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Functional tissue engineering strategies provide innovative approach for the repair and regeneration of damaged cartilage. Hydrogel is widely used because it could provide rapid defect filling and proper structure support, and is biocompatible for cell aggregation and matrix deposition. Efforts have been made to seek suitable scaffolds for cartilage tissue engineering. Here Alg-DA/Ac-β-CD/gelatin hydrogel was designed with the features of physical and chemical multiple crosslinking and self-healing properties. Gelation time, swelling ratio, biodegradability and biocompatibility of the hydrogels were systematically characterized, and the injectable self-healing adhesive hydrogel were demonstrated to exhibit ideal properties for cartilage repair. Furthermore, the new hydrogel design introduces a pre-gel state before photo-crosslinking, where increased viscosity and decreased fluidity allow the gel to remain in a semi-solid condition. This granted multiple administration routes to the hydrogels, which brings hydrogels the ability to adapt to complex clinical situations. Pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) have been recognized as a promising solution to various health problems owing to their noninvasive properties and therapeutic potentials. PEMF treatment offers a better clinical outcome with fewer, if any, side effects, and wildly used in musculoskeletal tissue repair. Thereby we propose PEMF as an effective biophysical stimulation to be 4th key element in cartilage tissue engineering. In this study, the as-prepared Alg-DA/Ac-β-CD/gelatin hydrogels were utilized in the rat osteochondral defect model, and the potential application of PEMF in cartilage tissue engineering were investigated. PEMF treatment were proven to enhance the quality of engineered chondrogenic constructs

In the current educational research, it is crucial to investigate how to reasonably and effectively use teaching methods to complete classroom teaching tasks. The problem-based learning method, which takes “problems” as the carrier, creates problem situations, raises problems, analyzes problems, and solves problems, which is more effective for implementing teaching. This paper reviews the applications of PBL in science teaching in China’s senior high schools in recent years. The findings of the thesis are the following: 1) PBL teaching mode not only stimulates students’ learning interest and initiative but also improve students’ abilities to analyze and solve problems. 2) PBL teaching method improves students’ language expressive abilities. 3) adopting PBL teaching method can improve students’ critical thinking. Nevertheless, in the process of using PBL there are some shortcomings. From the perspective of most teachers, they are influenced by the traditional teaching mode so it is difficult for them to use PBL. Due to the limited teaching time, the assessment mode of PBL is too simple. Therefore, this study put forward some suggestions to improve PBL classes. First, teachers should look for the life phenomena related to the subject and find some teaching materials. Second, schools need to provide experimental equipment to encourage students to practice. Third, teachers should design questions with difficult coefficients to inspire students’ thinking. This paper objectively summarizes the examples of PBL science teaching in Chinese high schools, analyzes the advantages and disadvantages, and puts forward suggestions for improvement, which is conducive to promoting teachers’ thinking about PBL science teaching and promoting the applications of PBL teaching mode in Chinese high schools’ science classes.

This paper proposes a microgrid (MG) system integrating distributed renewable energy (RE) and hybrid energy storage system (HESS), which is an effective solution of power supply for remote areas and islands. The distributed generation (DG) unit of the system includes photovoltaic (PV) power and wind power, and the HESS includes lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery, super capacitor (SC) and compressed air energy storage (CAES). In this study, the Confidence Interval Method (CIM) is used to establish the wind power output and PV power output model, and the DG power curves under different confidence levels are calculated. Taking the minimum annual total cost of the system as the optimization objective, the capacity allocation of the wind-PV-Li-ion battery system is optimized by using the genetic algorithm (GA) tool. Based on the quadratic moving average filtering method, the energy storage power is divided into different frequencies, and the rated power, rated capacity and initial state of charge (SOC) of three kinds of ESSs are calculated. The results show that the wind-PV-HESS can better meet the power demand of users with a good economic performance.

Percolation, describing critical behaviors of phase transition in a geometrical context, prompts wide investigations in natural and social networks as a fundamental model. The introduction of quantum-intrinsic interference and tunneling brings percolation into quantum regime with more fascinating phenomena and unique features, which, however, hasn't been experimentally explored yet. Here we present an experimental demonstration of quantum transport in hexagonal percolation lattices by successfully mapping such large-scale porous structures into a photonic chip using femtosecond laser direct writing techniques. A quantum percolation threshold of 80% is observed in the prototyped laser-written lattices with up to 1,600 waveguides, which is significantly larger than the classical counterpart of 63%. We also investigate the spatial confinement by localization parameters and exhibit the transition from ballistic to diffusive propagation with the decrease of the occupation probability. Direct observation of quantum percolation may deepen the understanding of the relation among materials, quantum transport, geometric quenching, disorder and localization, and inspire applications for quantum technologies., 21 pages, 5 figures, 1 table, comments welcome

Northern peatlands are globally important carbon stores. With increasing fire frequency, the re-establishment of bryophytes becomes crucial for their carbon sequestration. Smoke-responsive germination is a common trait of seeds in fire-prone ecosystems but has not been demonstrated in bryophytes. To investigate the potential role of smoke in post-fire peatland recovery, we tested the germination of spores of 15 bryophyte species after treatment with smoke-water. The smoke responsiveness of spores with different laboratory storage times and burial depths/age (3–200 years) was subsequently tested. Smoke increased the germination percentage for 10 of the species and the germination speed for four of these. Smoke responsiveness increased along the fire frequency gradient from open expanse to forest margin, consistent with the theory that this selects for the maintenance of fire-adapted traits. Smoke enhanced the germinability of 1-year but not 4-year laboratory-stored spores, and considerably increased the germinability of spores naturally buried in peat for up to ~200 years. The effect of fire may be overlooked in non-fire-prone ecosystems, such as those in which wetland bryophytes dominate. Our study reveals a mechanism by which an increase in fire frequency may lead to shifts in species dominance, which may affect long-term carbon sequestration in peatlands.

The original plant of Chinese medicine Stellariae Radix (Yin Chai Hu) is Stellaria dichotoma L. var. lanceolata Bge (abbreviated as SDL). SDL is a perennial herbaceous plant and a characteristic crop in Ningxia. Growth years are vital factors that affect the quality of perennial medicinal materials. This study aims to investigate the impact of growth years on SDL and screen for the optimal harvest age by comparing the medicinal material characteristics of SDL with different growth years. Additionally, metabolomics analysis using UHPLC-Q-TOF MS was employed to investigate the impact of growth years on the accumulation of metabolites in SDL. The results show that the characteristics of medicinal materials and the drying rate of SDL gradually increase with the increase in growth years. The fastest development period of SDL occurred during the first 3 years, after which the development slowed down. Medicinal materials characteristics of 3-year-old SDL exhibited mature qualities with a high drying rate, methanol extract content, and the highest content of total sterols and total flavonoids. A total of 1586 metabolites were identified, which were classified into 13 major classes with more than 50 sub-classes. Multivariate statistical analysis indicated significant differences in the diversity of metabolites of SDL in different growth years, with greater differences observed in metabolites as the growth years increased. Moreover, different highly expressed metabolites in SDL at different growth years were observed: 1–2 years old was beneficial to the accumulation of more lipids, while 3–5 years old was conducive to accumulating more alkaloids, benzenoids, etc. Furthermore, 12 metabolites accumulating with growth years and 20 metabolites decreasing with growth years were screened, and 17 significantly different metabolites were noted in 3-year-old SDL. In conclusion, growth years not only influenced medicinal material characteristics, drying rate, content of methanol extract, and total sterol and flavonoid contents, but also had a considerable effect on SDL metabolites and metabolic pathways. SDL planted for 3 years presented the optimum harvest time. The screened significantly different metabolites with biological activity, such as rutin, cucurbitacin e, isorhamnetin-3-o-glucoside, etc., can be utilized as potential quality markers of SDL. This research provides references for studying the growth and development of SDL medicinal materials, the accumulation of metabolites, and the selection of optimal harvest time.

Background An orally aerosolised adenovirus type-5 vector-based COVID-19 vaccine (Ad5-nCoV) has recently been authorized for boosting immunization in China. Our study aims to assess the environmental impact of the use of aerosolised Ad5-nCoV. Methods We collected air samples from rooms, swabs from the setting desks of the vaccine nebuliser, mask samples from participants and blood samples of nurses who administered the inoculation in the clinical trials. The viral load of adenovirus type-5 vector in the samples and the antibody levels against the wild-type SARS-CoV-2 strain in serum were detected. Results Only one (4.00%) air samples collected before the initiation of vaccination was positive, which were almost positive during and after the vaccination (97.96%, 100%, respectively). All nurses in the trial A showed at least four-fold increase of the neutralizing antibody against the SARS-CoV-2 after the initiation of the study. In trial B, the positive proportion of the mask samples was 72.97% at 30 minutes after vaccination, 8.11% at day 1, and 0% at days 3, 5, and 7, respectively. Conclusion The vaccination with the orally aerosolised Ad5-nCoV could have some spillage of the vaccine vector viral particles in the environment and cause human exposure.

The increasing cadmium (Cd) levels in agricultural soils have become a worldwide concern for food crop security. Cd accumulation in the soil-plant system is closely related to other coexisting factors. In this study, the effects of different levels of Zn or Ni on Cd accumulation in tomato plants and on the rhizosphere soil bacterial community structure were analyzed by coupling pot experiments with high-throughput sequencing. The results demonstrated that tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum) in Zn-Cd and Ni-Cd co-contaminated soils exhibited lower relative growth rates. Co-contamination at low levels tended to reduce the bioaccumulation of heavy metals in the roots of plants, whereas increased contaminant concentrations produced the opposite effect. In the presence of 200 mg/kg Zn or 20 mg/kg Ni, the biomass of plant roots increased by 4.95–23.16% and the Cd content of the plant roots decreased by 17.36–68.93% due to the antagonistic effects between Cd and Zn/Ni. In addition, the richness and diversity of the bacterial community were significantly altered under HMs co-contamination, and the number of special bacteria was positively correlated with the level of heavy metals in the rhizosphere soil. The relative abundance of Proteobacteria increased and that of Actinobacteria decreased in soils with low levels of heavy metals. This may improve the tolerance of plant roots to heavy metals and reduce the accumulation of Cd in plant roots. These findings highlight the important role of coexisting elements in the inhibition of Cd accumulation in tomatoes and offer important information for the production of safe crops.

This study focused on comprehensively analyzing the construction, mechanism, and design theory of the Thick Rubber Bearing–Disk Spring Bearing (TNRB-DSB) system, with the aim of evaluating its isolation effect. Mechanical tests were conducted to examine the dynamic characteristics of large-span isolated structures equipped with TNRB-DSBs, and laminated rubber bearings (LRBs), as well as the dynamic responses of non-isolated structures and large-span horizontal isolated structures equipped with natural rubber bearings (NRBs) and LRBs, under various seismic excitations. Finite element software was utilized to compare the behaviors of these structures. The study revealed that the large-span isolated structure equipped with TNRB-DSBs and LRBs had a vertical natural vibration period 1.23 times as long as that of the isolated structure with NRBs and LRBs, and 4.27 times as long as that of the non-isolated structure. The TNRB-DSB system demonstrated good vertical and horizontal isolation capabilities, which compensated for the isolation limitations of other rubber bearings to some extent.

Species coculture can increase agro-biodiversity and therefore constitutes an ecological intensification measure for agriculture. Rice-aquatic animal coculture, one type of species coculture, has been practiced and researched widely. Here, we review recent studies and present results of a quantitative analysis of literature on rice–aquatic animal coculture systems. We address three questions: (i) can rice yield and soil fertility be maintained or increased with less chemical input through rice-aquatic animal coculture? (ii) how do aquatic animals benefit the paddy ecosystem? (iii) how can coculture be implemented for ecological intensification? Meta-analysis based on published papers showed that rice-aquatic animal cocultures increased rice yield, soil organic carbon, and total nitrogen and decreased insect pests and weeds compared to rice monocultures. Studies also showed that rice-aquatic animal cocultures reduced pesticide and fertilizer application compared to rice monocultures. Rice plants provide a beneficial environment for aquatic animals, leading to high animal activities in the field. Aquatic animals, in turn, help remove rice pests and act as ecological engineers that affect soil conditions, which favor the growth of rice plants. Aquatic animals promote nutrient cycling and the complementary use of nutrients between rice and aquatic animals, which enhances nutrient-use efficiency in the coculture. To generate beneficial outcomes, how to develop compatible partnerships between rice and aquatic animals, and compatible culturing strategies for coculture systems are the key points. Investigating which traits of aquatic animals and rice varieties could best match to create productive and sustainable coculture systems could be one of the future focuses.

Mammals are crucial for maintaining ecosystems functions and services. However, mammal diversity issues have become increasingly critical in arid and semi-arid regions due to the fragile environment and frequent human activities in recent decades. Currently, few studies have assessed the diversity and community structure of mammal assemblages in arid and semi-arid regions of China, especially from the dimension of phylogenetic and functional diversity. In this study, for the first time, taxonomic, phylogenetic and functional diversity, as well as phylogenetic and functional structure of mammal assemblages in arid and semi-arid regions of China were linked to modern climate, altitudinal range, glacial-interglacial climate change, and plant species richness. A total of 264 mammal species (44% of all China’s mammal species) were found in arid and semi-arid regions of China. The phylogenetic and functional diversity of these species are 55% and 85% of all Chinese mammal species, respectively. The two variables most associated with mammals’ taxonomic, phylogenetic, and functional diversity were altitudinal range and plant species richness, mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation, mean annual precipitation and plant species richness, respectively. In addition, the two variables most associated with phylogenetic and functional structure were mean annual precipitation and mean annual temperature, and altitudinal range and mean annual precipitation, respectively. These findings suggest that future climate change (drying and/or warming) will have complex influence on mammal diversity in this fragile region. In addition, human-initiated afforestation may relieve the adverse effects of future climate on mammals by increasing plant richness and changing habitat structure.

Iris species, commonly known as rainbow flowers because of their attractive flowers, are extensively grown in landscape gardens. A few species, including Belamcanda chinensis, the synonym of I. domestica and I. tectorum, are known for their medicinal properties. However, research on the genomes and evolutionary relationships of Iris species is scarce. In the current study, the complete chloroplast (CP) genomes of I. tectorum, I. dichotoma, I. japonica, and I. domestica were sequenced and compared for their identification and relationship. The CP genomes of the four Iris species were circular quadripartite with similar lengths, GC contents, and codon usages. A total of 113 specific genes were annotated, including the ycf1 pseudogene in all species and rps19 in I. japonica alone. All the species had mononucleotide (A/T) simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and long forward and palindromic repeats in their genomes. A comparison of the CP genomes based on mVISTA and nucleotide diversity (Pi) identified three highly variable regions (ndhF-rpl32, rps15-ycf1, and rpl16). Phylogenetic analysis based on the complete CP genomes concluded that I. tectorum is a sister of I. japonica, and the subgenus Pardanthopsis with several I. domestica clustered into one branch is a sister of I. dichotoma. These findings confirm the feasibility of superbarcodes (complete CP genomes) for Iris species authentication and could serve as a resource for further research on Iris phylogeny.

Background: Meniscal tears in the avascular region are thought to rarely heal and are a considerable challenge to treat. Although the therapeutic effects of a pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) have been extensively studied in a variety of orthopaedic disorders, the effect of a PEMF on meniscal healing has not been reported. Hypothesis: PEMF treatment would promote meniscal healing and prevent osteoarthritis progression. Study Design: Controlled laboratory study. Methods: A total of 72 twelve-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rats with full-thickness longitudinal medial meniscal tears in the avascular region were divided into 3 groups: control (Gcon), treatment with a classic signal PEMF (Gclassic), and treatment with a high–slew rate signal PEMF (GHSR). Macroscopic observation and histological analysis of the meniscus and articular cartilage were performed to evaluate the meniscal healing and progression of osteoarthritis. The synovium was harvested for histological and immunofluorescent analysis to evaluate the intra-articular inflammation. Meniscal healing, articular cartilage degeneration, and synovitis were quantitatively evaluated according to their scoring systems. Results: Dramatic degenerative changes of the meniscus and articular cartilage were noticed during gross observation and histological evaluation in Gcon at 8 weeks. However, the menisci in the 2 treatment groups were restored to normal morphology, with a smooth surface and shiny white color. Particularly, the HSR signal remarkably enhanced the fibrochondrogenesis and accelerated the remodeling process of the regenerated tissue. The meniscal healing scores of the PEMF treatment groups were significantly higher than those in Gcon at 8 weeks. Specifically, the HSR signal showed a significantly higher meniscal repair score than did the classic signal at week 8 ( P < .01). Additionally, the HSR signal significantly downregulated the secretion levels of interleukin 1 beta (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) in the meniscus and synovium as compared with the control group. When compared with the 2 treatment groups, Gcon had significantly higher degeneration scores (Gcon vs Gclassic, P < .0001; Gcon vs GHSR, P < .0001). The HSR signal also exhibited significantly lower synovitis scores compared with the other two groups (Gcon vs Gclassic, P < .0001; Gclassic vs GHSR, P = .0002). Conclusion: A PEMF promoted the healing of meniscal tears in the avascular region and restored the injured meniscus to its structural integrity in a rat model. As compared with the classic signal, the HSR signal showed increased capability to promote fibrocartilaginous tissue formation and modulate the inflammatory environment, therefore protecting the knee joint from posttraumatic osteoarthritis development. Clinical Relevance: Adjuvant PEMF therapy may offer a new approach for the treatment of meniscal tears attributed to the enhanced meniscal repair and ameliorated osteoarthritis progression.

Dimethyl ether (DME), as a promising alternative to diesel fuel and liquefied petroleum gas, has attracted considerable attention in catalysis domain. The catalytic direct synthesis of DME from syngas is an up-and-coming route but remains a challenge. In this work, we firstly prepared a Cu-embedded porous Al2O3 bifunctional catalyst (Cu@Al2O3-dp) by filling Cu-1,3,5-benzenetricarboxylate metal–organic framework (Cu-BTC MOF) with Al(OH)3 followed by a two-step calcination process (400 °C for 4 h and 600 °C for 1 h), exhibiting excellent catalytic performance for direct synthesis of DME from syngas. Cu@Al2O3-dp catalyst demonstrates much higher CO conversion (25.7% vs. 15.4%) and extremely higher DME selectivity (90.4% vs. 63.9%) with the increased catalytic stability compared to the supported Cu catalyst on MOF-derived porous Al2O3 (Cu/Al2O3) prepared by incipient wetness impregnation method, ascribed to the unique embedding-type structure, promoted Cu dispersion and stronger metal-support interaction. This work not only provides an efficient syngas-to-DME catalyst, but also paves a new way for designing highly-efficient core-shell bifunctional catalysts for diverse consecutive reactions.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common joint disease; thus, understanding the pathological mechanisms of OA initiation and progression is critical for OA treatment. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be involved in the progression of osteoarthritis, one candidate is microRNA-378 (miR-378), which is highly expressed in the synovium of OA patients during late-stage disease, but its function and the underlying mechanisms of how it contributes to disease progression remain poorly understood. In this study, miR-378 transgenic (TG) mice were used to study the role of miR-378 in OA development. miR-378 TG mice developed spontaneous OA and also exaggerated surgery-induced disease progression. Upon

Ventriculo-arterial (VA) coupling has been shown to have physiologic importance in heart failure (HF). We hypothesized that the systemic arterial pulsatility index (SAPi), a measure that integrates pulse pressure and a proxy for left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, would be associated with adverse outcomes in advanced HF. We evaluated the SAPi ([systemic systolic blood pressure-systemic diastolic blood pressure]/pulmonary artery wedge pressure) obtained from the final hemodynamic measurement in patients randomized to therapy guided by a pulmonary arterial catheter (PAC) and with complete data in the Evaluation Study of Congestive Heart Failure and Pulmonary Artery Catheterization Effectiveness (ESCAPE) trial. Cox proportional hazards regression was performed for the outcomes of (a) death, transplant, left ventricular assist device (DTxLVAD) or hospitalization, (DTxLVADHF) and (b) DTxLVAD. Among 142 patients (mean age 56.8 ± 13.3 years, 30.3% female), the median SAPi was 2.57 (IQR 1.63-3.45). Increasing SAPi was associated with significant reductions in DTxLVAD (HR 0.60 per unit increase in SAPi, 95% CI 0.44-0.84) and DTxLVADHF (HR 0.81 per unit increase, 95% CI 0.70-0.95). Patients with a SAPi ≤ 2.57 had a marked increase in both outcomes, including more than twice the risk of DTxLVAD (HR 2.19, 95% CI 1.11-4.30) over 6 months. Among advanced heart failure patients with invasive hemodynamic monitoring in the ESCAPE trial, SAPi was strongly associated with adverse clinical outcomes. These findings support further investigation of the SAPi to guide treatment and prognosis in HF undergoing invasive hemodynamic monitoring.

Plant endophytic microorganisms, which can enhance plant growth and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses, are untapped resources with large potential applications for crop production. However, the endophytic community is influenced by multiple factors, such as host genetics, the environment, and other microbes. Thus, it is important to characterize well-adapted endophytes from native crops. We isolated 43 endophytic bacteria from sugarcane cultivar Yunzhe-99-91. All these 43 isolates were examined in vitro for nitrogenase activity and the ability to dissolve phosphorus and produce siderophore. One of these strains, B9, identified as Bacillussubtilis and showed maximum plant growth promotion, was selected for detailed studies. B9 promoted the production of organic acids such as propionic acid, acetic acid, malic acid and citric acid, and the production of phytohormones, including indole-3-acetic acid, cytokinin, 6-benzyladenine, and zeatin. Moreover, B9 significantly promoted the growth of sugarcane plantlets and increased the content of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the seedlings by 29.26%, 50.78%, and 15.49%, respectively. The photosynthetic rate, root development, and chlorophyll content were also improved with varying degrees compared to the non-inoculated control. The cotyledon and hypocotyl of sugarcane gems germinated faster when co-cultured with the B9 strain compared with control group. Colonization assay showed that B9 was mainly colonized in the roots, followed by the stems and leaves. In conclusion, the positive interaction between endophytic strain B9 and sugarcane may provide long-lasting benefits and a direction for developing and utilizing B9 as a biofertilizer for sugarcane cultivation to decrease fertilizer application.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare hamartomatous polyposis syndrome with a proposed association with chronic autoimmune inflammation. To date, genetic background of patients with CCS remains less investigated. In this study we aimed to explore the genomic landscape of CCS.Whole exome sequencing was performed on peripheral blood samples extracted from 18 patients with CCS. Potential function-impacting germline variants were filtered by R software. Through systematic data analysis, a number of genetic variants were identified. Enrichment analysis was performed using the R package ClusterProfiler.Overall, 3960 low-frequency (0.05 or not reported in the Exome Aggregation Consortium East Asian, 1000 Genomes, or ESP6500 database) potentially function-impacting germline variants were identified, with 18 genes (FDFT1, LOC400863, MUC3A, MUC4, ZNF806, GXYLT1, MUC6, PABPC3, PSPH, ZFPM1, CIC, LOC283710, ARSD, GOLGA6L2, LOC388282, SLC25A5, TMEM247, WDR89) involved over half the patients. Functional enrichment of these genes revealed several biological processes in relation to innate immune responses and glycosylation. Only one likely pathogenic germline variant of an hamartomatous polyposis syndrome-associated gene, PTCH1, was detected in one patient.CCS has genomic alteration patterns completely distinct from those of traditional hamartomatous polyposis syndrome. The germline mutation landscape indicates potential roles of innate immune responses and glycosylation in the pathogenesis of CCS.

Sugarcane is a complex polyploid aneuploid cash crop, and transgenic varieties are important for molecular genetic and traditional breeding approaches. Herein, the sugarcane variety ROC22 served as the receptor, the Bar gene served as a screening marker, and positive and negative fragments of the ScD27.2 gene, upstream of strigolactones (SLs) biosynthesis genes driven by the 35S promoter, were introduced by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. Regenerated plants were obtained by co-culture, screening culture, and differentiation induction, and 27 sense and antisense ScD27.2 transgenic seedlings were obtained by herbicide screening. PCR detection and 1% Basta (Glufosinate) application on leaves revealed Bar in all lines, with all testing positive for herbicide application and 23 containing the target gene (positive resistance screening rate = 87.5%). q-PCR and phenotypic analyses showed that ScD27.2 expression, plant height, tiller number, root length, stem diameter, and fresh weight were decreased in transgenic (ScD27.2R-9) compared with non-transgenic (NT and ScD27.2F-2) lines. ScD27.2 expression was downregulated, and growth potential was inhibited. Under 20% PEG treatment, malondialdehyde (MDA) content in ScD27.2R-9 was higher than in NT, while proline content was lower. Under drought stress, ScD27.2 expression, MDA levels, and proline content in ScD27.2F-2 and NT were higher than in non-treated controls, ScD27.2 expression increased with time, and MDA and proline levels also increased. ScD27.2 expression in ScD27.2R-9 decreased under 20% PEG treatment, MDA and proline increased (but not to NT levels), and growth was lower than NT. The 20% PEG treatment also increased the levels of (±)-2′-epi-5-deoxystrigol and (+)-abscisic acid in the rooting culture media of ScD27.2F-2, ScD27.2R-9, and NT lines, but the levels of (+)-abscisic acid content in ScD27.2R-9 was lower than in NT. Thus, interfering with ScD27.2 expression decreased resistance to 20% PEG treatment. ScD27.2 encodes a β-carotene isomerase involved in SLs biosynthesis that might function in sugarcane resistance to drought stress. It explains the role of SLs in sugarcane growth and development and responses to drought stress.

Anaerobic digestion (AD) can be used as a stand-alone process or integrated as part of a larger biorefining process to produce biofuels, biochemicals and fertiliser, and has the potential to play a central role in the emerging circular bioeconomy (CBE). Agricultural residues, such as animal slurry, straw, and grass silage, represent an important resource and have a huge potential to boost biogas and methane yields. Under the CBE concept, there is a need to assess the long-term impact and investigate the potential accumulation of specific unwanted substances. Thus, a comprehensive literature review to summarise the benefits and environmental impacts of using agricultural residues for AD is needed. This review analyses the benefits and potential adverse effects related to developing biogas-centred CBE. The identified potential risks/challenges for developing biogas CBE include GHG emission, nutrient management, pollutants, etc. In general, the environmental risks are highly dependent on the input feedstocks and resulting digestate. Integrated treatment processes should be developed as these could both minimise risks and improve the economic perspective.

Supplementary Table S1. Primer sequences used for qRT-PCR.

Supplementary Figure Legends. Legend for Supplementary Figures S1-S5.

Supplementary Figures S1-S5. The established miR-34a reporter was responsive to the endogeneous miR-34a level (S1); Rubone activated the expression of miR-34a (S2); Rubone inhibited Huh7 xenografted tumor growth (S3); Rubone activated pri-miR-34a expressions and inhibited angiogenesis in HepG2 xenografts (S4); Knockdown of p53 reversed pri-miR-34a expression and cell growth inhibition induced by Rubone in HepG2 and Bel-7404 cells (S5).

Supplementary Materials and Methods. Description of additional methods and procedures used in the study.

Supplementary Table S2. The full library screening dataset.