Interferences effects in polarized nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process

The creation of polarized electron-positron pairs by the nonlinear Breit-Wheeler process in short laser pulses is investigated using the Baier-Katkov semiclassical method beyond local-constant-field approximation (LCFA), which allows for identifying the interferences effects in the positron polarization. When the laser intensity is in the intermediate %multiphoton regime, the interferences of pair production in different formation lengths induce an enhancement of pair production probability for spin-down positrons, which significantly affects the polarization of created positrons. The polarization features are distinct from that obtained with LCFA, revealing the invalidity of LCFA in this regime. Meanwhile, the angular distribution for different spin states varies, resulting in an angular-dependent polarization of positrons. The average polarization of positrons at beam center is highly sensitive to the laser's carrier-envelope phase (CEP), which provides a potential alternative way of determining the CEP of strong lasers. The verification of the observed interference phenomenon is possible for the upcoming experiments

Development and validation of a nomogram predictive model for cognitive impairment in cerebral small vessel disease: a comprehensive retrospective analysis

BackgroundCerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) is a common neurodegenerative condition in the elderly, closely associated with cognitive impairment. Early identification of individuals with CSVD who are at a higher risk of developing cognitive impairment is crucial for timely intervention and improving patient outcomes.ObjectiveThe aim of this study is to construct a predictive model utilizing LASSO regression and binary logistic regression, with the objective of precisely forecasting the risk of cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD.MethodsThe study utilized LASSO regression for feature selection and logistic regression for model construction in a cohort of CSVD patients. The model’s validity was assessed through calibration curves and decision curve analysis (DCA).ResultsA nomogram was developed to predict cognitive impairment, incorporating hypertension, CSVD burden, apolipoprotein A1 (ApoA1) levels, and age. The model exhibited high accuracy with AUC values of 0.866 and 0.852 for the training and validation sets, respectively. Calibration curves confirmed the model’s reliability, and DCA highlighted its clinical utility. The model’s sensitivity and specificity were 75.3 and 79.7% for the training set, and 76.9 and 74.0% for the validation set.ConclusionThis study successfully demonstrates the application of machine learning in developing a reliable predictive model for cognitive impairment in CSVD. The model’s high accuracy and robust predictive capability provide a crucial tool for the early detection and intervention of cognitive impairment in patients with CSVD, potentially improving outcomes for this specific condition

Original Article Glycyrrhizic acid inhibits leukemia cell growth and migration via blocking AKT/mTOR/STAT3 signaling

Abstract: Glycyrrhizic acid (GA) is the bioactive compound of licorice and has been used as an herbal medicine because of its anti-viral, anti-cancer, and anti-inflammatory properties. This study was designed to investigate the effects of GA on leukemia cells growth, migration, and the mechanisms underlying the anti-cancer activities of GA. MTT test was used to detect the effect of GA on TF-1 leukemia cell growth. Wound closure assay and Transwell were adopted to assess the effect of GA on TF-1 migration and invasion. Migration and invasion related proteins including AKT and mTOR were detected by western blot assay. We further used western blot and immunofluorescence assay to evaluate the effect of GA on STAT3 phosphorylation in vitro. We also evaluated the anti-tumor effect of GA in TF-1 tumor bearing BALB/c mice model. The present study showed GA significant inhibit of TF-1 proliferation in a dose and time-dependent manner. GA could remarkably inhibit TF-1 cell migration and invasion; meanwhile effectively suppress AKT, mTOR, and STAT3 phosphorylation in TF-1 cells. GA in 100 mg/kg/ could inhibit the tumor growth in vivo and down-regulated AKT, mTOR, and STAT3 phosphorylation in TF-1 tumor tissues. Our findings suggest that GA is a promising therapeutic agent for leukemia that targets the AKT/mTOR/STAT3 pathway

Catalyst size dependent growth of Pd-catalyzed one-dimensional InAs nanostructures

In this study, Pd was used as catalyst to grow one-dimensional InAs nanostructures on GaAs (111)(B) substrates in order to explore the growth mechanism and the effect of non-gold catalysts in growing epitaxial III-V nanostructures. With detailed morphological, structural, and chemical characterizations using electron microscopy, coupled with analysis of the Pd-In binary phase diagram, it was found that size of Pd nanoparticles plays a key role in determining the growth mechanism of one-dimensional InAs nanostructures. (C) 2013 AIP Publishing LLC

Research on the X-Ray Polarization Deconstruction Method Based on Hexagonal Convolutional Neural Network

Track reconstruction algorithms are critical for polarization measurements. In addition to traditional moment-based track reconstruction approaches, convolutional neural networks (CNN) are a promising alternative. However, hexagonal grid track images in gas pixel detectors (GPD) for better anisotropy do not match the classical rectangle-based CNN, and converting the track images from hexagonal to square results in loss of information. We developed a new hexagonal CNN algorithm for track reconstruction and polarization estimation in X-ray polarimeters, which was used to extract emission angles and absorption points from photoelectron track images and predict the uncertainty of the predicted emission angles. The simulated data of PolarLight test were used to train and test the hexagonal CNN models. For individual energies, the hexagonal CNN algorithm produced 15-30% improvements in modulation factor compared to moment analysis method for 100% polarized data, and its performance was comparable to rectangle-based CNN algorithm newly developed by IXPE team, but at a much less computational cost.Comment: 21 pages, 12 figures, submitted to NS

Development of marker-free transgenic Jatropha plants with increased levels of seed oleic acid

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p><it>Jatropha curcas </it>is recognized as a new energy crop due to the presence of the high amount of oil in its seeds that can be converted into biodiesel. The quality and performance of the biodiesel depends on the chemical composition of the fatty acids present in the oil. The fatty acids profile of the oil has a direct impact on ignition quality, heat of combustion and oxidative stability. An ideal biodiesel composition should have more monounsaturated fatty acids and less polyunsaturated acids. Jatropha seed oil contains 30% to 50% polyunsaturated fatty acids (mainly linoleic acid) which negatively impacts the oxidative stability and causes high rate of nitrogen oxides emission.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The enzyme 1-acyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine delta 12-desaturase (FAD2) is the key enzyme responsible for the production of linoleic acid in plants. We identified three putative <it>delta </it><it>12 </it><it>fatty acid desaturase </it>genes in <it>Jatropha </it>(<it>JcFAD2s</it>) through genome-wide analysis and downregulated the expression of one of these genes, <it>JcFAD2-1</it>, in a seed-specific manner by RNA interference technology. The resulting <it>JcFAD2-1 </it>RNA interference transgenic plants showed a dramatic increase of oleic acid (> 78%) and a corresponding reduction in polyunsaturated fatty acids (< 3%) in its seed oil. The control <it>Jatropha </it>had around 37% oleic acid and 41% polyunsaturated fatty acids. This indicates that FAD2-1 is the major enzyme responsible for converting oleic acid to linoleic acid in <it>Jatropha</it>. Due to the changes in the fatty acids profile, the oil of the <it>JcFAD2-1 </it>RNA interference seed was estimated to yield a cetane number as high as 60.2, which is similar to the required cetane number for conventional premium diesel fuels (60) in Europe. The presence of high seed oleic acid did not have a negative impact on other <it>Jatropha </it>agronomic traits based on our preliminary data of the original plants under greenhouse conditions. Further, we developed a marker-free system to generate the transgenic <it>Jatropha </it>that will help reduce public concerns for environmental issues surrounding genetically modified plants.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>In this study we produced seed-specific <it>JcFAD2-1 </it>RNA interference transgenic <it>Jatropha </it>without a selectable marker. We successfully increased the proportion of oleic acid versus linoleic in <it>Jatropha </it>through genetic engineering, enhancing the quality of its oil.</p

(Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder: A novel promising anticancer therapy to melanoma by blocking phosphotyrosine signaling

Background: Melanoma is a malignant tumor with high misdiagnosis rate and poor prognosis. The bio-targeted therapy is a prevailing method in the treatment of melanoma; however, the accompanying drug resistance is inevitable. SH2 superbinder, a triple-mutant of the Src Homology 2 (SH2) domain, shows potent antitumor ability by replacing natural SH2-containing proteins and blocking multiple pY-based signaling pathways. Polyarginine (Arg) 9 , a powerful vector for intracellular delivery of large molecules, could transport therapeutic agents across cell membrane. The purpose of this study is to construct (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder and investigate its effects on melanoma cells, expecting to provide potential new approaches for anti-cancer therapy and overcoming the unavoidable drug resistance of single-targeted antitumor agents. Methods: (Arg) 9 and SH2 superbinder were fused to form (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder via genetic engineering. Pull down assay was performed to identify that (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder could capture a wide variety of pY proteins. Immunofluorescence was used to detect the efficiency of (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder entering cells. The proliferation ability was assessed by MTT and colony formation assay. In addition, wound healing and transwell assay were performed to evaluate migration of B16F10, A375 and A375/DDP cells. Moreover, apoptosis caused by (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder was analyzed by flow cytometry-based Annexin V/PI. Furthermore, western blot revealed that (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder influenced some pY-related signaling pathways. Finally, B16F10 xenograft model was established to confirm whether (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder could restrain the growth of tumor. Results: Our data showed that (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder had the ability to enter melanoma cells effectively and displayed strong affinities for various pY proteins. Furthermore, (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder could repress proliferation, migration and induce apoptosis of melanoma cells by regulating PI3K/AKT, MAPK/ERK and JAK/STAT signaling pathways. Importantly, (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder could significantly inhibit the growth of tumor in mice. Conclusions: (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder exhibited high affinities for pY proteins, which showed effective anticancer ability by replacing SH2-containing proteins and blocking diverse pY-based pathways. The remarkable ability of (Arg) 9 -SH2 superbinder to inhibit cancer cell proliferation and tumor growth might open the door to explore the SH2 superbinder as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment

Knowledge mapping of alternative splicing of cancer from 2012 to 2021: A bibliometric analysis

BackgroundAs a processing method of RNA precursors, alternative splicing (AS) is critical to normal cellular activities. Aberrant AS events are associated with cancer development and can be promising targets to treat cancer. However, no detailed and unbiased study describes the current state of AS of cancer research. We aim to measure and recognize the current state and trends of AS cancer research in this study.MethodsThe Web of Science Core Collection was used to acquire the articles. Utilizing three bibliometric tools (CiteSpace, VOSviewer, R-bibliometrix), we were able to measure and recognize the influence and collaboration data of individual articles, journals, and co-citations. Analysis of co-occurrence and burst information helped us identify the trending research areas related to AS of cancer.ResultsFrom 2012 to 2021, the total number of papers on AS of cancer published in 766 academic journals was 3,507, authored by 20,406 researchers in 405 institutions from 80 countries/regions. Research involving AS of cancer genes was primarily conducted in the United States and China; simultaneously, the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fudan University, and National Cancer Institute were the institutions with strong research capabilities. Scorilas Andreas is the scholar with the most publications, while the most co-citations were generated by Wang, Eric T. Plos One published the most papers on AS of cancer, while J Biol Chem was the most co-cited academic journal in this field. The results of keyword co-occurrence analysis can be divided into three types: molecular (P53, CD44, androgen receptor, srsf3, esrp1), pathological process (apoptosis, EMT, metastasis, angiogenesis, proliferation), and disease (breast cancer, colorectal cancer, prostate cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric cancer).ConclusionResearch on AS of cancer has been increasing in intensity over the past decade. Current AS of cancer studies focused on the hallmarks of AS in cancer and AS signatures including diagnostic and therapeutic targets. Among them, the current trends are splicing factors regulating epithelial–mesenchymal transition and other hallmarks, aberrant splicing events in tumors, and further mechanisms. These might give researchers interested in this field a forward-looking perspective and inform further research

Changes in Volatile Profiles and Activity of Hydroperoxide Lyase and Alcohol Dehydrogenase During the Development of Cabernet Sauvignon Grapes (Vitis vinifera L.)

In this study we focused on the development of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes and investigated changes in theactivity of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) and hydroperoxide lyase (HPL) in different tissues. We sampledgrape skin at four, six, seven, eight, nine, 10, 12, 14 and 16 weeks after anthesis; developing flowers whenblooming at 0%, 5%, 50%, and 90%; and leaves at two and four weeks before anthesis and at two, four,six, eight, nine, and 10 weeks after anthesis. We also examined the type and fluctuation of volatile contents.ADH activity increased with the development of flowers and grape skins, which led to the increasing oftypes and concentration of alcohols. Low levels of 9-HPL led to low concentrations of C9 compounds.According to this paper, C6 compounds became abundant with the development of grape berries, while theactivity of 13-HPL kept at a low level in the flowers and grape skins. There might have been a high level of13-HPL activity from the end of flowering until fruit setting that we did not detect. Furthermore, similarC6 and C5 compounds were detected across all tissues, including hexanal, (E)-2-hexenal, (Z)-3-hexenal,(Z)-2-penten-1-ol, (Z)-3-hexen-1-ol, 1-hexanol and 3-hexen-1-ol. Generally speaking, the concentrations ofC6 and C5 compounds could be used as the criterion of maturation of the three grape tissues

Therapeutic Efficacy of Fuzheng-Huayu Tablet Based Traditional Chinese Medicine Syndrome Differentiation on Hepatitis-B-Caused Cirrhosis: A Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Trail

Aim. To evaluate and predict the therapeutic efficacy of Fuzheng-Huayu tablet (FZHY) based traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) syndrome differentiation or TCM symptoms on chronic hepatitis B caused cirrhosis (HBC). Methods. The trial was designed according to CONSORT statement. It was a multi-center, double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trail. Several clinical parameters, Child-Pugh classification and TCM symptoms were detected and evaluated. The FZHY efficacy was predicted by an established Bayes forecasting method following the Bayes classification model. Results. The levels of HA and TCM syndrome score in FZHY group were significantly decreased (P<0.05) compared to placebo group, respectively. The efficacy of FZHY on TCM syndrome score in HBC patients with some TCM syndromes was better. In TCM syndrome score evaluation, there were 53 effective and 22 invalid in FZHY group. TCM symptoms predicted FZHY efficacy on HBC were close to Child-Pugh score prediction. Conclusion. FZHY decreases the levels of HA and TCM syndrome scores, improves the life quality of HBC patients. Moreover, there were different therapeutic efficacies among different TCM syndromes, indicating that accurate TCM syndrome differentiation might guide the better TCM treatment. Furthermore, the FZHY efficacy was able to predict by Bayes forecasting method through the alteration of TCM symptoms