•Scholarly reputational metrics in ResearchGate reflect research activity level.•There are institutional differences in reputational metrics in ResearchGate.•Users commonly follow peers from the same ...institution.•Users primarily follow others from higher research activity level universities.•High research activity level universities formulate a rich-club phenomenon.
As one of the largest active academic social networking sites, ResearchGate (RG) has been utilized by scholars to share publications, seek collaborators, communicate work in progress, and build scholarly reputation. This study collects data from RG users from 61 U.S. research universities at different research activity levels, as categorized by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education, to examine the impact of institutional differences on RG reputational metrics. The results confirm that RG is a research-oriented academic social networking site that closely and realistically mirrors the research activity level of institutions. With an increase in the research activity level of a university, its affiliated RG users tend to have higher RG scores, more publications and citations, and more profile views and followers, while the average number of reads of their publications and followees tend to be lower and fluctuant. In addition, RG users primarily follow others from institutions of a higher research activity level, forming virtual social networks centered around esteemed institutions. The study suggests academic social networks can serve as indicators in evaluation of research activities among research institutions, and such sites can be helpful and credible for acquiring resources, keeping informed about research, and promoting academic influence.
A composite film that features bismuth–antimony alloy nanoparticles uniformly embedded in a 3D hierarchical porous carbon skeleton is synthesized by the polyacrylonitrile-spreading method. The ...dissolved polystyrene is used as a soft template. The average diameter of the bismuth–antimony alloy nanoparticles is ~34.5 nm. The content of the Bi-Sb alloy has an impact on the electrochemical performance of the composite film. When the content of the bismuth–antimony alloy is 45.27%, the reversible capacity and cycling stability of the composite film are the best. Importantly, the composite film outperforms the bismuth–antimony alloy nanoparticles embedded in dense carbon film and the cube carbon nanobox in terms of specific capacity, cycling stability, and rate capability. The composite film can provide a discharge capacity of 322 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 0.5 A g−1, 292 mAh g−1 after 500 cycles at 1 A g−1, and 185 mAh g−1 after 2000 cycles at 10 A g−1. The carbon film prepared by the spreading method presents a unique integrated composite structure that significantly improves the structural stability and electronic conductivity of Bi-Sb alloy nanoparticles. The 3D hierarchical porous carbon skeleton structure further enhances electrolyte accessibility, promotes Na+ transport, increases reaction kinetics, and buffers internal stress.
Massive open online course (MOOC) learning attracts more and more attention in both the practice and the research field. Finding out what factors influence learners' MOOC adoption is of great ...importance. This study focuses on learner control, user characteristics and platform difference. Hypotheses and a research model are proposed by incorporating perceived learner control, e-learning self-efficacy, and personal innovativeness in information technology (PIIT) into the original technology acceptance model (TAM). With the empirical data from 214 MOOC learners, the effects of perceived learner control on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use are confirmed. E-Learning self-efficacy is found to have positive influence on perceived learner control and ease of use. While the effect of PIIT on perceived learner control is not supported, PIIT influences learners' perception of usefulness and ease of use. Furthermore, a comparison between foreign and native MOOC platforms shows the former should emphasize ease of use more, and the latter should emphasize usefulness more, to enhance their attractiveness. Author abstract
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction increases mortality and morbidity in perioperative patients and has become a major concern for patients and caregivers. Previous studies demonstrated that synaptic ...plasticity is closely related to cognitive function, anesthesia and surgery inhibit synaptic function. In central nervous system, autophagy is vital to synaptic plasticity, homeostasis of synapticproteins, synapse elimination, spine pruning, proper axon guidance, and when dysregulated, is associated with behavioral and memory functions disorders. The mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) negatively regulates the process of autophagy. This study aimed to explore whether rapamycin can ameliorate anesthesia/surgery-induced cognitive deficits by inhibiting mTOR, activating autophagy and rising synaptic plasticity-related proteins in the hippocampus. Aged C57BL/6J mice were used to establish POCD models with exploratory laparotomy under isoflurane anesthesia. The Morris Water Maze (MWM) was used to measure reference memory after anesthesia and surgery. The levels of mTOR phosphorylation (p-mTOR), Beclin-1 and LC3-II were examined on postoperative days 1, 3 and 7 by western blotting. The levels of synaptophysin (SYN) and postsynaptic density protein 95 (PSD-95) in the hippocampus were also examined by western blotting. Here we showed that anesthesia/surgery impaired reference memory and induced the activation of mTOR, decreased the expression of autophagy-related proteins such as Beclin-1 and LC3-II. A corresponding decline in the expression of neuronal/synaptic, plasticity-related proteins such as SYN and PSD-95 was also observed. Pretreating mice with rapamycin inhibited the activation of mTOR and restored autophagy function, also increased the expression of SYN and PSD-95. Furthermore, anesthesia/surgery-induced learning and memory deficits were also reversed by rapamycin pretreatment. In conclusion, anesthesia/surgery induced mTOR hyperactivation and autophagy impairments, and then reduced the levels of SYN and PSD-95 in the hippocampus. An mTOR inhibitor, rapamycin, ameliorated anesthesia/surgery-related cognitive impairments by inhibiting the mTOR activity, inducing activation of autophagy, enhancing SYN and PSD-95 expression.
The myosin heavy chain 9 (MYH9) gene encodes the heavy chain of non-muscle myosin IIA (NMIIA), which belongs to the myosin II subfamily of actin-based molecular motors. Previous studies have ...demonstrated that abnormal expression and mutations of MYH9 were correlated with MYH9-related diseases and tumors. Furthermore, earlier investigations identified MYH9 as a tumor suppressor. However, subsequent research revealed that MYH9 promoted tumorigenesis, progression and chemoradiotherapy resistance. Note-worthily, MYH9 has also been linked to viral infections, like severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), Epstein-Barr virus, and hepatitis B virus, as a receptor or co-receptor. In addition, MYH9 promotes the development of hepatocellular carcinoma by interacting with the hepatitis B virus-encoding X protein. Finally, various findings highlighted the role of MYH9 in the development of these illnesses, especially in tumors. This review summarizes the involvement of the MYH9-regulated signaling network in tumors and virus-related diseases and presents possible drug interventions on MYH9, providing insights for the use of MYH9 as a therapeutic target for tumors and virus-mediated diseases.
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•MYH9 can act as a receptor or co-receptor to mediate the entry of some viruses into cells, leading to the corresponding diseases.•MYH9 acts as a tumor suppressor in mouse skin squamous cell carcinoma and melanoma.•MYH9 acts as a tumor promoter in most tumors by activating some classical signaling pathways.
Noninvasive prognostic biomarkers are needed for advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with different histological types to identify cases with poor survival. Here, we investigated the ...prognostic values of peripheral CD8+CD28+ T cells and CD8+CD28- T cells in advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemo(radio)therapy and the impact of histological type on them.
Of 232 registered advanced NSCLC patients, 101 treatment-naïve individuals were eligible and included in our study. Flow cytometry was used to evaluate CD8+CD28+ T cells, CD8+CD28- T cells, CD4+ CD25
T cells, B cells, natural killer cells, γδT cells, and natural killer T cells in patients' peripheral blood.
The median follow-up time was 13.6 months. Fifty-nine (58.4%) patients died by the end of our study. Fifty-three of the 101 advanced NSCLC cases selected for our study were adenocarcinomas (ADs), and 48 were squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Multivariate analyses showed that increased levels of CD8+CD28+ T cells independently predicted favorable overall survival (OS) hazard ratio (HR): 0.51, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.30-0.89, P = 0.021 and progression-free survival (PFS) (HR: 0.66, 95% CI 0.37-0.93, P = 0.038) in ADs, but the prediction in SCCs was not statistically significant. In contrast, high levels of CD8+CD28- T cells independently predicted unfavorable OS (HR: 1.41, 95% CI 1.17-3.06, P = 0.035) and PFS (HR: 2.01, 95% CI 1.06-3.85, P = 0.029) in SCCs, but the prediction in ADs was not statistically significant. ADs had higher levels of CD4+CD25
T cells and CD8+CD28- T cells and lower NK cells (all P < 0.05) than SCCs.
Our findings uncovered the prognostic values of peripheral CD8+CD28+ T cells and CD8+CD28- T cells in advanced NSCLC patients treated with chemo(radio)therapy, which could help to identify patients with poor outcomes and refine treatment strategies.
Abstract
There are five fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs), namely, FGFR1–FGFR5. When FGFR binds to its ligand, namely, fibroblast growth factor (FGF), it dimerizes and autophosphorylates, ...thereby activating several key downstream pathways that play an important role in normal physiology, such as the Ras/Raf/mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase/extracellular signal‐regulated kinase, phosphoinositide 3‐kinase (PI3K)/AKT, phospholipase C gamma/diacylglycerol/protein kinase c, and signal transducer and activator of transcription pathways. Furthermore, as an oncogene, FGFR genetic alterations were found in 7.1% of tumors, and these alterations include gene amplification, gene mutations, gene fusions or rearrangements. Therefore, FGFR amplification, mutations, rearrangements, or fusions are considered as potential biomarkers of FGFR therapeutic response for tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, it is worth noting that with increased use, resistance to
TKIs
inevitably develops, such as the well‐known gatekeeper mutations. Thus, overcoming the development of drug resistance becomes a serious problem. This review mainly outlines the FGFR family functions, related pathways, and therapeutic agents in tumors with the aim of obtaining better outcomes for cancer patients with FGFR changes. The information provided in this review may provide additional therapeutic ideas for tumor patients with FGFR abnormalities.
Leptomeningeal metastasis (LM) is a devastating and terminal complication of advanced non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC), especially in patients harboring epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) ...mutations. The role of whole brain radiation therapy (WBRT) in the treatment of EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with LM is not conclusive. Therefore, we conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the therapeutic effect of WBRT in this setting.
EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with LM, who had previously received treatment at the Shandong Cancer Hospital and Institute from July 2014 to March 2018 were reviewed retrospectively. LM was diagnosed by positive CSF cytology and/or leptomeningeal-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method.
In total, 51 EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with LM were eligible for analysis, subdivided into 26 in the WBRT group and 25 in the non-WBRT group. No significant differences were observed in intracranial ORR (15.4% vs. 16%, p = 0.952) and DCR (34.7% vs. 28%, p = 0.611) between the two groups. The median iPFS
and OS
for the entire cohort were 3.3 months (95% CI: 2.77-3.83) and 12.6 months (95% CI: 9.66-15.54), respectively. No difference in iPFS
was observed between the WBRT and non-WBRT groups (median 3.9 vs. 2.8 months; HR = 0.506, p = 0.052). The median OS
was 13.6 months in the WBRT group, compared with 5.7 months in the non-WBRT group (HR = 0.454, p = 0.022). Multivariate analyses of OS
showed that KPS ≥ 80 at the time of LM diagnosis (HR = 0.428, 95% CI: 0.19-0.94; p = 0.034) and the administration of EGFR-TKIs (HR = 0.258, 95% CI: 0.11-0.58; p = 0.001) were independent predictors of survival, but WBRT (HR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.24-1.01; p = 0.54) was not. Toxicities associated with WBRT or other treatment were rare.
For EGFR-mutated NSCLC patients with LM, WBRT did not improve intracranial treatment response and survival statistically.
Earth's environments harbor complex consortia of microbes that affect processes ranging from host health to biogeochemical cycles. Understanding their evolution and function is limited by an ...inability to isolate genomes in a high-throughput manner. Here, we present a workflow for bacterial whole-genome sequencing using open-source labware and the OpenTrons robotics platform, reducing costs to approximately $10 per genome. We assess genomic diversity within 45 gut bacterial species from wild-living chimpanzees and bonobos. We quantify intraspecific genomic diversity and reveal divergence of homologous plasmids between hosts. This enables population genetic analyses of bacterial strains not currently possible with metagenomic data alone.
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