Identification and evaluation of a six-lncRNA prognostic signature for multiple myeloma.

PURPOSE: Multiple myeloma (MM) is the second most common hematologic malignancy, and there is no cure for this disease. This study aimed to explore the prognostic value of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in MM and to reveal related immune and chemotherapy resistance mechanisms. METHODS: In this study, lncRNA profiles from the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation (MMRF) and Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) databases were analyzed to identify lncRNAs linked to MM patient survival. A risk assessment model stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups, and survival was evaluated. Additionally, a triple-ceRNA (lncRNA-miRNA-mRNA) network was constructed, and functional analysis was performed. The research also involved immune function analysis and chemotherapy drug sensitivity assessment using oncoPredict and the GDSC dataset. RESULTS: We identified 422 lncRNAs significantly associated with overall survival in MM patients and ultimately focused on the 6 with the highest prognostic value. These lncRNAs were used to develop a risk score formula that stratified patients into high- and low-risk groups. Kaplan-Meier analysis revealed shorter survival in high-risk patients. We integrated this lncRNA signature with clinical parameters to construct a nomogram for predicting MM prognosis. Additionally, a triple-ceRNA network was constructed to reveal potential miRNA targets, coding genes related to these lncRNAs and significantly enriched pathways. Immune checkpoint gene expression and immune cell composition were also analyzed in relation to the lncRNA risk score. Finally, using the oncoPredict tool, we observed that high-risk patients exhibited decreased sensitivity to key MM chemotherapeutics, suggesting that lncRNA profiles are linked to chemotherapy resistance.

Unraveling the tumor immune microenvironment of lung adenocarcinoma using single-cell RNA sequencing.

Tumor immune microenvironment (TIME) and its indications for lung cancer patient prognosis and therapeutic response have become new hotspots in cancer research in recent years. Tumor cells, immune cells, various regulatory factors, and their interactions in the TIME have been suggested to commonly influence lung cancer development and therapeutic outcome. The heterogeneity of TIME is composed of dynamic immune-related components, including various cancer cells, immune cells, cytokine/chemokine environments, cytotoxic activity, or immunosuppressive factors. The specific composition of cell subtypes may facilitate or hamper the response to immunotherapy and influence patient prognosis. Various markers have been found to stratify the patient prognosis or predict the therapeutic outcome. In this article, we systematically reviewed the recent advancement of TIME studies in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) techniques, with specific focuses on the roles of TIME in LUAD development, TIME heterogeneity, indications of TIME in patient prognosis and therapeutic response during immunotherapy and drug resistance. The main findings in TIME heterogeneity and relevant markers or models for prognosis stratification and response prediction have been summarized. We hope that this review provides an overview of TIME status in LUAD and an inspiration for future development of strategies and biomarkers in LUAD treatment.

The Role of Country Image on Consumers' Willingness to Pay for Imported Beefsteak in China.

In recent years, the world has experienced conflict. When political conflicts affect consumers' emotions and alter their perceptions of a country's image, it can influence their preferences. This study deconstructs the notion of a country image into multiple dimensions and examines their impact on consumers' willingness to pay for imported beef from Australia, Brazil, and the United States. Using a rank-ordered probit model and data from a survey of 935 respondents, results show that consumers' perceptions of a country's friendliness, economy, environment, and quality all have a positive and statistically significant effect on their willingness to pay for beefsteak imported from that country. Among these dimensions of the country image, the quality is the most important, followed by the economy, friendliness, and the environment. This study also finds heterogeneity in consumer perception of friendliness towards the United States, Australia, and Brazil. This study provides valuable insights for assessing the real losses resulting from a deteriorating international environment and suggests policies to enhance competitiveness in the food market.

Comprehensive Multiomics Analyses Establish the Optimal Prognostic Model for Resectable Gastric Cancer : Prognosis Prediction for Resectable GC.

BACKGROUND: Prognostic models based on multiomics data may provide better predictive capability than those established at the single-omics level. Here we aimed to establish a prognostic model for resectable gastric cancer (GC) with multiomics information involving mutational, copy number, transcriptional, methylation, and clinicopathological alterations. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The mutational, copy number, transcriptional, methylation data of 268, 265, 226, and 252 patients with stages I-III GC were downloaded from the TCGA database, respectively. Alterations from all omics were characterized, and prognostic models were established at the individual omics level and optimized at the multiomics level. All models were validated with a cohort of 99 patients with stages I-III GC. RESULTS: TTN, TP53, and MUC16 were among the genes with the highest mutational frequency, while UBR5, ZFHX4, PREX2, and ARID1A exhibited the most prominent copy number variations (CNVs). Upregulated COL10A1, CST1, and HOXC10 and downregulated GAST represented the biggest transcriptional alterations. Aberrant methylation of some well-known genes was revealed, including CLDN18, NDRG4, and SDC2. Many alterations were found to predict the patient prognosis by univariate analysis, while four mutant genes, two CNVs, five transcriptionally altered genes, and seven aberrantly methylated genes were identified as independent risk factors in multivariate analysis. Prognostic models at the single-omics level were established with these alterations, and optimized combination of selected alterations with clinicopathological factors was used to establish a final multiomics model. All single-omics models and the final multiomics model were validated by an independent cohort. The optimal area under the curve (AUC) was 0.73, 0.71, 0.71, and 0.85 for mutational, CNV, transcriptional, and methylation models, respectively. The final multiomics model significantly increased the AUC to 0.92 (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Multiomics model exhibited significantly better capability in predicting the prognosis of resectable GC than single-omics models.

Accelerated electron and mass transfer through constructing H2WO4/Ti3C2/g-C3N4 Z-scheme photocatalyst for environmental remediation.

The catalytic efficiency of photocatalysts highly depends on electron transport and mass transfer. Herein, we designed and prepared an effective H2WO4/Ti3C2/g-C3N4 (HTC) Z-scheme heterojunction through interfacial engineering strategy. The results manifested that 97.4% of Cr(VI) (80 µM, 50 mL) could be removed by HTC heterojunction within 10 min under visible light irradiation. The reduction rate constant of Cr(VI) for H2WO4/g-C3N4 (HC) heterojunction increased by a factor of 21 after introducing the conductive Ti3C2. Moreover, 96% of tetracycline (TC, 10 mg L-1, 50 mL) could be degraded by HTC heterojunction within 30 min. The electronic conductivity and ionic diffusion coefficient of HC heterojunction increased by a factor of 64 and 1064 after adding Ti3C2, respectively. This result indicated that the introduction of highly conductive Ti3C2 significantly improved the electron and mass transfer of the heterojunction. Meanwhile, the HCT heterojunction displayed favorable photocurrent, and keep excellent photostability during the long-term test. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated that the internal electric field (IEF) from g-C3N4 to H2WO4 in HCT heterojunction promotes the combination of the photoinduced electrons in the H2WO4 conduction band (CB) with photoinduced holes in the g-C3N4 valence band (VB), thus accelerating the charge transfer in the HCT Z-scheme heterojunction. The antibacterial efficiency of HTC heterojunction against E. coli and S. aureus could reach up to 98.4% and 99.7%, respectively. The degradation intermediates and the potential degradation mechanism of TC were analyzed and proposed based on the results of HPLC-MS analysis. Moreover, the toxicity of TC and degradation intermediates were estimated by Toxicity Estimation Software (T.E.S.T.) based on quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR). This work provided a valuable guideline for designing the effective MXene-based Z-scheme heterojunction for environmental remediation.

Prognostic nutritional score based on pretreatment lymphocyte, platelet, and prealbumin predicts prognosis in patients with pancreatic cancer.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Pretreatment immunological indicators and nutritional factors are associated with survival of many malignancies. This study aims to develop a prognostic nutritional score based on a combination of pretreatment lymphocyte, platelet, and prealbumin (Co-LPPa) in patients with pancreatic cancer (PC) and to investigate the prognostic significance of this score. METHODS: Patients who underwent pancreatectomy with a curative intent for PC were retrospectively enrolled. A pretreatment prognostic score was established by immunological indicators and nutritional factors that were independently associated with survival. RESULTS: Pretreatment lymphocyte (<1.6 × 109 /L), platelet (<160 × 109 /L) and prealbumin (<0.23 g/L) were independently associated with poorer overall survival (OS) and recurrence-free survival (RFS), and were used to create the Co-LPPa score. The Co-LPPa scores were inversely related to OS and RFS, and were able to stratify survival into four groups. The survival differences among the four groups were all significant. Besides, the Co-LPPa scores could stratify survival independently of pathological prognostic factors. The Co-LPPa score was superior to prognostic nutritional index and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 in predicting OS and RFS. CONCLUSION: The Co-LPPa score could accurately predict the prognosis of PC patients who underwent curative resection. The score may be helpful for preoperative therapeutic strategies.

Reasonable Design of MXene-Supported Dual-Atom Catalysts with High Catalytic Activity for Hydrogen Evolution and Oxygen Evolution Reaction: A First-Principles Investigation.

MXene-supported single-atom catalysts (SACs) for water splitting has attracted extensive attention. However, the easy aggregation of individual metal atoms used as catalytic active centers usually leads to the relatively low loading of synthetic SACs, which limits the development and application of SACs. Herein, by performing first-principles calculations for Pt and 3d transition metal single atoms immobilized on a two-dimensional (2D) Mo2TiC2O2 MXene surface, we systematically studied the performance of heterogeneous dual-atom catalysts (h-DACs) in hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Significantly, h-DACs exhibit higher metal atom loading and more flexible active sites compared to SACs. Benefiting from these features, we found that Pt/Cu@Mo2TiC2O2 heterogeneous DACs exhibits excellent HER activity with ultra-low overpotential |ΔGH∗| (0.04 eV), lower than the corresponding Pt@Mo2TiC2O2 (0.14 eV) and Cu@Mo2TiC2O2 (0.33 eV) SACs, and even lower than that of Pt (0.09 eV). Meanwhile, Pt/Ni@Mo2TiC2O2 exhibits superior OER activity with ultra-low overpotential ηOER (0.38 V), lower than that of Pt@Mo2TiC2O2 (1.11 V) and Ni@Mo2TiC2O2 (0.57 V) SACs, and even lower than that of RuO2 (0.42 V) and IrO2 (0.56 V). Our finding paves the way for the rational design of h-DACs for HER and OER with excellent activity, which provides guidance for other catalytic reactions.

1.53 W all-solid-state nanosecond pulsed mid-infrared laser at 6.45 µm.

A compact and robust all-solid-state mid-infrared (MIR) laser at 6.45 µm with high average output power and near-Gaussian beam quality is demonstrated. A maximum output power of 1.53 W with a pulse width of approximately 42 ns at 10 kHz is achieved using a ZnGeP2 (ZGP) optical parametric oscillator (OPO). This is the highest average power at 6.45 µm of any all-solid-state laser to the best of our knowledge. The average beam quality factor is measured to be M2 = 1.19. Moreover, high output power stability is confirmed, with a power fluctuation of less than 1.35% rms over 2 h, and the laser can run efficiently for more than 500 h in total. Using this 6.45 µm pulse as a radiation source, ablation of animal brain tissue is tested. Furthermore, the collateral damage effect is theoretically analyzed for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, and the results indicate that this MIR laser has excellent ablation ability, making it a potential replacement for free electron lasers.

The Impact of COVID-19 on Food Stockpiling Behavior over Time in China.

Studying the impact of COVID-19 on consumer food stockpiling behavior is timely and imperative. It can provide important information and help to understand whether consumers permanently change their behavior or return to their old habits in the long run. This study analyzed Chinese consumers' food stockpiling behavior using six rounds of nationwide surveys in China from December 2020 to July 2021. The results show that the scale of food reserves extended from 3.03 to 10.01 days after the outbreak of COVID-19, then dropped to a "new normal" plateau and kept fluctuating with the tide of the COVID-19 pandemic. Consumers who stockpile food for "Avoiding shortage" and "Pursuing ease" are going to stockpile food on a larger scale, implying a supply shock may affect the demand side. Those who perceive a higher level of severity of the pandemic are less likely to return to their old habits. Finally, although consumers' food stockpiling behavior fluctuates with the tide of COVID-19 pandemic, it gradually returns to old habits over time.

Chinese consumers' willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine and willingness to pay for it.

A COVID-19 vaccine is the key to beating the virus, and effective vaccines are going to be available in the near future. It is urgent to estimate the acceptability of COVID-19 vaccines and their value to individuals, in order to develop an effective public vaccination strategy. Based on a survey of 1,188 randomly selected respondents in China, we analyzed Chinese consumers' willingness to get a COVID-19 vaccine and their willingness to pay for it. We find that 79.41% of the respondents are willing to get vaccinated in China, and the average amount that they're willing to pay for a COVID-19 vaccine shot is 130.45 yuan. However, though the elderly are at higher risk of infection and the disease could be fatal for them, they are less willing to get the vaccine and not willing to pay as much for the shot. Subsidies and health communication concerning COVID-19 vaccines should be provided in order to expand vaccination coverage.

Consumer food stockpiling behavior and willingness to pay for food reserves in COVID-19.

Consumer behavior changes differently in emergencies. Understanding consumer food stockpiling behavior during COVID-19 pandemic can provide critical information for governments and policymakers to adjust inventory and response strategies. This paper analyzed consumer food stockpiling behavior, including the change of food reserve scale and willingness to pay for fresh food reserves in COVID-19. Our paper shows that the scale of food reserve extends from 3.37 to 7.37 days after the outbreak of COVID-19; if available, consumers on average are willing to pay 18.14 yuan (60.47%) premium for fresh products reserves. The result shows that food stockpiling behavior is fueled by a set of multiple motivations and subjective risk perception. Female, high education level and high-income consumers were more likely to reserve larger scale food reserves, but consumers' willingness to pay for fresh food reserves is determined by income. This study was conducted when new infection cases continued to rise in the world. The story of food stockpiling during the COVID-19 pandemic in China is similar with the rest of world. Consumer stockpiling behavior in China can also be expanded to other countries to predict the change of food demand and understand more about consumer preferences in emergencies.