Expression analysis of the TGF-β/SMAD target genes in adenocarcinoma of esophagogastric junction

The TGF-β/SMAD signaling pathway is found to play pivotal roles in cell growth, differentiation and tumorigenesis. Its target genes are closely related to the biological behaviors of some malignancies. The aim of this study was to analyze the expression of the target genes of this pathway, including growth-related c-myc, p21, p15, and metastasis-related Snail, ZEB1 and Twist1 in the adenocarcinomas of esophagogastric junction (AEJ) tissues. Clinical esophagogastric junction tissues from 25 cases of AEJ patients and 10 cases of non-tumorous tissues from the same site were collected. Quantitative real-time poly chain reactions were carried out to analyze the expression of the above referred target genes of TGF-β/SMAD pathway. A notable up-regulation in the mRNA expression of p15, Snail, ZEB1, down-regulation of c-myc, was found whereas there were no significant change of p21 and Twist1. The findings suggests that the TGF-β/SMAD pathway might be abnormally activated in AEJ since most of the target genes of this pathway exhibited altered expression at mRNA level

Initial Orbit Determination Method for Low Earth Orbit Objects Using Too-Short Arc Based on Bistatic Radar

The problem of initial orbit determination (IOD) for Low Earth Orbit (LEO) objects using bistatic radar too-short arc (TSA) observations is addressed. For TSA observations, the traditional IOD methods suffer low accuracy. For LEO objects with stable attitude, the high order kinematic parameters can be obtained from the time derivatives of the radar echo phase. In this paper, an analytical IOD method is presented using bistatic radar TSA observations, which contain the position measurements (bistatic range, azimuth angle, and elevation angle) and the high order kinematic measurements (bistatic velocity, acceleration, and jerk). As the undetermined target state variables constitute a complex system of equations that can only be solved iteratively, an auxiliary coordinate system based on the bistatic geometry is defined to help reduce the equations to one unary quartic equation. Further, the closed-form expressions of the orbital state are derived. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using linearization approximations. Numerical simulations are carried out for several typical LEO observation scenarios to demonstrate the performance of the proposed method

Particulate Scale Numerical Investigation on the Compaction of TiC-316L Composite Powders

This paper presents a numerical investigation on the 2D uniaxial die compaction of TiC-316L stainless steel (abbreviated by 316L) composite powders by the multiparticle finite element method (MPFEM). The effects of TiC-316L particle size ratios, TiC contents, and initial packing structures on the compaction process are systematically characterized and analyzed from macroscale and particulate scale. Numerical results show that different initial packing structures have significant impacts on the densification process of TiC-316L composite powders; a denser initial packing structure with the same composition can improve the compaction densification of TiC-316L composite powders. Smaller size ratio of 316L and TiC particles (R316L/RTiC = 1) will help achieve the green compact with higher relative density as the TiC content and compaction pressure are fixed. Meanwhile, increasing TiC content reduces the relative density of the green compact. In the dynamic compaction process, the void filling is mainly completed by particle rearrangement and plastic deformation of 316L particles. Furthermore, the contacted TiC particles will form the force chains impeding the densification process and cause the serious stress concentration within them. Increasing TiC content and R316L/RTiC can create larger stresses in the compact. The results provide valuable information for the formation of high-quality TiC-316L compacts in PM process

Complete Genome Sequence of the Highly VirulentAeromonas schubertiiStrain WL1483, Isolated from Diseased Snakehead Fish (Channa argus) in China

El Pueblo Court units and common courtyard; An apartment complex that renovated and reused the 16 units from the old Stage Coach Motor Inn on Rt. 66. The complex has four small courtyard "neighborhoods" that encourage resident interaction. The first courtyard is "The Stagecoach Court", which is formed by the existing motor inn buildings. The sites's historic water well forms the second more urban courtyard, "Plaza Del Pozo". The community building is located in the "El Pueblo Court" and provides a daycare center, computer room, social service coordinator, kitchen and great room. The "Ribera and Tonita Couryards" form two distinctive activity zones for resident families, providing a safe place for children to play. The 60 total (44 new) units are efficiency one, two and three bedroom apartment homes, leased to tenants who qualify for the complex’s affordable housing provision

Predicting impact forces on pipelines from deep-sea fluidized slides: A comprehensive review of key factors

Deep-sea pipelines play a pivotal role in seabed mineral resource development, global energy and resource supply provision, network communication, and environmental protection. However, the placement of these pipelines on the seabed surface exposes them to potential risks arising from the complex deep-sea hydrodynamic and geological environment, particularly submarine slides. Historical incidents have highlighted the substantial damage to pipelines due to slides. Specifically, deep-sea fluidized slides (in a debris/mud flow or turbidity current physical state), characterized by high speed, pose a significant threat. Accurately assessing the impact forces exerted on pipelines by fluidized submarine slides is crucial for ensuring pipeline safety. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of recent advancements in understanding pipeline impact forces caused by fluidized deep-sea slides, thereby identifying key factors and corresponding mechanisms that influence pipeline impact forces. These factors include the velocity, density, and shear behavior of deep-sea fluidized slides, as well as the geometry, stiffness, self-weight, and mechanical model of pipelines. Additionally, the interface contact conditions and spatial relations were examined within the context of deep-sea slides and their interactions with pipelines. Building upon a thorough review of these achievements, future directions were proposed for assessing and characterizing the key factors affecting slide impact loading on pipelines. A comprehensive understanding of these results is essential for the sustainable development of deep-sea pipeline projects associated with seabed resource development and the implementation of disaster prevention measures

Genome-Wide Identification, Evolutionary Analysis, and Expression Patterns of Cathepsin Superfamily in Black Rockfish (Sebastes schlegelii) following Aeromonas salmonicida Infection

Cathepsins are lysosomal cysteine proteases belonging to the papain family and play crucial roles in intracellular protein degradation/turnover, hormone maturation, antigen processing, and immune responses. In the present study, 18 cathepsins were systematically identified from the fish S. schlegelii genome. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that cathepsin superfamilies are categorized into eleven major clusters. Synteny and genome organization analysis revealed that whole-genome duplication led to the expansion of S. schlegelii cathepsins. Evolutionary rate analyses indicated that the lowest Ka/Ks ratios were observed in CTSBa (0.13) and CTSBb (0.14), and the highest Ka/Ks ratios were observed in CTSZa (1.97) and CTSZb (1.75). In addition, cathepsins were ubiquitously expressed in all examined tissues, with high expression levels observed in the gill, intestine, head kidney, and spleen. Additionally, most cathepsins were differentially expressed in the head kidney, gill, spleen, and liver following Aeromonas salmonicida infection, and their expression signatures showed tissue-specific and time-dependent patterns. Finally, protein–protein interaction network (PPI) analyses revealed that cathepsins are closely related to a few immune-related genes, such as interleukins, chemokines, and TLR genes. These results are expected to be valuable for comparative immunological studies and provide insights for further functional characterization of cathepsins in fish species

Ionic-Liquid-Modified Porous Au/CeMnOx Nanorods for Methyl Methacrylate (MMA) Synthesis via Direct Oxidative Esterification

Porous MnCeOx solid solutions nanorods (PN-MnCeOx) with different pore sizes were prepared using different carbon chain lengths ionic liquids (C(10)mimCl, C(12)mimCl and C(14)mimCl). Series of novel catalysts with nano-Au supported on the PN-MnCeOx, were synthesized and applied to oxidative esterification of aldehydes (benzaldehyde derivatives or methacrolein - MAL) to esters. Catalytic performance was evaluated in batch reactor and the relatively optimum catalyst was screened out. Kinds of characterization methods, such as XRD, TEM, XPS and BET, were applied to analyze crystal plane, microstructure, specific surface area, and porous structure of the catalysts and the structure-activity relationship could be reasonably explained. The cyclic stability of the catalyst was also tested more than 7 times using MAL and methanol for methyl methacrylate synthesis via one step oxidative esterification

Intermittent Fasting versus Continuous Calorie Restriction: Which Is Better for Weight Loss?

We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials and pilot trial studies to compare the effectiveness of intermittent fasting (IF) and continuous calorie restriction (CCR) in overweight and obese people. The parameters included body mass index (BMI), body weight, and other metabolism-related indicators. A systematic search in PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science was conducted up to January 2022. Standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to measure the effectiveness. Publication bias was assessed using Egger’s test. The stability of the results was evaluated using sensitivity analyses. The significance of body weight change (SMD = −0.21, 95% CI (−0.40, −0.02) p = 0.028) was more significant after IF than CCR. There was no significant difference in BMI (SMD = 0.02, 95% CI (−0.16, 0.20) p = 0.848) between IF and CCR. These findings suggest that IF may be superior to CCR for weight loss in some respects