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Several countries around the world are facing the issue of freshwater availability, where agriculture is highly dependent on irrigation, consuming 70% of this vital resource. Water availability is the most limiting factor for the crop production sector and one of the main regulators of the spatial distribution of plants. It is noted that in recent years, the methods of irrigation water application have been improved. Currently, research is directed towards irrigation strategies that reduce water applications. A partial root drying (PRD) technique involves irrigating one-half of the root zone while leaving the other half in relatively dry soil. This method is used in the production of various crops, such as potatoes and cotton. However, the mechanism of PRD, including the physiological and molecular biological processes involved, is not fully understood. In this study, tomato plants were treated with PRD and nitrogen (N) top-dressing. The results showed that PRD could significantly increase the fruit yield, photosynthetic activities, nitrate reductase activity, and fruit quality in the tomato plants, and PRD could also promote the concentrations of oxygen species (O 2 - ), malondialdehyde (MDA) and proline contents, and activities of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, PRD could enhance stress resistance by increasing disease resistance and NP1 and DRED3 antioxidant enzyme activity. Tomato plants treated with PRD compared to the control showed high photosynthetic activity, high yield, better quality of production, and low leaf blight incidence. Overall, the results indicate that PRD is a feasible approach that could be effectively utilized in tomato fields to improve plant growth and production compared with the control.

The deep-sea ecosystem, a less-contaminated reservoir of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs), has evolved antibiotic resistance for microbes to survive and utilize scarce resources. Research on the diversity and distribution of these genes in deep-sea environments is limited. Our metagenomics study employed short-read-based (SRB) and assembled-contig-based (ACB) methods to identify ARGs in deep-sea waters and sediments and assess their potential pathogenicity. SRB prediction was found to be more effective for studying the abundance and diversity of these genes, while combining both methods better illustrated the relationship of ARGs with the hosts. Deep-sea waters (DSW) and trenches had the highest diversity of ARGs, including β-lactams, multidrug resistance genes, and rifamycins. Mobile genetic elements, such as IncQ and RP4 plasmids, were also identified. The ratio of nonsynonymous to synonymous substitutions (pN/pS) values of these genes suggest different evolutionary strategies in response to deep-sea conditions and possible human impacts. These resistome profiles provide valuable insights into their natural origins as well as the ecological and evolutionary implications of antibiotic resistance in deep-sea ecosystems. The exploration of the global distribution of ARGs in diverse deep-sea environments is a novel approach that will assist in understanding their potential reservoirs and evolutionary mechanisms. Therefore, employing a comprehensive approach to studying ARGs is particularly necessary. Unique microbial life in deep-sea ecosystems, especially in deep-sea cold seeps sediments (DSCSS), deep-sea waters (DSW), and trench waters (TW), could be a valuable source of new antibiotics and resistance discovery.

Ultrahigh-dose-rate therapy, also known as FLASH radiotherapy (RT), is an emerging technique that is garnering significant interest in cancer treatment due to its potential to revolutionize therapy. This method can achieve comparable tumor control to conventional-dose-rate RT while offering the enhanced protection of normal tissue through the FLASH-sparing effect. This innovative technique has demonstrated promising results in preclinical studies involving animals and cell lines. Particularly noteworthy is its potential application in treating head and neck (HN) cancers, especially in patients with challenging recurrent tumors and reirradiation cases, where the toxicity rates with conventional radiotherapy are high. Such applications aim to enhance tumor control while minimizing side effects and preserving patients' quality of life. In comparison to electron or photon FLASH modalities, proton therapy has demonstrated superior dosimetric and delivery characteristics and is a safe and effective FLASH treatment for human malignancies. Compared to the transmission proton FLASH, single-energy Bragg peak FLASH is a novel delivery method that allows highly conformal doses to targets and minimal radiation doses to crucial OARs. Proton Bragg peak FLASH for HN cancer has still not been well studied. This review highlights the significance of proton FLASH in enhancing cancer therapy by examining the advantages and challenges of using it for HN cancer reirradiation.

Gene delivery therapy has emerged as a popular approach for the treatment of various diseases. However, it still poses the challenges of accumulation in target sites and reducing off-target effects. Aerosol gene delivery for the treatment of pulmonary diseases has the advantages of high lung accumulation, specific targeting and fewer systemic side effects. However, the key challenge is selecting the appropriate formulation for aerosol gene delivery that can overcome physiological barriers. There are numerous existing gene carriers under study, including viral vectors and non-viral vectors. With the development of biomaterials, more biocompatible substances have applied gene delivery via inhalation. Furthermore, many types of genes can be delivered through aerosol inhalation, such as DNA, mRNA, siRNA and CRISPR/Cas9. Aerosol delivery of different types of genes has proven to be efficient in the treatment of many diseases such as SARS-CoV-2, cystic fibrosis and lung cancer. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive review of the ongoing research on aerosol gene delivery therapy, including the basic respiratory system, different types of gene carriers, different types of carried genes and clinical applications.

Extracting moso bamboo parameters from single-source point cloud data has limitations. In this article, a new approach for extracting moso bamboo parameters using airborne laser scanning (ALS) and terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) point cloud data is proposed. Using the field-surveyed coordinates of plot corner points and the Iterative Closest Point (ICP) algorithm, the ALS and TLS point clouds were aligned. Considering the difference in point distribution of ALS, TLS, and the merged point cloud, individual bamboo plants were segmented from the ALS point cloud using the point cloud segmentation (PCS) algorithm, and individual bamboo plants were segmented from the TLS and the merged point cloud using the comparative shortest-path (CSP) method. The cylinder fitting method was used to estimate the diameter at breast height (DBH) of the segmented bamboo plants. The accuracy was calculated by comparing the bamboo parameter values extracted by the above methods with reference data in three sample plots. The comparison results showed that by using the merged data, the detection rate of moso bamboo plants could reach up to 97.30%; the R 2 of the estimated bamboo height was increased to above 0.96, and the root mean square error (RMSE) decreased from 1.14 m at most to a range of 0.35-0.48 m, while the R 2 of the DBH fit was increased to a range of 0.97-0.99, and the RMSE decreased from 0.004 m at most to a range of 0.001-0.003 m. The accuracy of moso bamboo parameter extraction was significantly improved by using the merged point cloud data.

Automotive radar is one of the key sensors for intelligent driving. Radar image sequences contain abundant spatial and temporal information, enabling target classification. For existing radar spatiotemporal classifiers, multi-view radar images are usually employed to enhance the information of the target and 3D convolution is employed for spatiotemporal feature extraction. These models consume significant hardware resources and are not applicable to real-time applications. In this paper, RadarTCN, a novel lightweight network, is proposed that achieves high-accuracy online target classification using single-view radar image sequences only. In RadarTCN, 2D convolution and 3D-TCN are employed to extract spatiotemporal features sequentially. To reduce data dimensionality and computational complexity, a multi-layer max pooling down-sampling method is designed in a 2D convolution module. Meanwhile, the 3D-TCN module is improved through residual pruning and causal convolution is introduced for leveraging the performance of online target classification. The experimental results demonstrate that RadarTCN can achieve high-precision online target recognition for both range-angle and range-Doppler map sequences. Compared to the reference models on the CARRADA dataset, RadarTCN exhibits better classification performance, with fewer parameters and lower computational complexity.

As the use of antibiotics increases, the increasing resistance of bacteria is the main reason for the reduced efficiency of antibacterial drugs, making the research of new antibacterial materials become new hot spot. In this article, two novel coordination polymers (CPs), namely, [Cd 2 (L) 2 (bibp) 2 ] n (1) and [Ni(L)(bib)] n (2), where H 2 L = N , N '-bis(4-carbozvlbenzvl)-4-aminotoluene, bibp = 4,4'-bis(imidazol-1-yl)biphenyl, and bib = 1,3-bis(1-imidazoly)benzene, have been synthesized under solvothermal and hydrothermal condition. Structural clarification was performed through infrared spectrum and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis, while thermal analysis and XRD technology were used for the performance assessment of compounds 1 and 2 . In addition, antibacterial performance experiments showed that compounds 1 and 2 have certain selectivity in their antibacterial properties and have good antibacterial properties against S. aureus . As the concentration of the compound increases, the inhibitory effect gradually strengthens, and when the concentration of the compound reaches 500 μg/mL and 400 μg/mL, the concentration of the S. aureus solution no longer increases and has been completely inhibited.

Bismuth telluride (Bi 2 Te 3 )-based alloys have been extensively employed in energy harvesting and refrigeration applications for decades. However, commercially produced Bi 2 Te 3 -based alloys using the zone-melting (ZM) technique often encounter challenges such as insufficient mechanical properties and susceptibility to cracking, particularly in n-type Bi 2 Te 3 -based alloys, which severely limit the application scenarios for bismuth telluride devices. In this work, we seek to enhance the mechanical properties of n-type Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 alloys while preserving their thermoelectrical performance by a mixed mechanism of grain refinement and the TiN composite phase-introduced pinning effect. These nanoscale processes, coupled with the addition of TiN, result in a reduction in grain size. The pinning effects of nano-TiN contribute to increased resistance to crack propagation. Finally, the TiN-dispersed Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 samples demonstrate increased hardness, bending strength and compressive strength, reaching 0.98 GPa, 36.3 MPa and 74 MPa. When compared to the ZM ingots, those represent increments of 181%, 60% and 67%, respectively. Moreover, the thermoelectric performance of the TiN-dispersed Bi 2 Te 2.7 Se 0.3 samples is identical to the ZM ingots. The samples exhibit a peak dimensionless figure of merit ( ZT ) value of 0.957 at 375 K, with an average ZT value of 0.89 within the 325-450 K temperature range. This work has significantly enhanced mechanical properties, increasing the adaptability and reliability of bismuth telluride devices for various applications, and the multi-effect modulation of mechanical properties demonstrated in this study can be applied to other thermoelectric material systems.

Inhibiting the activity of intestinal α-glucosidase is considered an effective approach for treating type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In this study, we employed an in vitro enzymatic synthesis approach to synthesize four derivatives of natural products (NPs) for the discovery of therapeutic drugs for T2DM. Network pharmacology analysis revealed that the betulinic acid derivative P3 exerted its effects in the treatment of T2DM through multiple targets. Neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction and the calcium signaling pathway were identified as key signaling pathways involved in the therapeutic action of compound P3 in T2DM. The results of molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and binding free energy calculations indicate that compound P3 exhibits a more stable binding interaction and lower binding energy (-41.237 kcal/mol) with α-glucosidase compared to acarbose. In addition, compound P3 demonstrates excellent characteristics in various pharmacokinetic prediction models. Therefore, P3 holds promise as a lead compound for the development of drugs for T2DM and warrants further exploration. Finally, we performed site-directed mutagenesis to achieve targeted synthesis of betulinic acid derivative. This work demonstrates a practical strategy of discovering novel anti-hyperglycemic drugs from derivatives of NPs synthesized through in vitro enzymatic synthesis technology, providing potential insights into compound P3 as a lead compound for anti-hyperglycemic drug development.

To investigate the void mesostructure in porous asphalt mixtures (PA), computed tomography (CT) and Avizo were utilized to scan and reconstruct the three-dimensional (3D) void model of PA-16 specimens. The void mesostructure of the specimen was quantitatively characterized through the anisotropy evaluation index. The equivalent pore network model (PNM) was extracted using the medial axis method. Based on the PNM model, the topological structure of the specimen and the morphological characteristics of the connected pores were analyzed. The results showed that the void anisotropy evaluation method can reflect the microscopic morphology of voids in porous asphalt mixtures. The cross-sectional porosity of representative elementary volume (REV) is mainly distributed between 20% and 25%, and about 90% of the macropores have a diameter between 0.5 mm and 3 mm. The distribution of cross-sectional porosity is uneven along the REV height direction. As the smallest cross-section of the seepage path, the equivalent radius of the throat is mainly between 0.1 mm and 1.5 mm, which is much smaller than the equivalent radius of the pore. The topological structure of pores is quite different, and their coordination numbers are mainly concentrated within 18. The pores with coordination numbers 1 to 10 constitute the main body of the pores inside REV, accounting for over 98% of the total number of pores. In addition, the permeability calculation results show that there is a significant difference in the permeability of each axis of REV compared to the total permeability of the superpave gyratory compactor (SGC) specimen, which illustrates that the permeability distribution presents an obvious spatial anisotropy. This study effectively reveals the heterogeneity of the 3D void morphology of porous asphalt mixtures, and it provides a reference for a better understanding of the void flow rules in drainage pavements.

Aim: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is associated with a poor prognosis, presenting the most aggressive form of interstitial lung diseases (ILDs). Activated fibroblasts are crucial for pathological processes. Fibroblast activation protein (FAP) inhibitor (FAPI) tracers would be promising imaging agents for these diseases. The purpose of this study was to evaluate a 99m Tc-labeled FAPI tracer, 99m Tc-HFAPI imaging in IPF patients., Methods: Eleven IPF patients (nine males and two females; age range 55-75 year) were included in this pilot study. 99m Tc-HFAPI serial whole-body scintigraphy at 5 min, 20 min, 40 min, 1 h, 2 h, 3 h, 4 h, and 6 h was acquired for dynamic biodistribution and dosimetry estimation in seven representative patients. SPECT/CT tomography fusion imaging of the chest region was performed in all patients at 4 h post-injection, which was considered as the optimal acquisition time. Dosimetry was calculated using OLINDA/EXM software (version 2.0; HERMES Medical Solutions). The quantified or semi-quantified standardized uptake values (SUVs) and lesion-to-background ratios (LBRs) of affected lung parenchyma were also calculated. The high-resolution CT (HRCT) stage was determined with visual evaluation, and the total HRCT score of each patient was measured using a weighting factor formula. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) were recorded as well. Then, the relationships between the 99m Tc-HFAPI results, disease extent on HRCT, and PFT results were investigated., Results: Normal physiological uptake of 99m Tc-HFAPI was observed mainly in the liver, intestinal tract, pancreas, gallbladder, and to a lesser extent in the spleen, kidneys, and thyroid, with no apparent retention in the blood circulation at the late time point. The mean injected activity of 99m Tc-HFAPI was 813.4 MBq (range 695.6-888.0 MBq). No subjective side effects were noticed. The average whole-body effective dose was 0.0041 mSv/MBq per patient. IPF patients exhibited elevated pulmonary 99m Tc-HFAPI uptake in abnormal lung regions, which was correlated with fibrotic regions on HRCT. Among different HRCT stage groups, both SUV max and LBR showed significant differences ( p < 0.001). The higher HRCT stage demonstrated significantly higher SUV max and LBR. A linear correlation between 99m Tc-HFAPI uptake and total HRCT score was observed for SUV max (r = 0.7839, F = 54.41, p = 0.0094) and LBR (r = 0.7402, F = 56.33, p = 0.0092). 99m Tc-HFAPI uptake also had moderate correlations with PFT results., Conclusions: Our preliminary data show that the 99m Tc-HFAPI SPECT imaging is a promising new imaging modality in IPF patients. Investigations of its clinical value in monitoring disease progression and treatment response are needed in the future.

In this paper, the reported MOF ([Co(bimip)(H 2 O) 0.5 ]·0.5H 2 O) was employed in photocatalytic CO 2 reduction, antibacterial, and dye adsorption experiments. The photocatalytic activity of the MOF for CO 2 reduction was systematically investigated. The high average CO generation rate of 3421.59 μmol·g -1 ·h -1 after 12 h confirms the efficient photocatalytic CO 2 reduction ability of the MOF. At the same time, the MOF can completely inhibit the growth of S. aureus and C. albicans within 24 h when its concentration reaches 400 μg/mL and 500 μg/mL, respectively. The MOF has an adsorption capacity for CR. The adsorption rate was 83.42% at 60 min, and the adsorption capacity of the MOF for CR reached 500.00 mg·g -1 .

Two-dimensional (2D) ice I is atomic-level ice that is composed of two interlocked atomic layers saturated with hydrogen bonds. It has recently been experimentally observed, but its properties have yet to be clarified. Accordingly, we theoretically studied the hydrophobic properties of 2D ice I. On the contrary, a simulation of a hydrogen fluoride molecule on a 2D ice surface manifested that it destroyed the 2D ice structure and connected new hydrogen bonds with water molecules. Investigations of the interfacial effect between 2D and three-dimensional (3D) ice films indicated that the network structure of 2D ice was not destroyed by a 3D ice surface, as the former was saturated with hydrogen bonds. However, the surface of 3D ice reorganized to form as many hydrogen bonds as possible. Thus, the 2D ice film was hydrophobic and inhibited the growth of 3D ice. This shows that if 2D ice can be produced on an industrial scale, it can be used as an anti-3D-icing agent under low temperatures.

In this paper, a known mixed-ligand MOF {[Co 2 (TZMB) 2 (1,4-bib) 0.5 (H 2 O) 2 ]·(H 2 O) 2 } n (compound 1 ) was reproduced, and its potential application potential was explored. It was found that compound 1 had high photocatalytic activity for CO 2 reduction. After 12 h of illumination, the formation rate of CO, which is the product of CO 2 reduction by compound 1 , reached 3012.5 μmol/g/h. At the same time, compound 1 has a good antibacterial effect on Staphylococcus aureus ( S. aureus ), Escherichia coli ( E. coli ) and Candida albicans ( C. albicans ), which has potential research value in the medical field. In addition, compound 1 can effectively remove Congo Red from aqueous solutions and achieve the separation of Congo red from mixed dye solutions.

Carbonate geomaterial samples were tested for uniaxial compressive strength and tensile strength under air-dried and distilled-water-wet conditions. When tested for uniaxial compression, samples saturated with distilled water showed 20% lower average strength than that of air-dried samples. In the indirect tensile (Brazilian) test, samples saturated with distilled water showed 25% lower average strength than that of dry samples. In comparison with air-dried conditions, when the geomaterial is saturated with water, the ratio of the tensile strength to the compressive strength is decreased, mainly due to the decrease in the tensile strength caused by the Rehbinder effect.

Tumor progression and cancer metastasis has been linked to the release of microparticles (MPs), which are shed upon cell activation or apoptosis and display parental cell antigens, phospholipids such as phosphatidylserine (PS), and nucleic acids on their external surfaces. In this review, we highlight the biogenesis of MPs as well as the pathophysiological processes of PS externalization and its involvement in coagulation activation. We review the available evidence, suggesting that coagulation factors (mainly tissue factor, thrombin, and fibrin) assist in multiple steps of tumor dissemination, including epithelial-mesenchymal transition, extracellular matrix remodeling, immune escape, and tumor angiogenesis to support the formation of the pre-metastatic niche. Platelets are not just bystander cells in circulation but are functional players in primary tumor growth and metastasis. Tumor-induced platelet aggregation protects circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood flow shear forces and immune cell attack while also promoting the binding of CTCs to endothelial cells and extravasation, which activates tumor invasion and sustains metastasis. Finally, in terms of therapy, lactadherin can inhibit coagulation by competing effectively with coagulation factors for PS binding sites and may similarly delay tumor progression. Furthermore, we also investigate the therapeutic potential of coagulation factor inhibitors within the context of cancer treatment. The development of multiple therapies targeting platelet activation and platelet-tumor cell interactions may not only reduce the lethal consequences of thrombosis but also impede tumor growth and spread.

Studies on the association between maternal dietary diversity and birth weight in offspring are limited, and the impact of such an adjustable factor on birth weight requires investigation to promote neonatal health. This study used data from a larger-scale population-based survey conducted in northwest China to evaluate the association of maternal dietary diversity with neonatal birth weight with a generalized estimating equation model. The results found that maternal dietary diversity was positively associated with neonate birth weight. Furthermore, a higher minimum dietary diversity for women (MDD-W) score during pregnancy was related to a lower risk of low birth weight (LBW) in offspring. The mothers with the highest MDD-W score had a 38% (OR = 0.62, 95% CI: 0.43-0.89) lower risk of LBW than those with the lowest score. Similarly, the mothers with the highest animal-based food dietary diversity score (DDS) had 39% (OR = 0.61, 95% CI: 0.38-0.98) lower risk of LBW in offspring compared with those with the lowest animal-based food DDS. Moreover, the ratio of animal-based food DDS to non-animal-based food DDS could play an important role in predicting neonate birth weight. In conclusion, increasing maternal dietary diversity would improve birth weight in offspring, especially by increasing the intake of animal-based foods among the Chinese population.

Isoliquiritigenin (ILQ) is a natural flavonoid with various pharmacological activities. In this study, we optimized the preparation method of self-nano-emulsion-loaded ILQ to further improve its bioavailability based on our previous study. In addition, its effect on the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis was also evaluated. Combined surfactants and co-surfactants were screened, and the optimal formulation of ILQ-SNEDDS was determined according to droplet size, droplet dispersity index (DDI), and drug loading. The formulation was composed of ethyl oleate (oil phase), Tween 80 & Cremophor EL (surfactant, 7:3), and PEG 400 & 1,2-propylene glycol (cosurfactant, 1:1), with a mass ratio of 3:6:1. Its physicochemical properties, including drug loading, droplets' size, Zeta potential, appearance, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, were characterized. In vitro release profile, in situ intestinal absorption, and in vivo pharmacokinetics were applied to confirm the improvement of oral ILQ bioavailability by NEDDS. Finally, the efficacy of ILQ-SNEDDS in the treatment of food allergy-induced eosinophilic esophagitis (EOE) was further evaluated. When the ILQ drug loading was 77.9 mg/g, ILQ-SNEDDS could self-assemble into sub-spherical uniform droplets with an average size of about 33.4 ± 2.46 nm (PDI about 0.10 ± 0.05) and a Zeta potential of approximately -10.05 ± 3.23 mV. In situ intestinal absorption showed that optimized SNEDDS significantly increased the apparent permeability coefficient of ILQ by 1.69 times, and the pharmacokinetic parameters also confirmed that SNEDDS sharply increased the max plasma concentration and bioavailability of ILQ by 3.47 and 2.02 times, respectively. ILQ-SNEDDS also significantly improved the apparent signs, allergic index, hypothermia and body weight of EoE model mice. ILQ-SNEDDS treatment significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-α, IL-4, and IL-5, and the level of PPE-s-IgE in serum, and significantly inhibited the expression of TGF-β1 in esophageal tissue. SNEDDS significantly improved the solubility and bioavailability of ILQ. Additionally, ILQ-SNEDDS treatment attenuated symptomatology of EoE model mice, which was associated with inhibiting the production of T H 2 inflammatory cytokines and PPE-s-IgE and the expression of TGF-β1. The above results shows that ILQ-SNEDDS has great potential as a good candidate for the treatment of eosinophilic esophagitis.

The use of waste tires to prepare rubberized asphalt has been a hot trend in recent years, and the characteristics of adhesion between rubberized asphalt and aggregates are important factors affecting the performance of asphalt pavement. However, there is a lack of uniform results on the adhesion characteristics of rubberized asphalt. Therefore, crumb-rubber-modified asphalt (CRMA) with 15%, 20%, and 25% rubber contents was prepared in this work, and the basic rheological parameters and cohesive energy of the rubberized asphalt were characterized by DSR. The adhesion properties between rubberized asphalt and aggregates were characterized based on macroscopic binder bond strength (BBS), surface free energy (SFE) theory, and nanoscale atomic force microscopy (AFM) tests. The results show that crumb rubber (CR) can improve the high-temperature elastic properties of asphalt; secondly, CR can have a negative impact on the maximum tensile strength of asphalt and aggregates. CR can improve the SFE parameter of asphalt. The work of adhesion of rubberized asphalt and limestone is the highest, followed by basalt and, finally, granite. Finally, CR can cause the catanaphase in asphalt to gradually break down and become smaller, and the adhesion of rubberized asphalt can be reduced. Overall, CR can reduce the adhesion performance of asphalt, and this work provides a reference for the application of rubberized asphalt.

The use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) materials in asphalt concrete pavements (ACP) brings significant cost and environmental benefits. In practice, however, the amount of RAP readily available far exceeds the amount being utilized in ACPs, which still leaves the problem of excess RAP in the environment partially solved. Additionally, ACPs containing RAP materials (i.e., RAP-ACPs) can still be landfilled after they have reached the end of their useful life, which may restore the original environmental waste problem. To address these, researchers have demonstrated different ways to maximize the application of RAP in ACPs. Among them, the use of RAP in pavement preventive maintenance (PPM) treatments and the repeated recycling of RAP-ACPs (i.e., R n AP) are specifically discussed in this review. It is envisaged that, by promoting these two practices, the application and benefits of RAP can be further maximized to improve sustainability. This review also discusses the long-term behavior of RAP-ACP, which is crucial to inspire confidence in the wider application of RAP in ACP. Studies on RAP-PPM have shown that virgin PPM treatments can successfully accommodate RAP materials by adjusting their mix design. So far, research on R n AP has been limited to how multiple-recycling affects the performance properties of the blends, showing improvements in rutting resistance and moisture susceptibility but little effect on linear viscoelasticity and cracking. Overall, the lack of sufficient research is considered to be the biggest challenge in facilitating the implementation of these two sustainable RAP technologies. Little or nothing is known about the bonding mechanisms between RAP and fresh PPM binders, the molecular and chemical changes in R n AP binders, or the functional performance characteristics, actual pavement performance, and long-term performance of both RAP-PPM and R n AP blends. An understanding of these aspects is very relevant to maximize and continue the beneficial reuse of RAP in ACPs while safeguarding human and environmental health.

A dual-band metasurface array is presented in this paper for electromagnetic (EM) energy harvesting in the Wi-Fi band and Ku band. The array consists of metasurface unit cells, rectifiers, and load resistors. The metasurface units within each column are interconnected to establish two channels of energy delivery, enabling the transmission and aggregation of incident power. At the terminals of two channels, a single series diode rectifier and a voltage doubler rectifier are integrated into them to rectify the energy in the Wi-Fi band and the Ku band, respectively. A 7 × 7 prototype of the metasurface array is fabricated and tested. The measured results in the anechoic chamber show that the RF-to-dc efficiencies of the prototype at 2.4 GHz and 12.6 GHz reach 64% and 55% accordingly, when the available incident power at the surface is 3 dBm and 14 dBm, respectively.

As the most common neuro-epithelial tumors of the central nervous system in adults, gliomas are highly malignant and easy to recurrence, with a dismal prognosis. Imaging studies are indispensable for tracking tumor progression (TP) or treatment-related changes (TRCs). During follow-up, distinguishing TRCs from TP in treated patients with gliomas remains challenging as both share similar clinical symptoms and morphological imaging characteristics (with new and/or increasing enhancing mass lesions) and fulfill criteria for progression. Thus, the early identification of TP and TRCs is of great significance for determining the prognosis and treatment. Histopathological biopsy is currently the gold standard for TP and TRC diagnosis. However, the invasive nature of this technique limits its clinical application. Advanced imaging methods (e.g., diffusion magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), perfusion MRI, magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS), positron emission tomography (PET), amide proton transfer (APT) and artificial intelligence (AI)) provide a non-invasive and feasible technical means for identifying of TP and TRCs at an early stage, which have recently become research hotspots. This paper reviews the current research on using the abovementioned advanced imaging methods to identify TP and TRCs of gliomas. First, the review focuses on the pathological changes of the two entities to establish a theoretical basis for imaging identification. Then, it elaborates on the application of different imaging techniques and AI in identifying the two entities. Finally, the current challenges and future prospects of these techniques and methods are discussed.

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic has hindered the achievement of the global Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Pro-environmental behaviour contributes to the achievement of the SDGs, and UNESCO considers college students as major contributors. There is a scarcity of research on college student pro-environmental behaviour and even less on the use of decision trees to predict pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the validity of applying a modified C5.0 decision-tree model to predict college student pro-environmental behaviour and to determine which variables can be used as predictors of such behaviour. To address these questions, 334 university students in Guangdong Province, China, completed a questionnaire that consisted of seven parts: the Perceived Behavioural Control Scale, the Social Identity Scale, the Innovative Behaviour Scale, the Sense of Place Scale, the Subjective Norms Scale, the Environmental Activism Scale, and the willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner scale. A modified C5.0 decision-tree model was also used to make predictions. The results showed that the main predictor variables for pro-environmental behaviour were willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner, innovative behaviour, and perceived behavioural control. The importance of willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner was 0.1562, the importance of innovative behaviour was 0.1404, and the perceived behavioural control was 0.1322. Secondly, there are 63.88% of those with high pro-environmental behaviour. Therefore, we conclude that the decision tree model is valid in predicting the pro-environmental behaviour of college student. The predictor variables for pro-environmental behaviour were, in order of importance: Willingness to behave in an environmentally responsible manner, Environmental Activism, Subjective Norms, Sense of Place, Innovative Behaviour, Social Identity, and Perceived Behavioural Control. This study establishes a link between machine learning and pro-environmental behaviour and broadens understanding of pro-environmental behaviour. It provides a research support with improving people's sustainable development philosophy and behaviour.

Nitric oxide (NO) is a widely distributed gaseous signaling molecule in plants that can be synthesized through enzymatic and non-enzymatic pathways and plays an important role in plant growth and development, signal transduction, and response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal pollutant widely found in the environment, which not only inhibits plant growth but also enters humans through the food chain and endangers human health. To reduce or avoid the adverse effects of Cd stress, plants have evolved a range of coping mechanisms. Many studies have shown that NO is also involved in the plant response to Cd stress and plays an important role in regulating the resistance of plants to Cd stress. However, until now, the mechanisms by which Cd stress regulates the level of endogenous NO accumulation in plant cells remained unclear, and the role of exogenous NO in plant responses to Cd stress is controversial. This review describes the pathways of NO production in plants, the changes in endogenous NO levels in plants under Cd stress, and the effects of exogenous NO on regulating plant resistance to Cd stress.

Freeze-thaw cycle is one of the main distresses of asphalt pavement, and the law of freeze-thaw damage has always been an important topic. In this paper, X-ray computed tomography (CT) of asphalt mixture before and after freezing and thawing was carried out, and its two-dimensional (2D) digital image was recognized. Firstly, the eigenvalues of internal voids of asphalt mixture are extracted. Then the distribution of internal voids was analyzed. Finally, the evolution law of internal voids was summarized. The research results show that the characteristic mean value of the 9th cycle is the irreversible limit of freeze-thaw damage, and the non-resilience after the large void area increases is the fundamental reason for the accumulation of freeze-thaw damage. The source of void damage shifts from large voids to small voids, and the middle-stage is a critical stage of freeze-thaw damage. This work quantitatively evaluates the internal freeze-thaw damage process of asphalt mixture, and a morphological theory of the evolution of void damage based on an equivalent ellipse is proposed, which is helpful for better understanding the freezing-thawing damage law of asphalt pavement.

Antler growth depends on the proliferation and differentiation of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and this process may be adversely affected by oxidative stress. Melatonin (MLT) has antioxidant functions, but its role in Cervidae remains largely unknown. In this article, flow cytometry, reactive oxygen species (ROS) identification, qPCR, and other methods were used to investigate the protective mechanism of MLT in H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress of antler MSCs. The results showed that MLT significantly increases cell viability by relieving the oxidative stress of antler MSCs. MLT inhibits cell apoptosis by protecting mitochondrial function. We blocked the melatonin receptor with luzindole (Luz) and found that the receptor blockade significantly increases H 2 O 2 -induced hyperoxide levels and causes significant inhibition of mitochondrial function. MLT treatment activates the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) antioxidant signaling pathway, up-regulates the expression of NAD(P)H quinone oxidoreductase 1 ( NQO1 ) and other genes and it could inhibit apoptosis. In contrast, the melatonin receptor blockade down-regulates the expression of Nrf2 pathway-related genes, but significantly up-regulates the expression of apoptotic genes. It was indicated that MLT activates the Nrf2 pathway through the melatonin receptor and alleviates H 2 O 2 -induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in antler MSCs. This study provides a theoretical basis for further studying the oxidative stress and antioxidant process of antler MSCs and, thereby, increasing antler yields.

Lightweight carbon foams with excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance were prepared by carbonization process, using isocyanate-based polyimide foams as carbon precursors. The influence of carbonization temperature and graphene-doping on the morphological, electrical and EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of corresponding carbon foams was studied in detail. Results showed that the addition of graphene was beneficial to the improvement of electrical conductivity and EMI shielding performance of carbon foams. The electrical conductivity of carbon foams increased with the carbonization temperature which was related to the increase of graphitization degree. Collapse of foam cells was observed at higher carbonization temperatures, which was detrimental to the overall EMI SE. The optimal carbonization temperature was found at 1100 °C and the carbon foams obtained from 0.5 wt% graphene-doped foams exhibited a specific EMI SE of 2886 dB/(g/cm 3 ), which shows potential applications in fields such as aerospace, aeronautics and electronics.

In order to solve the shortcomings of the traditional curing agent in the treatment of composite heavy-metal-contaminated soil with the solidification and stabilization method, a new type of cementing material A was used as a curing agent, and the Pb, Cd, Cu composite heavy-metal-contaminated soil was artificially prepared to carry out an experimental study on solidification and stabilization (SS) restoration by the mechanical properties test, leaching performance test, and microscopic test. The results show that in the range of test dosage, with the increase in the curing agent content, the unconfined compressive strength of the solidified body increased, and the resistance to deformation was enhanced. From the perspective of leaching characteristics, the new curing agent A had an excellent curing effect on the composite heavy-metal-contaminated soil. To achieve safe disposal, a curing agent content of 10% applies only for the soil heavily contaminated by heavy metals. The curing agent A could significantly reduce the content of acid-extractable heavy metals after solidifying the heavy metal Pb, Cd, and Cu composite contaminated soil and effectively converted it into a residue state. The solidified phase contained hydrated products such as calcium silicate hydrate (CSH) and ettringite (AFt). These hydrated products can inhibit the leaching performance of heavy metal ions through adsorption, encapsulation, and ion exchange. The study provides a feasible method and reference for the solidification, restoration, and resource utilization of heavy-metal-contaminated soil in the subgrade.

Verticillium wilt (VW) is a typical fungal disease affecting the yield and quality of cotton. The Trichome Birefringence-Like protein (TBL) is an acetyltransferase involved in the acetylation process of cell wall polysaccharides. Up to now, there are no reports on whether the TBL gene is related to disease resistance in cotton. In this study, we cloned a cotton TBL34 gene located in the confidence interval of a major VW resistance quantitative trait loci and demonstrated its relationship with VW resistance in cotton. Analyzing the sequence variations in resistant and susceptible accessions detected two elite alleles&nbsp; GhTBL34-2 and GhTBL34-3 , mainly presented in resistant cotton lines whose disease index was significantly lower than that of susceptible lines carrying the allele GhTBL34-1 . Comparing the TBL34 protein sequences showed that two amino acid differences in the TBL (PMR5N) domain changed the susceptible allele GhTBL34-1 into the resistant allele GhTBL34-2 (GhTBL34-3). Expression analysis showed that the TBL34 was obviously up-regulated by infection of Verticillium dahliae and exogenous treatment of ethylene (ET), and salicylic acid (SA) and jasmonate (JA) in cotton. VIGS experiments demonstrated that silencing of TBL34 reduced VW resistance in cotton. We deduced that the TBL34 gene mediating acetylation of cell wall polysaccharides might be involved in the regulation of resistance to VW in cotton.

Recently, microbial-based iron reduction has been considered as a viable alternative to typical chemical-based treatments. The iron reduction is an important process in kaolin refining, where iron-bearing impurities in kaolin clay affects the whiteness, refractory properties, and its commercial value. In recent years, Gram-negative bacteria has been in the center stage of iron reduction research, whereas little is known about the potential use of Gram-positive bacteria to refine kaolin clay. In this study, we investigated the ferric reducing capabilities of five microbes by manipulating the microbial growth conditions. Out of the five, we discovered that Bacillus cereus and Staphylococcus aureus outperformed the other microbes under nitrogen-rich media. Through the biochemical changes and the microbial behavior, we mapped the hypothetical pathway leading to the iron reduction cellular properties, and found that the iron reduction properties of these Gram-positive bacteria rely heavily on the media composition. The media composition results in increased basification of the media that is a prerequisite for the cellular reduction of ferric ions. Further, these changes impact the formation of biofilm, suggesting that the cellular interaction for the iron(III)oxide reduction is not solely reliant on the formation of biofilms. This article reveals the potential development of Gram-positive microbes in facilitating the microbial-based removal of metal contaminants from clays or ores. Further studies to elucidate the corresponding pathways would be crucial for the further development of the field.

Low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 (Lrp4) is a critical protein involved in the Agrin-Lrp4-MuSK signaling pathway that drives the clustering of acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) at the neuromuscular junction (NMJ). Many studies have shown that Lrp4 also functions in kidney development, bone formation, nervous system development, etc. However, whether Lrp4 participates in nerve regeneration in mammals remains unknown. Herein, we show that Lrp4 is expressed in SCs and that conditional knockout (cKO) of Lrp4 in SCs promotes peripheral nerve regeneration. In Lrp4 cKO mice, the demyelination of SCs was accelerated, and the proliferation of SCs was increased in the injured nerve. Furthermore, we identified that two myelination-related genes, Krox-20 and Mpz, were downregulated more dramatically in the cKO group than in the control group. Our results elucidate a novel role of Lrp4 in peripheral nerve regeneration and thereby provide a potential therapeutic target for peripheral nerve recovery.

A safe charging algorithm in wireless rechargeable sensor network ensures the charging efficiency and the electromagnetic radiation below the threshold. Compared with the current charging algorithms, the safe charging algorithm is more complicated due to the radiation constraint and the mobility of the chargers. A safe charging algorithm based on multiple mobile chargers is proposed in this paper to charge the sensor nodes with mobile chargers, in order to ensure the premise of radiation safety, multiple mobile chargers can effectively complete the network charging task. Firstly, this algorithm narrows the possible location of the sensor nodes by utilizing the charging time and antenna waveform. Secondly, the performance of non-partition charging algorithm which algorithm allow chargers to charge different sensors sets in a different cycle is evaluated against the one of partition charging which does not allow for charging different ones. The moving distance of the charger node will be reduced by 18%. It not only improves the safety level which is inversely proportional to electromagnetic radiation but also expands the application scope of the wireless sensor nodes.

This study aimed to investigate the influence of negative life events on suicidal ideation in college students and the role of rumination. Using a cluster sampling method, 894 college students were asked to fill out the adolescent life event scale, ruminative response scale, and suicidal ideation scale. The study revealed the following: (1) negative life events, rumination, and suicidal ideation were significantly positively correlated with each other; (2) rumination played a full mediating role in the influence of negative life events on suicidal ideation; and (3) rumination also played a moderating role in the influence of negative life events on suicidal ideation. Under a high level of rumination, negative life events had a significant positive effect on suicidal ideation in college students; however, under a low level of rumination, negative life events did not have a significant effect on suicidal ideation. Rumination played mediating and moderating roles in the relationship between negative life events and suicidal ideation among college students., Competing Interests: All authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

The bonding status between Carbon Fiber Reinforced Polymer (CFRP) and concrete is one of the key issues for the safety of CFPR-reinforced structures, thus it is of great importance to detect the debonding as early as possible. Instead of detecting the debonding which is artificially set at the very beginning, this paper investigates the feasibility of using low-cost piezoceramic sensors to detect and monitor the debonding of CFRP-reinforced concrete beams in situ. For existing debonding detection, a concrete beam reinforced with CFRP sheet was loaded through the three-point bending test till failure to induce debonding between CFRP sheet and the concrete substrate, and piezoceramic sensors were used to detect the existing debonding by analyzing the receiving ultrasonic waves. In addition, the debonding detection results were further compared with and verified by the vision-based strain testing results. For in-situ debonding monitoring, 10 piezoceramic sensors were used as an array to track the wave transmission changes during the loading process of a CFRP-reinforced concrete beam, and the debonding development process was successfully monitored. The test results show that the low-cost piezoceramic sensors are very effective to generate and receive ultrasonic waves, and are capable of detecting the existing debonding and monitoring of the in-situ debonding process as well.

Angular displacement sensor with shared magnetic field has strong environmental adaptability and high measurement accuracy. However, its 3-D structure is multi-pole double-layer structure, using time stepping finite element method (TSFEM) to optimize the structure is time-consuming and uneconomical. Therefore, a magnetic equivalent loop method (MELM) is proposed to simplify the optimal design of sensors. By reasonably setting the node position, the mechanical structure parameters, winding coefficients and input voltage of the sensor are integrated into a mathematical model to calculate of the induced voltage. The calculation results are compared with the simulation results, and a sensor prototype is made to test the optimized effect of the MELM.

Turbine blisk low cycle fatigue (LCF) is affected by various factors such as heat load, structural load, operation parameters and material parameters; it seriously influences the reliability and performance of the blisk and aeroengine. To study the influence of thermal-structural coupling on the reliability of blisk LCF life, the generalized regression extreme neural network (GRENN) method was proposed by integrating the basic thoughts of generalized regression neural network (GRNN) and the extreme response surface method (ERSM). The mathematical model of the developed GRENN method was first established in respect of the LCF life model and the ERSM model. The method and procedure for reliability and sensitivity analysis based on the GRENN model were discussed. Next, the reliability and sensitivity analyses of blisk LCF life were performed utilizing the GRENN method under a thermal-structural interaction by regarding the randomness of gas temperature, rotation speed, material parameters, LCF performance parameters and the minimum fatigue life point of the objective of study. The analytical results reveal that the reliability degree was 0.99848 and the fatigue life is 9419 cycles for blisk LCF life when the allowable value is 6000 cycles so that the blisk has some life margin relative to 4500 cycles in the deterministic analysis. In comparison with ERSM, the computing time and precision of the proposed GRENN under 10,000 simulations is 1.311 s and 99.95%. This is improved by 15.18% in computational efficiency and 1.39% in accuracy, respectively. Moreover, high efficiency and high precision of the developed GRENN become more obvious with the increasing number of simulations. In light of the sensitivity analysis, the fatigue ductility index and temperature are the key factors of determining blisk LCF life because their effect probabilities reach 41% and 26%, respectively. Material density, rotor speed, the fatigue ductility coefficient, the fatigue strength coefficient and the fatigue ductility index are also significant parameters for LCF life. Poisson's ratio and elastic modulus of materials have little effect. The efforts of this paper validate the feasibility and validity of GRENN in the reliability analysis of blisk LCF life and give the influence degrees of various random parameters on blisk LCF life, which are promising to provide useful insights for the probabilistic optimization of turbine blisk LCF life.

The spacing and distribution of lateral roots are critical determinants of plant root system architecture. In addition to providing anchorage, lateral roots explore the soil to acquire water and nutrients. Over the past several decades, we have deepened our understanding of the regulatory mechanisms governing lateral root formation and development. In this review, we summarize these recent advances and provide an overview of how auxin and cytokinin coordinate the regulation of lateral root formation and development.

The melanocortin 4 receptor ( MC4R ) gene is expressed in the appetite-regulating areas of the brain and is engaged in the leptin signaling pathway. Although previous studies have identified variants in the coding region of the sheep MC4R gene showing significant associations with birth weight, weaning weight, and backfat thickness, no such associations have been reported for the promoter region. Besides, the essential promoter region of the sheep MC4R has not been delineated. In this study, to better understand the transcriptional regulation of MC4R and to elucidate the association between regulatory variants and haplotypes with body measurement traits in sheep, we cloned and characterized the MC4R promoter. We found that the minimal promoter of the gene is located within the region -1207/-880 bp upstream of the first exon. Real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) data revealed the mRNA expression of the MC4R gene had a significant difference between sex and age. In the association analysis, eight single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) had a significant association with one or more traits ( p < 0.05); of these, two SNPs were novel. Notably, individuals with haplotype H1H2 (CT-GA-GT-GA-GT-GA-GA-CG) were heavier in body weight than other haplotypes. Altogether, variations in the MC4R gene promoter, most notably haplotype H1H2, may greatly benefit marker-assisted selection in sheep.

Netilmicin (NTM) is one of the first-line drugs for lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) therapy, but its nephrotoxicity and ototoxicity caused by intravenous injection restrict its clinical application. Dry powder inhalation (DPI) is a popular local drug delivery system that is introduced as a solution. Due to the nature of NTM hygroscopicity that hinders its direct use through DPI, in this study, L-leucine (LL) was added into NTM dry powder to reduce its moisture absorption rate and improve its aerosolization performance. NTM DPIs were prepared using spray-drying with different LL proportions. The particle size, density, morphology, crystallinity, water content, hygroscopicity, antibacterial activity, in vitro aerosolization performance, and stability of each formulation were characterized. NTM DPIs were suitable for inhalation and amorphous with a corrugated surface. The analysis indicated that the water content and hygroscopicity were decreased with the addition of LL, whilst the antibacterial activity of NTM was maintained. The optimal formulation ND₂ (NTM:LL = 30:1) showed high fine particle fraction values (85.14 ± 8.97%), which was 2.78-fold those of ND₀ (100% NTM). It was stable after storage at 40 ± 2 °C, 75 ± 5% relative humidity (RH). The additional LL in NTM DPI successfully reduced the hygroscopicity and improved the aerosolization performance. NTM DPIs were proved to be a feasible and desirable approach for the treatment of LRTI.

Aiming at addressing the problem caused by multipath effects in direction of arrival (DOA) estimation for underwater targets, a method based on the active detection on virtual time reversal (ADVTR) Capon algorithm is proposed. Unlike the conventional passive target estimation method ignoring the multipath effects but only considering the direct wave, the proposed method is closer to the actual situation in that the multipath signal propagation model is fully taken into account; in addition, active detection (AD) and virtual time reversal (VTR) processes are added, which use active detection to estimate channels, and virtual time reversal to realize focusing in a computer after the source-receive array (SRA) receives the reflected signal of the target. The combination of the two methods can greatly improve the energy of SRA and the precision of target direction estimation. With the popular acoustic field simulation tool Bellhop, the model proposed in this paper is verified. Compared with the conventional Capon method without time reversal, the simulation results show that the ADVTR Capon estimation method is far better, in terms of resolution and suppressing the sidelobes. It is suitable for the target DOA estimation under low signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) conditions. Further, we also show the ADVTR Capon estimation method works well in a real tank experiment.

For fuel transmission and structural strengthening, small-diameter pipes of nonmagnetic materials are extensively adopted in engineering fields including aerospace, energy, transportation, etc. However, the hostile and corrosive environment leaves them vulnerable to external corrosion which poses a severe threat to structural integrity of pipes. Therefore, it is imperative to nondestructively detect and evaluate the external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In light of this, a capsule-type Electromagnetic Acoustic Transducer (EMAT) for in-situ nondestructive evaluation of nonmagnetic pipes and fast screening of external corrosion is proposed in this paper. A 3D hybrid model for efficient prediction of responses from the proposed transducer to external corrosion is established. Closed-form expressions of field quantities of electromagnetics and EMAT signals are formulated. Simulations based on the hybrid model indicate feasibility of the proposed transducer in detection and evaluation of external corrosion in nonmagnetic pipes. In parallel, experiments with the fabricated transducer have been carried out. Experimental results are supportive of the conclusion drawn from simulations. The investigation via simulations and experiments implies that the proposed capsule-type EMAT is capable of fast screening of external corrosion, which is beneficial to the in-situ nondestructive evaluation of small-diameter nonmagnetic pipes.

Coated conductive structures are widely adopted in such engineering fields as aerospace, nuclear energy, etc. The hostile and corrosive environment leaves in-service coated conductive structures vulnerable to Hidden Material Degradation (HMD) occurring under the protection coating. It is highly demanded that HMD can be non-intrusively assessed using non-destructive evaluation techniques. In light of the advantages of Gradient-field Pulsed Eddy Current technique (GPEC) over other non-destructive evaluation methods in corrosion evaluation, in this paper the GPEC probe for quantitative evaluation of HMD is intensively investigated. Closed-form expressions of GPEC responses to HMD are formulated via analytical modeling. The Lift-off Invariance (LOI) in GPEC signals, which makes the HMD evaluation immune to the variation in thickness of the protection coating, is introduced and analyzed through simulations involving HMD with variable depths and conductivities. A fast inverse method employing magnitude and time of the LOI point in GPEC signals for simultaneously evaluating the conductivity and thickness of HMD region is proposed, and subsequently verified by finite element modeling and experiments. It has been found from the results that along with the proposed inverse method the GPEC probe is applicable to evaluation of HMD in coated conductive structures without much loss in accuracy.

Both the gene expression and activity of water channel protein can control transmembrane water movement. We have reported the overexpression of CaTIP1-1, which caused a decrease in chilling tolerance in transgenic plants by increasing the size of the stomatal pore. CaTIP1-1 expression was strongly induced by salt and mannitol stresses in pepper (Capsicum annuum). However, its biochemical and physiological functions are still unknown in transgenic tobacco. In this study, transient expression of CaTIP1-1-GFP in tobacco suspension cells revealed that the protein was localized in the tonoplast. CaTIP1-1 overexpressed in radicle exhibited vigorous growth under high salt and mannitol treatments more than wild-type plants. The overexpression of CaTIP1-1 pepper gene in tobacco enhanced the antioxidant enzyme activities and increased transcription levels of reactive oxygen species-related gene expression under osmotic stresses. Moreover, the viability of transgenic tobacco cells was higher than the wild-type after exposure to stress. The pepper plants with silenced CaTIP1-1 in P70 decreased tolerance to salt and osmotic stresses using the detached leaf method. We concluded that the CaTIP1-1 gene plays an important role in response to osmotic stresses in tobacco.

The extraction optimization and composition analysis of polyphenols in the fresh pulp of Wuweizi (Schisandra chinensis) have been investigated in this study. The extraction process of polyphenols from Wuweizi pulp was optimized using Random-Centroid Optimization (RCO) methodology. Six factors including liquid and solid ratio, ethanol concentration, pH, temperature, heating time and extraction times, and three extraction targets of polyphenol content, antioxidant activity and extract yield were considered in the RCO program. Three sets of optimum proposed factor values were obtained corresponding to three extraction targets respectively. The set of optimum proposed factor values for polyphenol extraction given was chosen in further experiments as following: liquid and solid ratio (v/w) 8, ethanol 67.3% (v/v), initial pH 1.75, temperature 55 °C for 4 h and extraction repeated for 4 times. The Wuweizi polyphenol extract (WPE) was obtained with a yield of 16.37 mg/g and composition of polyphenols 1.847 mg/g, anthocyanins 0.179 mg/g, sugar 9.573 mg/g and protein 0.327 mg/g. The WPE demonstrated high scavenging activities against DPPH radicals.