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Plant essential oils have been extensively investigated for their application in food industry due to their broad antimicrobial spectrum and safety. However, rare studies investigated their application in decontaminating rice noodles from fungal contamination. In this study, the cinnamon essential oil was screened out among 12 species of plant essential oils, and its antifungal activity against Penicillium oxalicum isolated from rice noodles was investigated. Our study revealed that cinnamon essential oil inhibited the spore germination in a concentration‐dependent manner, and a dosage of 0.025% (v/v) could entirely disable the spore germination. The disruption of the fungal plasma membrane was evidenced by the change of plasma membrane permeability and the leakage of cellular components. The cinnamon essential oil in vapor phase (0.00625% [v/v]) could totally inhibit the growth of fungi inoculated on rice noodles. In addition to the potential application in inactivating fungi germination on rice noodles, this study also demonstrated the feasibility of cinnamon essential as an environmental disinfectant. This study is the first report that cinnamon essential oil has been studied for decontaminating rice noodles from fungal contamination with P. oxalicum, which not only broadens the application field of plant essential oil but also provides an alternative approach for rice noodle preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To describe the transmission dynamics of maize streak virus infection, in the paper, we first formulate a stochastic maize streak virus infection model, in which the stochastic fluctuations are depicted by a logarithmic Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. This approach is reasonable to simulate the random impacts of main parameters both from the biological significance and the mathematical perspective. Then we investigate the detailed dynamics of the stochastic system, including the existence and uniqueness of the global solution, the existence of a stationary distribution, the exponential extinction of the infected maize and infected leafhopper vector. Especially, by solving the five-dimensional algebraic equations corresponding to the stochastic system, we obtain the specific expression of the probability density function near the quasi-endemic equilibrium of the stochastic system, which provides valuable insights into the stationary distribution. Finally, the model is discretized using the Milstein higher-order numerical method to illustrate our theoretical results numerically. Our findings provide a groundwork for better methods of preventing the spread of this type of virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn‐ion batteries (ZIBs) have gathered unprecedented interest recently benefiting from their intrinsic safety, affordability, and environmental benignity. Nevertheless, their practical implementation is hampered by low rate performance, inferior Zn2+ diffusion kinetics, and undesired parasitic reactions. Innovative solutions are put forth to address these issues by optimizing the electrodes, separators, electrolytes, and interfaces. Remarkably, polymers with inherent properties of low‐density, high processability, structural flexibility, and superior stability show great promising in tackling the challenges. Herein, the recent progress in the synthesis and customization of functional polymers in aqueous ZIBs is outlined. The recent implementations of polymers into each component are summarized, with a focus on the inherent mechanisms underlying their unique functions. The challenges of incorporating polymers into practical ZIBs are also discussed and possible solutions to circumvent them are proposed. It is hoped that such a deep analysis could accelerate the design of polymer‐derived approaches to boost the performance of ZIBs and other aqueous battery systems as they share similarities in many aspects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This explorative research aimed to elucidate the stock profile and optimum catch limit of the king mackerel (Scomberomorus guttatus) stock by collecting data in the upper Bay of Bengal. This study used three length-based methods and a catch-based method to determine the growth parameters and biological reference points (BRPs) of king mackerel. A negative allometric growth pattern (b = 2.50) was observed in the length–weight relationship. The life history parameters were estimated as L∞ = 117.35 cm, k = 0.42 year−1 and the mortality estimates were the total mortality (Z = 1.18 year−1), natural mortality (M = 0.46 year−1) and fishing mortality (F = 0.72 year−1). The results show that this fishery is currently likely to be overfished due to overexploitation (F/M = >1) and the stock's spawning biomass (SPR = 9%) is substantially lower than the target reference point because most of the catch (70%) was found to have under the maturity level. The recommended minimum total length for the catch is >59 cm and a yearly catch limit of 2400 mt as OFL (Over Fishing Limit) for the next ten years coordinated with the existing precautionary measures such as an annual fishing ban to raise the stock's biomass over the BMSY level for maintaining sustainable yield of 4516 mt as MSY. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is a malignant tumor with low overall cure and survival rates. Uncovering abnormally expressed genes is significantly important for developing novel targeted therapies in NSCLC. This study aimed to discover new differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of NSCLC. The DEGs of NSCLC were identified in eight data sets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. The expression profiles and the prognostic significance of SCN4B in LUAD and LUSC were analyzed using GEPIA database. LinkedOmics was used to identify co‐expressed genes with SCN4B, which were further subjected to KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. SCN4B‐overexpressing plasmid (pcDNA/SCN4B) was transfected into A549 and NCI‐H2170 cells to elevate the expression of SCN4B. MTT and TUNEL assays were performed to evaluate cell viability and apoptosis. Relying on the screened DEGs from GEO database, we identified that SCN4B was significantly downregulated in LUAD and LUSC. We confirmed the downregulation of SCN4B in NSCLC tissues using GEPIA database. SCN4B has a prognostic value in LUAD, but not LUSC. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of SCN4B‐related genes showed that cGMP‐PKG signaling pathway might be involved in the role of SCN4B in NSCLC. Overexpression of SCN4B in A549 and NCI‐H2170 cells inhibited the cell viability. Besides, SCN4B overexpression induced apoptosis of A549 and NCI‐H2170 cells. SCN4B inhibited the expression of PKG1 and p‐CREB in NSCLC cells. Moreover, the inhibitory effects of SCN4B on tumor malignancy were attenuated by the activator of PKG. In conclusion, integrated bioinformatical analysis proved that SCN4B was downregulated and had a prognostic significance in NSCLC. In vitro experimental studies demonstrated that SCN4B regulated NSCLC cells viability and apoptosis via inhibiting cGMP‐PKG signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Queenfish, Scomberoides commersonnianus, is a large commercial fish in Bangladesh. This is the first study on the Queenfish that aims to elucidate life history parameters and stock status to suggest authority for sustainable management and to support future research on this economically significant species in the region. We used three length‐based approaches to establish a standard for sustainable management of the fishery: (1) TropFishR to give the growth parameters and current exploitation status, (2) the length‐based Bayesian biomass estimation (LBB) to quantify stock biomass, (3) and Froese's sustainability indicators (LBI). The length–weight relationship of Queenfish was a negative allometric pattern (b = 2.84; R2 = 0.98). Growth parameters for Queenfish were L∞ = 124.22 cm, K = 0.31 year−1. Instantaneous total mortality Z = 0.71 year−1, instantaneous natural mortality M = 0.36 year−1, and instantaneous fishing mortality F = 0.35 year−1. Based on the LBB approach, the current estimated stock biomass was overexploited (B/BMSY = 0.65). We recommend strictly maintaining mesh size of nets to reduce harvest of immature fish shorter than 62 cm, while focusing harvest on fish 62–74 cm, to minimise recruitment and growth overfishing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To establish a cognitive appraisal path model that examines the impact of stroke knowledge on stigma with the parallel mediating effects of negative and positive coping traits, as well as the moderating effects of family functioning. Background: Stroke‐related stigma, a 'mixture' of negative emotions involving internal criticism and external judgement, has been shown to impair patients' health outcomes. However, the specific factors underlying cognitive appraisals and their pathways remain unknown. Design: A cross‐sectional design. Methods: The cross‐sectional sample was from two stroke centres in China. Questionnaires were administered to collect sociodemographic data, stroke knowledge, coping traits, family functioning and stigma. Hierarchical regression models and the moderated parallel mediation model were constructed to analyse influencing pathways. The study adhered to the strengthening the reporting of observational studies in epidemiology guideline. Results: All 144 samples reported stigma symptoms with a moderate‐to‐high standardising score. The best hierarchical regression model explains 55.5% of the variance in stigma. The parallel mediation model indicated that negative and positive coping traits co‐mediating the association of stroke knowledge and stigma. After adding the family functioning as a moderator, the moderated parallel mediation model was confirmed with adequate fit indices. Conclusion: Among the cognitive appraisal factors affecting stroke‐related stigma, stroke knowledge reduces stigma by modifying coping traits, while poor family functioning may serve as an opposing moderator. Notably, when family support is insufficient, enhanced stroke knowledge might paradoxically exacerbate the stigma. Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study contributes knowledge on transforming health education and emphasises the pivotal roles of clinical nursing practitioners. In similar global contexts, the study highlights integrating health education, psychological counselling and family support to advance systematic nursing practices. Patient or Public Contribution: None. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cholera is a global epidemic infectious disease that seriously endangers human life. It is disturbed by random factors in the process of transmission. Therefore, in this paper, a class of stochastic SIRB cholera model with Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process is established. On the basis of verifying that the model exists a unique global solution to any initial value, a sufficient criterion for the existence of a stationary distribution of the positive solution of the random model is established by constructing an appropriate random Lyapunov function. Furthermore, under the same condition that there is a stationary distribution, the specific expression of the probability density function of the random model around the positive equilibrium point is calculated. Finally, the theoretical results are verified by numerical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, assuming the certain variable satisfies the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, we formulate a stochastic within-host dengue model with immune response to obtain further understanding of the transmission dynamics of dengue fever. Then we analyze the dynamical properties of the stochastic system in detail, including the existence and uniqueness of the global solution, the existence of a stationary distribution, and the extinction of infected monocytes and free viruses. In particular, it is worth revealing that we get the specific form of covariance matrix in its probability density around the quasi-endemic equilibrium of the stochastic system. Finally, numerical illustrative examples are depicted to confirm our theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plant nutrient uptake and productivity are driven by a multitude of factors that have been modified by human activities, like climate change and the activity of decomposers. However, interactive effects of climate change and key decomposer groups like earthworms have rarely been studied. In a field microcosm experiment, we investigated the effects of a mean future climate scenario with warming (+ 0.50 °C to + 0.62 °C) and altered precipitation (+ 10% in spring and autumn, − 20% in summer) and earthworms (anecic—two Lumbricus terrestris, endogeic—four Allolobophora chlorotica and both together within 10 cm diameter tubes) on plant biomass and stoichiometry in two land-use types (intensively used meadow and conventional farming). We found little evidence for earthworm effects on aboveground biomass. However, future climate increased above- (+40.9%) and belowground biomass (+44.7%) of grass communities, which was mainly driven by production of the dominant Festulolium species during non-summer drought periods, but decreased the aboveground biomass (− 36.9%) of winter wheat. Projected climate change and earthworms interactively affected the N content and C:N ratio of grasses. Earthworms enhanced the N content (+1.2%) thereby decreasing the C:N ratio (− 4.1%) in grasses, but only under ambient climate conditions. The future climate treatment generally decreased the N content of grasses (aboveground: − 1.1%, belowground: − 0.15%) and winter wheat (− 0.14%), resulting in an increase in C:N ratio of grasses (aboveground: + 4.2%, belowground: +6.3%) and wheat (+5.9%). Our results suggest that climate change diminishes the positive effects of earthworms on plant nutrient uptakes due to soil water deficit, especially during summer drought. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a stochastic predator–prey model with two competitive preys and Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process is formulated and analysed, which is used to obtain a better understanding of the population dynamics. At first, we validate that the stochastic system has a unique global solution with any initial value. Then we analyse the stochastic dynamics of the model in detail, including pth moment boundedness, asymptotic pathwise estimation in turn. After that, we obtain sufficient conditions for the existence of a stationary distribution of the system by adopting stochastic Lyapunov function methods. In addition, under some mild conditions, we derive the specific form of covariance matrix in the probability density near the quasi-positive equilibrium of the stochastic system. Finally, numerical illustrative examples are depicted to confirm our theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, and irreversible lung disease characterized by pulmonary fibrosis and lung dysfunction, ultimately leading to respiratory failure. Many preclinical studies have investigated the therapeutic potential of stem cell-derived exosomes in this disease, particularly mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes. However, the effects of embryonic stem cell-derived exosomes in IPF remain unclear. Methods: We established a bleomycin (BLM)-induced pulmonary fibrosis mice model and administered human embryonic stem cell exosomes (hESC-exo) from the first day after BLM treatment. The effects of hESC-exo were assessed by pulmonary function tests, biochemical analysis, histochemistry, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), and western blot (WB). RNA-seq was used to screen for the potential therapeutic targets of hESC-exo in fibrotic lungs; the identified signaling axis was characterized using a luciferase assay, qPCR, and WB. Results: Results indicated hESC-exo administration notably alleviated inflammation, removed deposited collagen, and rescued alveolar architecture in the lungs of BLM-induced mice. In vivo and in vitro tests revealed that hESC-exo-derived miR-17-5p directly bound thrombospondin-2 (Thbs2) to regulate inflammation and fibrosis; thus, hESC-exo protected against BLM toxicity in the lungs via the miR-17-5p/Thbs2 axis. Conclusion: These results suggest a promising new treatment for fibrosis-associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneously harvesting electricity through a water evaporation process is renewable and environmentally friendly, and provides a promising way for self‐powered electronics. However, most of evaporation‐driven generators are suffering from a limited power supply for practical use. Herein, a high‐performance textile‐based evaporation‐driven electricity generator based on continuous gradient chemical reduced graphene oxide (CG‐rGO@TEEG) is obtained by a continuous gradient chemical reduction strategy. The continuous gradient structure not only greatly enhances the ion concentration difference between the positive and negative electrodes but also significantly optimizes the electrical conductivity of the generator. As a result, the as‐prepared CG‐rGO@TEEG can generate a voltage of 0.44 V and a considerable current of 590.1 µA with an optimized power density of 0.55 mW cm−3 when 50 µL of NaCl solution is applied. Such scale‐up CG‐rGO@TEEGs can supply sufficient power to directly drive a commercial clock for more than 2 h in ambient conditions. This work offers a novel approach for efficient clean energy harvesting based on water evaporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We develop and study a stochastic dengue model with Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, in which we assume that the transmission coefficients between vector and human satisfy the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. We first show that the stochastic system has a unique global solution with any initial value. Then we use a novel Lyapunov function method to establish sufficient criteria for the existence of a stationary distribution of the system, which indicates the persistence of the disease. In particular, under some mild conditions which are applied to ensure the local asymptotic stability of the endemic equilibrium of the deterministic system, we obtain the specific form of covariance matrix in the probability density around the quasi-positive equilibrium of the stochastic system. In addition, we also establish sufficient criteria for wiping out of the disease. Finally, several numerical simulations are performed to illustrate our theoretical conclusions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we investigate a stochastic human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) model with logistic growth and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process, which is used to describe the pathogenesis and transmission dynamics of HIV in the population. We first validate that the stochastic system has a unique global solution with any initial value. Then we use a novel Lyapunov function method to establish sufficient conditions for the existence of a stationary distribution of the system, which shows the coexistence of all CD4+ T cells and free viruses. Especially, under some mild conditions which are used to ensure the local asymptotic stability of the quasi-chronic infection equilibrium of the stochastic system, we obtain the specific expression of covariance matrix in the probability density around the quasi-chronic infection equilibrium of the stochastic system. In addition, for completeness, we also obtain sufficient criteria for elimination of all infected CD4+ T cells and free virus particles. Finally, several examples together with comprehensive numerical simulations are conducted to support our analytic results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Pre-hospital delay refers to the time span from the onset of symptoms to arrival at a hospital ≥ 3 h and is the main limitation of stroke reperfusion therapies. Family factors and stroke-related stigma may influence pre-hospital delay. However, few studies have confirmed the influence of stigma on pre-hospital delay or explored the relationships between family function, stigma, and pre-hospital delay among patients with recurrent stroke. This study aimed to explore the relationship between family function and pre-hospital delay among patients with recurrent stroke and examine the mediation role of stigma in this relationship. Methods and results A cross-sectional study was performed at the neurology departments of two hospitals in Guangzhou, China between July 2021 and April 2022. A total of 115 patients with recurrent stroke completed questionnaires and were included in the analysis. Data were collected using the Short Form Family Assessment Device, the Stroke Stigma Scale, and the Stroke Knowledge Questionnaire. Spearman's correlation and a structural equation model were used for data analysis. Family function directly influenced pre-hospital delay [ β =0.27, P = 0.033, 95% CI = (0.02–0.51)] and indirectly influenced pre-hospital delay [ β =0.17, P = 0.038, 95% CI = (0.02–0.34)] through stigma. Moreover, stigma partially mediated the effect of family function on pre-hospital delay. Conclusion Family function and stigma directly and indirectly influenced pre-hospital delay among patients with recurrent stroke. Future health education and interventions need to focus on strengthening and improving emotional support from family members to improve family function and reduce stigma, thereby reducing pre-hospital delay among patients with recurrent stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Since 1991 when Grätzel et al. improved the conversion efficiency of dye-sensitized solar cells to 7.1% by applying nano technology as the first time, the researches on dye-sensitized solar cells have received widely attentions. The organic dye without precious metals has a lower cost, which is easily to get synthesized and its structure is easily decorated, owing a higher photoelectric conversion efficiency at the same time. Therefore, in recent years, the organic dye has attracted people's attentions more and more. In order to better understand the relationship between structure and properties of dye molecules, with ZL003 as a prototype, molecular modifications are then made and a scheme, with rigid fused π-bridge comprising electron-rich and deficient segments. The calculated results indicate that the π-bridge containing dithienopyrrolobenzothiadiazole and dipyrrolo-dithienobenzothiadiazole as π-bridge has been demonstrated to be successful to significantly redshift the absorption maximum wavelength, extend the lifetime of the first excited state, and decrease the energy gap between the highest occupied molecule orbital (HOMO) and the lowest unoccupied molecule orbital (LUMO). It is hoped that the calculation result of this paper would provide theoretical basis for the experimental synthesis of more efficient dye molecules. Method: All calculations were performed in Gaussian 09 program package. The ground state geometries (S0) and the first excited state (S1) were optimized using density function theory (DFT) with the hybrid function B3LYP functional, coupled with the 6-31G(d, p) basis set for optimization of molecule ground state conformations. TD-DFT calculations of excited state energies and absorption spectra were performed using MPWPW91 functional combined with the 6–31 + G (d) basis set. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cetaceans (dolphins, whales, and porpoises) have large and anatomically sophisticated brains. To expand our understanding of the cellular makeup of cetacean brains and the similarities and divergence between the brains of cetaceans and terrestrial mammals, we report a short‐finned pilot whale (Globicephala macrorhynchus) single‐nucleus transcriptome atlas. To achieve this goal, we assembled a chromosome‐scale reference genome spanning 2.25 Gb on 22 chromosomes and profiled the gene expression of five major anatomical cortical regions of the short‐finned pilot whale by single‐nucleus RNA‐sequencing (snRNA‐seq). We identified six major cell lineages in the cerebral cortex (excitatory neurons, inhibitory neurons, oligodendrocytes, oligodendrocyte precursor cells, astrocytes, and endothelial cells), eight molecularly distinct subclusters of excitatory neurons, and four subclusters of inhibitory neurons. Finally, a comparison of snRNA‐seq data from the short‐finned pilot whale, human, and rhesus macaque revealed a broadly conserved cellular makeup of brain cell types. Our study provides genomic resources and molecular insights into cetacean brain evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: How species respond to ongoing climate change has been a hot research topic, especially with the controversy in shifting range (movement) or persisting in local habitat (in situ) as the primary response. Assessing the relative roles of range shifts, phenotypic plasticity and genetic adaptation helps us predict the evolutionary fate of species. We aim to explore the evolutionary strategies of plants under climate change from a keystone herb in alpine ecosystems, Mirabilis himalaica, along its elevational gradient. Location: Himalaya‐Hengduan Mountains, China. Methods: We combined evidence from population genomics and ecological data in both space and time to investigate the state of "staying" or "moving". We identified migration events by assessing historical and contemporary gene flow and changes in species distribution. Morphological variation was compared by measuring five traits using specimen data. Moreover, we explored climate‐driven genetic variation and local selection regimes acting on populations in the alpine landscape along an elevational gradient. Results: Our results argue that staying in situ by morphological variation and local genetic evolution rather than range shifting plays an important role in M. himalaica response to climate change. We first found trace evidence of upward or climatic‐driven shifting along an elevational gradient, although asymmetric gene flow was restricted within microenvironments of mid‐elevational populations. Furthermore, morphological variation comparisons revealed clinal variation, as resource allocation showed a declining pattern in vegetative growth but increased reproductive growth with increasing elevation. Outlier tests and environment association analyses indicated adaptative loci primarily related to thermal‐driven selection and continuous adaptations to high elevation in the Himalaya‐Hengduan Mountains. Main Conclusions: Our findings show M. himalaica may persist in local habitats rather than shifting range under climate change, exhibiting a low risk of genomic vulnerability in current habitats. This study has important implications in improving our understanding of the evolutionary response in alpine plants to climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a stochastic differential equation model which is used to explore how the environmental noise affects the spread of hepatitis B virus. Firstly, we show that there exists a unique global positive solution of the stochastic system with any positive initial value. Then, we adopt a stochastic Lyapunov function method to establish sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of an ergodic stationary distribution of the proposed stochastic model. Especially, under the same conditions as the existence of a stationary distribution, it is worth noting that we obtain the specific form of probability density around the quasi-infected steady state of the stochastic system. Thirdly, we obtain sufficient criteria for extinction of the infected hepatocytes. Finally, numerical simulations are introduced to validate the theoretical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zn powder anode possesses great versatility compared to the Zn foil counterpart, but the rough surface with a high surface area aggravates the corrosion and dendrite growth. Herein, a dendrite‐free and anti‐corrosive semi‐liquid Zn anode (SLA) is successfully fabricated based on Zn powder and a thickening agent. Benefiting from the rheological property, the unique anode effectively releases the stress induced by Zn plating, especially under high‐current densities. Meanwhile, the dual‐conductive medium, i.e., ionic and electronic, homogenizes the ion flux and allows the stripping/plating to occur within the entire anode. In a symmetric cell, the SLA anode exhibits stable electrochemical behavior with a prolonged lifespan at the current density of 5 mA cm−2/10 mA cm−2 under the capacity of 5 mAh cm−2/10 mAh cm−2. Improved durability of more than 5000 cycles is endowed when assembling an SLA anode with a vanadium‐based cathode. This study provides an electrode rheology‐based approach to overcome the stability challenge of powder anode for scale‐up manufacturing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we construct and analyze a stochastic Lotka–Volterra competitive model with the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process and infinite delays. First, we verify the existence and uniqueness of the global solution of the system with any initial value. Then, we investigate the pth moment boundedness, asymptotic pathwise estimation, and asymptotic behavior of the solutions of the stochastic system in turn. In addition, we develop sufficient conditions for the existence of a stationary distribution of positive solutions to the stochastic system by establishing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. Finally, by solving the corresponding six-dimensional Fokker–Planck equation, we obtain the accurate expression of the local density function of the linear system corresponding to the stochastic system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we establish and analyze a stochastic human immunodeficiency virus model with both virus-to-cell and cell-to-cell transmissions and Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process, in which we suppose that the virus-to-cell infection rate and the cell-to-cell infection rate satisfy the Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. First, we validate that there exists a unique global solution to the stochastic model with any initial value. Then, we adopt a stochastic Lyapunov function technique to develop sufficient criteria for the existence of a stationary distribution of positive solutions to the stochastic system, which reflects the strong persistence of all CD4+ T cells and free viruses. In particular, under the same conditions as the existence of a stationary distribution, we obtain the specific form of the probability density around the quasi-chronic infection equilibrium of the stochastic system. Finally, numerical simulations are conducted to validate these analytical results. Our results suggest that the methods used in this paper can be applied to study other viral infection models in which the infected CD4+ T cells are divided into latently infected and actively infected subgroups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coleoid cephalopods have distinctive neural and morphological characteristics compared to other invertebrates. Early studies reported massive genomic rearrangements occurred before the split of octopus and squid lineages (Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A 116:3030-5, 2019), which might be related to the neural innovations of their brain, yet the details remain elusive. Here we combine genomic and single-nucleus transcriptome analyses to investigate the octopod chromosome evolution and cerebral characteristics. Results: We present a chromosome-level genome assembly of a gold-ringed octopus, Amphioctopus fangsiao, and a single-nucleus transcriptome of its supra-esophageal brain. Chromosome-level synteny analyses estimate that the chromosomes of the ancestral octopods experienced multiple chromosome fission/fusion and loss/gain events by comparing with the nautilus genome as outgroup, and that a conserved genome organization was detected during the evolutionary process from the last common octopod ancestor to their descendants. Besides, protocadherin, GPCR, and C2H2 ZNF genes are thought to be highly related to the neural innovations in cephalopods (Nature 524:220–4, 2015), and the chromosome analyses pinpointed several collinear modes of these genes on the octopod chromosomes, such as the collinearity between PCDH and C2H2 ZNF, as well as between GPCR and C2H2 ZNF. Phylogenetic analyses show that the expansion of the octopod protocadherin genes is driven by a tandem-duplication mechanism on one single chromosome, including two separate expansions at 65 million years ago (Ma) and 8–14 Ma, respectively. Furthermore, we identify eight cell types (i.e., cholinergic and glutamatergic neurons) in the supra-esophageal brain of A. fangsiao, and the single-cell expression analyses reveal the co-expression of protocadherin and GPCR in specific neural cells, which may contribute to the neural development and signal transductions in the octopod brain. Conclusions: The octopod genome analyses reveal the dynamic evolutionary history of octopod chromosomes and neural-related gene families. The single-nucleus transcriptomes of the supra-esophageal brain indicate their cellular heterogeneities and functional interactions with other tissues (i.e., gill), which provides a foundation for further octopod cerebral studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The black pomfret (Parastromateus niger) is one of the high-income-generating carangid fish species and the only known member of its genus. This study aims to identify existing gaps in stock status and population demography of this species and provide viable management recommendations to enhance the sustainability of this fishery. Therefore, three methodological approaches have been used in this study; TropFishR to present the current exploitation status, the length-based spawning potential ratio (LB-SPR) to quantify stock spawning biomass, and Froese's sustainability indicators (LBI) to establish a basic standard for sustainable management of the fishery. In the length-weight relationship of black pomfret, an allometric growth pattern (b = 2.19) was found. The VBGF life history parameters for black pomfret were L∞ = 55.25 cm, K = 0.54 year−1, and based on LCCC analysis, the total mortality (Z = 1.61 year−1), natural mortality (M = 0.69 year−1) and fishing mortality (F = 0.91 year−1) are calculated. The result reveals that this fishery is currently suffering from overexploitation and the stock's spawning biomass (SPR = 13%) is below the limit reference point because most of the catch (82%) was found to be under the maturity level. Based on the results, this study recommended strictly maintaining the mesh size of the net to ensure not to catch immature fish with a length smaller than 30.63 cm, recommended the length to catch be between 29 and 35 cm, and reducing fishing pressure by one-third to ensure the sustainability of the black pomfret fishery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminium (Al) is an environmental neurotoxin that humans are widely exposed to, but the molecular mechanism of its toxic effects is not fully understood. Many studies have shown that exposure to Al can cause abnormal phosphorylation of the tau protein that is believed as one of pathological features of Alzheimer's disease. Increasing evidence indicates that microRNAs (miRNAs) may be involved in the pathological processes of neurodegenerative diseases and are potential regulatory factors for related target genes. Phosphorylation at Ser-133 of cAMP response element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the major pathways of CREB activation, and phosphorylation at this site is controlled by protein kinase A (PKA). The catalytic subunit of PKA, cAMP-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit beta (PRKACB), phosphorylates CREB. The target gene prediction software TargetScan showed that PRKACB was one of the target mRNAs of miR-200a-3p. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether miR-200a-3p regulates the PKA/CREB pathway by targeting PRKACB and leads to abnormal phosphorylation of the tau protein in nerve cells. The results showed that Al exposure increased the expression level of miR-200a-3p, and miR-200a-3p increased the expression of targeted downregulated PRKACB, and then decreased the PKA/CREB signalling pathway activity, leading to abnormal hyperphosphorylation of tau. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solving the problem of the slow kinetic process of the oxygen evolution reaction by electrocatalysts has attracted extensive attention. Here, we report an enhancement of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalytic activity via the surface nitriding of FeNi3 nanosheets for the formation of amorphous Fe/Ni–Nx species. The optimized Fe/Ni–Nx@FeNi3 nanosheets exhibit an overpotential of 251 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and an excellent durability of 210 h. The superior electrocatalytic performance is attributed to the multi-component active sites, where the Fe/Ni–Nx outer layer inhibits metal active site leaching, and the catalyst undergoes dynamic reconfiguration during the OER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a stochastic differential equation model is proposed to investigate how the environmental noise affects the transmission dynamics of the interaction between crime, criminality and victimization with the influence of case reporting through the short message service (SMS). We prove that there is a unique global positive solution of the stochastic system with any positive initial value which is fundamental in the dynamics of population modeling. Moreover, we get sufficient criteria for the existence and uniqueness of an ergodic stationary distribution of positive solutions to the system by establishing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. In a biological viewpoint, the existence of a stationary distribution indicates that both criminal and victim will be persistent and coexistent in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants that belong to the genus Taraxacum are commonly referred to as dandelions; these are some of the most evolved plants in the Asteraceae, with more than 2000 species distributed worldwide. Dandelions not only include medicinal plants but also rubber-producing plants. Recent advances in biotechnology and the growing demand for dandelions have increased research attention toward dandelions. Owing to the availability of the whole genome sequence of Taraxacum kok-saghyz, and Taraxacum mongolicum (accession no. GWHBCHF00000000 and GWHAAAA00000000), and large transcriptome and metabolome databases for T. kok-saghyz, Taraxacum officinale, T. mongolicum, and Taraxacum antungense (accession no. PRJNA378120, PRJEB48186, PRJNA897666, and PRJNA578773), significant progress has been made in understanding the biosynthesis and regulatory mechanisms of phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, rubber, and other bioactive compounds. This review focuses on Taraxacum spp.; specifically, We describe the following: (1) the recent results of genetic transformation systems, (2) biosynthetic pathways of bioactive compounds and natural rubber, (3) cross-talk in the biosynthesis of different secondary metabolites, (4) the relevance of the environment and the reproductive mode of dandelions in secondary metabolite biosynthesis, and (5) future research directives for dandelions. This review also lays the foundation for further research on other medicinal and edible plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graph neural network (GNN) explainers aim to elucidate the prediction behavior of GNNs, facilitating their wide adoption in high-stakes tasks. Current approaches typically define multiple objective functions to construct comprehensive and accurate explainers. Nevertheless, optimizing GNN explainers with multiple objective functions is challenging because of conflicts between the gradients among these objectives, which may result in suboptimal solutions. To eliminate potential conflicts and enhance explainer optimization, we introduce GEAR, which is a novel framework that adjusts the gradients to optimize the GNN explainer. Specifically, we attempt to define comprehensive objectives from multiple perspectives that are crucial for optimizing GNN explainers, including fidelity, sparsity, counterfactual reasoning, and connectivity. Subsequently, we purposefully determine the dominant gradient and angle threshold of the conflicting gradients from a geometric perspective. More importantly, we propose a simple yet effective gradient adjuster to refine the gradients during explainer optimization. Experiments on synthetic and real-world datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed GEAR. In addition, state-of-the-art explainers with the incorporated gradient adjuster outperform their counterparts without the proposed gradient adjuster. The data and code are available at https://github.com/ymzhang0103/GEAR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Soil mesofauna-associated biogeochemical cycles could be mediated by nitrogen (N) deposition and plant functional types. However, N addition effects on the contribution of soil mesofauna to litter element release under different plant functional types remain unclear.A litterbag experiment with two mesh sizes (2 and 0.1 mm) examined the soil mesofauna's effect on litter carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) release of three functional types (evergreen broadleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and coniferous: 6 tree species for each group). Litterbags were exposed to varying N deposition levels (0, 20, and 40 kg N ha−1 yr−1) in a subtropical forest in southwest China.N addition and soil mesofauna promoted litter C, N, and P loss across three plant functional types. The soil mesofauna's effects on litter N loss were lower in deciduous broadleaf than in evergreen broadleaf and coniferous litter. However, the soil mesofauna's effects on litter P loss were greater in evergreen broadleaf than in deciduous broadleaf and coniferous litter. Further, N addition stimulated the soil mesofauna's effects on litter N release only in evergreen broadleaf. Soil mesofauna's contribution to C and P loss correlated with the initial litter C/P ratio across 18 species. N addition effects were greater under low-N than high-N treatments in 0.1 mm litter bags.The findings suggested N addition and plant functional types independently mediated mesofauna-driven litter element release, highlighting the importance of soil mesofauna and plant functional types for belowground biogeochemical cycles via litter pathways in subtropical regions experiencing pronounced N deposition.Methods: Soil mesofauna-associated biogeochemical cycles could be mediated by nitrogen (N) deposition and plant functional types. However, N addition effects on the contribution of soil mesofauna to litter element release under different plant functional types remain unclear.A litterbag experiment with two mesh sizes (2 and 0.1 mm) examined the soil mesofauna's effect on litter carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) release of three functional types (evergreen broadleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and coniferous: 6 tree species for each group). Litterbags were exposed to varying N deposition levels (0, 20, and 40 kg N ha−1 yr−1) in a subtropical forest in southwest China.N addition and soil mesofauna promoted litter C, N, and P loss across three plant functional types. The soil mesofauna's effects on litter N loss were lower in deciduous broadleaf than in evergreen broadleaf and coniferous litter. However, the soil mesofauna's effects on litter P loss were greater in evergreen broadleaf than in deciduous broadleaf and coniferous litter. Further, N addition stimulated the soil mesofauna's effects on litter N release only in evergreen broadleaf. Soil mesofauna's contribution to C and P loss correlated with the initial litter C/P ratio across 18 species. N addition effects were greater under low-N than high-N treatments in 0.1 mm litter bags.The findings suggested N addition and plant functional types independently mediated mesofauna-driven litter element release, highlighting the importance of soil mesofauna and plant functional types for belowground biogeochemical cycles via litter pathways in subtropical regions experiencing pronounced N deposition.Results: Soil mesofauna-associated biogeochemical cycles could be mediated by nitrogen (N) deposition and plant functional types. However, N addition effects on the contribution of soil mesofauna to litter element release under different plant functional types remain unclear.A litterbag experiment with two mesh sizes (2 and 0.1 mm) examined the soil mesofauna's effect on litter carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) release of three functional types (evergreen broadleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and coniferous: 6 tree species for each group). Litterbags were exposed to varying N deposition levels (0, 20, and 40 kg N ha−1 yr−1) in a subtropical forest in southwest China.N addition and soil mesofauna promoted litter C, N, and P loss across three plant functional types. The soil mesofauna's effects on litter N loss were lower in deciduous broadleaf than in evergreen broadleaf and coniferous litter. However, the soil mesofauna's effects on litter P loss were greater in evergreen broadleaf than in deciduous broadleaf and coniferous litter. Further, N addition stimulated the soil mesofauna's effects on litter N release only in evergreen broadleaf. Soil mesofauna's contribution to C and P loss correlated with the initial litter C/P ratio across 18 species. N addition effects were greater under low-N than high-N treatments in 0.1 mm litter bags.The findings suggested N addition and plant functional types independently mediated mesofauna-driven litter element release, highlighting the importance of soil mesofauna and plant functional types for belowground biogeochemical cycles via litter pathways in subtropical regions experiencing pronounced N deposition.Conclusion: Soil mesofauna-associated biogeochemical cycles could be mediated by nitrogen (N) deposition and plant functional types. However, N addition effects on the contribution of soil mesofauna to litter element release under different plant functional types remain unclear.A litterbag experiment with two mesh sizes (2 and 0.1 mm) examined the soil mesofauna's effect on litter carbon (C), N, and phosphorus (P) release of three functional types (evergreen broadleaf, deciduous broadleaf, and coniferous: 6 tree species for each group). Litterbags were exposed to varying N deposition levels (0, 20, and 40 kg N ha−1 yr−1) in a subtropical forest in southwest China.N addition and soil mesofauna promoted litter C, N, and P loss across three plant functional types. The soil mesofauna's effects on litter N loss were lower in deciduous broadleaf than in evergreen broadleaf and coniferous litter. However, the soil mesofauna's effects on litter P loss were greater in evergreen broadleaf than in deciduous broadleaf and coniferous litter. Further, N addition stimulated the soil mesofauna's effects on litter N release only in evergreen broadleaf. Soil mesofauna's contribution to C and P loss correlated with the initial litter C/P ratio across 18 species. N addition effects were greater under low-N than high-N treatments in 0.1 mm litter bags.The findings suggested N addition and plant functional types independently mediated mesofauna-driven litter element release, highlighting the importance of soil mesofauna and plant functional types for belowground biogeochemical cycles via litter pathways in subtropical regions experiencing pronounced N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Abalone viscera was high value utilized by enzyme hydrolysis and Maillard reaction. • MRPs exhibited good DPPH‧ scavenging activity and reducing power. • The bitterness and astringency of MRPs were reduced significantly. The abalone viscera contain high levels of proteins, amino acids and other bioactive compounds that possess significant utilitarian value. In this study, abalone viscera were used as raw material and the enzymatic hydrolysates were hydrolyzed by biological enzymes. The flavor and taste of the enzymatic hydrolysates were improved by the Maillard reaction. The results showed the Maillard reaction products (MRPs) had a high antioxidant activity. The GC–MS with headspace solid phase microextraction results indicated aldehydes and ketones were the main volatile compounds, and the content of fishy and unpleasant odors in the MRPs decreased or even disappeared. E-tongue results showed the bitter and astringent flavors in the MRPs were significantly reduced. The content of free amino acids presenting bitter flavors was significantly reduced. In conclusion, the flavor of the enzymatic hydrolysates could be improved greatly after the Maillard reaction, and the MRPs had the potential to be used as flavorings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish oil, a crucial unsaturated ω -3 unsaturated fatty acid supplement, is susceptible to oxidation. To improve the stability of fish oil, this study produced a fish oil Pickering emulsion via ultrahigh-pressure homogenization pressure (UHPH) using bacterial cellulose nanofibrils (BCNFs) as the water phase. The BCNFs exhibited a high aspect ratio fibril structure with an average diameter size of 12.64 nm. The results of particle size, zeta potential, emulsion properties, and oxidative stability showed that the emulsions with a 4:6 oil-water ratio and 0.15 % BCNFs exhibited excellent oxidative stability and good physical stability. The CLSM and rheological results suggested the BCNFs acted as a stabilizer and thickener, stabilizing the oil-water medium and enhancing the oxidation stability of fish oil Pickering emulsions. The Low-field nuclear magnetic analysis results indicated the emulsion had good physical stability, and water dispersed very well in the emulsion system. Moreover, the emulsions exhibited good stability at pH 6–12 and temperature 4–75 °C. This study provided a promising method for producing fish oil Pickering emulsions and improving the stability of fish oil. [Display omitted] • BCNFs and emulsion were prepared by ultrahigh-pressure homogenization. • The mechanism of the effect of BCNFs on emulsions physical stability was studied. • The mechanism of the effect of BCNFs on fish oil oxidation in emulsions was studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A model for the anisotropic thermal conductivity of CPCMs under compression. • Compression changes the directional distribution of thermal conductive particles. • The radial thermal conductivity increases with the increase of compression. • The axial thermal conductivity decreases with the increase of compression. • Compression has a little effect on axial heat transfer coefficient of composites. Anisotropic composite phase change materials (CPCMs), as thermally conductive materials, are typically compressed to reduce contact thermal resistance in thermal control systems. However, the effect of compression on the anisotropic heat transfer properties of CPCMs is rarely studied. Therefore, a model for determining the anisotropic thermal conductivity of thermally conductive CPCMs under compression is proposed. The anisotropic thermal conductivity of CPCMs under different compression ratios is calculated by combining the directional distribution of thermal conductive particles and the anisotropic third-order T-matrix approximation (ATA) equation. Under different compression ratios, the model's calculated values for CPCMs are in good agreement with the experimental values. According to the model analysis, the radial thermal conductivity of the composite increases and the axial thermal conductivity decreases as the compression ratio increases from 0 to 50 %. Additionally, as the mass fraction of thermally conductive particles increases from 5 % to 30 %, both the radial and axial thermal conductivities of the CPCM increase. When the mass fraction of thermally conductive particles is low, the axial heat transfer coefficient of thermally conductive CPCMs increases as the compression ratio increases. When the particle mass fraction is higher than 20 % and lower than 30 %, the effect of the compression ratio on the axial heat transfer coefficient is very small. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six most abundant and commercially valuable croakers (Sciaenidae) stocks in the coastal water of Bangladesh were evaluated using a length-based Bayesian Biomass (LBB) approach. The ratios B/B0 (current relative biomass) were smaller than the BMSY/B0 in five of the six stocks. For the six estimated populations, two (Otolithes ruber and Pterotolithus maculatus) are grossly overfished, one (Otolithoides pama) is overfished, two (Johnius belangerii and Panna heterolepis) are slightly overfished, and only donkey croaker (Pennahia anea) is in the healthy (B/B0 > BMSY/B0) status. Furthermore, the optimal length at first capture (Lc_opt) was higher than the length at first capture (Lc) in four populations, indicating growth overfishing, suggesting that increasing mesh size would benefit the catch and biomass. Findings from the present study confirm the declining trend of fisheries resources, particularly the croaker species in the BoB, Bangladesh coastal water. Management strategies (such as effort control, choosing the appropriate mesh size, total allowable catch limit, identify and enhance protection of the feeding, breeding, and nursery ground, etc.) should be taken for the sustainable management and recovery of the country's marine fishing resources, particularly the valuable croaker species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze a stochastic multigroup DS-DI-A model for the transmission of HIV. We establish sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of an ergodic stationary distribution of positive solutions to the system by constructing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. Moreover, we make up adequate conditions for complete eradication and wiping out of the diseases. In a biological viewpoint, the existence of a stationary distribution shows that the diseases will be prevalent and persistent in the long term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Radiation-induced brain injury (RIBI) after radiotherapy has become an increasingly important factor affecting the prognosis of patients with head and neck tumor. With the delivery of high doses of radiation to brain tissue, microglia rapidly transit to a pro-inflammatory phenotype, upregulate phagocytic machinery, and reduce the release of neurotrophic factors. Persistently activated microglia mediate the progression of chronic neuroinflammation, which may inhibit brain neurogenesis leading to the occurrence of neurocognitive disorders at the advanced stage of RIBI. Fully understanding the microglial pathophysiology and cellular and molecular mechanisms after irradiation may facilitate the development of novel therapy by targeting microglia to prevent RIBI and subsequent neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We constructed a coating with controllable microstructure on the substrate by static breath figure (BF) method. In the atmosphere of water, when the fluorine‐containing 1H,1H,2H,2H‐perfluorooctyl polyacrylate‐block‐polystyrene copolymer (PTFOA‐b‐PS (4 h)) synthesized via atom transfer radical polymerization for 4 h was dissolved in carbon disulfide (CS2) and then coated on the silicon wafer, the concentrated pore size and uniform micro‐pore structure was successfully constructed on the surface. However, the hydrophobicity of the resulting microporous coating was not so good. An interesting result is that when the copolymer solution of PTFOA‐b‐PS (2 h) in tetrahydrofuran (THF) was used under the MeOH/H2O atmosphere (the methanol content was 60% or 80%), the microsphere coating can be produced on the substrate surface to obtain the excellent hydrophobicity. The water contact angles (WCAs) were 148.8 ± 1.8° and 150.3 ± 1.8°, respectively. Energy dispersive X‐ray spectrometer (EDS) results showed that the fluorine element was enriched in the outerfield of the microsphere coating. The low surface energy of fluorine combined with the rough and complex structure of the microspheres can effectively improve the hydrophobicity of the coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a material for films used to keep fruits fresh, chitosan has attracted extensive interest because of its advantages of degradability, environmental friendliness, and biocompatibility. In this study, two amphiphilic chitosan derivative films were prepared by crosslinking N-2-hydroxypropyl-3-butyl ether- O -carboxymethyl chitosan (HBCC) and N-2-hydroxypropyl-3-(2-ethylhexyl glycidyl ether)- O -carboxymethyl chitosan (H2ECC)) with genipin, an excellent natural cross-linking agent. The microstructures, mechanical properties, water vapor permeability, swelling ratios, light transmittance, wettability, thermal stability, antibacterial properties, and biocompatibility of the crosslinked films were characterized. The results showed that the crosslinked films had compact structures, low moisture permeability, strong water resistance, strong ultraviolet resistance, unaffected visible light transmittance, and good hydrophilicity. Compared with the uncrosslinked films, the tensile strength of the genipin-crosslinked ones was increased by 328.33 % (HBCC) and 397.83 % (H2ECC). More importantly, the crosslinked films had strong antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli and were non-toxic to endothelial cells. The crosslinked films could effectively prolong the preservation time of strawberries, inhibit the decay of strawberries, and inhibit the reduction of vitamin C in strawberries. In conclusion, genipin-crosslinked HBCC and H2ECC films are potential fruit preservation materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Methylation reactions are involved in the biosynthesis of various natural molecules, in which S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM) acts as the principal biological methyl donor. The limited availability of SAM often affects the biosynthesis of methylated metabolites in cells, especially when heterologous SAM-mediated methyltransferases are employed. To solve this problem, a methyl supply system driven by betaine was developed in this study to enhance SAM availability in cells. A reconstructed methionine cycle was designed in E. coli using betaine as the methyl source by introducing betaine-homocysteine methyltransferase. Ferulic acid served as a model product was used to test the efficiency of methyl supply system. ATP is a co-factor for SAM biosynthesis and a pathway for ATP regeneration from adenosine was introduced to maintain the stability of the adenylate pool. After testing two different S-adenosyl-L-homocysteine (SAH) hydrolysis pathways, the optimized SAHase pathway was adopted for converting SAH back to homocysteine (Hcy). Thus, a methyl supply system was developed which increased SAM availability and therefore improved the titer and productivity of ferulic acid by 12.6-fold and 15.9-fold, respectively. The system was also applied successfully for other methyltransferase-catalyzed reactions. This work provides an efficient methyl supply system for enhanced production of methylated chemicals using betaine as the methyl source. • An efficient methyl supply system driven by betaine was developed to enhance SAM availability in cells. • A system for ATP regeneration from adenosine together with enhanced hydrolysis of SAH improved the efficiency of methyl supply system. • The methyl supply system improved the production of ferulic acid significantly. • The methyl supply system was applied successfully for different types of methyltransferase-catalyzed reactions. • This work offers new insight into the biosynthesis of SAM or SAM-dependent methylated chemicals in E. coli from cheaper feedstocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we analyze the salient features of a stochastic multigroup SEI epidemic model. We obtain sufficient criteria for the existence and uniqueness of an ergodic stationary distribution of positive solutions to the system by establishing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. In a biological viewpoint, the existence of a stationary distribution indicates that the diseases will be prevalent and persistent in the long term. In addition, we make up adequate conditions for complete eradication and wiping out of the diseases. Some numerical simulations are presented to illustrate our main results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spontaneous corrosion and uncontrolled dendrite accumulation of Zn rapidly degrades zinc–metal battery performance. Artificial interfaces have been widely fabricated on Zn metal anodes, yet most interfaces are detrimental to ion transfer and adapt poorly to spatial changes during Zn plating/stripping. Herein, a hybrid interface, consisting of a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) fiber matrix and Zn‐alginate (ZA) filler, is designed, which serves as a physical barrier between anode and electrolyte to inhibit side reactions. Encouragingly, ZA regulates Zn2+ transport and endows uniform Zn deposition by inducing plating/stripping underneath the hybrid interface. At the same time, the TPU frame acts as a super‐elastic constraint to further suppress rampant dendrite evolution and accommodate a large amount of deposited Zn. Consequently, the interface‐protected Zn anode delivers high cycling stability (1200 h at 5 mA cm–2/5 mA h cm–2; 500 h at 10 mA cm–2/10 mA h cm–2), realizing an exceptional cumulative capacity of over 6000 mA h cm–2. This enhancement is well maintained in the full cell when coupled with a vanadium‐based cathode. The unique matrix‐filler architecture and mechanistic insights unraveled in this study are expected to provide a general principle in designing functional interfaces for metal anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioceramics have been commonly implemented to replace and restore hard tissues such as teeth and bones in recent years. Among different bioceramics, Baghdadite (BAG) has high bioactivity due to its ability to form apatite and stimulate cell proliferation. So, this structure is used widely for medical applications to treat bone-based diseases. Physically, we expect changes in temperature and pressure to affect the Baghdadite-based nanostructure's mechanical behaviour. So, in this computational study, we report the pressure/temperature effect on Baghdadite matrix with nanoscale size by using Molecular Dynamics (MD) approach. To this end, physical values like the total energy, temperature, final strength (FS), stress–strain curve, potential energy, and Young's modulus (YM) are reported. Simulation results indicated the mechanical properties of Baghdadite (BAG) nanostructure weakened by temperature and pressure increase. Numerically, the FS and YM of the defined structure reach 131.40 MPa/159.43 MPa, and 115.15 MPa/139.72 MPa with temperature/pressure increasing. Therefore, the increase in initial pressure and temperature leads to a decrease in the mechanical properties of nanostructures. These results indicate the importance of the initial condition in the Baghdadite-based nanostructures' mechanical behaviour that must be considered in clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we develop and study a stochastic logistic model by incorporating diffusion and two Ornstein–Uhlenbeck processes, which is a stochastic non-autonomous system. We first show the existence and uniqueness of the global solution of the system with any initial value. After that, we study the pth moment boundedness, asymptotic pathwise estimation, asymptotic behavior, and global attractivity of the solutions of the stochastic system in turn. Moreover, we establish sufficient criteria for the existence and uniqueness of a stationary distribution of positive solutions of the stochastic system with the help of Lyapunov function methods. It is worth mentioning that we derive the exact expression of the local probability density for the stochastic system by solving the relevant four-dimensional Fokker–Planck equation. We find that the smaller intensity of volatility or the bigger speed of reversion is helpful for preserving the biodiversity of the species. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to support our analytical findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diversity and community composition of earthworms, key drivers of ecosystem functions, are increasingly threatened by global change, including climate and land-use change. However, empirical evidence for interactions of these concurrent drivers in affecting earthworm communities is scarce. Here, we investigated the effects of an experimentally imposed climate change scenario, including warming and altered precipitation patterns, and land use with two croplands (both conventional farming and organic farming characterize a three-year crop rotation) and two grasslands (intensively-used meadow and extensively-used meadow) on earthworm communities across different seasons and years in a field experiment. Compared with grasslands, earthworms in croplands have lower species richness (-26 %), abundance (-80 %), and biomass (-73 %), particularly the abundance of juveniles (-83 %) and Aporrectodea rosea (-76 %) as well as the biomass of juveniles (-84 %), A. rosea (-72 %), Octolasion cyaneum (-47 %), and Lumbricus terrestris (-83 %). Due to extreme droughts in Central Europe from 2018 to 2020, earthworm abundance and biomass were low across land-use types, but in grassland they increased (abundance: +80 %; biomass: +85 %) in 2021 presumably due to increased moisture conditions. Main effects of experimental climate change and intensified management practices as well as interaction of experimental climate change and land use on abundance and biomass of earthworms were non-significant. Notably, experimental climate change and land use interactively altered earthworm community composition, with the most pronounced difference between ambient and future climate in croplands than in grasslands. This indicates that earthworm community composition more sensitively reflects changes in environmental conditions than earthworm abundance and biomass, but the latter two negatively responded to prolonged drought conditions. Our results indicate that grasslands have a higher resilience of earthworm populations to buffer adverse environmental conditions than croplands. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the response of earthworms to inter-annual climatic variability and experimental climate change under different land-use types. • Earthworm communities in grasslands have a higher diversity than in croplands. • Earthworm communities in grasslands are more resilient to climate extremes. • Climate extremes have a stronger impact on earthworms than mean climate changes. • Climate change–land use interactions impact earthworm community composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To analyze the impacts of dispersion and environmental noise on population dynamics, in the current paper, we propose a stochastic Lotka–Volterra competition model in a patchy environment, where the fluctuations in the varying environment are characterized by an Ornstein–Uhlenbeck process. Besides that, we establish sufficient criteria for the asymptotic stability of the positive equilibrium of the system by adopting the Lyapunov function method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cervical cancer, a prevalent gynaecological malignancy, presents challenges in late-stage treatment efficacy. Aerobic glycolysis, a prominent metabolic trait in cervical cancer, emerges as a promising target for novel drug discovery. Natural products, originating from traditional medicine, represent a significant therapeutic avenue and primary source for new drug development. This review explores the regulatory mechanisms of glycolysis in cervical cancer and summarises natural compounds that inhibit aerobic glycolysis as a therapeutic strategy. The glycolytic phenotype in cervical cancer is regulated by classical molecules such as HIF-1, HPV virulence factors and specificity protein 1, which facilitate the Warburg effect in cervical cancer. Various natural products, such as artemisinin, shikonin and kaempferol, exert inhibitory effects by downregulating key glycolytic enzymes through signalling pathways such as PI3K/AKT/HIF-1α and JAK2/STAT3. Despite challenges related to drug metabolism and toxicity, these natural compounds provide novel insights and promising avenues for cervical cancer treatment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A highly-efficient piezo-Fenton catalysis for the organic dye pollutant degradation without the additive of H 2 O 2. • H 2 O 2 in situ generated by piezocatalysis participating in the Fe 3 O 4 -based Fenton reaction. • Electrons generated by the piezoelectric effect promoting the reduction of Fe(III) back to Fe(II) during the Fenton reaction. • The recyclability of the catalytic nanocomposites by a magnet. The Fenton reaction, an effective advanced oxidation process (AOP) for degrading organic pollutants, requires the addition of H 2 O 2 that is expensive and not environmentally friendly to some extent. It has been reported that piezocatalysis can generate H 2 O 2 under mechanical excitation. Therefore, it is promising to carry out the Fenton catalysis utilizing in situ H 2 O 2 generated by piezocatalysis. However, the current piezocatalysis-assisted Fenton (Piezo-Fenton) reaction was realized by adding piezoelectric nanoparticles and Fe(II) ions to pollutant solutions, which would induce more iron-based chemicals that are not easy to recycle. Herein, Fe 3 O 4 -BaTiO 3 nanocomposites were prepared to demonstrate the feasibility of piezo-Fenton catalysis without the addition of H 2 O 2 or Fe(II) ions. The organic dye degradation efficiency of 98.2% is obtained using Fe 3 O 4 -BaTiO 3 nanocomposites in the acidic solution, one-third and two-thrid greater than that of pure piezocatalysis and that of iron-based Fenton reaction, respectively. Moreover, since the piezocatalysis process is the rate-determining step of the whole piezo-Fenton reaction, all the H 2 O 2 generated can be consumed. Considering that the solid nanocomposites can be magnetically recycled, piezo-Fenton catalysis leaves no additional chemicals in clean water and thus provides an environmentally friendly and low-cost approach for organic dye degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a generalized random graph with random vertex weights, we investigate the asymptotic behaviors for two crucial empirical measures: The empirical pair measure, which represents the number of edges connecting each pair of weights, and the empirical neighborhood measure, which interprets the number of vertices of a given weight connected to a given number of vertices of each weight. By some mixing approaches, we obtain the large deviation principles for these empirical measures in the weak topology. Through these large deviation results, the large deviation principle for the number of edges in a generalized random graph is obtained, as well as the large deviation principle for the empirical degree distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and study a higher order stochastically perturbed SICA epidemic model for HIV transmission. We obtain sufficient conditions for the existence and uniqueness of an ergodic stationary distribution of positive solutions to the system by establishing a series of suitable Lyapunov functions. In a biological point of view, the existence of a stationary distribution indicates that the infectious disease will be prevalent and persistent in the population. Moreover, we make up adequate conditions for complete eradication and wiping out of the infectious disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]