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Effective product design strategies play a crucial role in promoting sustainable production, consumption, and disposal practices. In the literature, many such practices have been proposed by various researchers; however, it is challenging to understand which is more effective from the design point of view. This study employs bibliometric analysis and visualization software, CiteSpace, to comprehensively assess the literature on sustainable product design methods (SPDMs) from two major citation databases, namely, China National Knowledge Infrastructure and Web of Science, covering the period between 1999 and 2022. The objective of this review is to identify the latest research trends, progress, and disparities between China and the rest of the world in the field of SPDMs. The findings reveal that the development of SPDMs is characterized by a combination of multi-method integration and expansion, as well as qualitative and quantitative hybrids. However, research processes differ between China and other countries. Chinese studies focus on digital-driven development, rural revitalization, and system design, while research from other countries emphasizes a circular economy, distribution, additive manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. Nevertheless, both Chinese and international studies lack quantitative research methods in relation to socio-cultural sustainability. Future research should aim to deepen sustainable design methods and standards for specialized products, as well as to incorporate quantitative methods that address cultural and social sustainability dimensions. Open-source and shared SPDMs should be encouraged to promote methodological innovation that prioritizes multidimensional and systematic sustainable benefits, leveraging the strengths of new technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectinases are a series of enzymes that degrade pectin and have been used extensively in the food, feed, and textile industries. The ruminant animal microbiome is an excellent source for mining novel pectinases. Two polygalacturonase genes, IDSPga28-4 and IDSPga28-16, from rumen fluid cDNA, were cloned and heterologously expressed. Recombinant IDSPGA28-4 and IDSPGA28-16 were stable from pH 4.0 to 6.0, with activities of 31.2 ± 1.5 and 330.4 ± 12.4 U/mg, respectively, against polygalacturonic acid. Hydrolysis product analysis and molecular dynamics simulation revealed that IDSPGA28-4 was a typical processive exo-polygalacturonase and cleaved galacturonic acid monomers from polygalacturonic acid. IDSPGA28-16 cleaved galacturonic acid only from substrates with a degree of polymerization greater than two, suggesting a unique mode of action. IDSPGA28-4 increased the light transmittance of grape juice from 1.6 to 36.3%, and IDSPGA28-16 increased the light transmittance of apple juice from 1.9 to 60.6%, indicating potential application in the beverage industry, particularly for fruit juice clarification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a psychiatric disorder that presents with a persistent depressed mood as the main clinical feature and is accompanied by cognitive impairment. Changes in neuroplasticity and neurogenesis greatly affect depression. Without genetic changes, epigenetic mechanisms have been shown to function by regulating gene expression during the body's adaptation to stress. Studies in recent years have shown that as important regulatory factors in epigenetic mechanisms, microRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the development and progression of depression through the regulation of protein expression. Herein, we review the mechanisms of miRNA-mediated neuroplasticity in depression and discus synaptic structural plasticity, synaptic functional plasticity, and neurogenesis. Furthermore, we found that miRNAs regulate neuroplasticity through several signalling pathways to affect cognitive functions. However, these pathways do not work independently. Therefore, we try to identify synergistic correlations between miRNAs and multiple signalling pathways to broaden the potential pathogenesis of depression. In addition, in the future, dual-function miRNAs (protection/injury) are promising candidate biomarkers for the diagnosis of depression, and their regulated genes can potentially be used as target genes for the treatment of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vitro pollen germination provides a novel approach and strategy to accelerate genetic improvement of tree breeding. Studies about pollen germination and tube growth of Chinese fir are limited. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the effects of sucrose, boric acid, pH, and time of incubation on pollen germination and tube growth. Pollen from 9 clones were selected. In vitro germination was performed in basic media as control, and in different concentrations of sucrose (0, 10 and 15%), boric acid (0.01, 0.1 and 0.2%), and pH levels (4.5, 5 and 7). Pollen germination rates and tube growth were recorded periodically at 1, 12, 24, and 48 h. The results showed that sucrose imposes significant effects on pollen germination and tube growth. The effects are most obvious at concentration of 15%. Boric acid significantly promoted germination and tube growth. The promotion was most notable in lower concentration of 0.01%. The media adjusted to pH 7.0 boosted the germination and pollen tube growth. The optimum time of incubation was 24 and 48 h for pollen germination and tube growth, respectively. Sucrose, pH, and time of incubation were positively correlated, whereas boric acid negatively correlated with pollen germination and tube growth. This study provided experimental evidences for selecting viable pollens for Chinese fir breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pollen grains produce certain metabolites, which can improve or inhibit germination and tube growth. Metabolomic analysis of germinating and growing Chinese fir pollen has not been reported. Therefore, this study aimed to analyse metabolites changes, content and expression in the germinating pollen of Chinese fir. To understand the metabolic differences, two clones from Chinese fir were selected. Metabolomics analyses were performed on three stages (1-, 24- and 48-h) during in vitro pollen germination. The metabolites profiles at different time points were analyzed by using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. The results showed that 171 peaks were screened; the corresponding differential metabolites of 121 peaks were classified into nine types of substances. The expression of metabolites showed significant differences across and between clones, and the variation was evident at all germination stages. The expression was obvious at the early stage of germination, which differed clearly from that of the late stage after pollen tube growth. Moreover, the metabolites were mainly enriched in 14 metabolic pathways. Pollen germination and tube growth and metabolites expressions changed per incubation time. Since this work is preliminary, we suggest further investigations to understand the relationship between the differential metabolites and pollen development, and factors affecting pollen germination process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Gram-positive, facultatively anaerobic, endospore-forming and rod-shaped bacterium was isolated from soil samples and designated strain LQQ. This organism strongly quenches the acylhomoserine lactone quorum-sensing signal. The LQQ strain exhibits phenotypic characteristics consistent with its classification in the genus Bacillus. It is positive in catalase and no special growth factor is needed. It uses glucose as sole carbon source. The DNA G + C content is 39.8 mol %. The closest relatives based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence are Bacillus anthracis, Bacillus thuringiensis, and Brevibacillus brevis (syn. Bacillus brevis) with the similarity of 96.5%. The DNA-DNA hybridization data indicates a low level of genomic relatedness with the relative type strains of Bacillus thuringiensis (6.1%), Bacillus anthracis (10.5%) and Brevibacillus brevis (8.7%). On the basis of the phenotypic and phylogenetic data together with the genomic distinctiveness, the LQQ strain represents a novel species of the genus Bacillus, for which the name Bacillus marcorestinctum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is LQQ(T).