Association of mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase with prognosis and immune regulation in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PCK2), a mitochondrial isoenzyme, supports the growth of cancer cells under glucose deficiency conditions in vitro. This study investigated the role and potential mechanism of PCK2 in the occurrence and development of Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO), and other databases distinguish the expression of PCK2 and verified by qRT-PCR and Western blotting.

Examining postmounting grooming in male golden snub-nosed monkeys to investigate the functions of same-sex mounts.

Same-sex mounting behavior has been documented across primate species and several biological functions, that are often difficult to differentiate, have been proposed. Postmounting affiliative behaviors (e.g.

STMN1 as a novel prognostic biomarker in HCC correlating with immune infiltrates and methylation.

Background: Upregulation of Stathmin 1 (STMN1), a cytoplasmic phosphoprotein that controls the dynamics of cellular microtubules, is linked to malignant behavior and poor prognosis in a range of malignancies. However, little research has been done on STMN1's potential role in HCC as a single factor in DNA methylation, mA, or immunological modulation.

Results: STMN1 is overexpressed in hepatocellular carcinoma, where it is related to clinicopathological parameters and affects the prognosis of HCC patients.

Food handling shapes the laterality of paw use in the Chinese red panda (Ailurus styani).

Limb preference, associated with behavioural laterality and hemispheric lateralization, has long received high attention from both ethologists and psychologists. Chinese red pandas in Shanghai Zoo perform natural unimanual actions in two different ways during food handling, making it an appropriate subject to investigate the effect of food handling on pawedness. In this study, we estimated the direction and the strength of pawedness in spontaneous feeding behaviours in zoo-housed Chinese red pandas.

Mirror responses in the common hill myna (Gracula religiosa) and the African grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus).

Scientists have spent great efforts exploring self-recognition in non-human animals using the mirror test. In avian species, some of the passerines have passed the test, although the findings are still under debate. The present study aimed at investigating mirror self-recognition ability and making a comparative study of mirror responses in two avian species, the common hill myna from the Passeriformes and the African grey parrot from the Psittaciformes.

Haematological and serum biochemical reference values in Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis): a preliminary study.

Background: A selection of haematological and serum biochemical profile was first presented from the 81 samples of Chinese water deer (Hydropotes inermis). The deer health assessment database was initially established, especially in relation to determining potential effects associated with diseases diagnosis.

Results: Blood samples were analyzed for different haematological parameters viz.

The influence of a demographic change on social relationships among male golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana).

It has been suggested that social relationships are more likely to be prone to variation in the dispersing sex than the philopatric sex. However, we know less about the dynamics of all-male groups in male-dispersing species than we do about other types of primate groups. We studied male sociality in a captive group of golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana), which was composed of a one-male unit (OMU, N = 7) and an all-male unit (AMU, N = 7 or 8), in Shanghai Wild Animal Park, China.

Do same-sex mounts function as dominance assertion in male golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana)?

It has been hypothesized that same-sex mounts can reflect the hierarchical relationship in a mounting dyad and it is widely deemed that mounting and being mounted are demonstrations of dominant and subordinate status, respectively. In this research, we aimed to test whether same-sex mounts function as dominance assertion in male golden snub-nosed monkeys (Rhinopithecus roxellana). We investigated this behavior in eight-individuals, captive all-male unit (AMU) in Shanghai wild animal park, China.

Solvothermal synthesis of hollow urchin-like SnO2 nanospheres with superior lithium storage behavior.

Hollow urchin-like SnO2 nanospheres with ultrathin nanorods have been successfully synthesized via a simple complex solvothermal route. The formation mechanism of the as-synthesized SnO2 nanospheres was simply explained. When tested as anode, the as-obtained hollow urchin-like SnO2 nanospheres exhibit excellent rate and cycling performances.

α-Fe2O3 nanowall arrays: hydrothermal preparation, growth mechanism and excellent rate performances for lithium ion batteries.

α-Fe(2)O(3) nanowall arrays (NWAs) were grown directly on Ni foam by a facile hydrothermal method. Based on time-dependent experiment results, a possible formation mechanism for this structure was proposed. The as-prepared α-Fe(2)O(3) samples have an open network structure constituted of interconnected nanowalls and can be directly used as integrated electrodes for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs).

Historic distribution and recent loss of tigers in China.

Historical records can provide important evidence of changes in distributions of wildlife species. Here we discuss the distribution of the tiger (Panthera tigris Linnaeus, 1758) over the past 2000 years in China based on 2635 historical records. We also compare tiger distributions outlined in these records with ecosystem type maps.