Search

Background: The cashmere goat industry is one of the main pillars of animal husbandry in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, and plays an irreplaceable role in local economic development. With the change in feeding methods and environment, the cashmere produced by Inner Mongolia cashmere goats shows a tendency of coarser, and the cashmere yield can not meet the consumption demand of people. However, the genetic basis behind these changes is not fully understood. We measured cashmere traits, including cashmere yield (CY), cashmere diameter (CD), cashmere thickness (CT), and fleece length (FL) traits for four consecutive years, and utilized Genome-wide association study of four cashmere traits in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats was carried out using new genomics tools to infer genomic regions and functional loci associated with cashmere traits and to construct haplotypes that significantly affect cashmere traits. Results: We estimated the genetic parameters of cashmere traits in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats. The heritability of cashmere yield, cashmere diameter, and fleece length traits of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats were 0.229, 0.359, and 0.250, which belonged to the medium heritability traits (0.2 ~ 0.4). The cashmere thickness trait has a low heritability of 0.053. We detected 151 genome-wide significantly associated SNPs with four cashmere traits on different chromosomes, which were very close to the chromosomes of 392 genes (located within the gene or within ± 500 kb). Notch3, BMPR1B, and CCNA2 have direct functional associations with fibroblasts and follicle stem cells, which play important roles in hair follicle growth and development. Based on GO functional annotation and KEGG enrichment analysis, potential candidate genes were associated with pathways of hair follicle genesis and development (Notch, P13K-Akt, TGF-beta, Cell cycle, Wnt, MAPK). We calculated the effective allele number of the Inner Mongolia cashmere goat population to be 1.109–1.998, the dominant genotypes of most SNPs were wild-type, the polymorphic information content of 57 SNPs were low polymorphism (0 < PIC < 0.25), and the polymorphic information content of 79 SNPs were moderate polymorphism (0.25 < PIC < 0.50). We analyzed the association of SNPs with phenotypes and found that the homozygous mutant type of SNP1 and SNP3 was associated with the highest cashmere yield, the heterozygous mutant type of SNP30 was associated with the lowest cashmere thickness, the wild type of SNP76, SNP77, SNP78, SNP80, and SNP81 was associated with the highest cashmere thickness, and the wild type type of SNP137 was associated with the highest fleece length. 21 haplotype blocks and 68 haplotype combinations were constructed. Haplotypes A2A2, B2B2, C2C2, and D4D4 were associated with increased cashmere yield, haplotypes E2E2, F1F1, G5G5, and G1G5 were associated with decreased cashmere fineness, haplotypes H2H2 was associated with increased cashmere thickness, haplotypes I1I1, I1I2, J1J4, L5L3, N3N2, N3N3, O2O1, P2P2, and Q3Q3 were associated with increased cashmere length. We verified the polymorphism of 8 SNPs by KASP, and found that chr7_g.102631194A > G, chr10_g.82715068 T > C, chr1_g.124483769C > T, chr24_g.12811352C > T, chr6_g.114111249A > G, and chr6_g.115606026 T > C were significantly genotyped in verified populations (P < 0.05). Conclusions: In conclusion, the genetic effect of single SNP on phenotypes is small, and SNPs are more inclined to be inherited as a whole. By constructing haplotypes from SNPs that are significantly associated with cashmere traits, it will help to reveal the complex and potential causal variations in cashmere traits of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats. This will be a valuable resource for genomics and breeding of the cashmere goat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Fat mass and obesity-associated (FTO) and perilipin1 (PLIN1) genes have been associated with fat mass deposition. These genes have also been found to regulate economic traits (e.g., morphometric traits) in animals. In this study, the researchers analyzed insertion–deletion (InDel) variations in the FTO and PLIN1 genes and their association with morphometric traits in three sheep breeds (Hu sheep, Dupor sheep, and Small Tail Han sheep). A total of six InDels (FTO-2, FTO-3, FTO-4, FTO-5, FTO-6, and PLIN1) were identified in the FTO and PLIN1 genes in the three breeds of sheep. Genetic variations of these InDels were evaluated on the basis of their polymorphism information content (PIC). The FTO-6 and PLIN1 genes showed low levels of polymorphism (0 < PIC < 0.25), while the other four InDels were moderately polymorphic (0.25 < PIC < 0.50) in the three breeds of sheep. The results of the association analysis revealed that four InDels from the FTO and PLIN1 genes were significantly associated with the morphometric traits in the three sheep breeds, such as body weight, body height, chest width, chest depth, cannon circumference, head length, coccyx length, forehead width, and back height. Based on these findings, the FTO and PLIN1 genes can serve as genetic markers to select sheep with desirable morphometric traits. This study aimed to identify InDels from the FTO and PLIN1 genes and to analyze their association with morphometric traits in Hu sheep (HS), Dupor sheep (DS), and Small Tail Han sheep (STHS). The FTO and PLIN1 genes were genotyped using the insertion/deletion (InDel) method. A one-way ANOVA with SPSS 26.0 software (IBM Corp, Armonk, NY, USA) was used to assess the effect of the InDel FTO and PLIN1 genes on morphometric traits. The results revealed significant associations between certain InDels and the morphometric traits in different breeds of sheep. Specifically, FTO-2 was significantly associated with cannon circumference (CaC) in HS rams and body height (BoH) in HS ewes (p < 0.05). FTO-2 was also significantly associated with chest width (ChW), CaC, head length (HeL), and coccyx length (CoL) in the STHS breed (p < 0.05). FTO-3 showed significant associations with BoH in HS rams and BoH, back height (BaH), ChW, and chest depth (ChD) in HS ewes (p < 0.05). FTO-3 was also significantly associated with ChW in the DS and STHS breeds (p < 0.05). FTO-5 was significantly associated with body weight (BoW) in the DS breed and BoH in the STHS breed (p < 0.05). Furthermore, PLIN1 was significantly related to BoW in the DS breed and was significantly associated with CoL and forehead width (FoW) in the STHS breed (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the study suggested that InDels in the FTO and PLIN1 genes could provide practical information to improve morphometric traits in sheep breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, kapok-derived carbon/fly ash (KDC/FA) ceramic metacomposites were fabricated by vacuum hot-press sintering with FA and kapok fiber as raw materials, and their conductivity, dielectric properties, and impedance response were researched. The composition and microstructure of the metacomposites had a significantly impact on the electrical characteristics. With the increase of KDC content, a 3D conductive network was formed inside the composite, accompanied by a shift in the conductive mechanism. The tunable plasma-type negative permittivity behavior was observed. The absolute value of negative permittivity and the plasma oscillation frequency became larger as the KDC contents increased, which were consistent with the analytical results of the Drude model. This study designed and prepared a new environmental metacomposite with adjustable negative permittivity using biomass materials (kapok fibers) and solid waste (FA), which had a great significance for development of metamaterials in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbide MXene (Ti 3 C 2 T x) exhibits great potential in electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials due to its abundant surface functional groups and defects, tunable conductivity and high specific surface area. The Co@NC/TiO 2 /C composites were successfully synthesized through a solvothermal method and carbonization process using Ti 3 C 2 T x /Co-BTC as precursor. The incorporation of magnetic metal Co nanoparticles and Rutile-TiO 2 effectively addresses the issue of single loss mechanism in Ti 3 C 2 T x. The results show that CTC-100 exhibits excellent EMW absorption performance with a minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −51.3 dB at a thickness of only 1.48 mm, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth is (EAB, RL < −10 dB) 4.3 GHz. Simultaneously, by adjusting the matching thickness of the material from 1.29 mm to 5.0 mm, the EAB can achieve 15.42 GHz (from 2.85 GHz to 18 GHz). The excellent EMW absorption performance of CTC-100 composite is primarily attributed to the synergistic effect of magnetic loss and dielectric loss. This study provided an effective strategy for the design of Ti 3 C 2 T x -based EMW absorbing materials with high absorption intensity, reduced thickness, and broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB). [Display omitted] • N-doped carbon-coated Co metal is successfully anchored on the conductive carbon layer to form Co@NC/TiO 2 /C. • The synergistic effect of magnetic loss and dielectric loss optimize the impedance matching. • The RL min value of CTC-100 is −51.3 dB at 14.17 GHz, with a thickness of only 1.48 mm. • The loss mechanism diagram illustrates the loss process of Co@NC/TiO 2 /C to electromagnetic waves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the association of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor ( IGF-1R ) gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with growth traits and carcass traits of quail by PCR amplification and direct sequencing technology. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples collected from 49 female French Giant (FG) quails and 36 female Savimalt (SV) quails as part of this study. Growth traits and carcass traits were measured and assessed for IGF-1R gene analysis in the 2 meat-type quail strains. The results showed that 2 SNPs (A57G and A72T) of the IGF-1R gene were detected in the 2 quail strains. The A57G (P = 0.002) and A72T (P = 0.026) were significantly associated with breastbone length (BBL) in FG. Whereas A57G was significantly associated with chest weight (CW , P = 0.004), BBL (P = 0.009), and body length (BL , P = 0.009) in SV, while A72T was significantly associated with BBL (P = 0.014) and BL (P = 0.028) in SV. Haplotypes based on these 2 SNPs showed significant effects on BBL in FG strain (P = 0.000), and they also had significant effects on CW (P = 0.007), BBL (P = 0.004), and BL (P = 0.001) in SV strain. Additionally, A57G was significantly associated with liver rate (LR) in FG strain (P = 0.017). A72T showed significant associations with dressed carcass weight (DCW , P = 0.048) and breast muscle weight (BMW , P = 0.018) in FG strain. A57G was significantly associated with DCW (P = 0.048), whole net carcass weight (WNCW , P = 0.048), BMW (P = 0.036), and liver muscle rate (LMR , P = 0.003) in SV strain. Haplotypes also displayed significant effects on BMW (P = 0.029) and LMR (P = 0.010) in FG strain. These findings indicated that the IGF-1R gene could serve as a valuable molecular genetic marker for enhancing growth traits and carcass traits in meat-type quails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leptin receptor ( LEPR ) gene is a member of the class I cytokine receptor family, which plays an important role in weight regulation, fat accumulation and neuroendocrine function in animals. This study aimed to explore the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the LEPR gene with growth and carcass traits in meat-type quail by PCR amplification and DNA direct sequencing. In this study, genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples of 36 female Savimalt (SV) quails and 49 female French Giant (FG) quails. Growth traits (measured at 3 or 5 wk) and carcass traits (measured at 5 wk) were used for LEPR gene association analysis. The results showed the existence of 9 SNPs (T81C, G90T, C187A, A191G, A219G, G258A, C286T, G346A, and G373A) of the LEPR gene in the 2 quail strains. The statistical analyses indicated that these SNPs of LEPR gene was significantly associated with shank circumference (SC), shank length (SL), breastbone length (BBL), heart rate (HR), and whole net carcass rate (WNCR) of FG (P < 0.05); chest width (CW), body length (BL), leg muscle rate (LMR), whole net carcass rate (WNCR), and heart rate (HR) of SV (P < 0.05). While haplotypes showed significant effect on SL, BBL, heart weight (HW), WNCR, and HR of FG (P < 0.05). Therefore, the LEPR gene may serve as a molecular genetic marker for improving growth and carcass traits in quails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Panax notoginseng (P. notoginseng) is a traditional Chinese medicinal material with high economic and medicinal value. There is an urgent need to find new cultivation areas due to continuous cropping barriers and the effects of climate change. This study integrated the geographical environment of Yunnan with the necessary requirements for a suitable habitat for P. notoginseng and comprehensively analyzed climatic, topographical and soil factors. Furthermore, the criteria were weighted and prioritized by the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) and the best worst method (BWM) respectively, and the overlay analysis method was used to present the suitability map in the GIS environment. Two ecological suitability assessment models were established and compared to explore the ecological suitability regionalization of P. notoginseng in Yunnan Province, China. The results showed that:(1) Among the 12 driving factors, precipitation in the hottest season is the most important, followed by average temperature in the coldest season, average temperature in the hottest season, altitude, and annual precipitation. (2) The most suitable, suitable, and unsuitable regions obtained by the AHP-GIS model accounted for respective 17.98%, 33.41%, and 48.61% of the total area of Yunnan. The values for BWM-GIS model were 13.93%, 40.25%, and 45.81%, respectively. (3) The suitable regions obtained by the two models were overlayed and concentrated in Wenshan, Qujing, Kunming, Chuxiong, Baoshan, Dali, Lijiang, Honghe and Yuxi in central Yunnan, while the unsuitable regions were distributed in Xishuangbanna, Puer, Dehong, Diqing, and southwestern Zhaotong. The sensitivity of the assessment model was analyzed, and its reliability was verified by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under curve (AUC). The BWM-GIS model (AUC=0.85) had higher accuracy than AHP-GIS model (AUC=0.822), and was more suitable for ecological suitability analysis of P. notoginseng. Our research results provide a theoretical basis for the rational expansion of cultivation regions of P. notoginseng and agricultural layout planning in Yunnan Province of China. [Display omitted] • BWM, AHP and GIS were integrated together to construct comprehensive evaluation model. • The ecological factors affecting the distribution of Panax notoginseng were finely analyzed. • Sensitivity analysis was used to verify the stability of the model. • Panax notoginseng showed range expansions towards high-latitude regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to analyze the polymorphism of the vasoactive intestinal peptide receptor-1 ( VIPR-1 ) gene and its association with growth traits in quail using the PCR-RFLP and sequencing techniques. Genomic DNA was extracted from blood samples of 36 female Savimalt (SV) quails and 49 female French Giant (FG) quails. Growth traits were measured and used for VIPR-1 gene analysis, as body weight (BW), tibia length (TL), chest width (CW), chest depth (CD), sternum length (SL), body length (BL), and tibia circumference (TC). The results showed that 2 SNPs (Bsr D I and Hpy CH4 IV) were detected in exon 4 to 5 and exon 6 to 7 of the VIPR-1 gene, respectively. The results of association showed that the Bsr D I site was not significantly associated with growth traits at 3 or 5 wk of age in the SV strain (P < 0.05), while the Bsr D I site was significantly associated with BL at 3 or 5 wk of age in FG (P < 0.05). The Hpy CH4 IV site was significantly associated with TL, CW, CD, SL, and BL at 3 wk of age in the SV strain (P < 0.05), while the Hpy CH4 IV site was significantly correlated with BW, CW, SL, and BL at 5 wk of age in SV (P < 0.05). The Hpy CH4 IV site was significantly associated with TL and TC at 3 wk of age in FG (P < 0.05), while the Hpy CH4 IV site was significantly associated with TC at 5 wk of age in FG (P < 0.05). Four haplotype combinations based on 2 SNPs showed significantly association with BW, CW, CD, SL, BL, and TC at 3 or 5 wk of age in SV (P < 0.05). There was not significant association between 3 haplotype combinations with growth trait at 3 or 5 wk of age in FG (P > 0.05). In conclusion, the VIPR-1 gene could be used as a molecular genetic marker to improve growth traits in quail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Centimeter-sized Bi2ZnB2O7 (BZBO) and Nd:Bi2ZnB2O7 (Nd:BZBO) single crystals are grown using the Kyropoulos method. The thermal properties and continuous wave (CW) laser performance are investigated. Results show that the BZBO crystal possesses moderate specific heat (0.62 J g−1 K−1 at 20 °C), small thermal expansion (α11 = 6.9 × 10−6 K−1, α22 = 11.2 × 10−6 K−1 and α33 = 1.9 × 10−6 K−1 at 20 °C) and large thermal conductivities (4.3, 3.2 and 4.0 W m−1 K−1 along the crystallographic a-, b- and c-axes at 25 °C, respectively). Moreover, the CW laser tests are realized at a wavelength of 1.06 μm for the Nd:BZBO crystal (0.5 mol% Nd3+), and the output powers are found to be around 256 mW, 235 mW and 312 mW along the optical X-, Y- and Z-orientations, respectively. Nd:BZBO might be another kind of important laser and nonlinear optical crystal in the oxyborate family. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor ( IGF-1R ) gene is the main effector of insulin-like growth factor (IGF), which plays an important role in growth, development and reproduction of the animal organism. This study aimed to investigate the association of IGF-1R gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) with egg quality and carcass traits of quail by direct sequencing. In this study, genomic DNA was extracted from quail blood samples of 46 Chinese yellow (CY) quail, 49 Beijing white (BW) quail and 48 Korean (KO) quail strains. Egg quality and carcass traits were measured and used for IGF-1R gene analysis in 3 quail strains. The results showed that 2 SNPs (A57G and A72T) of the IGF-1R gene were detected in 3 quail strains. The A57G was significantly associated with yolk width (YWI) in BW strain (P < 0.05). Whereas A72T was significantly associated with egg shell thickness (EST) in BW strain (P < 0.05), and significantly associated with egg weight (EW), egg long (EL), and egg short (ES) in KO strain (P < 0.05). Haplotypes based on 2 SNPs showed significant effect on EST in 3 quail strains (P < 0.05), it also has a significant effect on EW in KO strain (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, A72T was significantly associated with liver weight (LW) and dressing percentage (DP) in 3 strains (P < 0.05). Haplotypes showed significant effect on LW (P < 0.05). Therefore, the IGF-1R gene may be a molecular genetic marker to improve egg quality and carcass traits in quails. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inversion of wave spectrum is the embodiment of the fine observation of ocean swells by synthetic aperture radar. Due to the nonlinear distortion from velocity bunching, the operational Sentinel-1 Wave Mode (WV) level-2 (L2) Ocean (OCN) wave products retrieved by quasi-linear inversion are still quite different from the real wave spectrum, requiring further calibration. Limited by the azimuth cut-off, the quasi-linear inversed wave spectrum mostly concentrates on swells with a wavelength longer than 150 m. 2D spectral partitioning separates different swell systems, denoted as partitions in the Sentinel-1 WV L2 OCN product. We compared and calibrated the Sentinel-1 WV L2 OCN products' swell partitions (More specifically partitioned integral ocean wave parameters: partitioned wave height, partitioned wavelength, and partitioned wave direction) with WAVEWATCH III (WW3) in different polarization modes (HH and VV polarization) and different incidence angles (∼23°-WV1 and ∼ 36°-WV2). The accuracy of swell partitions in the OCN products varies with peak wave direction relative to the Sentinel-1 flight direction, and it is difficult to calibrate the partitions derived from quasi-linear inversion unless deleting partitions severely distorted by nonlinearity and large-scale features. A machine learning method is proposed to calibrate the wave partitions. Spectral distances of collocated Sentinel-1 and WW3 partition pairs larger than two are considered "bad" partitions to be filtered. Inputting high-dimensional features (twenty-one features) derived from Sentinel-1 WV L2 OCN products into the extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) model can effectively reduce the bias (root-mean-square error, RMSE) of significant wave height (SWH) of all the partitions from ∼0.10 m (∼0.70 m) to ∼0.00 m (∼0.46 m) and the bias (RMSE) of wavelengths of all the partitions from ∼20 m (∼35 m) to ∼0.20 m (∼26 m) compared with WW3 swell partitions. This method improves the precision of the wave partition and retains more partitions in the Sentinel-1 WV L2 OCN products than previous studies, especially for wave partitions with moderate wave height (< 4 m), potentially improving the understanding of swell dynamics globally. • Compare the Sentinel-1 WV L2 OCN wave partitions with the WW3 spectrum. • Show the nonlinearity relative to the Sentinel-1 flight direction. • Distinguish "good quality" and "poor quality" partitions by filtering model. • Calibrate the wave partitions derived from quasi-linear inversion to high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to identify polymorphisms of gonadotropin-releasing hormone ( GnRH ) gene and their association with growth traits in quail by PCR and direct sequencing. Genomic DNA was extracted from quail blood samples of 36 from Savimalt (SV) and 49 from French Giant (FG). Growth traits were measured and used for candidate gene analysis, as body weight (BW), shank length (SL), chest width (CW), chest depth (CD), breastbone length (BBL), body length (BL), and shank circumference (SC). The results showed that a total of 20 SNPs were detected in GnRH gene, whereas 8 SNPs were significantly associated with growth traits (P < 0.05). The T215C, G279A, C458T, A520G, and C547G were significantly associated with SL at 3 wk of age in the FG strain, whereas A583T was significantly related to BBL and BL, and C591T was significantly related to SL, BBL, and BL, whereas A592G was significantly correlated with SL, CW, CD, BBL, and BL (P < 0.05). The 8 SNPs were significantly related to CW, CD, and BBL at 3 wk of age in the SV strain, whereas A583T, C591T, and A592G were significantly associated with BW (P < 0.05). The G279A showed significant correlations with SL at 5 wk of age in FG, whereas A583T showed significant associations with SC in FG, and C591T was significantly associated with BW and SC in FG, whereas A592T was significantly related to BW, SL, and CD in FG (P < 0.05). The T215C, G279A, C458T, A520G, and C547G were significantly correlated with BW, CW, BBL, and BL at 5 wk of age in SV, whereas A583T, C591T, and A592G were significantly related to BW, SL, CW, BBL, and BL (P < 0.05). Haplotypes based on 8 SNPs showed significant correlation with BW, SL, CW, CD, BBL, BL, and SC in FG (P < 0.05). In conclusion, the GnRH gene could be used as a molecular genetic marker to provide theoretical foundation to improve growth traits in quail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the PtAg 2 /C-D and PtPd 3 Ag 5 /C-D catalysts with Pt-rich surfaces were fabricated via chemical reduction following electrochemical dealloying. The as-prepared catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron spectroscopy (TEM), atomic adsorption spectroscopy (AAS), X-ray electron spectroscopy (XPS) and electrochemical methods It is found that external Ag atoms are dealloyed by the cyclic voltammetry (CV) to expose more Pt active sites on the surface, which enhances the electrocatalytic performance greatly. The addition of Pd as another sacrificing element triggers higher activity due to the synergistic effect between Pd and Pt. The mass activity of as-prepared PtAg 2 /C-D catalyst reaches 3.35 times as high as that of Pt/C. The PtPd 3 Ag 5 /C-D catalyst has the highest electrocatalytic activity of 4500 mA mg −1 , which is 6.22 and 1.87 times as high as those of mono-component Pt/C and Pd/C, respectively. Their high electrocatalytic activity is attributed to electronic effects, oxygen-containing species from Pd oxides and higher utilization of Pt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel block wise feature recalibrate module merged into CNN-based networks for CD recognition. • Squeeze and excitation block with channel recalibration is firstly applied to adaptively recalibrate the feature of CD image. • The combination of ResNet50 with the SVM classifier can be useful to measure discriminative and subtle villous atrophy in CD. Videocapsule endoscopy (VCE) is a relatively new technique for evaluating the presence of villous atrophy in celiac disease patients. The diagnostic analysis of video frames is currently time-consuming and tedious. Recently, computer-aided diagnosis (CAD) systems have become an attractive research area for diagnosing celiac disease. However, the images captured from VCE are susceptible to alterations in light illumination, rotation direction, and intestinal secretions. Moreover, textural features of the mucosal villi obtained by VCE are difficult to characterize and extract. This work aims to find a novel deep learning feature learning module to assist in the diagnosis of celiac disease. In this manuscript, we propose a novel deep learning recalibration module which shows significant gain in diagnosing celiac disease. In this recalibration module, the block-wise recalibration component is newly employed to capture the most salient feature in the local channel feature map. This learning module was embedded into ResNet50, Inception-v3 to diagnose celiac disease using a 10-time 10-fold cross-validation based upon analysis of VCE images. In addition, we employed model weights to extract feature points from training and test samples before the last fully connected layer, and then input to a support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (KNN), and linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for differentiating celiac disease images from heathy controls. Overall, the accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of the 10-time 10-fold cross-validation were 95.94%, 97.20% and 95.63%, respectively. A novel deep learning recalibration module, with global response and local salient factors is proposed, and it has a high potential for utilizing deep learning networks to diagnose celiac disease using VCE images. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monoclinic bismuth-based borate crystal α-Bi2B8O15 was grown by the Kyropoulos method. High-resolution X-ray diffraction analysis showed that the full width at half maximum of the Y plate was about 0.04° for the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal. The ideal morphology of the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal was analyzed based on the refined structure obtained by the Rietveld method and it was found that the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal had a layered structure along the b axis. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission spectroscropy were performed together with analysis of the density, mechanical, and thermal properties and the electrical resistivity of the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal. Furthermore, the opto-electric properties were evaluated from the perspective of structural distortion. The results supported that the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal possessed good chemical and thermal stability. The specific heat (0.61 J g−1 K−1) was larger than that of the α-BiB3O6 crystal (0.48 J g−1 K−1) at room temperature. In addition, the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal had a relatively large band gap (4.41 eV) and a wide transmission range (260 nm–4.43 μm). The infrared cut-off edge was 4.43 μm, larger than other borate crystals, such as β-BaB2O4, CsB3O5, and LiB3O5 crystals. Besides, a high electrical resistivity was observed for the α-Bi2B8O15 crystal, reaching as high as 1.5 × 1010 Ω cm at 300 °C along the Y axis, nearly two orders of magnitude higher than that of the La3Ga5SiO14 crystal (∼8 × 108 Ω cm). The multifunctional α-Bi2B8O15 crystal may have potential for opto-electric applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical analysis indicated that partially deuterated ammonium dihydrogen phosphate (DADP) crystal with a deuterium content of 23% could realize spectral noncritical phase-matching (S-NCPM) for type-I frequency doubling of an Nd:glass laser. To explore the temperature dependence of the phase matching (PM) angle of the second harmonic generation (SHG) process and the output SHG bandwidth of DADP crystal at 1.053 μm, we used the point-seed rapid-growth method to grow targeted DADP crystal with 23% deuterium content. Experimental results indicated that the grown DADP crystal had high quality and large dimensions (7 × 6 × 6 cm3). Using a femtosecond OPO laser as a tunable light source, the temperature dependence of the PM angle of the SHG process in DADP crystal at 1.053 μm was investigated. The PM angle changed linearly with temperature, as predicted by the theoretical calculation. In addition, under the condition of higher temperature, broad bandwidths of the second harmonic of DADP crystal were still observed. These results provide excellent guidance and reference value for the application of wavelength insensitive phase-matched second harmonic generation in partially deuterated DADP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel two-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 T x material exhibits great potential for microwave absorption owing to its 2D layered graphene-like structure and unique physical properties. However, the limited release of absorbing properties due to the low dielectric loss of Ti 3 C 2 T x and its single loss mechanism pose challenges in meeting the functional requirements for microwave absorbers. Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on the Ti 3 C 2 T x substrates in a tip growth mode under the catalytic influence of Ni using the in situ induced method. Consequently, Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNTs/TiO 2 (TCT) structures were successfully prepared through carbonization conditions. It is worth noting that the composite material TCT-800 exhibits excellent absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss (RL min) value reaches −44.6 dB when the matching thickness is only 1.4 mm, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10 dB) spans from 11.9 GHz to 15.9 GHz, totaling a range of 4.2 GHz. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance of TCT-800 composites is attributed to the polarization phenomenon of more heterogeneous interfaces constructed by Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets, CNTs, and TiO 2 nanoparticles. This work provides a strategy for synthesizing Ti 3 C 2 T x -based composites with strong electromagnetic attenuation and wide absorption bandwidth performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interleukins, a diverse family of cytokines produced by various cells, play crucial roles in immune responses, immunoregulation, and a wide range of physiological and pathological processes. In the context of megakaryopoiesis, thrombopoiesis, and platelet function, interleukins have emerged as key regulators, exerting significant influence on the development, maturation, and activity of megakaryocytes (MKs) and platelets. While the therapeutic potential of interleukins in platelet-related diseases has been recognized for decades, their clinical application has been hindered by limitations in basic research and challenges in drug development. Recent advancements in understanding the molecular mechanisms of interleukins and their interactions with MKs and platelets, coupled with breakthroughs in cytokine engineering, have revitalized the field of interleukin-based therapeutics. These breakthroughs have paved the way for the development of more effective and specific interleukin-based therapies for the treatment of platelet disorders. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the effects of interleukins on megakaryopoiesis, thrombopoiesis, and platelet function. It highlights the potential clinical applications of interleukins in regulating megakaryopoiesis and platelet function and discusses the latest bioengineering technologies that could improve the pharmacokinetic properties of interleukins. By synthesizing the current knowledge in this field, this review aims to provide valuable insights for future research into the clinical application of interleukins in platelet-related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The novel two-dimensional Ti 3 C 2 T x material exhibits great potential for microwave absorption owing to its 2D layered graphene-like structure and unique physical properties. However, the limited release of absorbing properties due to the low dielectric loss of Ti 3 C 2 T x and its single loss mechanism pose challenges in meeting the functional requirements for microwave absorbers. Herein, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were grown on the Ti 3 C 2 T x substrates in a tip growth mode under the catalytic influence of Ni using the in situ induced method. Consequently, Ti 3 C 2 T x /CNTs/TiO 2 (TCT) structures were successfully prepared through carbonization conditions. It is worth noting that the composite material TCT-800 exhibits excellent absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss (RL min) value reaches −44.6 dB when the matching thickness is only 1.4 mm, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10 dB) spans from 11.9 GHz to 15.9 GHz, totaling a range of 4.2 GHz. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance of TCT-800 composites is attributed to the polarization phenomenon of more heterogeneous interfaces constructed by Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets, CNTs, and TiO 2 nanoparticles. This work provides a strategy for synthesizing Ti 3 C 2 T x -based composites with strong electromagnetic attenuation and wide absorption bandwidth performance. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A protective scheme of quantum dense coding and quantum teleportation of the X-type initial state is proposed in amplitude damping noisy channel with memory using weak measurement and measurement reversal. Compared with the noisy channel without memory, the memory factor improves both the capacity of quantum dense coding and the fidelity of the quantum teleportation to a certain extent for the given damping coefficient. Although the memory factor can inhibit decoherence in some degree, it cannot eliminate it completely. In order to further overcome the influence of the damping coefficient, the weak measurement protective scheme is proposed, which found that the capacity and the fidelity can be efficiently improved by adjusting weak measurement parameter. Another practical conclusion is that, among the three initial states, the weak measurement protective scheme has the best protective effect on the Bell-state in terms of the capacity and the fidelity. For the channel with no memory and full memory, the channel capacity of quantum dense coding reaches two and the fidelity of quantum teleportation reaches one for the bit system; the Bell system can recover the initial state completely with a certain probability. It can be seen that the entanglement of the system can be well protected by the weak measurement scheme, which provides a good support for the realization of quantum communication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The self-frequency-doubling crystal is an important kind of multi-functional crystal materials. In this work, Nd 3+ doped Sr 3 TaGa 3 Si 2 O 14 (Nd:STGS) single crystals were successfully grown by using Czochralski pulling method, in addition, the nonlinear and laser-frequency-doubling properties of Nd:STGS crystals were studied. The continuous-wave laser at 1064 nm was demonstrated along different physical axes, where the maximum output power was obtained to be 295 mW for the Z-cut samples, much higher than the Y-cut (242 mW) and X-cut (217 mW) samples. Based on the measured refractive indexes, the phase matching directions were discussed and determined for type I (42.5°, 30°) and type II (69.5°, 0°) crystal cuts. As expected, self-frequency-doubling green laser at 529 nm was achieved with output powers being around 16 mW and 12 mW for type I and type II configurations, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Based on polymer nanotubes, a double-layer electroactive superhydrophobic anti-corrosion coating is designed and prepared. • The coating possesses excellent robustness, superhydrophobicity, and electroactive. • The double-layer electroactive superhydrophobic coating exhibits excellent corrosion resistance. The phenomena of corrosion in metals have resulted in significant damage to the day-to-day lives of humans, the routine maintenance of engineering metal materials, and catastrophic corrosion damage has also triggered huge economic losses. Herein, we propose a double-layer PDVB/FSiO 2 -PDVB@PPy/EP sprayable coating with excellent robust superhydrophobicity and electroactive based on mass-producible polydivinylbenzene nanotubes (PDVB NTs) to apply in anti-corrosion of Q235 steel plate. On one hand, the electroactive base layer of PDVB@PPy/EP can constitute a physical barrier against corrosive media; On the other hand, cross-linked PDVB NTs containing FSiO 2 NPs (PDVB/FSiO 2 NTs) can form a superhydrophobic surface structure to avoid substrate corrosion from corrosive liquid. The water contact angle (WCA) of the composite coating is 163.9° and the sliding angle (SA) is 3.6°, indicating that the coating possesses excellent superhydrophobic properties. Remarkably, Cross-cut scratch, tape peel, and Taber abrasion tests confirm that the composite coating exhibits excellent robust performance. The pitting pit depth after 30 days of salt spray test is 4 μm, and following 60 days of immersion in a solution containing 3.5 wt% NaCl, the protection efficiency (P.E. %) reaches 94.79 %. These results suggest that the double-layer electroactive superhydrophobic coating exhibits excellent corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drying is a crucial process in the production of tea. The effects of sun drying (SD), hot air drying (HAD), microwave drying (MD), vacuum drying (VD) and freeze drying (FD) on the color, taste, bioactive, and aroma of coffee pulp tea (CPT) were evaluated systematically. The results showed that FD could better retain the original color, total phenolics (4.75 mg/mL), trigonelline (0.31 mg/mL), chlorogenic acid (0.067 mg/mL), protocatechuic acid (0.81 mg/mL), and total soluble sugars (24.33 mg/mL) of CPT, but its drying time was longer (32.56 h), and the taste and flavor were the worst. HAD and SD displayed the highest loss rates of most bioactive components, exceeding 40%. In contrast, MD can better improve the quality of CPT, giving it a better color, superior retention of bioactive components, and the most attractive taste and aroma, and decrease the drying time by 66.1% and 96.5%, respectively. Overall, MD is a promising production method for obtaining high-value-added CPT products. [Display omitted] • FD can keep coffee pulp tea's color and phytochemical profiles considerably. • The volatile components of coffee pulp tea were modeled using OPLS-DA. • MD-dried coffee pulp tea had a better attractive aroma under shorter drying times than other drying. • MD was more suitable to produce dried coffee pulp tea on an industrial scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mg3Sb2‐based Zintl compounds have been paid much attention in recent years because of their high peak figure of merit (zT), however, there is room for the improvement of the average zT. In this work, the thermoelectric performance of Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 single crystal by using density functional theory is investigated. The optimal carrier concentration (n) of Mg3SbBi is 2 × 1019 to 3 × 1020 cm–3 at 100−700 K. At the n of 3 × 1019 cm–3, it can exhibit a high average zT of ≈1.27 at cold‐side temperature (Tc) of 300 K and hot‐side temperature (Th) of 700 K, and the electrical transport performance can be further improved by increasing the n. When the optimal n is reached, the maximum average zT of Mg3SbBi at Tc of 100 K and Th of 300 K can be up to 0.54, which is comparable to that of state‐of‐the‐art Bi2(Te,Se)3. Because the decreasing trend of the optimal n with temperature, the maximum low‐temperature thermoelectric performance is easier to be achieved by less extrinsic doping. This work reveals the great potential of Mg3(Sb,Bi)2 single crystal for thermoelectric cooling or power generation, which is expected to provide useful guidance for thermoelectric devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transgenic Phytophthora sojae strains that produce green fluorescent protein (GFP) were obtained after stable DNA integration using the Hsp70 promoter and the Ham34 terminator of Bremia lactucae. The expression of GFP during different developmental stages of P. sojae was observed using fluorescent microscopy. Based on this reporter system, the histopathologic events caused by the pathogen in soybean leaves, hypocotyls and roots were monitored. Meanwhile, the difference in resistance between different soybean cultivars against P. sojae was analyzed microscopically in roots. The results indicate that GFP can be stably expressed in zoosporangia, zoospores, cysts, hyphae and oospores of P. sojae. Using the GFP marker, the infecting pathogens in leaves, hypocotyls and roots of host could be distinctly visualized. The germ tube length of cysts germinating on the roots of resistant cultivar Nannong 8848 was longer than that on the roots of susceptible cultivar Hefeng 35. These results show for the first time that this eukaryotic reporter can be used in P. sojae as a stable and vital marker, allowing the study of genetics of this hemibiotrophic pathogen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sequenced genomes of oomycete plant pathogens contain large superfamilies of effector proteins containing the protein translocation motif RXLR-dEER. However, the contributions of these effectors to pathogenicity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that the Phytophthora sojae effector protein Avr1b can contribute positively to virulence and can suppress programmed cell death (PCD) triggered by the mouse BAX protein in yeast, soybean (Glycine max), and Nicotiana benthamiana cells. We identify three conserved motifs (K, W, and Y) in the C terminus of the Avrlb protein and show that mutations in the conserved residues of the W and Y motifs reduce or abolish the ability of Avrlb to suppress PCD and also abolish the avirulence interaction of Avr1b with the Rps1b resistance gene in soybean. W and Y motifs are present in at least half of the identified oomycete RXLR-dEER effector candidates, and we show that three of these candidates also suppress I PCD in soybean. Together, these results indicate that the W and Y motifs are critical for the interaction of Avr1b with host plant target proteins and support the hypothesis that these motifs are critical for the functions of the very large number of predicted I oomycete effectors that contain them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protection of quantum entanglement has always been the focus of researchers. We adopt the scheme of combining weak measurement and measurement reversal to explore the protection effect of two-qutrit system in four noise channels, i.e., the amplitude damping channel, the phase damping channel, the bit flip channel and the depolarizing channel. For the given qutrits state with α = β = γ = 1 3 , it is found that the protection scheme can help to protect entanglement in the amplitude damping channel, while for the state with α = β = 1 2 , γ = 0 , the protection scheme plays a protective role in the amplitude damping channel and the depolarizing channel. We also calculate and discuss how the negativity and the probability of success behave when adjusting the weak measurement or measurement reversal strength. In different noise channels, the entanglement can be kept as much as possible by choosing the appropriate weak measurement parameters. It provides a strong basis for the system to maintain maximum entanglement in different noise channels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prime Novelty Statement: The fabrication of Ti 3 C 2 T x /Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 (TB) hybrids with high photocatalytic efficiency using the in-situ method was presented in this paper as a unique technique. The optimal photocatalytic activity of TB-x was determined by different reaction temperatures. When the temperature was heated to 200 °C (TB-20), under visible light, the obtained TB-20 sample performed best in degrading tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl), rhodamine B (RhB), and methyl orange (MO), which was attributed to the photocatalytic mechanism of interfacial charge. The hybrids will have excellent application prospects in the catalytic degradation of pollutants. [Display omitted] • The Ti 3 C 2 T x /Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 hybrids were synthesized through the in-situ method and showed excellent photocatalytic activity. Visible-light responsive two-dimensional (2D) MXene heterostructure photocatalysts with synergistic photoelectron migration represent a practical approach with potential applications in water remediation. The present study reports the facile in-situ solvothermal synthesis of a heterojunction composite comprising Ti 3 C 2 T x /Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12. The novel composite photocatalyst exhibits remarkable visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity towards complete degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC-HCl), rhodamine B (RhB), and methyl orange (MO) by TB-20 within 20, 50, and 60 min of illumination, respectively. Furthermore, the exposed facet Ti 3 C 2 T x /Bi 4 Ti 3 O 12 heterojunction exhibits a synergistic effect with photocatalytic reactions, as evidenced by the transfer of photogenerated carriers and generation of O 2 −, thereby enhancing the performance of catalytic degradation of organic dyes. This study advances the development of photocatalysis by utilizing the MXene substrate to fabricate hierarchical structure composites, enabling efficient degradation of antibiotics and solar energy conversion for future applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PEG-LD) has a comparable efficacy but a distinct toxicological profile compared with free doxorubicin. The use of PEG-LD and cyclophosphamide followed by docetaxel regimen as neoadjuvant chemotherapy has not been well established. Objectives: We aimed to assess the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and toxicity of this regimen in patients with locally advanced breast cancer. Methods: A total of 19 patients were enrolled in this trial. In the initial treatment plan, patients were given PEG-LD at 35, 40, 45, or 50 mg/m2 on day 1 during the first four cycles, and cyclophosphamide was administered at a dose of 600 mg/m2. During the last four cycles, docetaxel was administered at 75 mg/m2 on day 1 of a 21-day scheme. Results: The MTD was 40 mg/m2 PEG-LD and 600 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide administered on day 1 of a 21-day cycle. Dose-limiting toxicity, grade 3 hand-foot syndrome, was observed in one patient during level 2 and three patients during level 3. Other side effects included neutropenia, anemia, stomatitis, rash, nausea/vomiting, alopecia, transaminase elevation, and cardiotoxicity. The pathological complete response rate was 21.1%. Conclusions: Our study demonstrated that combination of 40 mg/m2 PEG-LD and 600 mg/m2 cyclophosphamide, followed by 75 mg/m2 docetaxel on day 1 of a 21-day scheme, was an efficacious and well-tolerated neoadjuvant regimen for patients with locally advanced breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Breast cancer is a leading cause of death in women and with an increasing worldwide incidence. Doxorubicin, as a first-line anthracycline-based drug is conventional used on breast cancer clinical chemotherapy. However, the drug resistances limited the curative effect of the doxorubicin therapy in breast cancer patients, but the molecular mechanism determinants of breast cancer resistance to doxorubicin chemotherapy are not fully understood. In order to explore the association between metadherin (MTDH) and doxorubicin sensitivity, the differential expressions of MTDH in breast cancer cell lines and the sensitivity to doxorubicin of breast cancer cell lines were investigated. Methods: The mRNA and protein expression of MTDH were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot in breast cancer cells such as MDA-MB-231, MCF-7, MDA-MB-435S, MCF-7/ADR cells. Once MTDH gene was knocked down by siRNA in MCF-7/ADR cells and overexpressed by MTDH plasmid transfection in MDA-MB-231 cells, the cell growth and therapeutic sensitivity of doxorubicin were evaluated using MTT and the Cell cycle assay and apoptosis rate was determined by flow cytometry. Results: MCF-7/ADR cells revealed highly expressed MTDH and MDA-MB-231 cells had the lowest expression of MTDH. After MTDH gene was knocked down, the cell proliferation was inhibited, and the inhibitory rate of cell growth and apoptosis rate were enhanced, and the cell cycle arrest during the G0/G1 phase in the presence of doxorubicin treatment. On the other hand, the opposite results were observed in MDA-MB-231 cells with overexpressed MTDH gene. Conclusion: MTDH gene plays a promoting role in the proliferation of breast cancer cells and its high expression may be associated with doxorubicin sensitivity of breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MaxEnt and AHP-GIS were used to predict potential distribution. • Bio5, Bio6, Bio12, altitude, slope, sand and silt were the most key factors. • Under SSPs370, the most suitable area of Arabica coffee has increased. • Arabica coffee showed range expansions towards higher elevation and latitude. Coffee, as one of three major beverages all over the world, is featured by many functions mainly including refreshment, diuresis, invigorating stomach and stimulating appetite. However, there still lack of studies regarding the potential distribution of suitable planting regions and the important environmental factors that affect the growth and development of Arabica coffee. Based on climate, terrain and soil data, MaxEnt model and AHP-GIS technology were used to evaluate and analyze the increase and decrease range of Arabica coffee ecological suitability planting areas and most suitable areas in different periods, determine the most significant environmental factors affecting ecological suitability, and determine the distribution transformation under climate change scenario (SSPs370). Results showed that the ecological suitability of Arabica coffee plantation was mainly subjected to the climate factors, among which the maximum temperature in the warmest month, minimum temperature in the coldest month and the annual precipitation were particularly important, followed by terrain and soil factors. The model accuracies of MaxEnt and AHP-GIS were 0.925 and 0.833 respectively, indicating that the two methods were reliable in the ecological suitability evaluation of Arabica coffee. MaxEnt predicted that the most and moderately suitable area accounted for 16.26% and 22.59%, and AHP-GIS predicted that they accounted for 13.35% and 41.32% of the total area respectively. The most and moderately suitable areas were mainly concentrated in west, southeast, south and southwest Yunnan. Under the future climate scenario model, MaxEnt and AHP-GIS predicted that the area of the most suitable area would increase by 2.62 × 104–4.42 × 104 km2 and 3.53 × 104–5.44 × 104 km2 respectively from 2021 to 2100, which were mainly concentrated in west, southwest and southeast Yunnan. At the same time, the distribution of the most suitable area migrated northward generally to higher altitude and higher latitude, and the migration distance was 27.44–92.22 km. The predicted potential distribution of Arabica coffee based on MaxEnt model and AHP-GIS model could provide reference for the implementation of long-term planning and development programs so as to alleviate the effects of climate change on the distribution of Arabica coffee. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we reported a novel highly ordered nano-micro hierarchical structure on flexible polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) layer as a SERS stamp for ultrasensitive detection, which can generate huge SERS signals with silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) owing to a multiscale coupling electromagnetic enhancement mechanism. Highly ordered nanowrinkles were prepared by oxygen plasma and stretching treatment of PDMS. Indeed, a tactfully designed zigzag micropattern can efficiently reduce the fracture defects of nanowrinkles because the contraction force can be lessened at releasing step. This proposed substrate has high reproducibility and uniformity that the relative standard deviation (RSD) was below 7 %. With uniform hot spots on this novel flexible SERS substrate, 2, 4, 6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) residues can be detected on coarse surfaces of target item. A molecule interaction mechanism of Meisenheimer complex was applied to combine AgNPs and nanowrinkles for highly sensitive detecting TNT. The detection sensitivity of TNT molecules can achieve a limit of 10−13 mol L−1. Additionally, a practical application was proceeded by wiping the cloth bag to detect the TNT residues with a limit of 10−9 mol L−1. This demonstrated stamp-like flexible substrate showed unique SERS activity and non-invasive sampling, it is expected to be a promising tool for the explosive, drug and environmental pollutant in field-detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]