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HighlightsCurving 2D MXene into 1D nanofibers can effectively stop the restacking of MXene flakes, and then the nanofibers are used to construct a lightweight and multifunctional MXene/C aerogel.The MXene/C aerogels achieved an RLmin of − 53.02 dB and EAB of 5.3 GHz. The radar cross-sectional reduction value of MXene/C aerogels can reach 12.02 dB m2.Integrating multiple functions such as thermal insulation, sensing, and microwave absorption into one material—MXene/C aerogel.Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXene) have emerged as promising candidates for microwave absorption (MA) materials. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as poor impedance matching, high self-stacking tendency, and high density. To tackle these challenges, MXene nanosheets were incorporated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers and subsequently assembled into a three-dimensional (3D) network structure through PAN carbonization, yielding MXene/C aerogels. The 3D network effectively extends the path of microcurrent transmission, leading to enhanced conductive loss of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Moreover, the aerogel’s rich pore structure significantly improves the impedance matching while effectively reducing the density of the MXene-based absorbers. EM parameter analysis shows that the MXene/C aerogels exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value of − 53.02 dB (f = 4.44 GHz, t = 3.8 mm), and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.3 GHz (t = 2.4 mm, 7.44–12.72 GHz). Radar cross-sectional (RCS) simulations were employed to assess the radar stealth effect of the aerogels, revealing that the maximum RCS reduction value of the perfect electric conductor covered by the MXene/C aerogel reaches 12.02 dB m2. In addition to the MA performance, the MXene/C aerogel also demonstrates good thermal insulation performance, and a 5-mm-thick aerogel can generate a temperature gradient of over 30 °C at 82 °C. This study provides a feasible design approach for creating lightweight, efficient, and multifunctional MXene-based MA materials.

Alopecia intellectual disability syndromes 4 (APMR4) caused by Lanosterol synthase ( LSS ) gene variants is a very rare autosomal recessive neuroectodermal syndrome. It is characterized by congenital alopecia and variable degrees of intellectual disability (ID), frequently associated with developmental delay (DD) and epilepsy. Currently, only three studies regarding LSS -related APMR4 have been reported, the pathogenesis of APMR4 is poorly understood. We studied one patient with LSS -related APMR4 who presented with severe intellectual disability, alopecia, early-onset epilepsy and developmental delay. She is absence of hair on the eyebrows, eyelashes, and scalp. Two novel LSS variants (c.401 T > G and c.369C > G) were detected with whole-exome sequencing (WES). Analysis via WB experiment indicated that c.369 > G reduced the protein expression level of LSS . Analysis of protein stability prediction showed a destabilizing for LSS caused by the variant c.401 T > G. This study is the first study in Asia to date. These findings expanded the variantal spectrum of LSS -related APMR4 and revealed the potential pathogenic mechanism of LSS gene variants.

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation is a major cause of mortality following haploidentical hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (haplo-HSCT). The application of conventional therapies is limited by hematologic and renal toxicities (ganciclovir and foscarnet) or time-consuming preparation (CMV-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes [CTLs]). We previously demonstrated the efficacy and safety of CMV-specific T-cell receptor-engineered T (TCR-T) cells for treating CMV reactivation post-haplo-HSCT. We conducted a phase 2 trial using the previously established highest dose to evaluate efficacy and safety as first-line therapy in a larger cohort. Patients received CMV TCR-T cell infusions (5 × 10 cells/kg) upon detection of >1 × 10 copies/mL CMV DNA in two consecutive tests or >1 × 10 copies/mL once. A second infusion was administered when TCR-T cell expansion remained undetectable within 7 days, and CMV load remained above 1 × 10 copies/mL. Salvage therapy was initiated when complete remission (CR) was not achieved after 3 weeks. The primary endpoint was the 4-week CR rate. TCR-T cells were derived from healthy donors. Among 25 patients enrolled, 13 developed CMV reactivation and received TCR-T cell therapy. Twelve (12/13, 92.3%, 95% CI: 66.7%-98.6%) achieved CR by week 4. Eleven (11/12, 91.7%, 95% CI: 64.6%-98.5%) maintained CR without further antiviral therapy, with median follow-up of 1011 (range: 657-1561) days post-infusion. Two cases of grade 1 cytokine release syndrome (CRS) occurred. TCR copy number increased ≥10 -fold within 14 days and remained detectable for 4 months. These findings highlight the long-term efficacy and safety of TCR-T cells as first-line therapy for CMV reactivation post-haplo-HSCT. www.clinicaltrials.gov, identifier NCT05140187.

Relapse remains the leading cause of treatment failure in high-risk acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or myelodysplastic syndrome-IB (MDS-IB) patients after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT). Ruxolitinib has demonstrated antileukemic activity , and decitabine has been found to be tolerable when combined with modified busulfan-cyclophosphamide (mBu/Cy) conditioning regimen. Here, we investigated the efficacy of ruxolitinib and decitabine plus a mBu/Cy conditioning regimen (Rux-Dec-mBu/Cy) in reducing relapse in high-risk AML/MDS patients ( ). This prospective investigational study enrolled 58 patients between May 2020 and July 2023. These patients had either a relapsed/refractory status, remission status with adverse genetic abnormalities or positive measurable residual disease (MRD+) prior to conditioning. Ruxolitinib (days -15 to -1) and decitabine (days -15 to -10) were administered, followed by mBu/Cy conditioning. The outcomes of a historical cohort of 58 patients (matched 1:1) who received mBu/Cy are described for reference. All 58 patients achieved engraftment. With a median follow-up of 967 (464-1597) days, the 2-year cumulative incidence of relapse was 19.0%. The probabilities of 2-year overall survival (OS), disease-free survival (DFS) and graft-versus-host disease-free, relapse-free survival (GRFS) were 70.3%, 70.6% and 65.2%, respectively. The cumulative incidence of grade II-IV acute graft-versus-host disease (aGVHD) was 44.1%. The most common grade ≥3 adverse event was oropharyngeal mucositis (8.6%, n=5). Within 6 months post-transplantation, the cumulative incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivation was 34.5%, and that of Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) reactivation was 62.1%. This investigational study revealed that the Rux-Dec-mBu/Cy conditioning was tolerable and reduced relapse in high-risk AML/MDS patients.

Traditional sampling for soil pollution evaluation is cost intensive and has limited representativeness. Therefore, developing methods that can accurately and rapidly identify at-risk areas and the contributing pollutants is imperative for soil remediation. In this study, we propose an innovative integrated H-G scheme combining human health risk assessment and geographical detector methods that was based on geographical information system technology and validated its feasibility in a renewable resource industrial park in mainland China. With a discrete site investigation of cadmium (Cd), arsenic (As), copper (Cu), mercury (Hg) and zinc (Zn) concentrations, the continuous surfaces of carcinogenic risk and non-carcinogenic risk caused by these heavy metals were estimated and mapped. Source apportionment analysis using geographical detector methods further revealed that these risks were primarily attributed to As, according to the power of the determinant and its associated synergic actions with other heavy metals. Concentrations of critical As and Cd, and the associated exposed CRs are closed to the safe thresholds after remediating the risk areas identified by the integrated H-G scheme. Therefore, the integrated H-G scheme provides an effective approach to support decision-making for regional contaminated soil remediation at fine spatial resolution with limited sampling data over a large geographical extent.

With the increasing incidence of esophageal cancer, its diagnosis and treatment have become one of the key issues in medical research today. However, the current diagnostic and treatment methods face many unresolved issues, such as low accuracy of early diagnosis, painful treatment process for patients, and high recurrence rate after recovery. Therefore, new methods for the diagnosis and treatment of esophageal cancer need to be further explored, and the rapid development of nanomaterials has brought new ideas for solving this problem. Nanomaterials used as drugs or drug delivery systems possess several advantages, such as high drug capacity, adjustably specific targeting capability, and stable structure, which endow nanomaterials great application potential in cancer therapy. However, even though the nanomaterials have been widely used in cancer therapy, there are still few reviews on their application in esophageal cancer, and systematical overview and analysis are deficient. Herein, we overviewed the application of nanodrug systems in therapy and diagnosis of esophageal cancer and summarized some representative case of their application in diagnosis, chemotherapy, targeted drug, radiotherapy, immunity, surgery and new therapeutic method of esophageal cancer. In addition, the nanomaterials used for therapy of esophageal cancer complications, esophageal stenosis or obstruction and oesophagitis, are also listed here. Finally, the challenge and the future of nanomaterials used in cancer therapy were discussed.

As a member of the CLAVATA3 (CLV3)/EMBRYO SURROUNDING REGION (CLE) family, the dodecapeptide tracheary element differentiation inhibitory factor (TDIF) has a major impact on vascular development in plants. However, the influence of polymorphisms in the TDIF peptide motif on activity remains poorly understood. The model plant, Arabidopsis provides a fast and effective tool for assaying the activity of TDIF homologs. Five TDIF homologs from a group of 93 CLE genes in switchgrass ( Panicum virgatum ), a perennial biomass crop, named PvTDIF-like ( PvTDIFL ) genes were studied. The expression levels of PvTDIFL1, PvTDIFL3 MR 3 , and PvTDIFL3 MR 2 were relatively high and all of them were expressed at the highest levels in the rachis of switchgrass. The precursor proteins for PvTDIFL1, PvTDIFL3 MR3 , and PvTDIFL3 MR2 contained one, three, and two TDIFL motifs, respectively. Treatments with exogenous PvTDIFL peptides increased the number of stele cells in the hypocotyls of Arabidopsis seedlings, with the exception of PvTDIFL_4p. Heterologous expression of PvTDIFL1 in Arabidopsis strongly inhibited plant growth, increased cell division in the vascular tissue of the hypocotyl, and disrupted the cellular organization of the hypocotyl. Although heterologous expression of PvTDIFL3 MR 3 and PvTDIFL3 MR 2 also affected plant growth and vascular development, PvTDIFL activity was not enhanced by the multiple TDIFL motifs encoded by PvTDIFL3 MR 3 and PvTDIFL3 MR 2 . These data indicate that in general, PvTDIFLs are functionally similar to Arabidopsis TDIF but that the processing and activities of the PvTDIFL peptides are more complex.

Colorectal cancer has one of the highest mortality rates among malignant tumors, and most patients with non-microsatellite instability-high (MSI-H) colorectal cancer do not benefit from targeted therapy or immune checkpoint inhibitors. Identification of immunogenic neoantigens is a promising strategy for inducing specific antitumor T cells for cancer immunotherapy. Here, we screened potential high-frequency neoepitopes from non-MSI-H colorectal cancer and tested their abilities to induce tumor-specific cytotoxic T cell responses. Three HLA-A2-restricted neoepitopes (P31, P50, and P52) were immunogenic and could induce cytotoxic T lymphocytes in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from healthy donors and colorectal cancer patients. Cytotoxic T lymphocytes induced in HLA-A2.1/K b transgenic mice could recognize and lyse mutant neoepitope-transfected HLA-A2 + cancer cells. Adoptive transfer of cytotoxic T lymphocytes induced by the peptide pool of these three neoepitopes effectively inhibited tumor growth and increased the therapeutic effects of anti-PD-1 antibody. These results revealed the potential of high-frequency mutation-specific peptide-based immunotherapy as a personalized treatment approach for patients with non-MSI-H colorectal cancer. The combination of adoptive T cell therapy based on these neoepitopes with immune checkpoint inhibitors, such as anti-PD-1, could provide a promising treatment strategy for non-MSI-H colorectal cancer.

In order to breed virus-free plantlets of the kiwifruit cultivar “Guichang,” which belongs to Actinidia deliciosa, in this study, stem segments with buds were used as explants, the establishment of a tissue culture rapid propagation system was carried out, and then the virus status of tissue culture plantlets was detected via the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) method. The tissue culture rapid propagation system proved that the contamination and browning rates could be controlled below 20% and the survival rate could be exceeded by 70% when the single bud stem segment of “Guichang” kiwifruit was sterilized with 70% alcohol for 30–60 s and 15% NaClO for 15 min, respectively. Meanwhile, we screened the hormone concentration to get better results, and the appropriate medium for adventitious bud induction was MS + 6-BA (1.0 mg/L) + IBA (0.2 mg/L); for proliferation, it was MS + 6-BA (1.0 mg/L) + IBA (0.1 mg/L); and for rooting, it was 1/2 MS + IBA (0.3 mg/L), and the efficiency of induction, proliferation, and rooting could reach 74.07%, 79.63%, and 85.18%, respectively. In addition, the RT-qPCR results demonstrated that the infection rate of 9 viruses: apple stem grooving virus (ASGV), cucumber mosaic virus (CMV), Actinidia virus X (AVX), cucumber necrosis virus (CNV), ribgrass mosaic virus (RMV), citrus leaf blotch virus (CLBV), Actinidia virus B (AcVB), Pelargonium zonate spot virus (PZSV), and cherry leaf roll virus (CLRV) in the “Guichang” kiwifruit tissue culture plantlets was 0. This study could lay a foundation for the production of “Guichang” kiwifruit tissue culture seedlings, and the medium formula provided in this study was useful for the industrial rapid propagation of “Guichang” plantlets.

Plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis provides a solution for maintaining and genetically improving crop or fruit varieties with desirable agronomic traits. For the fruit tree pomegranate (Punica granatum L.), despite some successful applications, the existing somatic embryogenesis protocols are limited by low availability of explants and susceptibility to browning. To address these problems, in this study, we developed an effective system for induction of high-vigor pomegranate somatic embryos derived from stem explants. The usage of stem explants breaks through the difficulty in obtaining material, thus making our system suitable for widespread commercial production. To enhance the performance of our system, we identified the optimal explants, subculture cycles and combination of basal media and plant growth regulators for each step. The results showed that inoculating stem explants onto a Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium supplemented with 1.0 mg/L 6-benzylaminopurine (6-BA) and 1.0 mg/L 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) achieved the best induction rate and growth status of pomegranate calli (induction rate = ~72%), and MS medium containing 0.5 mg/L 6-BA and 1.0 mg/L NAA was the optimal condition for the induction of embryogenic calli and somatic embryos (induction rate = ~74% and 79%, respectively). The optimal subculture period for embryogenic calli was found to be 30–35 days. Strong roots were then induced in the developed somatic embryo seedlings, which survived and grew well after transplantation to the natural environment, indicating the good vitality of the induced pomegranate somatic embryos. Together, our system provides a solution to mass somatic embryo induction and plant regeneration of pomegranate and lays a foundation for future genetic transformation and bioengineering improvement of pomegranate with favorable agronomic traits.