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90% of esophageal cancer are esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and ESCC has a very poor prognosis and high mortality. Nevertheless, the key metabolic pathways associated with ESCC progression haven’t been revealed yet. Metabolomics has become a new platform for biomarker discovery over recent years. We aim to elucidate dominantly metabolic pathway in all ESCC tumor/node/metastasis (TNM) stages and adjacent cancerous tissues. We collected 60 postoperative esophageal tissues and 15 normal tissues adjacent to the tumor, then performed Liquid Chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) analyses. The metabolites data was analyzed with metabolites differential and correlational expression heatmap according to stage I vs. con., stage I vs. stage II, stage II vs. stage III, and stage III vs. stage IV respectively. Metabolic pathways were acquired by Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes. (KEGG) pathway database. The metabolic pathway related genes were obtained via Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA). mRNA expression of ESCC metabolic pathway genes was detected by two public datasets: gene expression data series (GSE)23400 and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) analysis is applied to metabolic pathway genes. 712 metabolites were identified in total. Glycerophospholipid metabolism was significantly distinct in ESCC progression. 16 genes of 77 genes of glycerophospholipid metabolism mRNA expression has differential significance between ESCC and normal controls. Phosphatidylserine synthase 1 (PTDSS1) and Lysophosphatidylcholine Acyltransferase1 (LPCAT1) had a good diagnostic value with Area under the ROC Curve (AUC) > 0.9 using ROC analysis. In this study, we identified glycerophospholipid metabolism was associated with the ESCC tumorigenesis and progression. Glycerophospholipid metabolism could be a potential therapeutic target of ESCC progression.

The aim of the present study was to explore the potential of peripheral immune cells in predicting the response and prognosis of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) receiving anti-PD-1 immunotherapy and platinum-based chemotherapy. We utilized flow cytometry to examine the levels and dynamics of blood immune cells in 79 advanced NSCLC patients treated with the chemoimmunotherapy between December 2019 and January 2022. The pre- and post-treatment blood samples were collected within 3 days prior to the initiation of the first and third cycle of combination treatment, respectively. Progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) analyses were conducted using Kaplan-Meier method and Cox regression models. The pre-treatment CD4 /Total T cells ratio was significantly higher in responders than non-responders ( 0.05). The levels of pre-treatment total lymphocytes ( 0.012), total B lymphocytes ( 0.025), and NK cells ( 0.022), and post-treatment NK cells ( 0.011) and NKT cells ( 0.035) were significantly associated with OS. Post-treatment CD8 /Total T cells ratio was positively correlated with OS ( 0.038). In multivariate analysis, post-treatment NK cells and post-treatment CD4 CD8 /Total T cells ratio were negatively associated with OS (hazard ratio [HR] = 10.30, 0.038) and PFS (HR = 1.95, 0.022), respectively. Notably, significantly positive correlations were observed between CD4 /Total T cells ratio and prognosis both before and after treatment ( 0.05). To summarize, our finding reveals that high CD4 /total T cells ratio was associated with favorable response and prognosis, highlighting its potential as a predictive biomarker to guide the selection of likely responders to platinum and anti-PD-1 combination therapy.

This study introduces the Quick Group Search Optimizer with Passive Congregation (QGSOPC) coupled with the influence-matrix method to optimize cable forces in a completed 1 070 m, five-span, twin-tower cable-stayed bridge. Compared with the original design, QGSOPC reduces maximum tower-top displacement by 83.8% (84.1 → 13.6 mm), girder deflection by 41.9% (236.7 → 137.5 mm) and peak bending moment by 11% (118 078 → 105 120 kN·m), while lowering the composite objective function by 40.7%. A comparative analysis using GSO confirms the enhanced performance of the proposed algorithm. The results demonstrate that QGSOPC offers a practical, efficient tool for achieving the “straight-tower & level-beam” completion state of long-span cable-stayed bridges.

The microwave catalytic pyrolysis of Dunaliella salina was evaluated under two types of compound additives (blends of activated carbon (AC) with Na2CO3 and AC with CaCO3). The effect of different addition amounts (5, 10, 15, and 20%) and different blending ratios (0:10, 3:7, 4:6, 5:5, 6:4, 7:3 and 10:0) of compound additives was studied. The total weight loss (Mt) was increased with the addition of AC/Na and AC/Ca additives. For 15% AC/Na groups, the largest Mt (83.06 wt.%) was obtained at 5AC5Na, while 4AC6Na showed strong synergy based on the maximum weight loss rate (Rm), the average weight loss rate (Rv), and the time corresponding to weight stabilization (ts). In terms of AC/Ca at amount of 10%, the smallest ts, maximum Rv, and unit electricity consumption for bio-oil and gas production (Wu) were acquired at 5AC5Ca. The AC/Na groups performed well than AC/Ca groups in the weight loss characteristics.

Background Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are implicated in the oncogenesis and metastasis of multiple human cancers. Nonetheless, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the oncogenic role of lncRNA in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remains to be clarified. Methods The expression of GK intronic transcript 1 (GK‐IT1) was analyzed using ESCC RNA‐seq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas database. Quantitative real‐time PCR was used to measure the expression of GK‐IT1 in ESCC clinical samples and cells. The correlation between GK‐IT1 expression and clinicopathological variables was examined using chi‐squared tests. Kaplan–Meier survival and Cox regression analyses were employed to generate the survival curve and assess the prognostic value of GK‐IT1. Functional experiments were utilized to explore the role of GK‐IT1 in promoting cell migration, invasion, proliferation, and suppressing apoptosis and autophagy in ESCC. To understand the mechanism, an RNA pulldown assay, RNA immunoprecipitation, agarose gel electrophoresis, immunofluorescence, and co‐immunoprecipitation assays were used. Results In this study we identified an unreported lncRNA, termed GK‐IT1 that was aberrantly overexpressed in ESCC tissues and cells. GK‐IT1 was closely associated with advanced clinical stage, and it was an independent prognostic indicator of ESCC. Functional assays verified that GK‐IT1 significantly promoted ESCC proliferation, invasion, and migration, and suppressed ESCC apoptosis and autophagy. Furthermore, tumorigenesis experiments in nude mice indicated that GK‐IT1 promoted ESCC tumor growth and metastasis. Mechanistically, GK‐IT1 competitively bound to mitogen‐activated protein kinase 1 (MAPK1) to prevent the interaction between dual specificity phosphatase 6 (DUSP6) and MAPK1, thereby controlling the phosphorylation of MAPK1 and promoting ESCC progression. Conclusion Our study revealed that GK‐IT1 competed with DUSP6 to attenuate the interaction between DUSP6 and MAPK1, leading to activation of the ERK/MAPK pathway, thereby promoting progression of ESCC. Our research indicated that GK‐IT1 served as a novel potential target for the diagnosis and treatment of ESCC. In this study, we showed that lncRNA GK‐IT1 promotes migration and growth, and inhibits apoptosis of ESCC cells both in vivo and in vitro. Mechanistic investigations further revealed that lncRNA GK‐IT1 could competitively bind to MAPK1 to prevent the interaction between DUSP6 and MAPK1, facilitating activation of ERK/MAPK pathway and ultimately promoting progression of ESCC.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) is a particularly fatal cancer with a median survival of less than one year. The value of single-agent checkpoint inhibitors is still obscure in MPM. We aim to reveal CUL4B prognostic role and immune infiltrates in MPM patients. CUL4B expression profile and clinical information of malignant pleura mesothelioma individuals were collected from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis measured CUL4B mRNA expression in epithelioid, biphasic, sarcomatoid, and normal pleural cell lines. CUL4B expression elevated in MPM and had a high diagnostic value with AUC = 0.772. Additionally, our results showed that CUL4B high expression significantly correlated with poorer outcomes in MPM. Moreover, GSEA revealed 15 KEGG pathways enriched in the CUL4B high-expression group, and 22 were exhibited in the CUL4B low-expression group. Otherwise, our results showed that CUL4B was relevant to Wnt antagonistic factors (BARX2), Insulin-like growth factor binding protein 3 (IGFBP3), and Phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN). In addition, our results revealed that CUL4B expression was positively linked with four types of immune cells, whereas CUL4B expression was negatively linked with three types of immune cells. Additionally, our results showed that CUL4B expression regulates T helper cells, Tcm, and Th2 cells infiltration MPM microenvironment. Finally, our results identified CUL4B high expression in MPM cell line NCI-H2052 (epithelioid), MSTO-211H (biphasic), and NCI-H28 (sarcomatoid). CUL4B is a valuable prognostic biomarker and a critical immune cell infiltration regulator in MPM.

Terahertz (THz) technologies have become a focus of research in recent years due to their prominent role in envisioned future communication and sensing systems. One of the key challenges facing the field is the need for tools to enable agile engineering of THz wave fronts. Here, we describe a reconfigurable metasurface based on GaN technology with an array-of-subarrays architecture. This subwavelength-spaced array, under the control of a 1-bit digital coding sequence, can switch between an enormous range of possible configurations, providing facile access to nearly arbitrary wave front control for signals near 0.34 THz. We demonstrate wide-angle beam scanning with 1° of angular precision over 70 GHz of bandwidth, as well as the generation of multi-beam and diffuse wave fronts, with a switching speed up to 100 MHz. This device, offering the ability to rapidly reconfigure a propagating wave front for beam-forming or diffusively scattered wide-angle coverage of a scene, will open new realms of possibilities in sensing, imaging, and networking. A programmable metasurface based on AlGaN/GaN HEMTs is demonstrated for terahertz multifunctional wavefront engineering in real time.

Background Phenotypic plasticity is a specific area of interest that refers to the ability of an organism to alter its phenotype in response to environmental changes. Adaptive visual plasticity is a fascinating phenomenon observed in various animal species. Cave-dwelling organisms often exhibit visual degeneration, but non-obligate species like Oreolalax rhodostigmatus may retain adaptive plasticity. Currently, no laboratory simulations of light-induced conditions have been reported. This study investigated the morphological, histological, and molecular responses of O. rhodostigmatu s tadpoles to prolonged light exposure, hypothesizing structural retinal remodeling and upregulation of phototransduction genes reflecting reversible plasticity. Results Histological analysis revealed significant thickening of retinal layers (particularly inner retinal and ganglion cell layers) and structural refinement of photoreceptor outer segments in light-exposed (3- and 10-week) groups compared to dark-adapted controls (0-week). Immunohistochemistry showed restoration of organized rod and cone morphology after light exposure. Transcriptomic profiling identified 2,937-4,847 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between groups. Key phototransduction genes ( GNAT1 , GRK7 , CRYBA2 , BEST2 , MYO3B ) were significantly upregulated in light-exposed tadpoles, while the cave-adaptation associated photoreceptor gene s26 was downregulated. Ultrastructural analysis indicated increased mitochondrial density and improved photoreceptor structure following light treatment. Conclusion Prolonged light exposure induces significant structural, ultrastructural, and molecular adaptations in the visual organs of O. rhodostigmatus tadpoles, including retinal layer thickening, photoreceptor regeneration, and upregulation of phototransduction pathways. The downregulation of s26 and absence of mutations common in obligate cavefish suggest retained latent pathways enabling reversible plasticity, rather than irreversible degeneration. This adaptive plasticity allows non-obligate cave dwellers to balance energy conservation in darkness with functional vision restoration upon light exposure, representing a distinct evolutionary strategy compared to obligate cave species.

Although there is a consensus that protected areas (PAs) can provide various ecosystem services, it is unclear whether protected areas effectively contribute to the preservation and enhancement of ecosystem services. We conducted a case study of the Hoh Xil Nature Reserve (HXNR) in Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, China, in order to examine the effectiveness of PA in the conservation of ecosystem services. First, the dynamics of land use/land cover (LULC) were analyzed based on remotely sensed data sets. Then, the ecosystem service value (ESV) in the PA and non-PA were evaluated using a modified benefit transfer method that had been adjusted using normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Finally, hotspot analysis was implemented to reveal the ESV changes for the different districts of the PA. The results of the comparison experiment indicate that: (1) The ESV of the HXNR has considerably increased after it was designated as protected, which had been in decline in the previous stage. The ESVs in a near-by non-PA showed opposite results where the values initially increased but then dropped due to urban expansion and desertification. (2) The areas in HXNR with increased ESV significantly outnumbered the areas that had declining values from 1980 to 2018. For the non-PA, the areas that had increased ESV in 1980–1995 saw a decline in value in 1995–2008; moreover, new areas with decreasing ESV emerged in 2008–2018. (3) The HXNR was found to be more effective than non-PA in improving ecosystem services. (4) The core zone of the nature reserve demonstrated better effectiveness in ecosystem service preservation.

In the past ten years, terahertz technology has developed rapidly in wireless communications, spectroscopy, and imaging. Various functional devices have been developed, such as filters, absorbers, polarizers, mixers, and modulators. Among these, the terahertz phase modulation is a current research hotspot. It is the core technology to realize flexible control of the terahertz wavefront, beam scanning, focusing deflection. It is indispensable in terahertz wireless communication, high-resolution imaging, and radar systems. This review summarizes the research progress of terahertz phase modulators from the two major types: free space and guided wave integration. Among these, the free space terahertz phase modulator is realized by combining the tunable materials and artificial metasurfaces. Based on different types of tunable materials, the terahertz free space phase modulator combining the semiconductor, liquid crystal, phase change materials, graphene, and other two-dimensional materials are introduced, and the influence of different materials on the phase modulation performance is discussed and analyzed. The monolithic integration and waveguide embedding methods are introduced separately, and the characteristics of different forms of terahertz-guided wave phase modulation are also discussed. Finally, the development trends of terahertz phase modulators, possible new methods, and future application requirements are discussed.