Explore the vast range of titles available.

Soil seed banks represent a critical but hidden stock for potential future plant diversity on Earth. Here we compiled and analyzed a global dataset consisting of 15,698 records of species diversity and density for soil seed banks in natural plant communities worldwide to quantify their environmental determinants and global patterns. Random forest models showed that absolute latitude was an important predictor for diversity of soil seed banks. Further, climate and soil were the major determinants of seed bank diversity, while net primary productivity and soil characteristics were the main predictors of seed bank density. Moreover, global mapping revealed clear spatial patterns for soil seed banks worldwide; for instance, low densities may render currently species-rich low latitude biomes (such as tropical rain-forests) less resilient to major disturbances. Our assessment provides quantitative evidence of how environmental conditions shape the distribution of soil seed banks, which enables a more accurate prediction of the resilience and vulnerabilities of plant communities and biomes under global changes. Soil seed banks are reservoirs of plant biodiversity. Here the authors compile a global dataset of soil seed banks in natural plant communities and report a spatially explicit analysis of environmental controls of seed bank density and diversity.

Heat-shock protein 90 (HSP90) is an important molecule chaperone associated with tumorigenesis and malignancy. HSP90 is involved in the folding and maturation of a wide range of oncogenic clients, including diverse kinases, transcription factors and oncogenic fusion proteins. Therefore, it could be argued that HSP90 facilitates the malignant behaviors of cancer cells, such as uncontrolled proliferation, chemo/radiotherapy resistance and immune evasion. The extensive associations between HSP90 and tumorigenesis indicate substantial therapeutic potential, and many HSP90 inhibitors have been developed. However, due to HSP90 inhibitor toxicity and limited efficiency, none have been approved for clinical use as single agents. Recent results suggest that combining HSP90 inhibitors with other anticancer therapies might be a more advisable strategy. This review illustrates the role of HSP90 in cancer biology and discusses the therapeutic value of Hsp90 inhibitors as complements to current anticancer therapies.

Background Glioma initiating cells (GICs), also known as glioma stem cells (GSCs), play an important role in the progression and recurrence of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) due to their potential for self-renewal, multiple differentiation and tumor initiation. In the recent years, Notch1 has been found to be overexpressed in GICs. However, the regulatory mechanism of Notch1 in the self-renewal and invasion ability of GICs remains unclear. This study aims to explore the effect of Notch pathway on self-renewal and invasion of GICs and the underlying mechanisms. Methods Bioinformatic analysis and immunohistochemistry (IHC) were performed to evaluate the expression of Notch1 and Hes1 in GBM samples. Immunofluorescent (IF) staining was performed to observe the distribution of Notch1 and CXCR4 in GBM and GICs. Both pharmacological intervention and RNA interference were employed to investigate the role of Notch1 in GICs self-renewal, invasion and tumor growth in vitro or in vivo. The crosstalk effect of Notch1 and CXCL12/CXCR4 system on GIC self-renewal and invasion was explored by sphere formation assay, limiting dilution assay and Transwell assay. Western blots were used to verify the activation of Notch1/CXCR4/AKT pathway in self-renewal, invasion and tumor growth of GICs. Luciferase reporter assay was used to testify the potential binding site of Notch1 signaling and CXCR4. The orthotopic GICs implantations were established to analyze the role and the mechanism of Notch1 in glioma progression in vivo. Results Notch1 signaling activity was elevated in GBM tissues. Notch1 and CXCR4 were both upregulated in GICs, compared to Notch1 positive glioma cells comprised a large proportion in the CD133+ glioma cell spheres, CXCR4 positive glioma cells which usually expressed Notch1 both and dispersed in the periphery of the sphere, only represent a small subset of CD133+ glioma cell spheres. Furthermore, downregulation of the Notch1 pathway by shRNA and MK0752 significantly inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway via the decreased expression of CXCR4 in GICs, and weakened the self-renewal, invasion and tumor growth ability of GICs. Conclusions These findings suggest that the cross-talk between Notch1 signaling and CXCL12/CXCR4 system could contribute to the self-renewal and invasion of GICs, and this discovery could help drive the design of more effective therapies in Notch1-targeted treatment of GBMs.

Background Biomass allocation reflects functional tradeoffs among plant organs and thus represents life history strategies. However, little is known about the patterns and drivers of biomass allocation between reproductive and vegetative organs along large environmental gradients. Here, we examined how environmental gradients affect biomass and the allocation between reproductive and vegetative organs. We also tested whether the allocation patterns conform optimal or allometric partitioning theory. Methods We collected 22 Artemisia species along a large environmental gradient in China and measured reproductive (infructescences including seeds) and vegetative (leaves, stems and roots) mass for each plant. We then used standardized major axes regressions to quantify the relationships between reproductive and vegetative organs and linear mixed-effect models to examine the effect of environmental gradients (climate and soil) on biomass allocation patterns. Results We found significant negative correlations between total biomass of Artemisia and the first principal component of climate, an axis that was negatively correlated with temperature and precipitation. Overall, there were significant isometric relationships between reproductive and vegetative mass. In addition, the ratio of reproductive to vegetative mass increased with the second principal component of climate (representing climate variability), but decreased with the second principal component of soil (representing bulk density and available water capacity). These patterns were consistent at the individual and interspecific levels, but were mixed at the intraspecific level. Conclusions Our findings of the plastic responses of biomass allocation to environmental gradients support the optimal partitioning theory (OPT). The isometric relationships between reproductive and vegetative organs indicate that plant growth and reproduction are intricately linked. Furthermore, the plasticity of biomass ratios of reproductive to vegetative organs to climate variability and soil physical properties suggests that the flexible allocation between growth and reproduction is crucial for successful adaptation to diverse habitats.

Air-assisted spraying technology is widely used in orchard sprayers to disturb canopy leaves and force droplets into the plant canopy to reduce droplet drift and increase spray penetration. A low-flow air-assisted sprayer was developed based on a self-designed air-assisted nozzle. The effects of the sprayer speed, spray distance, and nozzle arrangement angle on the deposit coverage, spray penetration, and deposit distribution were investigated in a vineyard by means of orthogonal tests. The optimal working conditions for the low-flow air-assisted sprayer working in the vineyard were determined as a sprayer speed of 0.65m/s, a spray distance of 0.9m, and a nozzle arrangement angle of 20°. The deposit coverages of the proximal canopy and intermediate canopy were 23.67% and 14.52%, respectively. The spray penetration was 0.3574. The variation coefficients of the deposit coverage of the proximal canopy and intermediate canopy, which indicate the uniformity of the deposition distribution, were 8.56% and 12.33%, respectively.

Purpose Sodium imbalance are common complications after transsphenoidal surgery (TSS) for pituitary neuroendocrine tumors (PitNETs). We characterized the types of sodium imbalance, identified risk factors for these disorders, and provided corresponding treatment advice. Methods We screened patients who had undergone TSS for PitNETs at a single center to identify those who did and did not (control) develop sodium imbalance. Disorders were classified using three groups, based mainly on the serum sodium level and degree of daily increase or decrease therein. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify risk factors among numerous variables (patient characteristics, third ventricle deformation, tumor volume, maximum tumor diameter, hydrocephalus, cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, and pituitary target gland axes). Results The sample comprised 105 patients with and 129 patients without sodium imbalance. Logistic regression analysis showed that hydrocephalus [ P  = 0.0015, odds ratio (OR) = 7.112, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.475–34.3], cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea ( P  < 0.001, OR = 4.62, 95% CI 2.372–9), and preoperative hypothalamus–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axis hypofunction ( P  = 0.009, OR = 3.211, 95% CI 1.341–7.691) were independent risk factors sodium imbalance development after TSS. Compared with the control, risk factors differed among disorder groups. Conclusion This study showed that cerebrospinal fluid rhinorrhea, hydrocephalus, and preoperative HPG axis hypofunction are risk factors for sodium imbalance development after TSS for PitNETs. We divided sodium imbalances into three groups to guide treatment.

Based on the air quality monitoring data and meteorological data, the pollution characteristics of PM2.5 in southern Beijing and relationships between PM2.5 levels and meteorological features were analyzed. The results showed that during the investigation period, daily air quality was characterized as “excellent” and “favorable” (<75 µg m−3) on 77% of days in southern Beijing, and there were only two days with serious air pollution (>250 µg m−3). The PM2.5 concentration displayed obvious monthly variations with the highest concentration in November and the lowest concentration in August. When PM2.5 pollution episodes occurred (>75 µg m−3) in this area, the wind direction was often south and southeast with low wind speed (<3 m∙s−1), followed by southwest wind; in addition, the air temperature was low (<10 °C) and the relative humidity was high (>75%). The air quality of the study area was affected by the pollution transmission form the surrounding areas, especially the southeastern and the southern transmission paths. The PM2.5 concentration was positively correlated with SO2, NO2 and CO, and negatively correlated with O3. Therefore, to further improve the air quality in the study area, it is necessary to coordinate the control of PM2.5 and O3.

G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) play a pivotal role in maintaining the stemness of both normal and cancer stem cells. However, the function of the regulator of G protein signaling (RGS) family, particularly in tumor stem cells, remains poorly under-stood. Through bioinformatics analysis of clinical data, we identified RGS20 as a potential regulator of glioma stemness and temozolomide (TMZ) resistance, which may significantly influence patient prognosis. Subsequent in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that RGS20 inhibition markedly enhanced tumor sphere formation and upregulated stem cell markers by intrinsically activating the WNT/β-catenin signaling pathway, thereby promoting tumorigenesis and ultimately leading to TMZ resistance. Furthermore, in human glioblastoma specimens, β-catenin signaling associated with low RGS20 expression was significantly enriched in hypoxic regions, suggesting that this mechanism may support the maintenance of glioma stem cells (GSCs) and drive TMZ resistance within the hypoxic niche. Our findings reveal that low RGS20 expression sustains WNT/β-catenin signaling in a ligand-reduced manner within hypoxic niches, unveiling a novel intracellular mechanism that drives glioma progression. Targeting this mechanism could provide new therapeutic strategies for glioma treatment.

Salvianolic acid B (SAB) can alleviate renal fibrosis and improve the renal function. To investigate the effect of SAB on renal tubulointerstitial fibrosis and explore its underlying mechanisms. Male C57 mice were subjected to unilateral ureteric obstruction (UUO) and aristolochic acid nephropathy (AAN) for renal fibrosis indication. Vehicle or SAB (10 mg/kg/d, i.p.) were given consecutively for 2 weeks in UUO mice while 4 weeks in AAN mice. The serum creatinine (Scr) and blood urine nitrogen (BUN) were measured. Masson's trichrome staining and the fibrotic markers (FN and α-SMA) were used to evaluate renal fibrosis. NRK-49F cells exposed to 2.5 ng/mL TGF-β were treated with SAB in the presence or absence of 20 μM 3-DZNep, an inhibitor of EZH2. The protein expression of EZH2, H3k27me3 and PTEN/Akt signaling pathway in renal tissue and NRK-49F cells were measured by Western blots. SAB significantly improved the levels of Scr by 24.3% and BUN by 35.7% in AAN mice. SAB reduced renal interstitial collagen deposition by 34.7% in UUO mice and 72.8% in AAN mice. Both in vivo and in vitro studies demonstrated that SAB suppressed the expression of FN and α-SMA, increased PTEN and decreased the phosphorylation of Akt, which were correlated with the down-regulation of EZH2 and H3k27me3. The inhibition of EZH2 attenuated the anti-fibrotic effects of SAB in NRK-49Fs. SAB might have therapeutic potential on renal fibrosis of CKD through inhibiting EZH2, which encourages further clinical trials.

This study presents a prototype visual tracking guide template (VTGT) for augmented reality (AR) navigation and assesses its initial feasibility for surgical training through a simulated pedicle screw placement exercise. The VTGT is used to complete the registration and real-time tracking of AR images. After wearing AR devices, junior residents simulate pedicle screw placement on spine models with K-wires. The navigation error is measured by assessing the deviation value of entry point (DVEP) and deviation value of trajectory angle (DVTA). The Clinical feasibility and safety were evaluated based on operation time, user experience, and the Gertzbein-Robbins scale. Five junior residents participated in the experiment, and 100 K-wires were placed. The average time for each K-wire was 36.4 s, with an average user experience score of 87.8 points. The DVEP was 2.20 mm ± 0.55 mm, and the DVTA was 2.30° ± 0.78°. According to the Gertzbein-Robbins scale, all screws met the clinical safety requirements. This study demonstrates that the VTGT-based AR navigation technology is both feasible and useful for training junior residents in pedicle screw placement.