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Oil palm is a versatile oil crop with numerous applications. Significant progress has been made in applying histological techniques in oil palm research in recent years. Whole genome sequencing of oil palm has been carried out to explain the function and structure of the order genome, facilitating the development of molecular markers and the construction of genetic maps, which are crucial for studying important traits and genetic resources in oil palm. Transcriptomics provides a powerful tool for studying various aspects of plant biology, including abiotic and biotic stresses, fatty acid composition and accumulation, and sexual reproduction, while proteomics and metabolomics provide opportunities to study lipid synthesis and stress responses, regulate fatty acid composition based on different gene and metabolite levels, elucidate the physiological mechanisms in response to abiotic stresses, and explain intriguing biological processes in oil palm. This paper summarizes the current status of oil palm research from a multi-omics perspective and hopes to provide a reference for further in-depth research on oil palm.

The sclerotia of Wolfiporia hoelen (Fr.) Y.C. Dai & V. Papp is an important traditional Chinese medicine with diverse pharmacological properties. This study utilized a combination of PacBio Long-Read Sequencing, Illumina Short-Read Sequencing, and Hi-C Sequencing to generate a high-quality chromosome-level genome assembly of a W. hoelen strain Minling A5. There were 112 contigs in the genome, with 62.95 Mb in total length and 4.21 Mb in length for the contig N50. The average GC content was 51.89%. Based on Hi-C data, we corrected the CCS data and scaffolded them into 14 pseudo-chromosomes. The genome contained 44.37% repetitive sequences and 12,670 protein-coding genes, 86.53% (10,963) of which could be functionally annotated in at least one of the KOG, GO, Pfam, Swissprot, TrEMBL, NR, and KEGG databases. In addition, 240 transfer RNAs, 97 ribosomal RNAs, and 103 other non-coding RNAs were identified in the W. hoelen genome. A total of 755 pseudogenes were also identified, with an average length of 2665.51 bp. Further, there were 398, 100, 2837, 519, and 2068 genes annotated by CAZymes, TCDB, PHI, P450, and DFVF databases, respectively. One notable attribute of W. hoelen is its capacity to thrive in a substrate of fresh pine sawdust. Through an analysis of the growth on various pure wood sawdust culture media, we found that the growth of W. hoelen and Sparassis latifolia on pine sawdust was similar to that on broad-leaved wood sawdust, while the growth of Pleurotus ostreatus, P. eryngii, and Cyclocybe aegerita was slower than that on broad-leaved wood sawdust. By the functional annotation analysis of orthogroups in these five mushroom-forming fungi, it was determined that 645 orthogroups were specifically common in W. hoelen and S. latifolia. The genes in these specific orthogroups were significantly enriched in 12 pathways, including steroid biosynthesis, biosynthesis of antibiotics, and tyrosine metabolism. The high-quality genome and comparative genome analysis results significantly contribute to advancing our foundational knowledge of W. hoelen biology, while also offering valuable insights for the development of innovative biotechnological approaches aimed at enhancing the efficient and sustainable utilization of Pinus.

Oil palm (Elaeis guineensis Jacq.) is a typical tropical oil crop with a temperature of 26–28 °C, providing approximately 35% of the total world’s vegetable oil. Growth and productivity are significantly affected by low-temperature stress, resulting in inhibited growth and substantial yield losses. To comprehend the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying the response and acclimation of oil palm under low-temperature stress, multi-omics approaches, including metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics, have emerged as powerful tools. This comprehensive review aims to provide an in-depth analysis of recent advancements in multi-omics studies on oil palm under low-temperature stress, including the key findings from omics-based research, highlighting changes in metabolite profiles, protein expression, and gene transcription, as well as including the potential of integrating multi-omics data to reveal novel insights into the molecular networks and regulatory pathways involved in the response to low-temperature stress. This review also emphasizes the challenges and prospects of multi-omics approaches in oil palm research, providing a roadmap for future investigations. Overall, a better understanding of the molecular basis of the response of oil palm to low-temperature stress will facilitate the development of effective breeding and biotechnological strategies to improve the crop’s resilience and productivity in changing climate scenarios.

In the traditional farming systems, the excessive application of chemical fertilizers to boost crop yields has resulted in a range of issues, such as soil quality degradation, soil structure deterioration, and pollution of the farmland ecological environment. Green manure, as a high-quality biological fertilizer source with rich nutrient content, is of great significance for enhancing the soil quality and establishing a healthy farmland ecosystem. However, there are few studies on the effects of different green manures on the soil nutrient levels, enzyme activities, and soil bacterial community composition in the rice–wheat rotation areas in southern China. Thus, we planted Chinese milk vetch (MV; Astragalus sinicus L.), light leaf vetch (LV; Vicia villosa var.), common vetch (CV; Vicia sativa L.), crimson clover (CC; Trifolium incarnatum L.), Italian ryegrass (RG; Lolium multiflorum L.), and winter fields without any crops as a control in the Taihu Lake area of Jiangsu. The soil samples collected after tilling and returning the green manure to the field during the bloom period were used to analyze the effects of the different green manures on the soil nutrient content, enzyme activity, and the structural composition of the bacterial community. This analysis was conducted using chemical methods and high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that the green manure returned to the field increased the soil pH, soil organic matter (SOM), alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (AN), available phosphorus (AP), available potassium (AK), sucrose (SC), urease (UE), and neutral phosphatase (NEP) contents compared to the control. They increased by 1.55% to 10.06%, 0.26% to 9.31%, 20.95% to 28.42%, 20.66% to 57.79%, 12.38% to 37.94%, 3.11% to 58.19%, 6.49% to 32.99%, and 50.0% to 80.36%, respectively. In addition, the green manure field increased the relative abundance of the genera Proteobacteria and Haliangium while decreasing the relative abundance of Gemmatimonadetes, Chloroflexi, SBR1031, and Anaeromyxobacter in the soil bacteria. Both the number of ASVs (amplicon sequence variants) and α-diversity of the soil bacterial communities were higher compared to the control, and the β-diversity varied significantly among the treatments. Alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen and neutral phosphatase had the greatest influence on the soil bacterial community diversity, with alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen being the primary soil factor affecting the soil bacterial community composition. Meanwhile, the results of the principal component analysis showed that the MV treatment had the most significant impact on soil improvement. Our study provides significant insights into the sustainable management of the soil quality in rice–wheat rotations. It identifies MV as the best choice among the green manure crops for improving the soil quality, offering innovative solutions for reducing chemical fertilizer dependence and promoting ecological sustainability.

This study proposes four kinds of hybrid source–grid–storage systems consisting of photovoltaic and wind energy, and a power grid including different batteries and hydrogen storage systems for Sanjiao town. HOMER-PRO was applied for the optimal design and techno-economic analysis of each case, aiming to explore reproducible energy supply solutions for China’s industrial clusters. The results show that the proposed system is a fully feasible and reliable solution for industry-based towns, like Sanjiao, in their pursuit of carbon neutrality. In addition, the source-side price sensitivity analysis found that the hydrogen storage solution was cost-competitive only when the capital costs on the storage and source sides were reduced by about 70%. However, the hydrogen storage system had the lowest carbon emissions, about 14% lower than the battery ones. It was also found that power generation cost reduction had a more prominent effect on the whole system’s NPC and LCOE reduction. This suggests that policy support needs to continue to push for generation-side innovation and scaling up, while research on different energy storage types should be encouraged to serve the needs of different source–grid–load–storage systems.

Craniopharyngioma patients often suffer from a diminished quality of life after surgery, which is usually associated with metabolic disorders and hypothalamic obesity. However, the precise etiology of these conditions remains elusive. To identify the metabolic changes after surgery, we conducted a cross-sectional study using metabolomic and lipidomic analysis to profile metabolic alterations in adult-onset craniopharyngioma patients with postoperative obesity. A cohort of 120 craniopharyngioma patients who had undergone surgery were examined. Differential analyses, including clinical characteristics, serum metabolome, and lipidome, were conducted across distinct body mass index (BMI) groups. Our findings indicated no statistically significant differences in age, sex, and fasting blood glucose among postoperative craniopharyngioma patients when stratified by BMI. However, a noteworthy difference was observed in uric acid and blood lipid levels. Further investigation revealed that alterations in metabolites and lipids were evidently correlated with increased BMI, indicating that postoperative obesity of craniopharyngioma patients affected their whole-body metabolism. Additionally, the multi-omics analysis identified specific metabolites and lipids, including uric acid and DG(18:2/20:4), as contributors to the metabolic disorders associated with postoperative obesity of craniopharyngioma patients. This work provides valuable insight into the involvement of metabolites and lipids in metabolic disorders subsequent to craniopharyngioma surgery.

AP2/ERF transcription factor genes play an important role in regulating the responses of plants to various abiotic stresses, such as cold, drought, high salinity, and high temperature. However, less is known about the function of oil palm AP2/ERF genes. We previously obtained 172 AP2/ERF genes of oil palm and found that the expression of EgAP2.25 was significantly up-regulated under salinity, cold, or drought stress conditions. In the present study, the sequence characterization and expression analysis for EgAP2.25 were conducted, showing that it was transiently over-expressed in Nicotiana tabacum L. The results indicated that transgenic tobacco plants over-expressing EgAP2.25 could have a stronger tolerance to salinity stress than wild-type tobacco plants. Compared with wild-type plants, the over-expression lines showed a significantly higher germination rate, better plant growth, and less chlorophyll damage. In addition, the improved salinity tolerance of EgAP2.25 transgenic plants was mainly attributed to higher antioxidant enzyme activities, increased proline and soluble sugar content, reduced H2O2 production, and lower MDA accumulation. Furthermore, several stress-related marker genes, including NtSOD, NtPOD, NtCAT, NtERD10B, NtDREB2B, NtERD10C, and NtP5CS, were significantly up-regulated in EgAP2.25 transgenic tobacco plants subjected to salinity stress. Overall, over-expression of the EgAP2.25 gene significantly enhanced salinity stress tolerance in transgenic tobacco plants. This study lays a foundation for further exploration of the regulatory mechanism of the EgAP2.25 gene in conferring salinity tolerance in oil palm.

Many studies have investigated how soil water availability in shallow soil affects forest transpiration, but how deep soil water status (below 1 m depth) alters tree water use remains poorly understood. To improve our understanding of how deep soil water changes tree transpiration dynamics, we measured soil water content (SWC) in more than 20 m depths, the radial sap flow profile and the leaf area index (LAI) in the 2017 growing season in 9-, 12-, 16-, 19- and 23-year-old afforested apple (Rosaceae) trees on the Chinese Loess Plateau. SWC was also measured in long-term cultivated farmland to derive SWC before afforestation. The results showed that there was no statistical difference in SWC in shallow soil among orchards (p > 0.05), while SWC in deep soil reduced rapidly with increasing tree age. The average SWC at 1–20 m decreased from 0.27 ± 0.02 cm3 cm−3 in farmland to 0.21 ± 0.03 cm3 cm−3 in the 23-year-old orchard. Moreover, water storage in deep soil decreased by 139 mm yr−1 between the 9- and 12-year-old stands, 105 mm yr−1 between the 12- and 16-year-old stands, 44 mm yr−1 between the 16- and 19-year-old stands, and 9 mm yr−1 from the 19- to 23-year-old stands, indicating that gradually decreased SWC in deep soil has restricted tree water use. Due to the changes in SWC, growing-season transpiration and the LAI peaked in the 16-year-old orchard and then decreased with increasing stand age. Growing-season transpiration in the 23-year-old orchard was only 77% of that in the 16-year stands, despite the older trees having larger diameters at the breast height. Our results suggest that soil water availability in deep soil plays an important role in regulating trees’ transpiration.

Anti-inflammatory drugs have become the second-largest class of common drugs after anti-infective drugs in animal clinical care worldwide and are often combined with other drugs to treat fever and viral diseases caused by various factors. In our previous study, a novel serine protease inhibitor-encoding gene (MDSPI16) with improved anti-inflammatory activity was selected from a constructed suppressive subducted hybridization library of housefly larvae. This protein could easily induce an immune response in animals and had a short half-life, which limited its wide application in the clinic. Thus, in this study, mPEG-succinimidyl propionate (mPEG-SPA, Mw = 5 kDa) was used to molecularly modify the MDSPI16 protein, and the modified product mPEG-SPA-MDSPI16, which strongly inhibited elastase production, was purified. It had good stability and safety, low immunogenicity, and a long half-life, and the IC50 for elastase was 86 nM. mPEG-SPA-MDSPI16 effectively inhibited the expression of neutrophil elastase and decreased ROS levels. Moreover, mPEG-SPA-MDSPI16 exerted anti-inflammatory effects by inhibiting activation of the NF-κB signaling pathway and the MAPK signaling pathway in neutrophils. It also exerted therapeutic effects on a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced acute lung injury (ALI) mouse model. In summary, mPEG-SPA-MDSPI16 is a novel anti-inflammatory protein modified with PEG that has the advantages of safety, nontoxicity, improved stability, and strong anti-inflammatory activity in vivo and in vitro and is expected to become an effective anti-inflammatory drug.

The emergence of multi-drug-resistant (MDR) pathogens has considerably challenged the development of new drugs. Probiotics that inhibit MDR pathogens offer advantages over chemical antibiotics and drugs due to their increased safety and fewer side effects. This study reported that Weissella cibaria P-8 isolated from pickles showed excellent antibacterial activity against intestinal pathogens, particularly the antibacterial activity against MDR Escherichia coli B2 was the highest. This study showed that the survival rates of W. cibaria P-8 at pH 2.0 and 0.3% bile salt concentration were 72% and 71.56%, respectively, and it still had antibacterial activity under pepsin, trypsin, protease K, and catalase hydrolysis. Moreover, W. cibaria P-8 inhibits the expression of inflammatory factors interleukin-1β, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-6, upregulates the interleukin-10 level, and increases total antioxidant capacity and superoxide dismutase enzyme activity in serum. W. cibaria P-8 also efficiently repairs intestinal damage caused by E. coli infection. The gut microbiota analysis demonstrated that W. cibaria P-8 colonizes the intestine and increases the abundance of some beneficial intestinal microorganisms, particularly Prevotella. In conclusion, W. cibaria P-8 alleviated MDR E. coli-induced intestinal inflammation by regulating inflammatory cytokine and enzyme activity and rebalancing the gut microbiota, which could provide the foundation for subsequent clinical analyses and probiotic product development.

A bacteria capable of degrading aflatoxin M1 (AFM1) was isolated from African elephant manure. It was identified as Bacillus pumilus by 16s rDNA sequencing and named B. pumilusE-1-1-1. Compared with physical and chemical methods, biological methods have attracted much attention due to their advantages, such as thorough detoxification, high specificity, and environmental friendliness. This work aimed to study the effects of a recombinant catalase (rCAT) from B. pumilusE-1-1-1 on the degradation of AFM1 in pattern solution. The degradation mechanism was further explored and applied to milk and beer. Kinetic Momentum and Virtual Machine Maximum values for rCAT toward AFM1 were 4.1 μg/mL and 2.5 μg/mL/min, respectively. The rCAT-mediated AFM1 degradation product was identified as C15H14O3. Molecular docking simulations suggested that hydrogen and pi bonds played major roles in the steadiness of AFM1–rCAT. In other work, compared with identical density of AFM1, survival rates of Hep-G2 cells incubated with catalase-produced AFM1 degradation products increased by about 3 times. In addition, degradation rates in lager beer and milk were 31.3% and 47.2%, respectively. Therefore, CAT may be a prospective substitute to decrease AFM1 contamination in pattern solution, milk, and beer, thereby minimizing its influence on human health.

Catalases (CATs) play crucial roles in scavenging H2O2 from reactive oxygen species, controlling the growth and development of plants. So far, genome-wide identification and characterization of CAT genes in oil palm have not been reported. In the present study, five EgCAT genes were obtained through a genome-wide identification approach. Phylogenetic analysis divided them into two subfamilies, with closer genes sharing similar structures. Gene structure and conserved motif analysis demonstrated the conserved nature of intron/exon organization and motifs among the EgCAT genes. Several cis-acting elements related to hormone, stress, and defense responses were identified in the promoter regions of EgCATs. Tissue-specific expression of EgCAT genes in five different tissues of oil palm was also revealed by heatmap analysis using the available transcriptome data. Stress-responsive expression analysis showed that five EgCAT genes were significantly expressed under cold, drought, and salinity stress conditions. Collectively, this study provided valuable information on the oil palm CAT gene family and the validated EgCAT genes can be used as potential candidates for improving abiotic stress tolerance in oil palm and other related crops.

Oil palm, a tropical woody oil crop, is widely used in food, cosmetics, and pharmaceuticals due to its high production efficiency and economic value. Palm oil is rich in free fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamin E, and other nutrients, which are beneficial for human health when consumed appropriately. Therefore, investigating the dynamic changes in free fatty acid content at different stages of development and hypothesizing the influence of regulatory genes on free fatty acid metabolism is crucial for improving palm oil quality and accelerating industry growth. LC-MS/MS is used to analyze the composition and content of free fatty acids in the flesh after 95 days (MS1 and MT1), 125 days (MS2 and MT2), and 185 days (MS3 and MT3) of Seedless (MS) and Tenera (MT) oil palm species fruit pollination. RNA-Seq was used to analyze the expression of genes regulating free fatty acid synthesis and accumulation, with differences in genes and metabolites mapped to the KEGG pathway map using the KEGG (Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes) enrichment analysis method. A metabolomics study identified 17 types of saturated and 13 types of unsaturated free fatty acids during the development of MS and MT. Transcriptomic research revealed that 10,804 significantly different expression genes were acquired in the set differential gene threshold between MS and MT. The results showed that FabB was positively correlated with the contents of three main free fatty acids (stearic acid, myristate acid, and palmitic acid) and negatively correlated with the contents of free palmitic acid in the flesh of MS and MT. ACSL and FATB were positively correlated with the contents of three main free fatty acids and negatively correlated with free myristate acid. The study reveals that the expression of key enzyme genes, FabB and FabF, may improve the synthesis of free myristate in oil palm flesh, while FabF, ACSL, and FATB genes may facilitate the production of free palmitoleic acid. These genes may also promote the synthesis of free stearic acid and palmitoleic acid in oil palm flesh. However, the FabB gene may inhibit stearic acid synthesis, while ACSL and FATB genes may hinder myristate acid production. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving palm oil quality.

This paper investigates a fully distributed time-varying formation tracking problem for a group of fixed-wing aircraft. The fixed-wing aircraft formation control system consists of an outer-loop trajectory control subsystem and an inner-loop attitude control subsystem. For fixed-wing aircraft, it is crucial to consider the time delay of the engine response, the model uncertainties, the tracking capability of the attitude commands in the inner loop, and other agility performances of the aircraft. To address the problems related to the input time delay and model uncertainties, a predictive extended state observer-based fully distributed time-varying formation tracking control (PESO-TVFTC) protocol is proposed. To satisfy the constraints set by the attitude tracking quickness and the trajectory tracking smoothness, the low gain feedback technique is introduced in the protocol to keep the control inputs for the outer loop within the desired saturation constraints. Through theoretical analysis, it is proved that the multiple aircraft systems can achieve time-varying formation tracking consensus under specific initial conditions and feasibility conditions, and it is shown that the upper bounds of the PESO gains are restricted by the time delay. Numerical simulations are used to demonstrate the effectiveness of and the improvements in the proposed method.

Stress and disease are critical factors hindering the industrial development of red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii). Breeding crayfish with stress- and disease-resistant characteristics can overcome these limitations and promote their industrial development. In this study, the crayfish breed F3, which exhibits rapid growth and a favoured haplotype combination of the immune genes R, ALF, and crustin2, encoding the Toll-like receptor, anti-lipopolysaccharide factor, and antimicrobial peptide, respectively, were selected as parents to breed offspring (the selected group (SG)). The genotype, stress resistance, and disease resistance of crayfish in the SG and unselected group (USG) were compared. The results showed that the ratio of the favoured haplotype was higher in the SG crayfish than in the USG crayfish, leading to stronger stress and disease resistance. Compared to that of the USG crayfish, the mortality of the SG crayfish subjected to stress during eight days of transport and challenged with bacteria (Aeromonas hydrophila or Vibrio parahaemolyticus) or white spot syndrome virus were significantly reduced by 60% and 20%, respectively (p < 0.05). Based on these results, the stress- and disease-resistant SG crayfish were named the “Huachizhen-1” breed. Additionally, the ratio of the unfavoured homozygous genotypes of R, ALF, and crustin2 sharply decreased, whereas those of the heterozygous genotypes increased together with stress and disease resistance during crayfish maturation under natural conditions, indicating that the heterozygotes of these genes also exhibit strong stress and disease resistance. All of this taken together, the crayfish breed “Huachizhen-1” may be applicable for improving stress and disease resistance and the production of crayfish.

A field experiment of drip fertigated nitrogen reduction was set up in a typical Maize planting area in the Xiliao River Basin in 2018 and 2019. Different phased nitrogen reductions were set up under shallow buried drip irrigation during the growth period to explore ways to improve nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) by understanding the Maize regulation of nitrogen absorption and utilization. The recommended nitrogen application in the early stage (Nopt, total nitrogen 240 kg·hm−2) had the highest grain nitrogen uptake and total nitrogen uptake, followed by nitrogen reduction before the maximum canopy mulching (Nde-I, total nitrogen 180 kg·hm−2), nitrogen reduction after the maximum canopy mulching (Nde-II, total nitrogen 180 kg·hm−2) and no nitrogen application (N0). Without nitrogen application, the leaves were thin, green and yellow. The total nitrogen uptake was 38.54~41.31% lower than the recommended nitrogen application in the early stage. When nitrogen fertilizer was reduced in the maximum canopy mulching, grain nitrogen absorption was affected. Grain nitrogen absorption fell by 15.07% to 17.51% when nitrogen was reduced in the maximum canopy mulching compared to the recommended nitrogen application. The harvest index of nitrogen reduction before the maximum canopy coverage was 9.65~11.52% higher than that in the later stage, indicating that the nitrogen absorption between Maize grain, stem, and leaf was better regulated. Maize evapotranspiration water consumption was reduced throughout the growth cycle when nitrogen was reduced at various stages. Nitrogen reduction before maximum canopy mulching boosted water use efficiency (WUE) by 3.44% to 6.12% compared to the recommended nitrogen application in the early stage. The nitrogen fertilizer agronomic efficiency increased by 11.17% to 13.87%. The nitrogen use efficiency rose by 10.99~3.15% (5.24~6.60 percentage points). A total of 25% of nitrogen fertilizer was saved with the yield declining by only about 5%, resulting in increased NUE while maintaining the yield stability. Under shallow buried drip fertigated irrigation, the appropriate reduction in nitrogen fertilizer during the period from Maize sowing to the maximum canopy development ensured the nitrogen supply during tasseling–silking stage and filling stage, which can be used as a regulation method and a way to improve the Maize fertilizer use efficiency.

piRNAs are a class of small non-coding RNAs that play essential roles in modulating gene expression and abundant biological processes. To decode the piRNA-regulated larval response of western honeybees (Apis mellifera) to Ascosphaera apis infection, the expression pattern of piRNAs in Apis mellifera ligustica larval guts after A. apis inoculation was analyzed based on previously obtained high-quality small RNA-seq datasets, followed by structural characterization, target prediction, regulatory network investigation, and functional dissection. Here, 504, 657, and 587 piRNAs were respectively identified in the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts after inoculation with A. apis, with 411 ones shared. These piRNAs shared a similar length distribution and first base bias with mammal piRNAs. Additionally, 96, 103, and 143 DEpiRNAs were detected in the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old comparison groups. Targets of the DEpiRNAs were engaged in diverse pathways such as the phosphatidylinositol signaling system, inositol phosphate metabolism, and Wnt signaling pathway. These targets were involved in three energy metabolism-related pathways, eight development-associated signaling pathways, and seven immune-relevant pathways such as the Jak-STAT signaling pathway. The expression trends of five randomly selected DEpiRNAs were verified using a combination of RT-PCR and RT-qPCR. The effective overexpression and knockdown of piR-ame-945760 in A. apis-infected larval guts were achieved by feeding a specific mimic and inhibitor. Furthermore, piR-ame-945760 negatively regulated the expression of two target immune mRNAs, SOCS5 and ARF1, in the larval gut during the A. apis infection. These findings indicated that the overall expression level of piRNAs was increased and the expression pattern of piRNAs in larval guts was altered due to the A. apis infection, DEpiRNAs were putative regulators in the A. apis-response of A. m. ligustica worker larvae. Our data provide not only a platform for the functional investigation of piRNAs in honeybees, especially in bee larvae, but also a foundation for illuminating the piRNA-involved mechanisms underlying the host response to the A. apis infection.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are a class of novel non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) that play essential roles in the development and growth of vertebrates through multiple manners. However, the mechanism by which circRNAs modulate the honey bee gut development is currently poorly understood. Utilizing the transcriptome data we obtained earlier, the highly expressed circRNAs in the Apis mellifera worker 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts were analyzed, which was followed by an in-depth investigation of the expression pattern of circRNAs during the process of larval guts development and the potential regulatory roles of differentially expressed circRNAs (DEcircRNAs). In total, 1728 expressed circRNAs were detected in the A. mellifera larval guts. Among the most highly expressed 10 circRNAs, seven (novel_circ_000069, novel_circ_000027, novel_circ_000438, etc.) were shared by the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts. In addition, 21 (46) up-regulated and 22 (27) down-regulated circRNAs were, respectively, screened in the Am4 vs. Am5 (Am5 vs. Am6) comparison groups. Additionally, nine DEcircRNAs, such as novel_circ_000340, novel_circ_000758 and novel_circ_001116, were shared by these two comparison groups. These DEcircRNAs were predicted to be transcribed from 14 and 29 parental genes; these were respectively annotated to 15 and 22 GO terms such as biological regulation and catalytic activity as well as 16 and 21 KEGG pathways such as dorsoventral axis formation and apoptosis. Moreover, a complicated competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) network was observed; novel_circ_000838 in the Am4 vs. Am5 comparison group potentially targeted ame-miR-6000a-3p, further targeting 518 mRNAs engaged in several developmental signaling pathways (e.g., TGF-beta, hedgehog, and wnt signaling pathway) and immune pathways (e.g., phagosome, lysosome, and MAPK signaling pathway). The results demonstrated that the novel_circ_000838-ame-miR-6000a-3p axis may plays a critical regulatory part in the larval gut development and immunity. Furthermore, back-splicing sites of six randomly selected DEcircRNAs were amplified and verified by PCR; an RT-qPCR assay of these six DEcircRNAs confirmed the reliability of the used high-throughput sequencing data. Our findings provide a novel insight into the honey bee gut development and pave a way for illustration of the circRNA-modulated developmental mechanisms underlying the A. mellifera worker larval guts.

The effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines varies among individuals. During the COVID-19 global pandemic, SARS-CoV-2 infection showed significant Th1 characteristics, suggesting that the immune disorder and production of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies may be related to Th1/Th2 bias. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying Th1/Th2 bias effects on host immune responses to viruses remain unclear. In this study, the top three subjects with the highest and lowest changes in anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies after receiving three doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination were selected and defined as the elevated group (E) and the control group (C), respectively. Peripheral blood was collected, single-cell sequencing was performed before and after the third dose of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine, and the changes in T cell clusters were analyzed. Compared with the C group, the Treg pre-vaccination proportion was lower in E, while the post-vaccination proportion was higher, suggesting that Tregs may be crucial in this process. Differential analysis results of Tregs between the two groups revealed that differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were significantly enriched in the IL4 pathway. Correlation analysis between DEGs and serum antibody showed that the expression of NR4A2, SOCS1, and SOCS3 in Tregs was significantly correlated with serum antibodies, suggesting that the immune response in E group changed to Th2 bias, thereby promoting host humoral immune responses. On the other hand, antibody-related genes SOCS1 and NR4A2, as well as lnc-RNA MALAT1 and NEAT1, were highly expressed in the CD4-MALAT1 subclusters. In summary, our study revealed that Th2 bias promotes humoral immune responses in humans by increasing SOCS1 in T cells after SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Moreover, NR4A2, SOCS1, MALAT1, and NEAT1 were identified as the potential key biomarkers or treatment targets for enhanced SARS-CoV-2 antibody production by influencing the Th1/Th2 balance in T cells. Our findings have important implications for population stratification and tailored therapeutics for more effective SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.

As the demand for power supply increases, the investment in the power transmission system constantly increases. An accurate economic evaluation of the power transmission system is essential for future investment decisions and management. Applying a single method in economic evaluation leads to excessive subjective consciousness and unreasonable weight allocation. The Euclidean distance in the traditional TOPSIS method only partially works on the condition that the criteria are linearly correlated. To solve these problems, an economic evaluation method based on improved TOPSIS and BWM-anti-entropy weight is proposed. For the assignment of weights, the method retains the advantages of subjective and objective weighting methods based on the Nash equilibrium, breaks through the limitation of utilizing a single method, which contributes to one-sided results, and enhances the scientific rigor and rationality of the comprehensive weighting process. Furthermore, based on comprehensive weights, the method improves the TOPSIS by introducing the Mahalanobis distance and Pearson correlation coefficients, which can eliminate the influence of linear correlation. Finally, ten 500 kV transmission and transformation projects are analyzed and ranked to verify the method’s feasibility. Empirical analysis shows that the method can effectively evaluate the economic benefits of the power transmission system.

The mechanisms of rape straw biochar that affect the fixation of cadmium (Cd) in paddy soil by influencing redox of iron and sulfur are unclear. Several anaerobic incubation experiments were carried out using Cd-contaminated paddy soils (LY and ZZ). Rape straw biochar at pyrolysis temperatures of 450 °C (LRSB) and 800 °C (HRSB) was selected as the soil remediation agent. The electron exchange capacity and electrical conductivity were higher in HRSB than those in LRSB. The lower pe + pH in HRSB enhanced Fe oxide reduction, with a maximum increase in Fe2+ of 46.0% in ZZ. Compared to treatment without biochar (CK), the poorly crystallized Fe oxide (Feo) in HRSB increased by 16.8% in ZZ. This induced Cd bound to Fe, and Mn oxides fraction (Fe-Mn Cd) increased by 42.5%. The SO42−-S content in LRSB was 4.6 times that of HRSB. LRSB addition increased acid-volatile sulfide by 46.4% and 48.9% in LY and ZZ soils, respectively, compared to CK. This resulted in an increase in sulfide’s contribution to Cd fixation, with values rising from 24.2% to 37.8% in LY and 19.1% to 29.8% in ZZ. Overall, LRSB reduced Cd mobility by forming more sulfide, while HRSB increased Fe-Mn Cd by increasing Feo.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are crucial modulators in a variety of biological processes, such as gene expression, development, and immune defense. However, little is known about the function of lncRNAs in the development of Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) larval guts. Here, on the basis of our previously obtained deep-sequencing data from the 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts of A. cerana workers (Ac4, Ac5, and Ac6 groups), an in-depth transcriptome-wide investigation was conducted to decipher the expression pattern, regulatory manners, and potential roles of lncRNAs during the developmental process of A. cerana worker larval guts, followed by the verification of the relative expression of differentially expressed lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) and the targeting relationships within a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) axis. In the Ac4 vs. Ac5 and Ac5 vs. Ac6 comparison groups, 527 and 498 DElncRNAs were identified, respectively, which is suggestive of the dynamic expression of lncRNAs during the developmental process of larval guts. A cis-acting analysis showed that 330 and 393 neighboring genes of the aforementioned DElncRNAs were respectively involved in 29 and 32 functional terms, such as cellular processes and metabolic processes; these neighboring genes were also respectively engaged in 246 and 246 pathways such as the Hedgehog signaling pathway and the Wnt signaling pathway. Additionally, it was found that 79 and 76 DElncRNAs as potential antisense lncRNAs may, respectively, interact with 72 and 60 sense-strand mRNAs. An investigation of competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA) networks suggested that 75 (155) DElncRNAs in the Ac4 vs. Ac5 (Ac5 vs. Ac6) comparison group could target 7 (5) DEmiRNAs and further bind to 334 (248) DEmRNAs, which can be annotated to 33 (29) functional terms and 186 (210) pathways, including 12 (16) cellular- and humoral-immune pathways (lysosome pathway, necroptosis, MAPK signaling pathway, etc.) and 11 (10) development-associated signaling pathways (Wnt, Hippo, AMPK, etc.). The RT-qPCR detection of five randomly selected DElncRNAs confirmed the reliability of the used sequencing data. Moreover, the results of a dual-luciferase reporter assay were indicative of the binding relationship between MSTRG.11294.1 and miR-6001-y and between miR-6001-y and ncbi_107992440. These results demonstrate that DElncRNAs are likely to modulate the developmental process of larval guts via the regulation of the source genes’ transcription, interaction with mRNAs, and ceRNA networks. Our findings not only yield new insights into the developmental mechanism underlying A. cerana larval guts, but also provide a candidate ceRNA axis for further functional dissection.

In order to enhance the accuracy of the traditional extended Kalman filter (EKF) algorithm in the estimation of the state of charge (SoC) of power batteries, we first derived the state space equation and measurement equation of lithium power batteries based on the Thevenin battery model and the modified Ampere-Hour integral algorithm. Then, the basic principles of EKF, backpropagation neural networks (BPNNs), and a biogeography-based optimization (BBO) algorithm were analyzed, and the arc curve mobility model was used to improve the global search ability of the BBO algorithm. By combining these three algorithms, this paper proposes a BP neural network method based on the BBO algorithm. This method uses the BBO algorithm to optimize the incipient weight and threshold of the BP neural network and uses this improved neural network to modify the estimated value of the extended Kalman filter algorithm (BBOBP-EKF). Finally, the BBOBP-EKF algorithm, the extended Kalman filter algorithm based on the BP neural network (BP-EKF), and the EKF algorithm are used to estimate the error value of the SOC of a power battery, and according to the experimental data, it was confirmed that the proposed BBOBP-EKF algorithm has been improved compared to other algorithms with respect to each error index term, in which the maximum error is 1% less than that of the BP-EKF algorithm and 2.4% less than that of the EKF algorithm, the minimum error is also the smallest, and the estimation accuracy is improved compared to the traditional algorithms.

Accretionary and collisional orogeny are often accompanied by the disturbance of the geothermal gradient, leading to high-temperature metamorphism. High-temperature metamorphic rocks are significant in their ability to help the reconstruction of the thermal histories of orogenic belts. The Tianshan Orogenic Belt, at the southwest margin of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt, is a record of the long-term subduction–collision–post-collision orogenic process that has taken place in the Phanerozoic Eon. Here, we report the discovery of mafic granulites in the Muzhaerte area, SW Tianshan. Petrographic observation reveals that the mafic granulites underwent two metamorphic stages. The peak mineral assemblage of the first stage is dominated by clinopyroxene + orthopyroxene + plagioclase + quartz + hornblende (hb1) ± biotite, and the post-peak mineral assemblage of the second stage is dominated by clinopyroxene + plagioclase + quartz + hornblende (hb2) + biotite. The calculated results obtained from the two-pyroxene thermobarometers and the Al-in-hornblende barometer for the mafic granulites indicate that the metamorphic conditions of mafic granulites are 760–860 °C,

The Yanshan intraplate tectonic belt is a tectonic-active area in the central part of the North China Craton that has undergone long-term orogenic evolution. Detailed studies on magmatic activity and metamorphism of this belt are significant for restoring its orogenic thermal evolution process. The Fangshan pluton in the Zhoukoudian area within this tectonic belt is a product of the late Mesozoic Yanshan event. However, there is a lack of detailed research on the metamorphic evolution history of the ancient terrane surrounding the Fangshan pluton subjected to contact thermal metamorphism. To further constrain the metamorphic P–T evolution of contact metamorphism associated with the Fangshan pluton, we collected rock samples in the andalusite–biotite contact metamorphic zone of the Fangshan pluton, and conducted petrographic investigations, geochemical and mineral composition analysis, and phase equilibrium modeling. The phase equilibrium modeling in the MnO–Na2O–CaO–K2O–FeO–MgO–Al2O3–SiO2–H2O–TiO2–O system indicates that the peak mineral assemblages of andalusite–biotite schists are pl + q + mu + bi + and ± kfs + ilm + mt, formed at 550 to 610 °C, 1 to 3.5 kbar, and the peak mineral assemblage of garnet–andalusite–cordierite–biotite schists is gt + pl + q + bi + and + cord + ilm + mt, formed at 580 to 620 °C, 1.5 to 2.1 kbar. Therefore, we believe that the rocks in the andalusite biotite contact metamorphic zone of the Fangshan pluton underwent low pressure and medium temperature metamorphism, with the peak metamorphic conditions of about 550–610 °C,

Based on the survey data of five large grain-producing provinces in China, we have studied the promotion effect of the agricultural production trusteeship on the high-quality production of grain by using a propensity score matching method. The empirical results show that the high-quality production of the grain level increases by 0.292, with an increase of 87.4% after farm households participate in agricultural production trusteeship. The level of high efficiency, premiumization, greenization, and branding of grain production increased by 0.234, 0.373, 0.208, and 0.158, respectively. However, there are differences in the facilitation effects of different trusteeship services, with the best promotion effect of agricultural material supply services, followed by post-harvest services, and then land management services and cultivating and harvesting services. The average treatment effect on the treated (ATT) is 0.287, 0.230, 0.158, and 0.139, respectively. Meanwhile, there are differences in the promotion effects for farm households with different factor endowments. The promotion effect is better for small farm households with three laborers or less, a land management scale of 10 mus or less, and one type of agricultural machinery or less. Therefore, in order to give full play to the promotion effect of agricultural production trusteeship on high-quality production of grain, the government should vigorously support its development and guide more smallholders to choose agricultural production trusteeship.

Fungal diseases are widespread among insects and play a crucial role in naturally regulating insect populations. Mosquitoes, known as vectors for numerous infectious diseases, pose a significant threat to human health. Entomopathogenic fungi (EPF) have emerged as highly promising alternative agents to chemical mosquitocides for controlling mosquitoes at all stages of their life cycle due to their unique infection pathway through direct contact with the insect’s cuticle. In recent years, significant advancements have been made in understanding the infection pathways and pathogenic mechanisms of EPF against mosquitoes. Various strategies involving the use of EPF alone or combinations with other approaches have been employed to target mosquitoes at various developmental stages. Moreover, the application of genetic technologies in fungi has opened up new avenues for enhancing the mosquitocidal efficacy of EPF. This review presents a comprehensive summary of recent advancements in our understanding the pathogenic mechanisms of EPF, their applications in mosquito management, and the combination of EPF with other approaches and employment of transgenic technologies. The biosafety concerns associated with their use and the corresponding approaches are also discussed. The recent progress suggests that EPF have the potential to serve as a future biorational tool for controlling mosquito vectors.

Recent studies have shown that neuropeptides and neurotrophic factors may be involved in the pathophysiological mechanisms of suicide. However, the current research on this aspect is still insufficient. Our study aimed to explore the biological patterns of suicide deaths, including levels of BDNF, proBDNF, BDNF/proBDNF, Trk-b, GDNF, and TPH2. The researchers selected 25 normal control patients matched by age with 30 suicide deaths. We used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays to detect the levels of BDNF, proBDNF, BDNF/proBDNF, Trk-b, GDNF, and TPH2 in the plasma of suicide and control subjects. proBDNF, BDNF/proBDNF, Trk-b, GDNF, and TPH2 levels are shown as the median (25th–75th percentile). BDNF levels are shown as the mean (standard error of the mean). (1) The levels of plasma TPH2 and proBDNF in people who died by suicide were significantly higher than those in the control group. (2) The plasma levels of GDNF and BDNF/proBDNF in the suicide group were obviously lower than those in the control group. (3) There was no significant difference in plasma BDNF or Trk-b concentrations between the suicide group and the control group.Plasma TPH2, GDNF, and proBDNF levels are related to suicide. Plasma neurotrophic factor markers may predict suicide risk.

The development of new fungicides is vital for safeguarding crops and ensuring sustainable agriculture. Building on our previous finding that 4-(3,4-dichloroisothiazole)-7-hydroxy coumarins can be used as fungicidal leads, 44 novel coumarin ester derivatives were designed and synthesized to evaluate whether esterification could enhance their fungicidal activity. In vitro fungicidal bioassays indicated that compound 2ai displayed good activity against Alternaria solani, Botrytis cinereal, Cercospora arachidicola, Physalospora piricola and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, with an EC50 value ranging from 2.90 to 5.56 μg/mL, comparable to the lead compound 1a, with its EC50 value ranging from 1.92 to 9.37 μg/mL. In vivo bioassays demonstrated that compounds 1a, 2ar and 2bg showed comparable, excellent efficacy against Pseudoperonospora cubensis at a dose of 25 µg/mL. Our research shows that the esterification of 4-(3,4-dichloroisothiazole) 7-hydroxycoumarins results in a fungicidal activity equivalent to that of its lead compounds. Furthermore, our density functional theory (DFT) calculations and 3D-QSAR modeling provide a rational explanation of the structure–activity relationship and offer valuable insights to guide further molecular design.

Extreme meteorological events can influence air quality. In March 2021, northern China experienced a severe dust event, leading to widespread air quality deterioration. Using reanalysis datasets and station data, we investigate the synoptic weather patterns, dust transport characteristics, and associated impacts on air quality during this event. The results are as follows. (1) The dust event is closely linked to the Mongolian cyclone, providing favorable conditions for dust emission and long-distance transport. (2) The Gobi Desert in Mongolia is the primary source, with dust particles transported from Mongolia to northern China via the northwesterly flow. Dust transport exhibits a complex three-dimensional structure, with the most intense dust transport at approximately 2500 m altitude. (3) The impact of this dust event on air quality was characterized by its remarkable intensity, extensive spatial coverage, and prolonged duration. Additionally, 58.8% of the stations in northern China experienced pollution, 36.3% of them reached severe pollution levels or higher, and 35.9% of the sites experienced more than 12 h of pollution. (4) The visibility at the northern stations near the dust source rapidly decreases due to solid dust particles. In contrast, the southern stations, with higher moisture content, are primarily affected by liquid particles in terms of visibility. After the frontal passage, wet deposition from the precipitation process gradually improves visibility.

Si availability may be altered by bamboo expansion when other trees are replaced by bamboo due to the influence of plant communities on the quantity of phytoliths and Si accumulation. It has been shown that Si availability can modify nutrient-use efficiency (e.g., N and P) of some Si-accumulating plants. However, it is unclear how Si availability might alter N uptake and assimilation between Si-accumulating plants such as bamboo compared to other species, particularly for different chemical forms such as ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−). To explore the influences of Si availability on uptake and assimilation rates for different forms of inorganic N between bamboo and other trees, we selected one-year-old seedlings of bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens) and three other native subtropical species, namely Phoebe bournei, Schima superba, and Cunninghamia lanceolata. We applied three levels of Si and 15N tracers in a pot experiment and then measured the concentrations of Si (total Si, soluble Si, and exchangeable Si), C, N (total N, NH4+-N, and NO3−-N), and N uptake and assimilation rates for both roots and leaves. We found that there were higher inorganic N root uptake and assimilation rates for bamboo compared to other species, likely due to higher biomass accumulation and quicker turnover of fine roots. Moreover, Si supply did not change the uptake preference for N forms or overall uptake and assimilation rates in most species; however, a high concentration of the Si supply slightly increased NO3−-N uptake and assimilation rates in fine roots and leaves of P. bournei, particularly immediately following the addition of Si. These results have implications for predicting the coexistence and competition between bamboo and other trees through the uptake and assimilation of different forms of inorganic N (i.e., high Si-accumulating plants compared to other plants), particularly when Si availability is altered in ecosystems.

In this paper, a novel bat algorithm based on the quantum computing concept and pyramid neural network (PNN) is presented and applied to the electromagnetic motor optimization problem. Due to the problems of high loss, high temperature rise and threatening motor safety, it is necessary to optimize the design of high-speed permanent magnet synchronous motor (HPMSM) structure. In order to use less training data and avoid the problem of large computational costs due to repeated finite element simulation in the electromagnetic structure design, this paper adopted a performance-driven method to establish the PMSM model. This model could effectively reduce the dimensions of the parameter space and establish an effective high-quality model within a wide range of parameters. For the purpose of obtaining a reliable proxy model with less training data, this paper adopted a pyramid-shaped neural network, which could reduce the risk of overtraining and improve the utilization of specific problem knowledge embedded in the training data set. The quantum bat algorithm (QBA) was used to optimize the structure of the PMSM. Compared with the classical GA and PSO algorithms, the QBA has the characteristics of a rapid convergence speed, simple structure, strong searching ability and stronger local jumping mechanism. The correctness and effectiveness of the proposed PNN-based QBA method were verified using simulation analysis and a prototype test.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) mandates biannual bridge inspections to assess the condition of all bridges in the United States. These inspections are recorded in the National Bridge Inventory (NBI) and the respective state’s databases to manage, study, and analyze the data. As FHWA specifications become more complex, inspections require more training and field time. Recently, element-level inspections were added, assigning a condition state to each minor element in the bridge. To address this new requirement, a machine-aided bridge inspection method was developed using artificial intelligence (AI) to assist inspectors. The proposed method focuses on the condition state assessment of cracking in reinforced concrete bridge deck elements. The deep learning-based workflow integrated with image classification and semantic segmentation methods is utilized to extract information from images and evaluate the condition state of cracks according to FHWA specifications. The new workflow uses a deep neural network to extract information required by the bridge inspection manual, enabling the determination of the condition state of cracks in the deck. The results of experimentation demonstrate the effectiveness of this workflow for this application. The method also balances the costs and risks associated with increasing levels of AI involvement, enabling inspectors to better manage their resources. This AI-based method can be implemented by asset owners, such as Departments of Transportation, to better serve communities.

Agricultural land use has a remarkable influence on the stock and distribution of soil organic carbon (SOC). However, both regional soil sampling and process-based ecosystem models for SOC estimation at the regional scale have limitations when applied in areas with a large land use change. In the present study, a framework (CMCS) combining CENTURY modeling (CM) and chronosequences sampling (CS) was established, and a case study was conducted in Cangshan County, where vegetable cultivation conversion from grain production was significant in recent decades. The SOC stock (SOCS) of the non-vegetable area estimated by CM was comparable to that estimated by regional soil sampling in 2008. This result confirmed that CM was reliable in modeling SOC dynamics in a non-vegetable area without land use change. However, when applied to the overall cropland of Cangshan County, the CM, without considering the land use change, underestimated the SOCS by 0.23 Tg (6%), compared with the observed measurements (3.58 and 3.81 Tg, respectively). Using the CMCS framework of our study, the underestimation of CM was offset by the SOC sequestration estimated by CS. The SOCS estimated by the CMCS framework ranged from 3.72 to 4.02 Tg, demonstrating that this framework is reliable for the regional SOC estimation of large-area land use change. In addition, annual SOCS dynamics were obtained by this framework. The CMCS framework provides a low-cost and practicable method for the estimation of the regional SOC dynamic, which can further support the strategy of carbon peaking and carbon neutrality in China.

This paper proposes an innovative automatic carrier landing control law for carrier-based aircraft considering complex ship motion and wind environment. Specifically, a strategy is proposed to synthesize preview control with an adaptive nonlinear control scheme. Firstly, incremental nonlinear backstepping control law is adopted in the attitude control loop to enhance the anti-disturbance capability of the aircraft. Secondly, to enhance the glide slope tracking performance under severe sea conditions, the carrier motion is predicted, and the forecasted motion is adopted in an optimal preview control guidance law to compensate influences induced by carrier motion. However, synthesizing the inner-loop and outer-loop control is not that straightforward since the preview control is naturally an optimal control law which requires a state-space model. Therefore, low-order equivalent fitting of the attitude-to-altitude high-order system model needs to be performed; furthermore, a state observer needs to be designed for the low-order equivalent system to supply required states to the landing controller. Finally, to validate the proposed methodology, an unmanned tailless aircraft model is used to perform the automatic landing tasks under variant sea conditions. Results show that the automatic carrier landing system can lead to satisfactory landing precision and success rate even under severe sea conditions.

C4H (cinnamate 4-hydroxylase) is a pivotal gene in the phenylpropanoid pathway, which is involved in the regulation of flavonoids and lignin biosynthesis of plants. However, the molecular mechanism of C4H-induced antioxidant activity in safflower still remains to be elucidated. In this study, a CtC4H1 gene was identified from safflower with combined analysis of transcriptome and functional characterization, regulating flavonoid biosynthesis and antioxidant defense system under drought stress in Arabidopsis. The expression level of CtC4H1 was shown to be differentially regulated in response to abiotic stresses; however, a significant increase was observed under drought exposure. The interaction between CtC4H1 and CtPAL1 was detected using a yeast two-hybrid assay and then verified using a bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) analysis. Phenotypic and statistical analysis of CtC4H1 overexpressed Arabidopsis demonstrated slightly wider leaves, long and early stem development as well as an increased level of total metabolite and anthocyanin contents. These findings imply that CtC4H1 may regulate plant development and defense systems in transgenic plants via specialized metabolism. Furthermore, transgenic Arabidopsis lines overexpressing CtC4H1 exhibited increased antioxidant activity as confirmed using a visible phenotype and different physiological indicators. In addition, the low accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in transgenic Arabidopsis exposed to drought conditions has confirmed the reduction of oxidative damage by stimulating the antioxidant defensive system, resulting in osmotic balance. Together, these findings have provided crucial insights into the functional role of CtC4H1 in regulating flavonoid biosynthesis and antioxidant defense system in safflower.

The cultivation of true morels (Morchella spp., Morchellaceae, Ascomycota) has rapidly expanded in recent years, especially in China. Red stipe is a symptom wherein the stipe of morel fruiting bodies becomes red–gray, resulting in the gradual death of the affected fruiting bodies. The impact of red-stipe symptom occurrence on the development and nutritional quality of morel fruiting bodies remains unclear. Herein, morel ascocarps with the red-stipe symptom (R) and normal (N), artificially cultivated in the Fujian Province of China, were selected for the transcriptome and metabolome analysis to study the physiological and biochemical responses of morel fruiting bodies to the red-stipe symptom. Transcriptome data revealed several differentially expressed genes between the R and N groups significantly enriched in the tyrosine, riboflavin, and glycerophospholipid metabolism pathways. Similarly, the differentially accumulated metabolites were mainly assigned to metabolic pathways, including tyrosine, the biosynthesis of plant secondary metabolites, and the biosynthesis of amino acids. Moreover, the transcriptome and metabolome data combination revealed that tyrosine metabolism was the most enriched pathway, which was followed by ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transport, alanine, aspartate, and glutamate metabolism. Overall, the integration of transcriptomic and metabolomic data of M. sextelata affected by red-stipe symptoms identified several important genes, metabolites, and pathways. These findings further improve our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the red-stipe symptom development of M. sextelata and provide new insights into how to optimize its cultivation methods.

As the world’s most populous country, China has experienced massive population growth and dramatic regional migration over the past 30 years. From 1990 to 2020, the national population increased by 24.4%, the urban population tripled, and the rural population declined by 41.0%. Combined with complex topographic features, unique characteristics of the population distribution have emerged. Many studies have examined changes in the spatial distribution of the population. However, few studies have examined the stability of certain aspects of this distribution over the last 30 years, particularly at the raster scale, which may provide important information for future research and development plans. Based on land use maps and nighttime light images, China’s census data from 1990 to 2020 was scaled down to a resolution of 1 km using a method called multiple linear regression based on spatial covariates. The results show that there were some striking features of both stability and change in the spatial distribution of China’s population over the past three decades. The population shares divided by the Hu line, the Qinling-Huaihe line, and the three-step staircase have remained almost unchanged. In contrast, the population share of the coastal region has risen from 23.7% to 29.0% during the study period. The urban areas have expanded by 1.35 times and their population has doubled. In addition, for every 1 km2 increase in the urban areas, an area of 29.4 km2 has been depopulated on average. This suggests that urbanization can alleviate population pressure in larger areas. However, the coastal regions and urban and peri-urban areas were the main areas of population density growth, so they required a great deal of attention for ecological protection.

Plant litter quality is one of the key factors that control soil organic matter (SOM) decomposition. Under climate change, although significant change in litter quality has been intensively reported, the effect of litter quality change on SOM decomposition is poorly understood. This limits our ability to model the dynamics of soil carbon under climate change. To determine the effect of litter quality and soil property change on SOM decomposition, we performed a controlled, reciprocal transplant and litter decomposition experiments. The soils and plant litters were collected from a long-term field experiment, where four treatments were designed, including: (1) the control without warming at ambient CO2; (2) elevated atmospheric CO2 up to 500 ppm (C); (3) warming plant canopy by 2 °C (T); (4) elevated CO2 plus warming (CT). We found that elevated CO2 and warming altered the litter quality significantly in terms of macronutrients’ content and their stoichiometry. Elevated CO2 decreased the concentration of N in rice and wheat straw, while warming decreased the concentration of N and K in wheat straw. However, the change in plant litter quality did not lead to a shift in SOM decomposition. On the contrary, the legacy effect of long-term elevated CO2 and warming on soil properties dominated the decomposition rate of SOM. Elevated atmospheric CO2 suppressed SOM decomposition mainly by increasing phosphorous availability and lowering the soil C/N, fungi/bacteria ratio, and N-acetyl-glucosaminidase activity, while warming or elevated CO2 plus warming had no effect on SOM decomposition. Our results demonstrated that the changes in soil property other than litter quality control the decomposition of SOM under climate change, and soil property change in respond to climate change should be considered in model developing to predict terrestrial soil carbon dynamics under elevated atmospheric CO2 and warming.

Calorie restriction (CR) and exercise training (EX) are two critical lifestyle interventions for the prevention and treatment of metabolic diseases, such as obesity and diabetes. Brown adipose tissue (BAT) and skeletal muscle are two important organs for the generation of heat. Here, we undertook detailed transcriptional profiling of these two thermogenic tissues from mice treated subjected to CR and/or EX. We found transcriptional reprogramming of BAT and skeletal muscle as a result of CR but little from EX. Consistent with this, CR induced alterations in the expression of genes encoding adipokines and myokines in BAT and skeletal muscle, respectively. Deconvolution analysis showed differences in the subpopulations of myogenic cells, mesothelial cells and endogenic cells in BAT and in the subpopulations of satellite cells, immune cells and endothelial cells in skeletal muscle as a result of CR or EX. NicheNet analysis, exploring potential inter-organ communication, indicated that BAT and skeletal muscle could mutually regulate their fatty acid metabolism and thermogenesis through ligands and receptors. These data comprise an extensive resource for the study of thermogenic tissue molecular responses to CR and/or EX in a healthy state.

To construct novel ion receptors and D-A self-assembly systems for materials with better functions, the annulation of a tetrathiafulvalene donor with a magnesium norphthalocyanine core via a flexible tetrathiacrown ether bridge afforded a new triad 1. The structure of this product was characterized by 1H NMR and infrared spectroscopy, time-of-flight mass spectrometry, and elemental analysis. The optical and electrochemical properties were investigated using UV–vis spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry. The complex of triad 1 and 2,3,5,6- tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane produced electron transfer with a radical cationic character, as confirmed by UV–Vis and electron paramagnetic resonance analysis. Furthermore, the target compound presented evident intramolecular charge-transfer interactions in ground states, which were explained using density functional theory. Furthermore, norphthalocyanine 1 was able to coordinate Ag+ through the peripheral ligating oxathiaether crown.

Compared with pneumatic tires, non-pneumatic tires have incomparable performance, in terms of load bearing and safety. In this paper, the static load characteristics and pure longitudinal slip characteristics of the non-pneumatic tire are studied by combining experiments and simulations. The test results show that the radial stiffness of the original structure is nonlinear, the pure longitudinal sliding characteristics are seriously inconsistent, the brakes are very sensitive, and the driving is slightly soft. A series of designs have been carried out from the aspects of load-bearing mode and anti-symmetry of the structure, and numerical simulations have been carried out. The results show that the radial secant stiffness of the optimized structure II is increased by 58.8%, and the radial tangent stiffness is increased by 2.96 times, under the premise of ensuring the mass reduction. Additionally, the R square is 0.9932, and the linearity of the radial stiffness curve is greatly improved. The braking and driving conditions under pure longitudinal sliding characteristics are more antisymmetric, which greatly improves the braking sensitivity, but the driving performance is not as good as the original structure. In addition, this paper establishes the evaluation index of the non-pneumatic tire carrying mode, which lays the foundation for further exploration of the non-pneumatic tire carrying mechanism.

Long-term and high-intensity coal mining has led to the increasingly serious surface subsidence and environmental problems. Surface subsidence monitoring plays an important role in protecting the ecological environment of the mining area and the sustainable development of modern coal mines. The development of surveying technology has promoted the acquisition of high-resolution terrain data. The combination of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) point cloud and the structure from motion (SfM) method has shown the potential of collecting multi-temporal high-resolution terrain data in complex or inaccessible environments. The difference of the DEM (DoD) is the main method to obtain the surface subsidence in mining areas. However, the obtained digital elevation model (DEM) needs to interpolate the point cloud into the grid, and this process may introduce errors in complex natural topographic environments. Therefore, a complete three-dimensional change analysis is required to quantify the surface change in complex natural terrain. In this study, we propose a quantitative analysis method of ground subsidence based on three-dimensional point cloud. Firstly, the Monte Carlo simulation statistical analysis was adopted to indirectly evaluate the performance of direct georeferencing photogrammetric products. After that, the operation of co-registration was carried out to register the multi-temporal UAV dense matching point cloud. Finally, the model-to-model cloud comparison (M3C2) algorithm was used to quantify the surface change and reveal the spatio-temporal characteristics of surface subsidence. In order to evaluate the proposed method, four periods of multi-temporal UAV photogrammetric data and a period of airborne LiDAR point cloud data were collected in the Yangquan mining area, China, from 2020 to 2022. The 3D precision map of a sparse point cloud generated by Monte Carlo simulation shows that the average precision in X, Y and Z directions is 44.80 mm, 45.22 and 63.60 mm, respectively. The standard deviation range of the M3C2 distance calculated by multi-temporal data in the stable area is 0.13–0.19, indicating the consistency of multi-temporal photogrammetric data of UAV. Compared with DoD, the dynamic moving basin obtained by the M3C2 algorithm based on the 3D point cloud obtained more real surface deformation distribution. This method has high potential in monitoring terrain change in remote areas, and can provide a reference for monitoring similar objects such as landslides.

MiRNAs are critical regulators of numerous physiological and pathological processes. Ascosphaera apis exclusively infects bee larvae and causes chalkbrood disease. However, the function and mechanism of miRNAs in the bee larval response to A. apis infection is poorly understood. Here, ame-miR-34, a previously predicted miRNA involved in the response of Apis mellifera larvae to A. apis invasion, was subjected to molecular validation, and overexpression and knockdown were then conducted to explore the regulatory functions of ame-miR-34 in larval body weight and immune response. Stem-loop RT-PCR and Sanger sequencing confirmed the authenticity of ame-miR-34 in the larval gut of A. mellifera. RT-qPCR results demonstrated that compared with that in the uninfected larval guts, the expression level of ame-miR-34 was significantly downregulated (p < 0.001) in the guts of A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larvae, indicative of the remarkable suppression of host ame-miR-34 due to A. apis infection. In comparison with the corresponding negative control (NC) groups, the expression level of ame-miR-34 in the larval guts in the mimic-miR-34 group was significantly upregulated (p < 0.001), while that in the inhibitor-miR-34 group was significantly downregulated (p < 0.01). Similarly, effective overexpression and knockdown of ame-miR-34 were achieved. In addition, the body weights of 5- and 6-day-old larvae were significantly increased compared with those in the mimic-NC group; the weights of 5-day-old larvae in the inhibitor-miR-34 group were significantly decreased in comparison with those in the inhibitor-NC group, while the weights of 4- and 6-day-old larvae in the inhibitor-miR-34 group were significantly increased, indicating the involvement of ame-miR-34 in modulating larval body weight. Furthermore, the expression levels of both hsp and abct in the guts of A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larvae were significantly upregulated after ame-miR-34 overexpression. In contrast, after ame-miR-34 knockdown, the expression levels of the aforementioned two key genes in the A. apis-infected 4-, 5-, and 6-day-old larval guts were significantly downregulated. Together, the results demonstrated that effective overexpression and knockdown of ame-miR-34 in both noninfected and A. apis-infected A. mellifera larval guts could be achieved by the feeding method, and ame-miR-34 exerted a regulatory function in the host immune response to A. apis invasion through positive regulation of the expression of hsp and abct. Our findings not only provide a valuable reference for the functional investigation of bee larval miRNAs but also reveal the regulatory role of ame-miR-34 in A. mellifera larval weight and immune response. Additionally, the results of this study may provide a promising molecular target for the treatment of chalkbrood disease.

N6-metyladenosine (m6A), one of the most common RNA methylation modifications in mammals, has attracted extensive attentions owing to its regulatory roles in a variety of physiological and pathological processes. As a reversible epigenetic modification on RNAs, m6A is dynamically mediated by the functional interplay among the regulatory proteins of methyltransferases, demethylases and methyl-binding proteins. In recent years, it has become increasingly clear that m6A modification is associated with the production and function of microRNAs (miRNAs). In this review, we summarize the specific kinds of m6A modification methyltransferases, demethylases and methyl-binding proteins. In particular, we focus on describing the roles of m6A modification and its regulatory proteins in the production and function of miRNAs in a variety of pathological and physiological processes. More importantly, we further discuss the mediating mechanisms of miRNAs in m6A modification and its regulatory proteins during the occurrence and development of various diseases.

Laser attracts more attention and it could cause material failure by its high energy. Carbon fiber resin composites are widely used in aerospace vehicles experiencing dramatic damage to their surface if exposed to high-energy laser irradiation. The available studies on irradiation behavior are mainly focused on pulsed lasers and bulk composites, and investigations of thin laminar structures under continuous-wave laser irradiation have rarely been reported. In this study, the damage behavior of laminar carbon fiber epoxy resin composites (CFE composites) was studied. Using a threshold model of resin pyrolysis, CFE composite is observed to be damaged at 0.18 s when irradiated at 100 W/cm2, and if the laser power density is increased to 200 W/cm2 for 2 s, no resin remains on the fiber surface, which is now completely exposed. With an increase in power density and irradiation time, the ablation rate always shows an upward trend: the ablation region expands and the separation of layers in the interior appears, which can reach 0.01156 g/s when irradiated at 100 W/cm2 for 5 s. The damage mechanism of CFE composite was also revealed by the temperature evolution data, thermogravimetric analysis, and composition change.

Non-pneumatic tires (NPTs) have been widely used for their advantages of no run-flat, no need for air maintenance, and unique stiffness characteristics. This study focuses on the design of a spoke of a Fibonacci spiral non-pneumatic tire (FS-NPT) based on its properties of three-dimensional stiffness. Finite element (FE) models, parametric studies, designs of experiments (DOEs), and sensitivity analyses are conducted to study the effect on the three-dimensional stiffness considering three design variables: (a) the thickness of the spokes, (b) the radius of the first Fibonacci spiral of the spoke, and (c) the width of the spokes of the FS-NPT. The results show that variation in all three design parameters had no considerable effect on the lateral stiffness. The results from the DOE are used to create a response surface model (RSM) for the multi-objective function (minimal SSD) and a constraint on the weight of the FS-NPT. The analytical RSM functions are optimized for minimizing the SSD subjected to the given constraint. The results indicate that all three design variables of the spoke had a significant effect on the vertical stiffness. The spoke radius had no potential effect on the longitudinal stiffness of the NPT. Hence, the three-dimensional stiffness of the FS-NPT has a certain independent design. This work demonstrates the advantages of non-pneumatic tires, especially FS-NPTs, in three-dimensional stiffness decoupling. This study guides the industrial production of flexible-spoke bionic NPTs by providing a very simple spoke structure. The optimization results show that FS-NPTs have a large stiffness design range. The different stiffness targets can be achieved by adjusting different combinations of the design variables, and the tire mass does not increase significantly.

The uptake of non-EPI vaccines, such as influenza and pneumonia vaccines, are very low in China compared to other countries. In China, immunization services are provided by dedicated vaccination service providers (VSPs), and their recommendation is the key to improve vaccine uptake. This study explores VSP recommendation practices for non-EPI vaccines from a socio-ecological perspective. A mixed-methods study, combining a questionnaire survey and key informant interviews, was conducted in Anhui, Shaanxi, and Guangdong provinces. 555 VSPs completed the valid questionnaire, and 49 VSPs participated in in-depth interviews. Among the surveyed VSPs, 51.54% stated that they always or often recommended non-EPI vaccines in work, and the remaining half reported that they sometimes or never recommended non-EPI vaccines. Most VSPs interviewed communicated about non-EPI vaccines with the public in an informed style, not a presumptive one, and provided the public with all the decision-making latitude. The infrequent recommendation of non-EPI vaccines was widely prevalent among Chinese VSPs regardless of their individual characteristics, and was mainly driven by the interpersonal relationship, institutional arrangement, and public policy. Firstly, the VSPs were concerned about conflicts arising from the recommendation of self-paid vaccines and the risk of adverse reactions following vaccination. Secondly, high workloads left them insufficient time to communicate about non-EPI vaccines. Thirdly, there was no performance assessment or financial incentive for VSPs to recommend non-EPI vaccination, and their main responsibility was around EPI vaccination. Therefore, multi-level socio-ecological systems around non-EPI vaccination should be improved to optimize the communication between VSPs and the public, which include a better system of legal redress to resolve potential misunderstandings between the VSPs and the public, more effective workload management through whole-process health information system and strengthening public health workforce, and the introduction of performance assessment and appropriate incentives on non-EPI vaccination.

Reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is an important component of the global water cycle, and its long-term change directly influences the regional water supply and demand balance. Under the background of global change, investigating spatiotemporal trends in ET0 and its response to climate change is of great importance for the conservation and rational utilization of water resources. Based on daily climate data from 91 meteorological stations during 1960–2017 in Northeast China, this study calculated ET0 using the Penman-Monteith method and analyzed its spatiotemporal change trends and primary driving factors. The results show the following: (1) During 1960–2017, the annual ET0 in Northeast China showed a nonsignificant upward trend at a rate of 1.45 mm/10a. A mutation point of ET0 was detected in 1993. From 1960 to 1993, ET0 experienced a significant decrease (p < 0.1), while annual air temperature showed a significant upward trend (p < 0.01), which indicated the appearance of an evaporation paradox. This was because the remarkable drop in wind speed and sunshine duration played a great role in the reduction of ET0. From 1994 to 2017, the evaporation paradox disappeared. (2) ET0 trend in Northeast China was significantly and positively related to altitude. In the lower altitude regions (ET0 generally decreased, while in the higher altitude areas (>500 m), ET0 displayed an upward trend. (3) Based on the results of multiple regression analysis, relative humidity was the primary driving factor for ET0 trends in Northeast China during 1960–2017. At diverse altitudes, the primary climatic factors influencing ET0 were different. In high-altitude areas (>500 m), the change in ET0 was mainly influenced by relative humidity, while wind speed was the primary driving factor at low altitudes (

(1) Background: This work aims to investigate the metabolomic changes in PIGinH11 pigs and investigate differential compounds as potential therapeutic targets for metabolic diseases. (2) Methods: PIGinH11 pigs were established with a CRISPR/Cas9 system. PNPLA3I148M, hIAPP, and GIPRdn were knocked in the H11 locus of the pig genome. The differential metabolites between and within groups were compared at baseline and two months after high-fat-high-sucrose diet induction. (3) Results: 72.02% of the 815 detected metabolites were affected by the transgenic effect. Significantly increased metabolites included isoleucine, tyrosine, methionine, oxoglutaric acid, acylcarnitine, glucose, sphinganines, ceramides, and phosphatidylserines, while fatty acids and conjugates, phosphatidylcholines, phosphatidylethanolamines, and sphingomyelins were decreased. Lower expression of GPAT3 and higher expression of PNPLA3I148M decreased the synthesis of diacylglycerol and phosphatidylcholines. Accumulated ceramides that block Akt signaling and decrease hyocholic acid and lysophosphatidylcholines might be the main reason for increased blood glucose in PIGinH11 pigs, which was consistent with metabolomic changes in patients. (4) Conclusions: Through serum metabolomics and lipidomics studies, significant changes in obesity and diabetes-related biomarkers were detected in PIGinH11 pigs. Excessive fatty acids β-oxidation interfered with glucose and amino acids catabolism and reduced phosphatidylcholines. Decreased hyocholic acid, lysophosphatidylcholine, and increased ceramides exacerbated insulin resistance and elevated blood glucose. Phosphatidylserines were also increased, which might promote chronic inflammation by activating macrophages.