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We investigated the horizontal migration and transformation of nitrogen in soil with oxalic acid and inhibitors (e.g., nitrification inhibitors, DMPP, urease inhibitors, and NBPT) under different soil water contents to provide a basis for the efficient utilization of nitrogen fertilizer in agricultural production in karst areas. Four nitrogen fertilizers (e.g., ammonium bicarbonate, ammonium sulfate, ammonium chloride, and urea) were applied separately and combined with oxalic acid, DMPP, and NBPT. The ammonium and nitrate nitrogen contents in the different soil layers were measured. The soil columns were cultured through an indoor soil column simulation at water content levels of 30%, 40%, and flooded (50%) for 30 days. Ammonium bicarbonate with inhibitors increased soil NH -N content by 15.42-21.12%. Ammonium sulfate with oxalic acid or NBPT increased soil NH -N content by 27.56-52.25% at 30% and 40% moisture content treatments, compared to ammonium sulfate alone. Urea with DMPP application significantly increased soil NH -N content by 11.93-14.87% at 40% water content and flooded conditions. In all treatments, the NH -N content in the soil treated with 30% water content of ammonium chloride with oxalic acid was the highest. The NH -N content showed a decreasing trend with an increase in the water content. The NO -N content in soil treated with ammonium bicarbonate and DMPP was higher than that treated with other nitrogen fertilizers at 30% moisture. The NO -N content decreased with increased water content. Under all treatments, ammonium chloride with oxalic acid had the highest percentage of soil NH -N and soil soluble inorganic nitrogen at 30% water content, with 55.29% and 55.97%, respectively. Among the nitrogen fertilizer treatments, the soil NH -N content increased in ammonium bicarbonate with DMPP or NBPT, ammonium sulfate with oxalic acid or NBPT, and urea with DMPP. The four nitrogen fertilizers with DMPP increased the soil NO -N content. Nitrogen fertilizer combined with oxalic acid and inhibitors could effectively improve the effective use of nitrogen fertilizer.

Abstract Psoralea corylifolia L. (PCL), referred to as “Bu-gu-zhi” in Chinese, has great medicinal values since ancient times. PCL is the dried ripe fruit of Psoralea corylifolia L., which has been widely used in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) for the treatment of kidney-yang deficiency, enuresis and urinary frequency, chills and pain of the waist and knees, dawn diarrhea and vitiligo. In this paper, a systematic of the botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, pharmacology, toxicology, quality control and pharmacokinetics of PCL was presented, along with future research directions. According to the results, PCL contains approximately 163 chemical components, including coumarins, flavonoids, monoterpene phenols, benzofurans, glycosides, lipids, fatty acids, and volatile oils. PCL and its active ingredients have a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, antiviral, antioxidant, antitumor, antiosteoporosis, cardioprotective, neuroprotective, and immunomodulatory. Further study of quality control standards and potential mechanisms of PCL is also needed. In addition, more toxicological studies will also contribute to the progress of clinical trials.

Lactate is a key metabolite in cellular respiration, and elevated levels usually indicate tissue hypoxia or metabolic dysregulation. The real-time detection of lactate levels is particularly important in situations such as exercise, shock, severe trauma, and tissue injury. Conventional lactate assays are insufficient to address today’s complex and variable testing environments, and thus, there is an urgent need for highly sensitive biosensors. This review article provides an overview of the concept and composition of electrochemical lactate biosensors, as well as their recent advances. Comparisons of popular studies on enzymatic and non-enzymatic lactate sensors, the surface-related materials used for modifications to electrochemical lactate biosensors, and the detection methods commonly used for sensors are discussed separately. In addition, advances in implantable and non-implantable miniaturized lactate sensors are discussed, emphasizing their application for continuous real-time monitoring. Despite their potential, challenges such as non-specific binding, biomaterial interference, and biorecognition element stability issues remain during practical applications. Future research should aim to improve sensor design, biocompatibility, and integration with advanced signal processing techniques. With continued innovation, lactate sensors are expected to revolutionize personalized medicine, helping clinicians to increase treatment efficiency and improve the experience of their use.

Papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) is the most common malignancy of the thyroid gland, with a relatively high cure rate. Distant metastasis (DM) of PTC is uncommon, but when it occurs, it significantly decreases the survival of PTC patients. The molecular mechanisms of DM in PTC have not been systematically studied. We performed whole exome sequencing and GeneseeqPrime (425 genes) panel sequencing of the primary tumor, plasma and matched white blood cell samples from 20 PTC with DM and 46 PTC without DM. We identified somatic mutations, gene fusions and copy number alterations and analyzed their relationships with DM of PTC. BRAF‐V600E was identified in 73% of PTC, followed by RET fusions (14%) in a mutually exclusive manner (P < 0.0001). We found that gene fusions (RET, ALK or NTRK1) (P < 0.01) and chromosome 22q loss (P < 0.01) were independently associated with DM in both univariate and multivariate analyses. A nomogram model consisting of chromosome 22q loss, gene fusions and three clinical variables was built for predicting DM in PTC (C‐index = 0.89). The plasma circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) detection rate in PTC was only 38.9%; however, it was significantly associated with the metastatic status (P = 0.04), tumor size (P = 0.001) and invasiveness (P = 0.01). In conclusion, gene fusions and chromosome 22q loss were independently associated with DM in PTC and could serve as molecular biomarkers for predicting DM. The ctDNA detection rate was low in non–DM PTC but significantly higher in PTC with DM. The study identified gene fusion and somatic copy number alterations, particularly chromosome 22q loss, to be risk factors for distance metastasis (DM) of PTC and provided a convenient tool for the prediction of PTC DM.

Ammonia has long been regarded as the end-toxic product of hepatic metabolism. Under normal physiological conditions, ammonia is metabolized through the urea cycle; however, its metabolic imbalance is closely related to various diseases, including hepatic encephalopathy, liver fibrosis, and cancer. Ammonia-induced cell death, specifically the selective death of immune cells, has emerged in recent years as a new form of cell death in the field of tumor biology, offering a new perspective on the regulation of tumor cell fate. This review creatively focuses on the role of ammonia in tumorigenesis, development, and treatment resistance. We systematically reviewed the sources and dynamic balance of ammonia in the tumor microenvironment and found that it plays a key role in tumor metabolic reprogramming by regulating glutamine metabolism, mitochondrial function, and lysosomal stability in tumor cells. Ammonia can also induce the selective death of immune cells, reshape the immune cell map in the tumor microenvironment, and regulate the anti-tumor immune response. Mechanistically, we analyzed the multi-level network of ammonia metabolism regulation, including the role of glutamine synthetase, the mTOR signaling pathway, and epigenetic modification in ammonia death. In addition, this review emphasizes the importance of ammonia as a potential target for cancer therapy and proposes multimodal strategies combining metabolic regulation and immunotherapy to achieve precision in cancer treatment. Finally, the comprehensive map of ammonia in the tumor ecosystem was constructed, highlighting its potential clinical value as a new anti-cancer target. Graphical Abstract Ammonia: a new paradigm for cancer treatment. Ammonia has long been recognized as the final toxic metabolite of hepatic nitrogen disposal, predominantly cleared via the urea cycle under physiological conditions. Recent evidence highlights its dysregulation as a critical factor in tumor initiation, progression, and immune evasion. This review systematically summarizes the sources of ammonia in tumor cells and its key role in tumor metabolic reprogramming by regulating glutamine metabolism, mitochondrial function, and lysosomal stability within tumor cells. Ammonia-induced cell death involves multiple immune effector cells, which suppress the anti-tumor response of the immune system through multiple immune regulatory mechanisms. An in-depth analysis was conducted on the multi-level network of ammonia metabolism regulation, including key enzymes, signaling pathways, and epigenetic mechanisms, providing novel therapeutic ideas for targeting ammonia metabolism. Based on these findings, this study emphasizes the importance of ammonia as a potential target for tumor therapy and proposes a multimodal strategy that combines ammonia metabolism regulation with immunotherapy, which is expected to open new frontiers in precision medicine for tumors. Made by Figdraw.

Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is an extremely malignant type of endocrine cancer frequently accompanied by extrathyroidal extension or metastasis through mechanisms that remain elusive. We screened for the CREB3 transcription - factor family in a large cohort, consisting of four microarray datasets. This revealed that CREB3L1 was specifically up regulated in ATC tissues and negatively associated with overall survival of patients with thyroid cancer. Consistently, high expression of CREB3L1 was negatively correlated with progression - free survival in an independent cohort. CREB3L1 knockdown dramatically attenuated invasion of ATC cells, whereas overexpression of CREB3L1 facilitated the invasion of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) cells. Loss of CREB3L1 inhibited metastasis and tumor growth of ATC xenografts in zebrafish and nude mouse model. Single - cell RNA-sequencing analysis revealed that CREB3L1 expression gradually increased during the neoplastic progression of a thyroid follicular epithelial cell to an ATC cell, accompanied by the activation of the extracellular matrix (ECM) signaling. CREB3L1 knockdown significantly decreased the expression of collagen subtypes in ATC cells and the fibrillar collagen in xenografts. Due to the loss of CREB3L1, ATC cells were unable to activate alpha - smooth muscle actin (α - SMA) - positive cancer - associated fibroblasts (CAFs). After CREB3L1 knockdown, the presence of CAFs inhibited the growth of ATC spheroids and the metastasis of ATC cells. Further cytokine array screening showed that ATC cells activated α - SMA - positive CAFs through CREB3L1 - mediated IL - 1α production. Moreover, KPNA2 mediated the nuclear translocation of CREB3L1, thus allowing it to activate downstream ECM signaling. These results demonstrate that CREB3L1 maintains the CAF - like property of ATC cells by activating the ECM signaling, which remodels the tumor stromal microenvironment and drives the malignancy of ATC. Graphical Abstract

During the laser treatment of pigmented dermatosis such as Nevus of Ota, vapor bubbles will be generated by the laser with short pulse width and high energy density. Laser irradiation is efficacious for the clinical treatment of Ota’s Nevus caused by hyperplasia of melanosomes in dermis. Since the mechanism of the laser–melanosome interaction is not yet clear, the clearance rate is generally low and bleeding of irradiated skin frequently occurs. This work conducted a flow visualization experiment to investigate the laser–melanosome interaction mechanism by using high-speed imaging. Pigmented phantom was prepared to simulate the diseased dermis tissue, where agar acted as substrate and synthetic melanin particles was infused as hyperplastic melanosomes. Putting the phantom into water, its thermo-mechanical responses to single-pulse 1064-nm Nd:YAG laser irradiation with energy density of 4–7 J/cm2 and pulse duration of 6 ns were recorded. The results indicated that laser-induced bubble formation caused by the gasification of tissue moisture is the key mechanism of laser–melanosome interaction, and an optimal energy density of 6 J/cm2 is recommended.

Land surface temperature (LST) is a fundamental Earth parameter, on both regional and global scales. We used seven Landsat images to derive LST at Suzhou City, in spring and summer 1996, 2004, and 2016, and examined the spatial factors that influence the LST patterns. Candidate spatial factors include (1) land coverage indices, such as the normalized difference built-up index (NDBI), the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and the normalized difference water index (NDWI), (2) proximity factors such as the distances to the city center, town centers, and major roads, and (3) the LST location. Our results showed that the intensity of the surface urban heat island (SUHI) has continuously increased, over time, and the spatial distribution of SUHI was different between the two seasons. The SUHIs in Suzhou were mainly distributed in the city center, in 1996, but expanded to near suburban, in 2004 and 2016, with a substantial expansion at the highest level of SUHIs. Our buffer-zone-based gradient analysis showed that the LST decays logarithmically, or decreases linearly, with the distance to the Suzhou city center. As inferred by the generalized additive models (GAMs), strong relationships exist between the LST and the candidate factors, where the dominant factor was NDBI, followed by NDWI and NDVI. While the land coverage indices were the LST dominant factors, the spatial proximity and location also substantially influenced the LST and the SUHIs. This work improved our understanding of the SUHIs and their impacts in Suzhou, and should be helpful for policymakers to formulate counter-measures for mitigating SUHI effects.

Ground-based cloud image features high-spatiotemporal resolution, presenting detailed local cloud structures and valuable weather information, which are crucial for meteorological forecasting. However, the inherent fuzziness and dynamism of ground-based clouds have hindered the development of effective prediction algorithms, resulting in low accuracy. This paper presents CloudPredRNN++, a novel method for predicting ground-based cloud dynamics, leveraging a deep spatiotemporal sequence prediction network enhanced with a self-attention mechanism. Initially, a Cascaded Causal LSTM (CCLSTM) with a dual-memory group decoupling structure is designed to enhance the representation of short-term cloud changes. Next, self-attention memory units are incorporated to capture the long-term dependencies and emphasize the non-stationary characteristics of cloud movements. These components are integrated into cloud dynamic feature mining units, which concurrently extract spatiotemporal features to strengthen unified spatiotemporal modeling. Finally, by embedding gradient highway units and adding skip connection, CloudPredRNN++ is constructed into a hierarchical recursive structure, mitigating the gradient vanishing and enhancing the uniform modeling of temporal–spatial features. Experiments on the sequence ground-based cloud dataset demonstrate that CloudPredRNN++ can predict the future cloud state more accurately and quickly. Compared with other spatiotemporal sequence prediction models, CloudPredRNN++ shows significant improvements in evaluation metrics, improving the accuracy of cloud dynamics forecasting and alleviating long-term dependency decay, thus confirming the effectiveness in ground-based cloud prediction tasks.

The enmein-type diterpenoids are a class of anticancer ent-Kaurane diterpnoids that have received much attention in recent years. Herein, a novel 1,14-epoxy enmein-type diterpenoid 4, was reported in this project for the first time. A series of novel enmein-type diterpenoid derivatives were also synthesized and tested for anticancer activities. Among all the derivatives, compound 7h exhibited the most significant inhibitory effect against A549 cells (IC50 = 2.16 µM), being 11.03-folds better than its parental compound 4. Additionally, 7h exhibited relatively weak anti-proliferative activity (IC50 > 100 µM) against human normal L-02 cells, suggesting that it had excellent anti-proliferative selectivity for cancer cells. Mechanism studies suggested that 7h induced G0/G1 arrest and apoptosis in A549 cells by inhibiting the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway. This process was associated with elevated intracellular ROS levels and collapsed MMP. In summary, these data identified 7h as a promising lead compound that warrants further investigation of its anticancer properties.