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A nanoscale vector magnetometer is demonstrated by integrating a microfabricated diamond probe with a nanopillar on top of a single‐mode optical fiber. Based on the recently developed self‐aligned patterning techniques, ≈80 nitrogen vacancies are concentrated at a 100 nm2 area at the center of nanopillars to maximize the excitation and collection efficiencies. The spatial resolution of such a fiber‐coupled diamond magnetometer can reach 100 nm for the first time with a sensitivity of 11.27 µT/Hz$\sqrt {{\mathrm{Hz}}} $ for DC magnetic field sensing. In addition, the probe can provide deterministic oriented diamond nanopillars for simplified vector magnetometry. This fiber‐coupled diamond probe is applied to demonstrate the magnetic field imaging of charged electrodes in a confined box. These results mark a decisive step toward fiber‐based applications with nanoscale vector magnetometry capabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of Rhinogobius szechuanensis using the Illumina HiSeq platform and submitted the genome to Genbank with accession number OM617727. Assembly circular mitogenome (16,492 bp) consisted of 54.4% AT content, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, an origin of light-strand replication, and a control region. Phylogenetic analysis supported that R. szechuanensis was grouped with R. rubromaculatus and clustered with other Rhinogobius species. The basal molecular data will be essential for further genetics studies such as evolution, taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and population genetics of Rhinogobius. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of Devario interruptus was sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq platform and found to be 16,735 bp and included 37 genes encoding 13 proteins, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two non-coding regions. The proportion of nucleotides in mitochondrial genome was T (27.9%), C (23.7%), A (33%), G (15.4%), and the deviation of AT was 60.9%. A Maximum-Likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes of D. interruptus and other 18 species of fishes. Phylogenetic analysis results supported that D. interruptus was closely related to Devario shanensis. Fundamental genetic data of D. interruptus will be essential for further genetic studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain is a common symptom of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD), which seriously affects the quality of life of patients. The abnormal apoptosis and senescence of nucleus pulposus (NP) cells play important roles in the pathogenesis of IDD. Proanthocyanidins (PACs) are polyphenolic compounds with anti-apoptosis and anti-aging effects. However, their functions in NP cells are not yet clear. Therefore, this study was performed to explore the effects of PACs on NP cell apoptosis and aging and the underlying mechanisms of action. Cell viability was evaluated by cell counting kit-8 (CCK-8) assay. The apoptosis rate was determined TUNEL assays. Levels of apoptosis-associated molecules (Bcl-2, Bax, C-caspase-3 and Caspase-9) were evaluated via western blot. The senescence was observed through SA-β-gal staining and western blotting analysis was performed to observe the expression of senescence-related molecules (p-P53, P53, P21 and P16). Pretreatment with PACs exhibited protective effects against IL-1β-induced NP cell apoptosis including apoptosis rate, expressions of proapoptosis and antiapoptosis related genes and protein. PACs could also alleviate the increase of p-p53, P21, and P16 in IL-1β-treated NP cells. SA-β-gal staining showed that IL-1β-induced senescence of NP cells was prevented by PACs pertreatment. In addition, PACs activated PI3K/Akt pathway in IL-1β-stimulated NP cells. However, these protected effects were inhibited after LY294002 treatment. The results of the present study showed that PACs inhibit IL-1β-induced apoptosis and aging of NP cells by activating the PI3K/Akt pathway, and suggested that PACs have therapeutic potential for IDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study sequenced and annotated the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Rhinogobius filamentosus, an endemic species in China. The complete mitochondrial genome was 16,510 base pairs long and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs, 11,414 bp), 22 tRNA genes (1,555 bp), two rRNA genes (2,615 bp), two non-coding regions (D-loop: control region displacement loop, 478 bp; OL: origin of L-strand replication, 30 bp). The overall base composition of the genome was estimated to be T (25.4%), C (30.2%), A (27.6%) and G (16.7%), showing an AT bias (53%). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genus Rhinogobius included two clades. For one clade, R. filamentosus clustered with R. duospilus, and they formed a sister-group relationship with other ten Rhinogobius species. This work would be essential in revealing the evolutionary relationships in Gobionellinae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a highly disabling disorder for which few effective treatments are available. Grape seed proanthocyanidins (GSPs) are polyphenolic compounds with various biological activities. In our preliminary experiment, GSP promoted functional recovery in rats with SCI, but the mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, we explored the protective effects of GSP on SCI and its possible underlying mechanisms. We found that GSP promoted locomotor recovery, reduced neuronal apoptosis, increased neuronal preservation, and regulated microglial polarisation in vivo. We also performed in vitro studies to verify the effects of GSP on neuronal protection and microglial polarisation and their potential mechanisms. We found that GSP regulated microglial polarisation and inhibited apoptosis in PC12 cells induced by M1-BV2 cells through the Toll-like receptor 4- (TLR4-) mediated nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) and phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase/serine threonine kinase (PI3K/AKT) signaling pathways. This suggests that GSP regulates microglial polarisation and prevents neuronal apoptosis, possibly by the TLR4-mediated NF-κB and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to sequence and annotate the complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of Traccatichthys pulcher. The mitochondrial genome comprised 16,583 bp, harboring 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region. The whole genome contained T (25.8%), C (26.9%), A (31.4%), and G (15.9%), showing an obvious AT bias (57.2%). Based on the concatenated protein sequences of 13 PCGs, a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed by the maximum likelihood method, and the topology revealed the monophyly of Traccatichthys, and the gathering of T. pulcher and M. pulcher. The mitochondrial DNA of T. pulcher (MZ853162.1) and M. pulcher (NC_031581.1) were aligned by the BLAST 2 sequences tool, which showed 97% similarity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to sequence and annotate the complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of Opsarius pulchellus. Complete mitochondrial genome is a circular molecule of 16,552 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a displacement loop region. Proportion of nucleotides in mitochondrial genome is 26.8% T, 26.9% C, 27.6% A, and 18.8% G, with an AT bias of 54.4%. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the connected protein sequences of 13 PCGs of O. pulchellus and other 18 fishes. Result of phylogenetic analysis supports a close relationship between O. pulchellus and Barilius bendelisis (Hamilton, 1807). Fundamental genetic data of O. pulchellus would be beneficial for further studies on genetic diversity and phylogeny. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family of Gastromyzontidae originates from China and Southeast Asia, which is widely distributed in the southern part of the Yangtze River. In this study, we sequenced seven fish complete mitogenomes from three of all 18 genera in the Gastromyzontidae on the Illumina HiSeq platform. Lengths of seven complete mitochondrial genome sequences varied from 16,554 to 16,574 bp, with an AT bias of 53.6–54.9%. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the connected protein sequences of 13 protein-coding genes of 34 species of fish. The phylogeny revealed that the genera Gastromyzon, Sewellia, and Erromyzon were monophyletic, and other genera Beaufortia, Vanmanenia, Formosania, and Pseudogastromyzon were paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Phylogeny corrected the taxonomic status of Metahomaloptera omeiensis, which should be categorized under the family of Gastromyzontidae rather than Balitoridae, denoting the significance of this study to the overall fisheries research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The external monomers N-methyl- N, N-diethanolamine, N-butyl- N, N-diethanolamine, N-(2- cyanoethyl) diethanolamine, and N, N-dihydroxyl-3-aminmethyl propionate were synthesized by modification of diethanolamine to evaluate the effects of external monomer molecular structure on the interfacial interactions of borate ester bonding agent (BEBA) applied in four-component hydroxy-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB) propellants. The compounds were characterized by IR and NMR spectroscopy. A series of BEBAs were synthesized using the as-synthesized external monomers as well as diethanolamine. The interfacial interactions are evaluated using thermodynamic methods including acid-base interaction enthalpy and wetting theory among the components in HTPB propellants. The experimental results indicate that the addition of BEBA-3 prepared from N-(2-cyanoethyl) diethanolamine can significantly improve the interaction ethalpies and surface properties of the components in HTPB propellants. The results from the mechanical properties testing and SEM observations are in accordance with the results from the thermodynamic analysis of the interfacial adhesion interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil-water supply is the main factor limiting crop production across the Loess Plateau in China. A field study on dryland spring maize was conducted in 2013 on the Changwu Tableland to investigate the effects of plastic film mulching management practice on maize growth, yield, water use efficiency (WUE), soil water storages (SWS) and the ratio between transpiration and evapotranspiration (T/ET). The T characteristics of maize were measured using the sap flow method. Results showed that plastic film mulching treatment had a seedling emergence rate of 98.1%, which was significantly higher than 80.2% of the non-mulching treatment. Maize plants reached to different stages 10.3 days earlier and the whole growth period was shortened by 14 days under plastic film mulching. Plastic mulch retained soil water in the early stage to promote maize development in the later stage, and consumed more water in the deeper soil during the reproductive stage. The daily mean ET under plastic mulch was lower than that under non-mulching, whereas the daily mean T was the opposite. The T/ET of maize was 68.10% under non-mulching and 85.50% under plastic mulch from July to September. Under the same LAI, the T/ET of plastic mulch was greater than that under non-mulching conditions. The plastic mulch decreased ET but increased WUE by 47.3%. It was concluded that plastic mulch is beneficial for improving the yield of maize and increase available water on the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long‐term N fertilization may increase dryland winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) yield but also result in adverse effects, e.g., soil acidity development and water storage or increased N leaching. This study examined if long‐term N fertilization affected the soil water balance and dryland winter wheat yield. We evaluated the effect of five N fertilization rates (0, 45, 90, 135, and 180 kg N ha−1) on the soil water balance, precipitation‐storage efficiency (PSE), winter wheat yield, and water‐use efficiency (WUE) from 2005 to 2010 in an experiment initiated in 1984 in a Heilutu silt loam in the Loess Plateau of China. Soil water contents at wheat planting and harvest were lower with N fertilization than without. Nitrogen fertilization increased soil water storage during the fallow period (SWSF) from 19 to 22%, water uptake during the growing season from 21 to 25%, PSE from 19 to 22%, and evapotranspiration from 7 to 8% compared to no N fertilization. Increased N rate enhanced soil organic C but had no impact on soil pH in 2005. Wheat yield increased up to 244% and WUE to 220% as the N rate increased. Although more soil water was depleted, N fertilization increased winter wheat yield and WUE by enhancing SWSF and PSE, and increased the water holding capacity by increasing soil organic matter compared to no N fertilization. Long‐term N fertilization can increase winter wheat yield by utilizing soil water more efficiently, with minimum impact on soil acidity, in the Chinese Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the precipitation over the Loess Tableland in Changwu County of Shaanxi Province and the soil water in 0-20 m loess profiles under different land use patterns on the Tableland were sampled, and their isotope compositions were analyzed, aimed to understand the characteristics of stable isotopes in the soil water and the mechanisms of the soil water movement. In the study area, the equation of the local meteoric water line (LMWL) was δD=7. 39δ18O+4. 34 (R2 = 0. 94, n =71), and the contents of the stable isotopes in the precipitation had an obvious seasonal variation of high in winter and spring and low in summer and autumn. The contents of the stable isotopes in the soil water were fell on the underside of the LMWL, and higher than those in the precipitation from July to October, indicating that the soil water was mainly replenished by the precipitation with lower stable isotope contents in summer and autumn. In the soil profiles of different land use patterns, the stable isotope contents in soil water tended to be the same with the increasing soil depth; while under the same land use patterns, the water's stable isotope composition in shallow soil layers changed greatly with time, but changed less with increasing depth. Through the comparison of the stable isotope contents in precipitation and in soil water, it was observed that the piston flow and preferential flow on the Tableland were coexisted in the process of precipitation infiltration, and the occurrence of the preferential flow had a certain relation with land use pattern. Generally, the soil desiccation caused by the negative water balance resulted from the artificial plantations of high water consumption could reduce the probability of preferential flow occurrence, whereas the precipitation infiltration in the form of preferential flow could easily occur on the farmland or natural grassland so that the soil water in deep layers or the ground water could be replenished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Precipitation events can induce episodic CO 2 emissions, so called the “Birch Effect”, which could be affected by soil microbial activity in dryland cropping systems. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of precipitation frequencies on soil CO 2 fluxes and the mechanism responsible for the Birch Effect during fallow after winter wheat harvest in the Loess Plateau of China. A simulated precipitation of 240 mm was applied at 5, 10, and 20 days intervals (I5, I10, and I20, respectively) for 60 days and soil CO 2 flux, K 2 SO 4 -extractable C (EOC) and microbial biomass C (MBC) were measured. The CO 2 flux increased immediately following precipitation events, with peak fluxes of 7.9, 8.2, and 7.7 μmol CO 2 m −2 s −1 for I5, I10, and I20, respectively. Cumulative CO 2 flux from days 55–60 was greater for I5 and I10 than I20. The EOC and MBC were not affected by precipitation simulation at the first event, but MBC increased from the first to the last precipitation event, especially for I5 and I10. The CO 2 flux was strongly correlated with EOC at the first event ( r = 0.73, 0.85 and 0.90 for I5, I10 and I20, P < 0.01, respectively), but not correlated with EOC at the last event for I5 and I10 and the correlation decreased from the first to the last event ( r = 0.47, P < 0.01) for I20. In contrast, the correlation coefficient of CO 2 flux with MBC was not significant at first event and increased to 0.81 ( P < 0.01), 0.44 and 0.47 ( P < 0.05) at the last event for I5, I10 and I20, respectively. Higher precipitation frequency at shorter intervals increased CO 2 emissions compared to lower frequency at longer intervals due to enhanced microbial activity as a result of increased substrate availability from accelerated soil aggregate destruction. The dominant mechanism for the “Birch Effect” shifted from “substrate supply” at the first precipitation event to “microbial stress” at the last event, especially for shorter precipitation intervals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study was conducted to assess the effect of root system size and vertical distribution on competitive ability and water use efficiency (WUE) by root pruning at the stem elongation stage. The field experiments were carried out from 2004 to 2005 and 2005 to 2006 in the Loess Plateau regions, China. Root pruning succeeded in reducing root dry weight in the upper soil (0–20cm soil layer), resulting in diminished total root weight in root pruned wheat (p <0.05). Root pruning restrained stomatal conductance and transpiration of wheat at the stem elongation stage. However, both stomatal conductance and transpiration in root pruned plants were higher than those in control plants at the anthesis and grain filling stages. Root pruned wheat plants had a higher photosynthetic and lower root respiration rate than wheat plants in the control plot at the anthesis and grain filling stages, which resulted in a higher proportion of photosynthate being allocated to the shoots and an increased harvest index. Competitive ability was investigated using de Wit replacement series. There were no significant differences in shoot dry weight and grain yield between root pruned and control plots, but the root pruned wheat was less productive and had a lower relative yield compared with the control in the mixture field. The relative spike number of root pruned wheat decreased significantly in the mixture plots. Root pruned wheat had significantly higher dry mass per stem than control in the monoculture plot. In the mixture plot, the dry mass per stem of root pruned wheat tended to decrease with increase in plant density of the control wheat. The differences between root pruned and control wheat plants mentioned above showed that the competitive ability of root pruned wheat was lower than that of control wheat in mixture plots. It is an important result in this study that root pruning lowered water consumption significantly and improved the WUE of winter wheat. In conclusion, the current study showed that root pruning improved the WUE of winter wheat significantly by lowering the root biomass in the upper soil layer, which further demonstrated the speculation from different wheat cultivars that breeding of wheat varieties has unknowingly increased WUE and harvest index by reducing the root system size in the upper soil layer. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Bell's theorem states that the quantum mechanical description of physical quantities cannot be fully explained by local realistic theories, laying a solid basis for various quantum information applications. Hardy's paradox is celebrated as the simplest form of Bell's theorem concerning its "All versus Nothing" approach to test local realism. However, due to experimental imperfections, existing tests of Hardy's paradox require additional assumptions of the experimental systems, and these assumptions constitute potential loopholes for faithfully testing local realistic theories. Here, we experimentally demonstrate Hardy's nonlocality through a photonic entanglement source. By achieving a detection efficiency of 82.2%, a quantum state fidelity of 99.10%, and applying high-speed quantum random number generators for the measurement setting switching, the experiment is implemented in a loophole-free manner. During 6 h of running, a strong violation of P&#95;{Hardy}=4.646×10^{-4} up to 5 standard deviations is observed with 4.32×10^{9} trials. A null hypothesis test shows that the results can be explained by local realistic theories with an upper bound probability of 10^{-16348}. These testing results provide affirmative evidence against local realism, and establish an advancing benchmark for quantum information applications based on Hardy's paradox.

Zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) is a fundamental cryptographic primitive that allows a prover to convince a verifier of the validity of a statement without leaking any further information. As an efficient variant of ZKP, noninteractive zero-knowledge proof (NIZKP) adopting the Fiat-Shamir heuristic is essential to a wide spectrum of applications, such as federated learning, blockchain, and social networks. However, the heuristic is typically built upon the random oracle model that makes ideal assumptions about hash functions, which does not hold in reality and thus undermines the security of the protocol. Here, we present a quantum solution to the problem. Instead of resorting to a random oracle model, we implement a quantum randomness service. This service generates random numbers certified by the loophole-free Bell test and delivers them with postquantum cryptography (PQC) authentication. By employing this service, we conceive and implement NIZKP of the three-coloring problem. By bridging together three prominent research themes, quantum nonlocality, PQC, and ZKP, we anticipate this work to inspire more innovative applications that combine quantum information science and the cryptography field.

The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of Devario interruptus was sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq platform and found to be 16,735 bp and included 37 genes encoding 13 proteins, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two non-coding regions. The proportion of nucleotides in mitochondrial genome was T (27.9%), C (23.7%), A (33%), G (15.4%), and the deviation of AT was 60.9%. A Maximum-Likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes of D. interruptus and other 18 species of fishes. Phylogenetic analysis results supported that D. interruptus was closely related to Devario shanensis . Fundamental genetic data of D. interruptus will be essential for further genetic studies., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Here, we sequenced the complete mitogenome of Rhinogobius szechuanensis using the Illumina HiSeq platform and submitted the genome to Genbank with accession number OM617727. Assembly circular mitogenome (16,492 bp) consisted of 54.4% AT content, 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, an origin of light-strand replication, and a control region. Phylogenetic analysis supported that R. szechuanensis was grouped with R. rubromaculatus and clustered with other Rhinogobius species. The basal molecular data will be essential for further genetics studies such as evolution, taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and population genetics of Rhinogobius., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2023 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

This study sequenced and annotated the complete mitochondrial genome sequence of Rhinogobius filamentosus , an endemic species in China. The complete mitochondrial genome was 16,510 base pairs long and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs, 11,414 bp), 22 tRNA genes (1,555 bp), two rRNA genes (2,615 bp), two non-coding regions (D-loop: control region displacement loop, 478 bp; OL: origin of L-strand replication, 30 bp). The overall base composition of the genome was estimated to be T (25.4%), C (30.2%), A (27.6%) and G (16.7%), showing an AT bias (53%). Phylogenetic analyses revealed that the genus Rhinogobius included two clades. For one clade, R. filamentosus clustered with R. duospilus , and they formed a sister-group relationship with other ten Rhinogobius species. This work would be essential in revealing the evolutionary relationships in Gobionellinae., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

The security of quantum key distribution (QKD) usually relies on that the users' devices are well characterized according to the security models made in the security proofs. In contrast, device-independent QKD-an entanglement-based protocol-permits the security even without any knowledge of the underlying quantum devices. Despite its beauty in theory, device-independent QKD is elusive to realize with current technologies. Especially in photonic implementations, the requirements for detection efficiency are far beyond the performance of any reported device-independent experiments. In this Letter, we report a proof-of-principle experiment of device-independent QKD based on a photonic setup in the asymptotic limit. On the theoretical side, we enhance the loss tolerance for real device imperfections by combining different approaches, namely, random postselection, noisy preprocessing, and developed numerical methods to estimate the key rate via the von Neumann entropy. On the experimental side, we develop a high-quality polarization-entangled photon source achieving a state-of-the-art (heralded) detection efficiency about 87.5%. Although our experiment does not include random basis switching, the achieved efficiency outperforms previous photonic experiments involving loophole-free Bell tests. Together, we show that the measured quantum correlations are strong enough to ensure a positive key rate under the fiber length up to 220 m. Our photonic platform can generate entangled photons at a high rate and in the telecom wavelength, which is desirable for high-speed generation over long distances. The results present an important step toward a full demonstration of photonic device-independent QKD.

This study aimed to sequence and annotate the complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of Traccatichthys pulcher . The mitochondrial genome comprised 16,583 bp, harboring 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a control region. The whole genome contained T (25.8%), C (26.9%), A (31.4%), and G (15.9%), showing an obvious AT bias (57.2%). Based on the concatenated protein sequences of 13 PCGs, a phylogenetic tree was reconstructed by the maximum likelihood method, and the topology revealed the monophyly of Traccatichthys , and the gathering of T. pulcher and M. pulcher . The mitochondrial DNA of T. pulcher (MZ853162.1) and M. pulcher (NC&#95;031581.1) were aligned by the BLAST 2 sequences tool, which showed 97% similarity., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

This study aimed to sequence and annotate the complete mitochondrial DNA genome sequence of Opsarius pulchellus. Complete mitochondrial genome is a circular molecule of 16,552 bp in length, including 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 22 tRNA genes, two rRNA genes, and a displacement loop region. Proportion of nucleotides in mitochondrial genome is 26.8% T, 26.9% C, 27.6% A, and 18.8% G, with an AT bias of 54.4%. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the connected protein sequences of 13 PCGs of O. pulchellus and other 18 fishes. Result of phylogenetic analysis supports a close relationship between O. pulchellus and Barilius bendelisis (Hamilton, 1807). Fundamental genetic data of O. pulchellus would be beneficial for further studies on genetic diversity and phylogeny., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s)., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Family of Gastromyzontidae originates from China and Southeast Asia, which is widely distributed in the southern part of the Yangtze River. In this study, we sequenced seven fish complete mitogenomes from three of all 18 genera in the Gastromyzontidae on the Illumina HiSeq platform. Lengths of seven complete mitochondrial genome sequences varied from 16,554 to 16,574 bp, with an AT bias of 53.6-54.9%. Maximum-likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the connected protein sequences of 13 protein-coding genes of 34 species of fish. The phylogeny revealed that the genera Gastromyzon , Sewellia , and Erromyzon were monophyletic, and other genera Beaufortia , Vanmanenia , Formosania , and Pseudogastromyzon were paraphyletic or polyphyletic. Phylogeny corrected the taxonomic status of Metahomaloptera omeiensis , which should be categorized under the family of Gastromyzontidae rather than Balitoridae, denoting the significance of this study to the overall fisheries research., Competing Interests: The authors declare no potential conflict of interest., (© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.)

Randomness expansion where one generates a longer sequence of random numbers from a short one is viable in quantum mechanics but not allowed classically. Device-independent quantum randomness expansion provides a randomness resource of the highest security level. Here, we report the first experimental realization of device-independent quantum randomness expansion secure against quantum side information established through quantum probability estimation. We generate 5.47×10^{8} quantum-proof random bits while consuming 4.39×10^{8}  bits of entropy, expanding our store of randomness by 1.08×10^{8}  bits at a latency of about 13.1 h, with a total soundness error 4.6×10^{-10}. Device-independent quantum randomness expansion not only enriches our understanding of randomness but also sets a solid base to bring quantum-certifiable random bits into realistic applications.

Inspired by the recent remarkable progress in the experimental test of local realism, we report here such a test that achieves an efficiency greater than (78%)^{2} for entangled photon pairs separated by 183 m. Further utilizing the randomness in cosmic photons from pairs of stars on the opposite sides of the sky for the measurement setting choices, we not only close the locality and detection loopholes simultaneously, but also test the null hypothesis against local hidden variable mechanisms for events that took place 11 years ago (13 orders of magnitude longer than previous experiments). After considering the bias in measurement setting choices, we obtain an upper bound on the p value of 7.87×10^{-4}, which clearly indicates the rejection with high confidence of potential local hidden variable models. One may further push the time constraint on local hidden variable mechanisms deep into the cosmic history by taking advantage of the randomness in photon emissions from quasars with large aperture telescopes.

The estimate of dental caries among Chinese children at the microscale level using standard methodology remains unclear. In this study, we assessed and analyzed the disease burden of childhood dental caries in China by extracting data from the Global Burden of Disease, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016 (GBD 2016). In 2016, the number of cases, prevalence, years lived with disability (YLD), and age-standardized YLD rate of dental caries was 93.0 million, 43.0%, 32,200 person years, and 14.8 per 100,000, respectively. Across 33 provincial units, the disease burden was highest in Hubei (YLD rate 28.6 per 100,000), lowest in Macao (9.1 per 100,000), while geographical clustering was not observed. Compared with 1990, the prevalence in 2016 decreased from 46.8% to 43.0%, and the YLD rate decreased from 16.5 per 100,000 to 14.8 per 100,000. Given the slight decrease in dental caries burden, the prevalence and disease burden remained high among Chinese children. Strategies for addressing the spatial inequity of childhood dental caries require geographical targeting., (Copyright © 2018 The Editorial Board of Biomedical and Environmental Sciences. Published by China CDC. All rights reserved.)

Our previous salivary study had demonstrated an apparent T helper 2 (Th2)-predominance in saliva of oral lichen planus (OLP) patients and suggested a potential of salivary interleukin-4 (IL-4) as a biomarker for monitoring disease severity. To further determine the consistency of Th1/Th2 bias of OLP, this study investigated the expression profile of interferon-γ (IFN-γ) and IL-4 in serum and the relationship of the serum levels of these cytokines with their saliva partners. Sixty ethnic Chinese patients with OLP (40 of the erythematous/ulcerative form and 20 of the reticular form) were recruited for this study, with 40 age-sex-matched healthy volunteers as control group. IFN-γ and IL-4 levels in serum and paired saliva samples were screened by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. OLP patient showed a low-level IFN-γ but high-level IL-4 expression profile in both serum and saliva, with a lower IFN-γ/IL-4 ratio. Serum IL-4 level in the erythematous/ulcerative group was significantly higher than that in the reticular group. Serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-4 were significantly and positively correlated with their saliva partners. These results provided more evidence for Th2 cytokine-predominant immune imbalance in OLP, as well as the potential of IL-4 as the biomarker for monitoring severity of OLP.