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Accurate estimation of soil moisture content (SMC) is vital for effective farmland water management and informed irrigation decision-making. The utilization of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-based remote sensing technology to monitor SMC offers advantages such as mobility, high timeliness, and high spatial resolution, thereby compensating for the limitations of in-situ observations and satellite remote sensing. However, previous research has primarily focused on SMC diagnostics for the entire crop growth period, often neglecting the development of targeted soil moisture modeling paradigms that account for the specific characteristics of the canopy and root zone at different growth stages. Furthermore, the variations in soil moisture status between fields, resulting from the hysteresis of water flow in irrigation channels at different levels, may influence the development of soil moisture modeling schemes, an area that has been seldom explored. In this study, SMC models based on UAV spectral information were constructed using Random Forest (RF) and Particle Swarm Optimization-Support Vector Machine (PSO-SVM) algorithms. The soil moisture modeling paradigms (i.e., input–output mapping) under different growth stages and soil moisture conditions of summer maize were systematically compared and discussed, along with the corresponding physical interpretability. Our results showed that (1) the SMC modeling schemes differ significantly across the various growth stages, with distinct input–output mappings recommended for the early (i.e., jointing, tasselling, and silking stages), middle (i.e., blister and milk stages), and late (i.e., maturing stage) periods. (2) these machine learning-based models performed best at the jointing stage, while subsequently, their accuracy generally exhibited a downward trend as the maize grew. (3) the RF model demonstrates superior robustness in estimating soil moisture status across different fields (moisture conditions), achieving optimal estimation accuracy in fields with overall higher SMC in line with the PSO-SVM model. (4) unlike the RF model’s robustness in spatial SMC diagnostics, the PSO-SVM model more reliably captured the temporal dynamics of SMC across different growth stages of summer maize. This study offers technical references for future modelers in UAV-based SMC modeling across various spatial and temporal conditions, addressing both the types of models as well as their input features.

DnaJ proteins, also known as HSP40s, play a key role in plant growth and development, and response to environmental stress. However, little comprehensive research has been conducted on the DnaJ gene family in maize. Here, we identify 91 ZmDnaJ genes from maize, which are likely distributed in the chloroplast, nucleus, and cytoplasm. Our analysis revealed that ZmDnaJs were classified into three types, with conserved protein motifs and gene structures within the same type, particularly among members of the same subfamily. Gene duplication events have likely contributed to the expansion of the ZmDnaJ family in maize. Analysis of cis-regulatory elements in ZmDnaJ promoters suggested involvement in stress responses, growth and development, and phytohormone sensitivity in maize. Specifically, four cis-acting regulatory elements associated with stress responses and phytohormone regulation indicated a role in adaptation. RNA-seq analysis showed constitutive expression of most ZmDnaJ genes, some specifically in pollen and endosperm. More importantly, certain genes also responded to salt, heat, and cold stresses, indicating potential interaction between stress regulatory networks. Furthermore, early responses to heat stress varied among five inbred lines, with upregulation of almost tested ZmDnaJ genes in B73 and B104 after 6 h, and fewer genes upregulated in QB1314, MD108, and Zheng58. After 72 h, most ZmDnaJ genes in the heat-sensitive inbred lines (B73 and B104) returned to normal levels, while many genes, including ZmDnaJ55, 79, 88, 90, and 91, remained upregulated in the heat-tolerant inbred lines (QB1314, MD108, and Zheng58) suggesting a synergistic function for prolonged protection against heat stress. In conclusion, our study provides a comprehensive analysis of the ZmDnaJ family in maize and demonstrates a correlation between heat stress tolerance and the regulation of gene expression within this family. These offer a theoretical basis for future functional validation of these genes.

Small-molecule modulators of neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1), a class A G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR), has emerged as promising therapeutic agent for psychiatric disorders and cancer. Interestingly, a chemical group substitution in NTSR1 modulators can launch different types of downstream regulation, highlighting the significance of deciphering the internal fine-tuning mechanism. Here, we conducted a synergistic application of a Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulation, a conventional molecular dynamics simulation, and Markov state models (MSM) to investigate the underlying mechanism of ‘driver chemical groups’ of modulators triggering inverse signaling. The results indicated that the flexibility of the leucine moiety in NTSR1 agonists contributes to the inward displacement of TM7 through a loosely coupled allosteric pathway, while the rigidity of the adamantane moiety in NTSR1 antagonists leads to unfavorable downward transduction of agonistic signaling. Furthermore, we found that R3226.54, Y3196.51, F3537.42, R1483.32, S3567.45, and S3577.46 may play a key role in inducing the activation of NTSR1. Together, our findings not only highlight the ingenious signal transduction within class A GPCRs but also lay a foundation for the development of targeted drugs harboring different regulatory functions of NTSR1.

High nutritional value and the development of efficient biotechnological methods of controlled production have made black porgy (Acanthopagrus schlegelii) an economically important fish in Chinese aquaculture in recent years. However, aquaculture production of the species faces multiple issues associated with reduced growth rate, low reproduction ability, and high mortality during production, which are associated with the species’ limited tolerance to low temperatures. To date, comprehensive information on the genetic-based mechanisms of cold tolerance and adaptation to low temperature in the species are still unavailable. In this study, the HiSeq™2500 (Illumina) sequencing platform was used to analyze the transcriptomic profile of the liver tissue in the black porgy subjected to different extents of cold shock, including a control temperature group (AS, T = 15 °C), an intermediate temperature group (AL1, T = 10 °C), and an acute low-temperature stress group (AL2, T = 5 °C). For this purpose, three standardized cDNA libraries of AS, AL1, and AL2 were established. We obtained 43,258,908, 48,239,072, and 38,983,833 clean reads from the AS group, AL1 group, and AL2 group, respectively. After pairwise comparison, 70 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in the examined fish groups. Among them, 60 genes were found to be significantly differentially expressed after trend analysis. GO annotation and enrichment results showed that they were mainly enriched into three categories: biological processes (12 subcategories), molecular functions (7 subcategories), and cellular components (7 subcategories). KEGG analysis results indicated that all significantly differentially expressed genes were annotated to 102 signaling pathways, including biological rhythm, cholesterol metabolism, glycerolipid metabolism, animal autophagy, FoxO signaling pathway, steroid biosynthesis, and regulation of adipocyte lipolysis and apoptosis. Four of them, namely: G6PC, GPX1, GCK, and HSPE1 were randomly selected for further qRT-PCR verification of data reliability obtained by RNA-Seq technology. In this study, we found that environmental acute cold stress mainly affected the black porgy’s biological processes related to metabolism, apoptosis, and signal transduction. The data that we have reported provides baseline information for further studies concerning the genetic responses of the black porgy under cold stress conditions, the improvement of its aquaculture production, and other economically important matters regarding their limited tolerance to cold shock.

During fixed orthodontic treatment, white spot lesions are prevalent issues associated with cariogenic bacteria. This study aims to construct an orthodontic adhesive containing nanoparticles of amorphous calcium phosphate-polydopamine-Ag (NPA) fillers to combat white spot lesions. The NPA fillers were prepared and characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The biocompatibility of the fillers was evaluated. A colony counting test evaluated the antibacterial property of the fillers against Streptococcus mutans (S. mutans). NPA fillers were mixed with orthodontic adhesive (Transbond XT) at different weight ratios (0, 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.%). The shear bond strength and antibacterial properties were then further investigated. The results showed that NPA was prepared successfully, with good antibacterial properties. The cell survival rate of all groups of fillers was higher than 70%, showing good biocompatibility. Moreover, the shear bond strength of the orthodontic adhesive with 0.2 wt.% NPA fillers was 11.89 ± 1.27 MPa, meeting the minimal clinical bond strength requirements of 7.8 MPa. Furthermore, the orthodontic adhesive resin blocks and the extract displayed good antibacterial properties, with the number of colonies decreasing significantly (p < 0.001). Taken together, we think that an orthodontic adhesive with NPA may have a good application potential for the prevention and treatment of white spot lesions.

Transparent electrodes (TEs) are important components in organic optoelectronic devices. ITO is the mostly applied TE material, which is costly and inferior in mechanical performance, and could not satisfy the versatile need for the next generation of transparent optoelectronic devices. Recently, many new TE materials emerged to try to overcome the deficiency of ITO, including graphene, ultrathin metal, and oxide-metal-oxide structure. By finely control of the fabrication techniques, the main properties of conductivity, transmittance, and mechanical stability, have been studied in the literatures, and their applicability in the potential optoelectronic devices has been reported. Herein, in this work, we summarized the recent progress of the TE materials applied in optoelectronic devices by focusing on the fabrication, properties, such as Graphene, ultra-thin metal film, and metal oxide and performance. The advantages and insufficiencies of these materials as TEs have been summarized and the future development aspects have been pointed out to guide the design and fabrication TE materials in the next generation of transparent optoelectronic devices.

Black porgy is an important marine aquaculture fish species whose production is at the fifth position in all kinds of marine-cultured fishes in China. In this study, Illumina high-throughput sequencing technology was used to sequence the total RNA of black porgy. Sixty-one candidate SNPs (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) were screened out and genotyped through GATK4 (Genome Analysis ToolKit) software and MALDI-TOF MS (Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/ Ionization Time of Flight Mass Spectrometry). The experimental results showed that a total of sixty SNPs were successfully genotyped, with a success rate of 98.36%. The results of principal component analysis and correlation analysis of growth traits showed that body weight was the first principal component, with a cumulative contribution rate of 74%. There were significant correlations (p < 0.05) or extremely significant correlations (p < 0.01) between different growth traits. The results of genetic parameter analysis and association analysis showed that scaffold12-12716321, scaffold13-4787950, scaffold2-13687576 and scaffold290-11890 were four SNPs that met the requirement of polymorphic information content and conformed to the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. There were significant differences between their genotype and the phenotype of growth traits. The four SNP molecular markers developed in this research will lay a foundation for further exploration of molecular markers related to the growth traits of black porgy and will provide a scientific reference for the further study of its growth mechanisms. At the same time, these molecular markers can be applied to the production practices of black porgy, so as to realize selective breeding at the molecular level and speed up the breeding process.

The need for new therapeutics for Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is highlighted by the general lack of efficacy for most agents currently available for this disease. Many recent studies have detailed molecular pathways in AS, and several molecule-targeting agents are undergoing evaluation. We aimed to explore the mechanism of AS and identify biologically active small molecules capable of targeting the sub-pathways which were disregulated in the development of AS. By using the GSE25101 microarray data accessible from the Gene Expression Omnibus database, we first identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between AS samples and healthy controls, followed by the sub-pathway enrichment analysis of the DEGs. In addition, we propose the use of an approach based on targeting sub-pathways to identify potential agents for AS. A total of 3,280 genes were identified as being significantly different between patients and controls with p-values < 0.1. Our study showed that neurotrophic signaling pathway and some immune-associated pathways may be involved in the development of AS. Besides, our bioinformatics analysis revealed a total of 15 small molecules which may play a role in perturbing the development of AS. Our study proposes the use of an approach based on targeting sub-pathways to identify potential agents for AS. Candidate agents identified by our approach may provide the groundwork for a combination therapy approach for AS.

The reliability of battery fault diagnosis depends on an accurate estimation of the state of charge and battery characterizing parameters. This paper presents a fault diagnosis method based on an adaptive unscented Kalman filter to diagnose the parameter bias faults for a Li-ion battery in real time. The first-order equivalent circuit model and relationship between the open circuit voltage and state of charge are established to describe the characteristics of the Li-ion battery. The parameters in the equivalent circuit model are treated as system state variables to set up a joint state and parameter space equation. The algorithm for fault diagnosis is designed according to the estimated parameters. Two types of fault of the Li-ion battery, including internal ohmic resistance fault and diffusion resistance faults, are studied as a case to validate the effectiveness of the algorithm. The experimental results show that the proposed approach in this paper has effective tracking ability, better estimation accuracy, and reliable diagnosis for Li-ion batteries.

Avian leukosis viruses (ALVs) include a group of avian retroviruses primarily associated with neoplastic diseases in poultry, commonly referred to as avian leukosis. Belonging to different subgroups based on their envelope properties, ALV subgroups A, B, and J (ALV-A, ALV-B, and ALV-J) are the most widespread in poultry populations. Early identification and removal of virus-shedding birds from infected flocks are essential for the ALVs’ eradication. Therefore, the development of rapid, accurate, simple-to-use, and cost effective on-site diagnostic methods for the detection of ALV subgroups is very important. Cas13a, an RNA-guided RNA endonuclease that cleaves target single-stranded RNA, also exhibits non-specific endonuclease activity on any bystander RNA in close proximity. The distinct trans-cleavage activity of Cas13 has been exploited in the molecular diagnosis of multiple pathogens including several viruses. Here, we describe the development and application of a highly sensitive Cas13a-based molecular test for the specific detection of proviral DNA of ALV-A, B, and J subgroups. Prokaryotically expressed LwaCas13a, purified through ion exchange and size-exclusion chromatography, was combined with recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) and T7 transcription to establish the SHERLOCK (specific high-sensitivity enzymatic reporter unlocking) molecular detection system for the detection of proviral DNA of ALV-A/B/J subgroups. This novel method that needs less sample input with a short turnaround time is based on isothermal detection at 37 °C with a color-based lateral flow readout. The detection limit of the assay for ALV-A/B/J subgroups was 50 copies with no cross reactivity with ALV-C/D/E subgroups and other avian oncogenic viruses such as reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) and Marek’s disease virus (MDV). The development and evaluation of a highly sensitive and specific visual method of detection of ALV-A/B/J nucleic acids using CRISPR-Cas13a described here will help in ALV detection in eradication programs.

The coupling of the spin-orbit angular momentum of photons in a focused spatial region can enhance the localized optical field’s chirality. In this paper, a scheme for producing a superchiral optical field in a 4π microscopic system is presented by tightly focusing two counter-propagating spiral wavefronts. We calculate the optical forces and torques exerted on a chiral dipole by the chiral light field and reveal the chiral forces by combining the light field and dipoles. Results indicate that, in addition to the general optical force, particles’ motion would be affected by a chiral force that is directly related to the particle chirality. This chiral mechanical effect experienced by the electromagnetic dipoles excited on a chiral particle could be characterized by the behaviors of chirality density and flux, which are, respectively, associated with the reactive and dissipative components of the chiral forces. This work facilitates the advancement of optical separation and manipulation techniques for chiral particles.

Gyrovirus homsa1 (GyH1) is an emerging pathogenic single–stranded circular DNA virus that leads to immunosuppression, aplastic anemia, and multisystem damage in chickens. However, the prevalence of GyH1 infection in chickens and wild birds remains unknown. Here, we developed a double–antibody sandwich enzyme–linked immunosorbent assay (DAS–ELISA) to investigate GyH1 infection in 8 chicken species and 25 wild bird species. A total of 2258 serum samples from chickens (n = 2192) in 15 provinces, and wild birds (n = 66) in Jinan Wildlife Hospital were collected from 2017 to 2021 in China. The GyH1–positive rates in chickens and wild birds were 9.3% (203/2192) and 22.7% (15/66), respectively. GyH1 was present in all flocks in 15 provinces. From 2017 to 2021, the positive rate ranged from 7.93% (18/227) to 10.67% (56/525), and the highest positive rate was present in 2019. Upon chicken age, the highest positive rate (25.5%) was present in young chickens (14–35 days old). Moreover, the GyH1–positive rate in broiler breeders (12.6%, 21/167) was significantly higher than that in layer chickens (8.9%, 14/157). This study shows that GyH1 has spread in chicken flocks and wild birds, and the higher GyH1–positive rate in wild birds indicates the risk of spillover from wild birds to chickens. Our study expanded the GyH1 epidemiological aspects and provided a theoretical basis for GyH1 prevention.

Chicken anemia virus (CAV) and Gyrovirus homsa 1 (GyH1) are members of the Gyrovirus genus. The two viruses cause similar clinical manifestations in chickens, aplastic anemia and immunosuppression. Our previous investigation displays that CAV and GyH1 often co-infect chickens. However, whether they have synergistic pathogenicity in chickens remains elusive. Here, we established a co-infection model of CAV and GyH1 in specific pathogen-free (SPF) chickens to explore the synergy between CAV and GyH1. We discovered that CAV and GyH1 significantly inhibited weight gain, increased mortality, and hindered erythropoiesis in co-infected chickens. Co-infected chickens exhibited severe immune organ atrophy and lymphocyte exhaustion. The proventriculus and gizzard had severe hemorrhagic necrosis and inflammation. We also discovered that the viral loads and shedding levels were higher and lasted longer in CAV and GyH1 co-infected chickens than in mono-infected chickens. Our results demonstrate that CAV and GyH1 synergistically promote immunosuppression, pathogenicity, and viral replication in co-infected chicken, highlighting the interaction between CAV and GyH1 in the disease process and increasing potential health risk in the poultry breeding industry, and needs further attention.

In this paper, we combine the dielectric metasurface with monolayer graphene to realize a high quality(Q)-factor quasi-BIC-based optical modulator, and the corresponding modulation performances are investigated by using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method, which can be well fitting by the Fano formula based on the temporal couple-mode theory. The results demonstrate that bound states in the continuum (BIC) will turn into the quasi-BIC with high Q-factor by breaking the symmetry of every unit of the metasurface. Meanwhile, the amplitude and bandwidth of transmission based on the quasi-BIC mode can be efficiently adjusted by changing the Fermi energy (EF) of monolayer graphene, and the maximum difference in transmission up to 0.92 is achieved. Moreover, we also discuss the influence of the asymmetry degree to further investigate the modulation effect of graphene on the quasi-BIC mode.

Synergism between avian leukosis virus subgroup J (ALV-J) and reticuloendotheliosis virus (REV) has been reported frequently in co-infected chicken flocks. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the tumorigenesis mechanisms of ALV and REV, how these two simple oncogenic retroviruses induce synergistic oncogenicity remains unclear. In this study, we found that ALV-J and REV synergistically promoted mutual replication, suppressed cellular senescence, and activated epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) in vitro. Mechanistically, structural proteins from ALV-J and REV synergistically activated the expression of Musashi-1(MSI1), which directly targeted pri-miR-147 through its RNA binding site. This inhibited the maturation of miR-147, which relieved the inhibition of NF-κB/KIAA1199/EGFR signaling, thereby suppressing cellular senescence and activating EMT. We revealed a synergistic oncogenicity mechanism induced by ALV-J and REV in vitro. The elucidation of the synergistic oncogenicity of these two simple retroviruses could help in understanding the mechanism of tumorigenesis in ALV-J and REV co-infection and help identify promising molecular targets and key obstacles for the joint control of ALV-J and REV and the development of clinical technologies.

In this paper, uniform Cu2−xSe-modified Au/Bi2Se3 hybrid nanoparticles with porous shells have been prepared through a cation exchange method. Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe Z-scheme heterojunction is introduced onto Au nanocube by replacing Bi3+ with Cu2+. Owing to the effective coupling between Au core and semiconductor shells, Au/Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe hybrids present a broad and strong plasmon resonance absorption in the visible band. More intriguingly, the carrier lifetime of Au/Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe hybrid photoelectrodes can be further tailored with corresponding Cu2−xSe content. Through parameter optimization, 0.1-Au/Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe electrode exhibits the longest electron lifetime (86.03 ms) among all the parallel samples, and corresponding photoelectrochemical performance enhancement is also observed in the tests. Compared with that of pure Bi2Se3 (0.016% at 0.90 V vs. RHE) and Au/Bi2Se3 (0.02% at 0.90 V vs. RHE) nanoparticles, the maximum photoconversion efficiency of porous Au/Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe hybrid photoanodes increased by 5.87 and 4.50 times under simulated sunlight illumination, attributing to the cooperation of Z-scheme heterojunction and plasmon resonance enhancement effects. All the results indicate that Au/Bi2Se3/Cu2−xSe porous hybrids combine eco-friendliness with excellent sunlight harvesting capability and effectively inhibiting the charge recombination, which provide a new idea for efficient solar-driven water splitting.

In this study, polysaccharides from Grateloupia filicinia (GFP) were extracted and several low molecular weight (Mw) G. filicina polysaccharides (LGFPs) were prepared by the hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) oxidation method. Additionally, the effect of different experimental conditions on the degradation of GFP was determined. Results showed that the GFP degradation rate was positively related to H2O2 concentration and temperature, and negatively related to pH. Chemical analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectra (FT-IR) of GFP and LGFPs showed that the degradation caused a slight decrease of total sugar and sulfate content. However, there was no obvious change for monosaccharide contents. Then, the anti-ALV-J activity of GFP and LGFPs were determined in vitro. Results revealed that all of the samples could significantly inhibit ALV-J and lower Mw LGFPs exhibited a stronger suppression, and that the fraction LGFP-3 with Mw 8.7 kDa had the best effect. In addition, the reaction phase assays showed that the inhibition effect was mainly because of the blocking virus adsorption to host cells. Moreover, real-time PCR, western-blot, and IFA were further applied to evaluate the blocking effects of LGFP-3. Results showed that the gene relative expression and gp85 protein for LGFPS-3 groups were all reduced. Data from IFA showed that there was less virus infected cells for 1000 and 200 μg/mL LGFPS-3 groups when compared to virus control. Therefore, lower Mw polysaccharides from G. filicina might supply a good choice for ALV-J prevention and treatment.