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This paper addresses the interplay between electrical fields in the human body and the corrosion behavior of Ti-6Al-4V alloy, a prevalent orthopedic material. The study investigates the impact of alternative electrical signals at different frequencies on the alloy’s electrochemical behavior in a simulated body environment. The human body always has natural sinusoidal potential due to, e.g., heart palpitations and brain/nervous system activities. Ignoring such natural activities may lead to underestimating the corrosion performance of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy in the body. By analyzing anodic and cathodic responses and the net faradaic current induced by alternating current potential, the research sheds light on the influence of electrical fields on corrosion rates. Understanding these dynamics could lead to improved implant materials, mitigating corrosion-related challenges and enhancing implant performance over the long term. Results of this work indicated that frequent oxidation and reduction at certain frequencies may induce corrosion and hinder biomimetic apatite formation, impacting osseointegration. Natural alternative currents in the body affect the corrosion performance of Ti-based implant alloys, highlighting the need for consideration in biomedical applications.

Purpose: We conducted a phase II study evaluating chemoradiotherapy in patients with advanced esophageal cancer, using the docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluorouracil (DCF) regimen followed by surgery. The primary purposes of this clinical trial were to assess the efficacy and safety of chemoradiotherapy employing the DCF regimen in the treatment of advanced esophageal cancer. Material and methods: We enrolled a total of 24 newly diagnosed esophageal cancer patients between April 2015 and November 2017 in this prospective study. The radiotherapy regimen consisted of a total dose of 45 Gy in 25 fractions. The chemotherapy protocol included docetaxel 35 mg/m2 for 1 h on day 1 and day 29, cisplatin 35 mg/m2 for 1 h on day 1 and day 29, and 5-FU 400 mg/m2 for 24 h on day 1–4 and day 29–32. The patients who accepted the re-staging exam should undergo surgery in 4–8 weeks after the completion of radiotherapy. The primary endpoints of this study were disease-free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and the evaluation of hematologic toxicity. Results: The study population had a median age of 55.5 years, ranging from 44 to 66, with over 90% of the patients being male. The 5-year DFS was 37.1%, and the 5-year OS was 48.7%. The pathologic complete response rate was 45.8% (11/24). The most common types of toxicity were leukopenia and thrombocytopenia. No grade 3 or greater hematologic toxicity was reported. Conclusions: The use of the DCF regimen in neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy followed by surgery demonstrated tolerable toxicity and achieved acceptable DFS and OS outcomes.

Centipedegrass (Eremochloa ophiuroides) is an important warm-season grass plant used as a turfgrass as well as pasture grass in tropical and subtropical regions, with wide application in land surface greening and soil conservation in South China and southern United States. In this study, the complete cp genome of E. ophiuroides was assembled using high-throughput Illumina sequencing technology. The circle pseudomolecule for E. ophiuroides cp genome is 139,107 bp in length, with a quadripartite structure consisting of a large single copyregion of 82,081 bp and a small single copy region of 12,566 bp separated by a pair of inverted repeat regions of 22,230 bp each. The overall A + T content of the whole genome is 61.60%, showing an asymmetric nucleotide composition. The genome encodes a total of 131 gene species, composed of 20 duplicated genes within the IR regions and 111 unique genes comprising 77 protein-coding genes, 30 transfer RNA genes, and 4 ribosome RNA genes. The complete cp genome sequence contains 51 long repeats and 197 simple sequence repeats, and a high degree of collinearity among E. ophiuroide and other Gramineae plants was disclosed. Phylogenetic analysis showed E. ophiuroides, together with the other two Eremochloa species, is closely related to Mnesithea helferi within the subtribe Rottboelliinae. These findings will be beneficial for the classification and identification of the Eremochloa taxa, phylogenetic resolution, novel gene discovery, and functional genomic studies for the genus Eremochloa.

Short video platforms have problems with increased competition and low advertising conversion rates. Although social presence is closely related to consumer engagement, research regarding the impact of social presence on consumer engagement in short video-embedded advertisements is sparse. We developed a theoretical model, namely a social presence–flow experience–advertising avoidance–advertising engagement model, and explored the mechanism underlying advertising engagement from a psychological and behavioral perspective. The analysis of 563 short video users revealed that the model exhibited excellent explanatory power for advertising engagement (R2 = 41.3%). Social presence can increase consumers’ advertising engagement by enhancing flow experience and reducing advertising avoidance. Meanwhile, the flow experience, by diminishing advertising avoidance, generates a serial mediation effect between social presence and advertising engagement. This study emphasizes social presence’s applicability and influence mechanism in short video-embedded advertisements, a unidirectional information delivery. It provides new theoretical perspectives and practical advice for relevant practitioners.

Consumers’ personality traits significantly influence their perceptions regarding social media advertising. While prior research on consumers’ purchasing intentions in social networking sites advertising has mainly focused on advertising valence antecedents, it is crucial to recognize that consumers’ susceptibility to advertising persuasion, particularly in terms of empathic expression, varies based on a key criterion: whether consumers are driven to attain a specific desired state or are more inclined to avoid an undesirable state. Regulatory Focus Theory (RFT) posits that individuals operate under distinct motivational mechanisms that govern their determination to achieve desired goals, influencing how they process and evaluate advertising messages. In light of RFT, we conducted an online survey with 524 valid responses, utilizing partial least squares (PLS) for research model analysis. The findings revealed that promotion-focused individuals have positively influenced perceptions of social media ad effectiveness (informativeness, ad creativity, perceived relevance, and emotional appeal). In contrast, prevention-focused individuals negatively perceived social media ad effectiveness. Furthermore, this study highlighted that perceived relevance and emotional appeal have a more significant impact on attitudes toward expressing empathy than informativeness and ad creativity.

This paper examines how businesses in Taiwan’s servicescapes are adapting to the growing trend of mobile payments and innovation ecosystems. Through the analysis of four case studies, we uncover the strategies these firms employ to address the challenges posed by changing consumer payment habits. Our research reveals that these companies are establishing efficient mechanisms within their ecosystems, supported by well-structured organizational frameworks. By leveraging innovation ecosystems, they are reshaping financial services and promoting collaborative growth among participants through technology, platforms, resource sharing, and knowledge exchange. This collaborative approach is driving significant changes in the sector, helping these businesses navigate through various challenges while fostering innovation and growth. Additionally, the scarcity of comprehensive observations of the digital payment ecosystem highlights the necessity for further exploration of actor interactions, regulatory mechanisms, and ecosystem management strategies. Such research efforts are crucial for enhancing our understanding of the evolving landscape of digital payments and innovation ecosystems, facilitating informed decision-making and promoting sustainable development in this dynamic industry.

Background: Hypertension is frequently studied in epidemiological studies that have been conducted using retrospective observational data, either as an outcome or a variable. However, there are few validation studies investigating the accuracy of hypertension phenotyping algorithms in aggregated electronic health record (EHR) data. Methods: Utilizing a centralized repository of inpatient EHR data from Singapore for the period of 2019–2020, a new algorithm that incorporates both diagnostic codes and medication details (Diag+Med) was devised. This algorithm was intended to supplement and improve the diagnostic code-only model (Diag-Only) for the classification of hypertension. We computed various metrics (sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV)) to assess the algorithm’s effectiveness in identifying hypertension on 2813 chart-reviewed records. This pool was composed of two patient cohorts: a random sampling of all inpatient admissions (Random Cohort) and a targeted group with atrial fibrillation diagnoses (AF Cohort). Results: The Diag+Med algorithm was more sensitive at detecting hypertension patients in both cohorts compared to the Diag-Only algorithm (83.8 and 87.6% vs. 68.2 and 66.5% in the Random and AF Cohorts, respectively). These improvements in sensitivity came at minimal costs in terms of PPV reductions (88.2 and 90.3% vs. 91.4 and 94.2%, respectively). Conclusion: The combined use of diagnosis codes and specific antihypertension medication exposure patterns facilitates a more accurate capture of patients with hypertension in a database of aggregated EHRs from diverse healthcare institutions in Singapore. The results presented here allow for the bias correction of risk estimates derived from observational studies involving hypertension.

Fossil fuels, such as coal and hydrocarbons, are major drivers of global warming and are primarily responsible for worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, including carbon dioxide CO2. The storage of CO2 in deep saline reservoirs is acknowledged as one of the top practical and promising methods to reduce CO2 emissions and meet climate goals. The North Dakota Industrial Commission (NDIC) recently approved the fourth Class VI permit for a carbon capture and storage project in the Williston basin of North Dakota for the geological CO2 storage in the Broom Creek formation. The current research aimed to conduct a comprehensive petrophysical characterization and rock physics modeling of the Broom Creek deep saline reservoir to unravel the mineralogical distribution and to understand the variations in petrophysical and elastic properties across the formation. This study utilized geophysical well logs, routine core analysis, and advanced core analysis to evaluate the Broom Creek formation. Multimineral petrophysical analysis calibrated with X-ray diffraction results reveals that this formation primarily comprises highly porous clean sandstone intervals with low-porosity interspersed with dolomite, anhydrite, and silt/clay layers. The formation exhibits varying porosities up to 0.3 and Klinkenberg air permeabilities up to ∼2600 mD. The formation water resistivity using Archie’s equation is approximately 0.055 ohm-m at 150 °F, corresponding to around 63,000 ppm NaCl salinity, which is consistent with prior data. The pore throat distribution in the samples from clean sandstone intervals is primarily situated in the macro-mega scales. However, the presence of anhydrite and dolomite impedes both porosity and pore throat sizes. The accurate prediction of effective elastic properties was achieved by developing a rock physics template. Dry rock moduli were modeled using Hill’s average, while Berryman’s self-consistent scheme was employed for modeling saturated moduli.

The diversity of leaf characteristics, particularly leaf color, underscores a pivotal area of inquiry within plant science. The synthesis and functionality of chlorophyll, crucial for photosynthesis, largely dictate leaf coloration, with varying concentrations imparting different shades of green. Complex gene interactions regulate the synthesis and degradation of chlorophyll, and disruptions in these pathways can result in abnormal chlorophyll production, thereby affecting leaf pigmentation. This study focuses on Bambusa multiplex f. silverstripe, a natural variant distinguished by a spectrum of leaf colors, such as green, white, and green–white, attributed to genetic variations influencing gene expression. By examining the physiological and molecular mechanisms underlying chlorophyll anomalies and genetic factors in Silverstripe, this research sheds light on the intricate gene interactions and regulatory networks that contribute to leaf color diversity. The investigation includes the measurement of photosynthetic pigments and nutrient concentrations across different leaf color types, alongside transcriptomic analyses for identifying differentially expressed genes. The role of key genes in pathways such as ALA biosynthesis, chlorophyll synthesis, photosynthesis, and sugar metabolism is explored, offering critical insights for advancing research and plant breeding practices.

This study aimed to assess the efficacy of various music therapy interventions in ameliorating depressive symptoms in dementia patients, utilizing a network meta-analysis approach. We rigorously selected randomized controlled trials focused on music therapy for dementia with depressive symptoms from major electronic databases. The primary outcome measured was the impact on depressive symptoms, with the secondary outcome evaluating dropout rates across different intervention groups and standard care control groups. The research protocol has been duly registered with PROSPERO (Registration ID: CRD42023393059). Our network meta-analysis incorporated 14 randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1080 participants and examined a range of interventions, including active music therapy, listening to music, rhythmic music therapy, singing, and tailored music interventions. The analysis revealed that active music therapy combined with singing emerged as the most effective intervention, demonstrating a significant improvement in depressive symptoms in dementia patients (Standardized Mean Difference [SMD] = −0.89, 95% Confidence Interval [CI]: −1.48 to −0.30). In contrast, listening to music alone showed a smaller effect (SMD = −0.26, 95% CI: −0.71 to 0.20). This study was particularly noteworthy for not showing higher dropout rates compared to standard care, indicating its feasibility and acceptability in clinical settings. The findings of our study indicate that active music therapy combined with singing is an effective approach to reducing depressive symptoms in dementia patients, potentially due to enhanced social interaction. These results offer new perspectives for dementia care, suggesting a promising direction for further research and clinical application.

Sexual reproduction in ascomycetes is controlled by the mating-type (MAT) locus. (Pseudo)homothallic reproduction has been hypothesized on the basis of genetic data from Hirsutella sinensis (Genotype #1 of Ophiocordyceps sinensis). However, the differential occurrence and differential transcription of mating-type genes in the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs were found in the genome and transcriptome assemblies of H. sinensis, and the introns of the MAT1-2-1 transcript were alternatively spliced with an unspliced intron I that contains stop codons. These findings reveal that O. sinensis reproduction is controlled at the genetic, transcriptional, and coupled transcriptional-translational levels. This study revealed that mutant mating proteins could potentially have various secondary structures. Differential occurrence and transcription of the a-/α-pheromone receptor genes were also found in H. sinensis. The data were inconsistent with self-fertilization under (pseudo)homothallism but suggest the self-sterility of H. sinensis and the requirement of mating partners to achieve O. sinensis sexual outcrossing under heterothallism or hybridization. Although consistent occurrence and transcription of the mating-type genes of both the MAT1-1 and MAT1-2 idiomorphs have been reported in natural and cultivated Cordyceps sinensis insect-fungi complexes, the mutant MAT1-1-1 and α-pheromone receptor transcripts in natural C. sinensis result in N-terminal or middle-truncated proteins with significantly altered overall hydrophobicity and secondary structures of the proteins, suggesting heterogeneous fungal source(s) of the proteins and hybridization reproduction because of the co-occurrence of multiple genomically independent genotypes of O. sinensis and >90 fungal species in natural C. sinensis.

Uremic toxins cause bone disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). These disorders are characterized by low turnover osteodystrophy and impaired bone formation in the early stages of CKD. Evidence indicates that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates signals that suppress early osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, whether the AhR mediates the effects of indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin, on BMSC osteogenesis remains unclear. We investigated whether IS affects osteogenesis through the AhR/Hes1 pathway. Expression levels of osteogenesis genes (Runx2, Bmp2, Alp, and Oc), AhR, and Hes1 were measured in mouse BMSCs (D1 cells). At concentrations of 2–50 μM, IS significantly reduced mineralization, particularly in the early stages of BMSC osteogenesis. Furthermore, IS significantly downregulated the expression of Runx2, Bmp2, Oc, and Alp. Notably, this downregulation could be prevented using an AhR antagonist and through Ahr knockdown. Mechanistically, IS induced the expression of Hes1 through AhR signaling, thereby suppressing the transcription of Runx2 and Bmp2. Our findings suggest that IS inhibits early osteogenesis of BMSCs through the AhR/Hes1 pathway, thus suppressing the transcription of Runx2 and Bmp2. Our findings may guide new therapeutic strategies against CKD-related bone disorders.

Respiratory therapists (RTs) frequently encounter death in their work with critically ill patients. Healthcare providers’ attitudes toward death significantly affect their approach to caring for dying patients; however, there is a lack of knowledge on RTs’ attitudes toward death. This study examines how the work environment and personal characteristics of RTs influence their attitudes toward death. Utilizing the Death Attitude Profile-Revised-Chinese questionnaire, a cross-sectional survey compared non-critical care RTs (non-CCRTs, N = 86) to critical care RTs (CCRTs, N = 85). Non-CCRTs displayed significantly lower scores in overall acceptance of death compared to CCRTs (p = 0.015) and a tendency to actively avoid thoughts about death (p = 0.005). CCRTs scored higher in “neutral acceptance” (p = 0.015), and non-CCRTs exhibited higher scores on items reflecting a negative attitude toward death. RTs with shorter professional tenures showed heightened fear of death and avoidance tendencies. Perception of life and death education correlated with higher “fear of death” and “death avoidance” scores (p = 0.001). The findings indicate that CCRTs demonstrate a more neutral acceptance of death. Additionally, experience, sex, mental health status, and life–death education exposure significantly influence RTs’ attitudes toward death.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) is characterized by high mortality and morbidity rates. Vav guanine nucleotide exchange factors (VAVs), crucial for signal transduction between cell membrane receptors and intracellular mediators, have been implicated in carcinogenesis. However, their potential prognostic value in RCC remains unclear. The impact of 150 common VAV polymorphisms on RCC risk and survival was investigated in a cohort of 630 individuals. Publicly available gene expression datasets were utilized to analyze VAV gene expression in relation to patient outcomes. The VAV3 rs17019888 polymorphism was significantly associated with RCC risk and overall survival after adjusting for false discovery rates. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis revealed that the risk allele of rs17019888 is linked to reduced VAV3 expression. Analysis of 19 kidney cancer gene expression datasets revealed lower VAV3 expression in RCC tissues compared to normal tissues, with higher expression correlating with better prognosis. Gene set enrichment analysis demonstrated that VAV3 negatively regulates the ubiquitin–proteasome system, extracellular matrix and membrane receptors, inflammatory responses, matrix metalloproteinases, and cell cycle pathways. Furthermore, elevated VAV3 expression was associated with increased infiltration of B cells, macrophages, and neutrophils into the RCC tumor microenvironment. Our findings suggest that VAV3 gene variants influence RCC risk and survival, contributing to a favorable prognosis in RCC.

Malnutrition may result in abnormal biochemical and hematological indices. This planned prespecified analysis investigated the effects of a specialized oral nutritional supplement (ONS) on biochemical and hematological indices in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition. In the Strengthening Health in ELDerly through nutrition (SHIELD) study, 811 older adults aged 65 years and above took part in this randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multi-center study. Participants were randomly allocated to either a complete and balanced specialized ONS (each serving provides 262 kcal, 10.5 g protein, 7.75 µg vitamin D3, and 0.74 g calcium β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate) and dietary counselling (intervention group) or a placebo and dietary counselling (placebo group). Both groups consumed study products twice a day for 180 days. Data were collected at baseline, day 90, and day 180. Blood analysis results at follow-up visits were analyzed using repeated measures analysis of covariance with adjustments for confounders. Overall, when compared with the placebo group, the intervention group showed significantly greater urea (6.0 mmol/L vs. 5.4 mmol/L, p < 0.001), urea to creatinine ratio (4.39 vs. 4.26, p < 0.001), prealbumin (24.9 mg/dL vs. 24.0 mg/dL, p < 0.001), vitamin B12 (480.0 pmol/L vs. 420.1 pmol/L, p < 0.001), and globulin levels (26.8 g/L vs. 26.5 g/L, p = 0.032). The intervention group also had a significantly higher absolute reticulocyte count (62.0 × 103/µL vs. 58.2 × 103/µL, overall p < 0.001) and mean platelet volume (10.0 fL vs. 9.9 fL, overall p = 0.003). Furthermore, significant improvements were seen in total protein at day 90 (71.7 g/L vs. 71.1 g/L, p = 0.017) and in absolute monocyte count at day 90 (0.50 × 103/µL vs. 0.47 × 103/µL, p = 0.009) in the intervention group. In conclusion, daily consumption of a specialized ONS for six months led to significant improvements in biochemical and hematological indices in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition.

Effective weight management interventions involve a combination of behavioral strategies focusing on dietary changes. Tracing the change through mobile apps has been proven to be a valuable platform for facilitating weight management in many countries. However, the effectiveness of mobile app-based dietary intervention on weight management in Taiwan remains to be determined. By using the designated mobile app, this study aimed to assess the efficacy of the diet intervention, which is based on a 2:1:1 portion control plate and a flexible low-carbohydrate (FLC) diet. This 8-week retrospective cohort study involved 10,297 participants who were divided into two groups: the intervention group (joined an 8-week diet intervention program with the daily diet record assessed by registered dietitians) and the control group (voluntarily using the app without instructional materials or coaching). After eight weeks of intervention, the intervention group showed a higher weight loss percentage (−4.78% vs. −1.54%), body mass index (BMI) (−1.26 kg/m2 vs. 0.69 kg/m2), and diet record completeness (73.52% vs. 28.91%) compared with the control group. With respect to gender, male participants showed higher baseline weight and higher weight loss (−6.02%) in the intervention group. In the intervention group, 2871 participants (33.4%) lost less than 4% of their weight, 5071 participants (58.9%) lost 4–8% of their body weight, and 662 participants (7.7%) lost >8% of their weight. Compared to the low-effectiveness group (weight lost 8%) had a significantly higher diet record completeness (91.61 ± 15.99 vs. 55.81 ± 32.92), dietary compliance (green light %) (88.93 ± 9.9 vs. 77.75 ±17.5), protein intake % (26.34 ± 2.85 vs. 23.49 ± 3.56), and fat intake % (49.66 ± 6.36 vs. 44.05 ± 7.37). Most importantly, the high-effectiveness group had a lower carbohydrate intake % (24.1 ± 7.86 vs. 32.46 ± 9.61). The results remained significant after being stratified by gender. This study found that the use of online applications plus the intervention of dietitians is beneficial for short-term weight loss. The composition of nutrients and dietary compliance also significantly impacted weight loss.

The gut microbiota is engaged in multiple interactions affecting host health, and gut dysbiosis can lead to many diseases. However, the effects of acetylcysteine (NAC) on the gut microbiome composition in pigs using metagenomic sequencing have not been reported. In this study, we used metagenome sequencing to study the effects of NAC on the pig gut microbiome. Sequencing results showed that microbial diversity was changed after NAC treatment. Antibiotic Resistance Genes Database (ARDB) analysis demonstrated that the main genes modified were macb, tsnr, norm, bl2be-per, vansb and pbp1b in the NAC group. Our data showed that NAC could affect microbial distribution at the phylum, gene and species levels. At the species level, NAC significantly increased the abundances of Megasphaera, Lactobacillus reuteri and Megasphaeraelsdenii and reduced the abundances of Phascolarctobacterium succinatutens, Prevotellacopri and Selenomonasbovis compared with the control group. In addition, Gene Ontology (GO) analysis revealed that in the NAC group, cellular process, metabolic process and single-organism process were the dominant terms. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis demonstrated that RNA transport, MAPK signaling pathway, cell cycle, glycosylphosphatidylinositol (GPI)-anchor biosynthesis and VEGF signaling pathway were the dominant signaling pathways in the NAC group. In conclusion, our results suggest that NAC may modify the piglet gut microbiome composition and these findings might provide a new strategy for maintaining animal and human health in the future.

The growing popularity of unconventional wells has led to increased interest in assessing and predicting their production performance. These wells, with their extended-reach structures, are able to generate and access larger reservoir volumes. Therefore, understanding the impact of a well’s lateral trajectory on its transient production performance is crucial. This study investigates the effect of lateral-trajectory undulation amplitude on flow behavior based on the experimental results obtained at the University of North Dakota using an undulated two-phase (UTP) flow loop. The experiments involved injecting an air-and-water mixture through a section with variable undulation amplitude followed by a vertical section. The results revealed that the increasing undulation amplitude resulted in lower translational velocity, frequency, and length, with consistent slug acceleration along the system profile. Additionally, the frequency of slugs decreased as they traveled through the vertical section. The measured data indicated that higher undulation amplitudes led to increased horizontal pressure losses and variability, suggesting larger instabilities. The numerical simulations predicted lower translational velocity and frequency, longer slug length, and similar vertical pressure losses when compared to the experimental results.

In this paper, the NWT600 airfoil with a thickness ratio of 60% is taken as the research object. The aerodynamic performance of the airfoil is analyzed by experiments and numerical simulations. The results simulated by various turbulence models used in the 2D steady-state RANS method are compared, including the Spalart–Allmaras model, k-ω SST model, k-ε realizable model, and Reynolds stress (linear pressure-strain) model. The influence of blunt trailing-edge thickness on aerodynamic characteristics is studied by adding thickness symmetrically. The results show that even under the low subsonic flow with a Mach number of 0.149, the airflow is prone to severe separation. The aerodynamic performance of the airfoil is very different from that of the conventional thin airfoil. Although the 2D steady-state RANS models overestimate the pressure on the surface of the airfoil in most cases, it is qualitatively acceptable to predict the pressure distribution of the very thick airfoil. Numerical results simulated by the Reynolds stress model are in the best agreement with the experimental data. It is also found that symmetrically thickening the trailing edge effectively improves the maximum lift coefficient and reduces the drag coefficient at a small angle of attack.

In view of the problem that peanut harvesting in hilly areas mainly involves fresh food, and that the peanut-picking purity rate is low and there is high breakage in the peanut-harvesting process, key components such as the picking system of a fresh-peanut-picking crawler combine harvester, the picking tooth, and the concave screen were designed, and ANSYS Workbench 2020 software was used to check the reliability of the picking roller under working conditions in hilly areas. In the process of equipment operation, the picking purity rate and breakage rate were the main evaluation indexes, and the Box–Behnken test method was used to study the speed of the peanut-picking roller, the feeding amount, and the picking gap as the test factors. The results showed that the picking purity rate is 98.95%, with an error margin of 0.98%, compared to the predicted value under the conditions of 342 r/min speed, 0.75 kg/s feeding amount, and 32 mm picking gap. The breakage rate is 4.23% and the error is 0.4% compared with the predicted value, indicating that the optimized model is reliable and predictive. This study provides a theoretical basis for the optimal design of the peanut-picking system of peanut-picking combine harvesters in hilly areas.

Agricultural machinery services are an important guaranteed way to promote Conservation Agriculture. It is of great significance to study how to encourage farmers to choose agricultural machinery services to promote the standard implementation of Conservation Agriculture technology. In order to promote the implementation of Conservation Agriculture and improve the supply of agricultural machinery services, this paper identifies the stakeholders of normative Conservation Agriculture technology adoption behavior and the relationship between agricultural machinery service organizations, farmers and agriculture-related governments. An evolutionary game model was established to evaluate the decision-making characteristics of tripartite behavior and simulate the evolution trend of stakeholder behavior. The results show that agriculture-related governments, agricultural machinery service organizations and farmers can achieve evolutionarily stable strategies. The punishments and subsidies of agriculture-related governments and the supervision cost of all links of agricultural machinery social service organizations can significantly affect the behavior strategies of the three parties. The government set up reasonable subsidy and punishment mechanisms, and the agricultural machinery service organization controls the supervision cost of all links to ensure the stability of the three-party behavior strategy. This study provides theoretical guidance for scientific decision making and active cooperative development of the government, farmers and agricultural machinery service organizations and lays a foundation for countermeasures and suggestions to further promote farmers’ implementation of Conservation Agriculture technology.

Accurate and intelligent identification of rare and endangered individuals of flagship wildlife species, such as Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), is crucial for understanding population structure and distribution, thereby facilitating targeted conservation measures. However, many mathematical modeling methods, including deep learning models, often yield unsatisfactory results. This paper proposes an individual recognition method for Amur tigers based on an improved InceptionResNetV2 model. Initially, the YOLOv5 model is employed to automatically detect and segment facial, left stripe, and right stripe areas from images of 107 individual Amur tigers, achieving a high average classification accuracy of 97.3%. By introducing a dropout layer and a dual-attention mechanism, we enhance the InceptionResNetV2 model to better capture the stripe features of individual tigers at various granularities and reduce overfitting during training. Experimental results demonstrate that our model outperforms other classic models, offering optimal recognition accuracy and ideal loss changes. The average recognition accuracy for different body part features is 95.36%, with left stripes achieving a peak accuracy of 99.37%. These results highlight the model’s excellent recognition capabilities. Our research provides a valuable and practical approach to the individual identification of rare and endangered animals, offering significant potential for improving conservation efforts.

This study explores fault-tolerant consensus in leader–following heterogeneous multi-agent systems, focusing on actuator failures in uncrewed aerial vehicles (UAVs) and uncrewed ground vehicles (UGVs). An optimization-based fault-tolerant consensus algorithm is proposed. The algorithm utilizes the Euler–Lagrange formula to ensure system consistency under actuator failures, with the Lyapunov stability theory proving the asymptotic stability of the consistency error. The algorithm is applied to heterogeneous multi-agent systems of UAVs and UGVs to derive optimal fault-tolerant consensus control laws for each vehicle type. Simulation experiments give evidence for the feasibility of the proposed control strategy.

Cross-domain cooperative task allocation is a complex and challenging issue in the field of multi-agent task allocation that requires urgent attention. This paper proposes a task allocation method based on the multi-strategy improved dung beetle optimization (MSIDBO) algorithm, aiming to solve the problem of fully distributed multi-agent cross-domain cooperative task allocation. This method integrates two key objective functions: target allocation and control allocation. We propose a target allocation model based on the optimal comprehensive efficiency, cluster load balancing, and economic benefit maximization, and a control allocation model leveraging the radar detection ability and control data link connectivity. To address the limitations of the original dung beetle optimization algorithm in solving such problems, four revolutionary strategies are introduced to improve its performance. The simulation results demonstrate that our proposed task allocation algorithm significantly improves the cross-domain collaboration efficiency and meets the real-time requirements for multi-agent task allocation on various scales. Specifically, our optimization performance was, on average, 32.5% higher compared to classical algorithms like the particle swarm optimization algorithm and the dung beetle optimization algorithm and its improved forms. Overall, our proposed scheme enhances system effectiveness and robustness while providing an innovative and practical solution for complex task allocation problems.

The advances in science and technology have led to vast amounts of complex and heterogeneous data from multiple sources of random sample length. This paper aims to investigate the extreme behavior of competing risks with random sample sizes. Two accelerated mixed types of stable distributions are obtained as the extreme limit laws of random sampling competing risks under linear and power normalizations, respectively. The theoretical findings are well illustrated by typical examples and numerical studies. The developed methodology and models provide new insights into modeling complex data across numerous fields.

High-nickel (Ni) ternary lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) are widely used in low-pressure environments such as in the aviation industry, but their attribute of high energy density poses significant fire hazards, especially under low pressure where thermal runaway behavior is complex, thus requiring relevant experiments. This study investigates the thermal runaway characteristics of LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 (NCM811) 18650 LIBs at different states of charge (SOCs) (75%, 100%) under various ambient pressures (101 kPa, 80 kPa, 60 kPa, 40 kPa). The results show that, as the pressure is decreased from 101 kPa to 40 kPa, the onset time of thermal runaway is extended by 28.2 s for 75% SOC and by 40.8 s for 100% SOC; accordingly, the onset temperature of thermal runaway increases by 19.3 °C for 75% SOC and by 33.5 °C for 100% SOC; the maximum surface temperature decreases by 70.8 °C for 75% SOC and by 68.2 °C for 100% SOC. The cell mass loss and loss rate slightly decrease with reduced pressure. However, ambient pressure has little impact on the time and temperature of venting as well as the voltage drop time. SEM/EDS analysis verifies that electrolyte evaporates faster under low pressure. Furthermore, the oxygen concentration is lower under low pressure, which consequently leads to a delay in thermal runaway. This study contributes to understanding thermal runaway characteristics of high-Ni ternary LIBs and provides guidance for their safe application in low-pressure aviation environments.

Polycaprolactone (PCL) implants in large animals show great promise for tracheal transplantation. However, the longest survival time achieved to date is only about three weeks. To meet clinical application standards, it is essential to extend the survival time and ensure the complete integration and functionality of the implant. Our study investigates the use of three-dimensional (3D)-printed, biodegradable, PCL-based tracheal grafts for large-scale porcine tracheal transplantation, assessing the feasibility and early structural integrity crucial for long-term survival experiments. A biodegradable PCL tracheal graft was fabricated using a BIOX bioprinter and transplanted into large-scale porcine models. The grafts, measuring 20 × 20 × 1.5 mm, were implanted following a 2 cm circumferential resection of the porcine trachea. The experiment design was traditionally implanted in eight porcines to replace four-ring tracheal segments, only two of which survived more than three months. Data were collected on the graft construction and clinical outcomes. The 3D-printed biosynthetic grafts replicated the native organ with high fidelity. The implantations were successful, without immediate complications. At two weeks, bronchoscopy revealed significant granulation tissue around the anastomosis, which was managed with laser ablation. The presence of neocartilage, neoglands, and partial epithelialization near the anastomosis was verified in the final pathology findings. Our study demonstrates in situ regenerative tissue growth with intact cartilage following transplantation, marked by neotissue formation on the graft’s exterior. The 90-day survival milestone was achieved due to innovative surgical strategies, reinforced with strap muscle attached to the distal trachea. Further improvements in graft design and granulation tissue management are essential to optimize outcomes.

Bacterial resistance to antibiotics can lead to long-lasting, hard-to-cure infections that pose significant threats to human health. One key mechanism of antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is to reduce the antibiotic permeation of cellular membranes. For instance, the lack of outer membrane porins (OMPs) can lead to elevated AMR levels. However, knowledge on whether mutations of OMPs can also influence antibiotic susceptibility is limited. This work aims to address this question and identified an A226D mutation in OmpC, a trimeric OMP, in Escherichia coli. Surveillance studies found that this mutation is present in 50 E. coli strains for which whole genomic sequences are available. Measurement of minimum inhibition concentrations (MICs) found that this mutation leads to a 2-fold decrease in MICs for β-lactams ampicillin and piperacillin. Further survival assays confirmed the role this mutation plays in β-lactam susceptibility. With molecular dynamics, we found that the A226D mutation led to increased overall flexibility of the protein, thus facilitating antibiotic uptake, and that binding with piperacillin was weakened, leading to easier antibiotic penetration. This work reports a novel mutation that plays a role in antibiotic susceptibility, along with mechanistic studies, and further confirms the role of OMPs in bacterial tolerance to antibiotics.

The magnesium ion is an essential cation in the human body and participates in numerous physiological activities. A deficiency in magnesium ions is closely associated with tumor development, and supplementation with magnesium ions has been shown to partially inhibit tumor growth. However, the specific mechanisms by which magnesium ions suppress tumor proliferation remain unclear. Currently, studies have revealed that mitochondria may serve as a crucial intermediate link in the regulation of tumors by magnesium ions. Mitochondria might intervene in the proliferation and invasion of tumor cells by modulating energy metabolism and oxidative stress levels. Regrettably, there has been no comprehensive review of the role of magnesium in cancer therapy to date. Therefore, this article provides a comprehensive scrutiny of the relationship between magnesium ions and tumors, aiming to offer insights for clinical tumor treatment strategies involving magnesium ion intervention.

Impact tests were implemented on concrete with five different types of rubber content utilizing a separated Hopkinson bar with a 50 mm diameter for investigating the mechanical performance of and damage variations in rubber concrete under the coupling effect of water content and impact load. The findings indicate that regular concrete is commonly stronger than rubber concrete, but rubber concrete has better plasticity. At the same time, with an increase in water content, the peak stress of rubber concrete increases gradually, among which RC-6-3 exhibits better mechanical behavior. Water content and rubber content have a significant influence on the fractal dimension of rubber concrete, showing that the fractal dimension is proportional to the amount of glue and inversely proportional to the water content, and RC-12-2 can be used to judge the damage degree of a specimen. As the content of water and rubber grows, so does the rate of energy use. The ratio of transmitted to incident energy decreases gradually as the rubber content increases and is enhanced as the water content is elevated. Among the specimens, tests on RC-9 resulted in the opposite conclusion. In the same water content state, there is a negative association between the content of rubber and the ratio of reflected energy to incident energy. In the natural state, RC-6 rubberized concrete exhibits a significant downward inflection point in the ratio of reflected energy to incident energy. Finally, based on the unified strength theory, a new damage constitutive model of rubber concrete is established and verified.

Demand response is an effective solution for balancing supply and demand in modern energy supply systems. For utility or load aggregators, it is important to accurately target potential consumers to participate in demand response programs to recruit a massive number of users. This is especially important for the invitation-based demand response mode, which is currently often used in China. In this paper, a portrait-based method is proposed to effectively identify potential consumers for different demand response tasks based on historical loads. Eight indicators are proposed to quantify the energy consumption characteristics from different aspects, and an evaluation method is introduced. Then, a selection method based on the K-means clustering algorithm and support vector machine classifiers is proposed. The method is tested under two scenarios, including load shifting and monthly peak shaving. The results show that the proposed method can identify potential users effectively, and the accuracy of the trained classification model exceeds 99.9%. The proposed portrait-based identification method provides an effective way to describe users’ energy consumption characteristics and select potential users effectively, which is very useful for helping the utility or virtual plant with load management.

Aim: Sphingolipids are a class of complex and bioactive lipids that are involved in the pathological processes of cardiovascular disease. Fabry disease is an X-linked storage disorder that results in the pathological accumulation of glycosphingolipids in body fluids and the heart. Cardiac dyssynchrony is observed in patients with Fabry disease and left ventricular (LV) hypertrophy. However, little information is available on the relationship between plasma sphingolipid metabolites and LV remodelling after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The purpose of this study was to assess whether the baseline plasma sphingomyelin/acid ceramidase (aCD) ratio predicts LV dyssynchrony at 6M after AMI. Methods: A total of 62 patients with AMI undergoing primary angioplasty were recruited. Plasma aCD and sphingomyelin were measured prior to primary angioplasty. Three-dimensional echocardiographic measurements of the systolic dyssynchrony index (SDI) were performed at baseline and 6 months of follow-up. The patients were divided into three groups according to the level of aCD and sphingomyelin above or below the median. Group 1 denotes lower aCD and lower sphingomyelin; Group 3 denotes higher aCD and higher sphingomyelin. Group 2 represents different categories of patients with aCD and sphingomyelin. Trend analysis showed a significant increase in the SDI from Group 1 to Group 3. Logistic regression analysis showed that the sphingomyelin/aCD ratio was a significant predictor of a worsening SDI at 6 months. Conclusions: AMI patients with high baseline plasma sphingomyelin/aCD ratios had a significantly increased SDI at six months. The sphingomyelin/aCD ratio can be considered as a surrogate marker of plasma ceramide load or inefficient ceramide metabolism. Plasma sphingolipid pathway metabolism may be a new biomarker for therapeutic intervention to prevent adverse remodelling after MI.

Probiotics and prebiotics have gained attention for their potential health benefits. However, their efficacy hinges on probiotic survival through the harsh gastrointestinal environment. Microencapsulation techniques provide a solution, with resistant starch (RS)-based techniques showing promise in maintaining probiotic viability. Specifically, RS-encapsulated probiotics significantly improved probiotic survival in gastric acid, bile salts, and simulated intestinal conditions. This study investigated the effects of a resistant-starch-encapsulated probiotic cocktail (RS-Pro) in the context of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) chemotherapy, which frequently induces microbiota dysbiosis and intestinal mucositis. Female BALB/c mice were divided into three groups: a 5-FU group, a 5-FU+Pro group receiving free probiotics, and a 5-FU+RS-Pro group receiving RS-encapsulated probiotics. After 28 days of treatment, analyses were conducted on fecal microbiota, intestinal histology, peripheral blood cell counts, and body and organ weights. It was revealed by 16S rRNA MiSeq sequencing that 5-FU treatment disrupted gut microbiota composition, reduced microbial diversity, and caused dysbiosis. RS-Pro treatment restored microbial diversity and increased the population of beneficial bacteria, such as Muribaculaceae, which play roles in carbohydrate and polyphenol metabolism. Furthermore, 5-FU administration induced moderate intestinal mucositis, characterized by reduced cellularity and shortened villi. However, RS-Pro treatment attenuated 5-FU-induced intestinal damage, preserving villus length. Mild leukopenia observed in the 5-FU-treated mice was partially alleviated in 5-FU+Pro and 5-FU+RS-Pro groups. These findings suggest that RS-Pro may serve as an adjunct to chemotherapy, potentially reducing adverse effects and improving therapeutic outcomes in future clinical applications.

Energy storage efficiency (η) and large recoverable energy density (Wre) are necessary for antiferroelectric materials in order to develop antiferroelectric-based dielectric capacitors with exceptional energy storage capacity. In the present paper, the effect of doping La3+ on the energy storage capacity of Pb1−xLax(Hf0.45Sn0.55)0.995O3 antiferroelectric ceramics was studied. Adjusting the content of La and changing the phase structure of PLHS from antiferroelectric to relaxor ferroelectric gradually, which narrowed its hysteresis loop, yielded a high energy storage efficiency of 81.9% and the maximum breakdown field strength of 200 kV/cm when x = 2 mol%. In addition, the recoverable energy density and energy storage efficiency both showed excellent temperature stability and frequency stability in the temperature range of 10–110 °C and the frequency range of 10–100 Hz, suggesting that Pb0.98La0.02(Hf0.45Sn0.55)0.995O3 are favorable materials candidates for the preparation of pulsed-power capacitors that can be used in a wide range of conditions.

The distinct clinical and radiological characteristics of right temporal variant FTD have only been recently recognized. Methods: Eight patients with right temporal variant FTD were prospectively recruited and underwent a standardised neuropsychological assessment, clinical MRI, and quantitative neuroimaging. Results: Our voxelwise grey analyses captured bilateral anterior and mesial temporal grey matter atrophy with a clear right-sided predominance. Bilateral hippocampal involvement was also observed, as well as disease burden in the right insular and opercula regions. White matter integrity alterations were also bilateral in anterior temporal and sub-insular regions with a clear right-hemispheric predominance. Extra-temporal white matter alterations have also been observed in orbitofrontal and parietal regions. Significant bilateral but right-predominant thalamus, putamen, hippocampus, and amygdala atrophy was identified based on subcortical segmentation. The clinical profile of our patients was dominated by progressive indifference, decline in motivation, loss of interest in previously cherished activities, incremental social withdrawal, difficulty recognising people, progressive language deficits, increasingly rigid routines, and repetitive behaviours. Conclusions: Right temporal variant FTD has an insidious onset and may be mistaken for depression at symptom onset. It manifests in a combination of apathy, language, and behavioural features. Quantitative MR imaging captures a characteristic bilateral but right-predominant temporal imaging signature with extra-temporal frontal and parietal involvement.

We aim to explore the possible association between ovarian cancer and the subsequent development of open-angle glaucoma (OAG) using the Taiwan Longitudinal Health Insurance Database (LHID) 2000. A retrospective cohort study was executed, and individuals with ovarian cancer were enrolled and age-matched (with a 1:4 ratio) to non-ovarian cancer individuals. A total of 4990 and 19,960 patients were put into the ovarian cancer and control groups. The main outcome was the presence of OAG according to the LHID 2000 codes. The Cox proportional hazard regression was adopted to demonstrate the adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) of OAG between the ovarian cancer and control groups. There were a total of 241 and 1029 OAG cases observed in the ovarian cancer group and the control group, respectively. The incidence of OAG was significantly higher in the ovarian cancer group than in the control group according to multivariable analysis (aHR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.02–1.37, p = 0.022). The ovarian cancer patients older than 60 years showed a significantly higher risk of OAG compared to the non-ovarian cancer individuals of the same age (aHR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.16–1.63, p = 0.001). Additionally, ovarian cancer individuals with a disease interval of more than two years presented a significantly higher incidence of OAG than the non-ovarian cancer group (p < 0.05). In conclusion, ovarian cancer positively correlates with a high rate of subsequent OAG, especially in elderly persons with a long disease interval.

The regional source–grid–load friendly interaction and precision regulation of adjustable resources with high sensitivity provide important support for the development of a new power system, improving its regulation ability and efficiency and promoting the safe, efficient, and reliable operation. Therefore, a precision regulation strategy for a regional source–grid–load friendly interaction based on a double-layer sensitivity model is proposed in this paper. Firstly, from the two perspectives of power grid-application requirements and power node-adjustable resources, the overall implementation process of the double-layer sensitivity analysis method is described, and the layered logic architecture of the precision regulation platform for regional source–grid–load friendly interaction is constructed in order to realize and apply the proposed double-layer sensitivity model and precision-regulation strategy. Secondly, the first-layer power transmission line-sensitivity analysis model is proposed for the power grid side to obtain the power transmission line-sensitivity matrix. A fine-grained second-layer adjustable resources sensitivity-analysis model is further established for the diversified adjustable resource aggregated under the power node to complete the quantitative ranking of adjustable resource-regulation sensitivity. Then, the application process of double-layer sensitivity analysis results is designed in detail, and the regulation sequence and regulation quantity of source and load are defined. Finally, taking a power system with seven lines, five power nodes, two power sources, and seven types of adjustable resources as an example, the effectiveness and rationality of the proposed model and strategy are verified. The results indicate that the proposed precise regulation strategy can accurately select high-sensitivity power nodes and effectively sort high-sensitivity adjustable resources when solving the multiple scenarios’ application needs of power grids.

Steamed bread is a traditional staple food in China, and it has gradually become loved by people all over the world because of its healthy production methods. With the improvement in people’s living standards, the light flavor of steamed bread fermented by single yeast cannot meet people’s needs. Multi-strain co-fermentation is a feasible way to improve the flavor of steamed bread. Here, the dynamic change profiles of volatile substances in steamed bread co-fermented by Saccharomyces cerevisiae SQJ20 and Wickerhamomyces anomalus GZJ2 were analyzed using the electronic nose (E-nose) and headspace solid-phase microextraction combined with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC-MS). The five detectors of the E-nose rapidly detected the changes in volatile substances in different dough or steamed bread with the highest response value in co-fermented dough. A total of 236 volatile substances were detected in all the samples using HS-SPME-GC-MS, and alcohols were the most variable component, especially Phenylethyl alcohol. Significantly, more alcohols and esters were upregulated in co-fermented dough, and the addition of W. anomalus GZJ2 improved the key volatile aroma compounds of steamed bread using the relative odor activity value method (ROAV), especially the aldehydes and alcohols. Moreover, these key volatile aroma compounds can be quickly distinguished using the W2S detector of the E-nose, which can be used for the rapid detection of aroma components in steamed bread.

(1) Background: Mianning ham is a dry-cured ham from Southwest China, known for its distinct regional characteristics and delicious taste. It is particularly favored by consumers due to its safety, as no artificial nitrites are added during processing. The microbial changes during its different processing stages significantly influence the final product’s flavor. This study aims to investigate the changes in microbial communities and flavor compounds across the nine stages of Mianning ham production, from raw material preparation to salting, drying, fermentation, and maturation, using 16S and ITS sequencing, as well as solid-phase microextraction–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS). The goal is to explore the correlation between these changes and provide a basis for process improvement from the initial raw material preparation. (2) Results: The microbiota of Mianning ham across different processing stages mainly consisted of Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, and Ascomycota. A total of 324 volatile compounds were identified, of which 27 were key contributors to the ham’s flavor. Aldehydes contributed the most to flavor, with octanal, trans-2-nonenal, and trans, trans-2,4-decadienal being the most significant contributors at various stages. Mature Mianning ham, fermented for 1–3 years, exhibited fresh grass and earthy aromas, buttery and fatty flavors, and a distinctive roasted potato note. Correlation analysis revealed that Cobetia was the primary bacterial contributor to the main flavor compounds, especially prominent in the second year of fermentation. Among fungi, Yamadazyma and Aspergillus positively influenced several key aldehyde flavor compounds throughout the processing stages, significantly contributing to the flavor profile of Mianning ham. (3) Conclusions: Correlation analysis showed that the Mianning ham that matured for two years had the richest and most characteristic flavor. The positive and consistent impact of fungi on the ham’s flavor suggests that they may warrant further research and application in Mianning ham production. This provides a theoretical basis for improving the flavor quality and enhancing the market competitiveness of Mianning ham. One of the key features of Mianning ham is its substantial accumulation of hydrocarbons, which surpasses that of hams from other regions in China. A notable characteristic of Mianning ham processing is the absence of artificially added nitrites as antioxidants and color fixatives. Whether this absence is a contributing factor to the significant accumulation of hydrocarbons warrants further investigation.

To further develop Liupao tea products and enhance their flavor, this study investigated the effects of different fermentation methods on the aroma quality of Liupao tea. The aroma quality of Liupao tea was comprehensively analyzed using HS-SPME in combination with GC-Q-TOF-MS, electronic nose, and sensory evaluations. Electronic nose detection showed that the aroma fingerprints of Liupao tea samples with different fermentation methods were different. Sulfides, alcohols, ketones, and methyls were the main aroma categories affecting the aroma of the four groups of Liupao tea samples. GC-Q-TOF-MS analysis revealed significant differences in the composition of aroma components among the four fermentation methods of Liupao tea (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the total amount of aroma compounds was found to be highest in the group subjected to hot fermentation combined with the inoculation of Monascus purpureus (DMl group). Based on the OPLS-DA model, candidate differential aroma components with VIP > 1 were identified, and characteristic aroma compounds were selected based on OAV > 10. The key characteristic aroma compounds shared by the four groups of samples were 1,2,3-Trimethoxybenzene with a stale aroma and nonanal with floral and fruity aromas. The best sensory evaluation results were obtained for the DMl group, and its key characteristic aroma compounds mainly included 1,2,3-Trimethoxybenzene, nonanal, and cedrol. The results of this study can guide the development of Liupao tea products and process optimization.

Although collective forest tenure reform (CFTR) has improved the legal tenure security of forestland, its impact on increasing farmers’ income is unsustainable. This study used a multiple linear regression model to empirically analyze data from 505 farmers in Jiangxi Province, examining the impact of legal, actual, and perceived tenure security on rural household income, and incorporating migration into the framework. The findings indicate that both actual and perceived tenure security have a substantial positive impact on the total rural household income and forestry income. However, it is worth noting that legal tenure security only has a positive effect on forestry income. Furthermore, outside-of-county labor migration can serve as a mediator for the income effects of actual and perceived tenure security. However, the mediating effect of intra-county labor migration is not considerable. The study found that the increase in income due to the security of actual tenure security is significant for the group of people who own less than 50 mu of forestland. However, both actual and perceived tenure security have a significant impact on income for the group of people who own more than 50 mu of forestland. The aforementioned findings indicate that, in the ongoing extensive advancement of collective forest right reform, it is crucial to prioritize the execution of forest reform policies at the local level and enhance farmers’ awareness and comprehension of said policies. In addition, the government should enhance the monitoring system for policy implementation and intensify efforts in publicizing these policies, in order to fully utilize the benefits of CFTR.

The forest musk deer (Moschus berezovskii) is a national Class I protected wild animal in China, and the IUCN Red list classifies it as globally endangered. It has significant value in traditional Chinese medicine and spices. However, wild M. berezovskii has faced a severe population decline due to human hunting, habitat loss, and fragmentation. Thus, studying its population size and distribution pattern is of great importance to develop effective conservation measures. Here, we determined the optimal MaxEnt model and used stratified sampling and the fecal pile counting method to predict the population size and potential habitat distribution of wild M. berezovskii in Chongqing using 133 species distribution points and 28 environmental variables. The results were as follows: (1) When the optimal model parameters were RM = 3.5 and FC = LQHPT, it had high model prediction accuracy (AUC = 0.909 ± 0.010, TSS = 0.663). (2) Under various climatic, topographic, vegetation, and anthropogenic disturbance scenarios, M. berezovskii was primarily distributed in northern, eastern, southwestern regions of Chongqing, covering an area of approximately 5562.80 km2. (3) The key environmental factors affecting the potential habitat distribution of M. berezovskii were elevation (36.5%), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI, 16.6%), slope (11.8%), and land-use type (7.6%), whereas climate and anthropogenic disturbance factors had relatively little influence. (4) A population estimation for M. berezovskii identified approximately 928 ± 109 individuals in Chongqing. We recommend prioritizing the preservation of high-altitude habitats and native vegetation to mitigate human interference and minimize road damage. In summary, our results can enhance the understanding of M. berezovskii distribution and provide a basis for effective conservation and management initiatives.

Spodoptera frugiperda poses a severe threat to crops, causing substantial economic losses. The increased use of chemical pesticides has led to resistance in S. frugiperda populations. Micro ribonucleic acids (MicroRNAs or miRNAs) are pivotal in insect growth and development. This study aims to identify miRNAs across different developmental stages of S. frugiperda to explore differential expression and predict target gene functions. High-throughput sequencing of miRNAs was conducted on eggs, 3rd instar larvae, pupae, and adults. Bioinformatics analyses identified differentially expressed miRNAs specifically in larvae, with candidate miRNAs screened to predict target genes, particularly those involved in detoxification pathways. A total of 184 known miRNAs and 209 novel miRNAs were identified across stages. Comparative analysis revealed 54, 15, and 18 miRNAs differentially expressed in larvae, compared to egg, pupa, and adult stages, respectively. Eight miRNAs showed significant differential expression across stages, validated by quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR). Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes enrichment analyses predicted target genes’ functions, identifying eight differentially expressed miRNAs targeting 10 gene families associated with detoxification metabolism, including P450s, glutathione S-transferase (GSTs), ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters, and sodium channels. These findings elucidate the species-specific miRNA profiles and regulatory mechanisms of detoxification-related genes in S. frugiperda larvae, offering insights and strategies for effectively managing this pest.

Background: The level of the regulator of G-protein signaling 4-1 (RGS4-1) isoform, the longest RGS4 isoform, is significantly reduced in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) of people with schizophrenia. However, the mechanism behind this has not been clarified. The 3′untranslated regions (3′UTRs) are known to regulate the levels of their mRNA splice variants. Methods: We constructed recombinant pmir-GLO vectors with a truncated 3′ regulatory region of the RGS4 gene (3R1, 3R2, 3R3, 3R4, 3R5, and 3R6). The dual-luciferase reporter assay was conducted to find functional regions in HEK-293, SK-N-SH, and U87cells and then predicted miRNA binding to these regions. We performed a dual-luciferase reporter assay and a Western blot analysis after transiently transfecting the predicted miRNAs. Results: The dual-luciferase reporter assay found that regions +401–+789, +789–+1152, and +1562–+1990 (with the last base of the termination codon being +1) might be functional regions. Hsa-miR-874-3p, associated with many psychiatric disorders, might target the +789–+1152 region in the 3′UTR of the RGS4 gene. In the dual-luciferase reporter assay, the hsa-miR-874-3p mimic, co-transfected with 3R1, down-regulated the relative fluorescence intensities. However, this was reversed when the hsa-miR-874-3p mimic was co-transfected with m3R1 (deletion of +853–+859). The hsa-miR-874-3p mimic significantly decreased the endogenous expression of the RGS4-1 isoform in HEK-293 cells. Conclusions: Hsa-miR-874-3p inhibits the expression of the RGS4-1 isoform by targeting +853–+859.

Autistic spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disability characterised by the impairment of social interaction and communication ability. The alarming increase in its prevalence in children urged researchers to obtain a better understanding of the causes of this disease. Genetic factors are considered to be crucial, as ASD has a tendency to run in families. In recent years, with technological advances, the importance of structural variations (SVs) in ASD began to emerge. Most of these studies, however, focus on the Caucasian population. As a populated ethnicity, ASD shall be a significant health issue in China. This systematic review aims to summarise current case-control studies of SVs associated with ASD in the Chinese population. A list of genes identified in the nine included studies is provided. It also reveals that similar research focusing on other genetic backgrounds is demanded to manifest the disease etiology in different ethnic groups, and assist the development of accurate ethnic-oriented genetic diagnosis.

Milking methods have significant impacts on the microbiological composition, which could affect the quality of raw buffalo milk. Hence, the current study was conducted on the impact of milking methods on microorganisms in buffalo tank raw milk from 15 farms in Guangxi, China. The farms were divided into two groups based on the milking method: mechanical milking (MM, n = 6) and hand milking (HM, n = 9). Somatic cell counts, bacterial cell counts and nutrients of the raw buffalo milk samples were analyzed. The comparison of raw buffalo milk samples was analyzed using metagenomic sequencing to detect any differences between the two groups. There was no significant difference in the basic nutritional compositions and somatic cell count of raw buffalo milk between the two milking methods. However, the HM samples had significantly higher bacterial counts and diversity compared to the MM samples. The results showed that Staphylococcus spp., Klebsiella spp., Streptococcus spp., and Pseudomonas spp. were the major microbes present in canned raw buffalo milk. However, the differences between the two milking methods were the relative abundance of core microorganisms and their potential mastitis-causing genera, including the content of antibiotic-resistance genes and virulence genes. Our study revealed that Staphylococcus spp. and Streptococcus spp. were significantly more abundant in the MM group, while Klebsiella spp. was more abundant in the HM group. Regardless of the milking method used, Pseudomonas spp. was identified as the primary genus contributing to antibiotic resistance and virulence genes in canned raw buffalo milk. These findings affirm that there are differences in the microbial and genomic levels in canned raw milk. To prove the functional roles of the discovered genes and how these genes affect milk quality, further research and experimental validation are necessary.

This study investigated the effects of oral nutritional supplements (ONSs) along with dietary counseling (DC) in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition. In this randomized controlled trial, 196 older adults who were at risk of malnutrition, as identified by the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool (MUST) were randomly assigned to receive ONSs twice daily with DC (intervention) or DC-only (control) for 60 days. Primary outcome was change in body weight from baseline to day 60. Nutritional status, energy, and macronutrient intakes were measured. A significant larger weight gain was observed in the intervention compared to the control from baseline to day 60 (1.50 ± 0.22 kg, p < 0.0001). The intervention group also showed a significantly greater increase in weight at day 30 (p < 0.0001). Intakes of energy and macronutrients were significantly higher in the intervention group compared to the control group at both days 30 and 60 (all p < 0.0001). The odds of achieving better nutritional status were significantly higher in the intervention group than in the control group (OR:3.9, 95% CI: 1.9, 8.2, p = 0.0001). ONS supplementation combined with DC significantly improved body weight and nutritional outcomes in community-dwelling older adults at risk of malnutrition.

Background: Methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) is a global health problem. Studies have shown Tai Chi is a potential treatment for MUD. We aimed to explore the effectiveness of Tai Chi in improving drug cravings, attention bias, and physical fitness in men with MUD compared with aerobic exercise. Methods: A total of forty-eight participants (mean age 39.1 ± 8.7 years) were randomly assigned to either the Tai Chi group (TC) or the running group (RG). The TC performed 60 min of moderate-intensity (65–75% HRmax) Tai Chi exercise three times a week. The RG performed 60 min of moderate-intensity (65–75% HRmax) running on a treadmill three times a week. Before and after the intervention, drug cravings, attention bias, and physical fitness were evaluated. Results: After 12 weeks, we found the TC significantly improved in attention bias (F (1, 43) = 6.023, p = 0.019, d = −0.42) and reaction time (F (1, 43) = 6.181, p = 0.017, d = −0.72). No significant improvement was found in other variables in the TC, compared to the RG (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The 12-week Tai Chi intervention improved attention bias and reaction time, compared to RG. Tai Chi exercise might be a potential auxiliary method for the rehabilitation for men with MUD.

Normal root growth is essential for the plant uptake of soil nutrients and water. However, exogenous H2O2 inhibits the gravitropic growth of pea primary roots. It has been shown that CaCl2 application can alleviate H2O2 inhibition, but the exact alleviation mechanism is not clear. Therefore, the present study was carried out by combining the transcriptome and metabolome with a view to investigate in depth the mechanism of action of exogenous CaCl2 to alleviate the inhibition of pea primordial root gravitropism by H2O2. The results showed that the addition of CaCl2 (10 mmol·L−1) under H2O2 stress (150 mmol·L−1) significantly increased the H2O2 and starch content, decreased peroxidase (POD) activity, and reduced the accumulation of sugar metabolites and lignin in pea primary roots. Down-regulated genes regulating peroxidase, respiratory burst oxidase, and lignin synthesis up-regulated PGM1, a key gene for starch synthesis, and activated the calcium and phytohormone signaling pathways. In summary, 10 mmol·L−1 CaCl2 could alleviate H2O2 stress by modulating the oxidative stress response, signal transduction, and starch and lignin accumulation within pea primary roots, thereby promoting root gravitropism. This provides new insights into the mechanism by which CaCl2 promotes the gravitropism of pea primary roots under H2O2 treatment.

Allergic rhinitis (AR) is a series of allergic reactions to allergens in the nasal mucosa and is one of the most common allergic diseases that affect both children and adults. Shi-Bi-Lin (SBL) is the modified formula of Cang Er Zi San (CEZS), a traditional Chinese herbal formula used for treating AR. Our study aims to elucidate the anti-inflammatory effects and mechanisms of SBL in house dust mite-induced AR by regulating gut microflora metabolism. In vivo studies showed that nasal allergies and the infiltration of inflammatory cells in the nasal epithelium were significantly suppressed by SBL. Moreover, SBL restored the impaired nasal epithelial barrier function with an increased tight junction protein expression and reduced the endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS). Interestingly, SBL significantly reconstituted the abundance and composition of gut microbiota in AR mice; it increased the relative abundance of potentially beneficial genera and decreased the relative abundance of harmful genera. SBL also restored immune-related metabolisms, which were significantly increased and correlated with suppressing inflammatory cytokines. Furthermore, a network analysis and molecular docking indicated IL-6 was a possible target drug candidate for the SBL treatment. SBL dramatically reduced the IL-6 level in the nasal lavage fluid (NALF), suppressing the IL-6 downstream Erk1/2 and AKT/PI3K signaling pathways. In conclusion, our study integrates 16S rRNA sequencing, microflora metabolism, and network pharmacology to explain the immune mechanism of SBL in alleviating HDM-induced allergic rhinitis.