategies. One of the key components in the management of PA is the regulation of human disturbance. We evaluated the management effectiveness of the Qilian Mountain National Nature Reserve (QMNNR) in mitigating human disturbance for 2000–2022. Human footprint was used as a key indicator of human disturbance. It integrates eight human disturbance factors: built environments, population density, night-time lights, cropland, pastureland, roads, railways, and navigable waterways. Evaluations are conducted across dual spatial dimensions: (1) constructing an equal-area external buffer zone to compare human footprint dynamics inside versus outside the reserve; and (2) testing the hypothesis that “stricter zonation correlates with improved control of human disturbance” by analyzing management gradients across four functional zones (core, buffer, experimental, and peripheral protection zones). Key findings include the following: (1) The increase in human footprint within the reserve was markedly lower than in surrounding areas, with the internal–external human footprint disparity expanding from 2000 to 2022. (2) Spatial analysis reveals concentrated disturbance hotspots in northern buffer zones, whereas only marginal increases occurred in Sunan County within the reserve. (3) Human footprint growth across functional zones followed a clear ascending order: core zone < buffer zone < experimental zone < peripheral protection zone, validating the efficacy of zoned management. Collectively, these results demonstrate that the QMNNR has effectively curbed human disturbance expansion—particularly in its core area—though vigilance is warranted against emerging “ecological island” risks in the northern peripheral zone. The proposed dual-dimensional human footprint assessment framework further offers a standardized evaluation methodology for large-scale PA in mitigating human disturbance. Full article

Owing to the high altitude and short frost-free period of the Tibetan Plateau, potato plants are frequently exposed to cold stress (CS), which severely restricts their growth and productivity. Thus, understanding the mechanisms underlying cold tolerance in potato varieties is crucial for breeding improvement. This study aims to investigate the role of caffeic acid in potato cold tolerance and to elucidate the molecular mechanisms underlying the CS response. To achieve this, we conducted comprehensive metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses of KY130 (cold-tolerant) and KY140 (cold-sensitive) potato cultivars under CS at the seedling stage. ELISA results showed that caffeic acid levels were higher in KY130 than in KY140, while CS-KY130 exhibited higher levels than those of CS-KY140. Across all treatments, KY130 showed significantly higher activities of antioxidant enzymes (CAT and SOD) and higher contents of osmolytes (proline, soluble protein, and soluble sugar) than those of KY140. Caffeic acid and naringenin* were identified as candidate metabolites potentially involved in the direct and indirect cold resistance of potatoes. StPAL(Soltu.Atl.03_2G004060, Soltu.Atl.03_2G004070, Soltu.Atl.03_2G008130) and StCSE(Soltu.Atl.04_1G006370 and Soltu.Atl.04_3G005440), identified as upstream regulators of caffeic acid, were associated with the direct and indirect cold resistance of potatoes. KEGG pathway analysis of differentially accumulated metabolites and differentially expressed genes revealed several key metabolic pathways, including “flavonoid-related metabolism,” “lipid metabolism,” and “amino acid metabolism.” This research enhances our understanding of caffeic acid and the molecular mechanisms involved in the response of potatoes to CS, and supports future efforts in potato screening and breeding programs. Full article

To address the challenges of low efficiency and high damage rates in dryland safflower harvesting, a roller-brush type harvesting device was developed. The design was developed following a detailed analysis of the spatial distribution and mechanical characteristics of safflower plants. The pose adjustment process begins with helical grooves clamping and contacting the plant stem. The propulsion action of the helix then forces the stem to undergo a predetermined deflection displacement. The optimal picking pose occurs when the plant’s longitudinal axis is perpendicular to the rotational axis of the picking roller brush. In this position, the picking roller brush shears the filaments at the necking zone through gentle contact with the fruit balls. This mechanism transforms the traditional pull-off separation into a low-damage shear-separation mode. The Box–Behnken test was designed to find the optimal combination of parameters for picking: picking roller brush speed of 282.5 r/min, roller brush spacing of 3.7 mm, and brush bristle diameter of 0.1 mm. Verification tests showed the picking, damage and fruit injury rates were 92.4%, 7.1% and 1.2%, respectively, with standard deviations of 5.42%, 0.51%, and 0.08%. The harvesting efficiency reached 0.053 hm²/h, 8.48 to 12.01 times higher than manual harvesting. Full article

This study aimed to investigate the role and underlying mechanism of apolipoprotein C2 (APOC2) in the progression of clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) datasets, combined with validation in ccRCC cell lines, revealed that APOC2 was markedly upregulated in ccRCC tissues and cells and was associated with poor patient prognosis. Functional assays demonstrated that APOC2 knockdown significantly suppressed cell proliferation, colony formation, migration, and invasion, while promoting apoptosis. Mechanistic studies showed that silencing APOC2 reduced the phosphorylation levels of key components of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, including Jak1/2 and STAT3, without affecting their total protein expression. Gene enrichment analysis further indicated the involvement of JAK-STAT signaling, and functional rescue experiments using the STAT3 agonist Colivelin partially reversed the decreased cell viability and increased apoptosis caused by APOC2 knockdown, confirming the pathway’s mediating role. Collectively, these findings suggest that APOC2 promotes ccRCC cell proliferation and inhibits apoptosis, at least in part, through activation of the JAK-STAT signaling pathway, highlighting APOC2 as a novel oncogenic regulator and potential therapeutic target, and providing new insight into the metabolic–inflammatory axis in ccRCC progression. Clinically, APOC2 may serve as a biomarker to identify ccRCC patients with hyperactivated JAK-STAT signaling and could potentially guide combination therapies involving JAK/STAT inhibitors or metabolic-targeted agents. Full article

Aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs) have attracted considerable attention due to their intrinsic safety, low cost, and environmental friendliness. However, drastic volume expansion, sluggish reaction kinetics, and the insufficient structural stability of electrode materials still remain key challenges. In this work, a cascade structure-guided electron transport strategy was used to construct a vanadium nitride@carbon nanosheet/carbon nanofiber (VN@CNS/CNF) composite as a high-performance cathode for AZIBs. In this rationally engineered architecture, carbon-coated VN nanoparticles are uniformly anchored on a conductive carbon nanofiber network, forming a multidimensional interconnected structure that enables fast electron/ion transport and robust mechanical stability. The carbon shell effectively alleviates volume expansion and prevents VN nanoparticle agglomeration, while the continuous carbon fiber backbone reduces charge transfer resistance and enhances reaction kinetics. Benefiting from this synergistic structural design, the VN@CNS/CNF electrode delivers a high specific capacity of 564 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.1 A g⁻¹, maintains 99% capacity retention after 50 cycles, and retains 280 mAh g⁻¹ even at 8 A g⁻¹ after prolonged cycling. This study provides a new structural engineering strategy for vanadium nitride-based electrodes and provides strategic guidance for the development of fast-charging, durable aqueous zinc-ion batteries. Full article