Abstract Hypoxia and lymphangiogenesis are closely related processes that play a pivotal role in tumor invasion and metastasis. Intratumoral hypoxia is exacerbated as a result of oxygen consumption ...by rapidly proliferating tumor cells, insufficient blood supply and poor lymph drainage. Hypoxia induces functional responses in lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs), including cell proliferation and migration. Multiple factors (e.g., ET-1, AP-1, C/EBP-δ, EGR-1, NF-κB, and MIF) are involved in the events of hypoxia-induced lymphangiogenesis. Among them, HIF-1α is known to be the master regulator of cellular oxygen homeostasis, mediating transcriptional activation of lymphangiogenesis via regulation of signaling cascades like VEGF-A/-C/-D, TGF-β and Prox-1 in experimental and human tumors. Although the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely elucidated, the investigation of lymphangiogenesis in hypoxic conditions may provide insight into potential therapeutic targets for lymphatic metastasis.
Cardiac lymphangiogenesis plays an important physiological role in the regulation of interstitial fluid homeostasis, inflammatory, and immune responses. Impaired or excessive cardiac lymphatic ...remodeling and insufficient lymph drainage have been implicated in several cardiovascular diseases including atherosclerosis and myocardial infarction (MI). Although the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of functional lymphatics are not fully understood, the interplay between lymphangiogenesis and immune regulation has recently been explored in relation to the initiation and development of these diseases. In this field, experimental therapeutic strategies targeting lymphangiogenesis have shown promise by reducing myocardial inflammation, edema and fibrosis, and improving cardiac function. On the other hand, however, whether lymphangiogenesis is beneficial or detrimental to cardiac transplant survival remains controversial. In the light of recent evidence, cardiac lymphangiogenesis, a thriving and challenging field has been summarized and discussed, which may improve our knowledge in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases and transplant biology.
The lymphatic system provides important functions for tissue fluid homeostasis and immune response. Lymphangiogenesis, the formation of new lymphatics, comprises a series of complex cellular events ...in vitro or in vivo, e.g., proliferation, differentiation, and sprouting. Recent evidence has implied that macrophages act as a direct structural contributor to lymphatic endothelial walls or secret VEGF-C/-D and VEGF-A to initiate lymphangiogenesis in inflamed or tumor tissues. Bone marrow-derived macrophages are versatile cells that express different functional programs in response to exposure to microenvironmental signals, and can be identified by specific expression of a number of proteins, F4/80, CD11b, and CD68. Several causative factors, e.g., NF-κB, IL-1β, TNF-α, SDF-1, M-CSF, especially TonEBP/VEGF-C signaling, may be actively involved in macrophage-induced lymphangiogenesis. Alteration of macrophage phenotype and function has a profound effect on the development and progression of inflammation and malignancy, and macrophage depletion for controlling lymphangiogenesis may provide a novel approach for prevention and treatment of lymphatic-associated diseases.
Due to advancements in information technology, handheld computers and smartphones have progressively supplanted desktop computers and older mobile phones. Due to the development and use of a series ...of mobile device operating systems such as Android, IOS, Harmony, Windows OS, and Symbian, mobile education comes into being. For this purpose, this article develops an ideological and political online classroom mobile learning system based on an Android application. The study created a set of mobile teaching systems based on open-source Android technology and C/S (Client-Server) architecture. Given its typical teaching time, the system is dedicated to the teaching of courses, with registration and login, notice and announcement, course information release, questions and answers, teaching resources display and projection, and other functions. It can also serve as a platform for pupils to learn independently. Following the practical application in ideological and political teaching, the system runs well, functions normally, can meet the needs of students to learn in a personalized and dispersed manner, and effectively speeds up the teaching network and intelligence process. It also has a high application value. It combines network teaching and traditional classroom to create a new education model. The purpose is to effectively assist the development of ideological and political mobile education that can be used as a reference point. Finally, this study examines the system architecture and core modules and presents an Android-based solution for a mobile client of a teaching resource library. It uses the teaching resource library of the school as an example to implement the system, which has some reference value for the study of mobile campus applications and mobile learning systems.
•COVID -19 cases are now confirmed in multiple countries.•Assessed the prevalence of comorbidities in infected patients.•Comorbidities are risk factors for severe compared with non-severe ...patients.•Help the health sector guide vulnerable populations and assess the risk of deterioration.
An outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) occurred in Wuhan, China; the epidemic is more widespread than initially estimated, with cases now confirmed in multiple countries.
The aim of this meta-analysis was to assess the prevalence of comorbidities in the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infected patients and the risk of underlying diseases in severe patients compared to non-severe patients.
A literature search was conducted using the databases PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science through February 25, 2020. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using random-effects models.
Seven studies were included in the meta-analysis, including 1 576 infected patients. The results showed the most prevalent clinical symptom was fever (91.3%, 95% CI: 86–97%), followed by cough (67.7%, 95% CI: 59–76%), fatigue (51.0%, 95% CI: 34–68%) and dyspnea (30.4%, 95% CI: 21–40%). The most prevalent comorbidities were hypertension (21.1%, 95% CI: 13.0–27.2%) and diabetes (9.7%, 95% CI: 7.2–12.2%), followed by cardiovascular disease (8.4%, 95% CI: 3.8–13.8%) and respiratory system disease (1.5%, 95% CI: 0.9–2.1%). When compared between severe and non-severe patients, the pooled OR of hypertension, respiratory system disease, and cardiovascular disease were 2.36 (95% CI: 1.46–3.83), 2.46 (95% CI: 1.76–3.44) and 3.42 (95% CI: 1.88–6.22) respectively.
We assessed the prevalence of comorbidities in the COVID-19 patients and found that underlying disease, including hypertension, respiratory system disease and cardiovascular disease, may be risk factors for severe patients compared with non-severe patients.
Basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors (TFs), which are widely distributed in eukaryotic organisms, play crucial roles in plant development. However, no comprehensive analysis of the ...bHLH family in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) has been undertaken previously.
In this study, 225 bHLH TFs predicted from wheat using genomic and RNA sequencing data were subjected to identification, classification, phylogenetic reconstruction, conserved motif characterization, chromosomal distribution determination and expression pattern analysis. One basic region, two helix regions and one loop region were found to be conserved in wheat bHLH TFs. The bHLH proteins could be separated into four categories based on sequences in their basic regions. Neighbor-joining-based phylogenetic analysis of conserved bHLH domains from wheat, Arabidopsis and rice identified 26 subfamilies of bHLH TFs, of which 23 were found in wheat. A total of 82 wheat bHLH genes had orthologs in Arabidopsis (27 TFs), rice (28 TFs) and both of them (27 TFs). Seven tissue-specific bHLH TF clusters were identified according to their expression patterns in endosperm, aleurone, seedlings, heading-stage spikes, flag leaves, shoots and roots. Expression levels of six endosperm-specifically expressed TFs measured by qPCR and RNA-seq showed a good correlation.
The 225 bHLH transcription factors identified from wheat could be classed into 23 subfamilies, and those members from the same subfamily with similar sequence motifs generally have similar expression patterns.
A novel concept of treating oil reservoirs by nanofluids is being developed to improve oil recovery and reduce the trapped oil in hydrocarbon reservoirs. Nanoparticles show great potential in ...enhancing oil recovery under ambient conditions. In this paper, the approaches of wettability alteration by using nanofluid, stability of nanofluids, and the most reliable wettability alteration mechanisms associated with variant types of nanoparticles have been reviewed. Moreover, the parameters that have a significant influence on nanofluid flooding have been discussed. Finally, the recent studies of the effect of nanoparticles on wettability alteration have been summarised and analysed. Furthermore, this paper presents possible opportunities and challenges regarding wettability alteration using nanofluids.
We have developed a novel hybridization platform that utilizes nuclear male sterility to produce hybrids in maize and other cross‐pollinating crops. A key component of this platform is a process ...termed Seed Production Technology (SPT). This process incorporates a transgenic SPT maintainer line capable of propagating nontransgenic nuclear male‐sterile lines for use as female parents in hybrid production. The maize SPT maintainer line is a homozygous recessive male sterile transformed with a SPT construct containing (i) a complementary wild‐type male fertility gene to restore fertility, (ii) an α‐amylase gene to disrupt pollination and (iii) a seed colour marker gene. The sporophytic wild‐type allele complements the recessive mutation, enabling the development of pollen grains, all of which carry the recessive allele but with only half carrying the SPT transgenes. Pollen grains with the SPT transgenes exhibit starch depletion resulting from expression of α‐amylase and are unable to germinate. Pollen grains that do not carry the SPT transgenes are nontransgenic and are able to fertilize homozygous mutant plants, resulting in nontransgenic male‐sterile progeny for use as female parents. Because transgenic SPT maintainer seeds express a red fluorescent protein, they can be detected and efficiently separated from seeds that do not contain the SPT transgenes by mechanical colour sorting. The SPT process has the potential to replace current approaches to pollen control in commercial maize hybrid seed production. It also has important applications for other cross‐pollinating crops where it can unlock the potential for greater hybrid productivity through expanding the parental germplasm pool.
This paper aims to disclose the comprehensive effect of corporate tax avoidance on investment cash flow sensitivity. for this purpose, a number of enterprises listed on shanghai and shenzen stock ...exchanges (a-share enterprises) during 2009∼2015 were selected to explore the effect of corporate tax avoidance on the free cash flow of enterprises. in light of the preivous studies, an investment cash flow sensitivity model was created based on book-tax difference (btd), and the descriptive statistics were subjected to regression analysis. the research reveals that enterprises with a high level of tax avoidance have a high investment cash flow sensitivity; tax avoidance of an enterprise can directly increase the cash flow, and suppress the cash flow by raising the deferred financing cost. the research findings shed new light on the decision-making of corporate tax avoidance.
The development of efficient enzyme immobilization to promote their recyclability and activity is highly desirable. Zeolitic imidazolate framework‐8 (ZIF‐8) has been proved to be an effective ...platform for enzyme immobilization due to its easy preparation and biocompatibility. However, the intrinsic hydrophobic characteristic hinders its further development in this filed. Herein, a facile synthesis approach was developed to immobilize pepsin (PEP) on the ZIF‐8 carrier by using Ni2+ ions as anchor (ZIF‐8@PEP‐Ni). By contrast, the direct coating of PEP on the surface of ZIF‐8 (ZIF‐8@PEP) generated significant conformational changes. Electrochemical oxygen evolution reaction (OER) was employed to study the catalytic activity of immobilized PEP. The ZIF‐8@PEP‐Ni composite attains remarkable OER performance with an ultralow overpotential of only 127 mV at 10 mA cm−2, which is much lower than the 690 and 919 mV overpotential values of ZIF‐8@PEP and PEP, respectively.
A facile synthesis approach was developed to immobilize enzyme on the ZIF‐8 carrier by using Ni2+ ions as anchor, which can significantly promote the recyclability and activity of the enzyme.
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