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NPC intracellular cholesterol transporter 1 (NPC1) plays an important role in sterol metabolism and transport processes and has been studied in many vertebrates and some insects, but rarely in crustaceans. In this study, we characterized NPC1 from Macrobrachium nipponense (Mn-NPC1) and evaluated its functions. Its total cDNA length was 4283 bp, encoding for 1344 amino acids. It contained three conserved domains typical of the NPC family (NPC1_N, SSD, and PTC). In contrast to its role in insects, Mn-NPC1 was mainly expressed in the adult female hepatopancreas, with moderate expression in the ovary and heart. No expression was found in the embryo (stages CS–ZS) and only weak expression in the larval stages from hatching to the post-larval stage (L1–PL15). Mn-NPC1 expression was positively correlated with ovarian maturation. In situ hybridization showed that it was mainly located in the cytoplasmic membrane and nucleus of oocytes. A 25-day RNA interference experiment was employed to illustrate the Mn-NPC1 function in ovary maturation. Experimental knockdown of Mn-NPC1 using dsRNA resulted in a marked reduction in the gonadosomatic index and ecdysone content of M. nipponense females. The experimental group showed a significant delay in ovarian maturation and a reduction in the frequency of molting. These results expand our understanding of NPC1 in crustaceans and of the regulatory mechanism of ovarian maturation in M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intelligent control of precision planting can detect and regulate the operation quality of the planter in real time, which plays an important role in improving the operation quality of the planter and the yield of the corn. In this paper, the control system of a corn precision planter is designed to realize the operating quality monitoring and electric driving of the seed-metering device. The planting quality is calculated by the time interval between the neighboring falling seeds, instead of the plant spacing, to improve the operational efficiency of the system. At the same time, the forward speed of the planter is obtained by radar, which is used to accurately match the speed of the seed-metering device with the forward speed of the planter. The velocity error of the radar is analyzed, and the relevant relationship of the radar output frequency and forward speed is established. Comparative test results of this system and the JPS-12 test bench show that the detection performance of the system is reliable, and the maximum detection error of the quality parameters is less than 2.88%. Field experiments were carried out to verify the operational performance of the control system. Two speed sensors, radar and GPS, were chosen to study the effect of speed measuring on the performance of the control system. We found that speed measuring has a significant effect on planting performance. The qualified parameters of radar were significantly higher than those of GPS, at a forward speed of 6–12 km/h. The qualification feeding index (QFI) of radar was 0.51%, 0.67%, and 2.05% higher than that of GPS at speeds of 6, 8, 10, and 12 km/h. The precision index (PREC) of radar was 17.60%, 5.44%, 16.81%, and 17.30% lower than that of GPS. Therefore, the control system based on the radar speed measurement developed in this paper can significantly improve the operating quality of the planter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractWith the continuous development of artificial intelligence (AI), algorithmic discrimination and discriminatory and misleading content (DMC) generated by AI have given rise to many negative effects in cyberspace, such as racial and gender discrimination, misinformation, and so on. The growing concern in society over AI governance urgently necessitates the establishment of an effective mechanism to supervise and govern AI-generated DMC. In this article, the discriminatory and misleading contents of AIGC (Artificial Intelligence Generated Content) were extracted according to Text Classification Model and then classified by Naive Bayesian algorithm. The results showed that under the Global Digital Compact (GDC), countries differed in their degrees of discrimination related to race, gender, religion, and age. The racial discrimination accounted for the highest proportion in the United States, with a score of 0.15; that in Britain and France took up a share of 0.06 and 0.07, respectively; and merely 0.03 in Germany. Discriminatory content of racial discrimination (M1) and gender discrimination (M2) in science and technology industry was relatively low, accounting for 0.05 and 0.08, respectively. Analyzing data within the Global Digital Compact (GDC) illuminates the disparities and trends in DMC generation across various countries, cities, industries, and individual users. This analysis provides valuable references for subsequent research and problem-solving initiatives under the compact. Furthermore, GDC plays a pivotal role in addressing issues related to AI-generated DMC, contributing significantly to the creation of a secure, reliable, and equitable cyberspace. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the role of lysosomal acid lipase (LIPA) in sex hormone regulation and gonadal development in Macrobrachium nipponense. The full-length Mn-LIPA cDNA was cloned, and its expression patterns were analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) in various tissues and developmental stages. Higher expression levels were observed in the hepatopancreas, cerebral ganglion, and testes, indicating the potential involvement of Mn-LIPA in sex differentiation and gonadal development. In situ hybridization experiments revealed strong Mn-LIPA signaling in the spermatheca and hepatopancreas, suggesting their potential role in steroid synthesis (such as cholesterol, fatty acids, cholesteryl ester, and triglycerides) and sperm maturation. Increased expression levels of male-specific genes, such as insulin-like androgenic gland hormone (IAG), sperm gelatinase (SG), and mab-3-related transcription factor (Dmrt11E), were observed after dsMn-LIPA (double-stranded LIPA) injection, and significant inhibition of sperm development and maturation was observed histologically. Additionally, the relationship between Mn-LIPA and sex-related genes (IAG, SG, and Dmrt11E) and hormones (17β-estradiol and 17α-methyltestosterone) was explored by administering sex hormones to male prawns, indicating that Mn-LIPA does not directly control the production of sex hormones but rather utilizes the property of hydrolyzing triglycerides and cholesterol to provide energy while influencing the synthesis and secretion of self-sex hormones. These findings provide valuable insights into the function of Mn-LIPA in M. nipponense and its potential implications for understanding sex differentiation and gonadal development in crustaceans. It provides an important theoretical basis for the realization of a monosex culture of M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the expression, source, role, and mechanism of Fetuin-B (FETUB) in diabetic retinopathy (DR). ELISA and immunofluorescence were used to analyze the concentration of FETUB in plasma, aqueous fluid, and tissue specimens of patients with DR and healthy controls. Immunofluorescence, q-PCR, and western blotting were used to examine the expression of FETUB in DR mice and cells cultured with different concentrations of glucose. BV2 microglia cell line and DR mice were treated using FETUB recombination protein and FETUB shRNA to explore the function of FETUB in DR by q-PCR, western blotting, and immunofluorescence. FETUB concentrations in plasma, aqueous fluid, and tissue specimens were significantly increased in DR patients. The mice in DR group had a higher concentration of FETUB in the retina and liver tissues than those in the control group, and the expression of FETUB was increased in both ARPE19 and BV2 cells under a high-glucose environment. The ratio of p-P65 (Phospho-P65)/P65 and the expression levels of TNF-α, VEGF, and ionized calcium binding adaptor molecule (IBA)-1 were increased in BV2 cells cultured with FETUB recombinant protein, while they were decreased in BV2 cells transfected with FETUB shRNA. Immunofluorescence staining showed that there were more IBA-1+ activated microglia in the retinas of the FETUB recombination protein group than in the retinas of the DR group, and there were fewer IBA-1+ activated microglia in the retinas of the FETUB shRNA group than in the retinas of the DR group. FETUB sourced from endocrine, autocrine, and paracrine pathways could promote inflammation in DR by activating the NF-κB pathway and microglia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdc2) is involved in the metabolic pathways of the cell cycle and plays essential roles in the regulation of cell proliferation in eukaryotic cells. Previous research predicted that Cdc2 is involved in regulating sexual reproduction in male oriental river prawns (Machrobrachium nipponense). In the present study, we investigated the potential functions of Cdc2 in male sexual reproduction in this species. The full-length cDNA sequence of Mn-Cdc2 is 1541 base pairs long, and it encodes 299 amino acids. Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that the amino acid sequence of Mn-Cdc2 has the closest evolutionary distance with the Cdc2s of freshwater prawns. Quantitative PCR analysis showed that Mn-Cdc2 mRNA expression was highest in the testis and ovary of male and female prawns, respectively, which suggests that Cdc2 promotes gonad reproduction in M. nipponense. In situ hybridization revealed that Cdc2 plays essential role in sperm proliferation. RNA interference analysis showed that synthesized dsRNA of Mn-Cdc2 efficiently knocked down the expression of Mn-Cdc2 in male prawns. Additionally, the expression of Mn-insulin-like androgenic gland hormone decreased as Mn-Cdc2 expression decreased, indicating that Cdc2 positively regulates the expression of this hormone in M. nipponense. Histological observations showed significant morphological differences between testis samples taken from dsCdc2-injected and dsGFP-injected prawns. Sperm were rarely observed at day 14 after dsCdc2 injection, indicating that Cdc2 is involved in regulating testis reproduction in M. nipponense. This study highlighted the functions of Cdc2 in M. nipponense, and the results provide a basis for further studies of the regulation of male sexual reproduction in other crustacean species and for the development of an artificial technique to regulate the process of testis reproduction in M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated the potential to use double-stranded RNA insulin-like androgenic gland hormone (dsIAG) to induce sex reversal in Macrobrachium nipponense and identified the molecular mechanisms underlying crustacean reproduction and sex differentiation. The study aimed to determine whether dsIAG could induce sex reversal in PL30-male M. nipponense during a critical period. The sex-related genes were selected by performing the gonadal transcriptome analysis of normal male (dsM), normal female (dsFM), neo-female sex-reversed individuals (dsRM), and unreversed males (dsNRM). After six injections, the experiment finally resulted in a 20% production of dsRM. Histologically, dsRM ovaries developed slower than dsFM, but dsNRM spermathecae developed normally. A total of 1718, 1069, and 255 differentially expressed genes were identified through transcriptome sequencing of the gonads in three comparison groups, revealing crucial genes related to reproduction and sex differentiation, such as GnRHR, VGR, SG, and LWS. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) also distinguished dsM and dsRM very well. In addition, this study predicted that the eyestalks and the "phototransduction-fly" photoperiodic pathways of M. nipponense could play an important role in sex reversal. The enrichment of related pathways and growth traits in dsNRM were combined to establish that IAG played a significant role in reproduction, growth regulation, and metabolism. Finally, complete sex reversal may depend on specific stimuli at critical periods. Overall, this study provides valuable findings for the IAG regulation of sex differentiation, reproduction, and growth of M. nipponense in establishing a monoculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense) is a commercially important species in Asia. A previous study showed that the succinate dehydrogenase complex iron sulfur subunit B (SDHB) gene participates in testes development in this species through its effect on the expression of the insulin-like androgenic gland hormone gene. This study knocked-down the Mn-SDHB genes in M. nipponense using RNAi. A transcriptome analysis of the androgenic gland and testes was then performed to discover the male sex-related genes regulated by SDHB and investigate the mechanism of male sexual development in this species. More than 16,623 unigenes were discovered in each sample generated. In the androgenic gland, most of the differentially expressed genes were enriched in the hypertrophic cardiomyopathy pathway, while in the testes, they were enriched in the citrate cycle pathway. In addition, after Mn-SDHB knockdown, five genes were found to be downregulated in the androgenic gland in a series of biological processes associated with phosphorylated carbohydrate synthesis and transformations in the glycolysis/gluconeogenesis pathway. Moreover, a total of nine male sex-related genes were identified including Pro-resilin, insulin-like androgenic gland hormone, Protein mono-ADP-ribosyltransferase PAPR11, DNAJC2, C-type Lectin-1, Tyrosine-protein kinase Yes, Vigilin, and Sperm motility kinase Y-like, demonstrating the regulatory effects of Mn-SDHB, and providing a reference for the further study of the mechanisms of male development in M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The widespread dissemination of rumors (fake information) on online social media has had a detrimental impact on public opinion and the social environment. This necessitates the urgent need for efficient rumor detection methods. In recent years, deep learning techniques, including graph neural networks (GNNs) and recurrent neural networks (RNNs), have been employed to capture the spatiotemporal features of rumors. However, existing research has largely overlooked the limitations of traditional GNNs based on message-passing frameworks when dealing with rumor propagation graphs. In fact, due to the issues of excessive smoothing and gradient vanishing, traditional GNNs struggle to capture the interactive information among high-order neighbors when handling deep graphs, such as those in rumor propagation scenarios. Furthermore, previous methods used for learning the temporal features of rumors, whether based on dynamic graphs or time series, have overlooked the importance of differential temporal information. To address the aforementioned issues, this paper proposes a rumor detection model based on multi-hop graphs and differential time series. Specifically, this model consists of two components: the structural feature extraction module and the temporal feature extraction module. The former utilizes a multi-hop graph and the enhanced message passing framework to learn the high-order structural features of rumor propagation graphs. The latter explicitly models the differential time series to learn the temporal features of rumors. Extensive experiments conducted on multiple real-world datasets demonstrate that our proposed model outperforms the previous state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Backgrounds. Many clinical trials have demonstrated the value of drug-coated balloons (DCB) for in-stent restenosis. However, their role in de novo lesions is not well documented. The aim of this study is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the DCB-only strategy compared to other percutaneous coronary intervention strategies for de novo coronary lesions. Methods. The PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) electronic databases were searched for randomized controlled trials published up to May 6, 2023. The primary outcomes were major adverse cardiac events and late lumen loss. Results. A total of eighteen trials with 3336 participants were included. Compared with drug-eluting stents, the DCB-only strategy was associated with a similar risk of major adverse cardiac events (risk ratio RR = 0.90 ; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.59 to 1.37, P = 0.631) and a significant decrease in late lumen loss (standardized mean difference SMD = − 0.29 , 95% CI: −0.53 to −0.04, P = 0.021). This effect was consistent in subgroup analysis regardless of indication, follow-up time, drug-eluting stent type, and dual antiplatelet therapy duration. However, DCBs were inferior to DESs for minimum lumen diameter and percentage diameter stenosis. The DCB-only strategy showed significantly better outcomes for most endpoints compared to plain-old balloon angioplasty or bare metal stents. Conclusions. Interventions with a DCB-only strategy are comparable to those of drug-eluting stents and superior to plain-old balloon angioplasty or bare metal stents for the treatment of selected de novo coronary lesions. Additional evidence is still warranted to confirm the value of DCB before widespread clinical utilization can be recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxidative damage‐triggered apoptosis in lens epithelial cells is considered as a main risk factor in the pathogenesis of age‐related cataracts. Ku70 is a key factor in the DNA repair process of double‐strand breaks. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the role of Ku70 and its related E3 ubiquitin ligase in lens epithelial cell apoptosis. The levels of Ku70 in the anterior lens capsules of human cataracts and Emory mice were lower compared to controls. H2O2 treatment resulted in decreased expression of Ku70 through accelerating Ku70 ubiquitination. Parkin, an E3 ubiquitin ligase, could interact with Ku70 and promote the ubiquitination and degradation of this protein. In addition, ubiquitinated Ku70 was regulated by ubiquitin‐proteasome, autophagy‐lysosome and mitophagy pathways. Ectopic expression of Ku70 protected SRA01/04 cells from H2O2‐induced apoptosis, whereas silencing Ku70 exhibited the opposite trend. Co‐transfected with Parkin non‐ubiquitinatable Ku70 mutant could maintain its anti‐apoptosis ability, whereas wild‐type Ku70 failed. Moreover, Ku70 might facilitate mitochondrial fusion by increasing the expression of Mitofusin 1/2. The present study revealed that Parkin‐mediated Ku70 ubiquitination facilitated H2O2‐induced lens epithelial cell apoptosis through alleviating mitochondrial fusion, which could provide potential targets for age‐related cataract treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The co-infection with Orientia tsutsugamushand and hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome is rare. There are many similarities in early clinical practice between the two diseases, and sometimes it is easy to misdiagnose, especially when co-infection occurs. Methods: We describe a patient who presented with fever and headache after bitten by an insect and whose physical examination showed conjunctival hyperemia, eschar and petechiae in tongue and the soft palate. To lead to a diagnosis, the serum antibody of Hantaan virus, Weil-Felix test and next-generation sequencing of cerebrospinal fluid was performed. Results: The Weil-Felix test was negative on the 15th day after the onset of the disease and a repeated Weil-Felix test on the 21st day showed a titer of 1:160 and the IgM against Hantaan virus was positive. The number of sequence reads identified corresponding to O. tsutsugamushi was 239 with a genomic coverage of 0.9178%. This patient was diagnosed with intracranial infection with Orientia tsutsugamushi and co-infection with epidemic hemorrhagic fever. The symptoms in our patient quickly decreased after the administration of tetracycline. Conclusion: Next-generation sequencing is helpful for the early diagnosis of scrub typhus, especially when the Weil-Felix test is negative. Clinicians need to be reminded to screen for common pathogens that may be co-infected, such as epidemic hemorrhagic fever. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been implemented worldwide to suppress the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). However, few studies have evaluated the effect of NPIs on other infectious diseases and none has assessed the avoided disease burden associated with NPIs. We aimed to assess the effect of NPIs on the incidence of infectious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 and evaluate the health economic benefits related to the reduction in the incidence of infectious diseases. Methods: Data on 10 notifiable infectious diseases across China during 2010–2020 were extracted from the China Information System for Disease Control and Prevention. A two-stage controlled interrupted time-series design with a quasi-Poisson regression model was used to examine the impact of NPIs on the incidence of infectious diseases. The analysis was first performed at the provincial-level administrative divisions (PLADs) level in China, then the PLAD-specific estimates were pooled using a random-effect meta-analysis. Results: A total of 61,393,737 cases of 10 infectious diseases were identified. The implementation of NPIs was associated with 5.13 million (95% confidence interval [CI] 3.45‒7.42) avoided cases and USD 1.77 billion (95% CI 1.18‒2.57) avoided hospital expenditures in 2020. There were 4.52 million (95% CI 3.00‒6.63) avoided cases for children and adolescents, corresponding to 88.2% of total avoided cases. The top leading cause of avoided burden attributable to NPIs was influenza [avoided percentage (AP): 89.3%; 95% CI 84.5‒92.6]. Socioeconomic status and population density were effect modifiers. Conclusions: NPIs for COVID-19 could effectively control the prevalence of infectious diseases, with patterns of risk varying by socioeconomic status. These findings have important implications for informing targeted strategies to prevent infectious diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is an irreversible neurodegenerative disease that may cause neurotoxicity and imbalance in gut microbiota. A polysaccharide derived from Sparassis crispa -1 (SCP-1) acts as a neuroprotective agent in vitro. There is, however, no clarity on the mechanism responsible for SCP-1's neuroprotective effects against AD. In this study, C57BL/6J male mice were treated with D-galactose and AlCl 3 to establish an animal model of AD, followed by treatment with SCP-1. As evidenced by behavioral tests and brain pathology, SCP-1 treatment ameliorated learning deficits and defective spatial recognition, reduced amyloidogenesis, and modulated the neurotransmitter levels (γ-aminobutyric acid, glutamate, and acetylcholine) in the brain of AD mice. The results of 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that SCP-1 reshaped the gut microbiota composition, especially by promoting the proliferation of butyrate-producing genera, such as Intestinaimonas , [Eubacterium] ventriosum group , Lachnospiraceae_UCG_010 , and Lachnospiraceae_UCG_001 , and suppressing the growth of inflammation-related bacteria (i.e., Escherichia/Shigella). Furthermore, SCP-1 significantly attenuated inflammation by reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines, maintaining intestinal barrier function, inhibiting glial activation, and decreasing the expression of toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) and nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB). Collectively, our findings suggest that SCP-1 may prevent the development of AD via modulation of gut microbiota and suppression of inflammation, for a potential application in preventing or managing AD. [Display omitted] • SCP-1 improved the performance in the behavior tests and reversed the trends of memory impairments • SCP-1 reduced the Aβ deposit, and modulated the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain of AD mice • SCP-1 reshaped the gut microbiota structure and maintained intestinal barrier function • SCP-1 inhibited glial activation, and suppressed expression of TLR4 and NF-κB in the hippocampus of AD mice [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molting is a basic physiological behavior of the Oriental river prawn (Macrobrachium nipponense), however, the gene expression patterns and immune mechanisms during the molting process of Oriental river prawn are unclear. In the current study, the gene expression levels of the hepatopancreas of the Oriental river prawn at different molting stages (pre-molting, Prm; mid-molting, Mm; and post-molting, Pom) were detected by mRNA sequencing. A total of 1721, 551, and 1054 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the Prm hepatopancreas (PrmHe) and Mm hepatopancreas (MmHe), MmHe and Pom hepatopancreas (PomHe) and PrmHe and PomHe, respectively. The results showed that a total of 1151 DEGs were annotated into 316 signaling pathways, and the significantly enriched immune-related pathways were "Lysosome", "Hippo signaling pathway", "Apoptosis", "Autophagy-animal", and "Endocytosis". The qRT-PCR verification results of 30 randomly selected DEGs were consistent with RNA-seq. The expression patterns of eight immune related genes in different molting stages of the Oriental river prawn were analyzed by qRT-PCR. The function of Caspase-1 (CASP1) was further investigated by bioinformatics, qRT-PCR, and RNAi analysis. CASP1 has two identical conserved domains: histidine active site and pentapeptide motif, and the expression of CASP1 is the highest in ovary. The expression levels of triosephosphate isomerase (TPI), Cathepsin B (CTSB) and Hexokinase (HXK) were evaluated after knockdown of CASP1. This research provides a valuable basis to improve our understanding the immune mechanisms of Oriental river prawns at different molting stages. The identification of immune-related genes is of great significance for enhancing the immunity of the Oriental river prawn, or other crustaceans, by transgenic methods in the future. • The hepatopancreas tissue transcriptome of Macrobrachium nipponense at different molting stages was constructed. • A total of 3326 DEGs were identified, including 1932 up-regulated genes and 1394 down-regulated genes. • Expression patterns of the 30 DEGs validated by qRT-PCR were consistent with the result of RNAseq. • Many DEGs were enriched in immune-related pathways. • The regulatory relationship between Caspase-1 and other immune-related genes was studied by RNAi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Woody plants provide the most abundant biomass resource that is convertible for biofuels. Since lignin is a crucial recalcitrant factor against lignocellulose hydrolysis, genetic engineering of lignin biosynthesis is considered as a promising solution. Many MYB transcription factors have been identified to involve in the regulation of cell wall formation or phenylpropanoid pathway. In a previous study, we identified that PtoMYB115 contributes to the regulation of proanthocyanidin pathway, however, little is known about its role in lignocellulose biosynthesis and biomass saccharification in poplar. Results: Here, we detected the changes of cell wall features and examined biomass enzymatic saccharification for bioethanol production under various chemical pretreatments in PtoMYB115 transgenic plants. We reported that PtoMYB115 might specifically regulate lignin biosynthesis to affect xylem development. Overexpression of PtoMYB115 altered lignin biosynthetic gene expression, resulting in reduced lignin deposition, raised S/G and beta-O-4 linkage, resulting in a significant reduction in cellulase adsorption with lignin and an increment in cellulose accessibility. These alterations consequently improved lignocellulose recalcitrance for significantly enhanced biomass saccharification and bioethanol yield in the PtoMYB115-OE transgenic lines. In contrast, the knockout of PtoMYB115 by CRISPR/Cas9 showed reduced woody utilization under various chemical pretreatments. Conclusions: This study shows that PtoMYB115 plays an important role in specifically regulating lignin biosynthesis and improving lignocellulose features. The enhanced biomass saccharification and bioethanol yield in the PtoMYB115-OE lines suggests that PtoMYB115 is a candidate gene for genetic modification to facilitate the utilization of biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the acoustic time difference data of more than 200 Wells, the equilibrium depth method is used to calculate the recovery of overpressure. According to the average excess pressure of a single well, the excess pressure plane and section maps of Chang 7-Chang 8 of Yanchang formation in Ordos Basin were drawn up. The results show that during the maximum burial period, high pressure anomalies start from the upper and lower strata of Chang 6 member of Yanchang formation, and the amplitude of abnormal pressure varies with different regions. The Tianchi-Baibao line in the northwest of the study area and the Qingcheng-Ningxian line in the west formed two high value areas, which spread from northwest to southeast, and the excess pressure difference (length 7-length 8) was mostly 10-20 Mpa. The area with large formation excess pressure difference is a potential favorable exploration area for Chang 8 reservoir. At present, large Chang 8 reservoirs are found in the southwest of the basin, and most of them are located in areas with high abnormal pressure. This method has strong theoretical value and practical guiding significance in basin oil and gas exploration, and is expected to be widely applied and promoted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclin B (CycB) plays essential roles in cell proliferation and promotes gonad development in many crustaceans. The goal of this study was to investigate the regulatory roles of this gene in the reproductive development of male oriental river prawns (Macrobrachium nipponense). A phylo-genetic tree analysis revealed that the protein sequence of Mn-CycB was most closely related to those of freshwater prawns, whereas the evolutionary distance from crabs was much longer. A quantitative PCR analysis showed that the expression of Mn-CycB was highest in the gonad of both male and female prawns compared to that in other tissues (p < 0.05), indicating that this gene may play essential roles in the regulation of both testis and ovary development in M. nipponense. In males, Mn-CycB expression in the testis and androgenic gland was higher during the reproductive season than during the non-reproductive season (p < 0.05), implying that CycB plays essential roles in the reproductive development of male M. nipponense. An RNA interference analysis revealed that the Mn-insulin-like androgenic gland hormone expression decreased as the Mn-CycB expression decreased, and that few sperm were detected 14 days after the dsCycB treatment, indicating that CycB positively affects testis development in M. nipponense. The results of this study highlight the functions of CycB in M. nipponense, and they can be applied to studies of male reproductive development in other crustacean species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HR4, a member of the nuclear receptor family, has been extensively studied in insect molting and development, but reports on crustaceans are still lacking. In the current study, the MnHR4 gene was identified in Macrobrachium nipponense. To further improve the molting molecular mechanism of M. nipponense, this study investigated whether MnHR4 functions during the molting process of M. nipponense. The domain, phylogenetic relationship and 3D structure of MnHR4 were analyzed by bioinformatics. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis showed that MnHR4 was highly expressed in the ovary. In different embryo stages, the highest mRNA expression was observed in the cleavage stage (CS). At different individual stages, the mRNA expression of MnHR4 reached its peak on the fifteenth day after hatching (L15). The in vivo injection of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) can effectively promote the expression of the MnHR4 gene, and the silencing of the MnHR4 gene increased the content of 20E in M. nipponense. The regulatory role of MnHR4 in 20E synthesis and 20E signaling was further investigated by RNAi. Finally, the function of the MnHR4 gene in the molting process of M. nipponense was studied by counting the molting frequency. After knocking down MnHR4, the molting frequency of M. nipponense decreased significantly. It was proved that MnHR4 plays a pivotal role in the molting process of M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is well known that for Gaussian channels, a nearest neighbor decoding rule, which seeks the minimum Euclidean distance between a codeword and the received channel output vector, is the maximum likelihood solution and hence capacity-achieving. Nearest neighbor decoding remains a convenient and yet mismatched solution for general channels, and the key message of this paper is that the performance of nearest neighbor decoding can be improved by generalizing its decoding metric to incorporate channel state dependent output processing and codeword scaling. Using generalized mutual information, which is a lower bound to the mismatched capacity under independent and identically distributed codebook ensemble, as the performance measure, this paper establishes the optimal generalized nearest neighbor decoding rule, under Gaussian channel input. Several restricted forms of the generalized nearest neighbor decoding rule are also derived and compared with existing solutions. The results are illustrated through several case studies for fading channels with imperfect receiver channel state information and for channels with quantization effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Macrobrachium nipponense is an economically and ecologically important freshwater prawn that is widely farmed in China. In contrast to other species of marine shrimp, M. nipponense has a short sexual maturity period, resulting in not only high stocking densities, but also a reduced survival rate and increased risk of hypoxia. Therefore, there is an urgent need to study the molecular mechanisms underlying fast ovary maturation in this species. Results: Comparative transcriptome analysis was performed using hepatopancreatic tissue from female M. nipponense across five ovarian maturation stages to explore differentially expressed genes and pathways involved in ovarian maturation. In total, 118.01 Gb of data were generated from 15 transcriptomes. Approximately 90.46% of clean reads were mapped from the M. nipponense reference genome. A comprehensive comparative analysis between successive ovarian maturation stages generated 230–5814 differentially expressed genes. Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment was highly concentrated in the "biological process" category in all four comparison groups, and mainly focused on energy synthesis and accumulation, energy decomposition and transport. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment results showed that, among 20 significantly enriched KEGG pathways, nine were involved in the synthesis, degradation, and metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, and other nutrient intermediates, suggesting that the hepatopancreas has an important role in energy supply during ovarian maturation. Furthermore, the "Insect hormone biosynthesis" pathway was found to have a dominant role in the development of the ovary from immaturity to maturity, supporting the hypothesis that ecdysteroid- and juvenile hormone-signaling pathways have an important role in hepatopancreas regulation of ovarian maturation. Conclusion: Taken together, this study sheds light on the role of the hepatopancreas in the molecular regulation of ovary maturation in M. nipponense. The present study provided new insights for understanding the mechanisms of reproductive regulation in crustaceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rapid gonad development is an important concern in the Macrobrachium nipponense aquaculture industry. The process of sexual differentiation and development is influenced by environmental factors, including water temperature and illumination time. In this study, we aimed to identify the key metabolites and genes from the androgenic gland, in response to different water temperatures and illumination times based on the integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis of the androgenic gland during the reproductive vs. non-reproductive seasons. Histological observations revealed that the division of the androgenic gland in the reproductive season is more active than that in the non-reproductive season. The metabolic profiling analysis revealed that glycerophospholipid metabolism and sphingolipid metabolism represented the most enriched metabolic pathways of differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs). Transcriptome profiling analysis revealed that phagosome, spliceosome, RNA degradation, ribosome biogenesis in eukaryotes, and oxidative phosphorylation represented the main enriched metabolic pathways of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). A total of 14 DEGs from these metabolic pathways were considered as strong candidate genes involved in the male sexual development in M. nipponense, based on the expression difference between the reproductive vs. non-reproductive seasons. qPCR verifications of these 14 DEGs indicate the accuracy of the RNA-Seq. In addition, eight genes out of 14 DEGs showed high expression levels in the testis or/and androgenic gland. Predicting these eight genes may play an essential role in male sexual development of M. nipponense. The results of this study contribute to our knowledge of sexual development in male M. nipponense, as well as other crustacean species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense is an economically important aquacultural species. However, its aquaculture is negatively impacted by the rapid sexual maturation of female M. nipponense. The fast sexual maturation produces a large number of offspring which leads to a reduction in resilience, a low survival rate, and an increased risk of hypoxia, this in turn, seriously affects the economic benefits of prawn farming. Cathepsin D is a lysosomal protease involved in the ovarian maturation of M. nipponense. In the current study, the cDNA of the gene encoding cathepsin D (Mn-CTSD) was cloned from M. nipponense. The total length was 2391 bp and consisted of an open reading frame (ORF) of 1158 bp encoding 385 amino acids. Sequence analysis confirmed the presence of conserved N-glycosylation sites and characteristic sequences of nondigestive cathepsin D. The qPCR analysis indicated that Mn-CTSD was highly expressed in all tissues tested, most significantly in the ovaries, whereas in situ hybridization showed that expression occurred mainly in oocyte nuclei. Analysis of its expression during development showed that Mn-CTSD peaked during the O-IV stage of ovarian maturation. For the RNAi interference experiment, female M. nipponense specimens in the ovary stage I were selected. Injection of Mn-CTSD double-stranded (ds)RNA into female M. nipponense decreased the expression of Mn-CTSD in the ovaries, such that the Gonad Somatic Index (GSI) of the experimental group was significantly lower than that of the control group (1.79% versus 4.57%; p < 0.05). Ovary development reached the O-III stage in 80% of the control group, compared with 0% in the experimental group. These results suggest that Mn-CTSD dsRNA inhibits ovarian maturation in M. nipponense, highlighting its important role in ovarian maturation in this species and suggesting an approach to controlling ovarian maturation during M. nipponense aquaculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Research on precision seeders operated in the dry field shows that an electric driving system used for a seed meter can significantly improve the planting uniformity. The measuring method for forward speed greatly affects the control accuracy of the electric driving system. However, the performance of an electric drive system for precision seeders operating in wet fields, such as paddy, is still unclear. The operating conditions of dry and wet fields are quite different, and it is necessary to study the effects of an electric driving system and corresponding speed measuring methods on a wet-field operating seeder. In this paper, field experiments were carried out by using a wet direct planter of rice under three driving methods for seed meter, including classic mechanical driving system (MDS), electric driving system with speed acquiring from an encoder (EDSE), and electric driving system with speed acquiring from the global positioning system (EDSG), at forward speeds of 4.62, 5.81, and 7.23 km·h−1. The seeding uniformity (seeding rates, coefficient of variations) and the slippage (slippage rate, broken strips) were investigated. Results showed that the EDSG exhibited more qualified operation performance compared with the MDS and the EDSE. For both the MDS and EDSE, the seeding rates significantly decreased and deviated from the desired value as the forward speed increased. The negative slippages of MDS and EDSE were 3.47–31.72% and 2.13–7.7%, respectively, and they significantly increased when the forward speeds increased from 4.62 to 7.23 km·h−1. Analysis of the seeding uniformity and slippage presented that the EDSG exhibited a more qualified operation and is recommended for the wet direct seeder of rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A water-soluble neutral polysaccharide (SCP-1) was purified from Sparassis crispa. • SCP-1 was a heteropolysaccharide predominantly composed of Fuc, Gal, Glc with little molar content of Man. • Elaborate structure of SCP-1 was elucidated by FT-IR, methylation and NMR analysis. • SCP-1 ameliorated H 2 O 2 -induced neurotoxicity in HT22 cells possibly through antioxidantion and antiapoptosis. In the present study, a purified polysaccharide (named SCP-1, Mw 1.368 × 104 Da) was isolated from Sparassis crispa , and its biological activity was evaluated in an oxidative stress model caused by H 2 O 2 in hippocampal neuronal HT22 cells. SCP-1 was a heteropolysaccharide mainly comprising glucose, galactose, fucose, and mannose in a molar ratio of 52.10: 31.10: 15.04: 1.76. The main backbone of SCP-1 was predominantly composed of (1 → 6)-α- D -Gal p , (1 → 6)-β- D -Glc p , (1 → 3)-β- D -Glc p , (1 → 2,6)-α- D -Gal p and (1 → 3,6)-β- D -Glc p. The branches, substituted at the O-2 of Gal and O-3 of Glc, contained (1 → 6)-2-OMe-α- D -Gal p, (1 → 4)-β- D -Glc p, (1 → 3)-β- D -Glc p, and terminated by T-α- L -Fuc p and T-β- D -Glc p. Besides, SCP-1 could effectively protect the HT22 cells against H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative injury via decreasing the intracellular reactive oxygen species levels, modulating antioxidant enzymes, and reducing cell apoptosis. The findings suggested that SCP-1 holds a potential to be a natural antioxidant or as a neuroprotective agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The antiphage ability is an important feature of fermentation strains in the dairy industry. Our previous work described the bacteriophage exclusion (BREX) system in the probiotic strain, Lactobacillus casei Zhang. The function of L. casei Zhang pglX gene in mediating 5′-ACRCm6AG-3′ methylation was also confirmed. This study aimed to further dissect the function of the BREX system of L. casei Zhang by inactivating its second methyltransferase gene (LCAZH_2054). The methylome of the mutant, L. casei Zhang Δ 2054 , was profiled by single-molecule real-time sequencing. Then, the cell morphology, growth, plasmid transformation efficiency, and stability of the wildtype and mutant were compared. The mutant did not have an observable effect in microscopic and colony morphology, but it reached a higher cell density after entering the exponential phase without obvious increase in the cell viability. The mutant had fewer 5′-ACRCm6AG-3′ methylation compared with the wildtype (1835 versus 1906). Interestingly, no significant difference was observed in the transformation efficiency between the 2 strains when plasmids without cognate recognition sequence (pSec:Leiss:Nuc and pG+host9) were transformed, contrasting to transforming cells with cognate recognition sequence-containing plasmids (pMSP3535 and pTRKH2). The efficiency of transforming pMSP3535 into the LCAZH_2054 mutant was significantly lower than the wildtype, whereas an opposite trend was seen in pTRKH2 transformation. Moreover, compared with the wildtype, the mutant strain had higher capacity in retaining pMSP3535 and lower capacity in retaining pTRKH2, suggesting an unequal tolerance level to different foreign DNA. In conclusion, LCAZH_2054 was not directly responsible for 5′-ACRCm6AG-3′ methylation in L. casei Zhang, but it might help regulate the function and specificity of the BREX system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction process of ion-type rare earth mines generates a significant amount of wastewater containing rare earth elements (REE) with low concentration. It is of great significance to recover REE from the wastewater in order to reduce environmental toxicity and improve the utilization efficiency of rare earth mining. We propose a strategy to enhance the adsorption and enrichment of REE in wastewater by mechanically activating talc, which exposes the hydroxyl groups within the double layered hydroxide to the surface. The effects of various factors, including ball milling time, milling speed, initial pH and initial concentration on rare earth adsorption were investigated. Additionally, the adsorption mechanism of the process was studied by exploring conditions of reaction temperature, reaction time and dosage. The results demonstrated that the adsorption of REE onto the activated talc followed Langmuir isotherm model. At 318.15 K, the maximum adsorption capacity could reach 64.09 mg·g−1. These findings highlight the simple and cost-effective recovery of REE from wastewater, offering significant potential for widespread application in the treatment of rare earth industrial wastewater. [Display omitted] • A simple method was developed to economically and efficiently prepare active talc. • The abundant hydroxyl groups inside the talc are exposed for adsorption of rare earth ions. • The prepared active talc can efficiently adsorb and recover rare earth ions in actual wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Endophytic fungus Penicillium steckii DF33 can promote tanshinones biosynthesis in Salvia miltiorrhiza. • DF33 fungal elicitor promotes the modification and transformation of tanshinones. • DF33 fungal elicitor precisely regulate the expression of CYP450 genes and SmTIIAS. Salvia miltiorrhiza , a prominent traditional Chinese medicinal resource, has been extensively employed in the management of cardiovascular and cerebrovascular ailments. Ensuring the consistency of S. miltiorrhiza raw materials revolves around the imperative task of maintaining stable tanshinones content and composition. An effective approach in this regard involves the utilization of endophytic fungi as inducers. Within this context, our study spotlights an endophytic fungus, Penicillium steckii DF33, isolated from the roots of S. miltiorrhiza. Remarkably, this fungus has demonstrated a significant capacity to boost the biosynthesis and accumulation of tanshinones. The primary objective of this investigation is to elucidate the underlying regulatory mechanism by which DF33 enhances and regulates the biosynthesis and accumulation of tanshinones. This is achieved through its influence on the differential expression of crucial CYP450 genes within the S. miltiorrhiza hairy roots system. The results revealed that the DF33 elicitor not only promotes the growth of hairy roots but also enhances the accumulation of tanshinones. Notably, the content of cryptotanshinone was reached 1.6452 ± 0.0925 mg g−1, a fourfold increase compared to the control group. Our qRT-PCR results further demonstrate that the DF33 elicitor significantly up-regulates the expression of most key enzyme genes (GGPPS , CPS1 , KSL1 , CYP76AH1 , CYP76AH3 , CYP76AK1 , CYP71D411) involved in the tanshinone biosynthesis pathway. This effect is particularly pronounced in certain critical CYP450 genes and Tanshinone ⅡA synthase (SmTⅡAS), with their expression levels peaking at 7 days or 14 days, respectively. In summary, endophytic P. steckii DF33 primarily enhances tanshinone biosynthesis by elevating the expression levels of pivotal enzyme genes associated with the modification and transformation stages within the tanshinone biosynthesis pathway. These findings underscore the potential of employing plant probiotics, specifically endophytic and root-associated microbes, to facilitate the biosynthesis and transformation of vital constituents in medicinal plants, and this approach holds promise for enhancing the quality of traditional Chinese medicinal materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study uses numerical simulations to investigate the multi-stage auto-ignition behaviors of iso-octane single droplet in air with various temperatures and pressures. The problem was motivated by the iso-octane droplet burning experiments (Tanabe et al., Symp. (Int.) on Combustion (1996) 1637-1643; Xu et al., Proc. Combust. Inst. 36(2) (2016) 2541-2548.) that suggested iso-octane single droplets can barely sustain a cool flame. Such conclusion was inconsistent with vast chemical kinetic studies for iso-octane oxidation, especially in the low temperature combustion region. In this study, a reduced chemical kinetic model including 143 species and 643 reactions for low- and high-temperature oxidation pathways was used in both constant pressure reactor and one-dimensional droplet burning simulation over the environmental conditions of T = 600∼1000 K and P = 1∼20 atm. The chemical kinetics simulations confirmed that iso-octane/air mixture allows ignition up to four stages including two cool flames, one warm flame, and one hot flame. Simulations for droplet auto-ignition revealed a cool flame phenomenon that was not observed in the experiment. By varying the temperature rise criterion of a cool flame, the burning mode can be perceived differently. Compared to n-heptane, the branched structure of iso-octane introduces less reactivity and thus fewer free radicals are generated, leading to higher upper turnover temperature for iso-octane/air mixture. Hence, the iso-octane droplet cool flames are more transient and unstable and might have been the reason for indiscernible cool flames in droplet experiments. Isomer dependent pathways and sensitivity analyses were examined for the multi-stage and oscillatory flames found in the droplet burning simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters couple adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) hydrolysis to substrate transport across biological membranes. Although many are promising drug targets, their mechanisms of modulation by small-molecule inhibitors remain largely unknown. Two first-generation inhibitors of the MsbA transporter, tetrahydrobenzothiophene 1 (TBT1) and G247, induce opposite effects on ATP hydrolysis. Using single-particle cryo–electron microscopy and functional assays, we show that TBT1 and G247 bind adjacent yet separate pockets in the MsbA transmembrane domains. Two TBT1 molecules asymmetrically occupy the substrate-binding site, which leads to a collapsed inward-facing conformation with decreased distance between the nucleotide-binding domains (NBDs). By contrast, two G247 molecules symmetrically increase NBD distance in a wide inward-open state of MsbA. The divergent mechanisms of action of these MsbA inhibitors provide important insights into ABC transporter pharmacology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Four polysaccharide fractions were separated and purified by gradient ethanol precipitation. • The fractions exhibited different physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities. • The polysaccharide with the lowest molecular weight showed the best antioxidant capacity. • The polysaccharides exhibited anti-fatigue activity in vivo and prolonged exhaustive swimming time significantly. Limited information is available on polysaccharides in Brassica rapa L. (BRP) cultivated at the plateau with an altitude over 3000 m. In the present study, an efficient ultrasonic-assisted extraction (UAE) procedure for polysaccharides from Brassica rapa L. was investigated and optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). Based on the optimal extraction parameters, gradient ethanol precipitation was used as the purification procedure of BRPs, obtaining four fractions named as BRP-20, BRP-40, BRP-60, and BRP-80, respectively. The four fractions presented different physicochemical properties and antioxidant activities. According to the chemical composition detection and monosaccharide compositions analysis, the uronic acids contents of BRP-40 and BRP-60 were higher than the other two fractions. The results of monosaccharide composition suggested that these four fractions were all heteropolysaccharides, consisted of rhamnose, xylose, mannose, glucose, galactose, galacturonic acid, and glucuronic acid. Furthermore, BRP-80 gave the best performance in radical scavenging tests, which could attribute to its lowest molecular weight. What's more, animal experiment suggested that BRP-80 had anti-fatigue and antioxidant activity in vivo. Overall, polysaccharides from Brassica rapa L. might be developed as a novel source of natural antioxidant and be a potential candidate of anti-fatigue dietary supplements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FeOCl-MoS2 was synthesized via calcination, which possessed excellent adsorption performance for methyl orange (MO). The characterization results showed that the FeOCl-MoS2 was formed between MoS2 and FeOCl phases, while a remarkable improvement in specific surface area and porosity was obtained in comparison with pure FeOCl and MoS2. The adsorption experiment results showed that the adsorption capacity of MO dye at 25 °C could reach 1615.11 mg/g. In addition, the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.99) has a good applicability to describe the adsorption of MO onto FeOCl-MoS2. Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.99) can describe the adsorption process well, proving that the adsorption is surface-controlled monolayer adsorption. Thermodynamic analyses showed the adsorption is an exothermic process and has spontaneity in nature. The adsorption of MO onto FeOCl-MoS2 is attributed to electrostatic interaction. In particular, the adsorption capacity could still reach 82.1% of the initial adsorption capacity by alkali washing after five cycles. Hence, this study reveals that FeOCl-MoS2 could be a high-efficient adsorbent for dyes removal from wastewaters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of sequential change detection and isolation under the Bayesian setting is investigated, where the change point is a random variable with a known distribution. A recursive algorithm is proposed, which utilizes the prior distribution of the change point. We show that the proposed decision procedure is guaranteed to control the false alarm probability and the false isolation probability separately under certain regularity conditions, and it is asymptotically optimal with respect to a Bayesian criterion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To determine the effects of glycine powder air‐polishing (GPAP) as an adjunct to full‐mouth scaling and root planing (SRP) on clinical, inflammatory and microbiological outcomes in patients with untreated periodontitis. Materials and Methods: Forty‐one patients were randomly assigned to the control group A (SRP) and test groups B1 (subgingival GPAP right after SRP) and B2 (subgingival GPAP right before SRP). Clinical examinations and sample collections (saliva, subgingival plaque, serum and gingival crevicular fluid) were performed at assessment visits and before therapies at clinical visits of baseline, 6‐week and 3‐month. C‐reactive protein, IL‐6 and TNF‐α were assessed in serum and gingival crevicular fluid, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans and Fusobacterium nucleatum were measured in saliva and subgingival plaque. Results: Patients in control and test groups did not significantly differ by age, sex and disease severity at baseline. Participants in control and intervention groups had similar improvements in clinical parameters (PD, BOP, PLI and BI). All groups had a similar percentage of sites showing PD reduction of ≥2 mm between baseline and follow‐up visits, with a few exceptions. Reduced C‐reactive protein, IL‐6 and TNF‐α in serum were found after treatments. Conclusion: Full‐mouth SRP with and without GPAP resulted in largely similar clinical, inflammatory and microbiological outcomes in the care of untreated periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FimA is an important virulence factor of Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis). According to its DNA sequence, the fimA genotype of P. gingivalis can be divided into six categories (I, Ib, Ⅱ, III, IV, V). The fimA gene may be a key factor in the diversity of virulence found in P. gingivalis. Moreover, the role fimA plays in the pathogenesis of P. gingivalis is closely associated with periodontitis, making it an important factor of study for disease prevention and treatment. In this study, the prevalence of fimA genotypes of P. gingivalis in patients with periodontal diseases was evaluated by meta-analysis. The Embase and PubMed databases were searched for articles from 1999 to 2019 using the following search terms: Porphyromonas gingivalis or P. gingivalis; periodontitis or chronic periodontal disease; fimA or fimA genotype. The reference lists of relevant published articles were searched manually. A total of 17 studies were included in this report. A statistical software package (Stata, version 11.0/mp, StataCorp) was utilized to calculate and analyze the P. gingivalis fimA genotypes for each combined incidence estimate. The pooled rates of fimA Ⅰ, fimA Ib, fimA Ⅱ, fimA Ⅲ, fimA Ⅳ and fimA Ⅴ genotypes of P. gingivalis were 8.4% (95% CI: 5.7–11.1), 11.7% (95% CI: 7.4–16), 42.9% (95% CI: 34.2–51.7), 6.5% (95% CI: 5.1–7.9), 17.8% (95% CI: 9.0–26.5), and 3.2% (95% CI: 1.6–4.9), respectively. This study showed that the fimA Ⅱ and fimA Ⅳ genotypes of P. gingivalis are highly present in patients with periodontal disease. Therefore, these two genotypes may be related to the pathogenesis and progress of periodontal disease, one of the main risk factors of periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bifidobacterium animalis ssp. lactis Probio-M8 is a potential probiotic strain that was isolated from human milk. Previously, we obtained an oxygen-resistant variant (Probio-M8o) of Probio-M8 by an adaptive evolution strategy. In the present study, a comparative transcriptomic analysis of Probio-M8o and Probio-M8 was carried out to reveal the cellular mechanism of the oxygen-resistant phenotype. Using RNA-seq, 210 and 217 differentially expressed genes were identified in Probio-M8o compared with Probio-M8 after oxygen exposure for 30 and 60 min, respectively. The oxygen treatment upregulated a set of genes that encoded proteins responsible for fatty acid biosynthesis. This observation was in good agreement with the composition change in fatty acids at the biochemical level. Our study showed that the oxygen-resistant phenotype could be related to adaptation of fatty acid metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein–ligand docking is an important approach for virtual screening and protein function annotation. Although many docking methods have been developed, most require a high-resolution crystal structure of the receptor and a user-specified binding site to start. This information is, however, not available for the majority of unknown proteins, including many pharmaceutically important targets. Developing blind docking methods without predefined binding sites and working with low-resolution receptor models from protein structure prediction is thus essential. In this manuscript, we propose a novel Monte Carlo based method, EDock, for blind protein–ligand docking. For a given protein, binding sites are first predicted by sequence-profile and substructure-based comparison searches with initial ligand poses generated by graph matching. Next, replica-exchange Monte Carlo (REMC) simulations are performed for ligand conformation refinement under the guidance of a physical force field coupled with binding-site distance constraints. The method was tested on two large-scale datasets containing 535 protein–ligand pairs. Without specifying binding pockets on the experimental receptor structures, EDock achieves on average a ligand RMSD of 2.03 Å, which compares favorably with state-of-the-art docking methods including DOCK6 (2.68 Å) and AutoDock Vina (3.92 Å). When starting with predicted models from I-TASSER, EDock still generates reasonable docking models, with a success rate 159% and 67% higher than DOCK6 and AutoDock Vina, respectively. Detailed data analyses show that the major advantage of EDock lies in reliable ligand binding site predictions and extensive REMC sampling, which allows for the implementation of multiple van der Waals weightings to accommodate different levels of steric clashes and cavity distortions and therefore enhances the robustness of low-resolution docking with predicted protein structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper provides new inner and outer bounds on the capacity region of the optical intensity multiple access channel (OIMAC) with a per-user average- or peak-power constraint. For the average-power constrained OIMAC, our bounds at high power are asymptotically tight, thereby characterizing the asymptotic capacity region. The bounds are extended to the $K$ -user OIMAC with an average-power constraint without loss of asymptotic optimality. For the peak-power constrained OIMAC, at high power, we bound the asymptotic capacity region to within 0.09 bits, and determine the asymptotic capacity region in the symmetric case. At moderate power, for both types of constraints, the capacity regions are bounded to within fairly small gaps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The previous publication identified that pyruvate dehydrogenase E1 (PDHE1) positively regulated the process of male reproduction in M. nipponense through affecting the expressions of insulin-like androgenic gland hormone. The present study aimed to identify the potential male-reproduction-related genes that were regulated by PDHE1 through performing the transcriptome profiling analysis in the testis and androgenic gland after the knockdown of the expressions of PDHE1 by the injection of dsPDHE1. Both RNA-Seq and qPCR analysis identified the significant decreases in PDHE1 expressions in the testis and androgenic gland in dsPDHE1-injected prawns compared to those in dsGFP-injected prawns, indicating the efficiency of dsPDHE1 in the present study. Transcriptome profiling analysis identified 56 and 127 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the testis and androgenic gland, respectively. KEGG analysis revealed that the energy-metabolism-related pathways represented the main enriched metabolic pathways of DEGs in both the testis and androgenic gland, including pyruvate metabolism, the Citrate cycle (TCA cycle), Glycolysis/Gluconeogenesis, and the Glucagon signaling pathway. Thus, it is predicted that these metabolic pathways and the DEGs from these metabolic pathways regulated by PDHE1 may be involved in the regulation of male reproduction in M. nipponense. Furthermore, four genes were found to be differentially expressed in both the testis and androgenic gland, of which ribosomal protein S3 was down-regulated and uncharacterized protein LOC113829596 was up-regulated in both the testis and androgenic gland in dsPDHE1-injected prawns. The present study provided valuable evidence for the establishment of an artificial technique to regulate the process of male reproduction in M. nipponense. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A clean sustainable yttrium separation strategy was established using [N1888][CA12]-HFRLM system. • Water as a stripping agent and regenerating agent. • The system showed a stable and excellent performance during a long operation. • The molar ratio of Y from 70.9% to over 98.4%. Yttrium (Y) separation from Y-rich heavy rare earth groups is a complex challenge due to their similar physical and chemical properties. Conventional industrial separation processes require the use of complex and polluting techniques, thus highlighting the need for cleaner and more efficient methods for Y separation. In this study, a new method for separating Y from Y-rich heavy rare earth groups was developed using the hollow fiber renewal support liquid membrane (HFRLM) with an amine-group-functionalized ionic liquid ([N1888][CA12]) system, which eliminates the need for acids and bases during the extraction and stripping process. The high extraction efficiency and strong hydrophobicity of [N1888][CA12] enhances the stability and efficacy of the HFRLM. The optimal hydrodynamic conditions were achieved using a stripping solution of water, phase volume ratio of 4.8, NaCl concentration of 0.6 mol/L, [N1888][CA12]concentration of 0.4 mol/L, and flow rate of 350 mL/min. Moreover, a deionized water regeneration [N1888][CA12]-HFRLM method was established, and the system remained highly stable after five regenerations. Furthermore, the [N1888][CA12]-HFRLM system was evaluated for separating Y from Y-rich heavy rare earth groups, and it was found that the molar ratio of Y increased from 70.9% to over 98.4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CYP302A1 is a member of the Halloween genes in the cytochrome P450 supergene family, which play an important regulatory role in the synthesis of 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) in crustaceans and insects. In this study, we found that the Mn-CYP302A1 sequence included typical CYP450 conserved domains. Phylogenic showed that it is closely related to crustaceans and insects. q-PCR analysis indicated that Mn-CYP302A1 was highly expressed in the ovaries and peaked before ovarian maturation. Mn-CYP302A1 expression was higher at the post-larval stage of day 15 than at other stages of embryogenesis. In situ hybridization indicated that Mn-CYP302A1 was mainly distributed in the nucleus, yolk granules, cell membrane and cytoplasm To further establish the function of CYP302A1 , a 21-day RNA interference experiment was conducted. On day 16, the Gonad Somatic Index of the control group and the experimental group showed significant differences, with GSI of 11.72% in the control group and 3.21% in the experimental group. The cumulative proportion of the second entry into stage O-Ⅲ was 100% in the control group, while it was 41.67% in the experimental group on day 21. The ecdysone content was 8.91nmol/L in the control group and 6.11nmol/L in the experimental group on day 9. A significant difference in the molting proportion between the control group and the experimental group was also observed (49% in the control group and 34% in the experimental group) on day 16. Statistical results showed that the average molting cycle of the control group was 14.5 days, while that of the experimental group was 16.5 days. However, the morphological structure of ovarian tissue did not abnormal change. Therefore, the results of this study suggest that Mn-CYP302A1 can promote ovarian maturation and molting in female M. nipponense. ● Interference with CYP302A1 does not cause abnormal changes in ovarian tissue. ● Interference with CYP302A1 can significantly inhibit ovarian development. ● Interference with CYP302A1 can significantly reduce the content of ecdysone. ● After interfering with CYP302A1, the molting proportion decreased significantly, and the average molting cycle was prolonged by 2 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper aims to explore the leaf-surface wax as green lubricant additive and compare the tribological properties between coastal and inland leaf-surface waxes of the same species plant. Design/methodology/approach: The leaf-surface waxes were extracted from the leaves of Robinia pseudoacacia cv. Idaho and Populus nigra in coastal and inland areas, and then the compositions of the four kinds of leaf-surface waxes were characterized using a gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. The tribological properties of these leaf-surface waxes as lubricant additives in the base oil of synthetic ester (SE) were investigated by an MFT-R4000 reciprocating friction and wear tester. As well as the surface morphologies and chemical compositions of the wear scars were characterized by a scanning electron microscope and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry, respectively. Findings: The results indicate that all the leaf-surface waxes as additives can effectively improve the friction reduction and anti-wear performances of SE for steel–aluminum friction pairs. Therein, coastal leaf-surface waxes have better tribological performances than inland leaf-surface waxes, which are attributed to that the leaf-surface waxes extracted from coastal plants can form a better protective film on the worn surface throughout the friction process. Originality/value: This paper investigated a new kind of environmentally friendly lubricant additive and compared the tribological properties of the leaf-surface wax extracted from coastal and inland plants. The associated conclusions can provide a reference to explore the tribological performances of leaf-surface wax as green lubricant additive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is more common to need dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for patients who had recently inserted coronary artery stent. However, the postoperative bleeding risk of patients in DAPT could significantly increase. The dental management of patients with antithrombotic therapy has always been a controversial problem. Focusing on this issue, this review discussed the available evidence to provide optimal strategy for patients taking dual antiplatelet agents in the dental setting.Methods: We searched the PubMed, Embase, ScienceDirect, Web of Science (WOS), Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) which was performed in May 2018. Relevant articles were included according to our inclusion and exclusion criteria. Meta-analysis was conducted with fixed effects models. Subgroup analysis was used due to different dental surgeries.Results: Our meta-analysis included ten studies (continue DAPT vs. placebo, 535 patients vs.2907 patients). The quantitative results indicated that the risk of postoperative bleeding with continuing DAPT experienced significantly increase (RR = 1.95 95% CI [1.07, 3.54]; p = 0.03). There was no statistically significant difference between the postoperative bleeding rate and different dental surgeries (p = 0.72).Conclusion: On the current studies, postoperative hemorrhage is exacerbated with DAPT, but it could be controlled by enhancing hemostasis methods. We recommend continuing long-term DAPT before tooth extraction.Clinical relevance: In this work, we systematically evaluated and summarized the results of small clinical trials after reviewing the present literatures on this topic, so that we could propose more objective and more accurate evidence-based recommendations on dental management for patient with dual antiplatelet therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis , is an important farmed species in the Southeast Asia and often encounters adverse environmental stresses during cultivation. Knowledge about the stress response, especially antioxidant response, in P. sinensis would help to understand the effect of adverse stress on turtles and to reduce the production loss. In the present study, intraperitoneal injection of H 2 O 2 (0%, 0.3%, 0.6%, and 2.4%) was employed as an exogenous oxidative stressor to directly challenge the antioxidant defense in Chinese soft-shelled turtle, Pelodiscus sinensis , and evaluate the antioxidant capacity and characteristics of antioxidant defense in P. sinensis. Level of reactive oxygen species (ROS), total antioxidant capacity (TAC), antioxidant enzyme activities, ascorbic acid (AA) content and malondialdehyde (MDA) level were measured in the brain, liver, kidney and spleen of P. sinensis at 2 h, 6 h and 24 h post-injection. In general, all cerebral and hepatic parameters did not change, although there were some variations in the liver after 2 h, which recovered after 6 h. In the kidney, only glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity and AA level increased by 24 h post-injection. Splenic ROS level decreased after 6 h; TAC level and catalase (CAT) activity increased, whereas other antioxidant enzyme activities and AA decreased following by H 2 O 2 injection. Results for MDA level and histology indicated transitory oxidative damage in the liver, but longstanding damage in the spleen. In summary, turtle antioxidant defense work effectively to decrease ROS level even when tissues are faced with intense oxidative stress. However, spleen should be paid more attention because it seemed to be more fragile to intense or long-term oxidative stress than other tissues. Specifically, AA level was important in antioxidant defense of P. sinensis. Highlights • Employing a direct oxidative stressor to detect the antioxidant capacity and working characteristics in P. sinensis. • P. sinensis owns the excellent antioxidant defense to deal with intense oxidative stress in most tissues. • The spleen is more sensitive to intense or long-term oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel denoising method is proposed for LDV signals from accelerometer shock tests. • The LDV signal is processed in the frequency and time domains based on CEEMD. • CNN-LSTM is introduced to process the high-frequency part of the LDV signal. • A denoising method based on CNN-LSTM and CEEMD combines both advantages. • The reference velocity accuracy of accelerometer shock tests is effectively improved. The laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) is commonly used in high-G accelerometer shock testing to provide high-precision reference velocity measurements. However, noise inevitably interferes with LDV signals, reducing the measurement accuracy. A novel denoising method based on convolutional neural network with long short-term memory (CNN-LSTM) and complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition (CEEMD) is proposed to improve the measurement accuracy of reference velocity. First, the weights were obtained by training the constructed CNN-LSTM neural network. CEEMD was then used to process the training signals, and the resulting IMF was partially zeroed. Furthermore, the splitting points were evaluated and optimized. Finally, the weights and optimal splitting points were applied to the test signals. Simulation and experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms wavelet thresholding and CNN-LSTM in denoising performance. The results show that the proposed method can improve the accuracy of the demodulated velocity and thus contribute to accelerometer shock testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Macrobrachium nipponense is a freshwater prawn of economic importance in China. Its reproductive molt is crucial for seedling rearing and directly impacts the industry's economic efficiency. 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E) controls various physiological behaviors in crustaceans, among which is the initiation of molt. Previous studies have shown that 20E plays a vital role in regulating molt and oviposition in M. nipponense. However, research on the molecular mechanisms underlying the reproductive molt and role of 20E in M. nipponense is still limited. Results: A total of 240.24 Gb of data was obtained from 18 tissue samples by transcriptome sequencing, with > 6 Gb of clean reads per sample. The efficiency of comparison with the reference transcriptome ranged from 87.05 to 92.48%. A total of 2532 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. Eighty-seven DEGs associated with molt or 20E were screened in the transcriptomes of the different tissues sampled in both the experimental and control groups. The reliability of the RNA sequencing data was confirmed using Quantitative Real-Time PCR. The expression levels of the eight strong candidate genes showed significant variation at the different stages of molt. Conclusion: This study established the first transcriptome library for the different tissues of M. nipponense in response to 20E and demonstrated the dominant role of 20E in the molting process of this species. The discovery of a large number of 20E-regulated strong candidate DEGs further confirms the extensive regulatory role of 20E and provides a foundation for the deeper understanding of its molecular regulatory mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are important because they are involved in a variety of life activities and have many downstream targets. Moreover, there is also increasing evidence that some lncRNAs play important roles in the expression and regulation of γ-globin genes. In our previous study, we analyzed genetic material from nucleated red blood cells (NRBCs) extracted from premature and full-term umbilical cord blood samples. Through RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) analysis, lncRNA H19 emerged as a differentially expressed transcript between the two blood types. While this discovery provided insight into H19, previous studies had not investigated its effect on the γ-globin gene. Therefore, the focus of our study was to explore the impact of H19 on the γ-globin gene. In this study, we discovered that overexpressing H19 led to a decrease in HBG mRNA levels during erythroid differentiation in K562 cells. Conversely, in CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and human umbilical cord blood-derived erythroid progenitor (HUDEP-2) cells, HBG expression increased. Additionally, we observed that H19 was primarily located in the nucleus of K562 cells, while in HUDEP-2 cells, H19 was present predominantly in the cytoplasm. These findings suggest a significant upregulation of HBG due to H19 overexpression. Notably, cytoplasmic localization in HUDEP-2 cells hints at its potential role as a competing endogenous RNA (ceRNA), regulating γ-globin expression by targeting microRNA/mRNA interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common, aggressive, and chemorefractory primary brain tumor in adults. Identifying novel drug targets is crucial for GBM treatment. Here, we demonstrate that tubulin alpha 1a (TUBA1A) is significantly upregulated in GBM compared to low‐grade gliomas (LGG) and normal tissues. High TUBA1A expression is associated with poor survival in GBM patients. TUBA1A knockdown results in mitotic arrest and reduces tumor growth in mice. TUBA1A interacts with the polo‐like kinase 3 (PLK3) in the cytoplasm to inhibit its activation. This interaction licenses activation of the anaphase‐promoting complex or cyclosome (APC/C) to ensure proper Foxm1‐mediated metaphase‐to‐anaphase transition and mitotic exit. Overall, our findings demonstrate that targeting TUBA1A attenuates GBM cell growth by suppressing mitotic progression in a PLK3‐dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cement kiln co-processing is a major technique for disposing of hazardous solid wastes, yet the formation of toxic soluble compounds during the process may induce further contamination upon leaching. Hexavalent chromium compounds are generally considered to be the only soluble chromium species in cement. Here, we identified Ca5(CrO4)3O0.5, a compound with solubility of 10–150 mg/L at 20–50 °C containing pentavalent chromium, in cement co-processed with tanning sludge at temperatures higher than 800 °C. This hexagonal crystal is partly responsible for the leachability of chromium from cement. Approximately 10% of the soluble chromium compounds in the co-processed cement were attributed to the formation of Ca5(CrO4)3O0.5. The formation of Ca5(CrO4)3O0.5 results rather from the reduction of CaCrO4 by free CaO at 800–1300 °C than from the oxidation of trivalent chromium. Our findings imply that the formation of pentavalent chromium during cement production could pose a threat to environmental safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bactrian camel milk has become popular in the market as an important source of nutrients with diverse functional effects. In this study, the influence of Bactrian camel milk on the gut microbiota of mice was studied using metagenomic-based sequencing of the V3 and V4 hypervariable regions of the 16S rRNA gene. Bioinformatics analysis showed that Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the predominant phyla, accounting for more than 80% of the bacteria present. At the genus level, Allobaculum, Akkermansia, Romboutsia, Bifidobacterium, and Lactobacillus were most abundant in the gut microbiota; of these, Allobaculum and Akkermansia were the predominant genera, representing 40.42 and 7.85% of all the bacteria present, respectively. Camel milk was found to reduce relative abundance of Romboutsia, Lactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Desulfovibrio (decreased by 50.88, 34.78, 26.67, and 54.55%, respectively) in the gut microbiota compared with the control. However, some genera such as Allobaculum, Akkermansia, and Bifidobacterium in the gastrointestinal flora increased in abundance in the presence of camel milk; these genera are correlated with beneficial effects for organisms. Our research suggests that the gut microbiota should be taken into account when conducting functional studies on camel milk, and this work provides a useful foundation for further study on functions of camel milk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]