Variation in leaf and root functional traits of across different provenances in a common garden.

Environmental and genetic differentiation jointly influence intra-specific variations of plant functional traits. Research on this topic is of great importance for the assessment plant adaptation to climate change and for developing long-term conservation strategies. In a common garden experiment, we investigated the variations in root and leaf functional traits of across 14 provenances, as well as their relationships with the climatic and geographic factors of seed origin.

Re-evaluation of Cyclic Peptide Binding to Neurotensin Receptor 1 by Shifting the Peptide Register during Synthesis.

The head-to-tail cyclic peptide [Arg-Lys-Pro-Tyr-Tle-Leu] (peptide , where Tle is l--Leu) has previously been reported to bind to neurotensin receptor 1 (NTS1) (pKi = 5.97). Upon seeking to reproduce this finding, we found that peptide did not have a measurable affinity for NTS1.

FBXO family genes promotes hepatocellular carcinoma via ubiquitination of p53.

FBXO protein family plays an essential role in the ubiquitination process acting as E3 ligases, which may contribute to the progression of cancers. However, the molecular functions of FBXOs in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) remain incompletely understood. Here, we investigated the overlapping genes between the FBXOs and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of HCC identified by utilizing The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset, then, a prognostic model with effective predictive capacity was constructed based on the uni-cox and LASSO regression analyses.

Reprogramming exosomes for immunity-remodeled photodynamic therapy against non-small cell lung cancer.

Traditional treatments against advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) with high morbidity and mortality continue to be dissatisfactory. Given this situation, there is an urgent requirement for alternative modalities that provide lower invasiveness, superior clinical effectiveness, and minimal adverse effects. The combination of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and immunotherapy gradually become a promising approach for high-grade malignant NSCLC.

Oral Chinese Herbal Medicine plus usual care for diabetic kidney disease: study protocol for a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot trial.

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) has become the leading cause of kidney failure, causing a significant socioeconomic burden worldwide. The usual care for DKD fails to achieve satisfactory effects in delaying the persistent loss of renal function. A Chinese herbal medicine, (TQF), showed preliminary clinical benefits with a sound safety profile for people with stage 2-4 DKD.

Study on Fine Geological Modeling of Sandstone Reservoir under the Influence of Igneous Rock-A Case of Bohai X Oilfield.

[] Sandstone reservoirs under the influence of igneous rocks have become some of the most important complex reservoirs. The accurate description of the distribution for this type of reservoir is a major technical problem in hydrocarbon exploration and development. Geological modeling is the fundamental work of reservoir research.

High-Resolution Laminar Identification in Macaque Primary Visual Cortex Using Neuropixels Probes.

Laminar electrode arrays allow simultaneous recording of activity of many cortical neurons and assignment to layers using current source density (CSD) analyses. Electrode arrays with 100-micron contact spacing have been used to estimate borders between layer 4 versus superficial or deep layers, but in macaque primary visual cortex (V1) there are far more layers, such as 4A which is only 50-100 microns thick. Neuropixels electrode arrays have 20-micron spacing, and thus could potentially discern thinner layers and more precisely identify laminar borders.

MTFR2-dependent mitochondrial fission promotes HCC progression.

Background: The role of mitochondrial dynamics, encompassing fission, fusion, and mitophagy, in cancer progression has been extensively studied. However, the specific impact of mitochondrial dynamics on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is still under investigation.

Methods: In this study, mitochondrial dynamic genes were obtained from the MitoCarta 3.

Identification of a Novel Subtype-Selective α-Adrenoceptor Antagonist.

α-, α-, and α-adrenoceptors (α-ARs) are members of the adrenoceptor G protein-coupled receptor family that are activated by adrenaline (epinephrine) and noradrenaline. α-ARs are clinically targeted using antagonists that have minimal subtype selectivity, such as prazosin and tamsulosin, to treat hypertension and benign prostatic hyperplasia, respectively. Abundant expression of α-ARs in the heart and central nervous system (CNS) makes these receptors potential targets for the treatment of cardiovascular and CNS disorders, such as heart failure, epilepsy, and Alzheimer's disease.

Reprogramming Exosomes to Escape from Immune Surveillance for Mitochondrial Protection in Hepatic Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury.

Therapeutic interventions such as synthetic drugs and microRNA (miR) modulators have created opportunities for mitigating hepatic ischemia/reperfusion injury (HIRI) by alleviating mitochondrial dysfunction. However, delivering multi-therapeutic ingredients with low toxicity to hepatocytes still lags behind its development. In this study, we endowed exosomes with delivery function to concentrate on hepatocytes for multidimensionally halting mitochondria dysfunction during HIRI.

Unravelling the mechanism of neurotensin recognition by neurotensin receptor 1.

The conformational ensembles of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) include inactive and active states. Spectroscopy techniques, including NMR, show that agonists, antagonists and other ligands shift the ensemble toward specific states depending on the pharmacological efficacy of the ligand. How receptors recognize ligands and the kinetic mechanism underlying this population shift is poorly understood.

Discovery of Selective and Potent Macrocyclic CDK9 Inhibitors for the Treatment of Osimertinib-Resistant Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer.

Effectiveness of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitors, including Osimertinib, for treating non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is limited due to the continuous emergence of drug resistance. Hence, it is urgent to develop new therapeutic approaches. CDK9, a key regulator of RNA transcription, has emerged as a promising target for the development of antitumor drugs due to its crucial role in modulating the levels of antiapoptotic protein Mcl-1.

Necroptosis-Related Prognostic Model for Pancreatic Carcinoma Reveals Its Invasion and Metastasis Potential through Hybrid EMT and Immune Escape.

Necroptosis, pro-inflammatory programmed necrosis, has been reported to exert momentous roles in pancreatic cancer (PC). Herein, the objective of this study is to construct a necroptosis-related prognostic model for detecting pancreatic cancer. In this study, the intersection between necroptosis-related genes and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) was obtained based on GeneCards database, GEO database (GSE28735 and GSE15471), and verified using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA).

Substantia Nigra Echogenicity Signal Correlated with Clinical Features in Patients with Parkinson's Disease in Xinjiang.

Background: Transcranial sonography (TCS) is a noninvasive test that can reveal structural changes in the substantia nigra (SN) in Parkinson's disease (PD). The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between SN signatures and clinical features in PD patients in a multiethnic region of China.

Methods: A total of 147 patients with PD were included in the study, and all of whom had underwent a TCS examination.

Effects of Tiaopi Xiezhuo decoction on constipation and gut dysbiosis in patients with peritoneal dialysis.

Context: A Chinese herbal formula, Tiaopi Xiezhuo decoction (TXD), is developed from a classical Chinese prescription Sanhuang Xiexin decoction.

Objective: To investigate the regulatory effect of TXD on gut dysbiosis, as a treatment of constipation in patients with peritoneal dialysis (PD).

Materials And Methods: The chemical content of TXD was assessed by high-performance liquid chromatography.

Intelligent recognition of CTCs from gallbladder cancer by ultrasensitive electrochemical cytosensor and diagnosis of chemotherapeutic resistance.

Gallbladder carcinoma (GBC) is one of most aggressive and lethal malignancies. Early diagnosis of GBC is crucial for determining appropriate treatment and improving chances of cure. Chemotherapy represents the main therapeutic regimen for unresectable GBC patients to inhibit tumor growth & metastasis.

[Risk factor assessment and adverse outcome prediction of placenta accreta in pregnant women after cesarean section complicated with placenta previa: a national multicenter retrospective study].

To study the risk factors of adverse pregnancy outcomes for the diagnosis and treatment of pregnancy after cesarean section complicated with placenta previa. A national multicenter retrospective study was conducted to select a total of 747 pregnant women with the third trimester singleton pregnancy after cesarean section complicated with placenta previa from 12 tertiary hospitals in January 1st to December 31st, 2018. The risk factors of severe adverse outcomes [hysterectomy, intraoperative blood loss ≥1 000 ml, intraoperative diagnosis of placenta accreta spectrum disorders (PAS)] in pregnant women with second pregnancy complicated with placenta previa after cesarean section were investigated by logistic regression analysis.

High yield expression and purification of full-length Neurotensin with pyroglutamate modification.

Neurotensin (NT) is a 13-residue endogenous peptide found in mammals, with neurotransmission and hormonal roles in the central nervous system and gastrointestinal tract, respectively. The first residue of NT is a pyroglutamate (pGlu) that makes the expression and purification of large amounts of NT with native modification challenging. Here, we describe a simple and efficient procedure for expression and purification of large amounts of NT based on using the small ubiquitin-like modifier (SUMO) as a fusion partner and subsequent enzymatic conversion of the N-terminal glutamine to pGlu.