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Abstract Background Polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHAs) are optimal potential materials for industrial and medical uses, characterized by exceptional sustainability, biodegradability, and biocompatibility. These are primarily from various bacteria and archaea. Bacterial strains with effective PHA formation capabilities and minimal production cost form the foundation for PHA production. Detailed genomic analysis of these PHA-generating bacteria is vital to understand their PHA production pathways and enhance their synthesis capability. Results ZZQ-149, a halophilic, PHA-producing bacterium, was isolated from the sediment of China’s Qinghai Lake. Here, we decoded the full genome of ZZQ-149 using Single Molecule Real Time (SMRT) technology based on PacBio RS II platform, coupled with Illumina sequencing platforms. Physiological, chemotaxonomic traits, and phylogenetic analysis based on 16 S rRNA gene and single copy core genes of ninety-nine Halomonas type strains identified ZZQ-149 as the type strain of Halomonas qinghailakensis. Furthermore, a low average nucleotide identity (ANI,

Abstract African swine fever (ASF) is a highly fatal hemorrhagic disease affecting domestic pigs caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Genetic analysis of ASFV isolates to date has identified 24 geographically related genotypes with various subgroups, but only genotype I and II ASFVs have been reported outside Africa. ASFV genotype II and genotype I viruses were reported in China in 2018 and 2021, respectively. In this study, unique and highly conserved noncoding regions were found between MGF_505-9R and MGF_505-10R in the 188 genomes of ASFV genotypes I and II. A pair of primers was designed on the basis of this region. By optimizing the reaction system and conditions, a SYBR Green I fluorescence PCR assay that can distinguish between ASFV genotypes I and II was established, and the sensitivity, reproducibility and specificity were evaluated. The detection limit was 1 TCID50/0.1 mL for both genotypes, with no cross-reactivity observed with other common pig pathogens. The intra- and interbatch variation coefficients were both less than 1.2%. Clinical sample detection analysis revealed 47 positive cases out of 100, including 3 for genotype I and 44 for genotype II, aligning with results from the WOAH-recommended and national standard methods. The method developed in this study allows for the differentiation of ASFV genotypes I and II without the need for genome sequencing, offering a convenient and rapid approach for ASFV detection and genotype identification.

Rhododendron is famous for its high ornamental value. However, the genus is taxonomically difficult and the relationships within Rhododendron remain unresolved. In addition, the origin of key morphological characters with high horticulture value need to be explored. Both problems largely hinder utilization of germplasm resources. Most studies attempted to disentangle the phylogeny of Rhododendron, but only used a few genomic markers and lacked large-scale sampling, resulting in low clade support and contradictory phylogenetic signals. Here, we used restriction-site associated DNA sequencing (RAD-seq) data and morphological traits for 144 species of Rhododendron, representing all subgenera and most sections and subsections of this species-rich genus, to decipher its intricate evolutionary history and reconstruct ancestral state. Our results revealed high resolutions at subgenera and section levels of Rhododendron based on RAD-seq data. Both optimal phylogenetic tree and split tree recovered five lineages among Rhododendron. Subg. Therorhodion (clade I) formed the basal lineage. Subg. Tsutsusi and Azaleastrum formed clade II and had sister relationships. Clade III included all scaly rhododendron species. Subg. Pentanthera (clade IV) formed a sister group to Subg. Hymenanthes (clade V). The results of ancestral state reconstruction showed that Rhododendron ancestor was a deciduous woody plant with terminal inflorescence, ten stamens, leaf blade without scales and broadly funnelform corolla with pink or purple color. This study shows significant distinguishability to resolve the evolutionary history of Rhododendron based on high clade support of phylogenetic tree constructed by RAD-seq data. It also provides an example to resolve discordant signals in phylogenetic trees and demonstrates the application feasibility of RAD-seq with large amounts of missing data in deciphering intricate evolutionary relationships. Additionally, the reconstructed ancestral state of six important characters provides insights into the innovation of key characters in Rhododendron.

This study explores the role of disulfidptosis in monocytes and its relation to postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMOP). Using single-cell RNA sequencing and microarray assays, we identified key genes: LONRF1, ACAP2, IPO9, and PGRMC2. Through differential analysis, Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA), and machine learning, these genes were linked to PMOP. Functional enrichment and ROC curve analysis demonstrated their effectiveness in distinguishing postmenopausal fracture patients from healthy individuals. Notably, PGRMC2 exhibited significant expression differences, highlighted by a notable Area Under the Curve (AUC) value of 0.665. Further investigation involved Western blotting and immunohistochemical assays, revealing decreased PGRMC2 expression in ovariectomized (OVX) mice. This decrease was consistent across both experimental methods, emphasizing PGRMC2's role in PMOP. Moreover, PGRMC2 was predominantly present in macrophages compared to monocytes within bone tissue and was significantly located in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in PMOP patients. It was also abundantly found in osteoblasts and adipocytes. Additionally, a Mendelian randomization analysis using the TwoSampleMR R package, with data from decode and GWAS databases, was conducted. This analysis showed a significant impact of PGRMC2 on osteoporosis risk (p = 0.0048, OR = 0.6836), suggesting a potential protective effect against the disease. Our results suggest that PGRMC2 may facilitate the differentiation of monocytes into macrophages in bone tissue, influencing the behavior of BM-MSCs. This, in turn, could impact the progression and severity of PMOP. The study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying postmenopausal osteoporosis and highlights the potential of PGRMC2 as a therapeutic target or biomarker for this condition.

Detectors capable of resolving the number of photons are essential in many applications, ranging from classic photonics to quantum optics and quantum communication. In particular, photon-number-resolving detectors based on arrays of superconducting nanostrips can offer a high detection efficiency, a low dark count rate, and a recovery time of a few nanoseconds. In this work, we use a detector of this kind for the unbiased generation of random numbers by following two different methods based on the detection of photons. In the former, we exploit the property that the light is equally distributed on each strip of the entire detector, whereas in the latter, we exploit the fact that, for a high average number of photons, the parity of the Poisson distribution of the number of photons emitted by the laser tends to be zero. In addition, since these two methods are independent, it is possible to use them at the same time.

Text sentiment analysis is an important task in natural language processing and has always been a hot research topic. However, in low-resource regions such as South Asia, where languages like Bengali are widely used, the research interest is relatively low compared to high-resource regions due to limited computational resources, flexible word order, and high inflectional nature of the language. With the development of quantum technology, quantum machine learning models leverage the superposition property of qubits to enhance model expressiveness and achieve faster computation compared to classical systems. To promote the development of quantum machine learning in low-resource language domains, we propose a quantum–classical hybrid architecture. This architecture utilizes a pretrained multilingual bidirectional encoder representations from transformer (BERT) model to obtain vector representations of words and combines the proposed batch upload quantum recurrent neural network (BUQRNN) and parameter nonshared batch upload quantum recurrent neural network (PN-BUQRNN) as feature extraction models for sentiment analysis in Bengali. Our numerical results demonstrate that the proposed BUQRNN structure achieves a maximum accuracy improvement of 0.993% in Bengali text classification tasks while reducing average model complexity by 12%. The PN-BUQRNN structure surpasses the BUQRNN structure once again and outperforms classical architectures in certain tasks.

The Pleistocene sediments of Nihewan Basin in NE China are intensively studied since ca. 100 years because of its rich mammalian fossil record and abundant stone-artifact-bearing layers. To better understand the mechanisms underlying past climate and environmental changes in the basin, three sediment sections at the Dachangliang location were investigated using a multi-proxy toolbox of sedimentological, magnetic susceptibility (MS) and micropalaeontological analyses. The exposed sediments are lithologically mostly relatively homogeneous, with grain sizes in a relatively small range. However, variations in colour, bedding structures, concentrations of magnetic minerals and the ostracod assemblage were used to correlate the three sections to form the synthetic NH-T section of 86.2-m total length. The sediments mainly represent varicoloured silt of probably reworked loess deposits, partially interbedded with fine sand layers and minor contributions of clay particles. These sediments are interpreted to have accumulated in wetlands alternating with deposition on an alluvial plain, and with a lacustrine setting which probably existed from time to time. These different depositional settings are expressed in the three dominant fine to coarse silt-sized components and the ostracod-assemblage changes (mostly Limnocythere flexa, Ilyocypris spp. and Leucocythere sp.). The recorded ostracods of laterally apparently consistent white marl beds (dominantly Cytherissa lacustris) were used to stratigraphically correlate these sections. The resulting NH-T section was further correlated with the three proximal artefact-bearing sections Majuangou, Banshan and Xiantai which have published magnetostratigraphic data. The correlation shows that the investigated sedimentary sequence was probably formed between ca. 1.7 and 0.9 Ma. The relatively continuous synthetic sequence NH-T represents three main wetter periods with three intervening drier intervals, possibly synchronous with interglacial (S23-S20, S15-S13 and S10-S9) and glacial (L20-L18, L17-L16 and L13-L11) periods which were previously inferred from the palaeoclimatic records of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) in the SW of the Nihewan Basin.

Abstract Background Studies have examined the effect of weight change on osteoporosis, but the results were controversial. Among them, few had looked at weight change over the life span. This study aimed to fill this gap and investigate the association between lifetime body mass index (BMI) trajectories and bone loss. Methods In this cross-sectional study, participants at age 50 and above were selected from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2005–2018. Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry was used to measure the bone mineral density at the femoral neck and lumbar spine. Standard BMI criteria were used, with

To address the issues of low visibility, poor real-time performance, and weak interaction capabilities in the operation of magnetic levitation circular knitting needles, an online monitoring method based on digital twin technology for magnetic levitation knitting needles is proposed. This method first conducts an in-depth analysis of the digital twin five-dimensional model of the magnetic levitation knitting needle to monitor the operational status of the equipment in real time. Additionally, an online monitoring system based on the Unity3D engine and a digital twin-based architecture for magnetic levitation knitting needles are designed. On this basis, the comprehensive monitoring, operation, and maintenance of the magnetic levitation knitting needles are achieved through the design of virtual models, visual interfaces, and real-time data acquisition and driving technology. Finally, this method takes a 5-inch 32-needle magnetic levitation circular knitting machine as the application research object. By analyzing the movement trajectory and real-time current feedback data of the three working positions of the magnetic levitation knitting needles, the rationality, effectiveness, and accuracy of the proposed method and model are demonstrated, achieving online monitoring of the magnetic levitation knitting needles and reflecting the full lifecycle process of the magnetic levitation knitting needles.

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common disorder without effective therapy yet. Renal ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) injury is a common cause of AKI. MicroRNA miR-192-5p has been previously reported to be upregulated in AKI models. However, its functional role in renal I/R injury is not fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the effects and the underlying mechanism of miR-192-5p in renal I/R progression. Hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R)-induced cell injury model in HK-2 cells and I/R-induced renal injury model in mice were established in this study. Cell counting kit-8 assay was performed to determine cell viability. Quantitative real-time PCR and western blot analysis were performed to detect gene expressions. Hematoxylin-eosin and periodic acid-Schiff staining were performed to observe the histopathological changes. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed to detect the kidney markers’ expression. In vivo and in vitro results showed that miR-192-5p was up-regulated in the I/R-induced mice model and H/R-induced cell model, and miR-192-5p overexpression exacerbated I/R-induced renal damage. Then, the downstream target of miR-192-5p was analyzed by combining the differentially expressed mRNAs and the predicted genes and confirmed using a dual-luciferase reporter assay. It was found that miR-192-5p was found to regulate fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) protein expression by directly targeting the 3’ untranslated region of FTO mRNA. Moreover, in vivo and in vitro studies unveiled that FTO overexpression alleviated renal I/R injury and promoted HK-2 cell viability via stimulating autophagy flux. In conclusion, miR-192-5p aggravated I/R-induced renal injury by blocking autophagy flux via down-regulating FTO.

Abstract The properly applied pressure between the skin and hemostasis devices is an essential parameter for preventing bleeding and postoperative complications after a transradial procedure. However, this parameter is usually controlled based on the subjective judgment of doctors, which might cause insufficient hemostatic effect or thrombosis. Here this study develops a compact and wireless sensing system for continuously monitoring the pressure applied on the radial artery and wrist skin in clinical practice. A liquid metal (LM)‐based all‐soft pressure sensor is fabricated to enable conformal attachment between the device and skin even under large deformation conditions. The linear sensitivity of 0.007 kPa−1 among the wide pressure range of 0–100 kPa is achieved and the real‐time detection data can be wirelessly transmitted to mobile clients as a reference pressure value. With these devices, detailed pressure data can be collected, analyzed, and stored for medical assistance as well as to improve surgery quality.

The T2/RNase gene family is widespread in eukaryotes, and particular members of this family play critical roles in the gametophytic self-incompatibility (GSI) system in plants. Wild diploid strawberry (Fragaria) species have diversified their sexual systems via self-incompatible and self-compatible traits, yet how these traits evolved in Fragaria remains elusive. By integrating the published and de novo assembled genomes and the newly generated RNA-seq data, members of the RNase T2 gene family were systematically identified in six Fragaria species, including three self-incompatible species (Fragaria nipponica, Fragaria nubicola, and Fragaria viridis) and three self-compatible species (Fragaria nilgerrensis, Fragaria vesca, and Fragaria iinumae). In total, 115 RNase T2 genes were identified in the six Fragaria genomes and can be classified into three classes (I–III) according to phylogenetic analysis. The identified RNase T2 genes could be divided into 22 homologous gene sets according to amino acid sequence similarity and phylogenetic and syntenic relationships. We found that extensive gene loss and pseudogenization coupled with small-scale duplications mainly accounted for variations in the RNase T2 gene numbers in Fragaria. Multiple copies of homologous genes were mainly generated from tandem and segmental duplication events. Furthermore, we newly identified five S-RNase genes in three self-incompatible Fragaria genomes, including two in F. nipponica, two in F. viridis, and one in F. nubicola, which fit for typical features of a pistil determinant, including highly pistil-specific expression, highly polymorphic proteins and alkaline isoelectric point (pI), while no S-RNase genes were found in all three self-compatible Fragaria species. Surprisingly, these T2/S-RNase genes contain at least one large intron (>10 kb). This study revealed that the rapid evolution of T2/S-RNase genes within the Fragaria genus could be associated with its sexual mode, and repeated evolution of the self-compatible traits in Fragaria was convergent via losses of S-RNase.

Liquid metal (LM) is widely used in flexible electronic devices due to its excellent metallic conductivity and ductility. However, the fabrication of LM flexible strain sensors with high sensitivity and linearity is still a huge challenge, since the resistance of LM does not change much with strain. Here, a highly sensitive and linear fully flexible strain sensor with a resistive sensing function is proposed. The sensor comprises an Fe-doped liquid metal (Fe-LM) electrode for enhanced performance. The design and manufacturing of flexible strain sensors are based on the technology of controlling surface wettability by femtosecond laser micro/nano-processing. A supermetalphobic microstructure is constructed on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate to achieve the selection adhesion of Fe-LM on the PDMS substrate. The Fe-LM-based flexible strain sensor has high sensitivity and linearity, a gauge factor (GF) up to 1.18 in the strain range of 0–100%, excellent linearity with an R2 of 0.9978, a fast response time of 358 ms, and an excellent durability of more than 2400 load cycles. Additionally, the successful monitoring of human body signals demonstrates the potential of our developed flexible strain sensor in wearable monitoring applications.

In the era of noisy intermediate-scale quantum (NISQ) computing, the synergistic collaboration between quantum and classical computing models has emerged as a promising solution for tackling complex computational challenges. Long short-term memory (LSTM), as a popular network for modeling sequential data, has been widely acknowledged for its effectiveness. However, with the increasing demand for data and spatial feature extraction, the training cost of LSTM exhibits exponential growth. In this study, we propose the quantum convolutional long short-term memory (QConvLSTM) model. By ingeniously integrating classical convolutional LSTM (ConvLSTM) networks and quantum variational algorithms, we leverage the variational quantum properties and the accelerating characteristics of quantum states to optimize the model training process. Experimental validation demonstrates that, compared to various LSTM variants, our proposed QConvLSTM model outperforms in terms of performance. Additionally, we adopt a hierarchical tree-like circuit design philosophy to enhance the model’s parallel computing capabilities while reducing dependence on quantum bit counts and circuit depth. Moreover, the inherent noise resilience in variational quantum algorithms makes this model more suitable for spatiotemporal sequence modeling tasks on NISQ devices.

Wide weaving machines traditionally enhance the weaving width by increasing the shuttle’s initial velocity. However, this approach introduces challenges like pronounced equipment vibration, elevated noise levels, heightened energy consumption, and a reduced lifespan. Moreover, its efficacy in significantly widening fabric is constrained. Addressing these concerns, this paper proposes a wide-width warp insertion solution that involves driving the high-temperature superconducting shuttle to achieve high-speed horizontal flight through a traveling magnetic field. The inductive weft insertion system structure of wide weaving machines comprises an insertion guideway with an iron core and wound electromagnetic coils. The shuttle consists of a high-temperature superconducting block and a conductive plate, serving as the driving element. By establishing the equivalent circuit of the weft insertion guideway and the suspended shuttle, the calculation formula for the dynamic driving performance of the weft insertion guideway is obtained. Utilizing a transient 3D magnetic field simulation model, the impact of parameters like the current frequency, shuttle conductive plate thickness, and suspension gap on weft insertion performance is explored. Successful wide-width weft insertion motion is achieved by controlling coil input current parameters. Finally, an experimental platform is constructed to validate the correctness of the weft insertion system structure and simulation model through practical experiments.

Variations in solar insolation caused by changes in the Earth’s orbit—specifically its eccentricity, obliquity, and precession—can leave discernible marks on the geologic record. Astrochronology leverages these markers to establish a direct connection between chronological measurements and different facets of climate change as recorded in marine sediments. This approach offers a unique window into the Earth’s climate system and the construction of high-resolution, continuous time scales. Our study involves comprehensive bulk carbonate analyses of 390 discrete samples from core SCS1, which was retrieved from the deep-sea floor of the northern South China Sea. By utilizing carbonate stratigraphic data, we have developed a carbonate stratigraphic age model. This was achieved by aligning the carbonate sequence from core SCS1 with the established carbonate standard stratigraphic time scale of the South China Sea. Subsequently, we construct an astronomically tuned time scale based on this age model. Our findings indicate that sediment records in this core have been predominantly influenced by a 20,000-year cycle (precession cycle) throughout the Late Pleistocene. We have developed an astronomical time scale extending back approximately 110,000 years from the present, with a resolution of 280 years, by tuning the carbonate record to the precession curve. Time-domain spectral analysis of the tuned carbonate time series, alongside the consistent comparability of the early Holocene low-carbonate event (11–8 kyr), underscores the reliability of our astronomical time scale. Our age model exposes intricate variations in carbonate deposition, epitomizing a typical “Pacific-type” carbonate cycle. Previous research has illustrated that precession forcing predominantly influences productivity changes in the South China Sea. The pronounced precession-related cycle observed in our record suggests that changes in productivity significantly impact carbonate content in the area under study. Furthermore, the clear precession period identified in the carbonate record of core SCS1 reflects the response of low-latitude processes to orbital parameters, implying that carbonate deposition and preservation in core SCS1 are chiefly influenced by the interplay between the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) and the monsoon system within the precession band. Our astronomical time scale is poised to enhance paleoceanographic, paleoclimatic, and correlation studies further. Additionally, the independent evidence we provide for using proxy records for astronomical age calibration of marine sediments lends additional support to similar methods of astronomical tuning.

Photon number resolving detectors find space in many fields, such as quantum optics, boson sampling, and fluorescence spectroscopy. In particular, the reconstruction of the input photon distribution is essential in quantum communications to detect photon-number-splitting attacks. In this work, we discuss the operation configurations of a photon number resolving detector based on superconducting nanostrips at a wavelength of 1550 nm from a temporal point of view. We set a time binning and acquired the number of recorded pulses per bin by means of a time-to-digital converter. We studied the predictions of two theoretical models and compared them to the experimental data in order to analyze their operation regimes depending on the binwidth and to employ them for the reconstruction of the input photon distribution. We applied this method to a continuous-wave laser source, showing that the former can be used for the characterization of nonpulsed light sources, even with a photon emission rate so low that the dark count rate of a superconducting nanostrip is not negligible.

Abstract Porcine circovirus 3 (PCV3) is a newly emerging virus and has been found associated with porcine dermatitis and nephropathy syndrome in pigs. Compared with PCV2, research into PCV3 cap gene sequencing is deficient. To investigate the prevalence and genotype distribution of PCV3, we collected 1291 samples from 211 pig farms throughout 15 provinces and municipalities. 312 out of 1291 samples were tested positive by PCR. We further sequenced and analyzed 164 PCR-positive samples. The majority (61.8%) of isolates we sequenced belong to genotype PCV3c. PCV3c is also the dominant genotype in Hubei, Hunan, Hebei province and Chongqing city. We found 3 sites under positive selection and located in predicted epitope peptide, revealing that the pig’s immunity may be a reason those sites are undergoing highly positive selection.

Plants that are adapted to harsh environments offer enormous opportunity to understand stress responses in ecological systems. Stipa capillacea is widely distributed in the frigid and arid region of the Tibetan Plateau, but its signal transduction system under cold stress has not been characterized. In this study, we isolated a cDNA encoding the signal transduction protein, ScCBL6, from S. capillacea, and evaluated its role in cold tolerance by ectopically expressing it in Arabidopsis. Full-length ScCBL6 encode 227 amino acids, and are clustered with CBL6 in Stipa purpurea and Oryza sativa in a phylogenetic analysis. Compared with tolerance in wild-type (WT) plants, ScCBL6-overexpressing plants (ScCBL6-OXP) were more tolerant to cold stress but not to drought stress, as confirmed by their high photosynthetic capacity (Fv/Fm) and survival rate under cold stress. We further compared their cold-responsive transcriptome profiles by RNA sequencing. In total, 3931 genes were differentially expressed by the introduction of ScCBL6. These gene products were involved in multiple processes such as the immune system, lipid catabolism, and secondary metabolism. A KEGG pathway analysis revealed that they were mainly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction and biomacromolecule metabolism. Proteins encoded by differentially expressed genes were predicted to be localized in chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles, suggesting that ScCBL6 exerts a wide range of functions. Based on its tonoplast subcellular location combined with integrated transcriptome and physiological analyses of ScCBL6-OXP, we inferred that ScCBL6 improves plant cold stress tolerance in Arabidopsis via the regulation of photosynthesis, redox status, and tonoplast metabolite transporters.

Malicious attacks can cause significant damage to the structure and functionality of complex networks. Previous research has pointed out that the ability of networks to withstand malicious attacks becomes weaker when networks are coupled. However, traditional research on improving the robustness of networks has focused on individual low-order or higher-order networks, lacking studies on coupled networks with higher-order and low-order networks. This paper proposes a method for optimizing the robustness of coupled networks with higher-order and low-order based on a simulated annealing algorithm to address this issue. Without altering the network’s degree distribution, the method rewires the edges, taking the robustness of low-order and higher-order networks as joint optimization objectives. Making minimal changes to the network, the method effectively enhances the robustness of coupled networks. Experiments were conducted on Erdős–Rényi random networks (ER), scale-free networks (BA), and small-world networks (SW). Finally, validation was performed on various real networks. The results indicate that this method can effectively enhance the robustness of coupled networks with higher-order and low-order.

Abstract Background Events of gene fusion have been reported in several organisms. However, the general role of gene fusion as part of new gene origination remains unknown. Results We conduct genome-wide interrogations of four Oryza genomes by designing and implementing novel pipelines to detect fusion genes. Based on the phylogeny of ten plant species, we detect 310 fusion genes across four Oryza species. The estimated rate of origination of fusion genes in the Oryza genus is as high as 63 fusion genes per species per million years, which is fixed at 16 fusion genes per species per million years and much higher than that in flies. By RNA sequencing analysis, we find more than 44% of the fusion genes are expressed and 90% of gene pairs show strong signals of purifying selection. Further analysis of CRISPR/Cas9 knockout lines indicates that newly formed fusion genes regulate phenotype traits including seed germination, shoot length and root length, suggesting the functional significance of these genes. Conclusions We detect new fusion genes that may drive phenotype evolution in Oryza. This study provides novel insights into the genome evolution of Oryza.

BackgroundThe genus Rhododendron (Ericaceae), a species-rich and widely distributed genus of woody plants, is distinguished for the beautiful and diverse flowers. Rhododendron delavayi Franch. and Rhododendron irroratum Franch., are highly attractive species widely distributed in south-west China and abundant new varieties have been selected from their genetic resources.MethodsWe constructed chromosome-scale genome assemblies for Rhododendron delavayi and Rhododendron irroratum. Phylogenetic and whole-genome duplication analyses were performed to elucidate the evolutionary history of Rhododendron. Further, different types of gene duplications were identified and their contributions to gene family expansion were investigated. Finally, comprehensive characterization and evolutionary analysis of R2R3-MYB and NBS-encoding genes were conducted to explore their evolutionary patterns.ResultsThe phylogenetic analysis classified Rhododendron species into two sister clades, ‘rhododendrons’ and ‘azaleas’. Whole-genome duplication (WGD) analysis unveiled only one WGD event that occurred in Rhododendron after the ancestral γ triplication. Gene duplication and gene family expansion analyses suggested that the younger tandem and proximal duplications contributed greatly to the expansion of gene families involved in secondary metabolite biosynthesis and stress response. The candidate R2R3-MYB genes likely regulating anthocyanin biosynthesis and stress tolerance in Rhododendron will facilitate the breeding for ornamental use. NBS-encoding genes had undergone significant expansion and experienced species-specific gain and loss events in Rhododendron plants.ConclusionsThe reference genomes presented here will provide important genetic resources for molecular breeding and genetic improvement of plants in this economically important Rhododendron genus.

Abstract This study characterized growth characteristics and cellular details employing microscopy techniques in hydroponically-grown Ca2+-sufficient and Ca2+-deficient grapevines (Vitis vinifera) in a glasshouse. The Ca2+-deficient vines exhibited significant reductions in shoot length, shoot and trunk fresh weights, leaf area, chlorophyll, which eventually led to drooping, yellowing, and chlorosis of leaves. Roots were less dense and primarily dark and necrotic. Furthermore, their xylem vessels were small, polygonal, and appeared to be collapsed yet increased in number and developed lateral roots. Despite such alterations, the anatomical organization of leaves was not affected, yet they developed with more xylem vessels with thick walls and lignin in their mesophyll and vascular tissues. The chloroplasts in internodes’ chlorenchyma, phloem, and cambium underwent significant ultrastructural modifications. The concentrations of macro and micronutrients varied significantly among the roots, trunk, canes, and leaves, including the growth characteristics. These structural and growth modifications of calcium deficiency enable us to understand better the link between the symptoms and functions and for a holistic understanding of Ca2+ functionalities.

Plant adaptation to drought stress is essential for plant survival and crop yield. Recently, harnessing drought memory, which is induced by repeated stress and recovery cycles, was suggested as a means to improve drought resistance at the transcriptional level. However, the genetic mechanism underlying drought memory is unclear. Here, we carried out a quantitative analysis of alternative splicing (AS) events in rice memory under drought stress, generating 12 transcriptome datasets. Notably, we identified exon skipping (ES) as the predominant AS type (>80%) in differential alternative splicing (DAS) in response to drought stress. Applying our analysis pipeline to investigate DAS events following drought stress in six other plant species revealed variable ES frequencies ranging from 9.94% to 60.70% depending on the species, suggesting that the relative frequency of DAS types in plants is likely to be species-specific. The dinucleotide sequence at AS splice sites in rice following drought stress was preferentially GC-AG and AT-AC. Since U12-type splicing uses the AT-AC site, this suggests that drought stress may increase U12-type splicing, and thus increase ES frequency. We hypothesize that multiple isoforms derived from exon skipping may be induced by drought stress in rice. We also identified 20 transcription factors and three highly connected hub genes with potential roles in drought memory that may be good targets for plant breeding.

Background In China, premature children in good health may be advised to receive routine immunization programs. However, delayed vaccination is common. This study aimed to characterize vaccination experiences of premature children and determine the impact of vaccination consultation clinic (VCC) assessment. Methods We performed a retrospective cohort study, including premature children visiting VCC at Children’s Hospital of Fudan University in 2017–2019. Data of these children, including demographics, recommendations of vaccination after VCC assessment, vaccination records, adverse events following immunization (AEFI), and incidence of vaccine-preventable diseases in 2017–2019, were collected retrospectively. Results A total of 1124 premature children were included, with vaccination uptake of 46.3% for expanded program of immunization (EPI) vaccines and 15.1% for non-EPI vaccines before VCC assessment. Furthermore, 77.5% of premature children who had not received any EPI vaccine were vaccinated after the assessment; however, most were delayed, regardless of vaccine types and recommendations. In contrast, 67.3% was vaccinated with non-EPI vaccines after the assessment. Majority (n = 35) of recorded AEFI was mild to moderate, in addition to one allergic rash. One each case of pertussis and varicella were recorded in those who had not received the corresponding vaccines. Conclusion Vaccination may be safe and epidemiological effective in premature children. However, it remains mostly delayed in premature children with recommendations of normal vaccination. It warrants improving implementation of VCC recommendations. In addition, there is a need of health promotion on more non-EPI vaccines for premature children.

A photon-counting distributed free-space spectroscopy is proposed and demonstrated using lidar technique. It is suitable for remote spectrum analysis with range resolution over wide band.

African swine fever (ASF) is a highly lethal and contagious disease caused by African swine fever virus (ASFV). Whole-genome sequencing of ASFV is necessary to study its mutation, recombination, and trace its transmission. Uncultured samples have a considerable amount of background DNA, which causes waste of sequencing throughput, storage space, and computing resources. Sequencing methods attempted for uncultured samples have various drawbacks. In this study, we improved C18 spacer MDA (Multiple Displacement Amplification)-combined host DNA exhaustion strategy to remove background DNA and fit NGS and TGS sequencing. Using this workflow, we successfully sequenced two uncultured ASFV positive samples. The results show that this method can significantly reduce the percentage of background DNA. We also developed software that can perform real-time base call and analyses in set intervals of ASFV TGS sequencing reads on a cloud server.

Liquid metal-based electronic devices are attracting increasing attention owing to their excellent flexibility and high conductivity. However, a simple way to realize liquid metal electronics on a microscale without photolithography is still challenging. Herein, the wettability and adhesion of liquid metal are controlled by combining the stirring method, femtosecond laser microfabrication, and sacrificial layer assistant. The adhesive force of liquid metal is dramatically enhanced by adjusting its oxidation. The wetting area is limited to a micro-pattern by a femtosecond laser and sacrificial layer. On this basis, a high-resolution liquid metal printing method is proposed. The printing resolution can be controlled even less than 50 μm. The resultant liquid metal pattern is applied to electronic skin, which shows uniformity, flexibility, and stability. It is anticipated that this liquid metal printing method will hold great promise in the fields of flexible electronics.

Nowcasting has emerged as a critical foundation for services including heavy rain alerts and public transportation management. Although widely used for short-term forecasting, models such as TrajGRU and PredRNN exhibit limitations in predicting low-intensity rainfall and low temporal resolution, resulting in suboptimal performance during infrequent heavy rainfall events. To tackle these challenges, we introduce a spatio-temporal sequence and generative adversarial network model for short-term precipitation forecasting based on radar data. By enhancing the ConvLSTM model with a pre-trained TransGAN generator, we improve feature resolution. We first assessed the model’s performance on the Moving MNIST dataset and subsequently validated it on the HKO-7 dataset. Employing metrics such as Mean Squared Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Structural Similarity Index Measure (SSIM), Critical Success Index (CSI), Probability of Detection (POD), and False Alarm Ratio (FAR), we compare our model’s performance to existing models. Experimental results reveal that our proposed ConvLSTM-TransGAN model effectively captures weather system evolution and surpasses the performance of other traditional models.

Multiple siderite beds developed in the first member of the Lower Cretaceous Nantun Formation (K1n1) in the basin. The results show that the siderites in K1n1 of the study area are mostly stratiform or massive, with three micromorphological features (dense micronized crystals, bands, and paragenesis with quartz and calcite). The siderite beds are mainly composed of siderite, clay, quartz, calcite, and feldspar. Under the microscope, charcoal, algal fossils, granular pyrite crystals, vein-like siliceous bands, etc., were observed. The oxides in the siderite beds include Fe2O3, SiO2, Al2O3, etc. The trace elements are typically characterized by high Mn and Be contents; low Sr/Ba, Th/U, and Al/Ti ratios; and high V/Cr ratios. These indicate weakly reducing, freshwater depositional paleoenvironments. The δ13Cv-PDB and δ18Ov-PDB values of siderite are −0.20–1.11‰ (mean: 0.62‰) and −18.22‰ to −10.14‰ (mean: −14.23‰), respectively, which shows that the carbon in siderite came mainly from carbonate dissolution. The Fe-bearing rocks in the source area migrated to the basin after undergoing physical and chemical weathering, and when the resultant Fe2+ concentration reached saturation, Fe2+ combined with CO32− in the water bodies to form authigenic siderite.

Abstract Background The genus Rhododendron L. has been widely cultivated for hundreds of years around the world. Members of this genus are known for great ornamental and medicinal value. Owing to advances in sequencing technology, genomes and transcriptomes of members of the Rhododendron genus have been sequenced and published by various laboratories. With increasing amounts of omics data available, a centralized platform is necessary for effective storage, analysis, and integration of these large-scale datasets to ensure consistency, independence, and maintainability. Results Here, we report our development of the Rhododendron Plant Genome Database (RPGD; http://bioinfor.kib.ac.cn/RPGD/ ), which represents the first comprehensive database of Rhododendron genomics information. It includes large amounts of omics data, including genome sequence assemblies for R. delavayi, R. williamsianum, and R. simsii, gene expression profiles derived from public RNA-Seq data, functional annotations, gene families, transcription factor identification, gene homology, simple sequence repeats, and chloroplast genome. Additionally, many useful tools, including BLAST, JBrowse, Orthologous Groups, Genome Synteny Browser, Flanking Sequence Finder, Expression Heatmap, and Batch Download were integrated into the platform. Conclusions RPGD is designed to be a comprehensive and helpful platform for all Rhododendron researchers. Believe that RPGD will be an indispensable hub for Rhododendron studies.

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) could cause lethal diarrhea and dehydration in suckling piglets, which can adversely affect the development of the global swine industry. The lack of effective therapeutical and prophylactic treatment especially for PEDV variant strains underlines the importance of effective antiviral strategies, such as identification of novel antiviral agents. In the present study, the antiviral activity of cinchonine against PEDV was investigated in Vero CCL81 and LLC-PK1 cells at a non-cytotoxic concentration determined by Cell Counting Kit-8 assay in vitro. We found that cinchonine exhibited a significant suppression effect against PEDV infection and its inhibitory action was primarily focused on the early stage of PEDV replication. Moreover, we also observed that cinchonine could significantly induce autophagy by detecting the conversion of LC3-I to LC3-II by using western blot analysis. Cinchonine treatment could inhibit PEDV replication in a dose-dependent manner in Vero CCL81 cells, while this phenomenon disappeared when autophagy was attenuated by pre-treatment with autophagy inhibitor 3MA. Consequently, this study indicated that cinchonine can inhibit PEDV replication via inducing cellular autophagy and thus from the basis for successful antiviral strategies which potentially suggest the possibility of exploiting cinchonine as a novel antiviral agent.

In the process of wood surface processing, it is easy to cause safety accident. Therefore, it is very necessary to find a new and clean processing method instead. In this paper, the laser automatic processing method is used instead of manual work, exploring the ablation of milled wood surfaces with nanosecond pulse laser. Four commonly used kinds of wood were selected, and milled separately in three different directions. The generation mechanism of micro burrs was analyzed under different working conditions. Then, a laser ablation experimental platform was established, and used to ablate the milling-induced burrs on the four kinds of wood. The ablated surfaces were observed under a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Based on the observations, the interaction between laser and surface burrs was investigated, and laser ablation deburring was modelled on ABAQUS. On this basis, the authors discussed how laser ablation deburring is affected by multiple laser parameters. The results show that cross-grain milling leads to more burrs on wood surface than parallel-to-grain milling and against-grain milling; for nanosecond laser ablation of wood surface burrs, the ablation efficiency and ablated surface quality could be optimized, when the output power falls between 300 mJ and 400 mJ; when the other parameters of the laser remain unchanged, there exists an optimal power density that helps to remove the surface burrs, without greatly affecting the nearby areas. The research results shed important new light on the deburring of wood products with the aid of pulse laser. Finally, it is proved that the mode of laser machining instead of traditional manual operation is feasible.

Link prediction is a hot issue in information filtering. Link prediction algorithms, based on local similarity indices, are widely used in many fields due to their high efficiency and high prediction accuracy. However, most existing link prediction algorithms are available for unweighted networks, and there are relatively few studies for weighted networks. In the previous studies on weighted networks, some scholars pointed out that links with small weights play a more important role in link prediction and emphasized that weak-ties theory has a significant impact on prediction accuracy. On this basis, we studied the edges with different weights, and we discovered that, for edges with large weights, this weak-ties theory actually does not work; Instead, the weak-ties theory works in the prediction of edges with small weights. Our discovery has instructive implications for link predictions in weighted networks.

A large Nb–Ta ore deposit was found in the Yushishan leptynite in the west Qilian Orogenic Belt (QOB). Based on a field geological survey and using a Mineral Liberation Analyser (MLA, including scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy-dispersive spectrometer (EDS)) methods, eight Nb minerals (fergusonite, polycrase, columbite, Nb-rutile, aeschynite, pyrochlore, microlite, and ilmenorutile) were found to occur in the leptynite. This accounted for approximately 69% of Nb, with fergusonite, polycrase, and columbite being the dominant phases. The other 17.90% Nb as a minor element was dispersed in titanium magnetite–maghemite, and another 13.00% Nb was dispersed in gangue minerals. Nb minerals are formed mainly by two metallogenesis stages. The first stage is magmatic genesis to form four Nb minerals, euhedral-subhedral fergusonite, polycrase, pyrochlore, and microlite, which are crystallized within or between primary minerals, such as quartz and feldspar. Late alteration phenomena are locally observed. The second stage is the hydrothermal genesis of columbite, anhedral fergusonite, Nb-rutile, and aeschynite, which are dispersed in the fissures of the wall rocks as irregular veins and lump assemblages. Meanwhile, they are closely associated with metasomatic chlorite, albite, and secondary quartz. Furthermore, direct metasomatism among different Nb minerals is also found at the local scale. The Nb percentage of these two Nb mineral mineralization types is approximately equal, which reflects two main mineralizing periods. The first stage of mineralization occurred in the Neoproterozoic Era (834–790 Ma). Magmatism of this period produced early niobium and formed fergusonite, polycrase, pyrochlore, microlite, and zircon. The initial enrichment of Nb, Ta, and other rare metals occurred during this stage. The second stage of mineralization occurred in the Caledonian period (490–455 Ma). Large-scale and intense tectonic–magmatic thermal events occurred in the western part of the QOB due to the plate subduction and convergence (510–450 Ma). Hydrothermal activity in this period formed columbite, fergusonite, Nb-rutile, and aeschynite. Moreover, rare metal elements in the Nb-bearing rocks activated and migrated at short distances, forming in situ Nb–Ta-rich ore deposits.