•An improved operation-based reservoir scheme integrated with VIC is developed.•This scheme eliminates numerical calibration and uses new parametric functions.•New scheme performance was compared to ...two other schemes.•This scheme can remove bias caused by spatial and temporal variations.
Multiyear and multipurpose reservoirs generally need to adjust operational functions for different storage levels; most existing reservoir schemes lack the pertinence to model the complex behaviors of such reservoirs. This paper proposes an improved operation-based reservoir scheme to simulate the storage and outflow variations for multiyear and multipurpose reservoirs at a daily time step. In this improved reservoir scheme, the new parametric functions to represent the weights of the outflow through considering various operation purposes (e.g., hydropower generation, flood control, and water supply) are introduced. Then, the improved reservoir scheme is integrated into a macroscale hydrological model, i.e., Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model. In this study, the performance of the proposed reservoir scheme is evaluated with the observed storage and outflow of a multiyear and multipurpose reservoir (Xinfengjiang Reservoir) in South China and compared to two other reservoir schemes (i.e., a multilinear regression reservoir scheme and an operation-based reservoir scheme). In addition, through uncertainty analysis, this study shows that the time-varying operation-based parameters can reflect the changes of reservoir storage but not reservoir outflow, indicating that the parameters for establishing functional relationships need further exploration. Results reveal that the proposed reservoir scheme has a wide applicability for reservoir storage and outflow simulation, especially for the reservoirs with limited reservoir management data.
Kidney cancer is a common urological tumour. Owing to its high prevalence and mortality rate, it is the third most malignant tumour of the urinary system, followed by prostate and bladder cancers. It ...exerts a high degree of malignancy, and most of the distant metastasis occurs at an early stage; it is insensitive to chemoradiotherapy and easily develops drug resistance. The current treatment for kidney cancer mainly includes surgery, interventional embolization and targeted therapy; however, the treatment efficacy is poor. In recent years, the role of exosomes as mediators of intercellular communication and information exchange in the tumour microenvironment in tumour pathogenesis has attracted much attention. Exosomes are rich in bioactive substances such as nucleic acids, proteins and lipids and are involved in angiogenesis, immune regulation, drug resistance, formation of pre-metastatic niche, invasion and metastasis. This article reviews the ongoing research and applications of exosomes for the diagnosis and treatment of kidney cancer.
Circular RNAs are a new class of non-coding RNAs that have been shown to play critical roles in the development and progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). However, little is known about the ...functional mechanisms and therapeutic role of ciRS-7 in RCC. A series of in vitro and in vivo experiments were performed to investigate the functional mechanism and therapeutic role of ciRS-7, such as real-time quantitative PCR, CCK-8, wound healing, transwell, colony formation, Edu, tumor xenograft and lung metastasis in NSG mice. RNA pull-down, dual luciferase reporter, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and rescue assays were used to determine the relationship between ciRS-7, miR-139-3p and TAGLN. In addition, we constructed PBAE/si-ciRS-7 nanocomplexes with PBAE material to evaluate the therapeutic effect of the nanocomplexes on tumor in vivo. ciRS-7 was highly expressed in RCC tumor tissues and cell lines, and high ciRS-7 expression correlated with tumor size, high Fuhrman grade and poor survival. Depletion of ciRS-7 significantly inhibited RCC cell proliferation, invasion, tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, while overexpression of ciRS-7 had the opposite effect. Mechanistically, ciRS-7 acts as a "ceRNA" for miR-139-3p to prevent TAGLN degradation and promoting RCC progression and metastasis via the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. In addition, miR-139-3p mimics or inhibitor could reverse the altered malignant tumor behavior caused by ciRS-7 overexpression or silencing. Furthermore, the PBAE/siciRS-7 nanocomplexes could significantly inhibit RCC tumor progression and metastasis in vivo. ciRS-7 acts as a tumor promoter by regulating the miR-139-3p/TAGLN axis and activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway to promote RCC progression and metastasis. Drug development of PBAE/si-ciRS-7 nanocomplexes targeting ciRS-7 may represent a promising gene therapeutic strategy for RCC.
•Coherent modes of multi-scale streamflow variability in 16 catchments are examined.•Daily streamflow time series are simulated by the VIC model and a routing scheme.•Three modes of multi-scale ...streamflow variability explain almost 95% of variability.•High variability at distinct scales is associated with tendency of flood or drought.
This paper examines the multi-scale streamflow variability responses to precipitation over 16 headwater catchments in the Pearl River basin, South China. The long-term daily streamflow data (1952–2000), obtained using a macro-scale hydrological model, the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) model, and a routing scheme, are studied. Temporal features of streamflow variability at 10 different timescales, ranging from 6days to 8.4years, are revealed with the Haar wavelet transform. The principal component analysis (PCA) is performed to categorize the headwater catchments with the coherent modes of multi-scale wavelet spectra. The results indicate that three distinct modes, with different variability distributions at small timescales and seasonal scales, can explain 95% of the streamflow variability. A large majority of the catchments (i.e. 12 out of 16) exhibit consistent mode feature on multi-scale variability throughout three sub-periods (1952–1968, 1969–1984, and 1985–2000). The multi-scale streamflow variability responses to precipitation are identified to be associated with the regional flood and drought tendency over the headwater catchments in southern China.
Modularity technique is desirable in large permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSMs) because it facilitates manufacture, assembly, and maintenance. Although the PMSMs with fractional-slot ...concentrated windings (FSCWs) allow their stators to be modularized, they usually suffer from high nonworking space harmonic content. The PMSMs with various reported two-slot pitch windings (TSPWs) show much lower nonworking space harmonic content, but they do not support stator modularity. This paper proposes a modular PMSM with a special dual three-phase (DTP) TSPW, which exhibits quite low nonworking space harmonic content. First, the topology of the proposed machine is described in detail. Then, the mechanism of reducing the nonworking space harmonic content of the machine is expounded through winding magnetomotive force (MMF) analysis. Finally, the electromagnetic characteristics of a specific proposed modular PMSM and a conventional modular PMSM with DTP-FSCW are compared by finite element method (FEM), in terms of electromotive force (EMF), armature reaction field, torque performance, efficiency and power factor. The FEM results demonstrate that the proposed machine can realize low space harmonic content while retaining stator modularity.
In wheat, kernel weight (KW) is a key determinant of grain yield (GY). However, it is often overlooked when improving wheat productivity under climate warming. Moreover, little is known about the ...complex effects of genetic and climatic factors on KW. Here, we explored the responses of wheat KW to diverse allelic combinations under projected climate warming conditions.
To focus on KW, we selected a subset of 81 out of 209 wheat varieties with similar GY, biomass, and kernel number (KN) and focused on their thousand-kernel weight (TKW). We genotyped them at eight kompetitive allele-specific polymerase chain reaction markers closely associated with TKW. Subsequently, we calibrated and evaluated the process-based model known as Agricultural Production Systems Simulator (APSIM-Wheat) based on a unique dataset including phenotyping, genotyping, climate, soil physicochemistry, and on-farm management information. We then used the calibrated APSIM-Wheat model to estimate TKW under eight allelic combinations (81 wheat varieties), seven sowing dates, and the shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs) designated SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5, driven by climate projections from five General Circulation Models (GCMs) BCC-CSM2-MR, CanESM5, EC-Earth3-Veg, MIROC-ES2L, and UKESM1-0-LL.
The APSIM-Wheat model reliably simulated wheat TKW with a root mean square error (RMSE) of < 3.076 g TK
and R
of > 0.575 (
< 0.001). The analysis of variance based on the simulation output showed that allelic combination, climate scenario, and sowing date extremely significantly affected TKW (
< 0.001). The impact of the interaction allelic combination × climate scenario on TKW was also significant (
< 0.05). Meanwhile, the variety parameters and their relative importance in the APSIM-Wheat model accorded with the expression of the allelic combinations. Under the projected climate scenarios, the favorable allelic combinations (TaCKX-D1b + Hap-7A-1 + Hap-T + Hap-6A-G + Hap-6B-1 + H1g + A1b for SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5) mitigated the negative effects of climate change on TKW.
The present study demonstrated that optimizing favorable allelic combinations can help achieve high wheat TKW. The findings of this study clarify the responses of wheat KW to diverse allelic combinations under projected climate change conditions. Additionally, the present study provides theoretical and practical reference for marker-assisted selection of high TKW in wheat breeding.
Using a naturally extracted polymer sodium alginate extracted from natural seaweed as the primary raw material, we have successfully developed an electroactive actuator known as biomimetic artificial ...muscle (BMAM). In comparison to conventional synthetic materials, this BMAM aligns more coherently with the prevailing principles of environmentally friendly development. During the preparation of the BMAM electrode membrane, we employed ultrasonic oscillation to adsorb varying quantities of MoS2 onto a reticulated structure formed by multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), thus enhancing the mechanical and electrochemical performance of the BMAM. Scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful encapsulation of MoS2 by the MWCNTs network in the composite. To measure the output force of the BMAM fabricated with different masses of MoS2 doping, we established a self-built experimental platform and conducted tests on the electrode membranes doped with varying quantities of MoS2 using an electrochemical workstation. The results revealed that the BMAM exhibited optimal mechanical performance when doped with 1.5 g of MoS2, with a maximum output force of 7.81 mN, an output force density of 34.36 mN/g, and a response rate of 0.09 mN/s. These performances were improved by 309%, 276%, and 175%, respectively, compared to the samples without MoS2 doping, with a mass-specific capacitance enhancement of 151%.
Kidney Renal Clear Cell Carcinoma (KIRC) accounts for 75% of all renal cancers. Previous study had conflict evidences regarding NR1B2 role in cancer, and its expression and biological role in KIRC ...remained unclear. Our aims were to characterize the role of NR1B2 in KIRC.
NR1B2 expression in TCGA database were analyzed. Clinical KIRC samples were examined by RT-PCR, western blot and tissue microarray (TMA). The relationship between NR1B2 expression and the clinical characteristics were evaluated. KIRC cell line were stably overexpressed NR1B2 or with an NR1B2 knocked down using lentivirus system. The cells were analyzed by migration and invasion assay, then injected into nude mice to assess tumor growth and metastasis. EMT marker expression and LATS 1/2-YAP pathway demonstration were detected by the TCGA database and western blot.
The expression of NR1B2 in KIRC was significantly down-regulated in the TCGA database and our clinical samples. Moreover, NR1B2 expression negatively correlated with tumor stage and positively correlated with overall and disease-free survival rate. Univariate and multivariate analyses indicated the expression level of NR1B2 could be used as an independent factor for predicting the prognosis of KIRC. Overexpression NR1B2 significantly inhibited and knockdown NR1B2 markedly promoted KIRC cell invasion and metastasis both in vitro and in vivo. Mechanistic investigations revealed that NR1B2 might be a tumor suppressor to inhibit EMT through the LATS1/2-YAP pathway.
our results defined NR1B2 as a tumor suppressor in KIRC that restricted EMT by the LATS1/2-YAP pathway.
How the intestinal tract develops a tolerance to foreign antigens is still largely unknown. Here we report that extracellular vesicles (EVs) with TGF-β1-dependent immunosuppressive activity are ...produced by intestinal epithelial cells (IECs) under physiological conditions. Transfer of these EVs into inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) mice induced by dextran sulfate sodium salt decreases IBD severity by inducing regulatory T cells and immunosuppressive dendritic cells. In contrast, decreased endogenous EV production promotes IBD development. IECs produce EVs with increased levels of TGF-β1 upon IBD development in an ERK-dependent manner. Furthermore, these EVs tend to localize in the intestinal tract associated with epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM). Knockdown of EpCAM in vivo increases the severity of murine IBD, and the protective effect of EVs from IECs with decreased EpCAM on murine IBD is blunted. Therefore, our study indicates that EVs from IECs participate in maintaining the intestinal tract immune balance.
The CIN-clade transcription factor TCP5 controls morphogenesis of the leaf margin in Arabidopsis by activating two key regulators of margin development, the Class II KNOX factor KNAT3 and BEL-like ...SAW1.
Abstract
Development of leaf margins is an important process in leaf morphogenesis. CIN-clade TCP (TEOSINTE BRANCHED1/CYCLOIDEA/PCF) transcription factors are known to have redundant roles in specifying leaf margins, but the specific mechanisms through which individual TCP genes function remain elusive. In this study, we report that the CIN-TCP gene TCP5 is involved in repressing the initiation and outgrowth of leaf serrations by activating two key regulators of margin development, the Class II KNOX factor KNAT3 and BEL-like SAW1. Specifically, TCP5 directly promotes the transcription of KNAT3 and indirectly activates the expression of SAW1. We also show that TCP5 regulates KNAT3 and SAW1 in a temporal- and spatial- specific manner that is largely in accordance with the progress of formation of serrations. This regulation might serve as a key mechanism in patterning margin morphogenesis and in sculpting the final form of the leaf.
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