Covariate balance is crucial for unconfounded descriptive or causal comparisons. However, lack of balance is common in observational studies. This article considers weighting strategies for balancing ...covariates. We define a general class of weights-the balancing weights-that balance the weighted distributions of the covariates between treatment groups. These weights incorporate the propensity score to weight each group to an analyst-selected target population. This class unifies existing weighting methods, including commonly used weights such as inverse-probability weights as special cases. General large-sample results on nonparametric estimation based on these weights are derived. We further propose a new weighting scheme, the overlap weights, in which each unit's weight is proportional to the probability of that unit being assigned to the opposite group. The overlap weights are bounded, and minimize the asymptotic variance of the weighted average treatment effect among the class of balancing weights. The overlap weights also possess a desirable small-sample exact balance property, based on which we propose a new method that achieves exact balance for means of any selected set of covariates. Two applications illustrate these methods and compare them with other approaches.
A single-layer MoS2 nanosheet exhibits high fluorescence quenching ability and different affinity toward ssDNA versus dsDNA. As a proof of concept, the MoS2 nanosheet has been successfully used as a ...sensing platform for the detection of DNA and small molecules.
NOTCH2NLC GGC repeat expansions were recently identified in neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID); however, it remains unclear whether they occur in other neurodegenerative disorders. This ...study aimed to investigate the role of intermediate‐length NOTCH2NLC GGC repeat expansions in Parkinson disease (PD). We screened for GGC repeat expansions in a cohort of 1,011 PD patients and identified 11 patients with intermediate‐length repeat expansions ranging from 41 to 52 repeats, with no repeat expansions in 1,134 controls. Skin biopsy revealed phospho‐alpha‐synuclein deposition, confirming the PD diagnosis in 2 patients harboring intermediate‐length repeat expansions instead of NIID or essential tremor. Fibroblasts from PD patients harboring intermediate‐length repeat expansions revealed NOTCH2NLC upregulation and autophagic dysfunction. Our results suggest that intermediate‐length repeat expansions in NOTCH2NLC are potentially associated with PD. ANN NEUROL 2021;89:182–187
In crop plants, a high-density genetic linkage map is essential for both genetic and genomic researches. The complexity and the large size of wheat genome have hampered the acquisition of a ...high-resolution genetic map. In this study, we report a high-density genetic map based on an individual mapping population using the Affymetrix Wheat660K single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array as a probe in hexaploid wheat. The resultant genetic map consisted of 119 566 loci spanning 4424.4 cM, and 119 001 of those loci were SNP markers. This genetic map showed good collinearity with the 90 K and 820 K consensus genetic maps and was also in accordance with the recently released wheat whole genome assembly. The high-density wheat genetic map will provide a major resource for future genetic and genomic research in wheat. Moreover, a comparative genomics analysis among gramineous plant genomes was conducted based on the high-density wheat genetic map, providing an overview of the structural relationships among theses gramineous plant genomes. A major stable quantitative trait locus (QTL) for kernel number per spike was characterized, providing a solid foundation for the future high-resolution mapping and map-based cloning of the targeted QTL.
Two-dimensional (2D) Ti3C2 was synthesized by the exfoliation of Ti3AlC2 with HF solution and subsequently intercalation with dimethyl sulfoxide. As anode for lithium ion batteries, Ti3C2 after ...intercalation had an obvious higher capacity than that before intercalation. The capacity can be 123.6mAhg−1 at 1C rate with a coulombic efficiency of 47%. It is higher than that of 2D Ti2C and close to the theoretical capacity of Ti3C2 with F termination. It was suggested that MXene with pure F groups may be a way to further improve its Li storage performance.
•2D Ti3C2 after intercalation has larger c and larger lamella thickness.•In-Ti3C2 has capacity close to theoretical capacity with F termination.•In-Ti3C2 has better electrochemical performance than Ex-Ti3C2.
Environmental pollution has become an increasingly severe problem in recent years and has aroused extensive concern. However, the influences of environmental factors on human well-being, especially ...their internal paths and causality, have received little research. Using cross-sectional data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) for 2016, together with data on air, water, and solid waste pollution, this study explored the critical paths and causality of the influences of objective (actual) and subjective (perceived) pollution on perceptions of well-being. Perceived pollution had both direct and indirect negative impacts on well-being. Actual pollution indirectly affected well-being by influencing perceptions of health and pollution, but had no direct influence on well-being. Air pollution had a positive association with depression and a negative association with life satisfaction and happiness, while water and solid waste pollution had negligible associations with well-being. The negative impacts of both real and perceived pollution on health are the main ways in which pollution decreases well-being.
•Perceived pollution had both direct and indirect negative impacts on well-being.•Objective environmental pollution had no direct influence on subjective well-being.•Actual pollution indirectly affected well-being via perceived pollution and health.•Health played an important mediating role in the effect of pollution on well-being.
Catalytic enantioselective hydroxylation of prochiral dihydrosilanes with water is expected to be a highly efficient way to access Si‐chiral silanols, yet has remained unknown up to date. Herein, we ...describe a strategy for realizing this reaction: using an alkyl bromide as a single‐electron transfer (SET) oxidant for invoking CuII species and chiral multidentate anionic N,N,P‐ligands for effective enantiocontrol. The reaction readily provides a broad range of Si‐chiral silanols with high enantioselectivity and excellent functional group compatibility. In addition, we manifest the synthetic potential by establishing two synthetic schemes for transforming the obtained products into Si‐chiral compounds with high structural diversity. Our preliminary mechanistic studies support a mechanism involving SET for recruiting chiral CuII species as the active catalyst and its subsequent σ‐metathesis with dihydrosilanes.
Copper(II)‐mediated σ‐metathesis with prochiral dihydrosilanes has been successfully leveraged to efficiently synthesize Si‐chiral silanols as well as many other related Si‐chiral skeletons. The reaction hinges on the continuous generation of catalytically active copper(II) species via single‐electron transfer oxidation of copper(I) by alkyl halides and the efficient stereocontrol with multidentate anionic N,N,P‐ligands.
New Findings
What is the central question of this study?
What is the role of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 in the regulation of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ) gene‐mediated mechanistic ...target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway in proliferation, apoptosis and autophagy of prostate cancer cells?
What is the main finding and its importance?
The targeting relation between lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 and PPARγ was verified, and it was demonstrated that silencing of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 can upregulate apoptosis and autophagy yet downregulate proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer cells through the mTOR signalling pathway. Further work is needed to consolidate the therapeutic value of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 in clinical trials and treatment of prostate cancer.
Although long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are correlated with multiple cancers, their molecular mechanisms in prostate cancer (PC) remain inadequately understood. This study investigated the effects of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 on the progression of prostate cancer (PC) with involvement of peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor γ (PPARγ). Microarray analysis was used to identify the differentially expressed genes and lncRNAs associated with PC. RT‐qPCR and western blot analysis were employed to test the expression of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling pathway‐, apoptosis‐ and autophagy‐related genes. A scratch test, Transwell assay, CCK‐8 assay, colony formation assay, flow cytometry and monodansylcadaverine staining were employed to identify the migration, invasion, proliferation activity, cell cycle and apoptosis and autophagy of PC3 cells, respectively. Tumorigenicity assays in nude mice were used to detect the tumorigenic ability. GSE55945 and GSE46602 datasets indicated that lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 was highly expressed in PC. PPARγ was predicted as a target gene of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1. Ectopic overexpression of PPARγ or lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 silencing led to inhibited cell viability, migration and invasion, and accelerated apoptosis. Furthermore, the delivery of si‐PRRT3‐AS1 or PPARγ vector to PC3 cells resulted in the regression of xenografts in nude mice. Based on the in vitro and in vivo experiments, silencing of lncRNA PRRT3‐AS1 was observed to activate the PPARγ gene, which in turn could inhibit PC cell proliferation and promote apoptosis and autophagy by blocking the mTOR signalling pathway.
The biomass-derived carbon materials as ideal low-cost raw materials have recently presented great application potential in energy storage. However, the amorphous active carbon from biomass is ...usually required to be further processed into electrodes with binders and conductive agents due to their essentially poor electrical conductance, which limits the fabrication as free-standing electrodes for flexible supercpacitors. Here, we present a simple universal strategy toward assembling of graphene aerogels into the three-dimensional N-doping cotton-derived carbon frameworks, utilizing spontaneous reduction and assembly of graphene oxide on the Cu surface. Benefiting from the structural features, the free-standing N-doping cotton-derived carbon frameworks/graphene aerogels of hierarchical 3D interconnected structures exhibit considerably enhanced charge transport ability and energy storage capability (approaching 305, 225 and 170 F g−1 at current densities of 0.1, 1 and 10 A g−1, respectively). Moreover, the binder-free all-solid-state devices are also fabricated, and three flexible supercapacitors electrically connected in series could light up a LED light even under bent, which demonstrates excellent mechanical flexibility.
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