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The course control problem of hovercraft with yaw rate constraint is studied under the system uncertainty caused by model parameter uncertainties and external disturbances. Firstly, a sliding mode observer is proposed to estimate the system uncertainty, which effectively compensates the influence of uncertainty in the process of course control. Secondly, the direct method and indirect method are used to constrain the yaw rate while designing the controller with the backstepping sliding mode. The auxiliary dynamic system is used to adjust the control input in the direct method, while the auxiliary dynamic system is used to constrain the virtual yaw rate, at the same time, the barrier Lyapunov function is used to limit the yaw rate error in the indirect method. Finally, simulation results verify the effectiveness of the method proposed in the terms of uncertainty estimation and yaw rate constraint of hovercraft. It also shows that the indirect method is better than the direct method to strictly constrain the yaw rate.

Objective: Distraction osteogenesis (DO) has been widely used to treat bone defects as its effectiveness in bone regeneration. Currently, distraction devices for establishing DO models are mainly developed for rats or large animals. However, a mouse DO model is in great need for in-depth mechanistic investigations using various transgenic mice. The current study reports the development of a reproducible murine DO model. Methods: A mini-titanium lengthener was designed and fabricated. The mini-lengthener was applied on the murine femur with four threaded pins using a designed clamp as the drilling and insertion guide. After transverse osteotomy using a Gigli saw, and after 5 days of latency, DO procedures started at 0.3 mm/day for 10 days, and the consolidation period was left for 28 days. The bone formation was monitored by radiography and histology. Potential effects on animal locomotion during DO were also measured by behavior tests. Results: Separated bone segments maintained good alignment during the entire DO phases. New bone formation was found as early as the end of the distraction phase. Active bone remodeling was found between the separated bone segments at late distraction and early consolidation phases. At the mature consolidation phase, bone remodeling was mainly observed in the contact cortical bone. Mice underwent DO procedure did not have significant impairment in their locomotion. Conclusion: We have successfully developed a murine femoral DO model, which may be used to study the biological processes of DO. We also developed the mini-lengthener and the guide clamp to ensure the standardization and reproducibility of the mouse DO model.The translational potential of this article: Current study reports the development of a murine femoral DO model. A well-established murine DO model will facilitate further investigations of the biological mechanisms of DO in various transgenic and normal mice.

Abstract The brown planthopper (BPH) is one of the most problematic pests affecting rice (Oryza sativa L.) yields in Asia. Breeding rice varieties containing resistance genes is the most economical and effective means of controlling BPH. In this study, the key factors in resistance to BPH were investigated between the high-resistance rice variety “R26” and the susceptible variety “TN1” using RNA-sequencing. We identified 9527 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between the rice varieties under BPH-induced stress. Weighted time-course gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) indicated that the increased expression of genes is associated with plant hormones, MAPK signaling pathway and biosynthesis of other secondary metabolites, which were involved in disease resistance. A connection network identified a hub gene, OsREM4.1 (BGIOSGA024059), that may affect rice resistance to the BPH. Knocking out OsREM4.1 in rice can lead to a decrease in callose, making it less resistant to BPH. Overall, the expression of differentially expressed genes varies among rice varieties with different resistance in BPH invasion. Inaddition, R26 enhances resistance to BPH by upregulating genes and secondary metabolites related to stress resistance and plant immunity. In summary, our study provides valuable insights into the genome-wide expression profile of DEGs in rice under BPH invasion through high-throughput sequencing, and further suggests that R26 can be used to develop high resistance rice lines in BPH resistant breeding programs.

BackgroundEvidence has suggested that microRNAs (miRNAs) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of psychiatric disorders (PDs), but the results remain inconclusive. We aimed to identify specific differentially expressed miRNAs and their overlapping miRNA expression profiles in schizophrenia (SZ), major depression disorder (MDD), and bipolar disorder (BD), the three major PDs.MethodsThe literatures up to September 30, 2023 related to peripheral blood miRNAs and PDs were searched and screened from multiple databases. The differences in miRNA levels between groups were illustrated by the standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI).ResultsIn total, 30 peripheral blood miRNAs were included in the meta-analysis, including 16 for SZ, 12 for MDD, and 2 for BD, each was reported in more than 3 independent studies. Compared with the control group, miR-181b-5p, miR-34a-5p, miR-195-5p, miR-30e-5p, miR-7-5p, miR-132-3p, miR-212-3p, miR-206, miR-92a-3p and miR-137-3p were upregulated in SZ, while miR-134-5p, miR-107 and miR-99b-5p were downregulated. In MDD, miR-124-3p, miR-132-3p, miR-139-5p, miR-182-5p, miR-221-3p, miR-34a-5p and miR-93-5p were upregulated, while miR-144-5p and miR-135a-5p were downregulated. However, we failed to identify statistically differentially expressed miRNAs in BD. Interestingly, miR-132-3p and miR-34a-5p were upregulated in both SZ and MDD.ConclusionsOur study identified 13 differentially expressed miRNAs in SZ and 9 in MDD, among which miR-132-3p and miR-34a-5p were upregulated in both SZ and MDD by systematically analyzing qualified studies. These miRNAs may be used as potential biomarkers for the diagnosis of SZ and MDD in the future.Systematic Review Registrationhttp://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO, identifier CRD42023486982.

Summary: Background: Genomic variants outside of the canonical splicing site (±2) may generate abnormal mRNA splicing, which are defined as non-canonical splicing variants (NCSVs). However, the clinical interpretation of NCSVs in neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) is largely unknown. Methods: We investigated the contribution of NCSVs to NDDs from 345,787 de novo variants (DNVs) in 47,574 patients with NDDs. We performed functional enrichment and protein–protein interaction analysis to assess the association between genes carrying prioritised NCSVs and NDDs. Minigene was used to validate the impact of NCSVs on mRNA splicing. Findings: We observed significantly more NCSVs (p = 0.02, odds ratio [OR] = 2.05) among patients with NDD than in controls. Both canonical splicing variants (CSVs) and NCSVs contributed to an equal proportion of patients with NDD (0.76% vs. 0.82%). The candidate genes carrying NCSVs were associated with glutamatergic synapse and chromatin remodelling. Minigene successfully validated 59 of 79 (74.68%) NCSVs that led to abnormal splicing in 40 candidate genes, and 9 of the genes (ARID1B, KAT6B, TCF4, SMARCA2, SHANK3, PDHA1, WDR45, SCN2A, SYNGAP1) harboured recurrent NCSVs with the same variant present in more than two unrelated patients with NDD. Moreover, 36 of 59 (61.02%) NCSVs are novel clinically relevant variants, including 34 unreported and 2 clinically conflicting interpretations or of uncertain significance NCSVs in the ClinVar database. Interpretation: This study highlights the common pathology and clinical importance of NCSVs in unsolved patients with NDD. Funding: The present study was funded by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China, China Postdoctoral Science Foundation, the Hunan Youth Science and Technology Innovation Talent Project, the Provincial Natural Science Foundation of Hunan, The Scientific Research Program of FuRong laboratory, and the Natural Science Project of the University of Anhui Province

Abstract Bacterial biofilms are formed on environmental surfaces and host tissues, and facilitate host colonization and antibiotic resistance by human pathogens. Bacteria often express multiple adhesive proteins (adhesins), but it is often unclear whether adhesins have specialized or redundant roles. Here, we show how the model biofilm-forming organism Vibrio cholerae uses two adhesins with overlapping but distinct functions to achieve robust adhesion to diverse surfaces. Both biofilm-specific adhesins Bap1 and RbmC function as a “double-sided tape”: they share a β-propeller domain that binds to the biofilm matrix exopolysaccharide, but have distinct environment-facing domains. Bap1 adheres to lipids and abiotic surfaces, while RbmC mainly mediates binding to host surfaces. Furthermore, both adhesins contribute to adhesion in an enteroid monolayer colonization model. We expect that similar modular domains may be utilized by other pathogens, and this line of research can potentially lead to new biofilm-removal strategies and biofilm-inspired adhesives.

Abstract Background Although the aberrant activation of NOTCH1 pathway causes a malignant progression of renal cell carcinoma (RCC), the precise molecular mechanisms behind the potential action of pro-oncogenic NOTCH1/HES1 axis remain elusive. Here, we examined the role of tumor suppressive miR-138–2 in the regulation of NOTCH1-HES1-mediated promotion of RCC. Methods This study employed bioinformatics, xenotransplant mouse models, ChIP assay, luciferase reporter assay, functional experiments, real-time PCR and Western blot analysis to explore the mechanisms of miR-138–2 in the regulation of NOTCH1-HES1-mediated promotion of RCC, and further explored miR-138–2-containing combination treatment strategies. Results There existed a positive correlation between down-regulation of miR-138 and the aberrant augmentation of NOTCH1/HES1 regulatory axis. Mechanistically, HES1 directly bound to miR-138–2 promoter region and thereby attenuated the transcription of miR-138-5p as well as miR-138–2-3p. Further analysis revealed that miR-138-5p as well as miR-138–2-3p synergistically impairs pro-oncogenic NOTCH1 pathway through the direct targeting of APH1A, MAML1 and NOTCH1. Conclusions Collectively, our current study strongly suggests that miR-138–2 acts as a novel epigenetic regulator of pro-oncogenic NOTCH1 pathway, and that the potential feedback regulatory loop composed of HES1, miR-138–2 and NOTCH1 contributes to the malignant development of RCC. From the clinical point of view, this feedback regulatory loop might be a promising therapeutic target to treat the patients with RCC.

Rice is an indispensable crop in East and Southeast Asia, and the study of its biological characteristics has important value. We observed that different cultivars of rice have different levels of resistance to the brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens. In this study, transcriptome sequencing was used to analyze the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of three rice varieties caused by BPH damage combined with physical stimulation and controls. We performed weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) and found a module positively related to physical stimulation. KEGG analysis showed that this module is strongly related to the ribosome pathway. Through comparative analysis with controls, we found the differential genes of each cultivar after BPH damage; through trend analysis, we found the differential genes shared by the three varieties after BPH damage. The KEGG/GO enrichment analysis of these genes found that they are mainly functionally concentrated in signal transduction, redox reactions, etc. The results of this research will be helpful to study the molecular mechanism of the BPH-rice interaction, identify resistance genes, and facilitate further studies on molecular resistance breeding and pest control.

Abstract Studies in recent years have highlighted an elaborate crosstalk between T cells and bone cells, suggesting that T cells may be alternative therapeutic targets for the maintenance of bone homeostasis. Here, it is reported that systemic administration of low‐dose staphylococcal enterotoxin C2 (SEC2) 2M‐118, a form of mutant superantigen, dramatically alleviates ovariectomy (OVX)‐induced bone loss via modulating T cells. Specially, SEC2 2M‐118 treatment increases trabecular bone mass significantly via promoting bone formation in OVX mice. These beneficial effects are largely diminished in T‐cell‐deficient nude mice and can be rescued by T‐cell reconstruction. Neutralizing assays determine interferon gamma (IFN‐γ) as the key factor that mediates the beneficial effects of SEC2 2M‐118 on bone. Mechanistic studies demonstrate that IFN‐γ stimulates Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK–STAT) signaling, leading to enhanced production of nitric oxide, which further activates p38 mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) and Runt‐related transcription factor 2 (Runx2) signaling and promotes osteogenic differentiation. IFN‐γ also directly inhibits osteoclast differentiation, but this effect is counteracted by proabsorptive factors tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF‐α) and interleukin 1 beta (IL‐1β) secreted from IFN‐γ‐stimulated macrophages. Taken together, this work provides clues for developing innovative approaches which target T cells for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis.

The diversity of root endophytic microorganisms, which is closely related to plant life activities, is known to vary with the plant growth stage. This study on the ratooning rice Jiafuzhan explored the diversity of the root endophytic bacteria and fungi and their dynamics during the plant life cycle. By sequencing the 16S ribosomal ribonucleic acid (16S rRNA) and internal transcribed spacer (ITS) genes, 12,154 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and 497 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were obtained, respectively. The root endophytic microorganisms of rice in the seedling, tillering, jointing, heading, and mature stages of the first crop and at 13, 25, and 60 days after regeneration (at the heading, full heading, and mature stages of the second crop, respectively) were analyzed using diversity and correlation analyses. There were significant differences in the α-diversity and β-diversity of root endophytic bacteria and fungi in the growth stage. Additionally, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis revealed biomarker bacteria for each growth stage, but biomarker fungi did not exist in every stage. Moreover, the correlation analysis showed that the bacterial and fungal biomarkers interacted with each other. Furthermore, the nitrogen-fixing genus Bradyrhizobium existed in all growth stages. These findings indicate the pattern of root endophytic microorganisms of ratooning rice at different growth stages, and they provide new insights into the high yield of the second crop of ratooning rice (in light of the abundance of various bacteria and fungi).

Abstract Background Melatonin has been proved to exist and play importance roles in rice plant, such as biosynthesis and resistance. However, little is known about the function of melatonin in its monophagous pest, the brown planthopper. Methods In this study, we examined the effects of melatonin on the copulatory and locomotor behaviors of brachypterous and macropterous adult planthoppers by exposing them to melatonin, luzindole (a melatonin receptor antagonist), or a combination of melatonin and luzindole. Results A total of 68.7% of copulation events occurred at night in the control, while 31.2% occurred at night in the melatonin treatment, which led to a decrease in offspring. Brachypterous males were involved in mating events in the melatonin treatment but not in the other two treatments or the control. The daily locomotor pattern in the melatonin treatment was markedly different from that in the luzindole and melatonin and luzindole treatments. The total locomotor activities of the macropterous and brachypterous males exposed with melatonin were suppressed compared to those in the control. Melatonin significantly decreased the daytime and nighttime locomotor activities of macropterous females. In comparison, the activity of brachypterous females decreased slightly in the daytime but was more than double that of the control females at night. Conclusions Our results reveal that melatonin plays a role in the behaviors of brown planthoppers.

The ring-opening polymerization (ROP) of O-carboxyanhydrides (OCAs) can give diverse poly(α-hydroxy acid)s (PAHAs) with different functional groups because of easy modification of the side group of OCAs, which can extend applications of PAHAs widely. The stereoselective polymerization of O-carboxyanhydrides and further sequence controlled alternating copolymerization of OCAs were still big challenges until now for lack of suitable catalysts/initiators. In this work, a highly syndioselective ROP of OCAs system as the first stereoselective example in this area is reported using zirconium/hafnium alkoxides as initiators with the highest Pr value up to 0.95. Furthermore, these initiators were successfully applied in the precisely alternating sequence controlled copolymerization of PheOCA and Tyr(Bn)OCA, and alternating copolymerization of LacOCA and PheOCA was also achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Rice ratooning has traditionally been an important component of the rice cropping system in China. However, compared with the rice of the first harvest, few studies on factors effecting ratoon rice yield have been conducted. Because ratoon rice is a one-season rice cultivated using axillary buds that germinate on rice stakes and generate panicles after the first crop’s harvest, its production is mainly affected by the growth of axillary buds. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the sprouting mechanism of axillary buds to improve the ratoon rice yield. Results First, we observed the differentiation and growth dynamics of axillary buds at different nodes of Shanyou 63, and found that they differentiated from bottom to top before the heading of the mother stem, and that they developed very slowly. After heading they differentiated from top to bottom, and the ones on the top, especially the top 2nd node, developed much faster than those at the other nodes. The average length and dry weight of the axillary buds were significantly greater than those at other nodes by the yellow ripe stage, and they differentiated into pistils and stamens by 6 d after the yellow ripe stage. The morphology of vegetative organs from regenerated tillers of Shanyou 63 also suggested the superior growth of the upper buds, which was regulated by hormones, in ratoon rice. Furthermore, a comprehensive proteome map of the rice axillary buds at the top 2nd node before and after the yellow ripe stage was established, and some proteins involved in steroid biosynthesis were significantly increased. Of these, four took part in brassinosteroid (BR) biosynthesis. Thus, BR signaling may play a role in the germination of axillary buds of ratoon rice. Conclusions The data provide insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying BR signaling, and may allow researchers to explore further the biological functions of endogenous BRs in the germination of axillary buds of ratoon rice.

Pseudoligosita yasumatsui and Anagrus nilaparvatae are both egg parasitoids of the brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (BPH). In this study, we obtained a stable strain of P. yasumatsui reproduced via thelytoky through indoor rearing and screening. We assessed the parasitism capacity of this strain on eggs of N. lugens by comparing the parasitism preference and circadian rhythm of this strain to that of A. nilaparvatae, which is proved as the dominant egg parasitoid species of BPH in rice fields. The findings indicated that both egg parasitoids could parasitize fertilized and unfertilized BPH eggs, however, with a significant preference for fertilized eggs. The daily parasitization volume of P. yasumatsui was slightly higher than that of A. nilaparvatae. Both egg parasitoids preferred parasitizing 1–3-day-old BPH eggs, but the parasitism amount of 5–6-day-old BPH eggs by P. yasumatsui is higher than that by A. nilaparvatae. The parasitism events of both species of egg parasitoid wasps occurred primarily from 7:00–15:00 and the parasitism amount at night accounted for less than 15% of the total amount. The results indicate that this strain of P. yasumatsui reproduced via thelytoky could be valuable for rice planthopper control.

Abstract Background White spot lesions (WSLs) are common adverse effects in fixed orthodontic treatment. Remineralising agents are widely used to prevent WSLs formation and are the first-line treatment for existing WSLs. Previous systematic reviews have evaluated the effectiveness of remineralisation agents in the management of WSLs. However, their conclusions were contradictory. The objective of this study will be to compare the effectiveness and safety of current remineralising agents used in the management of WSLs in patients treated with fixed orthodontic appliances in any orthodontic setting. Methods Literature searches will be conducted in several electronic databases (from inception onwards): MEDLINE (via Ovid), Scopus, Embase, the Web of Science, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), among others. Grey literature will be identified through searching clinical trials registries. Randomised controlled trials that compared the effectiveness of different remineralisation agents in the prevention and treatment of WSLs will be included. Two researchers will independently screen all citations, full-text articles, and abstract data. The study risk bias will be appraised using an appropriate tool. The primary outcomes will be WSLs incidence and severity of WSLs. Secondary outcomes will be subjective measures of WSLs and adverse effects. The mean difference (MD) and relative risk (RR) with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CI) will be chosen as effect measures for continuous and binary outcomes, respectively. If feasible, fixed and random-effects pairwise meta-analyses and frequentist network meta-analyses will be conducted where appropriate. Discussion This network meta-analysis will compare the effectiveness of remineralising agents in the prevention and treatment of orthodontically induced WSLs. By integrating the evidence from direct and indirect comparisons and ranking all evaluated interventions, our findings have the potential to help clinicians make more accurate treatment decisions. Systematic review registration PROSPERO CRD42019116852, registered on March 15, 2019

Bacterial biofilms are communities of cells enclosed in an extracellular polymeric matrix in which cells adhere to each other and to foreign surfaces. The development of a biofilm is a dynamic process that involves multiple steps, including cell-surface attachment, matrix production, and population expansion. Increasing evidence indicates that biofilm adhesion is one of the main factors contributing to biofilm-associated infections in clinics and biofouling in industrial settings. This review focuses on describing biofilm adhesion strategies among different bacteria, including Vibrio cholerae, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus. Techniques used to characterize biofilm adhesion are also reviewed. An understanding of biofilm adhesion strategies can guide the development of novel approaches to inhibit or manipulate biofilm adhesion and growth.

The brown planthopper (BPH) is one of the main pests endangering rice yields. The development of rice varieties harboring resistance genes is the most economical and effective method of managing BPH. To identify new BPH resistance-related genes, a total of 123 rice varieties were assessed for resistance and durable resistance. Three varieties were immune, and nine were highly resistant to BPH. After whole-genome resequencing of all 123 varieties, 1,897,845 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified. Linkage disequilibrium (LD) decay analysis showed that the average LD of the SNPs at 20 kb was 0.30 (r2) and attenuated to half value (~0.30) at a distance of about 233 kb. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) of durable resistance to BPH was conducted using the Fast-MLM model. One quantitative trait locus, identified on chromosome 2, included 13 candidate genes. Two candidate genes contained a leucine-rich repeat and CC-NBS-LRR or NB-ARC domains, which might confer resistance to pests or diseases. Interestingly, LOC_Os02g27540 was highly expressed and was induced by BPH; GWAS identified potential rice genes coding for durable resistance to BPH. This study helps to elucidate the mechanism of durable resistance to BPH in rice and provides essential genetic information for breeding and functional verification of resistant varieties.