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Abstract Background Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a prevalent and severe complication of diabetes and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis and progression of DKD. However, the current clinical application of the treatment methods does not yield effective results. Tacrolimus has been utilized in the management of immune-mediated and genetic-mediated nephropathy, with an emphasis on the restoration of podocyte cytoskeletal integrity and inhibition of apoptosis. The clinical management of diabetic nephropathy with tacrolimus remains challenging because of the risk of worsening hyperglycemia and infection. Results We developed two RGD-HSA-TAC nanoparticles designed for targeted delivery of tacrolimus to podocytes. Administration of SANPs and CNPs resulted in elevated levels of tacrolimus in podocytes, leading to a reduction in podocyte damage and albuminuria in diabetic nephropathy mice. Furthermore, the use of SANPs and CNPs resulted in a decrease in tacrolimus accumulation in the pancreas, lymph nodes, and thymus, thereby reducing the potential to exacerbate hyperglycemia and infection. Importantly, compared to tacrolimus alone, both SANPs and CNPs demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy, with CNPs exhibiting a greater advantage over SANPs. Conclusions Compared to tacrolimus, SANPs and CNPs demonstrated superior therapeutic efficacy and a reduced incidence of adverse effects in the treatment of diabetic nephropathy. Graphical abstract

Abstract Inaccurate characterization of complex topography leads to the wet bias in climate models, particularly affecting terrain effects in regions like the Tibetan Plateau (TP). This study utilizes the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with multiple terrain datasets and introduces the terrain complexity index (TCI) to quantify the degree of terrain changes, aiming to evaluate how terrain complexity affects the cloud and precipitation processes over the TP. The results indicate that fine terrain complexity primarily causes earlier cloud formation and precipitation, resulting in more heavy precipitation on the southern slope of the TP (SSTP) and more light precipitation on the TP platform. The structure of moisture transport and microphysical processes further reveals that this promotes the formation of more medium and high clouds, increasing the proportion of solid precipitation over the SSTP. Over the TP platform, the restriction of medium and high cloud development with enhancing the proportion of low clouds for more liquid precipitation. These findings deepen the understanding of the TP’s complex terrain effect on cloud and precipitation changes in the Asian water cycle.

The food and agriculture sector is a cornerstone of critical infrastructure (CI), underpinning global food security, public health, and economic stability. However, the increasing digitalization and connectivity of operational technologies (OTs) in this sector expose it to significant cybersecurity risks. Blockchain technology (BT) has emerged as a transformative solution for addressing these challenges by enhancing network security, traceability, and system resilience. This study presents a comprehensive review of BT applications in OT security for food and agriculture CI, employing bibliometric and content analysis methods. A total of 124 relevant articles were identified from six databases, including the Web of Science Core Collection and MEDLINE®. Bibliometric analysis was conducted across five dimensions: publication year, literature type, journal distribution, country contributions, and keyword trends. The findings are meticulously organized through tables, charts, and graphs. The year 2018 marked a surge in research within this domain, with the IEEE Internet of Things Journal and IEEE ACESS emerging as the most prolific journals, each boasting nine publications. The United States, China, and India are at the forefront in terms of journal citation counts. Our analysis determined that a reference count of 37 serves as an appropriate threshold. Otoum Safa stands out as the author with the highest number of published articles, totaling four. Keywords such as “blockchain”, “internet of things”, “smart contract”, “security”, and “critical infrastructure” appear with significant frequency. The statistics, trends, and insights gleaned from this bibliometric analysis can guide researchers in the OTCI field to forge a coherent and logical research trajectory. Content analysis further identified six key research areas within this domain: identity authentication and data verification, secure access control, attack detection and perception, data security and protection, data backup and recovery, and attack assessment and attribution. Based on these insights, a general framework is proposed to guide future research and practical applications of BT in securing OT within food and agriculture CI. This study systematically analyzes the current research landscape, challenges, and opportunities for BT in securing the OT critical to food and agriculture CI. By bridging the gap between blockchain innovations and the operational needs of the food and agriculture sector, this work contributes to advancing strategic implementation and improving the security of CI systems.