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Climate change has been disturbing the present species distribution ranges, resulting in the shifting of cultivation areas and decreases in production and quality. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), which seeks optimum climatic resources, is a key cash crop economically in Kenya. In this study, the shifting of tea suitability was projected with the MaxEnt model under the SSP (SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, SSP3-7.0, and SSP5-8.5) climate scenarios for the 2050s and 2090s relative to the 1970–2000 distribution. Analysis under the current climatic condition showed that the proportions of optimal and medium- and marginal-suitable areas were 2%, 3%, and 24% of the total area, respectively, and located in south-western (SW), central, and north-eastern (NE) Kenya and, to some extent, in the Rift Valley. It was projected that the potential suitable tea-growing areas would migrate from the western areas to the central, eastern, and north-eastern highlands in Kenya. It was detected that the precipitation of the driest period (July), precipitation of the wettest quarter (April, May, and June), and annual temperature range could be the main climatic factors determining the shift in tea distribution. Compared to the current distribution (29%), the climatically suitable areas for tea production could reach 32.58% of Kenya's land area under the SSP1-2.6 scenarios in the 2050s and 35.08% in the 2090s under the SSP5-8.5 scenario. On the contrary, it was found that the optimal climate-suitable habitats were projected to shrink by 2% and 1% in the 2050s and 2090s under all scenarios on the west side of the Great Rift Valley compared to the current distribution. In comparison, the sizes of medium- and marginal-suitable habitats would increase by 1% and 3%, respectively. The findings indicated that unless adaptive climate actions are taken, climate change could reduce the tea planting areas in western Kenya. Meanwhile, climate suitability was projected to expand upward on the east side of the Rift Valley, enhancing the potential distribution of tea. The developed climate information could be used to design and implement adaptation interventions in the lower elevation areas. Finally, we highlight that the available scientific literature on the climate suitability of tea in Kenya should be broadened by adding non-climatic factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raising attentions have focused on how to alleviate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from orchard system while simultaneously increase fruit production. Microalgae-based biofertilizer represents a promising resource for improving soil fertility and higher productivity. However, the effects of microalgae application more especially live microalgae on GHG emissions are understudied. In this study, fruit yield and quality, GHG emissions, as well as soil organic carbon and nitrogen fractions were examined in a hawthorn orchard, under the effects of live microalgae-based biofertilizer applied at three doses and two modes. Compared with conventional fertilization, microalgae improved hawthorn yield by 15.7%−29.6% with a maximal increment at medium dose by root application, and significantly increased soluble and reducing sugars contents at high dose. While microalgae did not increase GHG emissions except for nitrous oxide at high dose by root application, instead it significantly increased methane uptake by 1.5−2.3 times in root application. In addition, microalgae showed an increasing trend in soil organic carbon content, and significantly increased the contents of soil dissolved organic carbon and microbial biomass carbon, as well as soil ammonium nitrogen and dissolved organic nitrogen at medium dose with root application. Overall, the results indicated that the live microalgae could be used as a green biofertilizer for improving fruit yield without increasing GHG emissions intensity and the comprehensive greenhouse effect, in particular at medium dose with root application. We presume that if lowering chemical fertilizer rates, application of the live microalgae-based biofertilizer may help to reduce nitrous oxide emissions without compromising fruit yield and quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization of the value of ecological products has led to an economic means for reducing carbon emissions in China. Tea is one of the most important cash crops and one of the most popular beverages in the world. Due to the complex the tea industrial chain, it is considered to be an industry with high carbon emissions. Ecological tea products with low-carbon attributes can be considered a linkage of ecology, economy, and society. Based on this, this paper presents research on low-carbon ecological tea (LCT). Herein, we construct the formational logic of low-carbon ecological products, explore the connotations of LCT, and form a conceptual pathway for realizing LCT to contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation. This paper starts from the upstream, midstream, and downstream of the industrial chain; it establishes three value realization pathways that keep, as a priority, the promotion of ecological industrialization, focus on restoration to improve the ecology of the industrial chain, and innovate technology to expand the industrial chain. The pathways are a set of low-emission production solutions that use techniques to enhance carbon sequestration in soil, reduce the use of fertilizers and pesticides, and help shift to clean energy from low-emission sources in the stages of plantation, processing, and distribution. In the process of realizing LCT, the government plays an important role, and its support and guidance are needed. Based on stakeholder theory, this paper builds an implementation mechanism that focuses on the micro perspective (users, organizations), integrates the mesoscopic perspective (industry), and relies on the macro perspective (government). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While single‐shot late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) is useful for imaging patients with arrhythmia and/or dyspnea, it produces low spatial resolution. One approach to improve spatial resolution is to accelerate data acquisition using compressed sensing (CS). Our previous work described a single‐shot, multi‐inversion time (TI) LGE pulse sequence using radial k‐space sampling and CS, but over‐regularization resulted in significant image blurring that muted the benefits of data acceleration. The purpose of the present study was to improve the spatial resolution of the single‐shot, multi‐TI LGE pulse sequence by incorporating view sharing (VS) and k‐space weighted contrast (KWIC) filtering into a GRASP‐Pro reconstruction. In 24 patients (mean age = 61 ± 16 years; 9/15 females/males), we compared the performance of our improved multi‐TI LGE and standard multi‐TI LGE, where clinical standard LGE was used as a reference. Two clinical raters independently graded multi‐TI images and clinical LGE images visually on a five‐point Likert scale (1, nondiagnostic; 3, clinically acceptable; 5, best) for three categories: the conspicuity of myocardium or scar, artifact, and noise. The summed visual score (SVS) was defined as the sum of the three scores. Myocardial scar volume was quantified using the full‐width at half‐maximum method. The SVS was not significantly different between clinical breath‐holding LGE (median 13.5, IQR 1.3) and multi‐TI LGE (median 12.5, IQR 1.6) (P = 0.068). The myocardial scar volumes measured from clinical standard LGE and multi‐TI LGE were strongly correlated (coefficient of determination, R2 = 0.99) and in good agreement (mean difference = 0.11%, lower limit of the agreement = −2.13%, upper limit of the agreement = 2.34%). The inter‐rater agreement in myocardial scar volume quantification was strong (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79). The incorporation of VS and KWIC into GRASP‐Pro improved spatial resolution. Our improved 25‐fold accelerated, single‐shot LGE sequence produces clinically acceptable image quality, multi‐TI reconstruction, and accurate myocardial scar volume quantification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The plant hormone salicylic acid (SA) plays critical roles in plant innate immunity. Several SA derivatives and associated modification are identified, whereas the range and modes of action of SA‐related metabolites remain elusive. Here, the study discovered 2,4‐dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,4‐DHBA) and its glycosylated form as native SA derivatives in plants whose accumulation is largely induced by SA application and Ps. camelliae‐sinensis (Pcs) infection. CsSH1, a 4/5‐hydroxylase, catalyzes the hydroxylation of SA to 2,4‐DHBA, and UDP‐glucosyltransferase UGT95B17 catalyzes the formation of 2,4‐DHBA glucoside. Down‐regulation reduced the accumulation of 2,4‐DHBA glucosides and enhanced the sensitivity of tea plants to Pcs. Conversely, overexpression of UGT95B17 increased plant disease resistance. The exogenous application of 2,4‐DHBA and 2,5‐DHBA, as well as the accumulation of DHBA and plant resistance comparison, indicate that 2,4‐DHBA functions as a potentially bioactive molecule and is stored mainly as a glucose conjugate in tea plants, differs from the mechanism described in Arabidopsis. When 2,4‐DHBA is applied exogenously, UGT95B17‐silenced tea plants accumulated more 2,4‐DHBA than SA and showed induced resistance to Pcs infection. These results indicate that 2,4‐DHBA glucosylation positively regulates disease resistance and highlight the role of 2,4‐DHBA as potentially bioactive molecule in the establishment of basal resistance in tea plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two‐dimensional material‐based field‐effect transistors (2DM‐FETs) are playing a revolutionary role in electronic devices. However, before electronic design automation (EDA) for 2DM‐FETs can be achieved, it remains necessary to determine how to incorporate contact transports into model. Reported methods compromise between physical intelligibility and model compactness due to the heterojunction nature. To address this, quasi‐Fermi‐level phase space theory (QFLPS) is generalized to incorporate contact transports using the Landauer formula. It turns out that the Landauer‐QFLPS model effectively overcomes the issue of concern. The proposed new formula can describe 2DM‐FETs with Schottky or Ohmic contacts with superior accuracy and efficiency over previous methods, especially when describing non‐monotonic drain conductance characteristics. A three‐bit threshold inverter quantizer (TIQ) circuit is fabricated using ambipolar black phosphorus and it is demonstrated that the model accurately predicts circuit performance. The model could be very effective and valuable in the development of 2DM‐FET‐based integrated circuits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidation of renewable polyol/sugar into formic acid using molecular O2 over heterogeneous catalysts is still challenging due to the insufficient activation of both O2 and organic substrates on coordination-saturated metal oxides. In this study, we develop a defective MnO2 catalyst through a coordination number reduction strategy to enhance the aerobic oxidation of various polyols/sugars to formic acid. Compared to common MnO2, the tri-coordinated Mn in the defective MnO2 catalyst displays the electronic reconstruction of surface oxygen charge state and rich surface oxygen vacancies. These oxygen vacancies create more Mnδ+ Lewis acid site together with nearby oxygen as Lewis base sites. This combined structure behaves much like Frustrated Lewis pairs, serving to facilitate the activation of O2, as well as C–C and C–H bonds. As a result, the defective MnO2 catalyst shows high catalytic activity (turnover frequency: 113.5 h−1) and formic acid yield (>80%) comparable to noble metal catalysts for glycerol oxidation. The catalytic system is further extended to the oxidation of other polyols/sugars to formic acid with excellent catalytic performance. This work develops defective MnO2 catalysts with Frustrated Lewis Pairs through a coordination number reduction strategy to enhance the aerobic oxidation of various polyols/sugars to formic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Epigenetic status of fetal fibroblasts (FFs) is one of the crucial factors accounted for the success of somatic cell nuclear transfer and gene editing, which might inevitably be affected by passaging. But few systematic studies have been performed on the epigenetic status of passaged aging cells. Therefore, FFs from large white pig were in vitro passaged to the 5, 10, and 15 (F5, F10, and F15) passages in the present study to investigate the potential alteration of epigenetic status. Results indicated the senescence of FFs occurs with the passaging, as assessed by the weakened growth rate, increased β-gal expression, and so on. For the epigenetic status of FFs, the higher level both of DNA methylation and H3K4me1, H3K4me2, H3K4me3 was observed at F10, but the lowest level was observed at F15. However, the fluorescence intensity of m6A was significantly higher in F15, but lower (p < 0.05) in F10, and the related mRNA expression in F15 was significantly higher than F5. Further, RNA-Seq indicated a considerable difference in the expression pattern of F5, F10, and F15 FFs. Among differentially expressed genes, not only the genes involved in cell senescence were changed, but also the upregulated expression of Dnmt1, Dnmt3b, Tet1 and dysregulated expression of histone methyltransferases-related genes were detected in F10 FFs. In addition, most genes related to m6A such as METTL3, YTHDF2, and YTHDC1 were significantly different in F5, F10, and F15 FFs. In conclusion, the epigenetic status of FFs was affected by being passaged from F5 to F15. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have indicated that the accurate simulation of debris flows depends not only on the selection of numerical models but also on the availability of precise data on the initial source location and depth. Unfortunately, it is currently difficult to obtain quantitative data on source locations and depths during field investigations or model experiments of debris flow disasters. Therefore, in this study, we propose an integrated approach for simulating the debris-flow dynamic process that includes the physically based slope initiation source estimation and the entrainment-incorporated process simulation. We treat the potential slip surfaces' locations and depths as random variables to search for the critical surface corresponding to the minimum stability factor by Monte Carlo simulation. Using the spatial variation interval of the soil parameters, we estimate the range of possible critical slip surfaces and the interval of the initiation source volume. Moreover, we propose a wet/dry front treatment method applied to the finite difference scheme and integrate it into our entrainment-incorporated model to improve the stability and accuracy of the numerical solution over complex topography. The effectiveness of the method is demonstrated through a case study of the 2010 Hongchun debris flow event in Yingxiu town. The result indicates that our method is effective in simulating debris flow dynamics, including slope initiation source estimation and dynamic process simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The balance between the supply and demand of ecosystem services (ESs) is an important prerequisite for maintaining the sustainability of ecological protection and restoration project implementation. However, research related to ecological protection and restoration is insufficient for the study of the demand for ecosystem services. Many ecological protection and restoration projects have been implemented in the Fujian Province, but the ESs and the relationship changes between supply and demand are not clear. In this study, multisource remote sensing and public data and the InVEST model were used to quantitatively assess and map four typical ESs, including food production, water yield, soil retention and carbon sequestration. Hotspot analysis was used to analyze the spatial cluster of the ESs supply–demand ratio. The results showed that: (1) there were trade-offs between supporting and regulating services, particularly between carbon sequestration and water yield services, and the strength of trade-offs or synergies between food production and other services was stronger in protection and restoration areas than in other areas; (2) the supply of ESs in the Fujian Province exceeded the demand, and the supply–demand ratio for ESs decreased from the mountainous regions in the northwest interior to the economically developed regions in the southeast coast; and (3) ecological restoration projects improved the relationship between supply and demand for some ESs, while other areas (except protection and restoration areas) had many low-value clusters of supply–demand ratios, especially regarding water yield and carbon sequestration services. Based on the results, our findings also provide suggestions for ensuring the sustainability of ecological protection and restoration in southeast hilly areas and other similar regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early life stress alters brain‐derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) promoter IV methylation and BDNF expression, which is closely related to the pathophysiological process of depression. However, the role of abnormal methylation of BDNF induced by stress during adolescence due to depression has not yet been clarified. In this study, adolescent mice were exposed to chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS). Depression‐like behaviors, BDNF promoter IV methylation, expression of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs), demethylation machinery enzymes, BDNF protein levels, and neuronal development in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and hippocampus (HIP) were assessed in adolescent and adult mice. The DNMT inhibitor, 5‐Aza‐2‐deoxycytidine (5‐AzaD), was used as an intervention. Stress in adolescence induces behavioral dysfunction, elevated methylation levels of BDNF promoter IV, changes in the expression of DNMT, and demethylation machinery enzymes in adolescent and adult mice. Additionally, the stress in adolescence induced lower levels of BDNF and abnormal hippocampal doublecortin (DCX) expression in adolescent and adult mice. However, DNMT inhibitor treatment in adolescent‐stressed mice relieved the abnormal behaviors, normalized the methylation level of BDNF promoter IV, BDNF protein expression, expression of DNMTs, and demethylation machinery enzymes, and improved the neuronal development of adult mice. These results suggest that stress in adolescence induces short‐ and long‐term hypermethylation of BDNF promoter IV, which is regulated by DNMTs, and leads to the development of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China is a major producer of green tea, and most of its green tea production comes from small farmers. Accessing the carbon emission status of this group can provide data support and a decision-making basis for the realization of carbon neutrality in China's tea industry. In this study, the life cycle assessment method was used to analyze the carbon footprint of green tea produced by smallholder farmers in Liugou Village, Hanzhong City, Shaanxi Province. The results showed that the carbon emission intensity of green tea for its entire life cycle was 32.90 kg CO2eq kg−1 dry tea, and the carbon emission intensities of its consumption, processing, and cultivation were 14.90, 7.94, and 6.97 kg CO2eq kg−1, respectively. In the processing stage, emissions during steaming and drying accounted for 57%. The use of coal, complicated processing procedures, and older equipment were the main reasons for the high emissions in the processing stage. In the cultivation process, emissions mainly came from fertilizer production and its application in the field. The energy consumption of boiling water resulted in high carbon emissions in the consumption stage. This study suggests that building a scientific fertilization system for tea gardens, optimizing processing equipment and energy utilization structure, and cultivating the concept of low-carbon consumption will be the keys to promoting smallholder farmers to reduce carbon emissions. This study further emphasizes that we should focus on carbon emissions caused by the production processes of small farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploring the trade-off/synergy among ecosystem services (ESs) of agroecosystems could provide effective support for improving agricultural resilience for sustainable development. The construction of ecological tea gardens is emerging, aims to achieve a win-win situation for the tea industry and ecological environment protection. However, the effect of ES trade-offs/synergies on tea production is still not clear. In this study, we selected Fuzhou city, China, as a case study and explored the relationship among tea production and ESs in 2010 and 2020. Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Trade-offs (InVEST) and Intelligent Urban Ecosystem Management System (IUEMS) models were used to assess the ecosystem (dis)services, which were tea production, water yield, soil retention, net primary productivity (NPP), climate regulation, soil erosion and carbon emissions. Then, the sum of trade-off/synergy coefficients of ESs (Cts) were defined to reveal the trade-off/synergy in tea gardens and areas except tea gardens (ETG areas). K-means clustering was used to assess the spatiotemporal change of traditional tea garden and ecological tea garden, reflecting the effect of ecological tea garden construction. The results showed that: (1) the high-value areas of tea production were mainly distributed in Lianjiang County, with yields up to 3.6 t/ha, and the low-value areas in Yongtai County, with yields from 0.1–1.0 t/ha. Other ESs showed spatial heterogeneity. (2) The trade-offs in ETG areas intensified from 2010 to 2020, with Cts decreasing from −0.28 to −0.73, and the synergy in tea garden was at risk of decline, with Cts decreasing from 4.46 to 1.02. (3) From 2010 to 2020, 96.72% of traditional tea gardens (Area I) were transformed into ecological tea gardens (Areas IV and V). (4) Further, we classified the tea garden into five zones based on tea yield, with Zone I as the low tea yield areas and Zone V as the highest. From Zone I to Zone V, the Cts increased from 2.6 to 7.5 in 2010, and from 1.9 to 6.5 in 2020, respectively. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the construction of ecological tea gardens in Fuzhou and provide a reference for subsequent studies on the ESs of tea gardens and governance of ecological tea gardens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.), as one of the most important cash crops in China, plays an important role in increasing farmers' incomes and guaranteeing a high quality of life. Tea production has been greatly influenced by both climate change and economic development in China. However, without a scientific understanding of the interaction mechanism of climate change and the impetus from rapid economic development on tea production practices in China, it is difficult to take adaptive actions to meet the climate change challenges for the tea industry. In this paper, we firstly assessed the potential impacts of climate change on tea climate suitability by empirical formula calculation using meteorological data; then, the effects from the additional climatic stress due to warming on tea production were detected with the annual statistical tea yield record on a municipal level. The contribution of socioeconomic development to the tea industry was evaluated with the comparison of the movement of China's national economy's and tea industry's gravity center during the period of 1987–2017. Finally, a conceptual adaptation framework was built to demonstrate the interaction mechanisms between climate change, tea production, and the economic development. The results showed that there was a negative impact of climate change on tea production in mainland China, with the percentage of high tea climate suitability (>0.9) areas dropping by 45% to 32%, while opportunities of enlarging the tea cultivating area emerged in the north tea production region where the tea climate suitability increased. We found that the tea planting area expanded northwards from 33° N in 1987 to 35° N in 2017 to take advantage of the favorable climatic resources due to warming, and tea planting decreased at an altitude of 100–400 m while increasing to higher altitude of 400–2000 m to avoid hot temperature damage and seek the optimum environment in high mountainous areas for tea production. In addition, the tea production moved westward along the longitude, decreasing obviously at 117–121° E while increasing significantly at 98–104° E and 107–110° E. Meanwhile, the tea production gravity center showed a westward movement consistent with the national economic gravity center moving trend, which means that tea industry development was driven by multiple socioeconomic factors and climatic forcings. A conceptual framework was built in this paper, aiming to show a robust adaptation mechanism for the tea system to maximize the benefits and minimize the damages from the altered climatic resources under rapid economic development in mainland China. The results in this study would help deepen the understanding of the adaptation process and practices for tea production in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renal ischemia–reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common prerequisite of acute renal injury (AKI) that involves the entire system and induces critical illness. The C domain of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1C) plays an important role in promoting angiogenesis and enhancing the inflammatory response. However, given the shortcomings of its short half-life and poor stability, the application of IGF-1C is restricted. In the present study, IGF-1C nanoparticles (NP-IGF-1C) were constructed by combining 1,2-distearoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphoethanolamine-N-[maleimide (polye thyleneglycol)](DSPE-PEG-MAL) and IGF-1C through a Michael addition reaction to evaluate the effects of NP-IGF-1C on preventing IRI. In vitro studies have shown that NP-IGF-1C is not cytotoxic and protects cells from oxidative damage. The renal enrichment and biocompatibility of NP-IGF-1C were determined in vivo by connecting fluorescent molecules to NP-IGF-1C for in vivo imaging and pathological staining of important organs. After IRI, renal function decreased, and inflammatory cell infiltration, oxidative stress and apoptosis increased. As expected, NP-IGF-1C reversed these changes, indicating that NP-IGF-1C played a protective role in the process of IRI, which may be mediated by its antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Apocynum venetum tea is increasingly being recognized for its health benefits. Given that brewing conditions affect the flavor and quality of the final brew, optimal brewing conditions need to be determined to produce high‐quality A. venetum tea. In this study, different brewing strategies (hot brewing, room temperature brewing, and cold brewing) were used to prepare A. venetum tea. Subsequently, the physicochemical indexes, functional components, antioxidant activity, and aroma compounds of the brews were compared. The brewing conditions affected the soluble solid content of the brews, as well as their pH, color, polyphenol content, flavonoid content, and aroma compounds. Ketones and aldehydes were the most abundant aroma compounds in the teas prepared using the three brewing conditions. Hot brewing tea had the highest content of functional components and antioxidant activity with aromas of grassy alcohols and caramel, sweet, nutty furans and ethers. Room temperature brewing tea was rich in esters with floral and fruity aromas. In contrast, cold brewing tea had a blue‐green color; the most abundant compound in this tea was 2,5‐dimethylbenzaldehyde, and it had a grassy and floral aroma. These results showed that hot brewing is the most suitable method for Apocynum preparation of A. venetum tea. Practical applications: Apocynum venetum tea has become an ingredient in natural health teas in recent years. The brewing conditions will affect the flavor and quality of the final brewing. Therefore, it is necessary to determine the best brewing conditions to produce high‐quality A. venetum tea, so as to provide theoretical support for the determination of brewing conditions for A. venetum tea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased palmitic acid (PA) levels have been found in females with reduced fertility due to metabolic disorders. However, effective antioxidant astaxanthin (AXE) might positively affect animal reproduction. Therefore, the present study was designed to evaluate the impact of a high concentration of PA on oocyte maturation and the possible protective effect of AXE against high PA concentration in pigs. Firstly, different concentrations (0.2, 0.5, 0.8 mM) of PA were conducted on in vitro maturation (IVM) of pig oocytes (PA0.2, PA0.5, and PA0.8), while no addition of PA was performed as the control group (Ctrl). Results showed that the cumulus cell expansion index (CCEI) was lower in PA0.5 and PA0.8 groups compared to Ctrl group (p <.05). In PA0.5 group, not only did the percentage of matured oocytes with the first polar body (PB1) reduced, that with more oocytes arrested at germinal vesicle (GV) stage (53.44% ± 7.16% vs. 20.93% ± 5.16%, p <.05), but also a higher number of transzonal projections (TZPs) was observed in PA0.5 than Ctrl group. Besides, supplement of PA resulted in a dose‐dependent decrease in mitochondrial activity. Although no difference of lipid content was observed between PA0.5 and Ctrl groups, the lipid content was at a higher level in PA0.2 group than in the other three groups. Hence, concentration of 0.5 mM of PA was performed in the following experiments, and 2.5 μM AXE carried out to investigate the possible relief effects of PA (PA0.5 + AXE). Results showed that the percentage of matured oocytes with PB1 was higher in PA0.5 + AXE than in PA0.5 group (63.43% ± 1.50% vs. 55.33% ± 0.81%, p <.01), and ROS levels both in oocytes and their cumulus cells (CCs) reduced in PA0.5 + AXE when compared to PA0.5 group. In addition, the rate of CCs with apoptosis decreased in PA0.5 + AXE, and the expression level of caspase 3 and BAX was lower than PA0.5 group. In conclusion, the maturation of pig oocytes was inhibited by the high concentration of PA; however, this negative effect of PA‐induced might be relieved by the supplement of AXE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The tea plant is an economically important woody beverage crop. The unique taste of tea is evoked by certain metabolites, especially catechin esters, whereas their precise formation mechanism in different cell types remains unclear. Here, a fast protoplast isolation method was established and the transcriptional profiles of 16 977 single cells from 1st and 3rd leaves were investigated. We first identified 79 marker genes based on six isolated tissues and constructed a transcriptome atlas, mapped developmental trajectories and further delineated the distribution of different cell types during leaf differentiation and genes associated with cell fate transformation. Interestingly, eight differently expressed genes were found to co‐exist at four branch points. Genes involved in the biosynthesis of certain metabolites showed cell‐ and development‐specific characteristics. An unexpected catechin ester glycosyltransferase was characterized for the first time in plants by a gene co‐expression network in mesophyll cells. Thus, the first single‐cell transcriptional landscape in woody crop leave was reported and a novel metabolism pathway of catechin esters in plants was discovered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To predict the long‐term benefits and economic costs of the improvements in haemophilia care in China demonstrated by increasing use of prophylaxis, compared with the current status. Methods: City‐level predictions from 2018 to 2033 were conducted for five representative cities in China. The long‐term clinical and economic outcomes in the scenario where haemophilia care has significantly improved and the existing scenario of haemophilia care were calculated and compared. The model input data were obtained from local records, expert interviews, published literature, and other sources. Outcome measures including number of bleeds and joint bleeds, number of target joints, disability rate, direct and indirect costs were calculated at the patient and population levels. Results: The long‐term predictions for 2033 demonstrated significantly improved bleed control and joint outcomes due to increased use of prophylaxis. The total number of averted bleed events per patient ranged from 3.9 in Shenyang to 16.1 in Zhengzhou in 2033, and the population‐level averted bleed events ranged from 1963 in Xiamen to 14,868 in Zhengzhou. The treatment improvement also leads to significant economic costs driven by increase in clotting factor costs (more than 90%). At the population level, the additional total costs were highest in Zhengzhou (CNY 177.4 million) and lowest in Shenyang (CNY 45.4 million), due to their different population sizes and various existing treatment regimens. The outpatient and hospitalization costs decreased, while the factor costs increased. Conclusion: The long‐term prophylaxis is associated with avoided bleed events and disabilities. The improved treatment regimens are also associated with a significant economic burden, driven by factor costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The past one and a half decades have witnessed the tremendous progress of two-dimensional (2D) crystals, including graphene, transition-metal dichalcogenides, black phosphorus, MXenes, hexagonal boron nitride, etc., in a variety of fields. The key to their success is their unique structural, electrical, mechanical and optical properties. Herein, this paper gives a comprehensive summary on the recent advances in 2D materials for optoelectronic approaches with the emphasis on the morphology and structure, optical properties, synthesis methods, as well as detailed optoelectronic applications. Additionally, the challenges and perspectives in the current development of 2D materials are also summarized and indicated. Therefore, this review can provide a reference for further explorations and innovations of 2D material-based optoelectronics devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine vision can provide a convenient and intelligent recognition for tomato leaf diseases. However, limited labelled images affect the performance of such a method to a considerable extent. This study proposes a dual-strategy semi-supervised learning method for recognizing tomato leaf diseases when labelled images are insufficient. One of the dual strategies attaches an additional classifier C to the generative adversarial network (GAN) to construct a semi-supervised learning method (GANC) which generates artificial images to tune itself based on the labelled images with the label removal, and the high confidence pseudo-label comes from the classifier prediction. For the other strategy, the discriminator of the pretrained GAN continues to modify the output as authenticity and class probability (DGAN), and unlabelled images are integrated to optimize the network. Then, the predicted results of GANC and DGAN are combined to construct the dual-strategy semi-supervised learning method (GANC – DGAN). GANC could generate new unlabelled images with a similar data distribution as real disease images and obtain an accuracy of 84.06% in the prediction set (ACCp), and DGAN utilizes exiting unlabelled images to obtain an ACCP with 85.31%, outperforming supervised learning with a small number of labelled images. With image augmentation, the ACCp of GANC and DGAN increases to 88.13% and 90.00%, respectively. GANC – DGAN can achieve an accuracy of 90.62%, which is better than those of the two individual strategies as GANC and DGAN. Thus, the proposed dual-strategy semi-supervised learning method could offer accurate disease recognition even if the available labelled images are insufficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Achieving efficient catalytic conversion over a heterogeneous catalyst with excellent resistance against leaching is still a grand challenge for sustainable chemical synthesis in aqueous solution. Herein, we devised a single‐atom Pt1/hydroxyapatite (HAP) catalyst via a simple hydrothermal strategy. Gratifyingly, this robust Pt1/HAP catalyst exhibits remarkable catalytic selectivity and catalyst stability for the selective oxidation of C2–C4 polyols to corresponding primary hydroxy acids. It is found that the Pt−(O−P) linkages with strong electron‐withdrawing function of PO43− (Pt1−OPO43− pair active site) not only realize the activation of the C−H bond, but also destabilize the transition state from adsorbed hydroxy acids toward the C−C cleavage, resulting in the sharply increased selectivity of hydroxy acids. Moreover, the strong PO43−‐coordination effect provides electrostatic stabilization for single‐atom Pt, ensuring the highly efficient catalysis of Pt1/HAP for over 160 hours with superior leaching resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative stress is one of the major causes of the age-related functional decline in cells and tissues. The KEAP1–NRF2 system plays a central role in the regulation of redox balance, and NRF2 activation exerts antiageing effects by controlling oxidative stress in aged tissues. α-Klotho was identified as an ageing suppressor protein based on the premature ageing phenotypes of its mutant mice, and its expression is known to gradually decrease during ageing. Because α-klotho has been shown to possess antioxidant function, ageing-related phenotypes of α-klotho mutant mice seem to be attributable to increased oxidative stress at least in part. To examine whether NRF2 activation antagonizes ageing-related phenotypes caused by α-klotho deficiency, we crossed α-klotho–deficient (Kl −/−) mice with a Keap1 -knockdown background, in which the NRF2 pathway is constitutively activated in the whole body. NRF2 pathway activation in Kl −/− mice extended the lifespan and dramatically improved ageing-related renal phenotypes. With elevated expression of antioxidant genes accompanied by an oxidative stress decrease, the antioxidant effects of NRF2 seem to make a major contribution to the attenuation of ageing-related renal phenotypes of Kl −/− mice. Thus, NRF2 is expected to exert an antiageing function by partly compensating for the functional decline of α-Klotho during physiological ageing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ecosystems are employed to effectively protect people and communities in coastal areas from tropical cyclone (TC) hazards. Although a spatially explicit TC hazard mitigation service (TCHMS) is essential for devising adaptation strategy and resilience policy, the process and delivery of this program are unclear. We improved a capacity–exposure–demand conceptual framework using Guangdong Province, China, as a case study area, and spatial analysis was employed to assess the ecosystem service. Under this framework, we assessed "capacity" as the natural potential protection against TC hazards, "exposure" as the need for services, and "demand" as the estimated necessity of protecting coastal populations and economic interests. The analysis results were then used to map the TCHMS flow and benefit gap. The results showed that 21.6% of the whole province had low capacity, 25.3% had high exposure, and 19.3% had high demand. A significantly negative correlation was present between the TCHMS capacity and exposure, and a positive correlation was shown between the exposure and demand. In particular, the TCHMS flow and benefit were sufficient in inland areas but were severely deficient in coastal megacities. In Guangdong Province, the Pearl River Delta, and Chaoshan (CS), 3.3%, 4.0%, and 15.3% of the areas showed high demand–low capacity–high exposure patterns, respectively. Our findings will deepen the scientific understanding of the degree of protection a given ecosystem will provide to communities and infrastructures exposed to TC hazards and will thus provide scientific support for coastal ecosystem planning and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY Cold and drought stress are the most critical stresses encountered by crops and occur simultaneously under field conditions. However, it is unclear whether volatiles contribute to both cold and drought tolerance, and if so, by what mechanisms they act. Here, we show that airborne eugenol can be taken up by the tea (Camellia sinensis) plant and metabolized into glycosides, thus enhancing cold and drought tolerance of tea plants. A uridine diphosphate (UDP)‐glucosyltransferase, UGT71A59, was discovered, whose expression is strongly induced by multiple abiotic stresses. UGT71A59 specifically catalyzes glucosylation of eugenol glucoside in vitro and in vivo. Suppression of UGT71A59 expression in tea reduced the accumulation of eugenol glucoside, lowered reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging capacity, and ultimately impaired cold and drought stress tolerance. Exposure to airborne eugenol triggered a marked increase in UGT71A59 expression, eugenol glucoside accumulation, and cold tolerance by modulating ROS accumulation and CBF1 expression. It also promoted drought tolerance by altering abscisic acid homeostasis and stomatal closure. CBF1 and CBF3 play positive roles in eugenol‐induced cold tolerance and CBF2 may be a negative regulator of eugenol‐induced cold tolerance in tea plants. These results provide evidence that eugenol functions as a signal in cold and drought tolerance regulation and shed new light on the biological functions of volatiles in the response to multiple abiotic stresses in plants. Significance Statement: The volatile eugenol functions as a signal and plays a positive role in cold stress through regulating reactive oxygen species accumulation and CBF1 expression and in drought stress through altering abscisic acid homeostasis and stomatal closure via UDP‐glucosyltransferase UGT71A59‐mediated eugenol glucosylation in tea (Camellia sinensis) plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrons can degrade pentachlorphenate sodium (PCPNa) directly or activate molecular oxygen to produce and ·OH for its degradation. However, less work has been performed to control such two kinds of reaction pathway by modifying BiOCl. Herein, we firstly regulated the reaction pathway between electrons and PCPNa by adjusting the amount of surface oxygen vacancies (OVs) and surface adsorbed hydroxyl groups in I− doped BiOCl exposed with different facets. OVs on (001) facets-exposed I− doped BiOCl enabled large amount of PCPNa to adsorb on its surface and facilitated the direct reaction between electrons and PCPNa. In contrary, more surface adsorbed hydroxyl groups and oxygen on (010) facets-exposed I− doped BiOCl can retard the direct reaction between electrons and PCPNa via lowering the adsorption of PCPNa and increasing the activation of molecular oxygen by electrons. Although more and ·OH generated in I− doped (010)-facets exposed BiOCl, I− doped (001)-facets exposed BiOCl exhibited better photocatalytic activity. We proposed that the direct reaction between electrons and PCPNa can enhance the utilization efficiency of photogenerated electrons and improve photocatalytic degradation efficiency of PCPNa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to survive in dynamic environments. Plants can communicate via volatile organic compounds (VOCs) to warn neighboring plants of threats. In most cases, VOCs act as positive regulators of plant defense. However, the communication and role of volatiles in response to drought stress are poorly understood. Here, we showed that tea plants release numerous VOCs. Among them, methyl salicylate (MeSA), benzyl alcohol, and phenethyl alcohol markedly increased under drought stress. Interestingly, further experiments revealed that drought-induced MeSA lowered the abscisic acid (ABA) content in neighboring plants by reducing 9-cis-epoxycarotenoid dioxygenase (NCED) gene expression, resulting in inhibition of stomatal closure and ultimately decreasing early drought tolerance in neighboring plants. Exogenous application of ABA reduced the wilting of tea plants caused by MeSA exposure. Exposure of Nicotiana benthamiana to MeSA also led to severe wilting, indicating that the ability of drought-induced MeSA to reduce early drought tolerance in neighboring plants may be conserved in other plant species. Taken together, these results provide evidence that drought-induced volatiles can reduce early drought tolerance in neighboring plants and lay a novel theoretical foundation for optimizing plant density and spacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Previous studies have shown a wide range of drug price elasticity, but the price response to demand among various therapeutic drug categories and drug types (generic/originator) is still unexplored in China. This study estimates the price elasticity of medicine demand with regard to quality differences, unfair competition, and a regulated market. Methods: Product-level data on anti-tumor, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and antimicrobial drugs were collected from the Tianjin Urban Employees' Basic Medical Insurance database (2008–2010). The moderating effects of quality, profit incentive, and illegal rebates are considered in a dynamic panel model. Findings: Our results suggest that the price elasticity of drug demand varies across drug categories, with least elasticity for anti-tumor drugs and most elasticity for CVD drugs (−0.192 for anti-tumor drugs vs. −0.695 for antimicrobials vs. −1.100 for CVD drugs, p < 0.01). Moreover, the absolute value of price elasticity of generic drugs is higher than that of originator drugs in anti-tumor and CVD therapeutic classes (interact: 0.716 for anti-tumor; -0.630 for CVD, p < 0.001). We believe that quality difference plays a dominant role in the interaction between quality and illegal rebates for these two kinds of generic drugs. In the antimicrobial sub-group, the absolute value of price elasticity of generic medicine is lower than that of originator drugs. We believe that, owing to the high level of unfair competition among enterprises, the role of illegal kickbacks is dominant, which reduces the price elasticity of demand for generic antimicrobial drugs. Conclusion: Our study provides an overview of the result of interaction between quality and illegal rebates in different medicine markets in China and shows that disease type is a primary factor that impacts price elasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]