Empowering for the “Belt and Road”: Teaching Applied Chinese as a Foreign Language at Guangdong Nongken University

This article explores the transformative initiatives undertaken by Guangdong Nongken (GK) Rubber, a prominent player in China’s agricultural foreign cooperation, within the framework of the “Belt and Road” initiative. The GK Rubber School has engaged in a multifaceted approach to Chinese language education that not only imparts linguistic skills but also fosters a deep understanding of Chinese culture. The reforms discussed encompass curriculum, teaching objectives, and innovative teaching methods, with an emphasis on promoting sustainable learning. The GK Rubber School’s dynamic integration of online and offline teaching, use of AR and VR technologies, and collaborative learning platform for instructors sets a precedent for excellence in the field of Chinese as a Foreign Language (CFL) education. This article highlights these innovative approaches that align with the objectives of the “Belt and Road” initiative, building bridges of understanding and cooperation between China and ASEAN countries

6-(4-Fluoro­pheneth­yl)-7-imino-3-phenyl-2,3,6,7-tetra­hydro-1,3-thia­zolo[4,5-d]pyrimidine-2-thione

In the title compound, C19H15FN4S2, the mean plane of the thia­zolopyrimidine makes a dihedral angle of 77.6 (1)° with the attached phenyl ring. The crystal packing is stabilized by inter­molecular C—H⋯N hydrogen bonds and weak C—H—π stacking inter­actions

Effects of ClpP protease on biofilm formation of Enterococcus faecalis

Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), one of the main pathogens responsible for refractory periapical periodontitis and nosocomial infections, exhibits markedly higher pathogenicity in biofilms. Objectives: Studies have shown that caseinolytic protease P (ClpP) is involved in biofilm formation. However, to date, few studies have investigated the role of ClpP in the survival of E. faecalis, and in enhancing biofilm formation. Therefore, we investigated the role of ClpP in the formation of E. faecalis biofilms. Methodology: In our study, we used homologous recombination to construct clpP deleted and clpP complement strains of E. faecalis ATCC 29212. A viable colony counting method was used to analyze the growth patterns of E. faecalis. Crystal violet staining (CV) and confocal scanning laser microscopy (CLSM) were used to characterize biofilm mass formation and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the biofilm microstructure. Data was statistically analyzed via Student’s t-test or one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: The results exhibited altered growth patterns for the clpP deletion strains and depleted polysaccharide matrix, resulting in reduced biofilm formation capacity compared to the standard strains. Moreover, ClpP was observed to increase biofilm formation in E. faecalis. Conclusion: Our study shows that ClpP can increase biofilm formation in E. faecalis and emphasizes the importance of ClpP as a potential target against E. faecalis

m6A mRNA demethylase FTO regulates melanoma tumorigenicity and response to anti-PD-1 blockade

Melanoma is one of the most deadly and therapy-resistant cancers. Here we show that N6-methyladenosine (m6A) mRNA demethylation by fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO) increases melanoma growth and decreases response to anti-PD-1 blockade immunotherapy. FTO level is increased in human melanoma and enhances melanoma tumorigenesis in mice. FTO is induced by metabolic starvation stress through the autophagy and NF-κB pathway. Knockdown of FTO increases m6A methylation in the critical protumorigenic melanoma cell-intrinsic genes including PD-1 (PDCD1), CXCR4, and SOX10, leading to increased RNA decay through the m6A reader YTHDF2. Knockdown of FTO sensitizes melanoma cells to interferon gamma (IFNγ) and sensitizes melanoma to anti-PD-1 treatment in mice, depending on adaptive immunity. Our findings demonstrate a crucial role of FTO as an m6A demethylase in promoting melanoma tumorigenesis and anti-PD-1 resistance, and suggest that the combination of FTO inhibition with anti-PD-1 blockade may reduce the resistance to immunotherapy in melanoma. © 2019, The Author(s)

Non-Abelian Chiral Spin Liquid on the Kagome Lattice

We study $S=1$ spin liquid states on the kagome lattice constructed by Gutzwiller-projected $p_x+ip_y$ superconductors. We show that the obtained spin liquids are either non-Abelian or Abelian topological phases, depending on the topology of the fermionic mean-field state. By calculating the modular matrices $S$ and $T$, we confirm that projected topological superconductors are non-Abelian chiral spin liquid (NACSL). The chiral central charge and the spin Hall conductance we obtained agree very well with the $SO(3)_1$ (or, equivalently, $SU(2)_2$) field theory predictions. We propose a local Hamiltonian which may stabilize the NACSL. From a variational study we observe a topological phase transition from the NACSL to the $Z_2$ Abelian spin liquid.Comment: 12 pages, 7 figures, 1 tabl

★-quasi-pseudometrics on algebraic structures

In this paper, we introduce some concepts of ★-(quasi)-pseudometric spaces, and give an example which shows that there is a ★-quasi-pseudometric space which is not a quasi-pseudometric space. We also study the conditions under which ★-quasi-pseudometric semitopological groups are paratopological groups or topological groups