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The black cutworm, Agrotis ipsilon (Hufnagel), a seasonal migrant and a prolific generalist, can feed on nearly all vegetables and grain crops, causing considerable economic impacts on a global scale. Given its cryptic nature, A. ipsilon management has been extremely challenging. Chitin synthase (CHS), a key enzyme involved in chitin biosynthetic pathway and crucially important for the growth and development of insects, is the molecular target of chitin synthesis inhibitors, a group of broad-spectrum insecticides that is compatible with Integrated Pest Management practices. In this study, we investigated the potential of targeting chitin synthases to control A. ipsilon. As a result, two chitin synthases, AiCHS1 and AiCHS2, were identified and cloned from A. ipsilon. The temporal-spatial distribution study showed that AiCHS1 was predominantly expressed at the pupal stage and most abundant among tissues of head capsule and integument, while AiCHS2 was mainly expressed at the sixth instar larval stage and tissues of foregut and midgut. RNAi-based functional study confirmed gene silencing caused significant reduction in the expression levels of the corresponding mRNA, as well as resulted in abnormal pupation and mortality, respectively. Furthermore, under the treatment of lufenuron, a chitin synthesis inhibitor, A. ipsilon responded with an elevated expression in AiCHS1 and AiCHS2, while larvae showed difficulty in shedding old cuticle, and a cumulative mortality of 69.24% at 48 h. In summary, chitin synthases are crucial for chitin biosynthesis in A. ipsilon and can be targeted for the control (e.g., RNAi-based biopesticides) of this devastating insect pest.

S1. TAp73 activates the expression of 6PGD

S2. TAp73 enhances PPP via 6PGD

Cancer cells frequently alter their metabolism to support biogenesis and proliferation and survive specific metabolic stressors. The glucose-associated pentose phosphate pathway (PPP) is crucial for cancer cell proliferation. In particular, 6-phosphogluconate dehydrogenase (6PGD), the second dehydrogenase in the PPP, catalyzes the decarboxylation of 6-phosphogluconate into ribulose 5-phosphate (Ru5P). However, the mechanisms controlling 6PGD expression in cancer cells remain unclear. Herein, we show that TAp73 increases Ru5P and NADPH production through 6PGD activation to counteract reactive oxygen species and protects cells from apoptosis. Moreover, 6PGD overexpression rescues the proliferation and tumorigenic ability of TAp73-deficient cells. These findings further establish the critical role of TAp73 on glucose metabolism regulation, demonstrating that TAp73 can activate 6PGD expression to support oncogenic cell growth.Implications:By transcriptional upregulation of 6PGD, TAp73 promotes the generation of Ru5P and NADPH, and enhances tumor cell proliferation.

An adhesive, self-healable and transparent ionogel-based strain and temperature sensor with high sensitivity (gauge factor up to 6) and a wide sensing range was fabricated based on a green deep eutectic solvent.

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) is an important legume crop for both food and feed. Bruchids (Callosobruchus spp.) are destructive insect pests of pea in the field and during storage. In this study, we identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL) controlling seed resistance to C. chinensis (L.) and C. maculatus (Fab.) in field pea using F2 populations derived from a cross between PWY19 (resistant) and PHM22 (susceptible). QTL analysis in the two F2 populations grown in different environments consistently identified a single major QTL, qPsBr2.1, controlling the resistance to both bruchid species. qPsBr2.1 was mapped onto linkage group 2 between DNA markers 18339 and PSSR202109 and explained 50.91% to 70.94% of the variation in resistance, depending on the environment and bruchid species. Fine mapping narrowed down qPsBr2.1 to a genomic region of 1.07 Mb on chromosome 2 (chr2LG1). Seven annotated genes were found in this region, including Psat2g026280 (designated as PsXI), which encodes a xylanase inhibitor and was considered as a candidate gene for bruchid resistance. PCR amplification and sequence analysis of PsXI suggested the presence of an insertion of unknown length in an intron of PWY19, which causes variation in the open reading frame (ORF) of PsXI. Moreover, the subcellular localization of PsXI differed between PWY19 and PHM22. These results together suggested that PsXI encoding xylanase inhibitor is responsible for the bruchid resistance of the field pea PWY19.

Objective To detect differentially expressed genes in patients with neonatal necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) by bioinformatics methods and to provide new ideas and research directions for the prevention, early diagnosis and treatment of NEC. Methods Gene chip data were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. The genes that were differentially expressed in NEC compared with normal intestinal tissues were screened with GEO2R. The functions, pathway enrichment and protein interactions of these genes were analyzed with DAVID and STRING. Then, the core network genes and significant protein interaction modules were detected using Cytoscape software. Results Overall, a total of 236 differentially expressed genes were detected, including 225 upregulated genes and 11 downregulated genes, and GO and KEGG enrichment analyses were performed. The results indicated that the upregulated differentially expressed genes were related to the dimerization activity of proteins, while the downregulated differentially expressed genes were related to the activity of cholesterol transporters. KEGG enrichment analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes were significantly concentrated in metabolism, fat digestion and absorption pathways. Through STRING analysis, 9 key genes in the protein network interaction map were identified: EPCAM, CDH1, CFTR, IL-6, APOB, APOC3, APOA4, SLC2A and NR1H4. Conclusion Metabolic pathways and biological processes may play important roles in the development of NEC. The screening of possible core targets by bioinformatics is helpful in clarifying the pathogenesis of NEC at the gene level and in providing references for further research.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to compare the applications of bedside ultrasonography (US) and bedside chest radiography (CR) in positioning peripherally inserted central venous catheter (PICC) at Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICUs).MethodsThe study is a prospective before and after self-control clinical trial. A consecutive series of 181 neonate patients were finally enrolled for PICC placement. CR, followed by US, was used to evaluate and readjust the sites of catheter tips. The imaging capability for PICC key structures, fluctuation of the measured data, measurement of tip-to-atrium distance, operation time, infants' body temperature changes, and direct expenses of the two imaging modalities were obtained and compared.Results(1) Comparison in viewing PICC key structures: the display rate of catheter tip, SVC-and-right-atrium junction, IVC-and-right-atrium junction and tip-to-atrium distance is 99.47%, 100%, 100% and 99.47% for US and 100%, 98.42%, 97.37% and 95.79% for CR, respectively. (2) Fluctuation of the measured data by US and CR: the tip-to-atrium distance measured by US is 0.631 (0.435–0.820) cm, and that measured by CR is 0.593 (0.210–0.825) cm. US showed a narrower range of datum variance. (3) Consistency between US and CR: for consistency analysis, the Kappa coefficient (κ) was 0.843 (P P P P = 0.026).ConclusionUS exhibited superior traits to CR in the positioning of PICC tip. It could be promising for routine use in NICU.

A facile synthetic route was developed to prepare a surface-grafted brush layer of poly(vinyl ethers) (PVEs) directly by a radical mechanism, with the "naked" Li+ acting as a catalyst. Density functional theory calculations suggested that complexation of naked Li+ to VEs significantly reduced the highest unoccupied molecular orbital-lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (HOMO-LUMO) energy gap from 5.08 to 0.68 eV, providing a better prospect for electron transfer. The structure, morphology, and surface properties of grafted polymer layers were characterized using attenuated total reflection Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and dynamic water contact angle (DCA). Moreover, ellipsometry data indicated that the thickness of the polymer brushes was in the range of 20-60 nm, which corresponds to the grafting densities of 0.65-1.15 chain/nm2, and DCA decreased from 84.4 to 45.3°. Most importantly, no hydrolysis was observed for the modified surface after 30 days of exposure to phosphate-buffered saline solution, 0.1 mol/L NaOH(eq) and 0.1 mol/L HCl(eq), demonstrating excellent hydrolysis resistance with long service life. In addition, as a proof of concept, the side hydroxyl groups of grafted PVEs provide active sites for efficient fixation of bioactive molecules, e.g., glycosaminoglycan and serum protein.

Commonly used remote sensing image de-haze methods include: the image enhancement method and a physical model-based. However, when the above methods are applied to high-resolution remote sensing images, problems with texture information loss and insufficient enhancement often occur. These problems affect further analysis and application of high-resolution remote sensing images. This paper proposes a new single-image de-haze method called texture attention GAN. In this network, in order to solve the problem of texture information loss in the process of de-haze, a texture attention-based generator is adopted. When design the network discriminator, the global and local discriminators are used to improve the distortion of image details. In comparison with several common methods, this method has achieved better results.

The bromodomain and extraterminal motif (BET) proteins are critical drug targets for diseases. The precise functions and relationship of BRD2 with other BET proteins remain elusive mechanistically. Here, we used acute protein degradation and quantitative genomic and proteomic approaches to investigate the primary functions of BRD2 in transcription. We report that BRD2 is required for TAF3-mediated Pol II initiation at promoters with low levels of H3K4me3 and for R-loop suppression during Pol II elongation. Single and double depletion revealed that BRD2 and BRD3 function additively, independently, or perhaps antagonistically in Pol II transcription at different promoters. Furthermore, we found that BRD2 regulates the expression of different genes during embryonic body differentiation processes by promoter priming in embryonic stem cells. Therefore, our results suggest complex interconnections between BRD2 and BRD3 at promoters to fine-tune Pol II initiation and elongation for control of cell state.

Biochar amendment in the soil can exert a positive effect in reducing heavy metal toxicity in plants. However, it remains unclear the extent to which this effect is associated with the modulation of plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria (PGPR). Here, we initially conducted a pot experiment using tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) as a model plant grown in soil spiked with cadmium. First, we found biochar amendment to result in reduced cadmium uptake in tomato plants and trackable changes in the tomato rhizosphere microbiome. Then, a rhizosphere transplant experiment validated the importance of this microbiome modulation for cadmium-toxicity amelioration. Sequence-based analyses targeted the isolation of representative isolates of PGPR, including Bacillus and Flavisolibacter spp. that displayed in vitro cadmium tolerance and biosorption capabilities (in addition to abilities to solubilize phosphate and produce indole acetic acid). Last, we performed a soil inoculation experiment and confirmed the effectiveness of these isolates in reducing cadmium toxicity in tomato plants. Besides, we found the inoculation of these taxa as single inoculant and in combination to result in increased activities of specific antioxidant enzymes in tomato tissues. Taken together, this study revealed the ecological and physiological mechanisms by which biochar amendment indirectly alleviate cadmium toxicity in tomato plants, in this case, via the modulation and activity of specific PGPR populations. This study provides new insights into strategies able to promote beneficial PGPR in the rhizosphere with potential application to ameliorate heavy metal toxicity in plants.

Organic polymer materials generally exhibit low surface energy and inert surface reactivity, which limits their applications in high-tech fields such as optics, electronics, separation and biomedical materials. Surface modification is an important way to improve the performance of organic polymer materials, and the crucial scientific issue involved is the activation/transformation chemistry of surface C–H bonds. Photochemical reaction has the characteristics including high efficiency and chemical selectivity, environmental friendliness, low reaction temperature and precise temporal/spatial control, which is superior in surface modification of organic polymer materials. Based on the recent progress in our lab, in this review we summarize some strategies of confined photo-transformation of C–H bonds on the surface of organic polymer materials. The mechanism of these reactions and their applications in the growth/immobilization of inorganic oxide, conductive materials and biomolecule are systematically introduced. The future development of this field is also prospected.

A novel heterogeneous polymerization technique, termed as self-stabilized precipitation (2SP) polymerization, was developed beyond emulsion/dispersion/suspension. Through quiescent polymerization, self-nucleation and surface deposition process, a stable colloid composed of uniform polymer particles and reaction medium was formed without the use of any stabilizers. More importantly, the polymer particles can be easily separated from the solvent and the supernatant liquid can be recycled, making this strategy a truly “green” polymerization process. This technique leads to several revolutionary advances: (1) one of the most simple, efficient and green strategies to produce uniform, size-tunable and functional polymer nanoparticles; (2) the polymerization reactivity of α-olefin is highly enhanced through copolymerization with maleic anhydride; (3) generation of functional copolymer particles directly from single olefinic monomer or complex olefinic mixtures (including C4/C5/C9 fractions) without any further purification, which provides a new way to transform huge amount of olefinic compounds in C4/C5/C9 fractions into valuable functional polymers.

To investigate theThe convenience sampling method was used to investigate the nursing managers and ECC (or intravenous therapy) nurses of 91 hospitals in 31 provinces from October 29 to November 10, 2021.The survey involved a total of 182 medical staff, including 91 managers and 91 nurses, and 91 institutions, including 22 children's hospitals, 49 general hospitals and 21 maternal and child health care hospitals. Sixteen hospitals (17.6%) carried out US-guided ECC for neonatal patients; 176 subjects (96.7%) of the 91 hospitals had known about or heard of the technology of US-guided ECC. The low awareness of operators of the tip location of ECC catheters in children under ultrasound guidance (OR = 2.690, 95% CI = 1.163-6.221), limited conditions in existing wards (OR = 2.953, 95% CI = 1.285-6.790), and insufficient funds (OR = 2.836, 95% CI = 1.149-7.004) were the independent risk factors responsible for the failure to carry out ultrasonic-guided location of ECC tips in newborns.The popularity of neonatal US-guided ECC location was seriously hindered by factors such as a low awareness rate of the project, the low qualification certification rate of the nursing staff, a flawed performance allocation system, and the lack of a professional team, among other factors.

Since conventional eco approach systems can only achieve longitudinal automation, they may be disabled due to the impedance of the slow-moving vehicle. In addition, they could sacrifice a lot in travel time and it is hard to control the articulated truck with a complex dynamic model. This research presents an enhanced eco approach system for connected and automated articulated trucks, and is able to: (i) overtake slow-moving vehicles for sustainability and mobility; (ii) efficiently optimize the travel duration approaching a signalized intersection; (iii) achieve the trade-off between fuel saving and vehicle mobility; and (iv) improve computational efficiency and optimality for the articulated truck control. To achieve these features, the problem was formulated as an optimal control problem. A longitudinal and lateral coupled truck dynamic model was utilized for enabling the truck to own the automatic overtaking capability. The data-driven-based Koopman operator theory was adopted to globally linearize the truck dynamic model for reducing the computational burden while ensuring optimality. The optimal control problem is transformed from the time domain to the space domain in order for optimizing travel duration and considering the signal timing constraint. A quantitative evaluation was conducted to validate the performance of the Koopman system dynamics. In addition, the simulation experiment was designed to compare the proposed controller against human drivers and the conventional eco approach, which only has longitudinal automation. The results demonstrate that the proposed controller improves the fuel efficiency by 5.12–67.15%, and outperforms the two baseline controllers by 9.09–32.65% in terms of fuel saving. This range is caused by the different arrival times of the ego articulated truck.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the effects of electromagnetic waves generated by a commercial medical electromagnetic instrument (trade name, TDP, the Chinese phonetic abbreviation of “Te-ding Dian-ci-bo Pu”) as an adjuvant to improve the rate of increase of milk feeds per day by premature infants with necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC).MethodsThis study was a prospective randomized clinical trial. A total of 103 premature infants were diagnosed with NEC II, but there was no need for surgery. The infants were randomly divided into the TDP intervention group and the control group by a randomized method using SPSS 24.0. The patients in the TDP intervention group were treated with TDP irradiation and routine interventions; those in the control group were treated with routine interventions. The rate of increase of milk feeds per day, the time to achieve total gastrointestinal nutrition, the velocity of weight gain, and the complication incidence rate were recorded and compared.ResultsThe rate of increase of milk feeds per day in the TDP intervention group was significantly greater than that in the control group [14.51 (11.58~22.11) ml/kg/d vs. 10.15 (6.15~15.87) ml/kg/d, P = 0.002]. Compared to the control group, the time to achieve total gastrointestinal nutrition (21.45 ± 1.87 d vs. 36.43 ± 2.585 d, P = 0.000) and the velocity of weight gain (19.65 ± 15.27% vs. 13.68 ± 7.15%, P = 0.013) in the TDP intervention group were substantially better than those in the control group. The complication incidence rate was not significantly different between the two groups (P > 0.05).ConclusionTreatment with TDP-generated electromagnetic waves improved the volume of milk consumed per day in premature infants with NEC II and were conducive to improving their clinical outcomes.

Herein, we report the synthesis of novel heat-resistant microspheres by self-stabilized precipitation copolymerization of styrene (St) and 2,2′-bis[4-(4-maleimidophenoxy)phenyl]propane (BMIP) in an...

The controlled radical polymerization (CRP) of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM), a low activity monomer with high radical reactivity, is still a true challenge. In this study, a novel CRP of VCM with high monomer conversion at 45 °C with xanthene-9-thione (XT) as mediator and bis(4-tert-butylcyclohexyl)peroxydicarbonate (TBCP) as initiator is achieved. The Mn of the produced poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) increases slightly with increasing monomer conversion and could be mediated in the range from 6k to 12k by simply changing the molar ratio of TBCP/XT while the dispersity maintains around 2.0. The fidelity of XT dormant groups of PVC-XT is about 60–80% and depends on the ratio of TBCP/XT. With the as-prepared PVC-XT as macroinitiator, block copolymerizations of methyl methacrylate (MMA), n-butyl acrylate (BA), and styrene (St) are carried out and the PVC-b-PMMA, PVC-b-PBA, and PVC-b-PSt block copolymers have been synthesized successfully.

Poly(vinyl chloride), with ultralow molecular weight, produced by free radical polymerization either at high temperature or in the presence of chain transfer agents, is widely used as special resins and polymer process additives. This paper reports a new process, called self-stabilized precipitation polymerization, in which the polymerization of vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) is conducted in hydrocarbon diluents without addition of any suspending agent or emulsifier. The merits of this novel strategy include: (1) PVC resins with ultra-low number-average molecular weight (Mn) from 4000 to 15000, which is much lower than Mn of those prepared by conventional suspension and emulsion polymerizations, (2) sub-micrometer PVC particles with near spherical morphology, and (3) the very simple post-polymerization separation process. Under mild stirring, polymerization proceeds stably and smoothly. The influences of main process factors, such as solvents, initiator and monomer concentrations, polymerization time, and temperature on both particle morphology and Mn of the polymer products are investigated systematically. The molar ratio of -CH2-CHCl-/-CH=CH-CH2CHCl, a good indicator of structural defects, is about 1000/0.1 which means the low molecular weights do not result from chain transfer to the monomers. Then the mechanism of this polymerization is proposed. In summary, this novel polymerization technology provides a straightforward method for preparing PVC particulate products with low Mn.

Ionogels have attracted intensive attentions as promising flexible conductive materials. However, simultaneous integration of excellent mechanical properties, high conductivity, outstanding self-healing ability, and strong adhesiveness is still challenging. Here, an ingenious composition design is proposed to address this long-standing challenge of ionogels. High-performance PEI/PAA/CMC ionogels, consist of a loosely cross-linked poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) network, dynamically cross-linked network based on polycationic polyethyleneimine (PEI) and polyanionic PAA, and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) reinforcing filler, are formed in a deep eutectic solvent (DES) composed of choline chloride and urea. Benefiting from the loose PAA network and dynamic noncovalent interactions, ionogels with both highly enhanced mechanical robustness and excellent conductivity are obtained at high loading of DES, overcoming the strength-ductility/conductivity trade-off dilemma. By adjusting PEI/PAA mass ratio, the tensile strength and strain of PEI/PAA/CMC ionogels are effectively controlled in a wide range of 0.15-7.9 MPa and 232-1161%, respectively, while maintaining the desirable conductivity of ≈10

O-GlcNAc transferase (OGT) is the distinctive enzyme responsible for catalyzing O-GlcNAc addition to the serine or threonine residues of thousands of cytoplasmic and nuclear proteins involved in such basic cellular processes as DNA damage repair, RNA splicing, and transcription preinitiation and initiation complex assembly. However, the molecular mechanism by which OGT regulates gene transcription remains elusive. Using proximity labeling-based mass spectrometry, here, we searched for functional partners of OGT and identified interacting protein Dot1L, a conserved and unique histone methyltransferase known to mediate histone H3 Lys79 methylation, which is required for gene transcription, DNA damage repair, cell proliferation, and embryo development. Although this specific interaction with OGT does not regulate the enzymatic activity of Dot1L, we show that it does facilitate OGT-dependent histone O-GlcNAcylation. Moreover, we demonstrate that OGT associates with Dot1L at transcription start sites and that depleting Dot1L decreases OGT associated with chromatin globally. Notably, we also show that downregulation of Dot1L reduces the levels of histone H2B S112 O-GlcNAcylation and histone H2B K120 ubiquitination in vivo, which are associated with gene transcription regulation. Taken together, these results reveal that O-GlcNAcylation of chromatin is dependent on Dot1L.

A facile synthetic route was developed to prepare a surface-grafted brush layer of poly(vinyl ethers) (PVEs) directly by a radical mechanism, with the "naked" Li

Incorporating carboxyl group into the poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) resin can endow PVC with reactivity in some applications. In this work, poly(vinyl chloride)-co-poly(acrylic acid) random copolymer (PVCA) with low average number molecular weight (Mn, ∼10 k) is synthesized by precipitation polymerization. By tuning acrylic acid dropping rate, the PVCA copolymer with much more uniform copolymer composition is obtained in comparison to all monomer-in process. Subsequently, the PVCA is utilized as a novel polymer modifier for the surface treatment of CaCO3 particles and its effect on the mechanical properties of obtained rigid PVC composites are evaluated systematically. As a result, the PVAC modified CaCO3 particles exhibit uniform dispersibility and excellent compatibility in PVC matrix. Additionally, the thermal stability is improved significantly owing to the calcium ions on the surface of CaCO3 particles, which scavenge the hydrogen chloride and retard the autocatalytic dehydrochlorination process. Impressively, it also has an enhancement both in tensile strength (ca. 46.4 MPa, and 119.8% elongation at break) and in impact strength (2.7 kJ m−2) in comparison to those modified by commercialized agents such as stearic acid and titanate ester. This work provides valuable insights for the preparation of vinyl chloride copolymers and opens a new application.

Additional file 2. Neurodevelopment score and physical growth from T0 to T2.

Additional file 1. information about how to implement EI program in the early preterm infants.

Background A novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak has occurred in China, and national medical workers have been thrown into this silent battle. Paediatric medical workers have been an important part of this battle and under enormous pressure. This paper evaluates the depression, anxiety, and stress of paediatric medical staff during the epidemic and examines related impact factors. Methods We conducted this study using online questionnaires via social networking software during the week of Feb. 17 to Feb. 23, 2020. The 21-item Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS), which is a revised, simplified version of the original DASS developed by Lovibond et al., was used in this study. Results Among all 2,031 respondents, 14.81%, 18.3%, and 9.98% had depression, anxiety and stress symptoms, respectively. Males, doctors, individuals aged between 31‑60 years, those with senior job titles, those who had contact with patients with confirmed or suspected cases of COVID-19, those who worked on the clinical frontlines fighting the epidemic and those who had experience combating similar outbreaks were more likely to have depression, anxiety or stress symptoms. Respondents in Beijing and Chongqing had lower negative psychological symptom scores than the national average. Conclusion During the COVID-19 outbreak, depression, anxiety and stress are present to varying degrees among paediatric medical workers across the country. Psychological crisis interventions should be implemented to protect the mental health of paediatric medical workers during and after the epidemic.

Additional file 1. Standard Protocol Items: Recommendations for Interventional Trials (SPIRIT) Checklist: recommended items to address in a clinical trial protocol and related documents.

Callosobruchus chinensis (Coleoptera Bruchidae), is a pest of different varieties of legumes. In this paper, a phylogeographical analysis of C. chinensis was conducted to provide knowledge for the prevention and control of C. chinensis. A total of 224 concatenated mitochondrial sequences were obtained from 273 individuals. Suitable habitat shifts were predicted by the distribution modelling (SDM). Phylogeny, genetic structure and population demographic history were analyzed using multiple software. Finally, the least-cost path (LCP) method was used to identify possible dispersal corridors and genetic connectivity. The SDM results suggested that the distribution of C. chinensis experienced expansion and contraction with changing climate. Spatial distribution of mtDNA haplotypes showed there was partial continuity among different geographical populations of C. chinensis, except for the Hohhot (Inner Mongolia) population. Bayesian skyline plots showed that the population had a recent expansion during 0.0125 Ma and 0.025 Ma. The expansion and divergent events were traced back to Quaternary glaciations. The LCP method confirmed that there were no clear dispersal routes. Our findings indicated that climatic cycles of the Pleistocene glaciations, unsuitable climate and geographic isolation played important roles in the genetic differentiation of C. chinensis. Human activities weaken the genetic differentiation between populations. With the change in climate, the suitable areas of C. chinensis will disperse greatly in the future.

(1) Background: Residue degradation plays a very important role in terrestrial ecosystems and residue mixing is the main factor affecting the degradation rates. However, in the agricultural systems, the effect of residue mixing on the degradation of pepper residues and the microbial community in pepper root residues is not clear. (2) Methods: In this study, we added different residues into soil by using double-layered nylon litterbags in culture bottles. The treatments including pepper root (P: Capsicum annuum L.), soybean [S: Glycine max (L.) Merr.] and maize (M: Zea mays L.) residue, as well as mixtures of soybean + pepper (SP), maize + pepper (MP), maize + soybean + pepper (MSP) mixtures. Litterbags were harvested after 7, 14, 28, and 56 days, respectively. Mass loss and nitrogen and phosphorus contents in pepper residue were quantified and bacterial and fungal community levels in pepper residues were analyzed using quantitative PCR and high throughput amplicon sequencing; (3) Results: The study showed that the mass loss and fungal community abundance of pepper root residue in mixtures were higher than P, except day 7. The phosphorus contents in MSP-P and MP-P were significantly lower than that for P at day 28 and day 56. Illumina MiSeq sequencing showed that the presence of maize residue significantly altered the microbial community composition of pepper root pepper. Day 56. (4) Conclusions: Our results suggest that residue mixing changed the microbial community abundance in pepper residue and promoted the degradation of pepper residues compared to pepper residue decomposition alone, especially for mixtures with soybean.

A novel flexible dielectric composite with halloysite nanotube-poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (HNTs-PEDOT) hybrid as conductive filler and poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) as polymer matrix were prepared via a blending and hot-pressing technique. HNTs-PEDOT hybrid, with PEDOT coated onto both the negatively charged inner and out surfaces of the HNTs tubes, were fabricated by chemical oxidative polymerization of EDOT with unmodified HNTs as templates. The conductivity of HNTs-PEDOT hybrid with 50 wt% HNTs is up to 12.89 S/cm, which is 100 times greater than that of pure PEDOT (about 0.12 S/cm) synthesized under the similar condition. With PEODT as outside organic layer, HNTs-PEDOT could be easily dispersed in PVDF matrix uniformly. In addition, with the introduction of HNTs-PEDOT into PVDF matrix, it makes a phase transformation of PVDF from α to electroactive β phase. HNTs-PEDOT/PVDF shows good dielectric performance. At close to the percolation threshold value (fHNTs-PEDOT = 0.11), the dielectric constant of HNTs-PEDOT/PVDF is up to 641 at 1000 Hz, which is attractive to prepare flexible materials.

This paper is concerned with three neurons feed-forward neural network model and more specifically with the study of dynamical behavior of the codimension one nilpotent singularity and 1:1 resonant Hopf bifurcation and outline possible image processing applications. Three neurons dynamical feed-forward neural networks use cross-coupling and feed-forward-coupling to form an nonlinear dynamic neural oscillator with the time delay. The theoretical basis of the pitchfork and 1:1 resonant Hopf bifurcation of feed-forward neural networks with delay is carried out and the analytical formulas are derived to define the various states of the system. The ultimate goal is to understand the dynamics and seek the application in image processing. It is shown that each of these states has a significant impact on the quality of the resulting image contrast enhancement. As application, aiming at the characteristics of remote sensing images with low-contrast and poor resolution textual information, an image enhancement method is presented. We show theoretically and numerically that the gray scale remote sensing image picture contrast is strongly enhanced even if this one is initially very small. The results show that the algorithm can significantly improve the visual impression of the image. Compared with the proposed algorithms in recent years, the information entropy are significantly improved.