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[ Objective ] Sugars will eventually be exported transporters ( SWEETs ) play an important role in growth and development of plants. The aims of the study were to elucidate the role of the SWEET gene family in sugar accumulation during the development of wolfberry , and to provide a reference for revealing the role of the SWEET genes in the development of wolfberry fruits. [ Methods ] In the present study , based on genomic data of wolfberry , LbaSWEETs were identified by bioinformatics method , and the ex- pression of LbaSWEETs during fruit development was analyzed using published transcriptional data. [ Results ] There were 37 members of the SWEET gene family , which were randomly distributed on 10 chromosomes , encoding 152 621 amino acids. The molecular weight of the proteins was 16.87 69.97 kD , and the isoelectric point was 4.96 9.86. Subcellular localizations were predicted to be located in the chloroplast or plasma membrane , most containing seven transmembrane helices. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 37 LbaSWEET proteins were divided into 4 subgroups , which had similar gene structures and conserved motifs. Analysis of promoter elements showed that LbaSWEET promoters were rich in hor- mone response , stress response , and growth response elements. Transcriptome and qRT-PCR analysis showed that the expression of LbaSWEET9 and LbaSWEET29 genes was increased significantly with fruit ripening. Pearson correlation analysis showed that the expression levels of LbaSWEET9 and Lba- SWEET29 genes were significantly positively correlated with fructose content. [ Conclusion ] LbaSWEET9 and LbaSWEET29 are the key genes that may play an important role in the accumulation of fructose sugar.

In the field of high-precision physical field detection, measurements based on magnetic signals are crucial due to their exceptional accuracy, sensitivity, and stability. Superconducting Quantum Interference Devices (SQUIDs), with their ultra-high sensitivity, have become key in detecting minute changes in magnetic flux. However, with increasing demands for higher precision, further enhancing device performance under quantum constraints remains a significant challenge. This study improved the precision of SQUID sensors by optimizing the geometry of microscale washers using the physical response of superconducting films under micromachining technologies and quantum constraints. Our research extensively examined the effects of square, octagonal, and circular washers on the magnetic field response, shielding currents, and inductance. Experimental results showed that, compared to traditional square washers, octagonal washers significantly enhanced sensor sensitivity and efficiency by minimizing edge magnetic flux and optimizing current distribution. Notably, all observed inductance values exceeded predictions based on traditional empirical formulas, with square washers showing the highest average relative error of 80.8%, while circular and octagonal washers had errors of 65.31% and 66.43%, respectively. This breakthrough not only lays a new theoretical foundation for the design of SQUID sensors but also provides robust evidence for enhancing magnetic field detection through microscale technological innovation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To predict the vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) efficacy for pediatric drug‐resistant epilepsy (DRE) patients, we aim to identify preimplantation biomarkers through clinical features and electroencephalogram (EEG) signals and thus establish a predictive model from a multi‐modal feature set with high prediction accuracy. Methods: Sixty‐five pediatric DRE patients implanted with VNS were included and followed up. We explored the topological network and entropy features of preimplantation EEG signals to identify the biomarkers for VNS efficacy. A Support Vector Machine (SVM) integrated these biomarkers to distinguish the efficacy groups. Results: The proportion of VNS responders was 58.5% (38/65) at the last follow‐up. In the analysis of parieto‐occipital α band activity, higher synchronization level and nodal efficiency were found in responders. The central‐frontal θ band activity showed significantly lower entropy in responders. The prediction model reached an accuracy of 81.5%, a precision of 80.1%, and an AUC (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve) of 0.838. Conclusion: Our results revealed that, compared to nonresponders, VNS responders had a more efficient α band brain network, especially in the parieto‐occipital region, and less spectral complexity of θ brain activities in the central‐frontal region. We established a predictive model integrating both preimplantation clinical and EEG features and exhibited great potential for discriminating the VNS responders. This study contributed to the understanding of the VNS mechanism and improved the performance of the current predictive model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization of the PYL/RCAR ABA receptors in a great deal of plant species has dramatically advanced the study of ABA functions involved in key physiological processes. However, the genes in this family are still unclear in Lycium (Goji) plants, one of the well–known economically, medicinally, and ecologically valuable fruit crops. In the present work, 12 homologs of Arabidopsis PYL/RCAR ABA receptors were first identified and characterized from Lycium (L.) barbarum (LbPYLs). The quantitative real–time PCR (qRT–PCR) analysis showed that these genes had clear tissue–specific expression patterns, and most of them were transcribed in the root with the largest amount. Among the three subfamilies, while the Group I and Group III members were down–regulated by extraneous ABA, the Group II members were up–regulated. At 42 °C, most transcripts showed a rapid and violent up–regulation response to higher temperature, especially members of Group II. One of the genes in the Group II members, LbPYL10, was further functionally validated by virus–induced gene silencing (VIGS) technology. LbPYL10 positively regulates heat stress tolerance in L. barbarum by alleviating chlorophyll degradation, thus maintaining chlorophyll stability. Integrating the endogenous ABA level increase following heat stress, it may be concluded that LbPYL–mediated ABA signaling plays a vital role in the thermotolerance of L. barbarum plants. Our results highlight the strong potential of LbPYL genes in breeding genetically modified L. barbarum crops that acclimate to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new lactone, asperlactone A (1), and four known lactone derivatives 2–5 were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. GXNU-A9. Their structures were elucidated based on high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (HR-ESI-MS) datum, extensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis, and comparison with literature data. The structure of 1 was further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and the absolute configuration of 1 was established. Compounds 1–5 were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities against nitric oxide (NO) production, and compounds 1–5 showed moderate inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 15.87 to 30.48 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new sesquiterpene, gxsespene A (1), and four known sesquiterpene derivatives 2–5 were isolated from the mangrove endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. GXNU-MA1. Their structures were elucidated based on high-resolution electrospray ionization mass spectroscopy (HR-ESI-MS) datum, extensive nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopic analysis, and comparison with literature data. The structure of 1 was further confirmed by single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, and the absolute configuration of 1 was established. Compounds 1–5 were evaluated for their anti-inflammatory activities against the nitric oxide (NO) production, and compounds 1–5 showed moderate inhibitory activities with IC50 values ranging from 16.15 to 27.08 µM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]