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Reliable and continuous information on cropping intensity is crucial for assessing cropland utilization and formulating policies regarding cropland protection and management. However, there is still a lack of high-resolution cropping intensity maps for recent years, particularly in fragmented agricultural regions. In this study, we combined Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery to generate cropping intensity maps from 2019 to 2023 at a 10 m resolution for Shaanxi Province, China. First, the satellite imagery was harmonized to construct 10-day composite enhanced vegetation index (EVI) time series. Then, the cropping intensity was determined by counting the number of valid EVI peaks within a year. Assessment based on 578 sample points showed a high level of accuracy, with overall accuracy and Kappa coefficient values exceeding 0.96 and 0.93, respectively. We further analyzed the spatiotemporal patterns of cropping intensity and generated a map of abandoned cropland in Shaanxi. The results indicated that cropland in Shaanxi Province was mainly utilized for single-cropping (52.9% of area), followed by double-cropping (35.2%), with non-cropping accounting for 11.9%. Cropping intensity tended to be lower in the north and higher in the south. Temporally, the average cropping intensity of Shaanxi increased from 1.1 to over 1.3 from 2019 to 2023. Despite this upward trend, large areas of cropland were abandoned in northern Shaanxi. These results demonstrate the potential of utilizing Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 imagery to identify cropping intensity dynamics in fragmented agricultural regions and to guide more efficient cropland management.

Fall armyworm (FAW), Spodoptera frugiperda, has posed a serious threat to global food security since its discovery in Africa in 2016. Intercropping peanuts with maize is a very common cultivation practice, which can result in a high possibility of peanut damage by FAW. Our study investigated the feeding behavior, plant part preferences, and damage symptoms of FAW larvae on peanuts throughout the larval period, considering changes in population densities and the passage of time over the number of investigations. The results indicated that FAW larvae frequently inhabited peanut leaves, particularly the undersides of the leaves. Larvae moved from the leaves to the soil in the seedling pot to complete development. Furthermore, FAW larvae tended to feed on peanut leaves rather than stems regardless of population densities. Based on the damage symptoms, the feeding preferences of FAW larvae tended to be heart leaves, followed by mature leaves and stems. The most frequent damage symptoms caused by FAW to peanuts were “window panes”, followed by “leafless”. This study provides a reference for the integrated management of FAW in peanut fields.

As an important member of innate immunity, macrophages show remarkable plasticity and heterogeneity, and play an important role in immune regulation, tissue development, homeostasis of the internal environment and injury repair. However, the excessive activation of macrophages is closely related to the occurrence and development of many diseases. The prenylated flavonoid structure is one of the characteristic structures isolated from Sophora flavescens, with anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, anti-allergy and other effects. In this study, the effects of (2R)-3β,7,4′-trihydroxy-5-methoxy-8-prenylflavanone (TMP), a prenylated dihydroflavonol, on the polarization and phagocytosis of macrophages were systematically studied. In LPS-induced M1-type macrophages, TMP dose-dependently inhibited the expression of COX-2, iNOS and the secretion of NO, IL-1β, IL-6 and IL-18, showing an inhibitory effect on M1 polarization. Further experiments revealed that it was related to the inhibition of TLR4-related AKT/mTOR, MAPK and NF-κB signaling pathways; in IL-4-induced M2-type macrophages, TMP down-regulated the expression of M2-related Arg1, IL-10, TGF-β, CD206 and CD163, as well as the phosphorylation levels of AKT1 and STAT6. For macrophages in a physiological state, it was very important for cells to return from a stress state to a phenotypic stability in the M0 state. These results indicated that TMP negatively regulated the M1/M2 polarization of macrophages, and made them tend to M0 homeostasis, which might provide new theoretical and data support for explaining the anti-inflammatory immunoregulatory activity of Sophora flavescens.

Tailoring the morphologies and optical properties of the 2D and hierarchical nanostructures self-assembled by the π-conjugated molecules is both interesting and challenging. Herein, a series of 2D ribbon-like nanostructures with single or multiple H-aggregated perylene bisimides (PBI) monolayer and hierarchical nanostructures (including straw-like, dumbbell-shaped, and rod-like nanostructures) are fabricated by solution self-assembly of three chiral alanine-decorated PBI. The influence of the solvent’s dissolving capacity, the chirality of alanine, and the preparation methods on the morphologies and optical properties of the nanostructures were extensively studied. It was observed that the hierarchical nanostructures are formed by the reorganization of the 2D ribbon-like nanostructures. The size of the 2D ribbon-like nanostructures and the amount of the hierarchical nanostructures increase with the decrease in the solvent’s dissolving capacity. The small chiral alanine moiety is unable to induce chirality in the nanostructures, owing to its low steric hindrance and the dominant strong π-π stacking interaction of the PBI skeleton. A weaker π-π stacking interaction and better H-aggregated arrangement of the PBI skeleton could reduce the low-wavelength fluorescence intensity. The process of heating, cooling, and aging promotes the formation of H-aggregation in the PBI skeleton. The region of spectral overlap of the PBI solutions increases with the decrease in the dissolving capacity of the solvent and the steric hindrance of the chiral alanine. This study supplies a view to tailor the morphologies and optical properties of the nanostructures, which could be used as sensors and photocatalysts.

A sensitivity analysis was conducted to evaluate several factors, including dam height, bank slope gradient, water storage times, and phased panel filling, on concrete-faced rockfill dams (CFRDs). The analysis identified the three most significant factors to examine their impacts on the stress-deformation characteristics of CFRDs. The results show that the order of influence on the dam body’s stress and deformation characteristics is as follows: dam height > bank slope gradient > water storage times > panel phased construction. From the perspective of stress-deformation of the face slab, water storage times predominantly affect tensile stress, while the bank slope gradient exerts the greatest influence on compressive stress. As the bank slope gradient decreases, the panel’s lateral restraint diminishes, leading to a decrease in the panel’s extrusion efficacy. Consequently, there are notable variations in the panel’s compressive stresses. An increase in dam height correlates with escalating stress and deformation in both the dam and face slab. As the bank slope gradient decreases, the deformation of the dam and face slab, as well as the range of tensile stress of the face slab, also increase. In contrast to a single water storage scenario, the face slab has experienced greater stress and deformation during the initial impoundment under multiple impoundment conditions. Therefore, multiple water storage schemes result in reduced deflection, axial horizontal displacement, and tensile stresses both along the slope and axial in the face slab. Furthermore, the tensile area at the bottom of the face slab transitions into a compressive area.

Dry-aging is a postmortem process that can substantially enhance the texture and flavour of beef. This study entailed suspending Yanbian cattle M. gluteus medius in the aging cabinet, maintained at a temperature of 2–4 °C and a relative humidity of 85 ± 5% for 35 days. Throughout this period, samples were systematically collected every 7 days. The widely targeted metabolomic analysis has been used in this investigation to analyse the dynamic changes in Yanbian cattle metabolites during dry-aging. A total of 883 metabolites were identified, with amino acids and their metabolites representing the largest proportion. Multivariate statistical analysis showed that 373 metabolites were identified as differential metabolites that changed significantly during the dry-aging process, including metabolites of amino acids, glycerophospholipids, and nucleotides and their metabolites. Additionally, 308 metabolites exhibited various increasing trends with time in dry-aging. The analysis of KEGG pathway analysis showed that ABC transporters, glycerophospholipid, and arachidonic acid metabolism are the most important metabolic pathways during dry-aging. These findings can guide technological developments in the meat processing sector and provide valuable insights into the metabolic traits and pathways of Yanbian cattle during the dry-aging process.

Euphorbia kansui, a toxic Chinese medicine used for more than 2000 years, has the effect of “purging water to promote drinking” and “reducing swelling and dispersing modules”. Diterpenes and triterpenes are the main bioactive components of E. kansui. Among them, ingenane-type diterpenes have multiple biological activities as a protein kinase C δ (PKC-δ) activator, which have previously been shown to promote anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects in several human cancer cell lines. However, the activation of PKC subsequently promoted the survival of macrophages. Recently, we found that 13-hydroxyingenol-3-(2,3-dimethylbutanoate)-13-dodecanoate (compound A) from E. kansui showed dual bioactivity, including the inhibition of tumor-cell-line proliferation and regulation of macrophage polarization. This study identifies the possible mechanism of compound A in regulating the polarization state of macrophages, by regulating PKC-δ-extracellular signal regulated kinases (ERK) signaling pathways to exert anti-tumor immunity effects in vitro, which might provide a new treatment method from the perspective of immune cell regulation.

This study aimed to investigate the efficiency of the secondary metabolites (SMs) produced by a co-culture of Trichoderma harzianum TW21990 and Burkholderia vietnamiensis B418 in the control of Colletotrichum siamense CM9. A fermentation filtrate of B418 + TW21990 co-culture (BT21) produced a notable increase in the inhibition rate of CM9 compared to those of TW21990 and B418 monocultures, which reached 91.40% and 80.46% on PDA plates and strawberry leaves, respectively. The BT21 fermentation broth exhibited high control efficiency on strawberry root rot of 68.95% in a pot experiment, which was higher than that in the monocultures and fluazinam treatment. In addition, BT21 treatment promoted strawberry root development, improved antioxidative enzyme activities in the leaves and roots, and enhanced the total chlorophyll content of the strawberry leaves. UHPLC-MS/MS analysis of fermentation filtrates was performed to elucidate SM variations, revealing 478 and 795 metabolites in BT21 co-culture in positive and negative ion modes, respectively. The metabolomic profiles suggested abundant SMs with antagonistic capabilities and growth-promoting effects: 3-(propan-2-yl)-octahydropyrrolo [1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione (cyclo(L-Pro-L-Val)), 3-[(4-hydroxyphenyl)methyl]-octahydropyrrolo[1,2-a]pyrazine-1,4-dione (cyclo(L-Pro-L-Tyr)), 3-indoleacetic acid (IAA), 2-hydroxycinnamic acid, 4-aminobutyric acid (GABA), bafilomycin B1, and DL-indole-3-lactic acid (ILA) were significantly enhanced in the co-culture. Overall, this study demonstrates that a co-culture strategy is efficient for inducing bioactive SMs in T. harzianum and B. vietnamiensis, which could be exploited as a novel approach for developing biocontrol consortia.

Nanoplastics (NPs) cause serious contamination of drinking water and potential damage to human health. This study aimed to investigate the effects of NPs with different particle sizes and concentrations on the reproductive function of male mice. In this study, free drinking water exposure was used to expose male BALB/C mice to PS-NPs (20 nm, 200 nm, and 1000 nm) at 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L, and 5 mg/L for 4 months. The male reproductive function of the mice was assessed after NPs exposure, and fecal and blood samples were collected for macrogenomics and metabolomics. The results showed that PS-NPs resulted in mice with reduced testicular organ coefficients, decreased sperm quality, altered testicular tissue structure, disturbed sex hormone levels, and abnormal levels of inflammatory factors and oxidative stress. Furthermore, this study found that NP exposure affected the alteration of gut communities and metabolic pathways related to male reproduction, such as Clostridium and glutathione metabolism. Importantly, we found an effect of NP particle size on reproductive function. In the future, more attention should be paid to the smaller particle sizes of NPs.

High-temperature and drought events significantly impact crop growth and development. In the soybean-producing region of the Guanzhong Plain in China, understanding the dynamics of these climatic phenomena is vital for soybean yield preservation. Through a fixed-position observation experiment that analyzed four growth stages, nine agronomic traits, and soybean yield per unit area from 1998 to 2023, this research evaluated the characteristics of high-temperature and drought processes in various growth stages. It also examined the influence of high-temperature processes, drought processes, and their combined effects on agronomic traits and yield. The results indicate the following: (1) High temperature was a constant factor during the soybean growth period, with temperature-related indices markedly surpassing those related to drought. Notably, the occurrence of high-temperature and drought events was more prevalent during the flowering–podding stage than at the podding or grain-filling stages. (2) High temperature profoundly affected soybean yield components, primarily through a decrease in the number of grains per plant during the flowering–podding stage, subsequently impacting the grain weight per plant and yield. In years with extremely high temperatures, the soybean plant height was reduced by 6.1 to 15 cm, the main stem node number decreased by 0.1 to 2.9, the branch number decreased by 0.2 to 0.6, the number of pods per plant decreased by 4.8 to 13.7, the number of grains per pod decreased by 0.1 to 0.3, the number of grains per plant decreased by 13.5 to 32.6, the grain weight per plant decreased by 3.8 to 6.9 g, and the 100-grain weight decreased by 0.1 to 4.5 g. The common impact of high temperature combined with drought processes in different growth stages was reflected in the reduction in the number of branches by 0.1 to 1.4 and the reduction in the number of grains per pod by 0.02 to 13.7. This study underscores the importance of addressing the quantitative effects of climate change and extreme weather on soybean yield, which could help to develop effective adaptation and mitigation strategies.

Yanbian cattle have a unique meat flavor, and high-grade meat is in short supply. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to improve the added value of Yanbian cattle low-fat meat and provide a theoretical reference for the subsequent development of an excellent starter. Rump meat from Yanbian cattle was dry-aged and then screened for protease-producing fungi. Three protease-producing fungi (Yarrowia hollandica (D4 and D11), Penicillium oxalicum (D5), and Meesziomyces ophidis (D20)) were isolated from 40 d dry-aged beef samples, and their ability to hydrolyze proteins was determined using bovine sarcoplasmic protein extract. SDS-PAGE showed that the ability of Penicillium oxalicum (D5) to degrade proteins was stronger than the other two fungi. In addition, the volatile component content of sarcoplasmic proteins in the D5 group was the highest (45.47%) and comprised the most species (26 types). Metabolic pathway analysis of the fermentation broth showed that phenylalanine, tyrosine, and tryptophan biosynthesis was the most closely related metabolic pathway in sarcoplasmic protein fermentation by Penicillium oxalicum (D5). Dry-aged beef-isolated Penicillium oxalicum serves as a potential starter culture for the fermentation of meat products.

Connectivity plays an important role in measuring the fault tolerance of interconnection networks. As a special class of connectivity, m-component connectivity is a natural generalization of the traditional connectivity of graphs defined in terms of the minimum vertex cut. Moreover, it is a more advanced metric to assess the fault tolerance of a graph G. Let G=(V(G),E(G)) be a non-complete graph. A subset F(F⊆V(G)) is called an m-component cut of G, if G−F is disconnected and has at least m components (m≥2). The m-component connectivity of G, denoted by cκm(G), is the cardinality of the minimum m-component cut. Let CFn denote the n-dimensional leaf-sort graph. Since many structures do not exist in leaf-sort graphs, many of their properties have not been studied. In this paper, we show that cκ3(CFn)=3n−6 (n is odd) and cκ3(CFn)=3n−7 (n is even) for n≥3; cκ4(CFn)=9n−212 (n is odd) and cκ4(CFn)=9n−242 (n is even) for n≥4.

This study was aimed at investigating the pathogenesis of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) caused by smoking—based on bioinformatics analysis and in vitro experimental evidence. The GEO, GEO2R, TargetScan, miRDB, miRWalk, DAVID, and STRING databases were used for bioinformatics analysis. The mRNA expression and the protein levels were determined by real-time PCR and ELISA. After taking the intersection of the diversified results of the databases, four differentially expressed miRNAs (hsa-miR-146a, hsa-miR-708, hsa-miR-150, and hsa-miR-454) were screened out. Subsequently, a total of 57 target genes of the selected miRNAs were obtained. The results of DAVID analysis showed that the selected miRNAs participated in COPD pathogenesis through long-term potentiation, the TGF-β signaling pathway, the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway, etc. The results of STRING prediction showed that TP53, EP300, and MAPK1 were the key nodes of the PPI network. The results of the confirmatory experiment showed that, compared with the control group, the mRNA expression of ZEB1, MAPK1, EP300, and SP1 were up-regulated, while the expression of MYB was down-regulated and the protein levels of ZEB1, MAPK1, and EP300 were increased. Taken together, miRNAs (hsa-miR-146a, hsa-miR-708, hsa-miR-150, and hsa-miR-454) and their regulated target genes and downstream protein molecules (ZEB1, EP300, and MAPK1) may be closely related to the pathological process of COPD.

The yellow-spined bamboo locust (YSBL), Ceracris kiangsu Tsai, has historically had a significant impact on different bamboo varieties in East Asia and Southeast Asia. Since 2014, there have been many outbreaks of YSBL populations in Laos, and YSBLs subsequently invaded Southwest China in 2020 and 2023. However, there was limited information about the damage to staple crops. Life table parameters and fitness parameters were assessed using wheat, rice, waxy maize, and sweet maize under three different temperatures (25 °C, 30 °C, and 35 °C) in the laboratory. The results indicated that the YSBLs feeding on wheat seedlings displayed a significantly higher survival rate, a shorter developmental time, and a higher adult emergence rate compared to YSBLs feeding on the other host species at 30 °C. The developmental durations of 1st and 3rd instar YSBLs on wheat (1st: 8.21 ± 0.35 d; 3rd: 6.32 ± 0.34 d) and rice (1st: 7.19 ± 0.23 d; 3rd: 9.00 ± 0.66 d) were significantly shorter than those of 1st and 3rd instar YSBLs on waxy maize (1st: 13.62 ± 1.22 d; 3rd: 13.67 ± 6.33 d) and sweet maize (1st: 16.00 ± 1.79 d; 3rd: 18.00 ± 3.49 d) at 30 °C. The body lengths of male and female YSBLs on wheat (male: 29.52 ± 0.40 mm, female: 34.97 ± 0.45 mm) and rice (male: 28.85 ± 0.68 mm, female: 34.66 ± 0.35 mm) were significantly longer than those observed when they were fed on sweet maize (male: 25.64 ± 1.60 mm, female: 21.93 ± 6.89 mm). There were only male adults obtained on waxy maize. The phenotypic characteristics of the YSBLs feeding on rice seedlings were very close to those of the YSBLs feeding on wheat seedlings. A relatively slower decline was observed in the survival rates of YSBL nymphs on wheat and rice compared to those on waxy maize and sweet maize at 25 °C, 30 °C, and 35 °C. In short, this study implied that YSBLs prefer wheat and rice. This study is the first report of direct damage caused by the YSBL to wheat in the laboratory, and its results could be useful in improving our understanding of the host preference of the YSBL and providing strategies for the management of this pest in field crops.

The collaborative governance of subsystems within a river basin can play a critical role in addressing challenges, such as water scarcity, soil erosion, flooding, sedimentation, and water pollution, to achieve sustainable utilization of water resources. However, the current literature only focuses on isolated observations of these subsystems, leading to uncertainty and water resource destruction. This paper examines the evolution of the collaborative governance of water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems through self-organization theory in the Xiangjiang River Basin, China. The coupling theory and gray Grey Model (1,1) model were utilized with panel data from 2000 to 2019 to assess and predict the governance synergies of five subsystems: natural water, water conservancy facilities, water resource development and utilization, ecological environment, and socio-economic systems. There are 22 indicators contributing to these subsystems that were selected. The results indicate an S-shaped trend in collaborative governance for water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems. The elements of each subsystem exhibit both synergistic and competitive relationships. The unpredictable precipitation triggers a butterfly effect, changing systemic governance coordination, which closely relates to developing the natural water subsystem. Effective water conservation and regulation of water conservancy facilities are the keys to improving water-use efficiency and safeguarding water ecology. This study provides insights into the collaborative governance among subsystems and the evolution of the water resources, water conservancy facilities, and socio-economic systems in the Xiangjiang River Basin to promote sustainable water resource utilization.

Although it is well recognized that mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs) are ultraviolet (UV) protective agents that can reduce UV damage, the specific biological mechanism of its role in the skin remains unclear. In this study, we investigated the effect of MAAs extracted from Antarctic diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum ICE-H on UVB-induced skin damage using a mice model. The MAAs components identified by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry included 4-deoxygadusol, shinorine, and porphyra-334, which were purified using a Supledean Carboxen1000 solid phase extraction column. The antioxidant activities of these MAA compounds were tested in vitro. For UVB-induced skin photodamage in mice, MAAs alleviated skin swelling and epidermal thickening in this study. We detected the content of reactive oxygen species (ROS), malondialdehyde, and collagen in skin tissue. In addition, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction was used to detect nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB), tumor necrosis factor α, interleukin-1β, cyclooxygenase-2, mitogen activated protein kinase (MAPK) family (extracellular signal-regulated kinase, c-Jun amino-terminal kinase, and p38 kinase), and matrix metalloproteinases. The expression of these cytokines and enzymes is related to inflammatory responses and collagen degradation. In comparison to the model group without MAA treatment, the MAA component decreased the concentration of ROS, the degree of oxidative stress in the skin tissue, and the expression of genes involved in the NF-κB and MAPK pathways. In summary, these MAA components extracted from Phaeodactylum tricornutum ICE-H protected against UVB-induced skin damage by inhibiting ROS generation, relieving skin inflammation, and slowing down collagen degradation, suggesting that these MAA components are effective cosmetic candidate molecules for the protection and therapy of UVB damage.

AgW materials exhibit excellent properties and are widely used as contact materials in low- and medium-voltage switches. In this study, a pre-sintering and infiltration method was employed to pre-sinter W powder with Cu, Ni, and (Cu+Ni) additions in the low temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The low-temperature sintering behaviours of W skeletons with different additives were investigated. Subsequently, AgW (70 wt%), AgW (75 wt%), AgW (80 wt%), and AgW (85 wt%) materials were prepared through infiltration at 1050 °C. The microstructure morphology and physical properties of high-W contact materials were investigated using a metallographic microscope and scanning electron microscope. The mechanism of low-temperature sintering–infiltration of high-W contact materials was elucidated. The results indicate that pure W and 1% Cu-added W skeletons experience minimal linear shrinkage within the temperature range of 950–1050 °C. The linear shrinkage curves of W skeletons with different additives coincided under the conditions of 950–1000 °C/90 min. At 1050 °C, after sintering for 150 min, the particle boundaries in the W skeleton were fully spheroidised, with a dihedral angle of 120°. At 1050 °C and after 150 min of infiltration, cross-sectional micrographs of the AgW material revealed the presence of irregular Ni layers, where Ni spatially enveloped/encapsulated Ag. With an increase in the W content, the electrical conductivity and relative density of AgW (70–85) materials decreased, whereas the hardness of the materials increased.

The infection of soil-borne diseases has the potential to modify root exudation and the rhizosphere microbiome. However, the extent to which these modifications occur in various monocropping histories remains inadequately explored. This study sampled healthy and diseased American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) plants under 1–4 years of monocropping and analyzed the phenolic acids composition by HPLC, microbiome structure by high-throughput sequencing technique, and the abundance of pathogens by quantitative PCR. First, the fungal pathogens of Fusarium solani and Ilyonectria destructans in the rhizosphere soil were more abundant in the diseased plants than the healthy plants. The healthy American ginseng plants exudated more phenolic acid, especially p-coumaric acid, compared to the diseased plants after 1–2 years of monocropping, while this difference gradually diminished with the increase in monocropping years. The pathogen abundance was influenced by the exudation of phenolic acids, e.g., total phenolic acids (r = −0.455), p-coumaric acid (r = −0.465), and salicylic acid (r = −0.417), and the further in vitro test confirmed that increased concentration of p-coumaric acid inhibited the mycelial growth of the isolated pathogens for root rot. The healthy plants had a higher diversity of rhizosphere bacterial and fungal microbiome than the diseased plants only after a long period of monocropping. Our study has revealed that the cropping history of American ginseng has altered the effect of pathogens infection on rhizosphere microbiota and root exudation.

China is committed to achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. This study projected the changes in climate and runoff in the source region of the Yellow River Basin for 2021–2060 under lower carbon emission pathways (SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5) using a statistically downscaled climate dataset and the SWAT hydrological model. Results showed that the climate will become warmer and wetter from 2021–2060. In comparison with the baseline period (1995–2014), in terms of the ensemble mean, annual mean air temperature, annual precipitation, and annual runoff will increase by 1.3 °C and 1.6 °C, by 11.1% and 11.2%, and by 12.8% and 11.9% under SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios, respectively. Moreover, the seasonal pattern of runoff was projected to change. The proportion of monthly runoff to the annual total will decrease by 0.6–1.0% in summer but increase by 0.1–1.0% during the period from January to April and September to December. The multimodel ensemble mean (MEM) of extremely high monthly flow (Q10) will increase by 3.5–13.4% in the flood season (June to August) and water storage season (September to December). The MEM of extremely low monthly flow (Q90) will increase by 19.4–26.2% from February to April but decrease by 5.0–8.9% in January, May, and December. Thus, the warmer and wetter climate from 2021–2060 will likely cause flatter seasonal distribution of runoff, lower risk of water scarcity at the annual scale and of drought from February to April, but higher risk both of flood in the flood season and of drought in December, January, and May. Generally, the flatter pattern of runoff would likely alleviate water scarcity in the dry and water storage seasons to some degree, and the increase in monthly runoff in the water storage season will benefit hydroelectric power generation and agriculture and animal husbandry production. However, in some years, the increase in Q10 in the flood season will likely increase flood prevention pressure, and the decrease in Q90 in May will likely obstruct grass revival.

MORN proteins play a key role in the cytoskeletal structure of eukaryotes and are essential for the close arrangement of the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. A gene with nine MORN motifs (TGGT1_292120, named TgMORN2) was identified in the Toxoplasma gondii genome; it was presumed to belong to the MORN protein family and to have the function of forming the cytoskeleton, which affects the survival of T. gondii. However, the genetic deletion of MORN2 did not noticeably affect parasite growth and virulence. Using adjacent protein labeling techniques, we identified a network of TgMORN2 interactions, which mainly included endoplasmic reticulum stress (ER stress)-related proteins. In exploring these data, we found that the pathogenicity of the KO-TgMORN2 strain was significantly reduced in the case of tunicamycin-induced ER stress. Reticulon TgRTN (TGGT1_226430) and tubulin β-Tubulin were identified as interaction proteins of TgMORN2. Collectively, TgMORN2 plays a role in ER stress, which lays a foundation for further research on the function of the MORN protein in T. gondii.

Improvement of low nitrogen (LN) tolerance or nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in crops is imperative for environment-friendly agriculture development. The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) transcription factors are involved in multiple abiotic stresses and are suitable as candidate genes for improving LN tolerance. Few studies were performed on the characterization of the HvbHLH gene family and their function in response to LN stress in barley. In this study, 103 HvbHLH genes were identified through genome-wide analysis. HvbHLH proteins were classified into 20 subfamilies based on phylogenetic analysis in barley, which was supported by conserved motifs and gene structure analysis. The stress-related cis-element analysis in the promoters showed that HvbHLHs are probably involved in multiple stress responses. By phylogenetic analysis of HvbHLHs and bHLHs in other plants, some HvbHLHs were predicted to play roles in response to nutrition deficiency stress. Furthermore, at least 16 HvbHLHs were differentially expressed in two barley genotypes differing in LN tolerance under LN stress. Finally, overexpression of HvbHLH56 enhanced LN stress tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis, suggesting it is an important regulator in LN stress response. The differentially expressed HvbHLHs identified herein may be valuable for the breeding of barley cultivars with LN tolerance.

Eosinophilic meningitis due to rat lungworm, Angiostrongylus cantonensis, is a global public health concern. Human cases and outbreaks have occurred in the new endemic areas, including South America and Spain. The growing genetic data of A. cantonensis provides a unique opportunity to explore the global spread pattern of the parasite. Eight more mitochondrial (mt) genomes were sequenced by the present study. The phylogeny of A. cantonensis by Bayesian inference showed six clades (I–VI) determined by network analysis. A total of 554 mt genomes or fragments, which represented 1472 specimens of rat lungworms globally, were used in the present study. We characterized the gene types by mapping a variety of mt gene fragments to the known complete mt genomes. Six more clades (I2, II2, III2, V2, VII and VIII) were determined by network analysis in the phylogenies of cox1 and cytb genes. The global distribution of gene types was visualized. It was found that the haplotype diversity of A. cantonensis in Southeast and East Asia was significantly higher than that in other regions. The majority (78/81) of samples beyond Southeast and East Asia belongs to Clade II. The new world showed a higher diversity of Clade II in contrast with the Pacific. We speculate that rat lungworm was introduced from Southeast Asia rather than the Pacific. Therefore, systematic research should be conducted on rat lungworm at a global level in order to reveal the scenarios of spread.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between the T. gondii type II strain (Pru) and respiratory viral infections, specifically focusing on the co-infection with PR8 (influenza A/Puerto Rico/8/34). In this study, we found that the number of T. gondii (Pru) in the lungs of co-infected mice was significantly higher and lesions were more severe than those in the group infected with T. gondii (Pru) alone, whereas IAV (influenza A virus) copy numbers of co-infected and PR8 alone infected groups were negligible, suggesting that infection with IAV increased the pathogenicity of T. gondii (Pru) in mice. The invasion and proliferation assays demonstrated no significant effect of co-infection on T. gondii (Pru) infection or replication in vitro. To further explore the factors causing the altered pathogenicity of T. gondii (Pru) caused by co-infection, we found that decreased expression levels of IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-12 in the co-infected group were associated with the early immune responses against T. gondii (Pru), which affected the division of T. gondii (Pru). Moreover, the significant decrease in the CD4+/CD8+ ratio indicated a weakened long-term immune killing ability of the host against T. gondii (Pru) following IAV infection. In conclusion, a T. gondii type II strain (Pru) could not be properly cleared by the host immune system after IAV infection, resulting in toxoplasmosis and even death in mice.

A planar construction drawing is usually used to guide the construction of reinforced concrete structures in the construction industry. Due to a lack of effective technical methods, the accuracy of rebar engineering lofting is insufficient. The rejection rate of rebar is high, which results in high processing costs. Under the background of intelligent construction and BIM technology, the prefabricated factory adopts an automatic production mode to concentrate on steel bar processing, which improves production quality and processing efficiency and reduces production costs. Based on Revit secondary development, using the C# programming language, combined with the Revit API development interface, an automatic 3D modeling plugin for a reinforced concrete variable cross-section column is developed. The BIM model of steel bars is quickly generated, and the engineering quantity of steel bars is automatically calculated, which saves time for the designer to build the BIM model. It is conducive to the automatic assembly and intelligent construction of reinforced concrete engineering, which promotes the information and intelligent development of reinforced concrete structure construction.

Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a digital tool that can be used to create three-dimensional models of components. BIM technology, with its parameterized modeling scheme, can effectively address design changes. The use of BIM technology in prefabricated shear wall structures can significantly enhance component design accuracy and production efficiency. The Tekla software offers significant advantages in BIM deepening design. By utilizing the C# language, secondary development of the Tekla software, and the development of an intelligent modeling program for the edge components of prefabricated shear wall structures, the deepening design efficiency of such structures can be improved. The creation of BIM models is a crucial step in program development. Different types of reinforcements require various modeling methods, which, when combined with the design specifications of concrete structures, can be compiled to create the fine reinforcement model. This allows for the automatic creation of three-dimensional reinforcement models: “linear-shaped,” “T-shaped,” and “L-shaped” joints of the edge member. The BIM visualization characteristics can then display the three-dimensional model of the steel bar of the edge member in the cast-in-place area, deriving the engineering quantity of the steel bar for the production and construction of the prefabricated members. The modeling program’s development concept can serve as a reference for similar engineering applications, promoting the intelligent development of prefabricated building design and enhancing the efficiency of design and construction.

Dinotefuran (DNT) belongs to the third-generation neonicotinoid pesticides, which are among the most common residuals in a variety of food commodities. To guarantee accurate quantification and traceability of results in food samples, certified reference materials (CRMs) are the indispensable benchmark. In this work, a DNT CRM was characterized and its purity was assessed by two independent methods, including mass balance (MB) and quantitative nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy (qNMR). The mass fraction of moisture was 0.33 mg/g, the inorganic impurity was 0.01 mg/g, and no detectable organic solvent was detected. Benzoic acid was chosen as the internal standard for qNMR. Its mass fraction was 997.9 mg/g and 992.9 mg/g by MB and qNMR, respectively. Eventually, the DNT CRM was assigned a mass fraction of 995 mg/g, with expanded uncertainty of 5 mg/g (k = 2). This CRM can be used to prepare calibrant solutions and is applicable to national routine monitoring of DNT residuals in agro-products and food.

Euphorbia kansui is clinically used for the treatment of esophageal cancer, lung cancer, cancerous melanoma, asthma, pleural disorders, ascites, and pertussis, among other conditions. In this study, 12 steroids were obtained and identified from E. kansui, and cynsaccatol L (5), which showed the best effects in terms of inhibiting the proliferation of HepG2 cells and the immune regulation of macrophages. Furthermore, 5 induced typical apoptotic characteristics in HepG2 cells, such as morphological changes and the caspase cascade, as well as inducing autophagy-dependent apoptosis via mitochondrial dysfunction and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. The antitumor mechanism of 5 might be related to promoting the endocytosis and degradation of ATP1A1 protein and then down-regulating the downstream AKT and ERK signaling pathways. Furthermore, the antiproliferation effect of 5 in co-cultivation with macrophages was investigated, which showed that 5 promoted the apoptosis of HepG2 cells by modulating the release of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α and IFN-γ; regulating the M2-subtype polarization of macrophages; promoting the phagocytosis of macrophages. In conclusion, 5 exerted anti-proliferative effects by promoting the degradation of ATP1A1 and inhibiting the ATP1A1-AKT/ERK signaling pathway in HepG2. Furthermore, it regulated macrophage function in co-cultivation, thereby further exerting adjuvant anti-HepG2 activity.

The essential oil (EO) was extracted from aerial parts with insecticidal and fungicidal activity. Herein, the hydro-distilled essential oils of Seseli mairei H. Wolff roots were determined by GC-MS. A total of 37 components were identified, (E)-beta-caryophyllene (10.49%), β-geranylgeranyl (6.64%), (E)-2-decenal (6.17%) and germacrene-D (4.28%). The essential oil of Seseli mairei H. Wolff had nematicidal toxicity against Bursaphelenchus xylophilus with a LC50 value of 53.45 μg/mL. The subsequent bioassay-guided investigation led to the isolation of three active constituents: falcarinol, (E)-2-decenal, and octanoic acid. The falcarinol demonstrated the strongest toxicity against B. Xylophilus (LC50 = 8.52 μg/mL). The octanoic acid and (E)-2-decenal also exhibited moderate toxicity against B. xylophilus (LC50 = 65.56 and 176.34 μg/mL, respectively). The LC50 of falcarinol for the toxicity of B. xylophilus was 7.7 and 21 times than that of octanoic acid and (E)-2-decenal, respectively. Our findings demonstrate that the essential oil from Seseli mairei H. Wolff roots and their isolates may be developed as a promising natural nematicide.

Dehydrated vegetables are popular in instant foods, but few reports have focused on their pesticide residues. This research developed and validated a modified QuEChERS method combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry to determine 19 kinds of neonicotinoid and carbamate pesticides in freeze-dried cabbage. Herein, acetonitrile/water (v/v = 2:1) was selected in the extraction step. Meanwhile, 4 g anhydrous magnesium sulfate and 1 g sodium chloride were applied to the partitioning step. Dispersive solid-phase extraction sorbents were selected, and liquid chromatography conditions were further optimized for dealing with the matrix effect. The limits of quantification ranged from 1.0 to 10.0 μg/kg. The validation results were acceptable, with average recoveries of 78.7–114.0% and relative standard deviations below 14.2%. The method recoveries were closely related to the volume proportion of water in the extractant. Finally, the developed method was applied to real freeze-dried cabbages and four pesticides (propamocarb, imidacloprid, acetamiprid, and thiacloprid) were detected in six samples.

One-dimensional (1D) SnO2 nanostructures, as n-type semiconductors with a wide band gap, exhibit unique photoelectric properties that offer potential applications in electronic, photoelectric, gas sensing, and energy generation devices. A detailed study of template-free reaction systems is essential to regulate and efficiently synthesise 1DSnO2 nanostructures. This study employed the hydrothermal method to prepare 1DSnO2 nanostructures, with SnCl4·5H2O as the tin source. The impact of various experimental conditions on SnO2 morphology is analysed. Here, 1DSnO2 nanostructures were characterised by analytical methods such as X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and field emission double-beam electron microscopy. The results confirmed the formation of 1DSnO2 nanostructures with a mixed morphology of nanorods and nanowires. The nanorods exhibited a length of 422.87 ± 110.15 nm, a width of 81.4 ± 16.75 nm, and an aspect ratio of 5:1, whereas the nanowires displayed a length of 200 ± 45.24 nm, a width of 15 ± 5.62 nm, and an aspect ratio of 13:1. With the addition of 50 mg of polyvinylpyrrolidone and seed crystal, the acquisition time of the 1DSnO2 nanostructures decreased from 48 to 12 h. The 1DSnO2 nanostructures were efficiently obtained without a template, laying the foundation for large-scale production and application.

Opioids are widely used in clinical practice, but drug overdoses can lead to many adverse reactions, and even endanger life. Therefore, it is essential to implement real-time measurement of drug concentrations to adjust the dosage given during treatment, keeping drug levels within therapeutic levels. Metal-Organic frameworks (MOFs) and their composite materials modified bare electrode electrochemical sensors have the advantages of fast production, low cost, high sensitivity, and low detection limit in the detection of opioids. In this review, MOFs and MOFs composites, electrochemical sensors modified with MOFs for the detection of opioids, as well as the application of microfluidic chips in combination with electrochemical methods are all reviewed, and the potential for the development of microfluidic chips electrochemical methods with MOFs surface modifications for the detection of opioids is also prospected. We hope that this review will provide contributions to the study of electrochemical sensors modified with MOFs for the detection of opioids.

This study focuses on clarifying the regulation of chicken 14-3-3σ protein on the fibrous histiocyte proliferation caused by ALV-J-SD1005 strain infection. DF-1 cells were inoculated with 102 TCID50 of ALV-J-SD1005 strain; the cell proliferation viability was dramatically increased and 14-3-3σ expressions were dramatically decreased within 48 h after inoculation. Chicken 14-3-3σ over-expression could significantly decrease the cell proliferation and the ratio of S-phase cells, but increase the ratio of G2/M-phase cells in ALV-J-infected DF-1 cells; by contrast, chicken 14-3-3σ knockdown expression could cause the opposite effects. Additionally, chicken 14-3-3σ over-expression could also dramatically down-regulate the expressions of CDK2/CDC2, but up-regulate p53 expressions in the DF-1 cells; in contrast, the knockdown expression could significantly increase the expressions of CDK2/CDC2 and decrease p53 expressions. It can be concluded that chicken 14-3-3σ can inhibit cell proliferation and cell cycle by regulating CDK2/CDC2/p53 expressions in ALV-J-infected DF1 cells. ALV-J-SD1005 strain can promote cell proliferation by reducing 14-3-3σ expressions. This study helps to clarify the forming mechanism of acute fibrosarcoma induced by ALV-J infection.

In this paper, a broadband left-handed circularly polarized (LHCP) corrugated horn antenna using a dielectric circular polarizer is proposed. Circularly polarized (CP) waves are generated by inserting an improved dovetail-shaped dielectric plate into the circular waveguide. Compared with the traditional dovetail-shaped circular polarizer, the proposed improved dovetail-shaped circular polarizer has a wider impedance bandwidth and 3 dB axial ratio bandwidth. A substrate-integrated waveguide (SIW) structure is designed as a wall to eliminate the influence of fixed grooves on the circular polarizer. The simulated reflection coefficient of the dielectric plate circular polarizer is less than −20 dB in the frequency band from 17.57 to 33.25 GHz. Then, a conical corrugated horn antenna with five corrugations and a four-level metal stepped rectangular-circular waveguide converter are designed and optimized. The simulated −10 dB impedance and 3 dB axial ratio (AR) bandwidths of the circularly polarized horn antenna integrated with the polarizer are 61% (17.1–32.8 GHz) and 60.9% (17.76–33.32 GHz), respectively. The simulated peak gain is 17.34 dBic. The measured −10 dB impedance is 52.7% (17.2–27.5 GHz).

The effects of heat-moisture treatment whole tartary buckwheat flour (HTBF) with different contents on the pasting properties and hydration characteristics of tartary buckwheat noodle mix flour (TBMF), dough moisture distribution, cooking properties, texture properties, and flavor of noodles were studied. The results showed that the optimal additional amount of HTBF is determined to be 40%. The peak viscosity, trough viscosity, breakdown value, and final viscosity decreased significantly, and the optimal cooking time of the noodles decreased with increasing HTBF. Compared with the sample without HTBF, HTBF addition increased the water absorption of the sample and decreased its water solubility. When the amount of HTBF >30%, the content of strongly bound water in dough increased significantly; at HTBF >40%, the water absorption and cooking loss of noodles increased rapidly, and the hardness of noodles was decreased; and with HMBF addition at 60%, the chewiness, resilience, and elasticity decreased. Moreover, HMBF addition reduced the relative content of volatile alkanes, while increasing the amount of volatile alcohols. HTBF addition also elevated the content of slow-digesting starch (SDS) and resistant starch (RS) in noodles, providing noodles with better health benefits in preventing chronic diseases. These results proved the possibility of applying heat-moisture treatment grains to noodles, and they provide a theoretical basis for the research and development of staple foods with a hypoglycemic index.

Multi-view information fusion can provide more accurate, complete and reliable data descriptions for monitoring objects, effectively improve the limitations and unreliability of single-view data. Existing multi-view information fusion based on deep learning mostly focuses on the feature level and decision level, with large information loss, and does not distinguish the view weight in the fusion process. To this end, a multi-view data level information fusion model CAM_MCFCNN with view weight was proposed based on a channel attention mechanism and convolutional neural network. The model used the channel characteristics to implement multi-view information fusion at the data level stage, which made the fusion position and mode more natural and reduced the loss of information. A multi-channel fusion convolutional neural network was used for feature learning. In addition, the channel attention mechanism was used to learn the view weight, so that the algorithm could pay more attention to the views that contribute more to the fault identification task during the training process, and more reasonably integrate the information of different views. The proposed method was verified by the data of the planetary gearbox experimental platform. The multi-view data and single-view data were used as the input of the CAM_MCFCNN model and single-channel CNN model respectively for comparison. The average accuracy of CAM_MCFCNN on three constant-speed datasets reached 99.95%, 99.87% and 99.92%, which was an improvement of 0.95%, 2.25%, and 0.04%, compared with the single view with the highest diagnostic accuracy, respectively. When facing limited samples, CAM_MCFCNN had similar performance. Finally, compared with different multi-view information fusion algorithms, CAM_MCFCNN showed better stability and higher accuracy. The experimental results showed that the proposed method had better performance, higher diagnostic accuracy and was more reliable, compared with other methods.

Wind and rainfall climatic erosivities are important parameters with which to assess the possible effects of climatic conditions on erosion. In this study, wind erosion climatic erosivity (C-factor) and rainfall erosivity (Rday-factor) were calculated for the period 1970–2020 based on data from 50 meteorological stations in Qinghai Province. The Mann–Kendall test, trend analysis, and K-means clustering method were used to explore the spatiotemporal characteristics of regional wind/rainfall climatic erosivity. Results showed that the annual mean value of the C-factor was 25.8 over the past 51 years, with an obvious trend of decline of 6.5/10a. The mean annual value of the Rday-factor was 491.6 MJ·mm/(hm2·h·a), with an obvious trend of increasing of 24.0 MJ·mm/(hm2·h·10a). Strong seasonality was found in both the C-factor and the Rday-factor. The highest values of the C-factor were found in late winter and spring, accounting for a substantial proportion of the annual C-factor (48.6%). Rainfall erosivity occurred mainly April–October, with the highest values in summer, accounting for a substantial proportion of the annual Rday-factor (72.9%). Wind-erosion climatic erosivity and rainfall erosivity were obviously asynchronous on an annual basis, and the period of their combination extended the time of soil erosion. Through k-means clustering analysis, climatic erosivity in Qinghai Province was divided into three regions: the first dominated by wind-erosion climatic erosivity, the second dominated by rainfall erosivity, and the third dominated by their combination. The most serious land erosion occurred in the third region, accounting for 34.3% of the entire land area of Qinghai Province, where annual rainfall was found to be broadly consistent at 300–400 mm. Wind speed, temperature, rainfall, and sunshine duration are key factors known to impact the variation in wind-erosion climatic erosivity, while annual erosive rainfall, number of rainy days, and sunshine duration are the main factors known to impact the variation in rainfall erosivity. The findings of this study represent a robust reference for ecoenvironmental protection, sustainable development, and soil protection.

Broussonetia papyrifera has a high lignocellulose content leading to poor palatability and low digestion rate of ruminants. Thus, dynamic profiles of fermentation lignocellulose characteristics, microbial community structure, potential function, and interspecific relationships of B. papyrifera mixing with wheat bran in different ratios: 100:0 (BP100), 90:10 (BP90), 80:20 (BP80), and 65:35 (BP65) were investigated on ensiling days 5, 15, 30, and 50. The results showed that adding bran increased the degradation rate of hemicellulose, neutral detergent fiber, and the activities of filter paper cellulase, endoglucanase, acid protease, and neutral protease, especially in the ratio of 65:35. Lactobacillus, Pediococcus, and Weissella genus bacteria were the dominant genera in silage fermentation, and Pediococcus and Weissella genus bacteria regulated the process of silage fermentation. Compared with monospecific B. papyrifera silage, adding bran significantly increased the abundance of Weissella sp., and improved bacterial fermentation potential in BP65 (p < 0.05). Distance-based redundancy analysis showed that lactic acid bacteria (LAB) were significantly positive correlated with most lignocellulose content and degrading enzymes activities, while Monascus sp. and Syncephalastrum sp. were opposite (p < 0.05). Co-occurrence network analysis indicated that there were significant differences in microbial networks among different mixing ratios of B. papyrifera silage prepared with bran. There was a more complex, highly diverse and less competitive co-occurrence network in BP65, which was helpful to silage fermentation. In conclusion, B. papyrifera ensiled with bran improved the microbial community structure and the interspecific relationship and reduced the content of lignocellulose.

Fabricating hierarchical nanomaterials by self-assembly of rod-coil block copolymers attracts great interest. However, the key factors that affect the formation of the hierarchical nanomaterials have not been thoroughly researched. Herein, we have synthesized two diblock copolymers composed of poly(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). Through a heating, cooling, and aging process, a series of multilayered hierarchical micelles and fibers were prepared in alcoholic solutions. The transition from fibers to hierarchical micelles are strictly influenced by the strength of the π-π stacking interaction, the PEG chain length, and solvent. In isopropanol, the P3HT22-b-PEG43 could self-assemble into hierarchical micelles composed of several two-dimensional (2D) laminar layers, driven by the π-π stacking interaction and van der Waals force. The P3HT22-b-PEG43 could not self-assemble into well-defined nanostructures in methanol and ethanol, but could self-assemble into fibers in isobutanol. However, the P3HT22-b-PEG113 with a longer corona block only self-assembled into fibers in four alcoholic solutions, due to the increase in dissolving capacity and steric hindrance. The sizes and the size distributions of the nanostructures both increased with the increase in polymer concentration and the decrease in solvent polarity. This study shows a method to fabricate the hierarchical micelles.

We had shown in our previous study that TgUrm1 (ubiquitin-related Modifier 1) was involved in the regulation of anti-oxidant stress in Toxoplasma gondii by conjugating with TgAhp1. It is generally believed that Urm1 binds to target proteins through a mechanism involving Uba (ubiquitin-like activator protein). Here, we identified the TgUrm1-exclusive ubiquitin-like activator-TgUba1, which was located in the cytoplasm of Toxoplasma. TgUba1 contained three domains, including the atrophin-1 domain (ANT1), the E1-like domain (AD), and the rhodanese homology domain (RHD). We explored the interaction of TgUba1 with TgUrm1, and the AD domain was essential for the interaction of the two proteins. The TgUba1 knockout and complementary mutants were obtained based on CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology. The knockout of TgUba1 attenuated parasite proliferation and virulence in mice, but not invasion and egress processes, revealing the pivotal role played by TgUba1 in T. gondii survival. Meanwhile, the conjugate band of TgUrm1 was significantly reduced under oxidative stress stimulation without TgUba1, indicating that TgUba1 enhanced the targeted conjugation ability of TgUrm1 in response to oxidative stress, especially under diamide (Dia) stimulation. Furthermore, eleven TgUba1-interacting proteins were identified by proximity-based protein labeling techniques, relating them to ubiquitin-like modifications, anti-oxidative stress and metabolic regulation processes. In conclusion, TgUba1 was essential for T. gondii survival and might be a potential ubiquitin-like activator protein for TgUrm1.

Rhoptry proteins (ROPs) of Apicomplexa are crucial secreted virulence factors and sources of vaccine candidates. To date, Eimeria tenella ROPs are not well studied. This study identified and characterized a novel E. tenella ROP (EtROP35), which showed the highest levels among 28 putative ROPs in previous sporozoite and merozoite transcriptomes. Sequence analysis showed that EtROP35 contains an N-terminal secretory signal and a protein kinase domain including eight conserved ROP35-subfamily motifs. Subsequent experiments confirmed that it is a secretory protein. Subcellular localization revealed it localized at the apical end of the sporozoites and merozoites, which was consistent with the ROPs of other Apicomplexan parasites. To further understand the biological meaning of EtROP35, expression levels in different developmental stages and sporozoite invasion-blocking assay were investigated. EtROP35 showed significantly higher levels in sporozoites (6.23-fold) and merozoites (7.00-fold) than sporulated oocysts. Sporozoite invasion-blocking assay revealed that anti-EtROP35 polyclonal antibody significantly reduced the sporozoite invasion rate, suggesting it might participate in host cell invasion and be a viable choice as a vaccine candidate. The immunological protective assays showed that EtROP35 could induce a high level of serum IgY and higher mean body weight gain, and lower cecum lesion score and oocysts excretion than the challenged control group. These data indicated that EtROP35 had good immunogenicity and may be a promising vaccine candidate against E. tenella.

Dinotefuran (DNT) is a neonicotinoid insecticide widely used in pest control. Identification of structurally related impurities is indispensable during material purification and pesticide registration and certified reference material development, and therefore needs to be carefully characterized. In this study, a combined strategy with liquid chromatography high-resolution mass spectrometry and SIRIUS has been developed to elucidate impurities from DNT material. MS and MS/MS spectra were used to score the impurity candidates by isotope score and fragment tree in the computer assisted tool, SIRIUS. DNT, the main component, worked as an anchor for formula identification and impurity structure elucidation. With this strategy, two by-product impurities and one stereoisomer were identified. Their fragmentation pathways were concluded, and the mechanism for impurity formation was also proposed. This result showed a successful application for combined human intelligence and machine learning, in the identification of pesticide impurities.

Soil temperature is an important physical variable that characterises geothermal conditions and influences geophysical, biological and chemical processes in the earth sciences. Soil temperature is not only affected by climatic and geographical factors; it is also modulated by local factors such as snow cover and vegetation. This paper investigates the relationship between snow cover and vegetation and soil temperature with the help of two classical remote sensing indicators, the Snow Cover Days (SCD) based Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)-based Global Inventory Modelling and Mapping Studies, to analyse the influence of local factors on soil temperature in the Three River Source Region (TRSR). Combing multi-layer geothermal observations from 23 stations in the TRSR with meteorological dataset, soil properties datasets, snow cover and vegetation indices, a non-linear model, the Random Forest model, is used to establish a multi-layer soil temperature dataset to analyse the influence of surface cover factors in each depth. The results showed that the annual SCD had a decreasing trend during 1982–2015 and was negatively correlated with the annual mean soil temperature; the annual NDVI had no significant trend, but it was positively correlated with the annual mean soil temperature. Regionally, there was a significant decrease in SCD in the mountainous areas bordering the source areas of the three rivers, and there was a trend of increasing NDVI in the northwest and decreasing vegetation in the southwest in the TRSR. The stronger the correlation with soil temperature in areas with a larger SCD, the more the snow has a cooling effect on the shallower soil temperatures due to the high albedo of the accumulated snow and the repeated melting and heat absorption of the snow in the area. The snow has an insulating effect on the 40 cm soil layer by impeding the cooling effect of the atmosphere in winter. In sparsely vegetated areas, vegetation lowers ground albedo and warms the soil, but in July and August, in areas with more vegetation, NDVI is negatively correlated with soil temperature, with heavy vegetation intercepting summer radiant energy and having a cooling effect on the soil.

Oedaleus decorus asiaticus is one of the most harmful locusts in agricultural and pastoral areas in China. Plagues of this grasshopper can aggravate grassland degradation and cause huge damage to the livestock industry. Fungal biopesticides are seen as a suitable means of controlling grasshoppers and locusts. However, the efficiency of fungal biopesticides is dependent on temperature. Currently, there is limited knowledge on the thermal biology of this grasshopper in natural habitats. In this study, ground temperature measurements were made in conjunction with measurements of internal body temperatures using thermocouples and hand-held thermometers. The grasshoppers were randomly caught during the daytime in 2017 and 2018 in eight different locations in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. Our results indicated that the average internal body temperature of nymphs as well as adults of O. d. asiaticusis was higher than the ground temperature and that it increases/decreases with increases/decreases in ground temperature, respectively, during the daytime. Moreover, the adult internal body temperature is significantly higher than that of the nymphs at different times of the day, specifically around 6:00, 10:00, 13:00, and 18:00. Female internal body temperatures were significantly higher than those of the males by an average of 0.90 °C. Additionally, the average internal body temperature of the brown morphs was higher than that of the green morphs by approximately 1.17 °C. These findings demonstrate that brown morph insects might be more tolerant of fungal biopesticides and hence the biopesticides may take longer to kill them. Hence, ecophysiological adaptations to climate change may affect how fungal biopesticides could be used in the future.

American ginseng (Panax quinquefolius L.) is an important cash crop, but long-term monoculture often results in serious root rot disease and yield reduction. The dynamics of soil phenolic acids perform an important function in soil microbe–plant interactions, but the extent to which changes in phenolic acids that occur under the continuous monoculture of American ginseng influence growth and the rhizosphere microbial community are unclear. In this study, American ginseng was planted in soil that had been used for 3 years of continuous monoculture (3 yr) and into a soil with no history of planting American ginseng (0 yr). Soil phenolic acids, rhizosphere microbiome characteristics, and pathogen suppression were analyzed. In the findings, the diversity and structure of the rhizosphere microbial community were affected by monoculture history, as the diversity of fungi and bacteria in 3 yr soil was higher than in 0 yr soil. The physiological performance of American ginseng in 3 yr soil was significantly lower than that in 0 yr soil. Soil phenolic acid contents decreased with the longer monoculture history, and high concentrations of phenolic acids suppressed the growth of American ginseng-specific pathogens. Soil phenolic acids appeared to modulate the pathogen population and the rhizosphere microbiome in American ginseng monocultures.

RNA interference (RNAi) induces gene silencing in order to participate in immune-related pathways. Previous studies have shown that the LmSerpin1 gene upregulates the immune responses of Locusta migratoria manilensis, and that the infection of locusts with Metarhizium anisopliae can be enhanced through the injection of the interfering dsSerpin1. In this study, dsRNA was synthesized from the Serpin1 gene and fed to the third instars of L. m. manilensis at concentrations of 5 μg, 10 μg, and 20 μg. Feeding dsSerpin1 increased the mortality of L. m. manilensis, and 20 μg dsSerpin1 had the highest lethality, followed by 10 μg dsSerpin1, with the lowest being observed at 5 μg dsSerpin1. Serpin1 silencing and temperature fever induction by feeding with dsSerpin1 had a strong synergistic effect on M. anisopliae, showing a dose-dependent response. When L. m. manilensis were fed on a diet containing 20 μg dsRNA and M. anisopliae (2.5 × 108 spores/g wheat bran), 3-day mortalities significantly increased. The dsSerpin1 plus M. anisopliae treatments resulted in a 6-day mortality of 60%, accelerating insect death. These results indicated that feeding with dsSerpin1 could be an effective way to control pests and that the control effect and dsRNA concentration were dose-dependent within the first seven days. In particular, 20 μg was an effective dosage to enhance the insecticidal efficiency of M. anisopliae.

A nanocomposite NiPt/5LSBA-160 catalyst comprised of highly dispersed Ni nanoparticles contacting intimately with Pt over novel mesoporous LaFeO3-SBA-15-CTA support with a high specific surface area (SSA) was successfully developed for the dry reforming of methane. Results revealed that the high SSA mesoporous LaFeO3-SBA-15-CTA materials could first be synthesized by an in situ growth hydrothermal process and used as an excellent carrier candidate of Ni-based catalysts to achieve enhanced catalytic activity due to the strong interaction between LaFeO3 and Ni species. Moreover, the introduction of Pt over a Ni/5LSBA-160 catalyst would further promote the interaction between Ni and support, improve the dispersion of active Ni centers and obtain a higher syngas formation rate as well as tolerance to carbon coking than that of a Pt-free Ni/5LSBA-160 catalyst sample. This finding uncovers a promising prospect for high SSA mesoporous perovskite preparation and utilization in catalysis such as oxidation, hydrogenation, photocatalysis, energy conversion and so on.

Ochratoxin A (OTA) is a highly toxic mycotoxin and poses great threat to human health. Due to its serious toxicity and widespread contamination, great efforts have been made to evaluate its human exposure. This review focuses on the OTA occurrence and contamination level in nine plant and animal derived food commodities: cereal, wine, coffee, beer, cocoa, dried fruit, spice, meat, and milk. The occurrence and contamination level varied greatly in food commodities and were affected by many factors, including spices, geography, climate, and storage conditions. Therefore, risk monitoring must be routinely implemented to ensure minimal OTA intake and food safety.

Dexmedetomidine (DEX), a selective α2 adrenergic receptor (AR) agonist, is commonly used as a sedative drug during critical illness. In the present study, we explored a novel accelerative effect of DEX on cardiac fibroblast (CF) differentiation mediated by LPS and clarified its potential mechanism. LPS apparently increased the expression of α-SMA and collagen I/III and the phosphorylation of p38 and Smad-3 in the CFs of mice. These effects were significantly enhanced by DEX through increasing α2A-AR expression in CFs after LPS stimulation. The CFs from α2A-AR knockout mice were markedly less sensitive to DEX treatment than those of wild-type mice. Inhibition of protein kinase C (PKC) abolished the enhanced effects of DEX on LPS-induced differentiation of CFs. We also found that the α-SMA level in the second-passage CFs was much higher than that in the nonpassage and first-passage CFs. However, after LPS stimulation, the TNF-α released from the nonpassage CFs was much higher than that in the first- and second-passage CFs. DEX had no effect on LPS-induced release of TNF-α and IL-6 from CFs. Further investigation indicated that DEX promoted cardiac fibrosis and collagen I/III synthesis in mice exposed to LPS for four weeks. Our results demonstrated that DEX effectively accelerated LPS-induced differentiation of CFs to myofibroblasts through the PKC-p38-Smad2/3 signaling pathway by activating α2A-AR.

Fosetyl-aluminum is a widely used ionic fungicide. This pesticide is not amenable to the common multi-residue sample preparation methods. Herein, this paper describes a novel method for the simple and sensitive determination of fosetyl-aluminum residue in wheat flour. The sample preparation method involved extraction with water under ultrasonication and subsequent dilution with six-fold acetonitrile. The fosetyl-aluminum concentration was determined by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry. The limit of detection and quantification were only 5 and 10 ng/g, respectively, which meet the requirement of the current European legislation. Matrix-matched linearity (r2 = 0.9999) was established in the range of 10–2000 ng/g. Satisfactory recoveries were achieved in the range of 95.6% to 105.2% for three levels of spiked samples (10, 50, and 100 ng/g). Finally, the method was applied to analyzing 75 wheat flour samples produced in four provinces in China. Two samples were positive with concentrations over the limit of detection. This is the first method focusing on fosetyl-aluminum determination in wheat flour with an extract-dilute-shoot strategy and is very promising for the routine quality control of fosetyl-aluminum in similar cereal matrices.