Facilitation of coke gasification by coking wastewater and its degradation properties in thermochemical reactions.

The thermochemical reaction between coking wastewater and gasification-coke is a new way to achieve efficient and clean use of coal and solve the problem of coking wastewater treatment in the Gansu Longdong region. To further investigate the thermochemical reaction characteristics of coking wastewater and gasification-coke, this paper explores the effect of coking wastewater on syngas production from coke gasification at 1000 °C, the degradation effect of organic pollutants in coking wastewater, the thermochemical reactivity of gasification-coke, and the reasons why wastewater promotes coke gasification and wastewater degradation. The results showed that the thermochemical reaction of coking wastewater with gasification-coke not only facilitates the improvement of syngas yield and low-level calorific value but also improves the thermochemical reactivity of gasification-coke. Notably, phenol in coking wastewater plays a major role in promoting the gasification of gasification-coke. During the thermochemical reaction, the organic pollutants in the wastewater were effectively degraded, the degradation rate of CODCr reached more than 85%, and the degradation of organic pollutants reached more than 75%. Phenol water and coking wastewater can not only improve the dispersion of the ash phase on the surface of gasification-coke, effectively inhibiting the sintering and agglomeration of the ash phase in gasification-coke, but also change the type and number of organic functional groups in gasification-coke. Therefore, coking wastewater can promote the gasification of coke. The thermochemical reaction between coke wastewater and gasification-coke can simultaneously promote coke gasification and the degradation of coke wastewater and achieve the resourceful use of coke wastewater.

Synergistic effect of atomically dispersed Cu species and Ti-defects for boosting photocatalytic CO2 reduction over hierarchical TiO2.

The photocatalytic water-mediated CO2 reduction reaction, which holds great promise for the conversion of CO2 into valuable chemicals, is often hindered by inefficient separation of photogenerated charges and a lack of suitable catalytic sites. Herein, we have developed a glycerol coordination assembly approach to precisely control the distribution of atomically dispersed Cu species by occupying Ti-defects and adjusting the ratio between Cu species and Ti-defects in a hierarchical TiO2. The optimal sample demonstrates a ∼4-fold improvement in CO2-to-CO conversion compared to normal TiO2 nanoparticles. The high activity could be attributed to the Ti defects, which enhance the photogenerated charge separation and simultaneously facilitate the adsorption of water molecules, thereby promoting the water oxidation reaction. Moreover, by means of in situ EPR and FTIR spectra, we have demonstrated that Cu species can effectively capture photogenerated electrons and facilitate the adsorption of CO2, so as to catalyze the reduction of CO2. This work provides a strategy for the construction of atomic-level synergistic catalytic sites and the utilization of in situ techniques to reveal the underlying mechanism.

Photoredox-Catalyzed Decarboxylative Cross-Coupling Reaction to Synthesis Unsymmetrical Diarylmethanes.

The photoredox-catalyzed decarboxylative cross-coupling reaction of aryl acetic acids and aryl nitriles has been achieved under an argon atmosphere in high yields. This method provides a fast way to obtain prevalent aryl acetic acids from an abundant natural source. A tentative radical mechanism has been proposed.

Alteration of the gut microbiota in patients with lung cancer accompanied by chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases.

Aim: To explore the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota in patients with lung cancer accompanied by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (LC-COPD). Methods: The study cohort comprised 15 patients with LC-COPD, 49 patients with lung cancer, and 18 healthy control individuals. ELISA was used to detect inflammatory factors in venous blood. 16S rDNA sequencing was performed to determine the abundance and diversity of the gut microbiota. Gas chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to determine the concentration of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in feces samples. Results: The α-diversity index indicated that the richness and diversity of the gut microbiota were lower in patients with LC-COPD compared with patients with lung cancer and controls. Principal component analysis revealed significant differences among the three groups (P < 0.05). The linear discriminant analysis effect size algorithm indicated that the o_Lactobacillales, g_Lactobaccillus, f_Lactobaccillaceae, s_Lactobaccillus_oris, c_Bacilli, g_Anaerofustis, s_uncultured organism, and s_bacterium_P1C10 species were prevalent in patients with LC-COPD, while the g_Clostridium_XIVa and g_Butyricicoccus species were prevalent in patients with lung cancer. Furthermore, the concentrations of the SCFAs butyric acid, isobutyric acid, isovaleric acid, and valeric acid tended to be lower in patients with LC-COPD compared with patients with lung cancer and healthy controls, although these intergroup differences were not significant (P > 0.05). Patients with lung cancer had the lowest serum concentration of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-a. There were no intergroup differences in the concentrations of other inflammatory factors. Conclusions: The present study indicated that the abundance and structure of the gut microbiota is altered, and the concentrations of SCFAs may be decreased in patients with LC-COPD. In addition, patients with lung cancer had the lowest serum concentration of TNF-a.

Effectiveness and safety of telitacicept for refractory generalized myasthenia gravis: a retrospective study.

Background: Refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (GMG) remains a substantial therapeutic challenge. Telitacicept, a recombinant human B-lymphocyte stimulator receptor-antibody fusion protein, holds promise for interrupting the immunopathology of this condition. Objectives: This study retrospectively assessed the effectiveness and safety of telitacicept in patients with refractory GMG. Design: A single-center retrospective study. Methods: Patients with refractory GMG receiving telitacicept (160 mg/week or biweekly) from January to September in 2023 were included. We assessed effectiveness using Myasthenia Gravis Foundation of America post-intervention status (MGFA-PIS), myasthenia gravis treatment status and intensity (MGSTI), quantitative myasthenia gravis (QMG), and MG-activity of daily living (ADL) scores, alongside reductions in prednisone dosage at 3- and 6-month intervals. Safety profiles were also evaluated. Results: Sixteen patients with MGFA class II-V refractory GMG were included, with eight females and eight males. All patients were followed up for at least 3 months, and 11 patients reached 6 months follow-up. At the 3-month evaluation, 75% (12/16) demonstrated clinical improvement with MGFA-PIS. One patient achieved pharmacological remission, two attained minimal manifestation status, and nine showed functional improvement; three remained unchanged, and one deteriorated. By the 6-month visit, 90.1% (10/11) sustained significant symptomatic improvement. MGSTI scores and prednisone dosages significantly reduced at both follow-ups (p < 0.05). MG-ADL and QMG scores showed marked improvement at 6 months (p < 0.05). The treatment was well tolerated, with no severe adverse events such as allergy or infection reported. Conclusion: Our exploratory investigation suggests that telitacicept is a feasible and well-tolerated add-on therapy for refractory GMG, offering valuable clinical evidence for this novel treatment option.

Monitoring of Chlorophyll Content of Potato in Northern Shaanxi Based on Different Spectral Parameters.

Leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is an important physiological index to evaluate the photosynthetic capacity and growth health of crops. In this investigation, the focus was placed on the chlorophyll content per unit of leaf area (LCCA) and the chlorophyll content per unit of fresh weight (LCCW) during the tuber formation phase of potatoes in Northern Shaanxi. Ground-based hyperspectral data were acquired for this purpose to formulate the vegetation index. The correlation coefficient method was used to obtain the "trilateral" parameters with the best correlation between potato LCCA and LCCW, empirical vegetation index, any two-band vegetation index constructed after 0-2 fractional differential transformation (step size 0.5), and the parameters with the highest correlation among the three spectral parameters, which were divided into four combinations as model inputs. The prediction models of potato LCCA and LCCW were constructed using the support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and back propagation neural network (BPNN) algorithms. The results showed that, compared with the "trilateral" parameter and the empirical vegetation index, the spectral index constructed by the hyperspectral reflectance after differential transformation had a stronger correlation with potato LCCA and LCCW. Compared with no treatment, the correlation between spectral index and potato LCC and the prediction accuracy of the model showed a trend of decreasing after initial growth with the increase in differential order. The highest correlation index after 0-2 order differential treatment is DI, and the maximum correlation coefficients are 0.787, 0.798, 0.792, 0.788 and 0.756, respectively. The maximum value of the spectral index correlation coefficient after each order differential treatment corresponds to the red edge or near-infrared band. A comprehensive comparison shows that in the LCCA and LCCW estimation models, the RF model has the highest accuracy when combination 3 is used as the input variable. Therefore, it is more recommended to use the LCCA to estimate the chlorophyll content of crop leaves in the agricultural practices of the potato industry. The results of this study can enhance the scientific understanding and accurate simulation of potato canopy spectral information, provide a theoretical basis for the remote sensing inversion of crop growth, and promote the development of modern precision agriculture.

Comparison between intramedullary nail and conventional plate for displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures: A meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of the intramedullary nail and conventional plate for the treatment of displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures from clinical comparative trials. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A comprehensive search of English databases was carried out in the Springer, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases until September 2023. Studies on calcaneal fractures treated by an intramedullary nail or a plate were considered for inclusion. Endpoints included duration of operation, length of hospital stay, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score, postoperative functional score, radiological parameters, and complications. The mean difference (MD) and risk difference (RD) as the combined variables, as well as the 95% confidence intervals, (CIs) were calculated. RESULTS: Five retrospective controlled studies covering 473 feet at the one-year follow-up met the inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis demonstrated that there were significant differences in the duration of operation (MD: -10.81; 95% CI: -16.32, -5.31; p=0.0001), length of hospital stay (MD: -3.65; 95% CI: -4.35, -2.95; p<0.00001). No significant differences were found regarding postoperative American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle-Hindfoot Scale (MD: 0.36; 95% CI: -3.89, 4.61; p=0.87), VAS (MD: 1.95; 95% CI: -0.30, 4.21; p=0.09), or postoperative Böhler angle (MD: 0.94; 95% CI: -0.04, 1.92; p=0.06) between the two groups. The incidence of total complications (RD: -0.31; 95% CI: -0.46, -0.17; p<0.0001) and wound-healing complications (RD: -0.16; 95% CI: -0.30, -0.03; p=0.02) were lower in the intramedullary nail group. There were no significant differences in the incidences of revision surgery, implant removal, superficial wound infection, deep infection, and nonunion. CONCLUSION: Compared to conventional plates, the intramedullary nail showed a shorter duration of operation, reduced length of hospital stay, and fewer postoperative total complications and wound-healing complications in treating displaced intra-articular calcaneal fractures.

Coexistence of Parkinson's disease and myasthenia gravis: A case report and literature review.

The coexistence of Parkinson's disease (PD) and myasthenia gravis (MG) is rare. When similar symptoms of both diseases overlap, it is challenging to make a concomitant diagnosis of PD and MG. The present study describes the case of a patient with concomitant PD and MG. In addition, a systematic literature review was conducted by searching PubMed and Embase for reports on all patients with concomitant PD and MG, which were then grouped and compared according to different preexisting diseases. Finally, a total of 47 cases of concomitant PD and MG (35 men; 12 women), including the present case, were analyzed. The median age of the patients at first diagnosis was 66.59±9.91 years. The interval between the two diseases varied from 2 months to 22 years. Based on the sequential occurrence of these two diseases, the patients were categorized into three groups: The prePD-MG (30 cases), preMG-PD (12 cases), and coPD-MG (5 cases) groups. In the prePD-MG group, the onset age of MG was older and head drop was more common. In the preMG-PD group, the patients were more likely to have comorbid immune diseases.

Whole Body Control of Mobile Manipulators With Series Elastic Actuators for Cart Pushing Tasks.

Human-centered environments provide affordance for the use of two-handed mobile manipulators. Yet robots designed to function in and physically interact with such environments are not yet capable of meeting human users' requirements. This work proposes a whole body control framework of a two-handed mobile manipulator driven by series elastic actuators (SEAs) for cart pushing tasks. A whole body dynamic model for an integrated mobile platform and on-board arms is revealed, which takes into account the interaction forces with the cart. Then, the explicit force/position control of the mobile manipulator is performed. It enables the robot to interact dynamically with the environment while providing motion, i.e., the manipulators provide both output force control and motion control for pushing a cart. To cope with the highly nonlinear system dynamics and parameter variation of a SEA-driven mobile manipulator, this work proposes an adaptive robust controller based on a novel integral barrier Lyapunov function for cart pushing tasks by considering model uncertainty. The proposed controller enables the mobile manipulator to complete cart pushing tasks by regulating the position and output force of the mobile base and arms. The experimental results show the effectiveness of this approach in cart pushing tasks.

Accuracy of cone-beam breast computed tomography for assessing breast cancer tumor size-comparison with breast magnetic resonance imaging.

Background: Accurate preoperative assessment of tumor size is important in developing a surgical plan for breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the accuracy of cone-beam breast computed tomography (CBBCT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in the assessment of tumor size and to analyze the factors influencing the discordance. Methods: In this retrospective study, patients with breast cancer who underwent preoperative contrast-enhanced CBBCT (CE-CBBCT) and dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI (DCE-MRI) and received a complete pathologic diagnosis from August 2020 to December 2021 were included, using the pathological result as the gold standard. Two radiologists assessed the CBBCT and MRI features and measured the tumor size with a 2-week washout period. Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analyses were used to assess inter-observer reproducibility and agreement based on CBBCT, MRI and pathology. Univariate analyses of differences in clinical, pathological and CBBCT/MRI features between the concordant and discordant groups was performed using the t-test, Mann-Whitney U-test, Chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. Multivariate analyses were used to identify factors associated with discordance of CBBCT/MRI with pathology. Results: A total of 115 female breast cancer patients (115 lesions) were included. All patients had a single malignant tumor of the unilateral breast. The reproducibility and the agreement ranged from moderate to excellent (ICC =0.607-0.983). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses showed that the cut-off values of CBBCT-pathology and MRI-pathology discordance were 2.25 and 2.65 cm, respectively. CBBCT/MRI-pathology concordance was significantly associated with the extent of pathology, lesion type, presence of calcification, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status and fatty infiltration (P<0.05). In lesions containing calcification, the difference of CBBCT-pathology was significantly smaller than MRI-pathology (P=0.021). Non-mass enhancement (NME) was the main predictor of CBBCT- or MRI-pathology discordance [odds ratio (OR) =3.293-6.469, P<0.05], and HER2 positivity was a predictor of CBBCT-pathology discordance (OR =3.514, P=0.019). Conclusions: CBBCT and MRI have comparable accuracy in measurement of tumor size, and CBBCT is advantageous in assessing the size of calcified lesions. NME and HER2 positivity are significant predictors of CBBCT-pathology discordance. This suggests that CBBCT might serve as an alternative imaging technique to assess tumor size when patients do not tolerate MRI.

Synthesis and Evaluation of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn for PET Imaging of Transferrin Receptor 1 Expression in Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma.

As recurrent and metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is the most common cause of death among patients with NPC, there is an urgent clinical need for the development of precision diagnosis to guide personalized treatment. Recent emerging evidence substantiates the increased expression of transferrin receptor 1 (also known as cluster of differentiation 71, CD71) within tumor tissues and the inherent targeting capability of natural heavy-chain ferritin (HFn) toward CD71. This study aimed to synthesize and assess a radiotracer ([64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn) designed to target CD71 for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging in an NPC tumor-bearing mouse model. The entire radiolabeling process of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn was completed within 15 min with high yield (>98.5%) and high molar activity (72.96 ± 21.33 GBq/µmol). The in vitro solubility and stability experiments indicated that [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn had a high water solubility (log P = -2.42 ± 0.52, n = 6) and good stability in phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) for up to 48 h. The cell saturation binding assay indicated that [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn had a nanomolar affinity (Kd = 10.9 ± 6.1 nM) for CD71-overexpressing C666-1 cells. To test the target engagement in vivo, prolonged-time PET imaging was performed at 1, 6, 12, 24, and 36 h postinjection (p.i.) of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn to C666-1 NPC tumor-bearing mice. The C666-1 tumors could be visualized by [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn and blocked by nonradiolabeled HFn. PET imaging quantitative analysis demonstrated that the uptake of [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn in C666-1 tumors peaked at 6 h p.i. and the best radioactive tumor-to-muscle ratio was 10.53 ± 3.11 (n = 3). Ex vivo biodistribution assay at 6 h p.i. showed that the tumor uptakes were 1.43 ± 0.23%ID/g in the nonblock group and 0.92 ± 0.2%ID/g in the block group (n = 3, p < 0.05). Immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence staining confirmed positive expression of CD71 and the uptake of HFn in C666-1 tumor tissues. In conclusion, our experiments demonstrated that [64Cu]Cu-NOTA-HFn possesses a very high target engagement for CD71-positive NPC tumors and provided a fundamental basis for further clinical translation.

Solvent-free selective hydrogenation of nitroaromatics to azoxy compounds over Co single atoms decorated on Nb2O5 nanomeshes.

The solvent-free selective hydrogenation of nitroaromatics to azoxy compounds is highly important, yet challenging. Herein, we report an efficient strategy to construct individually dispersed Co atoms decorated on niobium pentaoxide nanomeshes with unique geometric and electronic properties. The use of this supported Co single atom catalysts in the selective hydrogenation of nitrobenzene to azoxybenzene results in high catalytic activity and selectivity, with 99% selectivity and 99% conversion within 0.5 h. Remarkably, it delivers an exceptionally high turnover frequency of 40377 h-1, which is amongst similar state-of-the-art catalysts. In addition, it demonstrates remarkable recyclability, reaction scalability, and wide substrate scope. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the catalytic activity and selectivity are significantly promoted by the unique electronic properties and strong electronic metal-support interaction in Co1/Nb2O5. The absence of precious metals, toxic solvents, and reagents makes this catalyst more appealing for synthesizing azoxy compounds from nitroaromatics. Our findings suggest the great potential of this strategy to access single atom catalysts with boosted activity and selectivity, thus offering blueprints for the design of nanomaterials for organocatalysis.

Eligibility for knee arthroplasty is associated with increased risk of acquired hallux valgus - a Mendelian randomized study.

OBJECTIVE: Clinically, it has been found that patients undergoing knee replacement have a high incidence of concomitant hallux valgus. In this study, we analyzed whether patients with osteoarthritis who underwent surgery and those patient who did not have surgery had an increased risk of hallux valgus by Mendelian randomization and performed reverse causal analysis. DESIGN: Genomewide association study (GWAS) data for osteoarthritis, categorized by knee arthritis with joint replacement, knee arthritis without joint replacement, hip arthritis with joint replacement, and hip arthritis without joint replacement.And acquired hallux valgus were downloaded for Mendelian randomized studies. MR analysis was performed using inverse variance-weighted (IVW), weighted median, and MR-Egger methods. MR-egger regression, MR pleiotropic residuals and outliers (MR-presso), and Cochran's Q statistical methods were used to evaluate heterogeneity and pleiotropy. RESULTS: The IVW results indicate that, compared to healthy individuals, patients who meet the criteria for knee osteoarthritis joint replacement surgery have a significantly higher risk of acquired hallux valgus. There were no significant causal relationships found for the remaining results. No significant heterogeneity or multiplicity was observed in all the Mr analyses. CONCLUSION: Our study supports the increased risk of acquired hallux valgus in patients eligible for knee replacement. There is necessary for clinicians to be concerned about the hallux valgus status of patients undergoing knee arthroplasty.

New anti-inflammatory limonoids from the fruits of Melia azedarach.

The phytochemical study of the fruits of Melia azedarach (Meliaceae) led to the isolation and characterisation of two novel natural limonoids1-deoxy- 3, 20-dicinnamoyl-11-methoxy-meliacarpinin (1) and 12ß- O- methyl nimbolinin A (2), along with twelve known limonoids. Its structure was identified by 1D- and 2D-NMR, HR-ESI-MS and comparison with published data. The anti-inflammatory effect of the compounds was measured in vitro in RAW 264.7 cells by evaluating the production of NO stimulated by LPS. Compounds 1, 8 and 14 indicated significant anti-inflammatory effect with inhibition rate of 11.76, 8.45 and 6.59 µM, respectively. Limonoid 1 significantly inhibited the production of NO, TNF-α and IL-1ß in RAW 264.7 cells. Therefore, limonoid derivative may be a promising source of bioactive metabolite for inflammatory diseases.

One-pot synthesis and hydrogen peroxide electrochemical sensing of 3D TiO2/MnO2 nanorods assembled microspheres.

Nanorods assembled 3D microspheres of TiO2/MnO2 were prepared via a simple one-pot hydrothermal approach. The resultant composite material exhibited remarkable electrocatalytic activity for hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) in comparison to each single component. The electrochemical sensor constructed with TiO2/MnO2 exhibited a linear relationship within the range 0.0001-5.6 mmol·L-1 for H2O2. The limit of detection (LOD) and sensitivity for H2O2 were 0.03 µmol·L-1 (S/N = 3) and 316.6 µA (mmol·L-1)-1 cm-2. Moreover, this sensor can be employed to detect trace amount of H2O2 in serum and urine samples successfully, supporting an insight and strategy for a more sensitive electrochemical sensor.

Multi-Label Action Anticipation for Real-World Videos With Scene Understanding.

With human action anticipation becoming an essential tool for many practical applications, there has been an increasing trend in developing more accurate anticipation models in recent years. Most of the existing methods target standard action anticipation datasets, in which they could produce promising results by learning action-level contextual patterns. However, the over-simplified scenarios of standard datasets often do not hold in reality, which hinders them from being applied to real-world applications. To address this, we propose a scene-graph-based novel model SEAD that learns the action anticipation at the high semantic level rather than focusing on the action level. The proposed model is composed of two main modules, 1) the scene prediction module, which predicts future scene graphs using a grammar dictionary, and 2) the action anticipation module, which is responsible for predicting future actions with an LSTM network by taking as input the observed and predicted scene graphs. We evaluate our model on two real-world video datasets (Charades and Home Action Genome) as well as a standard action anticipation dataset (CAD-120) to verify its efficacy. The experimental results show that SEAD is able to outperform existing methods by large margins on the two real-world datasets and can also yield stable predictions on the standard dataset at the same time. In particular, our proposed model surpasses the state-of-the-art methods with mean average precision improvements consistently higher than 65% on the Charades dataset and an average improvement of 40.6% on the Home Action Genome dataset.

Populus euphratica has stronger regrowth ability than Populus pruinosa under salinity stress.

Pest infestation and soil salinization levels are increasing due to climate change. Comprehending plant regrowth after insect damage and salinity stress is crucial to understanding climate change's multifactorial impacts on forest ecosystems. This study examined Populus euphratica and P. pruinosa regrowth after different defoliation levels combined with salinity stress. Specifically, the biomass and regrowth ability, non-structural carbohydrate (NSC) and nitrogen (N) pools in different organs and the whole plant, and the leaf Cl- concentration of both poplars were analyzed. Our results showed that after 50% defoliation and no salt addition, the regrowth of both species recovered similarly to the control level, while their regrowth was about 70% after 90% defoliation. However, under salinity stress, the regrowth (% leaf biomass) of P. euphratica was significantly higher than P. pruinose at either the 50% or 90% defoliation levels. Additionally, P. euphratica had more soluble sugar, starch, NSC and N pools in leaf, stem, root and whole plant than P. pruinose under salinity stress. The regrowth based on leaf biomass increased linearly with soluble sugar, starch, NSC and N pools, and decreased linearly with leaf Cl- concentration across different salinity and defoliation levels. These results indicated that defoliation significantly decreased NSC and N pools, limiting the growth of both poplars, and salinity stress exacerbated the negative effect. Furthermore, when suffering from salinity stress, P. euphratica with higher NSC and N pools exhibited stronger regrowth ability than P. pruinose.

The chromosome-scale genome and population genomics reveal the adaptative evolution of Populus pruinosa to desertification environment.

The Populus pruinosa is a relic plant that has managed to survive in extremely harsh desert environments. Owing to intensifying global warming and desertification, research into ecological adaptation and speciation of P. pruinosa has attracted considerable interest, but the lack of a chromosome-scale genome has limited adaptive evolution research. Here, a 521.09 Mb chromosome-level reference genome of P. pruinosa was reported. Genome evolution and comparative genomic analysis revealed that tandemly duplicated genes and expanded gene families in P. pruinosa contributed to adaptability to extreme desert environments (especially high salinity and drought). The long terminal repeat retrotransposons (LTR-RTs) inserted genes in the gene body region might drive the adaptive evolution of P. pruinosa and species differentiation in saline-alkali desert environments. We recovered genetic differentiation in the populations of the northern Tianshan Mountain and southern Tianshan Mountain through whole-genome resequencing of 156 P. pruinosa individuals from 25 populations in China. Further analyses revealed that precipitation drove the local adaptation of P. pruinosa populations via some genetic sites, such as MAG2-interacting protein 2 (MIP2) and SET domain protein 25 (SDG25). This study will provide broad implications for adaptative evolution and population studies by integrating internal genetic and external environmental factors in P. pruinosa.

Comparative genomic analysis of the Growth-Regulating Factors-Interacting Factors (GIFs) in six Salicaceae species and functional analysis of PeGIF3 reveals their regulatory role in Populus heteromorphic leaves.

BACKGROUND: The growth-regulating factor-interacting factor (GIF) gene family plays a vital role in regulating plant growth and development, particularly in controlling leaf, seed, and root meristem homeostasis. However, the regulatory mechanism of heteromorphic leaves by GIF genes in Populus euphratica as an important adaptative trait of heteromorphic leaves in response to desert environment remains unknown. RESULTS: This study aimed to identify and characterize the GIF genes in P. euphratica and other five Salicaceae species to investigate their role in regulating heteromorphic leaf development. A total of 27 GIF genes were identified and characterized across six Salicaceae species (P. euphratica, Populus pruinose, Populus deltoides, Populus trichocarpa, Salix sinopurpurea, and Salix suchowensis) at the genome-wide level. Comparative genomic analysis among these species suggested that the expansion of GIFs may be derived from the specific Salicaceae whole-genome duplication event after their divergence from Arabidopsis thaliana. Furthermore, the expression data of PeGIFs in heteromorphic leaves, combined with functional information on GIF genes in Arabidopsis, indicated the role of PeGIFs in regulating the leaf development of P. euphratica, especially PeGIFs containing several cis-acting elements associated with plant growth and development. By heterologous expression of the PeGIF3 gene in wild-type plants (Col-0) and atgif1 mutant of A. thaliana, a significant difference in leaf expansion along the medial-lateral axis, and an increased number of leaf cells, were observed between the overexpressed plants and the wild type. CONCLUSION: PeGIF3 enhances leaf cell proliferation, thereby resulting in the expansion of the central-lateral region of the leaf. The findings not only provide global insights into the evolutionary features of Salicaceae GIFs but also reveal the regulatory mechanism of PeGIF3 in heteromorphic leaves of P. euphratica.

Therapeutic potential of natural killer cells in neuroimmunological diseases.

Natural killer (NK) cells, a major component of the innate immune system, have prominent immunoregulatory, antitumor proliferation, and antiviral activities. NK cells act as a double-edged sword with therapeutic potential in neurological autoimmunity. Emerging evidence has identified NK cells are involved in the development and progression of neuroimmunological diseases such as multiple sclerosis, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders, autoimmune encephalitis, Guillain-Barré Syndrome, chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, myasthenia gravis, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. However, the regulatory mechanisms and functional roles of NK cells are highly variable in different clinical states of neuroimmunological diseases and need to be further determined. In this review, we summarize the evidence for the heterogenic involvement of NK cells in the above conditions. Further, we describe cutting-edge NK-cell-based immunotherapy for neuroimmunological diseases in preclinical and clinical development and highlight challenges that must be overcome to fully realize the therapeutic potential of NK cells.