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Circular RNAs (circRNAs) play important regulatory roles in multiple human malignancies, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Here, we explored the role of circRNA vacuole membrane protein 1 (circVMP1) in NSCLC progression and cisplatin (DDP) resistance. The DDP resistance, proliferation, sphere formation ability, migration, invasion, and apoptosis of NSCLC cells were analyzed by Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK8) assay, 5-ethynyl-2′-deoxyuridine (EdU) assay, sphere formation assay, wound healing assay, Transwell assay, and flow cytometry. Methylated RIP-qPCR (MeRIP-qPCR) was conducted to analyze the m 6 A modification level of SRY-box transcription factor 2 (SOX2). Dual-luciferase reporter assay, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) assay, and RNA-pull down assay were performed to confirm the intermolecular interaction. Exosomes were identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA). CircVMP1 expression was markedly elevated in DDP-resistant NSCLC cell lines compared with their parental cell lines. CircVMP1 absence restrained the proliferation, sphere formation, migration, invasion, and DDP resistance and promoted the apoptosis of DDP-resistant NSCLC cells. CircVMP1 acted as microRNA-524-5p (miR-524-5p) sponge to up-regulate the expression of methyltransferase 3, N6-adenosine-methyltransferase complex catalytic subunit (METTL3) and SOX2. CircVMP1 silencing restrained the malignant behaviors and DDP resistance of A549/DDP and H1299/DDP cells by targeting miR-524-5p. Exosomal circVMP1 disseminated the malignant properties and DDP resistance to DDP-sensitive cells. Exosomal circVMP1 elevated the DDP resistance of xenograft tumors in vivo. Exosomal circVMP1 was up-regulated in the serum samples of DDP-resistant NSCLC patients compared with DDP-sensitive patients. Exosome-mediated transmission of circVMP1 promoted NSCLC progression and DDP resistance by targeting miR-524-5p-METTL3/SOX2 axis. Highlights CircVMP1 level is up-regulated in DDP-resistant NSCLC cell lines compared with DDP-sensitive cell lines. CircVMP1 absence restrains the malignant behaviors and DDP resistance of A549/DDP and H1299/DDP cells. CircVMP1-miR-524-5p/METTL3/SOX2 axis is identified for the first time. CircVMP1 plays an oncogenic role by targeting miR-524-5p-METTL3/SOX2 axis in A549/DDP and H1299/DDP cells. Exosomal circVMP1 transmits the malignant properties and DDP resistance to DDP-sensitive cells.

Achieving long-term stable zinc anodes at high currents/capacities remains a great challenge for practical rechargeable zinc-ion batteries. Herein, we report an imprinted gradient zinc electrode that integrates gradient conductivity and hydrophilicity for long-term dendrite-free zinc-ion batteries. The gradient design not only effectively prohibits side reactions between the electrolyte and the zinc anode, but also synergistically optimizes electric field distribution, zinc ion flux and local current density, which induces preferentially deposited zinc in the bottom of the microchannels and suppresses dendrite growth even under high current densities/capacities. As a result, the imprinted gradient zinc anode can be stably cycled for 200 h at a high current density/capacity of 10 mA cm −2 /10 mAh cm −2 , with a high cumulative capacity of 1000 mAh cm −2 , which outperforms the none-gradient counterparts and bare zinc. The imprinted gradient design can be easily scaled up, and a high-performance large-area pouch cell (4*5 cm 2 ) is also demonstrated. Zinc metal anodes suffer from electrolyte corrosion and dendrite growth issues during electrochemical cycling. Here, the authors propose a gradient design to imprint the zinc anode, which both prohibits side reactions and alleviates zinc deposition behaviour.

The role of radical prostatectomy (RP) in patients with newly diagnosed bone-metastatic prostate cancer (PCa) remains insufficiently explored. Patients with newly diagnosed bone-metastatic PCa were retrospectively identified from the SEER-17 database and categorized into two groups based on local treatment: biopsy-only and RP. Notably, patients who had received radiotherapy were excluded due to the unavailability of radiotherapy target site details in the SEER database, which made it impossible to determine whether the radiotherapy was directed at metastatic lesions or the prostate. Kaplan-Meier methods were used to estimate cancer-specific survival (CSS) and overall survival (OS) between the two groups. Subgroup analyses stratified by T stage, N stage, PSA levels, and ISUP grade were conducted to assess the impact of disease characteristics on the efficacy of RP. A risk score incorporating these disease characteristics (T stage, N stage, PSA level, ISUP grade) was assigned to each patient, and risk-stratified subgroup analyses were performed to further evaluate the relationship between the efficacy of RP and overall disease characteristics. A total of 9,243 patients were included in this study, of whom 8,949 (96.8%) underwent biopsy alone and 294 (3.2%) underwent RP. Patients who underwent RP had better CSS (adjusted HR = 0.32, 95% CI: 0.23-0.44, p < 0.001; 5-year CSS rate: 83.0% vs. 44.5%) and OS (adjusted HR = 0.34, 95% CI: 0.26-0.45, p < 0.001; 5-year OS rate: 79.2% vs. 36.9%) compared with patients who underwent biopsy alone. The survival benefit persisted across all subgroups but were attenuated in patients with more advanced stage (T3 and N1) and higher grades of disease (PSA > 72.5 ng/ml and ISUP grade IV-V). Risk score analysis revealed diminishing benefits with increasing scores. Significant survival benefits were observed for scores 0-3 (all adjusted HR < 1, p < 0.05), whereas no survival differences were detected at the highest risk score (CSS: adjusted HR = 1.74, 95% CI: 0.54-5.65, p = 0.356; OS: adjusted HR = 1.56, 95% CI: 0.48-5.04, p = 0.456). Survival benefits of RP in de novo bone metastatic prostate cancer are modulated by disease characteristics, with attenuated effects in advanced/high-grade disease. Risk-stratified patient selection is critical, and prospective studies are needed to validate optimal candidacy for RP.

Reservoirs face growing challenges in safety and sustainable management, requiring systematic approaches that integrate monitoring, analysis, and decision support. To address this need, this study develops an integrated information system framework with a four-layer architecture, encompassing “perception,” “data,” “model,” and “application.” The perception layer establishes a multi-platform monitoring network based on fused multi-sensor data. The data layer manages heterogeneous information through correlation mechanisms at the physics, semantics, and application levels. The model layer supports decision-making through a cross-coupled analytical framework for the coordinated management of water safety, resources, environment, and ecology. Finally, the application layer utilizes virtual-physical mapping and dynamic reasoning to implement a closed-loop management system encompassing forecasting, warning, simulation, and planning. This framework was implemented and validated at the Ye Fan Reservoir in Hubei Province, China. By integrating components like “One Map,” flood dispatching, safety monitoring, early warning, video surveillance, and operational supervision, a three-dimensional perception network was constructed. This deployment significantly improved the precision, reliability, and scientific basis of reservoir operation. The integrated monitoring and management system presented in this paper, driven by heterogeneous sensor networks, provides an effective and generalizable solution for modern reservoir management, with the potential for extension to broader water resource and infrastructure systems.

As one of the information industry’s future development directions, the Internet of Things (IoT) has been widely used. In order to reduce the pressure on the network caused by the long distance between the processing platform and the terminal, edge computing provides a new paradigm for IoT applications. In many scenarios, the IoT devices are distributed in remote areas or extreme terrain and cannot be accessed directly through the terrestrial network, and data transmission can only be achieved via satellite. However, traditional satellites are highly customized, and on-board resources are designed for specific applications rather than universal computing. Therefore, we propose to transform the traditional satellite into a space edge computing node. It can dynamically load software in orbit, flexibly share on-board resources, and provide services coordinated with the cloud. The corresponding hardware structure and software architecture of the satellite is presented. Through the modeling analysis and simulation experiments of the application scenarios, the results show that the space edge computing system takes less time and consumes less energy than the traditional satellite constellation. The quality of service is mainly related to the number of satellites, satellite performance, and task offloading strategy.

In the history of natural language processing (NLP) development, the representation of words has always been a significant research topic. In this survey, we provide a comprehensive typology of word representation models from a novel perspective that the development from static to dynamic embeddings can effectively address the polysemy problem, which has been a great challenge in this field. Then the survey covers the main evaluation metrics and applications of these word embeddings. And, we further discuss the development of word embeddings from static to dynamic in cross-lingual scenario. Finally, we point out some open issues and future works.

PurposeBiochar is used for the stabilization of Pb in soil because of its abundant surface functional groups and excellent pore structure. However, little is known about the long-term performance of biochars. This study aims to evaluate the effect of biochar aging on the adsorption and stabilization of Pb in soil and to provide theoretical guidance for long-term utilization of biochar.Materials and methodsA modified BCR continuous extraction procedure was performed to analyze the effects of three aging methods (natural, freeze–thaw, and high-temperature aging), four biochar species (wheat straw, corn straw, peanut shell, and pine chips chars), and aging time (7, 60, and 150 days) on the chemical fractions of Pb in soil. FTIR, XRD, and BET were used to analyze surface functional groups, composition, and pore structure of biochars, respectively.Results and discussionThe effects of three aging methods on the stabilization of Pb in soil were ordered as high-temperature aging (HT) ≈ freeze–thaw aging (FT) > natural aging (NA). The effects of biochar species were ordered as CSC > WSC ≈ PSC > PCC. The stabilization performance of Pb in soil was enhanced with increasing aging time. The mechanism of Pb stabilization in soil by biochar involves surface complexation, co-precipitation, ion exchange, physical adsorption, and electrostatic attraction.ConclusionsThe adsorption and stabilization of Pb in soil were enhanced by biochar aging through decreasing acid extractable Pb and increasing residual Pb. Surface complexation, co-precipitation, and physical adsorption were the main reasons for the enhancement.

The role of adjuvant chemotherapy in stage II colon cancer continues to be debated. The presence of circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) after surgery predicts very poor recurrence-free survival, whereas its absence predicts a low risk of recurrence. The benefit of adjuvant chemotherapy for ctDNA-positive patients is not well understood. We conducted a trial to assess whether a ctDNA-guided approach could reduce the use of adjuvant chemotherapy without compromising recurrence risk. Patients with stage II colon cancer were randomly assigned in a 2:1 ratio to have treatment decisions guided by either ctDNA results or standard clinicopathological features. For ctDNA-guided management, a ctDNA-positive result at 4 or 7 weeks after surgery prompted oxaliplatin-based or fluoropyrimidine chemotherapy. Patients who were ctDNA-negative were not treated. The primary efficacy end point was recurrence-free survival at 2 years. A key secondary end point was adjuvant chemotherapy use. Of the 455 patients who underwent randomization, 302 were assigned to ctDNA-guided management and 153 to standard management. The median follow-up was 37 months. A lower percentage of patients in the ctDNA-guided group than in the standard-management group received adjuvant chemotherapy (15% vs. 28%; relative risk, 1.82; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.25 to 2.65). In the evaluation of 2-year recurrence-free survival, ctDNA-guided management was noninferior to standard management (93.5% and 92.4%, respectively; absolute difference, 1.1 percentage points; 95% CI, -4.1 to 6.2 [noninferiority margin, -8.5 percentage points]). Three-year recurrence-free survival was 86.4% among ctDNA-positive patients who received adjuvant chemotherapy and 92.5% among ctDNA-negative patients who did not. A ctDNA-guided approach to the treatment of stage II colon cancer reduced adjuvant chemotherapy use without compromising recurrence-free survival. (Supported by the Australian National Health and Medical Research Council and others; DYNAMIC Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry number, ACTRN12615000381583.).

pH is an important property of aerosol particles but is difficult to measure directly. Several studies have estimated the pH values for fine particles in northern China winter haze using thermodynamic models (i.e., E-AIM and ISORROPIA) and ambient measurements. The reported pH values differ widely, ranging from close to 0 (highly acidic) to as high as 7 (neutral). In order to understand the reason for this discrepancy, we calculated pH values using these models with different assumptions with regard to model inputs and particle phase states. We find that the large discrepancy is due primarily to differences in the model assumptions adopted in previous studies. Calculations using only aerosol-phase composition as inputs (i.e., reverse mode) are sensitive to the measurement errors of ionic species, and inferred pH values exhibit a bimodal distribution, with peaks between −2 and 2 and between 7 and 10, depending on whether anions or cations are in excess. Calculations using total (gas plus aerosol phase) measurements as inputs (i.e., forward mode) are affected much less by these measurement errors. In future studies, the reverse mode should be avoided whereas the forward mode should be used. Forward-mode calculations in this and previous studies collectively indicate a moderately acidic condition (pH from about 4 to about 5) for fine particles in northern China winter haze, indicating further that ammonia plays an important role in determining this property. The assumed particle phase state, either stable (solid plus liquid) or metastable (only liquid), does not significantly impact pH predictions. The unrealistic pH values of about 7 in a few previous studies (using the standard ISORROPIA model and stable state assumption) resulted from coding errors in the model, which have been identified and fixed in this study.

The origin of the pseudogap behavior, found in many high- T c superconductors, remains one of the greatest puzzles in condensed matter physics. One possible mechanism is fermionic incoherence, which near a quantum critical point allows pair formation but suppresses superconductivity. Employing quantum Monte Carlo simulations of a model of itinerant fermions coupled to ferromagnetic spin fluctuations, represented by a quantum rotor, we report numerical evidence of pseudogap behavior, emerging from pairing fluctuations in a quantum-critical non-Fermi liquid. Specifically, we observe enhanced pairing fluctuations and a partial gap opening in the fermionic spectrum. However, the system remains non-superconducting until reaching a much lower temperature. In the pseudogap regime the system displays a “gap-filling\" rather than “gap-closing\" behavior, similar to the one observed in cuprate superconductors. Our results present direct evidence of the pseudogap state, driven by superconducting fluctuations. The origin of pseudogap in high- T c superconductors remains a big puzzle. Here, the authors report numerical evidence of pseudogap behavior employing Quantum Monte Carlo algorithm emerging from pairing fluctuations in a quantum-critical non-Fermi liquid, similar to the pseudogap phase observed in cuprate superconductors.