Susceptibility assessment of geological hazard based on XGBoost and cloud model

In the conventional process of geological hazard assessment, issues such as subjectivity in selecting susceptibility factor weights, randomness, and fuzziness in factor grading are prevalent. The application of a single assessment model can only provide qualitative evaluation of geological hazard susceptibility, lacking quantitative analysis. To overcome these challenges, this study employs an enhanced integrated algorithm (XGBoost) and cloud model. Among 189 disaster potential points in Chaoyang City, twelve susceptibility factors including slope, meteorological conditions, vegetation coverage and elevation were selected. The XGBoost classification algorithm was used to determine susceptibility factor weights. The results showed that the algorithm classification achieved high performance with fitting accuracy of 96.5%. On this basis, the cloud model was employed to transform the fuzzy factor grading into a quantitative problem, establishing a susceptibility evaluation index system for geological hazards in Chaoyang City, thereby assessing their susceptibility. To validate the evaluation index system, the Dadongshan landslide in Chaoyang City was selected as the assessment unit. Results indicate a high susceptibility level for this evaluation unit, consistent with actual conditions. The methodology proposed in this study is promising and can offers reference for evaluating geological hazard susceptibility

Cancer-specific survival after diagnosis in men versus women: A pan-cancer analysis.

Comprehensive understanding of cancer-specific survival differences in gender is critical for cancer prevention and treatment. Based on the Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results database, we included data from the most prevalent cancers (lung, esophageal, liver, pancreatic, stomach, colorectal, kidney, and bladder cancer). Cox proportional hazards regression models were constructed to estimate hazard ratios, simultaneously adjusting for demographic, clinical, and treatment factors. Overall, male patients had a worse cancer-specific survival than female patients. After adjustment for cancer prevalence with 1:1 matching, gender remained a significant factor in cancer-specific survival. Among the included cancer types, female patients showed survival benefit in lung, liver, colorectal, pancreatic, stomach, and esophageal cancer, and male patients showed better survival in bladder cancer. Except for kidney cancer, the gender disparity was consistent between cancer patients with nonmetastatic and metastatic disease. Overall, gender appears to be a significant factor influencing cancer-specific survival, and the prognosis of female patients is better than male patients in most cancers. This work might inspire the development of strategies for gender-specific precision cancer prevention and treatment

Integrative transcriptome analysis reveals alternative polyadenylation potentially contributes to GCRV early infection

IntroductionGrass carp reovirus (GCRV), a member of the Aquareovirus genus in the Reoviridae family, is considered to be the most pathogenic aquareovirus. Productive viral infection requires extensive interactions between viruses and host cells. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying GCRV early infection remains elusive.MethodsIn this study we performed transcriptome and DNA methylome analyses with Ctenopharyngodon idellus kidney (CIK) cells infected with GCRV at 0, 4, and 8 h post infection (hpi), respectively.ResultsWe found that at early infection stage the differentially expressed genes related to defense response and immune response in CIK cells are activated. Although DNA methylation pattern of CIK cells 8 hpi is similar to mock-infected cells, we identified a considerable number of genes that selectively utilize alternative polyadenylation sites. Particularly, we found that biological processes of cytoskeleton organization and regulation of microtubule polymerization are statistically enriched in the genes with altered 3’UTRs.DiscussionOur results suggest that alternative polyadenylation potentially contributes to GCRV early infection

Liver-resident NK cells confer adaptive immunity in skin-contact inflammation

Liver natural killer (NK) cells were recently reported to possess memory-like properties in contact hypersensitivity (CHS) models. However, the phenotype and origin of these “memory” NK cells cannot be distinguished from other NK cell subpopulations. Here, we define the transcriptional, phenotypic, and functional features of liver NK cell subsets and their roles in mediating CHS. Liver NK cells can be divided into two distinct subsets: CD49a(+)DX5(–) and CD49a(–)DX5(+). Substantial transcriptional and phenotypic differences existed between liver CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells and other NK cell subsets. CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells possessed memory potential and conferred hapten-specific CHS responses upon hapten challenge. Importantly, CD49a(+)DX5(–) NK cells were liver resident and were present in the liver sinusoidal blood, but not the afferent and efferent blood of the liver. Moreover, they appeared to originate from hepatic hematopoietic progenitor/stem cells (HPCs/HSCs) but not from the bone marrow, and maintained their phenotypes in the steady state. Our findings of liver-resident NK cells shed new light on the acquisition of memory-like properties of NK cells

BMI1 fine-tunes gene repression and activation to safeguard undifferentiated spermatogonia fate

Introduction: Spermatogenesis is sustained by the homeostasis of self-renewal and differentiation of undifferentiated spermatogonia throughout life, which is regulated by transcriptional and posttranscriptional mechanisms. B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (BMI1), one of spermatogonial stem cell markers, is a member of Polycomb repressive complex 1 (PRC1) and important to spermatogenesis. However, the mechanistic underpinnings of how BMI1 regulates spermatogonia fate remain elusive.Methods: We knocked down BMI1 by siRNA to investigate the role of BMI1 in undifferentiated spermatogonia. Differentially expressed genes were identified by RNA-seq and used for KEGG pathway analysis. We performed ChIP-seq analysis in wild type and BMI1 knockdown cells to explore the underlying molecular mechanisms exerted by BMI1. BMI1-associated alterations in repressive histone modifications were detected via Western blotting and ChIP-seq. Furthermore, we performed mass spectrometry and Co-immunoprecipitation assays to investigate BMI1 co-factors. Finally, we demonstrated the genomic regions occupied by both BMI1 and its co-factor.Results: BMI1 is required for undifferentiated spermatogonia maintenance by both repressing and activating target genes. BMI1 preserves PI3K-Akt signaling pathway for spermatogonia proliferation. Decrease of BMI1 affects the deposition of repressive histone modifications H2AK119ub1 and H3K27me3. BMI also positively regulates H3K27ac deposited genes which are associated with proliferation. Moreover, we demonstrate that BMI1 interacts with Sal-like 4 (SALL4), the transcription factor critical for spermatogonia function, to co-regulate gene expression.Discussion: Overall, our study reveals that BMI1 safeguards undifferentiated spermatogonia fate through multi-functional roles in regulating gene expression programs of undifferentiated spermatogonia

Uncovering the candidate genes related to sheep body weight using multi-trait genome-wide association analysis

In sheep, body weight is an economically important trait. This study sought to map genetic loci related to weaning weight and yearling weight. To this end, a single-trait and multi-trait genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed using a high-density 600 K single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip. The results showed that 43 and 56 SNPs were significantly associated with weaning weight and yearling weight, respectively. A region associated with both weaning and yearling traits (OARX: 6.74–7.04 Mb) was identified, suggesting that the same genes could play a role in regulating both these traits. This region was found to contain three genes (TBL1X, SHROOM2 and GPR143). The most significant SNP was Affx-281066395, located at 6.94 Mb (p = 1.70 × 10−17), corresponding to the SHROOM2 gene. We also identified 93 novel SNPs elated to sheep weight using multi-trait GWAS analysis. A new genomic region (OAR10: 76.04–77.23 Mb) with 22 significant SNPs were discovered. Combining transcriptomic data from multiple tissues and genomic data in sheep, we found the HINT1, ASB11 and GPR143 genes may involve in sheep body weight. So, multi-omic anlaysis is a valuable strategy identifying candidate genes related to body weight

Search for light dark matter from atmosphere in PandaX-4T

We report a search for light dark matter produced through the cascading decay of $\eta$ mesons, which are created as a result of inelastic collisions between cosmic rays and Earth's atmosphere. We introduce a new and general framework, publicly accessible, designed to address boosted dark matter specifically, with which a full and dedicated simulation including both elastic and quasi-elastic processes of Earth attenuation effect on the dark matter particles arriving at the detector is performed. In the PandaX-4T commissioning data of 0.63 tonne$\cdot$year exposure, no significant excess over background is observed. The first constraints on the interaction between light dark matter generated in the atmosphere and nucleus through a light scalar mediator are obtained. The lowest excluded cross-section is set at $5.9 \times 10^{-37}{\rm cm^2}$ for dark matter mass of $0.1$ MeV$/c^2$ and mediator mass of 300 MeV$/c^2$. The lowest upper limit of $\eta$ to dark matter decay branching ratio is $1.6 \times 10^{-7}$

A Search for Light Fermionic Dark Matter Absorption on Electrons in PandaX-4T

We report a search on a sub-MeV fermionic dark matter absorbed by electrons with an outgoing active neutrino using the 0.63 tonne-year exposure collected by PandaX-4T liquid xenon experiment. No significant signals are observed over the expected background. The data are interpreted into limits to the effective couplings between such dark matter and electrons. For axial-vector or vector interactions, our sensitivity is competitive in comparison to existing astrophysical bounds on the decay of such dark matter into photon final states. In particular, we present the first direct detection limits for an axial-vector (vector) interaction which are the strongest in the mass range from 25 to 45 (35 to 50) keV/c$^2$