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In order to solve the problems of existing spiral fertilizer apparatuses, such as the variation in cavity filling rate with rotational speed, fluctuation of fertilizer discharge flow, and inability to discharge fertilizer precisely, a triple-head gradually reducing spiral fertilizer apparatus is designed, which gradually compresses fertilizer particles through the triple-head reducing fertilizer spiral structure to achieve complete cavity filling and uniform fertilizer discharge. The main factors that affect the particle motion state and the structural size of the spiral fertilizer through theoretical analysis are determined, and its theoretical fertilizer discharge amount and rotational speed are calculated. Using EDEM (Discrete Element Method Software 2022) to establish a simulation model of a single-head gradually reducing fertilizer apparatus, the spiral lead reduction percentage x1, spiral diameter reduction percentage x2, and rotational speed x3 are determined as experimental factors, and the filling rate μ and spiral torque Yaverage are used as experimental indicators to conduct a simulation study on the secondary universal rotation combination design experiment. The results show that when the rotational speed is 95 r/min, the spiral lead reduction percentage is 60.00~73.21%, the spiral diameter reduction percentage is 86.55~97.05%, the filling rate μ is greater than 95%, and the spiral torque Yaverage is less than 16 N·m. In order to further improve the uniformity of fertilizer discharge and ensure the controllable accuracy of fertilizer discharge, comparative verification experiments are conducted on single-, double-, and triple-head gradually reducing spiral fertilizer discharge devices and ordinary spiral fertilizer discharge devices. The results show that the precision of the gradually reducing spiral fertilizer apparatus is better than that of the ordinary spiral fertilizer apparatus. Moreover, it is determined that the three-head style performed best. The triple-head gradually reducing spiral fertilizer apparatus is also validated by randomly adjusting six rotational speeds. The experiment results show that the average deviation of the fertilizer discharge flow rate of the fertilizer apparatus from the preset value is 3.16%. The two have a minor deviation, and the fertilizer precision is high. Precise control of the amount of fertilizer discharged can be achieved by adjusting the rotational speed, and the research can provide a specific reference for the improved design and precise control of the spiral fertilizer apparatus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To measure the therapeutic effect of an anti‐oxidant, edaravone (EDV), or neurotrophic treatment with nerve growth factor (NGF) as an add‐on treatment for alcohol‐related brain damage (ARBD). Design: Multi‐centre, randomised, single‐blinded, comparative clinical trial. Setting and participants: One hundred and twenty‐two inpatients recruited from seven hospitals in different regions of China, all diagnosed with ARBD and aged 18 to 65 years old; among them, only two were female. Intervention and comparator: Patients were randomly assigned to receive one of three treatments for 2 weeks: 40 patients, treatment as usual (TAU: a combination of intramuscular injections of thiamine, intravenous infusions of other B vitamins with vitamin C and oral medication with vitamin E per day); 40, EDV add‐on treatment to TAU (intravenous infusion with 30 mg of EDV twice per day); and 42, NGF add‐on treatment to TAU (intramuscular injection of 20 μg of NGF per day). The patients underwent follow‐up for 24 weeks. Measurements: The primary outcome was the composite score of executive cognitive function in the 2nd week after treatment, which was measured as the mean of the Z scores of the assessments, including the digit symbol substitute test (DSST), digit span memory test‐forward (DST‐F), digit span memory test‐reverse (DST‐R) and space span memory test (SSMT). The secondary outcomes were the composite scores at later follow‐ups, the score for each component of cognitive function, global cognitive function measured by the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), craving for alcohol and the safety of the therapies. Findings EDV add‐on treatment improved the composite score of executive cognitive function better than TAU in the 2nd week (adjusted mean difference: 0.24, 95% confidence interval 0.06 to 0.41; P = 0.008), but NGF add‐on treatment did not (adjusted mean difference: 0.07, 95% confidence interval −0.09 to 0.24; P = 0.502). During the follow‐up to 24 weeks, EDV add‐on treatment improved the composite score of executive cognitive function and DST‐R score better than TAU (both P < 0.01). Craving for alcohol was relieved in all three groups. No severe adverse events were observed. Conclusion: The short‐term addition of edaravone to supplementary therapy treatment for alcohol‐related brain damage (ARBD) improved executive cognitive function in patients with ARBD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: Chronic alcohol exposure leads to persistent neurological disorders, which are mainly attributed to neuroinflammation and apoptosis. Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) is essential in the cytosolic DNA sensing pathway and is involved in inflammation and cellular death processes. This study was to examine the expression pattern and biological functions of STING signaling in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: Cell‐free DNA was extracted from human and mouse plasma. C57BL/6J mice were given alcohol by gavage for 28 days, and behavior tests were used to determine their mood and cognition. Cultured cells were treated with ethanol for 24 hours. The STING agonist DMXAA, STING inhibitor C‐176, and STING‐siRNA were used to intervene the STING. qPCR, western blot, and immunofluorescence staining were used to assess STING signaling, inflammation, and apoptosis. Results: Circulating cell‐free mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) was increased in individuals with AUD and mice chronically exposed to alcohol. Upregulation of STING signaling under alcohol exposure led to inflammatory responses in BV2 cells and mitochondrial apoptosis in PC12 cells. DMXAA exacerbated alcohol‐induced cognitive impairment and increased the activation of microglia, neuroinflammation, and apoptosis in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC), while C‐176 exerted neuroprotection. Conclusion: Activation of STING signaling played an essential role in alcohol‐induced inflammation and mitochondrial apoptosis in the mPFC. This study identifies STING as a promising therapeutic target for AUD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nursery trays are essential agricultural tools in rice production. Plastic nursery trays pose problems such as resource waste and environmental pollution. Biomass seedling trays are an effective way to achieve sustainable agricultural development. Previous research has been conducted on biomass seedling tray molding equipment and molding process, but the impact of raw material ratio on seedling tray molding quality and seedling growth is still unclear, and the ratio combination still needs further optimization. In this study, we used slurry concentration, pulp content, adhesive content, and the ratio of straw to cow manure as variables. We selected the bowl hole molding rate and the strong seedling index as evaluation indicators, and carried out biomass seedling tray forming experiments and seedling cultivation experiments. The response surface analysis method was used to optimize the raw material ratio of biomass seedling trays from the perspectives of forming effect and seedling quality. The results show that when the slurry concentration is 30%, the pulp content is 20%, the adhesive content is 530 g, and the mass ratio of straw to cow manure is 2:1; the bowl hole molding rate is 91.03%, and the strong seedling index is 0.22, indicating good molding effect and seedling growth. The verification test results indicate that the theoretical analysis results are accurate, and the model fitting is good. These research results provide a theoretical basis for the preparation of biomass seedling trays and technical support for achieving green development in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and purpose: Glioma is a frequent primary brain tumor. MicroRNAs (miRNA) have been shown to potentially play a crucial part in tumor development. Based on miRNAs and clinical factors, a model was constructed to predict the glioma prognosis. Methods: The miRNA expression profiles of glioma come from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA, training group) and Chinese Glioma Genome Atlas (CGGA, validation group). Regression analyses of Cox and Lasso were applied to identity miRNAs associated with glioma prognosis in the TCGA database. The miRNAs were combined with clinical factors to construct individualized prognostic prediction models, whose performance was validated in the CGGA database. The role of miRNA in glioma development was investigated by in vitro experiments. Results: We identified five key miRNAs associated with glioma prognosis and constructed a prediction model. The area under ROC curve for predicting 3-year survival of glioma patients in the TCGA and CGGA groups was 0.844 and 0.770, respectively. The nomogram constructed using the miRNA risk scores and clinical factors showed high accuracy of prediction in the TCGA group (C-index of 0.820) and the CGGA group (C-index of 0.722). The miR-196b-5p altered the migration, proliferation, invasion, and apoptosis of glioma cells by regulating target genes, according to in vitro experiments. Conclusions: A miRNA-based individualized prognostic prediction model was constructed for glioma and miR-196b-5p was identified as a potential biomarker of glioma development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a star vegetable, sprouts have many advantages, such as high nutritional value, crisp and juicy taste, short growth cycle and simple cultivation conditions, which have been widely welcomed around the world. As consumers' demand for healthier foods grows, new technologies need to be developed urgently to improve the quality of sprouts. Among them, electrolyzed water (EW) and plasma-activated water (PAW), which have merits of green, sustainable and low-cost, have wide potential for application in hydroponic sprout cultivation. This work reviews the effects of EW and PAW on growth, chemical compositions, microbiological safety and postharvest quality of sprouts and compares the effects of EW and PAW comprehensively. In addition, some regulations and challenges in practical application were also discussed. EW and PAW show outstanding effects during sprout production, including: 1) promoting seed germination and sprout growth during cultivation; 2) accelerating hydrolysis of macromolecules compounds and accumulation of bioactive compounds in sprouts during cultivation; 3) inhibiting growth of microorganisms on sprouts during cultivation; 4) improving postharvest quality of sprouts during postharvest washing. In addition, EW and PAW each seem to have more obvious advantages in improving certain qualities of sprouts, thus producers need to use them wisely to maximize their strengths. On these grounds, EW and PAW are promising technologies to develop considerable application value in sprout industry. • Electrolyzed water (EW) and plasma-activated water (PAW) show promising performance in sprouts hydroponic production. • EW and PAW improve growth, nutritional and functional value, microbiological safety and postharvest quality of sprouts. • Effects of EW and PAW in sprouts production are compared and their respective advantages are discussed. • Mechanisms of action of EW and PAW, and combined application of multiple technologies are key research trends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find out the optimized technological parameters of rice straw bowl tray, the forming test was carried out with the slurry made of rice straw as the main raw material and the pneumatic molding machine as the equipment. The orthogonal rotational combination test of ternary quadratic regression and response surface analysis method were used to study the effect of 3 molding factors (vacuum degree, pressure preservation time and adsorption time) on 3 molding technical indices (bowl hole molding rate, relaxation density and rupture-resisting strength). Design-Expert data analysis software was used to establish regression models between rice straw bowl tray molding factors and molding properties so as to obtain optimal technological parameters, which were as follows: vacuum degree: -0.09 MPa; holding time: 14 s; adsorption time: 5 s. At the moment, theoretical bowl hole molding rate was 98.62%, relaxation density was 5.8 g/cm3 and rupture-resisting strength was 27.48 N, the experimental results show that the theoretical analysis is correct, and the model fitting is better. This study can provide a theoretical basis for optimization of pneumatic molding technological of rice straw bowl tray and lay a foundation for realizing industrialized production of biomass seeding tray. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

B a ckground: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been crucially implicated in various diseases, however, their involvement in chronic intermittent ethanol (CIE) exposure remains unclear.O bjective: The present study was conducted to evaluate the circular RNA expression alteration in brain samples and to identify the molecular mechanisms underlying chronic intermittent ethanol exposure.M ethods: Male C57BL/6J mice (10 for each group) were given 4 weeks of chronic intermittent ethanol exposure. Whole brain samples were collected for high-throughput sequencing and circRNA bioinformatic analysis. Real-time quantitative PCR (RI-qPCR) and agarose electrophoresis were used to validate the differentially expressed circRNAs. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway (KEGG) analysis were performed. A p level < 0.05 was considered statistically significant.R esults: Compared with the control group and baseline values, the CIE group showed a significant increase in ethanol intake. High-throughput sequencing revealed 399 significantly different circRNAs in CIE mice, including 150 up-regulated circRNAs and 249 down-regulated circRNAs. GO analysis showed that the most significantly enriched term for biological process, cellular component, and molecular function were GO:0050885, GO:0016020 and GO:0005515, respectively. The most enriched pathways in KEGG analysis were GABAergic synapse (mmu04727), followed by retrograde endocannabinoid (eCB) signaling (mmu04723) and morphine addiction (mmu05032). Among the circRNAs, RT-qPCR confirmed 14 upregulated and 13 downregulated circRNAs in the brain tissues with 9 upregulated and 10 downregulated circRNAs being observed in blood samples.C onclusions: Our study suggests that chronic ethanol exposure upregulates or downregulates circRNAs in the brain, which, in turn, could alter neurotransmitter release and signal transduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize sustainability in agricultural production, structure design and performance testing of biomass-based nursery trays was carried out in this study. Starting from meeting the agronomic requirements of rice seedling raising and mechanical transplanting, the method of combining theoretical analysis with experimental verification was used to clarify the design ideas and structural design basis of the biomass-based nursery tray. Key structural dimension parameters, such as the lateral dimensions of the seedling tray, the longitudinal size of the nursery tray, and the depth of the pothole bowl, were optimized. Meanwhile, developed biomass-based nursery trays and plastic flat nursery trays were used as seedling carriers, and a non-woven fabric and a plastic film were used as isolation materials for seeding trials. The experiment consisted of three treatments: a non-woven fabric under plastic flat nursery trays (CK), a non-woven fabric under biomass-based nursery trays (CK1), and a plastic film under biomass-based nursery trays (CK2). Comparative analysis of the seedling emergence rate, seedling quality, and yield under different nursery methods was carried out in the experiment. The results showed that the seedling emergence rate of CK1 and CK2 increased by 9.1% and 9.5%, respectively, compared with the traditional seedling raising method (CK). In terms of seedling quality, the overall quality of the seedlings cultivated with biomass-based nursery trays improved, and the improvement in traits was particularly obvious in the group of seedlings with a plastic film as isolation materials (CK2), with final results showing a 5.8% increase in yield. The results of this study can provide a theoretical basis for establishing a rice cultivation technology system suitable for China's national conditions, and can also provide technical support for increasing the use of biomass-based nursery trays to achieve the sustainable development of agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and aims: Observational studies have yielded conflicting results on the association of prescription opioid use (POU) with the risk of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Residual confounding and potential reverse causality are inevitable in such conventional observational studies. This study used Mendelian randomization (MR) design to estimate the causal effect of POU on the risk of CVD, including coronary heart disease (CHD), myocardial infarction (MI) and ischemic stroke (IS), as well as their common risk factors. Design We estimated the causal effect of genetic liability for POU on CVD in a two‐sample MR framework. Complementary sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of our results. Setting: Genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) that were based on predominantly European ancestry. Participants: The sample sizes of the GWAS used in this study ranged from 69 033 to 757 601 participants. Measurements Genetic variants predictive of the POU and their corresponding summary‐level information in the outcomes were retrieved and extracted from the respective GWAS. Findings Using univariable MR, we found evidence for a causal effect of genetic liability for POU on an increased risk of CHD [odds ratio (OR) = 1.09; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.02–1.16; P = 0.008] and MI (OR = 1.13; 95% CI = 1.04–1.22; P = 0.002). In multivariable MR, the association remained after accounting for comorbid pain conditions, but was attenuated with adjustment for potential mediators, including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). Conclusion: Mendelian randomization estimates provide robust evidence for the causal effects of genetic liability for prescription opioid use on an increased risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction, which might be mediated by obesity‐related traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of aerated irrigation on the soil environment and yield in the root zone of maize, and to provide a basis for the extension of aerated irrigation, a 2-year experiment (2020–2021) was conducted at the Zhanjiang National Soil Quality Observation Experiment Station, with two experimental observations per year (spring-summer and fall-winter) to investigate the effects of aerated irrigation (AI) and non-aerated irrigation (CK) on soil respiration rate, soil temperature, water content, oxygen content, soil bacterial biomass and root biomass. We used partial least square regression analysis (PLSR) to establish the regression equations of soil respiration rate, soil temperature, water content, oxygen content, soil bacterial biomass and root biomass under the two treatments, and the screening of the main soil environmental factors affecting changes in soil respiration rate under aerated irrigation technology. The results showed that, compared with CK, the AI treatment significantly increased the soil respiration rate and soil oxygen content (15.38~17.87% and 18.94~25.17%, respectively), as well as the root biomass and soil bacterial biomass (14.99~19.09% and 35.10~45.59%, respectively), and reduced the soil water content by 5.33~12.71% (p < 0.05). The effects of different treatments on soil temperature were not significant. The mean fruit yield with AI treatment was also 7.16~20.51% higher (p < 0.05) than that with CK, and the stem thickness and leaf area of maize plants were significantly increased (9.31~17.06% and 8.68~15.20%, respectively (p < 0.05)). The regression fitting results showed that the soil respiration rate is quadratic polynomial negatively correlated with soil temperature, water content and soil oxygen, and the power function is positively correlated with root biomass and bacterial biomass under the two treatments. The variable importance for projection (VIP) values of the PLSR model showed a soil temperature VIP = 1.51, soil oxygen content VIP = 1.42 and root biomass VIP = 1.40, demonstrating that aerated irrigation technology can drive soil respiration rate by changing soil oxygen content and root biomass. Furthermore, the improvements in soil aeration conditions and respiration with AI appeared to facilitate the improvement in fruit yields, which also suggests the economic benefits of AI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the association of P300 components with clinical characteristics and efficacy of pharmacotherapy in alcohol use disorder (AUD). Methods: One hundred fifty-one AUD patients and 96 healthy controls were recruited and evaluated for the symptoms of depression, anxiety, sleep, and cognitive function by the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the 7-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder scale (GAD-7), the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Digit Symbol Substitution test (DSST), and event-related potential P300, which is one of the averaged scalp electroencephalography responses time-locked to specific events. Among the AUD group, 101 patients finished an 8-week pharmacotherapy and were evaluated for the above data at post-intervention. Results: 1. At baseline, AUD patients had higher scores of AUDIT, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQI, and P300 latency at Cz, Pz, and Fz and lower DSST score and smaller P300 amplitudes at Fz, Cz, and Pz compared with controls. P300 components correlated significantly with alcohol dose and score of AUDIT, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQI, and DSST. 2. After 8 weeks' treatment, there were significant changes for the P300 components; alcohol dose; and score of AUDIT, PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQI, and DSST. Variables at baseline, including P300 amplitudes at Fz, Cz, and Pz; latency of Fz and Pz; alcohol dose; and scores of PHQ-9, GAD-7, PSQI, and DSST, were significantly associated with changes of reduction rate of AUDIT scores. However, P300 amplitudes at Fz, Cz, and Pz in AUD patients after 8-week treatment were still significantly shorter than healthy controls (HCs), and P300 latencies at Fz, Cz, and Pz were significantly longer than HCs. 3. When validated area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was over 0.80, the baseline variables including amplitudes at Cz and Pz, alcohol dose, and scores of PSQI could predict the changes of reduction rate of AUDIT score. Conclusion: P300 amplitudes and latencies at Fz, Cz, and Pz could be used as biological markers for evaluating the clinical characters and severity of AUD. P300 amplitudes at Cz and Pz, sleep condition, and cognitive function at baseline could predict the efficacy of pharmacotherapy for AUD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]