A recent genome‐wide association study discovered that two polymorphisms, interferon (IFN) alpha receptor 2 (IFNAR‐2) F8S and interleukin 10 receptor (IL10RB) K47E, were associated with ...susceptibility to hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in Africa. Here, we reevaluate the effects of the two polymorphisms on HBV susceptibility in the Chinese Han population, and extended the study to look at their association with IFN response in chronic hepatitis B (CHB). We included 341 patients with CHB and 341 unrelated controls presenting with asymptotic HBV self‐limited infection, who were well matched in age and sex. In the CHB group, 101 patients had been treated with peg‐IFN‐alpha‐2a for 48 weeks and followed up for 24 weeks to determine the clinical response, resulting 34 individuals with sustained virological response (SVR) and 67 individuals with nonsustained response (NR). Subgroups in the CHB group were divided according to the viral loads, HBeAg and maternal HBsAg status. The association with the susceptibility to HBV infection was only observed for IL10RB K47E when we compared the individuals with persistent HBV infection through nonmaternal transmission to the controls with asymptomatic self‐limited HBV infection. Further, we found that the IFNAR2‐8SS genotype was associated with HBeAg negative patients (OR = 0.316, 95% CI: 0.121–0.825, P = 0.019) and that the IFNAR2‐8F allele was associated with the risk to high viral loads (OR = 1.667, 95% CI: 1.148–2.420, P = 0.007). In addition, the IFNAR2‐8FF genotype predisposed to higher MxA gene induction and correlated with sustained IFN response (OR = 0.348, 95% CI: 0.129–0.935, P = 0.036). Haplotype analysis based on polymorphisms of three single‐nucleotide polymorphisms, MxA −88 G/T, IFNAR‐2 F8S and IL10RB K47E showed that the haplotype distribution was significantly different between the SVR and NR groups (P = 0.040). This study suggests that IFNAR2 may play an important role in determining IFN response and clinical phenotypes of HBV infection in the Chinese Han population.
Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are widely involved in various malignancies including osteosarcoma. In the current study, we aimed to illustrate the role of lncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 ...(PVT1) in osteosarcoma.
Expression of PVT1 and microRNA-486 (miR-486) in osteosarcoma tissue specimens and cell lines were detected by quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR) assays and in situ hybridizations (ISH) assay. Transwell migration/invasion assays were performed to determine the metastatic ability changes in osteosarcoma cells. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis was applied to analyze the overall survival (OS) of patients with osteosarcoma. Luciferase assays were used to evaluate the targeted binding effect between PVT1 and miR-486.
We illustrated that lncRNA plasmacytoma variant translocation 1 (PVT1) was upregulated in osteosarcoma, and it was correlated with poor prognosis of patients with osteosarcoma. Furthermore, we found that PVT1, via constructed loss of function and gain of function assays, promoted osteosarcoma cells migration and invasion. Meanwhile, we demonstrated that microRNA-486 (miR-486) was involved in PVT1-induced migration and invasion. We also uncovered that miR-486 was downregulated in osteosarcoma tissue specimens and cell lines. Functionally, we showed that upregulation of miR-486 reversed the facilitative effect of PVT1 on osteosarcoma cells migration and invasion, and vice versa. Mechanically, we illustrated that PVT1 interacted with miR-486 in a reciprocal suppressed manner. Moreover, we found that miR-486 could target to PVT1 via Luciferase assay. Lastly, we proved that PVT1 promoted osteosarcoma cells migration and invasion through miR-486 sponging.
We demonstrated that PVT1, functioning as an oncogene, promotes osteosarcoma cells metastasis via miR-486 sponging. PVT1/miR-486 axis might be a novel target in the molecular treatment of osteosarcoma.
High-energy cosmic-ray electrons and positrons (CREs), which lose energy quickly during their propagation, provide a probe of Galactic high-energy processes and may enable the observation of ...phenomena such as dark-matter particle annihilation or decay. The CRE spectrum has been measured directly up to approximately 2 teraelectronvolts in previous balloon- or space-borne experiments, and indirectly up to approximately 5 teraelectronvolts using ground-based Cherenkov γ-ray telescope arrays. Evidence for a spectral break in the teraelectronvolt energy range has been provided by indirect measurements, although the results were qualified by sizeable systematic uncertainties. Here we report a direct measurement of CREs in the energy range 25 gigaelectronvolts to 4.6 teraelectronvolts by the Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE) with unprecedentedly high energy resolution and low background. The largest part of the spectrum can be well fitted by a 'smoothly broken power-law' model rather than a single power-law model. The direct detection of a spectral break at about 0.9 teraelectronvolts confirms the evidence found by previous indirect measurements, clarifies the behaviour of the CRE spectrum at energies above 1 teraelectronvolt and sheds light on the physical origin of the sub-teraelectronvolt CREs.
Multipartite quantum entanglement is a key resource for ensuring security in quantum network. We show that by using a unified parameter in terms of reduced noise variances one can determine different ...types of tripartite entanglement of a given state generated in a hybrid optomechanical system, where an atomic ensemble is located inside a single-mode cavity with a movable mirror, with different thresholds for each type. In particular, the special quantum states which allow both entanglement and steering genuinely shared among atom-light-mirror modes can be observed, even though there is no direct interaction between the mirror and the atomic ensemble. We further show the robustness against mechanical thermal noise and damping, the relaxation time of atomic ensemble, as well as the effect of gain factors involved in the criteria. Our analysis provides an experimentally achievable method to determine the type of tripartite quantum correlation in a way.
Hydrate is one of the critical precipitates which have to be controlled for subsea flow assurance. The induction time of hydrate is therefore a significant parameter. However, there have been few ...studies on the induction time of the natural gas hydrate formation in a flow loop system. Consequently, a series of experiments were firstly performed, including water, natural gas and Diesel oil, on the hydrate induction time under various conditions such as the supercooling and supersaturation degree, water cut, anti-agglomerant dosage, etc. The experiments were conducted in a high-pressure hydrate flow loop newly constructed in the China University of Petroleum (Beijing), and dedicated to flow assurance studies. Then, based on previous research, this study puts forward a method for induction time, which is characterized by clear definition, convenient measurement and good generality. Furthermore, we investigated the influences of the experimental parameters and analyzed the experimental phenomena for the hydrate induction time in a flowing system.
Les hydrates font partie des principaux précipités qui doivent être contrôlés pour assurer le débit d’écoulement. Le temps d’induction des hydrates est donc un paramètre significatif. Toutefois, peu d’études ont été réalisées sur le temps d’induction de formation d’hydrates de gaz naturel dans un système à boucle de circulation. Par conséquent, une série d’expériences a tout d’abord été effectuée, comprenant de l’eau, du gaz naturel et du gasoil, pour évaluer le temps d’induction des hydrates dans différentes conditions, telles que le degré de sur réfrigération et de sursaturation, le watercut, le dosage d’anti-agglomérants, etc. Les expériences ont été réalisées dans une boucle de circulation d’hydrates sous haute pression nouvellement réalisée à l’Université Chinoise du Pétrole (Beijing) et dédiée aux études de maintiens d’écoulements. Puis, sur la base de recherches précédentes, la présente étude met en avant une méthode pour évaluer le temps d’induction, qui est caractérisée par une définition claire, un système de mesure pratique et une bonne généralisation. En outre, nous avons étudié les influences de paramètres expérimentaux et analysé le phénomène expérimental pour le temps d’induction des hydrates dans un système à écoulement.
Some gamma-ray bursts (GRBs) have a tera-electron volt (TeV) afterglow, but the early onset of this has not been observed. We report observations with the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory ...(LHAASO) of the bright GRB 221009A, which serendipitously occurred within the instrument's field of view. More than 64,000 photons >0.2 TeV were detected within the first 3000 seconds. The TeV flux began several minutes after the GRB trigger and then rose to a peak ~10 seconds later. This was followed by a decay phase, which became more rapid ~650 seconds after the peak. We interpret the emission using a model of a relativistic jet with half-opening angle of ~0.8°. This is consistent with the core of a structured jet and could explain the high isotropic energy of this GRB.
• A theoretical model is developed for the thermoacoustic response of plates.• The thermal moments, membrane forces and acoustic loads are considered.• The vibroacoustic performance of plates in ...graded thermal environments is revealed.
A theoretical model is developed to investigate the thermoacoustic response of a simply supported plate subjected to combined thermal and acoustic excitations, with two typical graded thermal environments considered. The thermoacoustic governing equation derived by incorporating the thermal moments, membrane forces and acoustic loads into the plate vibration equation is solved using the modal decomposition approach. In combination with the thermal boundary conditions, the Fourier heat conduction equation is solved for the graded temperature distribution in the plate. Fluid-structure coupling between acoustic excitation and the plate is ensured by adopting the velocity continuity condition at the fluid–plate interface. With focus placed on the effect of graded thermal environments on plate vibroacoustic response, numerical investigations reveal the necessity for considering thermal moments in theoretical modeling, particularly when graded thermal environments are of common concern for aircraft structures.
To evaluate the short-term prognostic value of matrix metalloproteinase 14 (MMP14) in muscle-invasive bladder cancer (MIBC).
Expression of MMP14 and clinical information from The Cancer Genome Atlas ...(TCGA) were mined in MIBC patients to analyse expression differences and conduct survival analyses. The mRNA and protein expression levels of MMP14 in other tumours were analysed using Gene Expression Profiling Interactive Analysis (GEPIA) and The Human Protein Atlas. The expression level of MMP14 in bladder cancer (BC) cell lines and clinical samples and its clinical significance were indicated using quantitative Real Time-Polymerase Chain Reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry. The biological functions of MMP14 were investigated by examining cell migration using in vitro wound-healing assays and cell invasion using transwell invasion assays. Survival analyses were conducted with the collected clinical follow-up data.
Our study revealed that MMP14 is highly expressed in MIBC based, on both TCGA derived data and our clinical tissues (p<0.05). MMP14 is also highly expressed in head and neck cancer, renal cancer, pancreatic cancer and other cancers, as analysed using GEPIA and The Human Protein Atlas (p<0.05). Survival analyses of the TCGA data and our clinical follow-up data revealed high expression of MMP14 indicates a poor short-term prognosis in MIBC (p<0.05). Furthermore, downregulation of MMP14 suppressed BC cell invasion and migration abilities in vitro. MMP14 expression was closely correlated with tumour metastasis (p<0.05). T stage hazard ratio (HR)=1.412, 95% confidence interval (CI)=1.121-1.779, p=0.003 and metastasis (HR=2.256, 95% CI=1.242-4.100, p=0.008) were unfavourable prognostic factors in BC patients.
In MIBC, MMP14 expression is upregulated and closely associated with disease progression and poor short-term prognosis.
The oxidation behaviour of a fourth-generation single-crystal superalloy without coating and with two types of
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CrAlY coatings at 1140 °C was studied. The results showed that both coatings greatly ...improved the oxidation resistance of the superalloy, and the addition of Hf further improved the oxidation resistance by pinning the oxide layer into the coating. Before and after oxidation, obvious Cr and Al interdiffusion was detected. Inward Cr diffusion induces the precipitation of a topologically close-packed phase, while the diffusion of Al affects the structure of the γ/γ' phase, the solubility of refractory elements, and the formation of an interdiffusion zone.
The precise measurement of the spectrum of protons, the most abundant component of the cosmic radiation, is necessary to understand the source and acceleration of cosmic rays in the Milky Way. This ...work reports the measurement of the cosmic ray proton fluxes with kinetic energies from 40 GeV to 100 TeV, with 2
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years of data recorded by the DArk Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE). This is the first time that an experiment directly measures the cosmic ray protons up to ~100 TeV with high statistics. The measured spectrum confirms the spectral hardening at ~300 GeV found by previous experiments and reveals a softening at ~13.6 TeV, with the spectral index changing from ~2.60 to ~2.85. Our result suggests the existence of a new spectral feature of cosmic rays at energies lower than the so-called knee and sheds new light on the origin of Galactic cosmic rays.
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