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Esophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC), one of the most prevalent and lethal malignant disease, has a complex but unknown tumor ecosystem. Here, we investigate the composition of ESCC tumors based on 208,659 single-cell transcriptomes derived from 60 individuals. We identify 8 common expression programs from malignant epithelial cells and discover 42 cell types, including 26 immune cell and 16 nonimmune stromal cell subtypes in the tumor microenvironment (TME), and analyse the interactions between cancer cells and other cells and the interactions among different cell types in the TME. Moreover, we link the cancer cell transcriptomes to the somatic mutations and identify several markers significantly associated with patients’ survival, which may be relevant to precision care of ESCC patients. These results reveal the immunosuppressive status in the ESCC TME and further our understanding of ESCC. Esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas (ESCC) have poor prognosis, and detailed molecular profiles are necessary to identify prognostic markers. Here the authors analyse 60 ESCC patient samples using scRNA-seq, TCR-seq and genomics; they find mucosal immunity markers associated with survival and immunosuppressive microenvironments.

Adenocarcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction (ACGEJ) has dismal clinical outcomes, and there are currently few specific effective therapies because of limited knowledge on its genomic and transcriptomic alterations. The present study investigates genomic and transcriptomic changes in ACGEJ from Chinese patients and analyzes their drug vulnerabilities and associations with the survival time. Here we show that the major genomic changes of Chinese ACGEJ patients are chromosome instability promoted tumorigenic focal copy-number variations and COSMIC Signature 17-featured single nucleotide variations. We provide a comprehensive profile of genetic changes that are potentially vulnerable to existing therapeutic agents and identify Signature 17-correlated IFN-α response pathway as a prognostic marker that might have practical value for clinical prognosis of ACGEJ. These findings further our understanding on the molecular biology of ACGEJ and may help develop more effective therapeutic strategies. Adenocarcinoma at the gastroesophageal junction has a dismal prognosis and few drug options. Here, the authors present genomic and transcriptomic features and potential therapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers of Chinese and Caucasian tumours, and reveal the molecular similarities.

Approximately half of the world’s 500,000 new oesophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) cases each year occur in China. Here, we show whole-genome sequencing of DNA and RNA in 94 Chinese individuals with ESCC. We identify six mutational signatures (E1–E6), and Signature E4 is unique in ESCC linked to alcohol intake and genetic variants in alcohol-metabolizing enzymes. We discover significantly recurrent mutations in 20 protein-coding genes, 4 long non-coding RNAs and 10 untranslational regions. Functional analyses show six genes that have recurrent copy-number variants in three squamous-cell carcinomas (oesophageal, head and neck and lung) significantly promote cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion. The most frequently affected genes by structural variation are LRP1B and TTC28 . The aberrant cell cycle and PI3K-AKT pathways seem critical in ESCC. These results establish a comprehensive genomic landscape of ESCC and provide potential targets for precision treatment and prevention of the cancer. Oesophageal squamous-cell carcinoma (ESCC) is a leading cause of cancer death, and half of ESCC cases occur in China. Here, the authors provide an in depth genomic landscape for this disease and identify specific mutation signatures—one of which is linked to alcohol intake.

Background Risk factors for urolithiasis have not been identified. Here, we aimed to identify potentially causal risk factors driving the risk of urolithiasis. Methods Two sets of instrumental variables were used for analysis, derived from publicly available databases. Summary-level statistical data for urolithiasis were obtained from the MRC-IEU Consortium and UK biobank (Neale Lab). Mendelian randomization (MR) was conducted to identify causal risk of urolithiasis. Finally, the results of the two databases were combined and a meta-analysis was performed. Results In the MRC-IEU consortium, the odds of urolithiasis increased per 1-SD increase of body mass index (BMI) (OR = 1.0016, 95% CI:1.0004–1.0029, p  = 0.010), triglycerides (OR = 1.0016, 95% CI:1.0003–1.0029, p  = 0.017), adiponectin (OR = 1.0027, 95% CI:1.0003–1.0050, p  = 0.024), and body fat percentage (OR = 1.008, 95% CI:1.0001–1.0161, p  = 0.047). In addition, alcohol intake also increased the incidence of urolithiasis (OR = 1.0030, 95% CI:1.0009–1.0051, p  = 0.005). In the UK biobank, the odds of urolithiasis increased per 1-SD increase of waist circumference (OR = 1.0215, 95% CI:1.0061–1.0372, p  = 0.008) and body fat percentage (OR = 1.0239, 95% CI:1.0043–1.0440, p  = 0.020). Surprisingly, we found that the risk of urolithiasis decreased with increasing hip circumference (OR = 0.9954, 95% CI:0.9915–0.9992, p  = 0.017). In a meta-analysis of MR results, higher BMI (OR = 1.0016, 95% CI:1.0004–1.0027, p  = 0.009), waist circumference (OR = 1.0073, 95% CI:1.0020–1.0126, p  = 0.007), adiponectin (OR = 1.0026, 95% CI:1.0008–1.0043, p  = 0.004), triglycerides (OR = 1.0015, 95% CI:1.0004–1.0026, p  = 0.008) and body fat percentage (OR = 1.0104, 95% CI:1.0030–1.0178, p  = 0.006) increased the risk of urolithiasis. Furthermore, alcohol intake also increased the incidence of urolithiasis (OR = 1.0033, 95% CI:1.0012–1.0053, p  = 0.002). Conclusions Our MR study found that higher BMI, triglycerides, waist circumference, adiponectin, body fat percentage, and alcohol intake increased the risk of urolithiasis.

Offshore wind and wave energy potentials are commonly simulated by atmosphere and wave stand-alone models, in which the Atmosphere–Wave–Ocean (AWO) dynamical coupling processes are neglected. Based on four experiments (simulated by UU-CM, Uppsala University-Coupled model) with four different coupling configurations between atmosphere, waves, and ocean, we found that the simulations of the wind power density (WPD) and wave potential energy (WPE) are sensitive to the AWO interaction processes over the North and Baltic Seas; in particular, to the atmosphere–ocean coupling processes. Adding all coupling processes can change more than 25% of the WPE but only less than 5% of the WPD in four chosen coastal areas. The impact of the AWO coupling processes on the WPE and WPD changes significantly with the distance off the shoreline, and the influences vary with regions. From the simulations used in this study, we conclude that the AWO coupling processes should be considered in the simulation of WPE and WPD.

Inhibitory control is a sub-ability of executive function and plays an important role in the entire cognitive process. However, declines in inhibitory control during aging significantly impair the quality of life of elderly people. Investigating methods to delay the decline of inhibitory control has become a focal point in current research. Tai Chi Chuan (TCC) is one effective method used to delay cognitive declines in older adults. However, the specific effects of TCC on inhibitory control and the mechanisms through which TCC may improve cognition in older adults have not been comprehensively investigated. The study explores possible neurological mechanisms related to the effects of TCC interventions on inhibitory control in older people using a functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) technique and reaction times (RTs). A total of 26 healthy, elderly people who had not received TCC training completed all study procedures. The subjects were randomized to either the TCC group or the control group. Subjects in the TCC group were taught TCC by a certified instructor and trained for 8 weeks. The control group continued to perform general daily activities. The Flanker task was administered to every participant to evaluate inhibitory control pre- and post-intervention. While participants were performing the Flanker task, fNIRS data were collected. Post-intervention, significant differences for incongruent flankers were found only for the TCC intervention group. Faster RTs were observed for the incongruent flankers in the TCC group than in the control group ( < 0.05). Analysis of the fNIRS data revealed an increase in oxy-Hb in the prefrontal cortex during the incongruent flankers after the TCC exercise intervention. The TCC intervention significantly improved inhibitory control in older adults, suggesting that TCC is an effective, suitable exercise for improving executive function and neurological health in elderly people. Chinese Clinical Trial Register, ChiCTR1900028457.

The purpose of this study was to achieve non-destructive detection of the internal defects of in-shell walnuts using X-ray radiography technology based on improved Faster R-CNN network model. First, the FPN structure was added to the feature-extraction layer to extract richer image information. Then, ROI Align was used instead of ROI Pooling for eliminating the localization bias problem caused by the quantization operation. Finally, the Softer-NMS module was introduced to the final regression layer with the predicted bounding box for improving the localization accuracy of the candidate boxes. The results of the study indicated that the proposed network model can effectively identify internal defects of in-shell walnuts. Specifically, the discrimination accuracies of the in-shell sound, shriveled, and empty-shell walnuts were 96.14%, 91.72%, and 94.80%, respectively, and the highest overall accuracy was 94.22%. Compared to the original Faster R-CNN network model, the improved Faster R-CNN model achieved an increase of 5.86% in mAP and 5.65% in F1-value. Consequently, the proposed method can be applied for the in-shell walnuts with shriveled and empty-shell defects.

Executive function (EF) plays an important role in controlling human actions. Shooting is a closed motor skill, characterized by high anti-interference ability and high mental intensity. However, the beneficial effects of closed exercises such as shooting on EF remain unclear. We utilized an expert-novice paradigm and the Flanker task to examine the EF of shooting athletes. Participants were assigned into the novice group, expert group, or control group, based on the level of training and competition experience. Reaction time (RT) and accuracy of performance across the three groups were compared. For the simple task, the control group showed a longer RT than the novice group, for all three inter-stimulus interval (ISI) conditions. Significant differences between the control and the expert groups were observed only at 300-ms and 400-ms ISIs. For the complex task, the control group exhibited a higher RT than the novice and expert groups at the 300- and 400-ms ISIs. The self-control during performing closed motor skills in the environment determines that shooters have proficient anti-interference ability. This ability is uncorrelated with task type, but most likely is affected by reserved task response time.

We have carried out an experimental study of the turbulence kinetic energy dissipation rate (ϵ), temperature dissipation rate (χ), and turbulent heat flux (THF) within the water surface layer in the presence of non-breaking wave, surface convection, and horizontal heat and eddy fluxes that play a prominent role in the front. We noted that the non-breaking wave dominates ϵ values within the surface layer. While analyzing the vertical ϵ variability, the presence of a wave-affected layer from the water surface to a depth of z≈1.25λw is observed, where λw is the wavelength. ϵ associated with non-breaking waves ranged to 4.9×10−6–7×10−6 m2/s3 for the wavelength range of 0.038 m < λw < 0.098 m categorized as the gravity and gravity-capillary wave regimes. ϵ values increase for longer λw and non-breaking wave ϵ values represent their significant contribution to the ocean energy budget and dynamic of surface layer considering that the non-breaking wave covers the large fraction of ocean surface. We also found that the surface mean square slope (MSS) and wave generated ϵ have the same order of magnitude, i.e., MSS ∼ϵ. Besides, we have documented that the small-scale temperature fluctuation change (i.e., χ) is consistent with the large-scale temperature gradient change (i.e., d/dz). The value of the THF is approximately constant within the surface layer. It represents that the measured THF near the water surface can be considered a surface water THF, challenging to measure directly.

Biliary atresia (BA) is a rare and severe congenital disorder with a significant challenge for prenatal diagnosis. This study, registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (ChiCTR2200059705), aimed to develop an intelligent model to aid in the prenatal diagnosis of BA. To develop and evaluate this model, fetuses from 20 hospitals across China and infants sourced from public database were collected. The transfer-learning model (TLM) demonstrated superior diagnostic performance compared to the basic deep-learning model, with higher area under the curves of 0.906 (95%CI: 0.872–0.940) vs 0.793 (0.743–0.843), 0.914 (0.875–0.953) vs 0.790 (0.727–0.853), and 0.907 (0.869–0.945) vs 0.880 (0.838–0.922) for the three independent test cohorts. Furthermore, when aided by the TLM, diagnostic accuracy surpassed that of individual sonologists alone. The TLM achieved satisfactory performance in predicting fetal BA, providing a low-cost, easily accessible, and accurate diagnostic tool for this condition, making it an effective aid in clinical practice.