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Study regions: The Guizhou Province (GZP) in southwestern China, where mainly comprises Karst regions. Study focus: The rainfall records were collected from 45 rain gauges within GZP during 1960–2019 to calculate the Rainfall Erosivity (RE). In addition, the spatio-temporal characteristics of RE were analyzed using statistical analysis methods, and the effect of El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on RE under different rainfall intensities was also explored for the first time. New hydrological insights for the region: The annual average RE was 4774 MJ·mm·hm−2·h−1, exhibiting a persistent increasing trend. RE demonstrated an increasing trend in most months, except for April and May, and the trend would continue in the future. The southern region of the GZP exhibited higher RE values, while the northern region displayed lower values. The spatial distribution varied across different seasons and months. On an annual scale, RE was significantly (P < 0.01) negatively correlated with elevation, indicating a decrease in erosive precipitation with increasing elevation. On a monthly scale, except for June to September, RE showed a significant (P < 0.001) negative correlation with elevation. Additionally, the study revealed a significant positive correlation (P < 0.05) with a lag time of 1 year between the total RE and RE under rainfall intensities exceeding 40 mm/day and the Multivariate ENSO Index (MEI). This finding provides a possibility for predicting high-intensity RE with one year ahead.

Abstract Many types of tumors feature aerobic glycolysis for meeting their increased energetic and biosynthetic demands. However, it remains still unclear how this glycolytic phenomenon is achieved and coordinated with other metabolic pathways in tumor cells in response to growth stimuli. Here we report that activation of AKT1 induces a metabolic switch to glycolysis from the mitochondrial metabolism via phosphorylation of cytoplasmic malic enzyme 2 (ME2), named ME2fl (fl means full length), favoring an enhanced glycolytic phenotype. Mechanistically, in the cytoplasm, AKT1 phosphorylates ME2fl at serine 9 in the mitochondrial localization signal peptide at the N-terminus, preventing its mitochondrial translocation. Unlike mitochondrial ME2, which accounts for adjusting the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle, ME2fl functions as a scaffold that brings together the key glycolytic enzymes phosphofructokinase (PFKL), glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH) and pyruvate kinase M2 (PKM2), as well as Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA), to promote glycolysis in the cytosol. Thus, through phosphorylation of ME2fl, AKT1 enhances the glycolytic capacity of tumor cells in vitro and in vivo, revealing an unexpected role for subcellular translocation switching of ME2 mediated by AKT1 in the metabolic adaptation of tumor cells to growth stimuli.

Abstract The rigid hull encasing Tartary buckwheat seeds necessitates a laborious dehulling process before flour milling, resulting in considerable nutrient loss. Investigation of lignin composition is pivotal in understanding the structural properties of tartary buckwheat seeds hulls, as lignin is key determinant of rigidity in plant cell walls, thus directly impacting the dehulling process. Here, the lignin composition of seed hulls from 274 Tartary buckwheat accessions is analyzed, unveiling a unique lignin chemotype primarily consisting of G lignin, a common feature in gymnosperms. Furthermore, the hardness of the seed hull showed a strong negative correlation with the S lignin content. Genome‐wide detection of selective sweeps uncovered that genes governing the biosynthesis of S lignin, specifically two caffeic acid O‐methyltransferases (COMTs) and one ferulate 5‐hydroxylases, are selected during domestication. This likely contributed to the increased S lignin content and decreased hardness of seed hulls from more domesticated varieties. Genome‐wide association studies identified robust associations between FtCOMT1 and the accumulation of S lignin in seed hull. Transgenic Arabidopsis comt1 plants expressing FtCOMT1 successfully reinstated S lignin content, confirming its conserved function across plant species. These findings provide valuable metabolic and genetic insights for the potential redesign of Tartary buckwheat seed hulls.

Abstract The genome of an organism is inherited from its ancestor and continues to evolve over time, however, the extent to which the current version could be altered remains unknown. To probe the genome plasticity of Saccharomyces cerevisiae, here we replace the native left arm of chromosome XII (chrXIIL) with a linear artificial chromosome harboring small sets of reconstructed genes. We find that as few as 12 genes are sufficient for cell viability, whereas 25 genes are required to recover the partial fitness defects observed in the 12-gene strain. Next, we demonstrate that these genes can be reconstructed individually using synthetic regulatory sequences and recoded open-reading frames with a “one-amino-acid-one-codon” strategy to remain functional. Finally, a synthetic neochromsome with the reconstructed genes is assembled which could substitute chrXIIL for viability. Together, our work not only highlights the high plasticity of yeast genome, but also illustrates the possibility of making functional eukaryotic chromosomes from entirely artificial sequences.

Abstract The conversion of lignocellulosic feedstocks to fermentable sugar for biofuel production is inefficient, and most strategies to enhance efficiency directly target lignin biosynthesis, with associated negative growth impacts. Here we demonstrate, for both laboratory- and field-grown plants, that expression of Pag-miR408 in poplar (Populus alba × P. glandulosa) significantly enhances saccharification, with no requirement for acid-pretreatment, while promoting plant growth. The overexpression plants show increased accessibility of cell walls to cellulase and scaffoldin cellulose-binding modules. Conversely, Pag-miR408 loss-of-function poplar shows decreased cell wall accessibility. Overexpression of Pag-miR408 targets three Pag-LACCASES, delays lignification, and modestly reduces lignin content, S/G ratio and degree of lignin polymerization. Meanwhile, the LACCASE loss of function mutants exhibit significantly increased growth and cell wall accessibility in xylem. Our study shows how Pag-miR408 regulates lignification and secondary growth, and suggest an effective approach towards enhancing biomass yield and saccharification efficiency in a major bioenergy crop.

Abstract The artificial photosynthesis technology has been recognized as a promising solution for CO2 utilization. Photothermal catalysis has been proposed as a novel strategy to promote the efficiency of artificial photosynthesis by coupling both photochemistry and thermochemistry. However, strategies for maximizing the use of solar spectra with different frequencies in photothermal catalysis are urgently needed. Here, a hierarchical full‐spectrum solar light utilization strategy is proposed. Based on this strategy, a Cu@hollow titanium silicalite‐1 zeolite (TS‐1) nanoreactor with spatially separated photo/thermal catalytic sites is designed to realize high‐efficiency photothermal catalytic artificial photosynthesis. The space–time yield of alcohol products over the optimal catalyst reached 64.4 μmol g−1 h−1, with the selectivity of CH3CH2OH of 69.5%. This rationally designed hierarchical utilization strategy for solar light can be summarized as follows: (1) high‐energy ultraviolet light is utilized to drive the initial and difficult CO2 activation step on the TS‐1 shell; (2) visible light can induce the localized surface plasmon resonance effect on plasmonic Cu to generate hot electrons for H2O dissociation and subsequent reaction steps; and (3) low‐energy near‐infrared light is converted into heat by the simulated greenhouse effect by cavities to accelerate the carrier dynamics. This work provides some scientific and experimental bases for research on novel, highly efficient photothermal catalysts for artificial photosynthesis.

Abstract Objective To investigate the relationship between physical activity and the severity of menopausal symptoms in middle-aged women in northwest China. Methods This was a cross-sectional online survey study. Using a snowball sampling method, 468 women aged 45 to 60 were recruited from northwest China and their demographic information was collected. The modified Kupperman Menopausal Index scale and International Physical Activity Questionnaire short form were used in this study. Random forest was used to rank the importance of variables and select the optimal combination. The direction and relative risk (odds ratio value) of selected variables were further explained with an ordinal logistic regression model. Results The prevalence of menopausal syndromes was 74.8% and more than one-half of the participants had moderate or severe symptoms (54.3%). The Mantel-Haenszel linear-by-linear chi-square test showed a strong and negative correlation between physical activity level and the severity of menopausal symptoms (P 1, P

Abstract Aim To test and compare the Self‐Care of Hypertension Inventory (SC‐HI) and Hypertension Self‐Care Profile (HBP SCP) among older patients with hypertension in China. Design A cross‐sectional observational study. Methods A convenience sampling of 220 older adults (120 male patients and 100 female patients) with hypertension and a mean age of 73.74 years was surveyed using the Chinese version of SC‐HI, the Chinese version of HBP SCP and the Chinese version of Exercise of Self‐Care Agency Scale (ESCA) during July‐September 2019. Psychometric analyses and Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analyses were performed on the collected data. Results The Cronbach's α of SC‐HI and HBP SCP was 0.858 and 0.953, respectively. The Pearson's coefficients between the SC‐HI total score and the ESCA total score, the HBP SCP total score and the ESCA total score were 0.494 and 0.700, respectively. The satisfactory sensitivity, specificity, cut‐off point and Area under the curve of SC‐HI were 0.8292, 0.5495, 120.5 and 0.754, respectively. As for HBP SCP, the values were 0.7907, 0.7582, 169.5 and 0.838, respectively. There was no significant difference between these two scales. Each has its own characteristics. However, the HBP SCP is more precise and effective for measuring self‐care ability in older patients.

Background: Transdermal delivery has become a crucial field in pharmaceutical research. There has been a proliferation of innovative methods for transdermal drug delivery. In recent years, the number of publications regarding transdermal drug delivery has been rising rapidly. To investigate the current research trends and hotspots in transdermal drug delivery, a comprehensive bibliometric analysis was performed.Methods: An extensive literature review was conducted to gather information on transdermal drug delivery that had been published between 2003 and 2022. The articles were obtained from the Web of Science (WOS) and the National Center for Biotechnology Information (NCBI) databases. Subsequently, the collected data underwent analysis and visualization using a variety of software tools. This approach enables a deeper exploration of the hotspots and emerging trends within this particular research domain.Results: The results showed that the number of articles published on transdermal delivery has increased steadily over the years, with a total of 2,555 articles being analyzed. The most frequently cited articles were related to the optimization of drug delivery and the use of nanotechnology in transdermal drug delivery. The most active countries in the field of transdermal delivery research were the China, United States, and India. Furthermore, the hotspots over the past 2 decades were identified (e.g., drug therapy, drug delivery, and pharmaceutical preparations and drug design). The shift in research focus reflects an increasing emphasis on drug delivery and control release, rather than simply absorption and penetration, and suggests a growing interest in engineering approaches to transdermal drug delivery.Conclusion: This study provided a comprehensive overview of transdermal delivery research. The research indicated that transdermal delivery would be a rapidly evolving field with many opportunities for future research and development. Moreover, this bibliometric analysis will help researchers gain insights into transdermal drug delivery research’s hotspots and trends accurately and quickly.

Abstract Aim To investigate the status and predictors of self‐care among older adults with hypertension in China by the Chinese version of Self‐Care of Hypertension Inventory. Design A cross‐sectional questionnaire survey. Methods A convenience sampling of 544 older adults with hypertension was surveyed using the Chinese version of Self‐Care of Hypertension Inventory. SPSS25.0 software was used for statistical analysis of the data. Generalized liner model univariate analysis and the optimal scaling regression analysis were performed to investigate the predictors of self‐care. Results The status of self‐care was poor with the median and inter‐quartile range of total scores of self‐care (140.00 ± 67), the scores of self‐care maintenance (50 ± 24.76), the scores of self‐care management (56.25 ± 29.41) and the scores of self‐care confidence (54.79 ± 29.17). Age, family model, primary caregiver, maximum systolic blood pressure, coverage of medical insurance, disease duration, receiving self‐care education, education level, economic burden and family history of hypertension were the most powerful predictors of self‐care among older adults with hypertension.

Improving the efficiency and flexibility of fossil-fired power plants remains a current and challenging issue. In that regard, supercritical CO2 Brayton cycles offer promising potential. This paper aims to apply a process synthesis approach to the design of a closed Brayton cycle using supercritical CO2 as a working fluid with a coal furnace as a heat source. The general methodology presented here for designing closed power cycles includes the construction of a superstructure containing all relevant possible cycle layouts, the formulation of the cycle-synthesis problem as a mathematical optimization problem, and its solution using an appropriate algorithm. This study was conducted with the help of a process simulation commercial software (PROSIM) and using the Mixed-Integer Distributed Ant Colony Optimization (MIDACO) as a commercial optimization algorithm. This work highlights the limits of a purely technical optimization approach that would ignore the economical layer. The optimal structure obtained regarding Levelized Cost Of Electricity (LCOE) minimization is a configuration with one reheat of the supercritical CO2 in the boiler, two recuperators, and one recompression loop around the low-temperature recuperator; it is associated with a cycle efficiency of 49.35 % and a 10% reduction in the LCOE in comparison to the optimal case found through energy optimization under typical design heuristics constraints.

Mechanical strength is essential for the upright growth habit, which is one of the most important characteristics of terrestrial plants. Lignin, a phenylpropanoid-derived polymer mainly present in secondary cell walls plays critical role in providing mechanical support. Here, we report that the prostrate-stem cultivar of the legume forage Medicago ruthenica cultivar ‘Mengnong No. 1’ shows compromised mechanical strength compared with the erect-stem cultivar ‘Zhilixing’. The erect-stem cultivar, ‘Zhilixing’ has significantly higher lignin content, leading to higher mechanical strength than the prostrate-stem cultivar. The low abundance of miRNA397a in the Zhiixing cultivar causes reduced cleavage of MrLAC17 transcript, which results in enhanced expression level of MrLAC17 compared to that in the prostrate-stem cultivar Mengnong No. 1. Complementation of the Arabidopsis lac4 lac17 double mutants with MrLAC17 restored the lignin content to wild-type levels, confirming that MrLAC17 perform an exchangeable role with Arabidopsis laccases. LAC17-mediated lignin polymerization is therefore increased in the ‘Zhilixing’, causing the erect stem phenotype. Our data reveal the importance of the miR397a in the lignin biosynthesis and suggest a strategy for molecular breeding targeting plant architecture in legume forage.

In this paper, a fault location method based on divide-and-conquer (DAC) is proposed to solve the inadequacy problem that arises when using the traditional fault section location method based on the optimization model of logic operation. The problem is that it is difficult to balance speed and accuracy after the scale of the distribution network is expanded. First, the causal link between fault information and the faulty device was described using the road vector, the equivalent transformation of the logical operations in the traditional model was implemented with the properties of the road vector, and the numerical computational model of the fault location was constructed. Based on this, the optimization-seeking variable “approximation gain” was introduced to prove that the proposed model conforms to the recursive structure of DAC, and the method of applying DAC to locate faults is proposed. The method applies the “Divide-Conquer-Combine” recursive mode to locate faults, and each level of recursion contains only linear-time “approximation gain” operations and constant-time decomposition and combination operations. The efficiency analysis and simulation results show that the proposed method has linear-time complexity and can accurately locate faults in milliseconds, providing a reference for solving the fault location problem in large distribution networks.

Lignin is a complex phenolic polymer that imparts cell wall strength, facilitates water transport and functions as a physical barrier to pathogens in all vascular plants. Lignin biosynthesis is a carbon-consuming, non-reversible process, which requires tight regulation. Here, we report that a major monomer unit of the lignin polymer can function as a signal molecule to trigger proteolysis of the enzyme L-phenylalanine ammonia-lyase, the entry point into the lignin biosynthetic pathway, and feedback regulate the expression levels of lignin biosynthetic genes. These findings highlight the highly complex regulation of lignin biosynthesis and shed light on the biological importance of monolignols as signaling molecules.

Implant-related infection (IRI) is a major problem in orthopedics. Copper (Cu) is an essential trace element with strong bactericidal activity and, thus, presents potential for reducing IRI. The present study explored a straightforward strategy for releasing Cu2+ from titanium (Ti) implants, and we conducted a preliminary study to assess the feasibility of this approach in clinical translation. Polylactic acid (PLA) coatings containing different concentrations of copper ions were prepared on Ti discs. The antibacterial activity and biocompatibility of the copper ion-incorporated Ti implants were evaluated using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and animal models. In vitro, the coatings produced burst release of Cu2+ in 12 h, and inhibited S. aureus growth in a dose-dependent manner. The coatings prepared from PLA solutions containing 0.5 or 1.0 mg/mL reduced the viability and osteogenic differentiation of BMSCs, but these effects were negated after the coatings were immersed in culture medium for 6 h. Four weeks after implantation, the Cu-free K-wires challenged with S. aureus had persistent infection and inferior fracture healing to the other three groups, while Cu-coated wires had no evidence of infection. Furthermore, the Cu-coated wires placed in rabbits without S. aureus challenge showed superior fracture healing to the other three groups. These results suggest that PLA coatings containing Cu2+ may be an effective design for reducing IRI without adversely affecting adjacent bone healing.

The prevalence of end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) is rapidly increasing and mostly occurring in patients aged 65 years or older. The main cause of death in these patients is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Novel markers of vascular integrity may thus be of clinical value for identifying patients at high risk for CVD. Here we associated the levels of selected circulating angiogenic miRNAs, angiopoietin-2 (Ang-2) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) with cardiovascular structure and function (as determined by cardiovascular MRI) in 67 older patients reaching ESKD that were included from ‘The Cognitive decline in Older Patients with End stage renal disease’ (COPE) prospective, multicentered cohort study. We first determined the association between the vascular injury markers and specific heart conditions and observed that ESKD patients with coronary heart disease have significantly higher levels of circulating ADMA and miR-27a. Moreover, circulating levels of miR-27a were higher in patients with atrial fibrillation. In addition, the circulating levels of the vascular injury markers were associated with measures of cardiovascular structure and function obtained from cardiovascular MRI: pulse wave velocity (PWV), ejection fraction (EF) and cardiac index (CI). We found Ang-2 and miR-27a to be strongly correlated to the PWV, while Ang-2 also associated with ejection fraction. Finally, we observed that in contrast to miR-27a, Ang-2 was not associated with a vascular cause of the primary kidney disease, suggesting Ang-2 may be an ESKD-specific marker of vascular injury. Taken together, among older patients with ESKD, aberrant levels of vascular injury markers (miR-27a, Ang-2 and ADMA) associated with impaired cardiovascular function. These markers may serve to identify individuals at higher risk of CVD, as well as give insight into the underlying (vascular) pathophysiology.

Polarization imaging technique (PIT) based on a backward scattering 3 x 3 Mueller matrix polarization imaging experimental setup is able to study the optical information and microstructure of glioma and non-glioblastoma tissues from clinical treatment. However, the image contrast of Mueller Matrix Elements (MME) is far from sufficient to provide supplemental information in the clinic, especially in off-diagonal MME. The aim of this work is to propose an innovative method to improve the contrast and quality of PIT images of glioma and non-glioma tissues. The work first confirms the robustness of the method by evaluating the enhanced images and assessment coefficients on ex vivo unstained glioma and non-glioma sample bulks, then the optimal enhancement results are tested and presented based on the multi-sample tests. This PIT image enhancement method can greatly improve the contrast and detailed texture information of MMEs images, which can provide more useful clinical information, and further be used to identify glioma and residues in the intraoperative environment with PIT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]