Search

Abstract Consecutive photoinduced electron transfer (conPET) processes accumulate the energies of two photons to overcome the thermodynamic limit of traditional photoredox catalysis. However, the excitation wavelength of conPET systems mainly focused on short wavelength visible light, leading to photodamage and incompatibility with large-scale reactions. Herein, we report on conPET systems triggered by near-infrared (NIR) and red light. Specifically, a blue-absorbing conPET photocatalyst, perylene diimide (PDI) is sensitized by a palladium-based photosensitizer to triplet excited state (3PDI*), which generates PDI radical anion (PDI•– ) over 100-fold faster than that in the conventional conPET. Accordingly, photoreduction with superior reaction rate and penetration depth, as well as reduced photodamage is detected. More importantly, our work offers comprehensive design rules for the triplet-mediated conPET strategy, whose versatility is confirmed by metal-free dye pairs and NIR-active PtTNP/PDI. Notably, our work achieves NIR-driven atom transfer radical polymerization using an inert aromatic halide as the initiator.

Abstract The most extraordinary systems of symbiosis in insects are found in the suborder Auchenorrhyncha of Hemiptera, which provide unique perspectives for uncovering complicated insect-microbe symbiosis. We investigated symbionts associated with bacteriomes and fat bodies in six cicada species, and compared transmitted cell number ratio of related symbionts in ovaries among species. We reveal that Sulcia and Hodgkinia or a yeast-like fungal symbiont (YLS) are segregated from other host tissues by the bacteriomes in the nymphal stage, then some of them may migrate to other organs (i.e., fat bodies and ovaries) during host development. Particularly, YLS resides together with Sulcia in the “symbiont ball” of each egg and the bacteriomes of young-instar nymphs, but finally migrates to the fat bodies of adults in the majority of Hodgkinia-free cicadas, whereas it resides in both bacteriome sheath and fat bodies of adults in a few other species. The transmitted Sulcia/YLS or Sulcia/Hodgkinia cell number ratio in ovaries varies significantly among species, which could be related to the distribution and/or lineage splitting of symbiont(s). Rickettsia localizes to the nuclei of bacteriomes and fat bodies in some species, but it was not observed to be transmitted to the ovaries, indicating that this symbiont may be acquired from environments or from father to offspring. The considerable difference in the transovarial transmission process of symbionts suggests that cellular mechanisms underlying the symbiont transmission are complex. Our results may provide novel insights into insect-microbe symbiosis.

Abstract Background Nutritional assessment tools are used to predict outcomes in cancer. However, their utility in patients undergoing spinal surgery is unclear. This review examined if prognostic nutritional index (PNI), controlling nutritional status (CONUT), and geriatric nutritional risk index (GNRI) can predict adverse events after spinal surgeries. Methods PubMed, CENTRAL, Scopus, and Embase were screened by two reviewers for relevant studies up to 26th January 2024. The primary outcome of interest was total adverse events after spinal surgery. Secondary outcomes were surgical site infections (SSI) and mortality. Results 14 studies were included. Meta-analysis showed that while reduced PNI was not associated with an increased risk of SSI there was a significant association between PNI and higher risk of adverse events. Meta-analysis showed that high CONUT was not associated with an increased risk of complications after spinal surgeries. Pooled analysis showed that low GNRI was associated with an increased risk of both SSI and adverse events. Data on mortality was scarce. Conclusions The PNI and GNRI can predict adverse outcomes after spinal surgeries. Limited data shows that high CONUT is also associated with a non-significant increased risk of adverse outcomes. High GNRI was predictive of an increased risk of SSI. Data on mortality is too scarce for strong conclusions.

Abstract Background Childhood overweight and obesity is becoming an emerging face of malnutrition. The aims of this study were to develop fatty acid (FAs) related dietary patterns and explored the associations of FAs related dietary patterns with overweight and obesity among Chinese children. Methods An observational study was conducted on 435 children aged 4 to 7 years old in South Central China. Erythrocyte FAs composition was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. Diet was collected by food frequency questionnaires and dietary patterns were evaluated by reduced rank regression. The logistic regression analysis was used to exploring the association of dietary patterns with overweight and obesity. Results The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and overweight or obesity were 6.52, 4.59, and 11.11% in Chinese children, respectively. Twenty five types of FAs were detected in erythrocyte of children and four FAs related dietary patterns were identified. The dietary pattern positively correlated with n-3 PUFAs, but negatively with SFAs,was characterized by high intake of fish, shrimp, crab and shellfish, leaf-off vegetable, nuts, and tubers, which have a significantly decreased overweight risk (OR = 0.580, 95%CI: 0.375 ∼ 0.895, P = 0.014).The pattern positively strong associated with n-6 PUFAs, but negatively strong with n-3 PUFAs, had high intake of snacks, leaf-off vegetable, fresh beans, and coarse cereals, which have a significantly decreased obesity risk (OR = 0.518, 95%CI: 0.325 ∼ 0.827, P = 0.006). Conclusion Four FAs related dietary patterns were identified. The dietary pattern with high intake of fish, shrimp, crab and shellfish decreased overweight risk by increasing n-3 PUFAs, and decreasing SFAs. The dietary pattern with high intake of plant food, decreased obesity risk by providing an balanced n-6/n-3 PUFAs ratio.

Abstract Background Bone implant infections pose a critical challenge in orthopedic surgery, often leading to implant failure. The potential of implant coatings to deter infections by hindering biofilm formation is promising. However, a shortage of cost-effective, efficient, and clinically suitable coatings persists. Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), a prevalent biomaterial, possesses inherent hydrophilicity, offering potential antibacterial properties. Methods This study investigates the PVA solution's capacity to shield implants from bacterial adhesion, suppress bacterial proliferation, and thwart biofilm development. PVA solutions at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% were prepared. In vitro assessments evaluated PVA's ability to impede bacterial growth and biofilm formation. The interaction between PVA and mCherry-labeled Escherichia coli (E. coli) was scrutinized, along with PVA’s therapeutic effects in a rat osteomyelitis model. Results The PVA solution effectively restrained bacterial proliferation and biofilm formation on titanium implants. PVA solution had no substantial impact on the activity or osteogenic potential of MC3T3-E1 cells. Post-operatively, the PVA solution markedly reduced the number of Staphylococcus aureus and E. coli colonies surrounding the implant. Imaging and histological scores exhibited significant improvements 2 weeks post-operation. Additionally, no abnormalities were detected in the internal organs of PVA-treated rats. Conclusions PVA solution emerges as an economical, uncomplicated, and effective coating material for inhibiting bacterial replication and biofilm formation on implant surfaces, even in high-contamination surgical environments.

Abstract Background Regular follow-up and medication can effectively reduce the risk of adverse outcomes for patients with hypertension. This study aimed to explore the temporal-spatial distribution characteristics and associated socioeconomic factors of visiting frequency for rural patients with hypertension in Fujian province from 2011 to 2016. Methods The medical records of patients with hypertension were abstracted from the database of New Rural Cooperative Medical Scheme. Geographically and temporally weighted regression model was used to analyze the associations between percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year and seven socioeconomic factors at the county level. Results The visiting rate of rural patients with hypertension was 0.79%, 1.27%, 1.87%, 2.29%, 2.78%, 3.43% over the six-year study period, respectively. The percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year gradually increased over time and the percentage ranged from 61 to 80% in a half of the counties by 2016. In general, there was positive association between Gross Domestic Product per capita and the percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year. The percentage of female patients, percentage of patients who aged ≥ 60 years, percentage of low-income patients, carbon emission intensity, percentage of savings and number of health technicians per 10,000 persons were negatively correlated with the percentage of patients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year in most of counties of Fujian Province. In the sensitivity analysis, the percentage of outpatients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times within a year was higher than that of all patients. There was positive association between percentage of outpatients who aged ≥ 60 years and the percentage of outpatients whose visiting frequency ≥ 4 times. Conclusions The visiting rate and the visiting frequency within a year for rural patients with hypertension in Fujian province need to be improved. Female and elderly patients should be the focus of health management. Effectively implementing the family doctor services, providing several kinds of free antihypertensive drugs, improving energy utilization efficiency and reasonably allocating the health resources may be the effective strategies to improve the follow-up compliance of patients.

IntroductionAllium is important vegetables and seasonings in China, Tibet is rich in unique resources of the genus Allium, but lacks development and utilization.MethodsWe compared the biological features and comprehensively evaluating the quality of twelve germplasm resources of the genus Allium collected from Tibet.ResultsThe results revealed that nine germplasm resources were bolting and bloom normally except for SC015, SC019, and SC048, all twelve germplasm resources were able to vegetative growth. The individual differences in moisture, soluble sugar, and protein content among the twelve germplasm resources were relatively small, with pyruvic acid content ranging from 0.11 to 1.12 mg/g and a large variation coefficient. A total of 8 categories and 97 volatile compounds were detected in twelve germplasm resources, the majority possessed the highest proportions of aldehydes and organosulfur compounds, but there were certain differences between the different Allium species. Additionally, 11 to 16 types of free amino acids were present in all germplasm resources, proline exhibited the highest content. The total content of essential and non-essential amino acids in SC009 was the highest. Carbon (C) accounted for the largest proportion of all elements, and the contents of other mineral elements varied greatly among the different plants.ConclusionIn conclusion, combined with biological performance and comprehensive evaluation of quality, SC009 is the excellent germplasm resource suitable for growth and capable of reproduction with good quality. These results improved the exploitation and utilization of the genus Allium in Tibet, as well as provided germplasm resources for high-quality breeding of the genus Allium.

Drought usually affects the normal functioning of grassland ecosystems. Due to sustained global warming, the frequency and intensity of drought have significantly increased, leading to greater impacts on many aspects of grassland ecosystem functions, such as soil moisture, vegetation physiological structure and ecosystem community structure. Ecosystem stability dimension can help us better understand the changes induced by drought occurred within ecosystems. Using the Normalized Vegetation Index (NDVI), climate and biodiversity data, we quantified resistance, resilience and temporal stability of grassland ecosystems under long term drought in northern China and calculated the ecosystem stability dimension based on the correlation between the three stability indicators. The results indicated that Qinghai Tibet Plateau and Inner Mongolian Plateau showed strong resistance to drought, while Loess Plateau region presented rapid recovery after drought. The resistance, compared to resilience and temporal stability, exhibited stronger sensitivity to drought in space. Drought promoted the transformation of grassland ecosystems into multidimensional structures. The reduction of aboveground biomass caused by frequent droughts accelerated the transformation in grassland ecosystems. Our findings provide the new insights for guiding the response mechanism of drought on grassland ecosystems.

Abstract Background The mediator complex subunits (MED) constitutes a multiprotein complex, with each subunit intricately involved in crucial aspects of plant growth, development, and responses to stress. Nevertheless, scant reports pertain to the VunMED gene within the context of asparagus bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedialis). Establishing the identification and exploring the responsiveness of VunMED to cold stress forms a robust foundation for the cultivation of cold-tolerant asparagus bean cultivars. Results Within this study, a comprehensive genome-wide identification of VunMED genes was executed in the asparagus bean cultivar 'Ningjiang3', resulting in the discovery of 36 distinct VunMED genes. A phylogenetic analysis encompassing 232 MED genes from diverse species, including Arabidopsis, tomatoes, soybeans, mung beans, cowpeas, and asparagus beans, underscored the highly conserved nature of MED gene sequences. Throughout evolutionary processes, each VunMED gene underwent purification and neutral selection, with the exception of VunMED19a. Notably, VunMED9/10b/12/13/17/23 exhibited structural variations discernible across four cowpea species. Divergent patterns of temporal and spatial expression were evident among VunMED genes, with a prominent role attributed to most genes during early fruit development. Additionally, an analysis of promoter cis-acting elements was performed, followed by qRT-PCR assessments on roots, stems, and leaves to gauge relative expression after exposure to cold stress and subsequent recovery. Both treatments induced transcriptional alterations in VunMED genes, with particularly pronounced effects observed in root-based genes following cold stress. Elucidating the interrelationships between subunits involved a preliminary understanding facilitated by correlation and principal component analyses. Conclusions This study elucidates the pivotal contribution of VunMED genes to the growth, development, and response to cold stress in asparagus beans. Furthermore, it offers a valuable point of reference regarding the individual roles of MED subunits.

Mustard sprouts is a new form of vegetable product that is gaining attention due to its high content of health-promoting compounds such as glucosinolates. This study investigated the effects of different light qualities (white, red, and blue) alone and in combination with 100 μmol L−1 melatonin on the growth and health-promoting substance content of mustard sprouts. The results showed that white light + melatonin treatment promoted the accumulation of glucosinolates in sprouts (compared with white light increased by 47.89%). The edible fresh weight of sprouts treated with red light + melatonin was the highest, followed by white light + melatonin treatment. In addition, the sprouts treated with blue light + melatonin contained more ascorbic acid, flavonoids, and total phenolics. Therefore, the combined treatment of light quality (especially white light) and melatonin can provide a new strategy to improve the quality of mustard sprouts.

Abstract To evade immune surveillance, tumor cells express ectonucleotide pyrophosphatase phosphodiesterase 1 (ENPP1) on the surface of their membrane, which degrades extracellular cyclic GMP‐AMP (cGAMP), thereby inhibiting the cyclic GMP‐AMP synthase (cGAS) stimulator of interferon gene (STING) DNA‐sensing pathway. To fully understand this tumor stealth mechanism, it is essential to determine whether other forms of ENPP1 with hydrolytic cGAMP activity also are present in the tumor microenvironment to regulate this innate immune pathway. Herein, it is reported that various tumor‐derived exosomes carry ENPP1, and can hydrolyze synthetic 2′3′‐cGAMP and endogenous 2′3′‐cGAMP produced by cells to inhibit cGAS‐STING pathway in immune cells. Moreover, tumor exosomal ENPP1 also can hydrolyze 2′3′‐cGAMP bound to LL‐37 (an effective transporter of 2′3′‐cGAMP) to inhibit STING signaling. Furthermore, high expression of ENPP1 in exosomes is observed isolated from human breast and lung cancer tissue, and tumor exosomal ENPP1 inhibited the immune infiltration of CD8+ T cells and CD4+ T cells. The results elucidate the essential function of tumor exosomal ENPP1 in the cGAS‐STING pathway, furthering understanding of the crosstalk between the tumor cells and immune system.

Abstract Estimation of energy partitioning at leaf scale, such as fluorescence yield (ΦF) and photochemical yield (ΦP), is crucial to tracking vegetation gross primary productivity (GPP) at global scale. Nitrogen is an important participant in the process of light capture, electron transfer, and carboxylation in vegetation photosynthesis. However, the quantitative relationship between leaf nitrogen allocation and leaf energy partitioning remains unexplored. Here, a field experiment was established to explore growth stage variations in energy partitioning and nitrogen allocation at leaf scale using active fluorescence detection and photosynthetic gas exchange method in rice in the subtropical region of China. We observed a strongly positive correlation between the investment proportion of leaf nitrogen in photosynthetic system and ΦF during the vegetative growth stage. There were significant differences in leaf energy partitioning, leaf nitrogen allocation, and the relationship between ΦF and ΦP before and after flowering. Furthermore, flowering weakened the correlation between the investment proportion of leaf nitrogen in photosynthetic system and ΦF. These findings highlight the crucial role of phenological factors in exploring seasonal photosynthetic dynamics and carbon fixation of ecosystems.

The prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is increasing, with a tendency for co-occurrence. Some studies indicate a connection between atypical sensory processing and executive function. This study aims to explore the distinctive etiology of executive function deficits in children with ASD+ADHD by investigating the relationship between sensory processing and executive function, comparing children with ASD, ASD+ADHD, ADHD, and typically developing children (TD). Method: Sensory Profile 2 (SP-2) and Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function 2 (BRIEF-2) were measured in 120 school-aged children. The results of the above scales were compared across these four groups, and correlation and regression analyses between BRIEF2 and SP2 were conducted. Results: Our research revealed varying levels of atypical sensory processing and executive function anomalies across the three neurodevelopmental disorder groups compared to the TD group. The ASD+ADHD group showed particularly significant differences. The heightened emotional problems observed in ASD+ADHD children may be associated with more prominent atypical sensory processing. Variance analysis of inhibitory function revealed differences between ASD+ADHD and ADHD children, suggesting distinct etiological mechanisms for attention issues between ASD+ADHD and ADHD. Conclusions: ASD+ADHD represents a phenotype distinct from both ASD and ADHD. Special consideration should be given to interventions for children with ASD+ADHD. The results of this study may offer a new perspective on understanding the occurrence of ASD+ADHD and potential individualized intervention methods.

ABSTRACT Purpose: To investigate the protective effect of breviscapine on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury (MIRI) in diabetes rats. Methods: Forty rats were divided into control, diabetes, MIRI of diabetes, and treatment groups. The MIRI of diabetes model was established in the latter two groups. Then, the treatment group was treated with 100 mg/kg breviscapine by intraperitoneal injection for 14 consecutive days. Results: After treatment, compared with MIRI of diabetes group, in treatment group the serum fasting blood glucose, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance, and glycosylated hemoglobin levels decreased, the serum total cholesterol, triacylglycerol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels decreased, the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level increased, the heart rate decreased, the mean arterial pressure, left ventricular ejection fraction, and fractional shortening increased, the serum cardiac troponin I, and creatine kinase-MB levels decreased, the myocardial tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin-6 levels decreased, the myocardial superoxide dismutase level increased, and the myocardial malondialdehyde level decreased (all P < 0.05). Conclusions: For treating MIRI of diabetes in rats, the breviscapine can reduce the blood glucose and lipid levels, improve the cardiac function, reduce the myocardial injury, and decrease the inflammatory response and oxidative stress, thus exerting the alleviating effect.

Abstract Background Ischemic cerebrovascular disease (ICVD) is one of three fatal diseases in humans, along with heart disease and malignant tumors. Cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury (CI/RI) is the primary cause of ICVD. Recently, seipin was reported to be crucial for lipid droplet formation, hepatic steatosis, and axonal atrophy. However, the function and mechanism of seipin in CI/RI has not been explicitly stated. Methods Oxygen–glucose deprivation/reoxygenation (OGD/R) hippocampal neuron cell line (HT‐22) and middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) in rats were established. The levels of apoptosis‐ and autophagy‐related proteins and seipin were confirmed by western blot. Cell proliferation was assessed with CCK‐8, and ischemic infarction and pathological structure were monitored by TTC and H&E staining, and tissue apoptosis was assessed through TUNEL assay. Results The proliferative activity was decreased, and apoptosis and autophagy pathways could also be induced in the OGD/R HT‐22 cells. Seipin overexpression accelerated viability and inhibited apoptosis and autophagy in the OGD/R HT‐22 cells. Moreover, the data revealed that seipin overexpression could also attenuate cerebral infarction, apoptosis. Autophagy pathways could be repressed by seipin in the MCAO rats. Conclusion Seipin has a protective role against CI/RI in rats, and its mechanism might be relevant to the suppression of apoptosis and autophagy, suggesting that seipin might be a latent target for CI/RI.

The cellular and molecular distinction between brain aging and neurodegenerative disease begins to blur in the oldest old. Approximately 15–25% of observations in humans do not fit predicted clinical manifestations, likely the result of suppressed damage despite usually adequate stressors and of resilience, the suppression of neurological dysfunction despite usually adequate degeneration. Factors during life may predict the clinico-pathologic state of resilience: cardiovascular health and mental health, more so than educational attainment, are predictive of a continuous measure of resilience to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and AD-related dementias (ADRDs). In resilience to AD alone (RAD), core features include synaptic and axonal processes, especially in the hippocampus. Future focus on larger and more diverse cohorts and additional regions offer emerging opportunities to understand this counterforce to neurodegeneration. The focus of this review is the molecular basis of resilience to AD.

In order to better develop and utilize curcuminoids, a method with high selectivity and simple and rapid separation and enrichment of curcuminoids from turmeric should be established. In this study, hydrated ceria and ceria were first prepared, and then curcumin was used as a model compound to investigate the adsorption and separation performance of the obtained adsorbed materials. Finally, ceria obtained at the calcination temperature of 400 °C were selected as the best adsorbent, and the curcuminoids in turmeric were effectively separated and enriched. This method not only has mild synthetic conditions and simple methods for adsorption materials, but also has low organic solvent consumption, simple operation and good selectivity in the separation and enrichment process, which provides a good enrichment method and research basis for the further study of curcuminoids.

Uneven settlement of transmission tower foundations can result in catastrophic events, such as tower collapse and line failures, disrupting power transmission operations. To address the challenging repairs caused by uneven foundation settlement of transmission towers, we propose an adjustable foundation bolt (AFB). This paper provides a detailed theoretical analysis of the AFB’s stability and load-bearing capacity, including critical buckling force formulas and maximum normal stress expressions. Finite element simulations confirm the precision of our theoretical formulations. Additionally, we introduce a method using baffles to enhance its load-bearing capacity, analyzing the impact of different numbers of baffles through numerical simulations. The experimental results validate the effectiveness of baffles in enhancing structural load-bearing capacity. The device brings convenience and efficiency to the maintenance of transmission towers.

Most critics focus on the pain and suffering of the first-generation Vietnamese immigrants depicted in Lan Cao’s Monkey Bridge. This paper explores how Cao strategically uses the philosophy of karma in Vietnamese Buddhism to provide a method for alleviating their suffering in this novel. It argues that she employs karma to investigate the origins of the adversity and trauma experienced by the first-generation Vietnamese immigrants, including the pro-American attitude of the early Vietnamese authorities during the Vietnam War, the imperialistic actions of the United States, and the resulting karmic consequences. In addition, they demonstrate, through actions like forming “hui”, a way to change their fate and heal their trauma for later generations of Vietnamese immigrants, emphasizing positive transformation of karma. This paper suggests that the Buddhist philosophy of karma provides an effective strategy for Vietnamese American immigrants to reflect on the Vietnam War, overcome adversity, and heal their own trauma.

Basella alba is a frequently consumed leafy vegetable. However, research on its nutritional components is limited. This study aimed to explore the variation in the nutritional components and antioxidant capacity of different cultivars and organs of Basella alba. Here, we primarily chose classical spectrophotometry and high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to characterize the variation in nutritional components and antioxidant capacity among different organs (inflorescences, green fruits, black fruits, leaves, and stems) of eight typical cultivars of Basella alba. The determination indices (and methods) included the total soluble sugar (anthrone colorimetry), total soluble protein (the Bradford method), total chlorophyll (the ethanol-extracting method), total carotenoids (the ethanol-extracting method), total ascorbic acid (the HPLC method), total proanthocyanidins (the p-dimethylaminocinnamaldehyde method), total flavonoids (AlCl3 colorimetry), total phenolics (the Folin method), and antioxidant capacity (the FRAP and ABTS methods). The results indicated that M5 and M6 exhibited advantages in their nutrient contents and antioxidant capacities. Additionally, the inflorescences demonstrated the highest total ascorbic acid and total phenolic contents, while the green and black fruits exhibited relatively high levels of total proanthocyanidins and antioxidant capacity. In a comparison between the green and black fruits, the green fruits showed higher levels of total chlorophyll (0.77–1.85 mg g−1 DW), total proanthocyanidins (0.62–2.34 mg g−1 DW), total phenolics (15.28–27.35 mg g−1 DW), and ABTS (43.39–59.16%), while the black fruits exhibited higher levels of total soluble protein (65.45–89.48 mg g−1 DW) and total soluble sugar (56.40–207.62 mg g−1 DW) in most cultivars. Chlorophyll, carotenoids, and flavonoids were predominantly found in the leaves of most cultivars, whereas the total soluble sugar contents were highest in the stems of most cultivars. Overall, our findings underscore the significant influence of the cultivars on the nutritional composition of Basella alba. Moreover, we observed notable variations in the nutrient contents among the different organs of the eight cultivars, and proanthocyanidins may contribute significantly to the antioxidant activity of the fruits. On the whole, this study provides a theoretical basis for the genetic breeding of Basella alba and dietary nutrition and serves as a reference for the comprehensive utilization of this vegetable.

Abstract Resilience to Alzheimer’s disease is an uncommon combination of high disease burden without dementia that offers valuable insights into limiting clinical impact. Here we assessed 43 research participants meeting stringent criteria, 11 healthy controls, 12 resilience to Alzheimer’s disease and 20 Alzheimer’s disease with dementia and analyzed matched isocortical regions, hippocampus, and caudate nucleus by mass spectrometry-based proteomics. Of 7115 differentially expressed soluble proteins, lower isocortical and hippocampal soluble Aβ levels is a significant feature of resilience when compared to healthy control and Alzheimer’s disease dementia groups. Protein co-expression analysis reveals 181 densely-interacting proteins significantly associated with resilience that were enriched for actin filament-based processes, cellular detoxification, and wound healing in isocortex and hippocampus, further supported by four validation cohorts. Our results suggest that lowering soluble Aβ concentration may suppress severe cognitive impairment along the Alzheimer’s disease continuum. The molecular basis of resilience likely holds important therapeutic insights.

Studying proteomics data of the human brain could offer numerous insights into unraveling the signature of resilience to Alzheimer’s disease. In our previous study with rigorous cohort selection criteria that excluded 4 common comorbidities, we harnessed multiple brain regions from 43 research participants with 12 of them displaying cognitive resilience to Alzheimer’s disease. Based on the previous findings, this work focuses on 6 proteins out of the 33 differentially expressed proteins associated with resilience to Alzheimer’s disease. These proteins are used to construct a decision tree classifier, enabling the differentiation of 3 groups: (i) healthy control, (ii) resilience to Alzheimer’s disease, and (iii) Alzheimer’s disease with dementia. Our analysis unveiled 2 important regional proteomic markers: Aβ peptides in the hippocampus and PA1B3 in the inferior parietal lobule. These findings underscore the potential of using distinct regional proteomic markers as signatures in characterizing the resilience to Alzheimer’s disease.

With the rapid advancement of digital technology, artificial intelligence has ushered in a digital society. In this era, digital literacy has become a prerequisite for individuals, as its absence can lead to new vulnerabilities and inequalities, hindering the pursuit of sustainable development goals. Previous researches predominantly relied on questionnaires to assess digital literacy, often focusing on specific groups due to survey costs, making their methodology unsuitable for comprehensive countrywide measurement. To address these limitations, we propose FLAKE, a national digital literacy assessment framework. Within this framework, we devise a multi-task deep learning model called DLMaN, which employs mobile big data, such as users’ digital behaviors, to predict citizens’ digital literacy. FLAKE enables cost-effective assessment of digital literacy for massive citizens by surveying only a fraction of them and it also has valuable implications for other social research tasks. We test the framework’s performance using authentic survey data and mobile big data, achieving RMSE and MAPE of 5.233 and 8.65% respectively, and the improvement is significant compared to the baseline model. We further employ this model to assess the digital literacy of numerous citizens in China and explore the implications for the society and individuals based on the obtained results.

Abstract Advances in computational algorithms and tools have made the prediction of cancer patient outcomes using computational pathology feasible. However, predicting clinical outcomes from pre-treatment histopathologic images remains a challenging task, limited by the poor understanding of tumor immune micro-environments. In this study, an automatic, accurate, comprehensive, interpretable, and reproducible whole slide image (WSI) feature extraction pipeline known as, IMage-based Pathological REgistration and Segmentation Statistics (IMPRESS), is described. We used both H&E and multiplex IHC (PD-L1, CD8+, and CD163+) images, investigated whether artificial intelligence (AI)-based algorithms using automatic feature extraction methods can predict neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) outcomes in HER2-positive (HER2+) and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) patients. Features are derived from tumor immune micro-environment and clinical data and used to train machine learning models to accurately predict the response to NAC in breast cancer patients (HER2+ AUC = 0.8975; TNBC AUC = 0.7674). The results demonstrate that this method outperforms the results trained from features that were manually generated by pathologists. The developed image features and algorithms were further externally validated by independent cohorts, yielding encouraging results, especially for the HER2+ subtype.

Attentions over the health of evergreen vegetation are increasing owing to frequently occurrence of recent disturbance events (i.e. soil erosion, logging activities, and afforestation). However, vegetation indices that characterize canopy greenness have limitations in spectral saturation for representing the growth states of densely vegetated areas, and the continuous acquisition of satellite-derived vegetation functional metrics depends on the availability of clear image observations. This study investigated the vegetation health dynamics (1993–2012) in the red soil regions of southern China using satellite observations based task-oriented metrics, including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Vegetation Water Content (VWC), and Aboveground Biomass Carbon (ABC). The results indicated that the total number of pixels with significant changes (SC) was 214, 1,186, and 794 for the NDVI, VWC, and ABC indices, respectively. More than 90% of the SC pixels in the three metrics exhibited increasing trends, which were primarily observed in mountainous areas. Pixels that exhibited a continuously declining trend were discretely distributed throughout the entire study area. Among the SC pixels, vegetation in major parts of the study area was disturbed by abrupt events. In the NDVI, VWC, and ABC, the frequency of abrupt changes increased after 2000, coinciding with the launch of the Natural Forest Conservation Program (NFCP) in 2000–2001. For regions with abrupt changes, four patterns were further observed based on the indices: the continued increases (pattern-1), sustained decreases (pattern-2), recovery growth after an initial decline (pattern-3), and significant decreases after initial growth (pattern-4). Pattern-1 appeared more frequently than the other three patterns. This study indicates that vegetation in most areas was optimally developed and exhibited a healthier tendency compared with previous growth states. Notably, the presence of an increasingly unhealthy vegetation state was observed in the northeastern region of the study area. Satellite derived datasets and synergetic use of indicators contribute to understanding the changes in the vegetation health in the entire red soil regions in southern China. Thus, this study acts as a reference for forest management and soil erosion control.

Eucalyptus plantations are expanding rapidly in southern China owing to their short rotation periods and high wood yields. Determining the plantation dynamics of eucalyptus plantations facilitates accurate operational planning, maximizes benefits, and allows the scientific management and sustainable development of eucalyptus plantations. This study proposes a sliding-time-window change detection (STWCD) approach for the holistic characterization and analysis of eucalyptus plantation dynamics between 1990 and 2019 through dense Landsat time-series data. To achieve this, pre-processing was first conducted to obtain high-quality reflectance data and the monthly composite maximum normalized-difference vegetation index (NDVI) time series was determined for each Landsat pixel. Second, a sliding time window was used to segment the time series and obtain the NDVI change characteristics of the subsequent segments, and a sliding time window-based LandTrendr change detection algorithm was applied to detect the crucial growth or harvesting phases of the eucalyptus plantations. Third, pattern-matching technology was adopted based on the change detection results to determine the characteristics of the eucalyptus planting dynamics. Finally, we identified the management history of the eucalyptus plantations, including planting times, generations, and rotation cycles. The overall accuracy of eucalyptus identification was 90.08%, and the planting years of the validation samples and the planting years estimated by our algorithm revealed an apparent correlation of R2 = 0.98. The results showed that successive generations were mainly first- and second-generations, accounting for 75.79% and 19.83% of the total eucalyptus area, respectively. The rotation cycles of the eucalyptus plantations were predominantly in the range of 4–8 years. This study provides an effective approach for identifying eucalyptus plantation dynamics that can be applied to other short-rotation plantations.

Melatonin, a pleiotropic small molecule, is employed in horticultural crops to delay senescence and preserve postharvest quality. In this study, 100 µM melatonin treatment delayed a decline in the color difference index h* and a*, maintaining the content of chlorophyll and carotenoids, thereby delaying the yellowing and senescence of Chinese kale. Transcriptome analysis unequivocally validates melatonin’s efficacy in delaying leaf senescence in postharvest Chinese kale stored at 20 °C. Following a three-day storage period, the melatonin treatment group exhibited 1637 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) compared to the control group. DEG analysis elucidated that melatonin-induced antisenescence primarily governs phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism, plant signal transduction, and calcium signal transduction. Melatonin treatment up-regulated core enzyme genes associated with general phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, and the α-linolenic acid biosynthesis pathway. It influenced the redirection of lignin metabolic flux, suppressed jasmonic acid and abscisic acid signal transduction, and concurrently stimulated auxin signal transduction. Additionally, melatonin treatment down-regulated RBOH expression and up-regulated genes encoding CaM, thereby influencing calcium signal transduction. This study underscores melatonin as a promising approach for delaying leaf senescence and provides insights into the mechanism of melatonin-mediated antisenescence in postharvest Chinese kale.

In China, cadmium (Cd) stress has a significant role in limiting the development and productivity of purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria). Exogenous selenium supplementation has been demonstrated in earlier research to mitigate the effects of Cd stress in a range of plant species; nevertheless, the physiological and molecular processes by which exogenous selenium increases vegetable shoots’ resistance to Cd stress remain unclear. Purple flowering stalks (Brassica campestris var. purpuraria) were chosen as the study subject to examine the effects of treatment with sodium selenite (Na2SeO3) on the physiology and transcriptome alterations of cadmium stress. Purple flowering stalk leaves treated with exogenous selenium had higher glutathione content, photosynthetic capacity, and antioxidant enzyme activities compared to the leaves treated with Cd stress alone. Conversely, the contents of proline, soluble proteins, soluble sugars, malondialdehyde, and intercellular CO2 concentration tended to decrease. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 2643 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were implicated in the response of exogenous selenium treatment to Cd stress. The metabolic pathways associated with flavonoid production, carotenoid synthesis, glutathione metabolism, and glucosinolate biosynthesis were among those enriched in these differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, we discovered DEGs connected to the production route of glucosinolates. This work sheds fresh light on how purple flowering stalks’ tolerance to cadmium stress is improved by exogenous selenium.

Naja atra bite is one of the most common severe snakebites in emergency departments. Unfortunately, the pathophysiological changes caused by Naja atra bite are unclear due to the lack of good animal models. In this study, an animal model of Naja atra bite in Guangxi Bama miniature pigs was established by intramuscular injection at 2 mg/kg of Naja atra venom, and serum metabolites were systematically analyzed using untargeted metabolomic and targeted metabolomic approaches. Untargeted metabolomic analysis revealed that 5045 chromatographic peaks were obtained in ESI+ and 3871 chromatographic peaks were obtained in ESI-. Screening in ESI+ modes and ESI- modes identified 22 and 36 differential metabolites compared to controls. The presence of 8 core metabolites of glutamine, arginine, proline, leucine, phenylalanine, inosine, thymidine and hippuric acid in the process of Naja atra bite was verified by targeted metabolomics significant difference (P

Seabed morphology maps and data are critical for knowledge-building and best practice management of marine environments. To facilitate objective and repeatable production of these maps, we have developed a number of semi-automated, rule-based GIS tools (Geoscience Australia’s Semi-automated Morphological Mapping Tools - GA-SaMMT) to operationalise the mapping of a common set of bathymetric high and bathymetric low seabed Morphological Features. The tools have a graphical user interface and were developed using Python scripts under the widely-adopted proprietary ArcGIS Pro platform. The utility of these tools was tested across nine case study areas that represent a diverse range of complex bathymetric and physiographic settings. Overall, the mapping results are found to be more consistent than manual mapping and allow for capture of greater detail across a range of spatial scales. The mapping results demonstrate a number of advantages of GA-SaMMT, including: 1) requirement of only a bathymetry grid as sole data input; 2) flexibility to apply domain knowledge to user-defined tool parameters, or to instead use the default parameter settings; 3) repeatability and consistency in the mapping outputs when using a consistent set of tool parameters (user defined or default); 4) high-degree of objectivity; and 5) efficiency in mapping a large number (thousands) of seabed morphology features in a single dataset. In addition, GA-SaMMT can comprehensively quantify the characteristics of individual seabed bathymetric high and low features, respectively generating 34 and 46 metrics for each type of feature. Our results indicate that attribute metrics are invaluable in the interpretation and modelling of mapped Morphology Features and provide insights into their formative processes and habitat potential for marine communities.

IntroductionSalicylic acid (SA) is a multi-functional endogenous phytohormone implicated in the growth, development, and metabolism of many plant species.MethodsThis study evaluated the effects of different concentrations of SA (0, 25, 100, 200, and 500 mg/L) on the growth and cadmium (Cd) content of lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) under Cd stress. The different concentrations of SA treatments were administered through foliar application. ResultsOur results showed that 100-200 mg/L SA significantly increased the plant height and biomass of lettuce under Cd stress. When SA concentration was 200 mg/L, the plant height and root length of lettuce increased by 19.42% and 22.77%, respectively, compared with Cd treatment alone. Moreover, 200 mg/L and 500mg/L SA concentrations could reduce peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities caused by Cd stress. When the concentration of exogenous SA was 500 mg/L, the POD and SOD activities of lettuce leaves decreased by 15.51% and 19.91%, respectively, compared with Cd treatment. A certain concentration of SA reduced the uptake of Cd by the lettuce root system and the transport of Cd from the lettuce root system to shoots by down-regulating the expression of Nramp5, HMA4, and SAMT, thus reducing the Cd content of lettuce shoots. When the concentration of SA was 100 mg/L, 200 mg/L, and 500 mg/L, the Cd contents of lettuce shoots were 11.28%, 22.70%, and 18.16%, respectively, lower than that of Cd treatment alone. Furthermore, principal component and correlation analyses showed that the Cd content of lettuce shoots was correlated with plant height, root length, biomass, antioxidant enzymes, and the expression level of genes related to Cd uptake.DiscussionIn general, these results provide a reference for the mechanism by which SA reduces the Cd accumulation in vegetables and a theoretical basis for developing heavy metal blockers with SA components.

Abstract Background: Bungarus multicinctus is one of the most dangerous venomous snakes prone to cardiopulmonary damage with extremely high mortality. In our previous work, we found that glutamine (Gln) and glutamine synthetase (GS) in pig serum were significantly reduced after Bungarus multicinctus bite. In the present study, to explore whether there is a link between the pathogenesis of cardiopulmonary injury and Gln metabolic changes induced by Bungarus multicinctus venom. We investigated the effect of Gln supplementation on the lung and heart function after snakebite. Methods: We supplemented different concentrations of Gln to mice that were envenomated by Bungarus multicinctus to observe the biological behavior, survival rate, hematological and pathological changes. Gln was supplemented immediately or one hour after the venom injection, and then changes in Gln metabolism were analyzed. Subsequently, to further explore the protective mechanism of glutamine on tissue damage, we measured the expression of heat-shock protein70 (HSP70), NF-κB P65, P53/PUMA by western blotting and real-time polymerase in the lung and heart. Results: Gln supplementation delayed the envenoming symptoms, reduced mortality, and alleviated the histopathological changes in the heart and lung of mice bitten by Bungarus multicinctus. Additionally, Gln increased the activity of glutamine synthetase (GS), glutamate dehydrogenase (GDH) and glutaminase (GLS) in serum. It also balanced the transporter SLC7A11 expression in heart and lung tissues. Bungarus multicinctus venom induced the NF-κB nuclear translocation in the lung, while the HO-1 expression was suppressed. At the same time, venom activated the P53/PUMA signaling pathway and the BAX expression in the heart. Gln treatment reversed the above phenomenon and increased HSP70 expression. Conclusion: Gln alleviated the glutamine metabolism disorder and cardiopulmonary damage caused by Bungarus multicinctus venom. It may protect lungs and heart against venom by promoting the expression of HSP70, inhibiting the activation of NF-κB and P53/PUMA, thereby delaying the process of snake venom and reducing mortality. The present results indicate that Gln could be a potential treatment for Bungarus multicinctus bite.

Carbonate buried hill madeexploration breakthroughs recently in the offshore Bohai Bay Basin, China, but the plane distribution of the buried hill reservoirs are unclear due to the highly heterogeneous. Taking the CFD2 oilfield as an example, based on core, thin section, seismic, and well logging data, the characteristics of Carbonate buried hill reservoirs in the study area were clarified, the formation mechanism of the reservoirs was discussed, and the development model of the reservoir was established. The results show that the reservoirs are mainly fractured-dissolved reservoirs, and the formation of the reservoirs is mainly related to structural fractures and fluid dissolution along the fractures. The NWW-trending structural fractures were formed under the control of the Indosinian compression, and the NEE-trending structural fractures were formed under the control of the Yanshanian strike-slip transpression. Dolomite is more brittle than limestone and is the main lithology for forming effective fractures. Structural fractures provide favorable channels for atmospheric water dissolution. The C and O isotope values reveal that at least two stages of dissolution have occurred in the study area which are supergene karstification and burial karstification. A model of the fractured-dissolved reservoir under the control of “structure-lithology-fluid” was established. This model highlights that the structural fractures formed by tectonic activities are crucial to reservoir development, and lithology is the internal factor controlling reservoir distribution. Dolomite exhibits the compressive strength of only half of the limestone, and it is the dominant lithology for reservoir development. The dissolution of atmospheric water in the two stages along the fractures greatly improved the physical properties of the reservoirs, and it is the guarantee for the development of effective reservoirs.

The yellowing of leaves due to iron deficiency is a prevalent issue in peach production. Although the capacity of exogenous melatonin (MT) to promote iron uptake in peach plants has been demonstrated, its underlying mechanism remains ambiguous. This investigation was carried out to further study the effects of exogenous MT on the iron absorption and transport mechanisms of peach (Prunus persica) plants under iron-deficient conditions through transcriptome sequencing. Under both iron-deficient and iron-supplied conditions, MT increased the content of photosynthetic pigments in peach leaves and decreased the concentrations of pectin, hemicellulose, cell wall iron, pectin iron, and hemicellulose iron in peach plants to a certain extent. These effects stemmed from the inhibitory effect of MT on the polygalacturonase (PG), cellulase (Cx), phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), and cinnamoyl-coenzyme A reductase (CCR) activities, as well as the promotional effect of MT on the cinnamic acid-4-hydroxylase (C4H) activity, facilitating the reactivation of cell wall component iron. Additionally, MT increased the ferric-chelate reductase (FCR) activity and the contents of total and active iron in various organs of peach plants under iron-deficient and iron-supplied conditions. Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) linked to iron metabolism in MT-treated peach plants were primarily enriched in the aminoacyl-tRNA biosynthesis pathway under iron-deficient conditions. Furthermore, MT influenced the expression levels of these DEGs, regulating cell wall metabolism, lignin metabolism, and iron translocation within peach plants. Overall, the application of exogenous MT promotes the reactivation and reutilization of iron in peach plants.

Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with rRNA-targeted oligonucleotide probes is widely used for the identification of microbes in complex samples, but it suffers from some limitations resulting in the weak or even absence of fluorescence signals of microbe(s), which may lead to the underestimation or misunderstanding of a microbial community. Herein, we explored symbionts in the bacteriomes and fat bodies of cicadas using modified FISH, aiming to improve this technique. We initially revealed that the probes of Candidatus Sulcia muelleri (Sulcia) and the yeast-like fungal symbiont (YLS) are suitable for detection of these symbionts in all cicadas and some other species of Auchenorrhyncha, whereas the probe of Candidatus Hodgkinia cicadicola (Hodgkinia) is only suitable for detection of Hodgkinia in a few cicada species. The fluorescence signal of Sulcia, Hodgkinia and YLS exhibited weak intensity without the addition of unlabeled oligonucleotides (helpers) and heat shock in some cicadas; however, it can be significantly improved by the addition of both helpers and heat shock. Results of this study suggest that heat shock denaturing rRNA and proteins of related microbe(s) together with helpers binding to the adjacent region of the probe’s target sites prevent the re-establishment of the native secondary structure of rRNA; therefore, suitable probe(s) can more easily access to the probe’s target sites of rRNA. Our results provide new information for the significant improvement of hybridization signal intensities of microbes in the FISH experiment, making it possible to achieve a more precise understanding of the microbial distribution, community and density in complex samples.

PbS films grown on quartz substrates by the chemical bath deposition method were annealed in an O2 atmosphere to investigate the role of oxygen in the sensitization process at different annealing temperatures. The average grain size of the PbS films gradually increased as the annealing temperature increased from 400 °C to 700 °C. At an annealing temperature of 650 °C, the photoresponsivity and detectivity reached 1.67 A W−1 and 1.22 × 1010 cm Hz1/2 W−1, respectively. The role of oxides in the sensitization process was analyzed in combination with X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy results, and a three-dimensional network model of the sensitization mechanism of PbS films was proposed. During the annealing process, O functioned as a p-type impurity, forming p+-type PbS layers with high hole concentrations on the surface and between the PbS grains. As annealing proceeds, the p+-type PbS layers at the grain boundaries interconnect to form a three-dimensional network structure of hole transport channels, while the unoxidized p-type PbS layers act as electron transport channels. Under bias, photogenerated electron–hole pairs were efficiently separated by the formed p+-p charge separation junction, thereby reducing electron–hole recombination and facilitating a higher infrared response.

Abstract As one of the key technologies of electromagnetic spectrum operations, radar waveform recognition is an important basis for judging the threat degree of enemy’s weapons. At present, it is difficult to recognize the waveform at low signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), and the theoretical simulation is used in most research studies, which leads to the problem that the engineering practicality of the algorithm is poor. In this paper, a two‐stream convolutional network radar waveform recognition (TCNRWR) algorithm that fuses the original time–frequency image and the continuous frames autocorrelation time–frequency image is proposed, and an experimental platform is built by using software defined radio technology. Compared with traditional theoretical simulations, this paper focusses on the influence of spatial background interference and signal incompleteness on the recognition of intra‐pulse signals, and proposes an automatic removal method of invalid signal in the time–frequency domain. In order to further improve the recognition rate at low SNR, a deeper feature of short‐time autocorrelation flow is excavated, and a two‐stream time–frequency images fusion convolutional network (TTIFCNet) is constructed. The network effectively fuses the pre‐classification results of the two streams through Softmax layer and different weights. Finally, the hardware platform HackRF is used to realize the communication and processing of signals in real space, which proves the effectiveness of the TCNRWR algorithm.

Abstract Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a major cause of acute lower respiratory tract infection in infants and children. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of miR-146a on RSV replication and the related mechanisms. Material and methods: We pretreated A549 and HEp-2 cells and young rats with miR-146a mimic before infection with RSV. The expressions of miR-146a and RSV-F mRNA in cells and lung tissues were detected by RT-qPCR, and production of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-18, and TNF-α in bronchial alveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were determined by ELISA. The expression level of TRAF-6 and activation of the JNK/ERK/MAPK/NF-κB signaling pathway was detected by Western blotting. Results: RSV infection significantly reduced miR-146a levels in both A549 and HEp-2 cells and rat lung tissues. RSV infection resulted in accelerated growth, increased release of inflammatory cytokines, increased expression of TRAF-6, and activation of the JNK pathway in cells, and the lung inflammatory infiltration and the pathological score increased in rats. Overexpression of miR-146a targeted down-regulation of TRAF-6 expression and JNK/ERK/MAPK/NF-κB pathway induced by RSV infection, reduced the production of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6 and TNF-α, and alleviate lung injury in young rats. We got similar results in both A549 and HEp-2 cell experiments. Conclusion: MiR-146a alleviates lung injury caused by RSV infection in young rats by targeting TRAF-6 and regulating JNK/ERK/MAPK signaling pathways.

Bacillus cereus (B. cereus) is a common cause of foodborne illness. An outbreak of acute gastrointestinal illness occurred at two middle schools in a rural region of Chongqing, China, in 2021. This study aimed to elucidate the outbreak's characteristics, identify risk factors, and determine the source of contamination. A retrospective cohort study and an environmental investigation were conducted. Vomit samples, anal swabs, and food samples were collected and tested by RT-PCR for 18 species of bacteria and viruses, including B. cereus. Positive samples of B. cereus underwent biochemical experiments and bacterial quantification. A total of 198 cases were reported in this outbreak, with an attack rate of 24.63%. The main symptoms were vomiting (100%), bellyache (83.33%), and dizziness (62.63%). The retrospective cohort study showed a significant association between the outbreak and rice noodles provided by a nearby food manufacturer (RR = 39.63, p < 0.001). B. cereus was detected in 20 vomit samples, three anal swabs, and seven rice noodles samples, with a count exceeding 103 CFU/g. These findings strongly suggested that the outbreak was linked to B. cereus-contaminated rice noodles. Enhancing food safety surveillance and promoting health measures among schools and food manufacturers in rural areas is crucial to prevent similar incidents in the future in Chongqing, China.

We employ the theory of rarefied gas dynamics and optimal control to investigate the kinetic model of decision-making. The novelty of this paper is that we develop a kinetic model that takes into account both the influence of agents’ competence and managers’ control on decision-making. After each interaction, in addition to the changes in decision directly caused by communication with other agents, the agents’ competence evolves and indirectly influences the degree of decision adjustment through the compromise function. By adding a control term to the model, the behavior of the managers who require the group to establish consensus is also described, and the concrete expression of the control term that minimizes the cost function is obtained by model predictive control. The Boltzmann equation is constructed to characterize the evolution of the density distribution of agents, and the main properties are discussed. The corresponding Fokker–Planck equation is derived by utilizing the asymptotic technique. Lastly, the direct simulation of the Monte Carlo method is used to simulate the evolution of decisions. The results indicate that the agents’ competence and managers’ control facilitate the consistency of collective decisions.

Asparagus bean (Vigna unguiculata ssp. sesquipedialis) is an important cowpea subspecies. We assembled the genomes of Ningjiang 3 (NJ, 550.31 Mb) and Dubai bean (DB, 564.12 Mb) for comparative genomics analysis. The whole-genome duplication events of DB and NJ occurred at 64.55 and 64.81 Mya, respectively, while the divergence between soybean and Vigna occurred in the Paleogene period. NJ genes underwent positive selection and amplification in response to temperature and abiotic stress. In species-specific gene families, NJ is mainly enriched in response to abiotic stress, while DB is primarily enriched in respiration and photosynthesis. We established the pan-genomes of four accessions (NJ, DB, IT97K-499-35 and Xiabao II) and identified 20,336 (70.5%) core genes present in all the accessions, 6,507 (55.56%) variable genes in two individuals, and 2,004 (6.95%) unique genes. The final pan genome is 616.35 Mb, and the core genome is 399.78 Mb. The variable genes are manifested mainly in stress response functions, ABC transporters, seed storage, and dormancy control. In the pan-genome sequence variation analysis, genes affected by presence/absence variants were enriched in biological processes associated with defense responses, immune system processes, signal transduction, and agronomic traits. The results of the present study provide genetic data that could facilitate efficient asparagus bean genetic improvement, especially in producing cold-adapted asparagus bean.

IntroductionHeat stress can limit vegetable growth, and this can lead to constraints on agricultural production. Grafting technologies, however, can be used to alleviate various plant stresses.MethodsIn this study, the differences in the heat stress impacts and recovery abilities of pumpkin and luffa rootstocks for bitter gourd were analyzed in terms of their antioxidant activity and carbon and nitrogen metabolism.ResultsCompared with the un-grafted and self-grafted bitter gourd, which suffered from heat stress at 40°C for 24 h, heterologously grafted bitter gourd showed higher heat stability of the cell membrane (relative conductivity and malondialdehyde content were reduced), reduced oxidative stress (antioxidant enzyme activity was increased and the reactive oxygen species content reduced), and increased enzyme activity (sucrose phosphate synthase, sucrose synthase, neutral invertase, and acid invertase) and sugar content (soluble sugar, sucrose, fructose, and glucose) in carbon metabolism. The enzyme activity (nitrate reductase, nitrite reductase, and glutamine synthetase) and product content (nitrate and nitrite) of nitrogen metabolism were also found to be increased, and this inhibited the accumulation of ammonium ions. After the seedlings were placed at 25°C for 24 h, the heterogeneous rootstocks could rapidly restore the growth of the bitter gourd seedlings by promoting the antioxidant and carbon and nitrogen metabolism systems. When luffa was used as rootstock, its performance on the indexes was better than that of pumpkin. The correlation between the various indicators was demonstrated using a principal component and correlation analysis.DiscussionThe luffa rootstock was found to be more conducive to reducing cell damage and energy loss in bitter gourd seedlings caused by heat induction through the maintenance of intracellular redox homeostasis and the promotion of carbon and nitrogen metabolism.

Polysaccharide based emulsions have received considerable attention due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility and food-safety. In this study, oxidized high-amylose starch (OHAS) is adopted for stabilization of oil-in-water (O/W) emulsion. Results showed that OHAS with oxidation degree of 90% (DO90-OHAS) exhibited higher wettability with three-phase contact angle of 70.6°. The obtained emulsion was stable within a wide range of different solution condition, with pH ranging from 3 to 7, salt concentration as high as 1.0 M and temperature ranging from -25 to 80 ℃. The gel-like network structure of DO90-OHAS effectively stabilized the emulsion and prevented the aggregation of oil droplets under different pH, as evidenced by confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) observation. Furthermore, DO90-OHAS based emulsion prepared at different pH showed satisfactory long-term storage stability (up to 30 days). The fabricated emulsion was utilized for encapsulation of hydrophobic bioactive substances, with ∼72.5% encapsulation efficiency for β-carotene. The DO90-OHAS based emulsion enabled the controlled-release of β-carotene in vitro, with antioxidant activity maintained ∼50% of initial activity when exposed to elevated temperature (80°C). This research may provide a new avenue for OHAS based Pickering emulsions preparation and bioactive components delivery.

Abstract We propose DEGAS (Diagnostic Evidence GAuge of Single cells), a novel deep transfer learning framework, to transfer disease information from patients to cells. We call such transferrable information “impressions,” which allow individual cells to be associated with disease attributes like diagnosis, prognosis, and response to therapy. Using simulated data and ten diverse single-cell and patient bulk tissue transcriptomic datasets from glioblastoma multiforme (GBM), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), and multiple myeloma (MM), we demonstrate the feasibility, flexibility, and broad applications of the DEGAS framework. DEGAS analysis on myeloma single-cell transcriptomics identified PHF19 high myeloma cells associated with progression. Availability: https://github.com/tsteelejohnson91/DEGAS .

Abstract In this study, the impregnation synthesis of NiO/sepiolite and its application for dye removal during wastewater treatment is introduced. The NiO/sepiolite materials act as an adsorbent/catalyst. It comprises a unique combination of adsorption and high-temperature gas flow regeneration (the NiO/sepiolite acts as a catalyst at this stage, using regeneration rate as evaluation index of catalytic activity of NiO/sepiolite) in a single unit, in which the NiO/sepiolite was regenerated and reused for the next round adsorption of dye. An aqueous solution of methylene blue was used to evaluate the adsorption and regeneration performance of the adsorbent/catalyst. The regeneration rate reached 74% when the reaction time and temperature were 7 min and 350 °C, respectively. The effects of the regeneration temperature and volume fraction of O2 on the regeneration rate were investigated. And the regeneration reaction kinetics was provided. The combination of adsorptive and catalytic properties in the NiO/sepiolite composites received interesting results for removing refractory biodegradable organic pollutants. This work provides new insights for the removal of dye from wastewater using Ni catalysts supported on natural low-cost clay.

An iron-catalyzed strategy for the rapid synthesis of indolo[2,3-c]quinolines has been developed. This cascade reaction involving alcohol oxidation, nitro reduction, and oxidative annulation was achieved in a one-pot. The present protocol was started from mono-functionalized indoles and readily available benzylic alcohols/aldehydes, affording a variety of functionalized indolo[2,3-c]quinolines in satisfactory yields.

PURPOSEWe aimed to investigate the safety and tumor seeding rate of a coaxial implantation technique combined with injection of a gelfoam pellet in establishing a VX2 liver tumor model in rabbits.METHODSA VX2 liver tumor model was established in 60 male New Zealand white rabbits, which were randomly divided into 3 groups (20 in each group) based on implantation technique (all performed under ultrasound guidance): group A, single needle only; group B, single needle with injection of a gelfoam pellet; or group C, coaxial technique with injection of a gelfoam pellet. The rates of liver tumor formation and tumor seeding to extrahepatic tissues were compared 2 weeks after implantation. Data were also collected regarding procedure time, number of punctures, occurrence of complications, and mortality rate.RESULTSA VX2 liver tumor model was established in all 60 rabbits (100%, 60/60). Ectopic implantation rate was 70% (14/20) in group A, 35% (7/20) in group B, and 5% (1/20) in group C, with significant difference among the groups (p < 0.001). Post hoc analysis showed significant difference between group A and group C (p < 0.001). However, there were no significant differences between group B and group A or group C (p = 0.027, p = 0.048, respectively). There were no significant differences among the groups in terms of procedure time (p = 0.405) or number of punctures (p = 0.612). No complications or deaths occurred.CONCLUSIONA coaxial technique with injection of a gelfoam pellet is an effective and safe method for VX2 liver tumor implantation in rabbits, and this technique can reduce the risk of tumor seeding to the abdominal wall and omentum.

S–modified MXene (Ti3C2Tx@S–5) was prepared to improve the catalytic activity of MXene in the electrocatalytic degradation of tetracycline hydrochloride (TC). Here, S groups in the form of Ti–S and S–O species were anchored onto MXene, resulting in superior conductivity and surface activity. Ti3C2Tx@S–5 exhibited an excellent performance of 100% TC degradation under the conditions of 25 °C, a pH of 6, a TC concentration of 10 mg L−1, and an applied current of 20 mA. Radical quenching and EPR analyses revealed that ·O2− and 1O2 played dominant roles in Ti3C2Tx@S–5 and Ti3C2Tx systems. Furthermore, S modification promoted the triggering of ·OH and active chlorine, which contributed to the acceleration of TC degradation. The involvement of these active substances in degradation pathways was further proven. This research advances the S modification of MXene and improves TC degradation by promoting the triggering of ·OH and active chlorine, broadening the applicability of MXene material.

The CRISPR/Cas9 system is extensively used for plant gene editing. This study developed an efficient CRISPR/Cas9 system for Chinese kale using multiple sgRNAs and two promoters to create various CRISPR/Cas9 vectors. These vectors targeted BoaZDS and BoaCRTISO in Chinese kale protoplasts and cotyledons. Transient transformation of Chinese kale protoplasts was assessed for editing efficiency at three BoaZDS sites. Notably, sgRNA: Z2 achieved the highest efficiency (90%). Efficiency reached 100% when two sgRNAs targeted BoaZDS with a deletion of a large fragment (576 bp) between them. However, simultaneous targeting of BoaZDS and BoaCRTISO yielded lower efficiency. Transformation of cotyledons led to Chinese kale mutants with albino phenotypes for boazds mutants and orange-mottled phenotypes for boacrtiso mutants. The mutation efficiency of 35S-CRISPR/Cas9 (92.59%) exceeded YAO-CRISPR/Cas9 (70.97%) in protoplasts, and YAO-CRISPR/Cas9 (96.49%) surpassed 35S-CRISPR/Cas9 (58%) in cotyledons. These findings introduce a strategy for enhancing CRISPR/Cas9 editing efficiency in Chinese kale.