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In Chinese vocational colleges, students often avoid classroom challenges and lack persistent academic engagement. This was perceived as a deficiency in self-efficacy and a need for greater teacher-student engagement. The rapid advancement of information technology in educational contexts indicates that the dynamics among teacher support, technological autonomy, and self-efficacy will become crucial for learning outcomes. Hence, this study explored the relationship between teacher support and student self-efficacy, focusing on the mediating role of student autonomy in technology. A questionnaire survey administered to 606 first-year students was analyzed using Pearson's correlation coefficient and Process V3.3. The results showed that teacher support and student self-efficacy were moderately positively correlated (r = 0.464, p < 0.01). However, technological autonomy appeared to be significantly positively correlated with teacher support (r = 0.368, p < 0.01) and self-efficacy (r = 0.515, p < 0.01). The results highlight the instrumental role of teacher support in enhancing student self-efficacy and the important role of technological autonomy as a mediating factor. These findings confirm the need for continuing social support and interactive roles between teachers and students to enhance student self-efficacy in higher education. Furthermore, technology should be leveraged to foster a conducive learning environment.

This study examined the program effectiveness of Health Rocks!, a youth substance use prevention program. Merging data from 128,544 youth participants in 21 states between 2009 and 2021, this study compared self-reported levels of knowledge, skills, and internal and external assets before and after the program. Youth reported significant increases in substance use knowledge, stress-coping skills, and assets to make healthy life decisions across eleven years. The magnitude of effects varied by individual characteristics, including gender, school grade level, race, ethnicity, and residence. We provide recommendations for the evaluation of substance use prevention program effectiveness.

This study examines the effects of corrective feedback (CF) on language learners' writing anxiety, writing complexity, fluency, and accuracy, and compares the effectiveness of feedback from human teachers with an AI-driven application called Poe. The study included three intact classes, each with 25 language learners. Using a quasi-experimental design with pretest and posttest measures, one class received feedback from the teacher, one from the Poe application, and the third received no response to their writing. Data were generated though tests and a writing anxiety scale developed for the study. Data analysis, conducted using one-way ANOVA tests, revealed significant effects of teacher and AI-generated feedback on learners' writing anxiety, accuracy, and fluency. Interestingly, the group that received AI-generated feedback performed better than the group that received teacher feedback or no AI support. Additionally, learners in the AIgenerated feedback group experienced a more significant reduction in writing anxiety than their peers. These results highlight the remarkable impact of AI-generated CF on improving writing outcomes and alleviating anxiety in undergraduate language learners at East China University of Political Science and Law . The study demonstrates the benefits of integrating AI applications into language learning contexts, particularly by promoting a supportive environment for students to develop writing skills. Educators, researchers, and developers can use these findings to inform pedagogical practices and technological interventions to optimize the language learning experience in primary school settings. This research highlights the effectiveness of AI-driven applications in language teaching. It highlights the importance of considering learners' psychological well-being, particularly anxiety levels, when developing effective language learning interventions.

Purpose: Accounts for failures of merit pay in educational settings were stagnated by the "political obstruction hypothesis," which blamed teacher unions for impeding the merit pay schemes from proper function. It required stronger evidence from both public and private schools to refute this hypothesis. Design/Approach/Methods: Accountability typology was conceptualized to uncover the power relations underpinning merit pay schemes, and teachers' motivational status was described from the perspective of Self-Determination Theory (SDT) to analyze the corresponding consequences. One public school and three private schools were purposefully sampled, and data included principal interviews, teacher interviews, school documents, and relevant policy documents. Findings: Our findings suggested an opposite conclusion to the "political obstruction hypothesis" that the more dependent on market, the more intense the conflict between external accountabilities and the nature of teaching. Thus, we supported the "nature of teaching hypothesis" that merit pay was inapplicable in educational settings due to the inherent contradictions between market accountability and professional accountability. Originality/Value: Policymakers and school administrators had been misled by the neoliberal initiative of borrowing merit pay into educational settings to promote the quality of teaching. Our findings provided strong evidence to refute this hypothesis and to restore the appreciation of professional autonomy.

Short scales are time-efficient for participants and cost-effective in research. However, researchers often mistakenly expect short scales to have the same reliability as long ones without considering the effect of scale length. We argue that applying a universal benchmark for alpha is problematic as the impact of low-quality items is greater on shorter scales. In this study, we proposed simple guidelines for item reduction using the "alpha-if-item-deleted" procedure in scale construction. An item can be removed if alpha increases or decreases by less than 0.02, especially for short scales. Conversely, an item should be retained if alpha decreases by more than 0.04 upon its removal. For reliability benchmarks, 0.80 is relatively safe in most conditions, but higher benchmarks are recommended for longer scales and smaller sample sizes. Supplementary analyses, including item content, face validity, and content coverage, are critical to ensure scale quality.

Abstract Backgrounds Adapter proteins (APs) complex is a class of heterotetrameric complexes comprising of 4-subunits with important regulatory functions in eukaryotic cell membrane vesicle trafficking. Foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) is a significant C4 model plant for monocotyledon studies, and vesicle trafficking may plays a crucial role in various life activities related to growth and development. Despite this importance, studies on AP complexes in foxtail millet have been lacking. Results This research conducted genome-wide identification and systematical analysis of AP complexes in foxtail millet. 33 SiAP complex genes were identified and classified into 7 groups, distributed unevenly across 9 chromosomes in foxtail millet. Among these genes, 11 segmental duplication pairs were found. Out of the 33 SiAP complex genes, 24 exhibited collinear relationships with Setaria viridis, while only one showed relationship with Arabidopsis thaliana. Gene structure and motif composition were investigated to understand the function and evolution of these SiAP complex genes. Furthermore, these promoter region of the SiAP complex genes contains 49 cis-elements that are associated with responses to light, hormones, abiotic stress, growth and development. The interaction network between the SiAP complexes was analyzed, and there were strong interactions among the SiAP complex proteins. Expression patterns of SiAP complex genes in different organs and developmental stages of foxtail millet were investigated. The majority of the SiAP complex genes exhibited expressed in multiple tissues, with some genes being predominantly expressed in specific tissues. Subsequently, we selected SiAP4M and SiAP2M for validation of subcellular localization. The signal of 35 S:: SiAP4M: GFP (Long) and 35 S:: SiAP4M: GFP (Short) fused proteins were primarily observed in the nucleus, while the signal of 35 S:: SiAP2M: GFP fused proteins was widely distributed on the cell membrane and vesicles. Conclusions Overall, this study presents a comprehensive map of the SiAP complexes in foxtail millet. These findings not only administer to understanding the biological functions of AP complexes in foxtail millet growth and development but also offer insights for enhancing genetic breeding in this crop.

Abstract To mitigate the impact of the suboptimal ambiguity function of digital television terrestrial multimedia broadcasting (DTMB) signal, used as the illuminator of opportunity in passive bistatic radar, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the ambiguity function characteristics based on the physical structure of the DTMB signal frame. It elucidates the mechanisms behind intra-frame and inter-frame range sidelobes, as well as Doppler sidelobes. Building on this analysis, a novel joint method for suppressing range-Doppler ambiguity sidelobes is proposed to achieve unambiguous target detection. The proposed method effectively removes various types of ambiguity peaks while minimizing mainlobe loss. Simulations and experimental data validate the accuracy of the analysis and demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Background: Elevated blood pressure (BP) in childhood is associated with adult hypertension and arterial stiffness. However, the effect of long-term time in target range (TTR) for BP since childhood on the risk of arterial stiffness in midlife remains unclear. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the independent association of TTR for systolic blood pressure (SBP) from childhood to midlife with arterial stiffness in adulthood. Methods: This study used data from the ongoing cohort of the Hanzhong Adolescent Hypertension Study. SBP-TTR was assessed over 36 years, with the target ranges of SBP defined as the 90th to 95th percentile of SBP for age, sex, and height in childhood, and 110 to 130 mm Hg in adulthood. Arterial stiffness was defined as brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity >1,400 cm/s. Results: Of the total 1,959 participants, 55.5% (1,088 of 1,959) were men, and the mean age was 49 years. The risk of arterial stiffness exhibited a gradual decrease with increasing SBP-TTR over the 36-year follow-up. Compared with the participants in the lowest quartile of SBP-TTR from childhood to midlife, those in the highest quartile showed significantly reduced arterial stiffness risk in midlife. This association persisted even after adjusting for mean SBP and SBP variability. Furthermore, men in the highest quartile of SBP-TTR demonstrated a markedly lower arterial stiffness risk than those in the lowest quartile, whereas this effect was not observed in women. Conclusions: Higher long-term SBP-TTR from childhood to midlife is associated with a reduced risk of arterial stiffness in midlife, regardless of the mean SBP or SBP variability.

To fully bring into play the functions of aircraft engine blades, it is indispensable to perform regular inspections of engine blades, which currently rely on inefficient manual visual assessments. While artificial intelligence technology can be utilized, benchmark datasets are not available yet. To tackle these issues, in this work, we first construct two datasets that are collected from real blade defect images at different microscopic magnifications under an electron microscope and a metallographic microscope. Subsequently, we propose an efficient lightweight YOLOv8 framework, incorporating a hierarchical feature fusion module MS-Block for better multi-scale integration, as well as an Efficient Multi-Scale Attention (EMA) and Dilation-wise Residual (DWR) modules to enhance the detection of small targets and replace the loss function with Inner-IoU. The improved YOLOv8 demonstrates a noteworthy increase in mean average precision (mAP), achieving an enhancement of 1.5% on the Electron Microscope Taken (EMT) dataset and 1.8% on the Metallographic Microscope Taken (MMT) dataset compared to the original model. Our approach significantly surpasses the performance of contemporary target detection algorithms, thereby offering a robust solution for microscopic defect detection in aeroengines. This advancement not only streamlines the inspection process but also contributes to the overall safety and reliability of aircraft operations.

Abstract Cities exhibit diverse urban metabolism patterns in terms of the natural environment, industrial composition, energy, and material consumption. A chronicled city-level quantification of emergy metabolic flows over time can significantly enhance the understanding of the temporal dynamics and urban metabolism patterns, which provides critical insights for the transitions to sustainability. However, there exists no city-level urban emergy metabolism dataset in China that can support detailed spatial-temporal analysis. In this study, we present a city-level urban emergy metabolism dataset of China’s 281 cities between 2000 and 2020. This dataset meticulously describes the production and import of 41 resource types that sustain metabolic activities in 281 Chinese cities over a span of 21 years. This database, for the first time, provides insights into the historical metabolic changes of China’s cities by detailing emergy flows including production, consumption, and import of resources. Furthermore, these emergy flow inventories serve as valuable resources for studying urban metabolic characteristics, evaluating policy impacts, and formulating sustainable development strategies for China’s cities.

Abstract Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) plays important roles in animals and plants. In filamentous fungi, however, their biological function in infection stage has been poorly studied. Here, we investigated the landscape and regulation of lncRNA in the filamentous plant pathogenic fungus Botrytis cinerea by strand-specific RNA-seq of multiple infection stages. In total, 1837 lncRNAs have been identified in B. cinerea. A large number of lncRNAs were found to be antisense to mRNAs, forming 743 sense-antisense pairs, of which 55 antisense lncRNAs and their respective sense transcripts were induced in parallel as the infection stage. Although small RNAs were produced from these overlapping loci, antisense lncRNAs appeared not to be involved in gene silencing pathways. In addition, we found the alternative splicing events occurred in lncRNA. These results highlight the developmental stage-specific nature and functional potential of lncRNA expression in the infection stage and provide fundamental resources for studying infection stage-induced lncRNAs.

Abstract Background Folpet is a nonspecific sulfonamide fungicide widely used to protect crops from mildew. However, the in vivo effects of folpet on glucose metabolism homeostasis, gut microbiota, and abundance of drug resistance genes remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of the pesticide, folpet, on glucose metabolism homeostasis, and folpet-induced changes in the intestinal microbiota and resistance genes in mice. Methods Mice were orally administered folpet at 0, 1, 10, and 100 mg/kg body weight/day for 5 weeks. Blood sugar levels in mice were measured after 5 weeks of folpet administration. Metagenomic sequencing and drug resistance gene analyses were performed to explore changes in the abundance of gut microbiota members and drug resistance genes in mice after folpet administration. Correlation analysis was performed using metabolomics to explore the relationship between intestinal microbiota, drug resistance genes, and glucose metabolism. Results Mice in the folpet group had significantly lower blood glucose levels than those in the control group. The abundance of Atopobium, Libanicoccus, Collinsella, and Parabacteroides in the intestinal microbiota of folpet-treated mice was significantly higher than that in the control group. However, the abundance of Mailhella, Bilophila, Roseburia, and Bacteroides were reduced in folpet-treated mice. Compared with the control group, the abundance of APH6-Ic and AAC6-Ie-APH2-Ia resistance genes in mice treated with folpet significantly increased. The abundance of tetQ, ermE, and BahA resistance genes was significantly reduced after folpet treatment. Conclusions Folpet is associated with changes in the abundance of gut microbiota in mice and may also affect the abundance of drug-resistance genes and the regulation of blood glucose levels.

Abstract Background Enterobacter cloacae is increasingly prevalent and resistant to multiple antibiotics, making it a significant pathogen in healthcare settings with high mortality rates. However, its pathogenic mechanisms are not fully understood. Results In this study, we explored the role of nagZ in regulating the virulence of E. cloacae and its potential as a therapeutic target. Our research showed that pathogenic strains of E. cloacae express higher levels of nagZ than colonizing strains, particularly in simulated infection environments. Deleting nagZ significantly reduced E. cloacae virulence in various infection models, including Galleria mellonella larvae, mice, and RAW264.7 cells. Moreover, nagZ knockout decreased the bacterium's ability to induce inflammatory factor levels, while complementing nagZ in knockout strains partially rescued this ability. Importantly, the absence of nagZ also enhanced the antibacterial efficacy of ceftazidime against E. cloacae. Conclusions These findings underscore the crucial role of nagZ in E. cloacae pathogenesis and highlight its potential as a novel therapeutic target for treating infections caused by this pathogen.

Introduction: Oxidative stress is one of the major contributors to acute alcoholic liver injury (AALI), which is a common alcoholic liver disease. Quercetin and catechin are flavonoid antioxidants present in plant foods and possess chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activities. Quercetin and catechin are often included in the same meal and ingested together. While they show cooperative actions against oxidative damage, the underlying mechanisms behind their counteracting effects against oxidative stress-induced AALI remain poorly understood. Objectives: The aim of this study was to understand the mechanism underlying the enhanced antioxidant effect of quercetin-catechin combination to alleviate AALI in rats. Methods: The ethanol (EtOH)-treated rats and H2O2-treated liver cells were used to demonstrate the enhanced antioxidant effect of quercetin and catechin. Then we used RNA-sequencing to compare quercetin alone, catechin alone and quercetin-catechin combination and then identified the critical role of IKKα combining with gene silencing and overexpression techniques. Its transcription factor, FOXO3 was found through yeast one-hybrid assay, luciferase reporter assay, EMSA and ChIP assay. Finally, the interaction between quercetin, catechin and FOXO3 was verified through molecular docking, UV–Vis absorption spectroscopy, fluorescence spectroscopy, and CD spectroscopy. Results: The study demonstrated the enhanced antioxidant effect of a quercetin-catechin combination in EtOH-treated rats and in H2O2-treated liver cells. Quercetin and catechin cooperatively inhibited IKKα/p53 pathway and activated Nrf2 signaling pathway. IKKα was a critical negative regulator in their joint action. FOXO3 bound to IKKα promoter to regulate IKKα transcription. Quercetin and catechin influenced FOXO3-IKKα binding through attaching directly to FOXO3 at different sites and altering FOXO3′s secondary structures. Conclusion: Our study revealed the mechanism of quercetin and catechin against oxidative stress-induced AALI through jointly interacting with transcription factor. This research opens new vistas for examining the joint effect of therapeutics towards functional proteins and confirms the chemopreventive effects of multiple flavonoids via co-regulation.

Background The incidence of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) remains high, and a timely restoration of cerebral blood flow is crucial for its prognosis. There are less therapeutic approaches to promote recovery of cerebral blood flow in AIS patients treated beyond a limited time window. The analysis of remote ischemic postconditioning (RIPostC) on the efficacy, complications and prognosis of AIS patients beyond the time window is of great significance. Objective To investigate the role of RIPostC on the prognosis of AIS beyond time window, thus providing a safe and effective cerebral blood flow restoration way for AIS beyond time window. Methods It was a randomized, parallel group, placebo-controlled trial involving AIS patients beyond time window (onset time > 6 h) of thrombolysis who were hospitalized in the Department of Neurology, Beijing Aerospace General Hospital from September 2, 2021 to August 31, 2022. They were randomly assigned into the control group and experimental group, and treated and followed up for 90 days. General treatment and conventional treatment of cerebrovascular disease were performed in both groups. RIPostC and simulated RIPostC were respectively given 28 times within 14 days in the experimental group and control group, respectively. Before the intervention, and 30 days and 90 days after the intervention, neurological function was assessed using the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) and the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS). Cognitive function was assessed by the Mini-mental Status Examination (MMSE) and Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Daily living ability was assessed by the Instrumental Activity of Daily Living (IADL). Mental status was assessed by the Self-rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS). Cerebral blood flow velocity was assessed by the transcranial Doppler ultrasound (TCD). Inflammatory response was assessed by measuring interleukin 6 (IL-6) levels. Results Ninety-nine out of 122 AIS patients finally completed the trial and follow-up, including 49 patients in the experimental group and 50 in the control group. There were no significant differences in gender, age, underlying diseases (hypertension, diabetes, coronary heart disease) and baseline NIHSS scores between the two groups (P>0.05). Repeated measures analysis of variance showed that there was an interaction between time and group on MMSE, MoCA, mRS, NIHSS, cerebral blood flow velocity, and IL-6 (P0.05). The incidence of skin ecchymosis [4.00% (2/50) vs. 12.24% (6/49) ] and the overall incidence of adverse events [12.00% (6/50) vs. 34.69% (17/49) ] in the control group were significantly lower than those of the experimental group (P

Abstract Pollen development and germination play a crucial role in the sexual reproduction of plants. This study analysis of transcriptional dynamics of foxtail millet pollen with other tissues and organs (ovule, glume, seedling and root) through RNA-sequencing revealed that a total of 940 genes were up-regulated in foxtail millet pollen. Based on this, we analyzed the genes involved in pollen tube growth of receptor kinases and small peptides, calcium signaling, small G proteins, vesicle transport, cytoskeleton, cell wall correlation, and transcription factors that are up-regulated in pollen. At the same time, we compared the gene expression of foxtail millet pollen and mature anthers, and found that a large number of transcription factors were specific expressed in mature anthers. In addition, we verified the accuracy of the transcriptome data using RT-qPCR. Finally, employed the antisense Oligonucleotide (as-ODN) system found that inhibiting SiPME67 expression would cause abnormal growth of pollen tube subapical. In summary, we preliminarily analyzed the genes that were up-regulated in foxtail millet pollen, which provided a reference for understanding the male sterility mechanism of foxtail millet in the future and theoretical basis for creating new male sterility lines.

Abstract Objective This study aims to assess the safety and effectiveness of High-Intensity Focused Ultrasound (HIFU) ablation on pregnancy outcomes among women with uterine fibroids wishing to conceive, focusing specifically on short-term pregnancy outcomes immediately following HIFU treatment. Methods A retrospective analysis was conducted on 210 women who underwent HIFU treatment (Group I) at our institution between January 2018 and December 2022 and subsequently conceived. Pregnancy outcomes were compared with two control groups: 510 patients who delivered vaginally (Group II) and 278 who underwent cesarean sections (Group III) during the same period. Statistical analyses included multivariable logistic regression to adjust for confounding factors. The study only considered outcomes related to the immediate pregnancy following HIFU treatment and did not include data on subsequent pregnancies or long-term effects. Results The natural conception rate post-HIFU was 93.81% (197/210), with a miscarriage rate of 19.05% (40/210). Group I had significantly lower rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (8.24%) and precipitate labor (0%) compared to Group II but higher rates of mild anemia (31.18%) and adherent placenta (10.59%). Compared to Group III, Group I had lower rates of gestational diabetes mellitus (8.24% vs. 20.86%) and moderate anemia (4.71% vs. 16.55%) but a higher incidence of premature rupture of membranes (18.82%). Neonates in Group I had lower birth weights compared to Groups II and III (p

Abstract Background Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a highly contagious immunosuppressive virus of chickens. Chickens acquire infection by the oral route under natural conditions. Although the histological and pathological changes after IBDV infection are well described, the alterations in serum metabolome have not been reported. In this study, SPF chickens were infected with attenuated IBDV (atIBDV) strain LM and very virulent IBDV (vvIBDV) strain LX, respectively. On the seventh day after oral infection, serum samples of experimental chickens were identified using ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS (UHPLC-MS/MS). The serum metabolic profiles were analyzed by multivariate statistical methods. KEGG enrichment analysis was performed to evaluate the dysregulated biological pathways. Results We identified 368 significantly altered metabolites in response to both atIBDV and vvIBDV infection. The metabolic disorder of amino acid and lipid was associated with IBDV infection, especially tryptophan, glycerophospholipid, lysine, and tyrosine metabolism. The differential metabolites enriched in the four metabolic pathways were PC(20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)/18:0), PE(16:0/18:2(9Z,12Z)), PE(16:0/22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)), PE(18:0/20:4(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z)), PE(18:0/20:4(8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)), PE(18:0/22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)), PE(20:3(8Z,11Z,14Z)/16:0), PE(22:6(4Z,7Z,10Z,13Z,16Z,19Z)/16:0), PE-NMe(20:5(5Z,8Z,11Z,14Z,17Z)/18:0), PS(20:3(5Z,8Z,11Z)/18:2(9Z,12Z)), 2-aminobenzoic acid, 4-(2-aminophenyl)-2,4-dioxobutanoic acid, N-acetylserotonin, 5-hydroxyindoleacetate, indole-3-acetaldehyde, indole-3-acetate, p-coumaric acid, L-tyrosine, homovanillin, and S-glutaryldihydrolipoamide. Conclusion The atIBDV and vvIBDV infection causes metabolic changes in chicken serum. The differential metabolites and dysregulated metabolic pathways reflect the host response to the IBDV infection.

Abstract Background The complete mitochondrial respiratory chain is a precondition for maintaining cellular energy supply, development, and metabolic balance. Due to the evolutionary differentiation of complexes and the semi-autonomy of mitochondria, respiratory chain subunits have become critical targets for crop improvement and fungal control. In fungi, mitochondrial complex I mediates growth and metabolism. However, the role of this complex in the pathogenesis of phytopathogenic fungi is largely unknown. Results In this study, we identified the NADH: ubiquinone oxidoreductase 24-kDa subunit (VdNuo1) of complex in vascular wilt pathogen, Verticillium dahliae, and examined its functional conservation in phytopathogenic fungi. Based on the treatments with respiratory chain inhibitors, the mitochondria-localized VdNuo1 was confirmed to regulate mitochondrial morphogenesis and homeostasis. VdNuo1 was induced during the different developmental stages in V. dahliae, including hyphal growth, conidiation, and melanized microsclerotia development. The VdNuo1 mutants displayed variable sensitivity to stress factors and decreased pathogenicity in multiple hosts, indicating that VdNuo1 is necessary in stress tolerance and full virulence. Comparative transcriptome analysis demonstrated that VdNuo1 mediates global transcriptional effects, including oxidation and reduction processes, fatty acid, sugar, and energy metabolism. These defects are partly attributed to impairments of mitochondrial morphological integrity, complex assembly, and related functions. Its homologue (CgNuo1) functions in the vegetative growth, melanin biosynthesis, and pathogenicity of Colletotrichum gloeosporioides; however, CgNuo1 does not restore the VdNuo1 mutant to normal phenotypes. Conclusions Our results revealed that VdNuo1 plays important roles in growth, metabolism, microsclerotia development, stress tolerance, and virulence of V. dahliae, sharing novel insight into the function of complex I and a potential fungicide target for pathogenic fungi.

Abstract The flexibility of the integral equation (IE) method is limited by the available numerical solutions with uniform‐grid schemes. In this paper, a general numerical solution of the IE is presented to predict long‐range low‐frequency (LF) groundwave propagation over irregular terrain. The general numerical solution is re‐derived with the aid of Legendre–Gauss quadrature and interpolation quadrature. The great advantage of the resulting algorithm is that it can freely use non‐uniform grid sizes in the computation area without loss of accuracy. Numerical results in two surface types, including triangular mountain and actual terrain are used to demonstrate the performance of the presented algorithm. Furthermore, it is ascertained that the non‐physical perturbations at long propagation ranges in the IE predictions are caused by the inherent uniform‐grid schemes of the numerical solution rather than the several approximations in the derivation of the IE form.

Bacillus mojavensis KRS009 was identified as an antagonistic strain with a strong inhibitory effect on various phytopathogenic fungi. To provide further insight into its biocontrol mechanisms and ability to improve plant salt tolerance, the high quality complete genome of KRS009 was sequenced by PacBio platform and assembled using PacBio-HiFiReads. The KRS009 genome consists of one circular chromosome of 4,089,687 bp with 43.5% GC content and 4,062 open reading frames, of which 3,920 protein-coding genes, 86 transfer RNA, 10 ribosomal RNA, and 26 small RNA were identified in this genome. Among them, genes related to compatible solutes, including treC, galU, proX, and proW, are involved in the synthesis of trehalose, proline, and betaine metabolism and play an important role in relieving osmotic stress. In addition, the KRS009 genome contains genes associated with high salinity tolerance, including those responsible for Na+/H+ antiporters, K+ transporters, TrkH thiamin phosphate synthase, K+-sensing histidine kinase, aryl-phospho-beta-D-glucosidase, flavoprotein CzcO associated with the cation diffusion facilitator CzcD, and chaperonin GroEL. Together, the high-quality genome resource of strain KRS009 would provide a molecular basis for further research on its biocontrol and plant salt tolerance mechanisms. [Figure: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.

Abstract RNA modifications are widespread throughout the mammalian transcriptome and play pivotal roles in regulating various cellular processes. These modifications are strongly linked to the development of many cancers. One of the most prevalent forms of RNA modifications in humans is adenosine-to-inosine (A-to-I) editing, catalyzed by the enzyme adenosine deaminase acting on RNA (ADAR) in double-stranded RNA (dsRNA). With advancements in RNA sequencing technologies, the role of A-to-I modification in cancer has garnered increasing attention. Research indicates that the levels and specific sites of A-to-I editing are significantly altered in many malignant tumors, correlating closely with tumor progression. This editing occurs in both coding and noncoding regions of RNA, influencing signaling pathways involved in cancer development. These modifications can either promote or suppress cancer progression through several mechanisms, including inducing non-synonymous amino acid mutations, altering the immunogenicity of dsRNAs, modulating mRNA interactions with microRNAs (miRNAs), and affecting the splicing of circular RNAs (circRNAs) as well as the function of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs). A comprehensive understanding of A-to-I RNA editing is crucial for advancing the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of human cancers. This review explores the regulatory mechanisms of A-to-I editing in cancers and examines their potential clinical applications. It also summarizes current research, identifies future directions, and highlights potential therapeutic implications.

Abstract To investigate the effects of early-onset sepsis (EOS) on retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) in extremely premature infants (EPIs) by using propensity score matching (PSM). Clinical data of 591 EPIs admitted to NICU, Senior Department of Pediatric, PLA General Hospital from May 1, 2015 to May 1, 2022 were retrospectively analyzed. They were divided into an EOS group and a non-EOS group according to whether they had confirmed EOS or not. The incidence of ROP and severe ROP was compared between the two groups using the 1:1 PSM method. Of the 591 EPIs, 57 (9.6%) fell in the EOS group and the remaining 534 in the non-EOS group. There were statistical differences in artificial conception, cesarean section, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, days of oxygen use, amniotic fluid contamination, and premature rupture of membranes between the two groups (all P 0.05). Of the 57 cases in the EOS group, 51 were successfully matched, in which the incidence of severe ROP was higher than that in the non-EOS group [47.1% (24/51) vs. 27.5% (14/51), OR 2.349,95% CI 1.030 to 5.360, P 0.05]. EOS didn’t seem to increase the incidence of ROP in EPIs, but was associated with an increase in the degree of ROP lesions. The progression of fundus lesions in EPIs with EOS during hospitalization should be closely monitored.

Abstract Community detection is a fundamental task in network analysis in that it can express the characteristics of individual behaviors and the relationships between individuals in complex networks, thus revealing the functional and structural properties of various networks. However, as networks become larger and larger, how to quickly and accurately detect the community structure of large-scale networks has become a huge challenge nowadays. In this paper, an efficient algorithm, called Local Search for Community Detection (LSCD), is proposed to solve the multi-objective community detection problem. In the algorithm, an iterated local search is performed to search for non-dominated solutions in the solution space. To search for higher quality non-dominated solutions, this paper employs a learning-based strategy to select nodes in each round of the search. The strategy learns from the historical movement of the nodes and changes their selection probability according to their importance. Moreover, to search the entire solution space, this paper proposes a local search strategy that restricts one objective with a bound for a certain round, as well as an adaptive bound update mechanism. Experimental results on synthetic and real-world networks show that the proposed algorithm outperforms several state-of-the-art algorithms in terms of multi-objective optimization performance and accuracy in detecting the community structure of complex networks, since it performs best on 44 instances out of 46 in terms of Modularity (Q) and 29 out of 39 in terms of Normalized Mutual Information (NMI). In addition, the results show that the proposed algorithm has a good ability to handle large-scale networks.

Abstract Background At present, the participation rate in cancer screening is still not ideal, and the lack of screening information or misunderstanding of information is an important factor hindering cancer screening behaviour. Therefore, a systematic synthesis of information needs related to cancer screening is critical. Methods On July 23, 2024, we searched the Cochrane Library, MEDLINE (Ovid), Embase, EBSCO, PsycINFO, Scopus, ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL to collect qualitative or mixed-methods studies on information needs of cancer screening. We also searched for grey literature on OpenGrey and Google websites. Data were synthesised using Sandelowski and Barroso’s framework. A top-down approach was adopted to group and synthesise the encodes and then generate analytical themes. Results A total of 37 studies were included. The results of the analysis of cancer screening-related information needs content, cancer-specific information needs content, requirements and preferences for information, and associated factors of information-seeking behaviour were reported. Based on the event timeline, we summarised the information needs of the screening demand side into four themes. Their information needs focus on disease risk factors, signs and symptoms, the importance of screening, the benefits and harms of screening, the detailed screening process, and screening results and explanations. Regarding cancer-specific information needs content, we summarised the specific information needs of cervical, breast, colorectal, and lung cancer. By referring to relevant concepts in the Comprehensive Model of Information Seeking, we synthesised the requirements and preferences for information according to the themes of editorial tone, communication potential, recommended information channels, and recommended source place. The information-seeking behaviours of the screening demanders are mainly passive attention and active searching. The common factors leading to the passive attention of screening demanders are demographic factors and fear of cancer. The most common reason for them to actively search information is lack of information. Conclusions The list of information needs identified in this review can serve as a reference for health professionals and information service providers before carrying out screening-related work to help the cancer screening participants obtain valuable information.

Abstract β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) is an important cyclic oligosaccharide, which is widely applicated in foods, environmental protection, and cosmetics, primarily prepared from enzymatic synthesis in traditional industry. However, several challenges persist, including cumbersome processes and difficulties in achieving continuous fermentation and catalysis. This research introduced a biofilm-based immobilized fermentation, integrating with enzyme catalysis system of surface display in Bacillus subtilis. The bslA gene was selected to construct the surface display system due to its ability to promote biofilm formation and serve as an anchorin. Compared to free cell catalysis, the biofilm-based immobilized catalysis expanded the temperature range to 40–70 and the pH range to 5–7.5. During the continuous catalysis process, by the 13th batch, the relative activity remained around 52%, and the conversion rate exceeded 36%, similar to the single-batch free cell catalysis. These findings provide valuable insights and effective strategies for the industrial production of β-CD and other biochemicals through continuous catalysis.

AIM: To quantify the severity and frequency of ocular pain in Tibetan plateau patients with dry eye, and to evaluate the related factors affecting ocular pain. METHODS: A retrospective study included 160 cases of dry eye disease (DED) patients who were treated from July 2022 to June 2023. Age, gender, occupation, illness course, anxiety, plateau duration, plateau protection, ocular surface disease index scale (OSDI), break-up time (BUT), Schirmer I test (SIT), conjunctivitis, history of ophthalmic medication, autoimmune disease, the workload of daily near vision range, smoking and overnight stay were obtained via comprehensive ophthalmic assessment, and their duration was followed up. Logistic regression analysis was used to determine the related factors affecting ocular pain. RESULTS: Totally 77.5% (124/160) of DED patients had ocular pain, of which the severity of ocular pain was mild, moderate, and severe in 30.0%, 36.3%, and 11.3% of patients, respectively. Frequency of ocular pain was reported occasional, half the time, frequent, and persistent pain in 19.4%, 36.9%, 16.9%, and 4.4%. OSDI score was 19.67±5.70 (13 to 36), and the level of pain was lowly correlated with OSDI (rs=0.316, P0.05). CONCLUSION: Ocular pain is a common complaint in high-altitude DED patients during the pandemic. Anxiety, eye protection, and adequate sleep during the epidemic period are significantly associated with the severity and frequency of ocular pain in patients with plateau DED, while symptoms of DED have relatively little influence on them.

Context The mechanism of Renshen Shouwu Decoction (RSSW) in treating Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains unknown.Objective This study investigates the effects and mechanism of RSSW for ameliorating AD.Materials and methods Ten SAMR1 mice and 40 SAMP8 mice were divided into five groups: control (SAMR1), model (SAMP8), positive drug (Donepezil, 1.3 mg/kg/d), and RSSW (Low-dose, 117 mg/kg/d; High-dose, 234 mg/kg/d). Starting from 6 months of age, the medications were administered intragastrically for a total of 60 days. Subsequently, memory improvement in rapidly aging mice was assessed using the novel object recognition test and Morris water maze test. Through the identification of absorbed blood components and analysis of network pharmacology, active ingredients and potential targets involved in the treatment of AD were identified. Finally, AD-related biological indicators were detected using western blotting and ELISA.Result Our results demonstrated that RSSW effectively ameliorated memory impairments, inhibited tau hyperphosphorylation, and reduced β-amyloid plaque deposition in SAMP8 mice. Thirty absorbed blood components in RSSW were identified, revealing identified 96 major targets that play a key role in alleviating AD. Notably, the obtained main targets were highly enriched in SIRT1-mediated signaling pathways. Subsequent experimental validation confirmed that RSSW activated the SIRT1/NF-κB, SIRT1/AMPK, and SIRT1/p53 signaling cascades. Nine potential active ingredients were predicted through molecular docking.Discussion and conclusions Our research findings suggest the mechanism of RSSW treatment for AD, which ameliorates memory impairments by reducing cortical tissue inflammation and apoptosis.

Abstract The linear Doppler effect and angular Doppler effect in vortex electromagnetic wave radar echoes can be used to extract comprehensive micro‐motion parameters. However, the analytical solution of micro‐motion parameters for rotating targets in vortex EM wave radar has not been obtained. To solve the above problems, the analytical solution of micro‐motion parameters is derived, and a micro‐motion parameter extraction method is proposed. Firstly, the shape and properties of the angular Doppler curve in various cases are discussed. Subsequently, the properties of three points on the angular Doppler curve are derived. The micro‐motion parameters are obtained based on the three points. The simulations demonstrate that the proposed method can greatly reduce the computational complexity and improve the accuracy of micro‐motion parameter extraction.

Abstract Background Pigmented potatoes (Solanum tuberosum L.) are rich in anthocyanin, which have antioxidantiy and play an important role in health and medical. Nevertheless, the regulation mechanism of anthocyanins in purple potato at different growth stages remain unclear. Results In this study, through using the high-throughput sequencing and systematic bioinformatics analysis, a total of 7,176 significantly different expressed genes (DEGs) were discovered from the purple potato Huasong 66 tubers at different developmental stages. Through GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, it was found that, 43 DEGs were mainly enriched in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and phenylalanine metabolism, which biological processes are closely related to anthocyanin biosynthesis. The quantitative RT-PCR were verified the reliability of transcriptome data. We demonstrated that DEGs or transcription factors (TFs) which related to flavonoid metabolism were involved in the anthocyanins biosynthesis, such as the protein-coding genes PAL, CHS, CHI, 4CL, F3H, UFGT, LAR, and the TFs MYB, bHLH, and HY5. Conclusion The key genes involved in anthocyanin synthesis in potato tubers were identificated, it provides new insights for molecular breeding new cultivars. These results are valuable for improving the anthocyanin in potato.

In this study, gas chromatography-olfactometry-mass spectrometry (GC-O-MS) combined with odor activity value (OAV) was used to analyze the key odorants of clean aroma-type Xinyang Maojian (XYMJ) green tea. The results of aroma extract dilution analysis (AEDA) showed that 48 volatile compounds were obtained from XYMJ green tea infusion by solvent-assisted flavor evaporation (SAFE) and headspace-solid phase microextraction (HS-SPME). Twenty-two volatile compounds with flavor dilution (FD) factor ≥ 27 were identified. Among these, dihydroactinidiolide showed the highest FD factor (6 561), followed by vanillin (2 187), coumarin (729), 2-phenylethanol (729), hexanal (243), 4-hydroxy-2,5-dimethylfuran-3(2H)-one (243) and δ-decalactone (243). Through quantitative analysis, we identified 17 key odorants with OAV > 1, including (E,Z)-2,6-nonadienal, dimethyl sulfide, 3-methylbutanal, geraniol, (E)-β-ionone, linalool, 6-methyl-5-hepten-2-one, (E,E)-2,4-heptadienal, hexanal, 2-methylbutanal, jasmone, nonanal, δ-decalactone, γ-hexalactone, coumarin, δ-jasmolactone and indole. The OAV values indicate that these key odorants make important contributions to the aroma quality of clean aroma-type XYMJ green tea.

Pectin is a macromolecular water-soluble dietary fiber, which was widely distributed in fruits and vegetables. Pectin has various physiology functions, which has great development potential in the fields of food, medicine and health. By reviewing literature over the past 20 years, the common structures and extraction methods of pectin have been systematically summarized. Current structural studies of pectin have focused on homogalacturonans, rhamnogalacturonan-I and rhamnogalacturonan-II. Among the extraction methods, acid and aqueous extraction are the most mature technologies. Among these methods, subcritical aqueous extraction has great potential for application and popularization. Additionally, pectin plays an important role in ameliorating chronic metabolic diseases through intestinal microecology and other molecular pathways. Therefore, this article reviews the research progress in recent years on the structure, extraction methods, and the beneficial effect on the chronic diseases of pectin both domestically and internationally. Furthermore, this article summarizes the mechanism of action of pectin in improving chronic diseases and the conformational relationship between pectin structure and chronic diseases. This study would provide theoretical references for product development and industrial application of pectin.

With the current increasing global demand for low-carbon and environmentally friendly products, promoting the sustainability of closed-loop supply chains has become one of the key measures. However, consumers often do not regard remanufactured products as equivalent to new products. Therefore, this paper proposes a dynamic closed-loop supply chain that incorporates consumers' purchasing preferences to model a long-term game with product differentiation. Moreover, to enhance consumer acceptance of remanufactured products and reduce manufacturers' costs, low-carbon technologies and cost-sharing mechanisms are introduced. In this way, we construct a differential game in which the manufacturer sells new and remanufactured products through a retailer and makes decisions about the level of low-carbon technology in the remanufacturing process. Based on the theory of differential games, this paper analyzes three different power structures: the manufacturer-dominated Stackelberg game, the Nash game, and the retailer-dominated Stackelberg game. The optimal low-carbon technology level and pricing strategy are obtained by applying Pontryagin's maximum principle. The study shows that the retailer-led Stackelberg game helps retailers maximize profits, while the Nash game enables the entire closed-loop supply chain system to achieve the highest overall profits. This paper innovatively integrates low-carbon technologies into the dynamic game model of the remanufacturing process and reveals how the game behavior of supply chain participants affects the application of low-carbon technologies and the overall profit of the supply chain by comparing the cost-sharing mechanisms under different power structures. The results provide important theoretical support and practical references for closed-loop supply chain management with product differentiation.

The low-salt fermented shrimp pastes with 10% (w/w) salt addition were made using acetes chinensis as the substrates and Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y11 and Bacillus velezensis Y12 as fermentation starter cultures to investigate the impact of Bacillus amyloliquefaciens Y11 and Bacillus velezensis Y12 on the quality and bacterial community diversity. Sensory evaluation, flavor analysis, MDA content, TVB-N value, and bacterial community were examined to compare the quality and microbial diversity changes of shrimp paste fermented using single-strain and mixed-strain fermentation methods. The results revealed that shrimp paste subjected to mixed-strain fermentation using two Bacillus strains exhibited higher sensory evaluation scores, color, and flavor assessment than the single-strain and natural fermentation shrimp paste. For the shrimp paste fermented with mixed Bacillus strains, the pH was between 7.5 and 8.0, and remained relatively stable throughout the fermentation process. The MDA content decreased from 0.98 mg/kg to 0.33 mg/kg with an increased fermentation time, and the lowest TVB-N value (33.32 mg/100 g) was observed after 10 days of fermentation. Amplicon sequencing of the fermented shrimp paste indicated the addition of starter cultures had a significant impact on the relative abundance of bacterial communities in the early stage of fermentation. At the end of fermentation, the relative abundance of Alkalibacterium, Atopistipes, Staphylococcus, and Tetragonococcus was relatively high in different groups. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for utilizing Bacillus strains as fermentation agents in producing shrimp paste and other related seafood products.

In order to investigate changes in flavor substances of lightly-pickled cucumbers during storage, volatile compounds were analyzed by electronic nose and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry (GC-IMS). The results showed that flavor characteristics of lightly-pickled cucumbers changed obviously during storage. A total of 56 volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were detected by GC-IMS, including 10 alcohols, 30 aldehydes, 8 ketones, 5 esters, 1 furan, 1 acid, and 1 alkane. With the extension of storage period, the relative contents of aldehydes, alcohols and ketones decreased significantly, while the contents of esters increased significantly (P1), including cis-6-nonenal, nonenal, 1-penten-3-one, isobutyraldehyde, trans-2,cis-6-nonadienal, and trans-2-octenal. Among them, trans-2-octenal increased with the relative extension of storage time, which might be the main off-flavor compound for flavor deterioration. This study can provide a theoretical basis for flavor quality evaluation of lightly-pickled cucumbers during storage.

Abstract Double-atom catalysts (DACs) have opened distinctive paradigms in the field of rapidly developing atomic catalysis owing to their great potential for promoting catalytic performance in various reaction systems. However, increasing the loading and extending the service life of metal active centres represents a considerable challenge for the efficient utilization of DACs. Here, we rationally design asymmetric nitrogen, sulfur-coordinated diatomic iron centres on highly defective nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets (denoted A-Fe2S1N5/SNC, A: asymmetric), which possess the atomic configuration of the N2S1Fe-FeN3 moiety. The abundant defects and low-electronegativity heteroatoms in the carbon-based framework endow A-Fe2S1N5/SNC with a high loading of 6.72 wt%. Furthermore, A-Fe2S1N5/SNC has a low overpotential of 193 mV for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at 10 mA cm−2, outperforming commercial RuO2 catalysts. In addition, A-Fe2S1N5/SNC exhibits extraordinary stability, maintaining > 97% activity for over 2000 hours during the OER process. This work provides a practical scheme for simultaneously balancing the activity and stability of DACs towards electrocatalysis applications.

Abstract Background Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) is a notable cause of hospital-acquired infections, with carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) classified as a high-priority critical pathogen. Bacteriophage therapy is emerging as a promising alternative to combat drug-resistant bacterial infections. In this study, a lytic phage, HZY2308, was isolated from hospital sewage, and the biological properties, biosafety and anti-biofilm properties of phage HZY2308 were characterized and identified. Moreover, the antibacterial effect of phage HZY2308 in combination with antibiotics was investigated, and the apparent characteristics of phage-resistant strain AB48-R were demonstrated, which provided data support for further studies to elucidate the mechanism of generating phage resistance. Methods Phage HZY2308 was isolated by double agar plate method using clinical strain AB48 as the host bacterium. The morphology of phage HZY2308 was identified by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and biological characteristics of phage HZY2308 were identified by host range, the efficiency of plating (EOP), sensitivity to temperature, pH, and chloroform, one-step growth curve, the optimal multiplicity of infection (MOI), and detection of endotoxin and cytotoxicity. Besides, the complete genome map of HZY2308 was constructed using CGview, and the phylogenetic tree of HZY2308 was constructed with MEGA. Additionally, the full genomic sequence of phage HZY2308 and the selected phage were compared using Easyfig. Checkerboard test of phage HZY2308 in combination with tigecycline (TGC) was performed to investigate their synergistic effect and bactericidal kinetics. The effect of HZY2308 on biofilm was investigated by semi-quantitative staining of biofilm with crystal violet, determination of bacterial activity in biofilm by 2,3-Bis (2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl) -2 H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide (XTT) assay and observation of biofilm structure by fluorescence microscopy. Finally, Phage-resistant bacteria AB48-R were characterized by colony-forming capacity, morphology, growth curves, adsorption efficiency, and antibiotic susceptibility assays. Results A lytic phage, HZY2308, was isolated from hospital sewage, which exhibited advantageous traits such as a brief incubation period, large burst size, and robust stability. Safety assessments conducted at both genetic and cellular levels also have yielded positive outcomes. Besides, phage HZY2308 effectively inhibited AB biofilm formation and disrupted established biofilm structures. Furthermore, a synergistic antibacterial effect was noted when phage HZY2308 was combined with tigecycline. Interestingly, the phage-resistant strain, AB48-R was screened through natural selection. Compared to the wild strain AB48, the adsorption efficiency of the phage to AB48-R diminished. However, AB48-R’s sensitivity to antibiotics such as cefepime, gentamicin, amikacin, and tobramycin increased, indicating an evolutionary trade-off. Conclusions Phage HZY2308 shows strong antimicrobial potential, especially in combination with tigecycline, and the phage-resistant strain exhibits increased antibiotic sensitivity.

Abstract Sulfadoxine-pyrimethamine (SP) is a key drug recommended by the World Health Organization for the chemoprevention of malaria. However, the strategy is affected by the parasite resistance to SP. This study evaluated Plasmodium falciparum dihydrofolate reductase (Pfdhfr) and dihydropteroate synthase (Pfdhps) genes, associated with SP resistance, from 508 P. falciparum isolates imported from West African countries to Henan Province, China, during 2012–2022. High mutant prevalence of the genes Pfdhfr (94.7%) and Pfdhps (96.8%) was observed. The mutants Pfdhfr N51I, C59R, S108N, and Pfdhps A437G were at high frequency in all countries analyzed. The overall prevalence of the mutant Pfdhps K540E was low (3.4%), but with a high frequency in Liberia (24.3%). The frequency of mutants Pfdhps I431V, A581G, and A613S was 11.7%, 9.8%, and 16.2%, respectively, all of which had the highest mutant prevalence in Nigeria. The mutant Pfdhps A581G and A613S were identified in the absence of K540E. The partially resistant haplotype (I51R59N108 - G437) was the most common (72.6%), and the fully resistant haplotype (I51R59N108 - G437E540) had a low prevalence of 3.4% and mainly occurred in Liberia. No super resistant haplotype was identified. The mutant Pfdhps I431V and the octuple mutant haplotype I51R59N108 - V431A436G437G581S613 deserve more attention. In areas of high SP resistance, the intervention still reduces low birthweight and maternal anaemia. SP should continue to be used in areas of high SP resistance until more effective alternatives for malaria chemoprevention are found. It is important to continuously monitor the molecular markers associated with SP resistance to better implement intermittent preventive treatment policies in pregnancy (IPTp) and infants (IPTi).

Frozen shoulder (FS) manifests as progressively worsening pain and a reduction in shoulder range of motion (ROM). Salvianolic acid B (SaB) is recently expected to be used in the treatment of fibrosis diseases including FS. We firstly demonstrate that SaB can effectively hinder the progression of oxidative stress, inflammation, and pathological fibrosis within the synovial tissue in FS, potentially leading to the reduction or reversal of capsule fibrosis and joint stiffness. For further clinical application, we design and synthesize a novel, superior, antioxidant and antibacterial CSMA-PBA/OD-DA (CPDA) hydrogel for the delivery of SaB. In vitro experiments demonstrate that the CPDA hydrogel exhibits excellent biocompatibility and rheological properties, rendering it suitable for intra-articular injections. Upon injection into the contracted joint cavity of FS model rat, the SaB-CPDA hydrogel accelerate the recovery of ROM and exhibit superior anti-fibrosis effect, presenting the promise for the treatment of FS in vivo.

Abstract Immune evasion represents a crucial milestone in the progression of cancer and serves as the theoretical foundation for tumor immunotherapy. In this study, we reveal a negative association between Human Papillomavirus (HPV)-encoded circular RNA, circE7, and the infiltration of CD8+ T cells in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Both in vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrate that circE7 suppresses the function and activity of T cells by downregulating the transcription of LGALS9, which encodes the galectin-9 protein. The molecular mechanism involves circE7 binding to acetyl-CoA carboxylase 1 (ACC1), promoting its dephosphorylation and thereby activating ACC1. Activated ACC1 reduces H3K27 acetylation at the LGALS9 gene promoter, leading to decreased galectin-9 expression. Notably, galectin-9 interacts with immune checkpoint molecules TIM-3 and PD-1, inhibiting the secretion of cytotoxic cytokines by T cells and promoting T cell apoptosis. Here, we demonstrate a mechanism by which HPV promotes immune evasion in HNSCC through a circE7-driven epigenetic modification and propose a potential immunotherapy strategy for HNSCC that involves the combined use of anti-PD-1 and anti-TIM-3 inhibitors.

Abstract Dopamine (DA) neurons play a crucial role in the development and manifestation of depression, as well as in response to antidepressant treatments. While the function of the predominantly distributed DA neurons in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) is well established, the contribution of a small fraction of DA neurons in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) during depression remains unclear. In this study, we found that chronic unpredictable stress (CUS) induces depression-related behaviors and decreases spontaneous firing rates, excitatory and inhibitory postsynaptic currents of DA neurons in the DRN associated with reduced excitatory synaptic transmission in male and female mice. The chemogenetic inhibition of DA neurons in the DRN produces depressive phenotypes. Conversely, their activation completely reversed the anhedonic and despair behaviors induced by CUS. Furthermore, we showed that a DRN dopaminergic projecting to the dorsal bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (dBNST) selectively controls depressive behaviors by influencing the neural activity and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) mediating EPSC of calcium/calmodulin-dependent protein kinase II+ (CaMKII+) target neurons by regulating dopamine neurotransmitter and dopamine receptor 2 (DR2) in the dBNST. Overall, these findings highlight the essential role of the DRNDA → dBNSTCaMKII+ neural circuit in bi-directionally mediating stress-induced depression-related behaviors. Our findings indicate that DRN DA neurons are a key component of the neural circuitry involved in regulating depression-related behaviors, making them a potential therapeutic target for depression.

Abstract Cisplatin (CP), a chemotherapy drug commonly used in cancers treatment, causes serious reproductive toxicity. With younger cancer patients and increasing survival rates, it is important to preserve their reproductive capacity. NME8 is highly expressed in testis and contains thioredoxin and NDPK domains, suggesting it may be a target against the CP-induced reproductive toxicity. We deleted exons 6–7 of the Nme8 in mice based on human mutation sites and observed impaired transcript splicing. In mice, Nme8 was not essential for spermatogenesis, possibly due to functional compensation by its paralog, Nme5. Nme8 expression was elevated and translocated to the nucleus in response to two weeks of CP treatment. Under CP treatment, Nme8 deficiency further impaired antioxidant capacity, induced lipid peroxidation and increased ROS level, and failed to activate autophagy, resulting in aggravated DNA damage in testes and sperm. Consequently, the proliferation and differentiation of spermatogonia and the meiosis of spermatocyte were almost completely halted, and sperm motility was impaired. Our research indicates that NME8 protects against CP-induced testis and sperm damage. This may provide new insights into the physiological functions of the Nme family and potential targets for preserving fertility in young male cancer patients.

Abstract Recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) has a complex pathogenesis with an increasing prevalence and is one of the most intractable clinical challenges in the field of reproductive medicine. Quercetin (QCT) is an effective active ingredient extracted from Semen Cuscutae and Herba Taxilli used in traditional Chinese medicine for tonifyng the kidneys and promoting fetal restoration. Although QCT helps improve adverse pregnancy outcomes, the specific mechanism remains unclear. The trophoblast cell line HTR‐8/SVneo cultured in vitro was treated with different concentrations of QCT, and the cell counting kit‐8 assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, and western blotting were used to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of QCT on the proliferation, migration, and invasion of HTR‐8/SVneo cells, respectively. To assess the expression levels of miR‐149‐3p and AKT serine/threonine kinase 1 (AKT1), quantitative real‐time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‐PCR) and western blotting analysis were performed. A dual‐luciferase reporter assay was used to investigate the potential regulatory relationship between miR‐149‐3p and AKT1. Our results showed that QCT promoted the proliferation, migration, and invasion of trophoblast cells, promoted the expression of MMP2, MMP9, and vimentin, and downregulated the expression of E‐cadherin. Mechanistically, QCT downregulated the expression of miR‐149‐3p and upregulated the expression of AKT1, and miR‐149‐3p directly targets AKT1, negatively regulating its expression. Overexpression of miR‐149‐3p and silencing of AKT1 counteracted the promotional effects of QCT on trophoblast proliferation, migration, and invasion. Taken together, QCT regulates the migration and invasion abilities of HTR‐8/SVneo cells through the miR‐149‐3p/AKT1 axis, which may provide a promising therapeutic approach for RSA.

Abstract Botryosphaeria dothidea is the main fungal pathogen responsible for causing Chinese hickory (Carya cathayensis) dry rot disease, posing a serious threat to the Chinese hickory industry. Understanding the molecular basis of B. dothidea infection and the host’s resistance mechanisms is crucial for controlling and managing the ecological impact of Chinese hickory dry rot disease. This study utilized ultrastructural observations to reveal the process of B. dothidea infection and colonization in Chinese hickory, and investigated the impact of B. dothidea infection on Chinese hickory biochemical indicators and plant hormone levels. Through high-throughput transcriptome sequencing, the gene expression profiles associated with different stages of B. dothidea infection in Chinese hickory and their corresponding defense responses were described. Additionally, a series of key genes closely related to non-structural carbohydrate metabolism, hormone metabolism, and plant-pathogen interactions during B. dothidea infection in Chinese hickory were identified, including genes encoding DUF, Myb_DNA-binding, and ABC transporter proteins. These findings provide important insights into elucidating the pathogenic mechanisms of B. dothidea and the resistance genes in Chinese hickory.

Abstract Plants such as herbs, vegetables, fruits, and cereals are closely related to human life. Developing effective testing methods to ensure their safety and quantify their active components are of significant importance. Recently, nanomaterials with enzyme-like activity (known as nanozymes) have been widely developed in various assays, including colorimetric, fluorescence, chemiluminescence, and electrochemical analysis. This review presents the latest advances in analyzing phytochemicals and hazardous substances in plant samples based on nanozymes, including some active ingredients, organophosphorus pesticides, heavy metal ions, and mycotoxins. Additionally, the current shortcomings and challenges of the actual sample analysis were discussed.

TCP transcription factor is a plant-specific gene family which plays important roles in many developmental control pathways, regulating secondary metabolites and plant responses to abiotic and biotic stresses. Nevertheless, this gene family remains unknown in Scutellaria baicalensis. Here, by identifying and analysing all the TCP transcription factor family members based on the transcriptome of S. baicalensis, a total of 19 SbTCP genes were obtained following gene classification, the phylogenetic relationship, conserved domain structure, functional differentiation, and an expression activity analysis. Phylogenetic analysis grouped the SbTCP genes into two subfamilies; we also found that SbTCP with the same motif structure clustered together in the evolutionary tree, and these results suggest that SbTCP proteins with the same gene structure have similar functions. Gene Ontology (GO) categorised the SbTCP genes into 17 functional subcategories, suggesting that they have diversified in functionality, even though their putative proteins share a number of conserved motifs. After the MeJA and SA treatments, the expression of SbTCP candidate genes containing MeJA and SA promoter elements was significantly higher or lower compared with the control, indicating that these candidate SbTCP genes could respond to different concentrations of MeJA and SA treatments. These comprehensive data provide a reference for elucidating the functions of TCP transcription factor family in the growth, development, and MeJA and SA stress response of S. baicalensis, this study can create a new avenue for understanding the role of TCP gene family in S. baicalensis.

Abstract Vaccination plays a crucial role in preventing and controlling SARS-CoV-2 infections as well as their associated adverse outcomes. But there is a notable lack of research on the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccination in children, particularly those young preterm-born children, who are more vulnerable to severe outcomes from SARS-CoV-2 infection. We aimed to determine the effect of vaccination with inactivated vaccines BBIBP-CorV and CoronaVac on symptomatic COVID-19 infection and related symptoms in preterm-born children aged 3–7 years after relaxation of the COVID-19 prevention and control measures in December 2022 in China. We performed a retrospective cohort study involving 242 preterm-born children aged 3–7 years and the data were collected in March 2023. Logistic regression models and modified Poisson regression models combined with entropy balancing were used to explore the associations of vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 with symptomatic COVID-19, specific symptoms, and persistent symptoms one month after recovery from COVID-19. Of the 242 recruited preterm-born children, 156 (64.5%) were vaccinated with inactivated vaccines BBIBP‐CorV and CoronaVac. After entropy balancing, the covariates were balanced between the vaccinated and the unvaccinated groups, with standardized mean difference