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Roses (Rosa spp.) are widely used as ornamental plants and cut flowers and in perfumes and cosmetics; therefore, they have extremely high ornamental and economic value. Improving ornamental qualities (color, aroma, flower shape, plant architecture, petal senescence), agronomic traits (disease resistance, stress tolerance), and other traits would add value to cultivated roses. However, the lack of an efficient genetic transformation system limits functional genetic studies of roses. Therefore, we aimed to develop a simple, high-throughput Agrobacterium rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation system to analyze gene function in rose. We explored the factors affecting the induction and transformation of hairy root cultures in rose by screening different types of explants, Rosa genotypes, Agrobacterium strains, media, and infection and co-cultivation times for genetic transformation under aseptic conditions. We established an A. rhizogenes-mediated hairy root transformation system in rose using A. rhizogenes strains MSU440 and Ar Qual, successfully obtained transgenic hairy roots, and conducted preliminary experiments to examine their regeneration by employing the ultraviolet light (UV)-visible reporter eYGFPuv as a marker. Finally, we established a simple hairy root transformation process under non-aseptic conditions. The rapid and efficient transformation system developed here will enable efforts to investigate gene function in roses and engineer improved rose varieties. Refining the transformation protocol to work under aseptic and non-aseptic conditions will allow researchers to use this system efficiently and broadly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the complex growth positions of dragon fruit and the difficulty in robotic picking, this paper proposes a six degrees of freedom dragon fruit picking robot and investigates the manipulator's motion characteristics to address the adaptive motion issues of the picking manipulator. Based on the agronomic characteristics of dragon fruit cultivation, the structural design of the robot and the dimensions of its manipulator were determined. A kinematic model of the dragon fruit picking robot based on screw theory was established, and the workspace of the manipulator was analyzed using the Monte Carlo method. Furthermore, a dynamic model of the manipulator based on the Kane equation was constructed. Performance experiments under trajectory and non-trajectory planning showed that trajectory planning significantly reduced power consumption and peak torque. Specifically, Joint 3's power consumption decreased by 62.28%, and during the picking, placing, and resetting stages, the peak torque of Joint 4 under trajectory planning was 10.14 N·m, 12.57 N·m, and 16.85 N·m, respectively, compared to 12.31 N·m, 15.69 N·m, and 22.13 N·m under non-trajectory planning. This indicated that the manipulator operates with less impact and smoother motion under trajectory planning. Comparing the dynamic model simulation and actual testing, the maximum absolute error in the joint torques was −2.76 N·m, verifying the correctness of the dynamic equations. Through field picking experiments, it was verified that the machine's picking success rate was 66.25%, with an average picking time of 42.4 s per dragon fruit. The manipulator operated smoothly during each picking process. In the study, the dragon fruit picking manipulator exhibited good stability, providing the theoretical foundation and technical support for intelligent dragon fruit picking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome (PRRS), caused by PRRS virus (PRRSV) infection, has been a serious threat to the pork industry worldwide and continues to bring significant economic loss. Current vaccination strategies offer limited protection against PRRSV transmission, highlighting the urgent need for novel antiviral approaches. In the present study, we reported for the first time that betulonic acid (BA), a widely available pentacyclic triterpenoids throughout the plant kingdom, exhibited potent inhibition on PRRSV infections in both Marc-145 cells and primary porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs), with IC50 values ranging from 3.3 µM to 3.7 µM against three different type-2 PRRSV strains. Mechanistically, we showed that PRRSV replication relies on energy supply from cellular ATP production, and BA inhibits PRRSV infection by reducing cellular ATP production. Our findings indicate that controlling host ATP production could be a potential strategy to combat PRRSV infections, and that BA might be a promising therapeutic agent against PRRSV epidemics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of a lead compound against Candida albicans is urgently needed because of the lack of clinically available antifungal drugs and the increase in drug resistance. Herein, a β-carboline alkaloid methylaervine (MET) exhibited potential activity against C. albicans (MIC = 16–128 μg/mL), no hemolytic toxicity, and a low tendency to induce drug resistance. An antifungal mechanism study indicated that MET effectively inhibited the biofilm formation and disrupted the mature biofilm. Moreover, filamentation formation and spore germination were also weakened. The electron microscopy analysis revealed that MET could damage the cell structure, including the cell wall, membrane, and cytoplasm. In particular, the permeability and integrity of the cell membrane were destroyed. When it entered the fungi cell, it interfered with the redox homeostasis and DNA function. Overall, MET can inhibit the growth of C. albicans from multiple channels, such as biofilm, filamentation, cell structure, and intracellular targets, which are difficult to mutate at the same time to generate drug resistance. This work provides a promising lead compound for the creation of new antifungal agents against C. albicans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the complex working conditions and poor driving stability of high-clearance self-propelled sprayers, a nonlinear model of the chassis power system was established based on the independently controllable torque of each wheel of the developed electric sprayer. A layered-architecture chassis drive control strategy was formulated, and a stability control framework comprising an instability judgment module, an upper controller, and a lower controller was constructed based on the analysis of the impact of the centroid slip angle, the yaw rate, and the wheel slip rate on driving stability. An ideal reference model was established based on the seven-degree-of-freedom model of the sprayer, and the current state of the sprayer body was determined using the instability judgment module. A drive anti-slip controller and a yaw moment controller based on fuzzy PID theory and sliding mode control theory were designed. Additionally, an optimal torque distribution algorithm was developed based on tire characteristics to rationally allocate drive torque to each wheel, ensuring the stability of the sprayer during operation. Simulation tests were conducted using MATLAB/Simulink to evaluate the sprayer under four different driving conditions during transport and field operations. The test results showed that the "SMC + optimal distribution" control method in the chassis stability control strategy reduced the maximum deviations of the yaw rate and centroid slip angle by an average of 89.5% and 13.6%, respectively, compared to no control. The wheel slip rate during straight driving was well maintained at around 15%, enhancing the driving stability of the sprayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Plastic-based products are ubiquitous due to their tremendous utility in our daily lives. Nanoplastic (NP) and microplastic (MP) pollution has become a severe threat to the planet and is a growing concern. It has been widely reported that polystyrene (PS) MPs are severely toxic to the male reproduction system, with effects including decreased sperm parameters, impaired spermatogenesis, and damaged testicular structures. However, the molecular mechanisms for impaired spermatogenesis remain poorly understood. Methods: C57BL/6 male mice were treated with PS-NPs (80 nm) and PS-MPs (5 μm) by oral gavage every day for 60 days. A series of morphological analyses were completed to explore the influence of PS-NP and PS-MP exposure on the testes. Compared to other cell types in the seminiferous tubule, PS-NP and PS-MP exposure can lead to decreased spermatocytes. Then, more refined molecular typing was further performed based on gene expression profiles to better understand the common and specific molecular characteristics after exposure to PS-NPs and PS-MPs. Results: There were 1794 common DEGs across the PS-NP groups at three different doses and 1433 common DEGs across the PS-MP groups at three different doses. GO and KEGG analyses of the common DEGs in the PS-NP and PS-MP groups were performed to enrich the common and specific functional progress and signaling pathways, including 349 co-enriched GO entries and 13 co-enriched pathways. Moreover, 348 GO entries and 33 pathways were specifically enriched in the PS-NP group, while 526 GO entries and 15 pathways were specifically enriched in the PS-MPs group. Conclusions: PS-NPs were predominantly involved in regulating retinoic acid metabolism, whereas PS-MPs primarily influenced pyruvate metabolism and thyroid hormone metabolism. Our results highlight the different molecular mechanisms of PS-NPs and PS-MPs in the impairment of spermatogenesis in male mammals for the first time, providing valuable insights into the precise mechanisms of PS-NPs and PS-MPs in male reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to address the issues of poor stability in vehicle speed and deteriorated spraying quality caused by changes in road slope and the decrease in overall mass due to liquid spraying, this study focuses on analyzing the structure and longitudinal dynamic characteristics of a 4WID high ground clearance self-propelled electric sprayer. By utilizing MATLAB/Simulink software, three subsystems, namely, the inverse longitudinal dynamics model, torque distribution model, and motor model, are established. The model takes into account the effects of longitudinal driving resistance, slope, and vehicle roll angle on the distribution of loads among the four wheels during slope driving. A seven-degrees-of-freedom dynamic model is developed. A hierarchical control structure is designed, incorporating an upper-level PID controller and a lower-level fuzzy PID controller, to control the overall system. The control algorithms are tailored to the specific characteristics of the sprayer's operation, and simulation experiments are conducted under the corresponding operating conditions. Building upon this, a sensor-equipped experimental platform is set up in the self-propelled sprayer manufactured by the team in the preliminary stage. Real vehicle tests are conducted in two scenarios: transition transportation and field operations, with the evaluation of the overall vehicle speed serving as the performance metric to validate the correctness of the model and the control theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bisphenol A (BPA), a typical endocrine disruptor, is known to have various adverse effects on the male reproductive system. However, the toxic effects and mechanisms of low-dose BPA have not yet been fully explored. In this study, male Kunming mice were orally administered low-dose BPA (0.03, 0.3 and 3 mg/kg/d) for ten consecutive weeks. Pathological sections of testicular tissue showed no significant morphological differences after BPA exposure. An analysis of the functional parameters of sperm revealed that exposure to low-dose BPA significantly decreased sperm motility, chemotaxis, and the acrosome reaction. An in vitro BPA exposure model combined with an omics data analysis showed that the olfactory receptor-related pathway was significantly enriched after BPA treatment. Subsequent experiments verified the reduced mRNA level of a novel olfactory receptor gene, Olfr25, in vivo and in vitro exposure models. Meanwhile, exposure to low-dose BPA reduced the intracellular calcium ion concentration and the mRNA levels of pore-forming subunits of the CatSper channel in sperm. Importantly, the knockdown of Olfr25 inhibited calcium ion levels and CatSper subunit expression in GC-2 cells. Olfr25 overexpression attenuated the BPA-induced downregulation of CatSper subunit expression in GC-2 cells. These findings indicate that Olfr25 might participate in low-dose BPA-induced sperm dysfunction by affecting the CatSper-Ca2+ signaling pathway. This study reveals a new mechanism underlying the effects of low-dose BPA on sperm function and provides a reference for assessing the safety of low-dose BPA exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural, elastic, piezoelectric, and electronic properties of Li-doped K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (K0.5−xNa0.5−yLix+yNbO3, KNN-L) are calculated. The properties of KNN-L are related to the Li-doping content and the replaced K or Na atoms. The bulk modulus, the shear modulus, and Young's modulus of KNN-L are mostly higher than those of KNN, and the hardness value increases. The Poisson ratio of KNN-L is lower than that of most KNN, and the ductility is reduced. All doped structures are direct band gap semiconductors. K0.5Na0.375Li0.125NbO3 has the largest piezoelectric charge constant, d33 = 44.72 pC/N, in the respective structures, which is 1.5 fold that of K0.5Na0.5NbO3 (29.15 pC/N). The excellent piezoelectric performance of Li-doping KNN-L was analyzed from the insights of elastic and electronic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the digital transformation era, digitalization integrates deeply into production, bolstering output efficiency and economic value. Through stochastic frontier analysis (SFA), this research positions digitalization as an input in the production function, dissecting its elasticity impact on capital, labor, and output. The effect of digitalization on total factor productivity change (TFPC) is explained by comparing TFPC with and without digitalization. Findings reveal that digitalization's integration into economic growth displays a U-shaped trajectory, with initial productivity setbacks transitioning to long-term benefits as industries adapt. The periodic complementarity and substitution between digitalization and labor, along with a weak substitution relationship with capital, illustrate that, as a production factor, digitalization dynamically interacts with other factors, both complementing and substituting them. This dynamic interplay highlights the intricate role that digitalization plays within the production function. Furthermore, digitalization has played a crucial role in China's TFP growth, which also highlights the lack of other technological progress. Meanwhile, the pace of digital transformation presents scalability challenges, evident in the fluctuating scale efficiency change (SEC). Policymakers are advised to address these early stage challenges through supportive measures, ensuring smoother digital transitions. Concurrently, industries should embrace this non-linear transformation, emphasizing adaptability to maximize digitalization's long-term advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The structural dimensions of the SOFC have an important influence on the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC)-integrated system performance. The paper focuses on analyzing the effect of the flow channel length on the integrated system. The system model includes a 3-D SOFC model, established using COMSOL 6.1, and a 1-D model of the SOFC-integrated system established, using Aspen Plus V11. This analysis was conducted within an operating voltage range from 0.4 V to 0.9 V and flow channel length range from 6 cm to 18 cm for the SOFC-integrated system model. Performance evaluation indicators for integrated systems are conducted, focusing on three aspects: net electrical power, net electrical efficiency, and thermoelectric efficiency. The purpose of the paper is to explore the optimal flow channel length of SOFC in the integrated system. The results indicate that there is inevitably an optimal length in the integrated system at which both the net electrical power and net electrical efficiency reach their maximum values. When considering the heat recycling in the system, the integrated system with a flow channel length of 16 cm achieves the highest thermoelectric efficiency of 65.68% at 0.7 V. Therefore, there is a flow channel length that allows the system to achieve the highest thermoelectric efficiency. This study provides optimization ideas for the production and manufacturing of SOFCs from the perspective of practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the problems of threshing loss and high impurity rate during sunflower oil harvesting, a vertical axial flow sunflower oil threshing device was designed. To reduce severe breakage of the sunflower plate and high entrainment loss rate when threshing by the traditional grating gravure sieve, a circular tube-type gravure screen was designed, and a contact model describing the grain rod, sunflower pan, and gravure screen was analyzed. The results show that reducing the diameter of the gravure screen round tubes can effectively reduce breakage of the sunflower pan. The range of the threshing gap, drum speed, and feed amount were determined by a single-factor test. Design-Expert software was used to design a response surface experiment: threshing gap, drum rotation speed, and feed amount were used as test factors, and the threshing loss rate of grains and the grain mass ratio of undersize grains were used as evaluation indicators. A regression model between test factors and evaluation indexes was established by variance analysis of the test results. A software-based numerical optimization function was used to reduce the loss rate of grains and increase the grain mass ratio of undersize grains. The optimal parameters of the threshing device were obtained by multi-objective optimization of all factors: the separation gap was 24.90 mm, drum speed was 244.14 r/min, feed amount was 2.95 kg/s, the threshing loss rate grains was 2.35%, and the grain mass ratio of undersized grains was 81.34%. This study can provide a reference for the design of a combined sunflower oil harvester threshing device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the characteristics of a campus environment and the rules that govern outdoor sound propagation, this paper identifies traffic noise as the dominant noise source of the campus environment based on the measurement of the noise environment. A noise propagation model that is suitable for university campuses was developed and used it was to create a noise map of the ambient area of the teaching building on the campus of Guangxi University. This noise map was then utilized to analyze the noise environment. The results revealed that for a given teaching building, the noise disturbance on high-rise classrooms is more significant compared to the impact on low-rise classrooms. Attention should then be paid to noise control in the high-rise classroom of the building. By appropriately increasing the distance between the building and the main traffic road or by adopting a judicious soundscape design that considers the shape of the building, it is possible to effectively reduce the interference of noise during teaching activities in a building and improve the sound quality of the campus environment. The results of this study provide a theoretical framework for the governance of the campus acoustic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudo-response regulators (PRRs) are the important genes for flowering in roses. In this work, clock PRRs were genome-wide identified using Arabidopsis protein sequences as queries, and their evolutionary analyses were deliberated intensively in Rosaceae in correspondence with angiosperms species. To draw a comparative network and flow of clock PRRs in roses, a co-expression network of flowering pathway genes was drawn using a string database, and their functional analysis was studied by silencing using VIGS and protein-to-protein interaction. We revealed that the clock PRRs were significantly expanded in Rosaceae and were divided into three major clades, i.e., PRR5/9 (clade 1), PRR3/7 (clade 2), and TOC1/PRR1 (clade 3), based on their phylogeny. Within the clades, five clock PRRs were identified in Rosa chinensis. Clock PRRs had conserved RR domain and shared similar features, suggesting the duplication occurred during evolution. Divergence analysis indicated the role of duplication events in the expansion of clock PRRs. The diverse cis elements and interaction of clock PRRs with miRNAs suggested their role in plant development. Co-expression network analysis showed that the clock PRRs from Rosa chinensis had a strong association with flowering controlling genes. Further silencing of RcPRR1b and RcPRR5 in Rosa chinensis using VIGS led to earlier flowering, confirming them as negative flowering regulators. The protein-to-protein interactions between RcPRR1a/RcPRR5 and RcCO suggested that RcPRR1a/RcPRR5 may suppress flowering by interfering with the binding of RcCO to the promoter of RcFT. Collectively, these results provided an understanding of the evolutionary profiles as well as the functional role of clock PRRs in controlling flowering in roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Macadamia has increasing commercial importance in the food, cosmetics, and pharmaceutical industries. However, the toxic compound hydrogen cyanide (HCN) released from the hydrolysis of cyanogenic compounds in Macadamia causes a safety risk. In this study, optimum conditions for the maximum release of HCN from Macadamia were evaluated. Direct headspace analysis of HCN above Macadamia plant parts (flower, leaves, nuts, and husks) was carried out using selected ion flow tube–mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). The cyanogenic glycoside dhurrin and total cyanide in the extracts were analyzed using HPLC-MS and UV–vis spectrophotometer, respectively. HCN released in the headspace was at a maximum when Macadamia samples were treated with pH 7 buffer solution and heated at 50 °C for 60 min. Correspondingly, treatment of Macadamia samples under these conditions resulted in 93–100% removal of dhurrin and 81–91% removal of total cyanide in the sample extracts. Hydrolysis of cyanogenic glucosides followed a first-order reaction with respect to HCN production where cyanogenesis is principally induced by pH changes initiating enzymatic hydrolysis rather than thermally induced reactions. The effective processing of different Macadamia plant parts is important and beneficial for the safe production and utilization of Macadamia-based products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The negative association between psychological stress and male fertility has been known for many years. This study was aimed at (i) identifying spermatogenesis impairment induced by psychological stress in rats and (ii) exploring the role of glucocorticoid receptor (GR) signaling in these adverse effects (if they exist). Male Sprague Dawley rats were exposed to a six-week period of unpredictable chronic mild stress (uCMS) along with cotreatment of GR antagonist RU486 (1 mg/kg/day). Testicular damage was assessed by testicular pathological evaluation, epididymal sperm concentration, serum testosterone levels, testicular apoptotic cell measurements, and cell cycle progression analyses. Rats in the uCMS group had decreased levels of serum testosterone and decreased epididymal sperm concentration. The uCMS-treated rats also had decreased numbers of spermatids and increased levels of apoptotic seminiferous tubules; additionally, cell cycle progression of spermatogonia was arrested at the G0/G1 phase. Furthermore, uCMS exposure caused an increase in serum corticosterone level and activated GR signaling in the testes including upregulated GR expression. RU486 treatment suppressed GR signaling and alleviated the damaging effects of stress, resulting in an increased epididymal sperm concentration. Overall, this work demonstrated for the first time that the activation of GR signaling mediates stress-induced spermatogenesis impairment and that this outcome is related to cell apoptosis and cell cycle arrest in germ cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

African swine fever (ASF), caused by the African swine fever virus (ASFV), is one of the most important infectious diseases that cause high morbidity and mortality in pigs and substantial economic losses to the pork industry of affected countries due to the lack of effective vaccines. The need to develop alternative robust antiviral countermeasures, especially anti-ASFV agents, is of the utmost urgency. This study shows that fangchinoline (FAN), a bisbenzylisoquinoline alkaloid found in the roots of Stephania tetrandra of the family Menispermaceae, significantly inhibits ASFV replication in porcine alveolar macrophages (PAMs) at micromolar concentrations (IC 50 = 1.66 µM). Mechanistically, the infection of ASFV triggers the AKT/mTOR/NF-κB signaling pathway. FAN significantly inhibits ASFV-induced activation of such pathways, thereby suppressing viral replication. Such a mechanism was confirmed using an AKT inhibitor MK2206 as it inhibited AKT phosphorylation and ASFV replication in PAMs. Altogether, the results suggest that the AKT/mTOR pathway could potentially serve as a treatment strategy for combating ASFV infection and that FAN could potentially emerge as an effective novel antiviral agent against ASFV infections and deserves further in vivo antiviral evaluations.

Wearable sensors-based human activity recognition introduces many useful applications and services in health care, rehabilitation training, elderly monitoring and many other areas of human interaction. Existing works in this field mainly focus on recognizing activities by using traditional features extracted from Fourier transform (FT) or wavelet transform (WT). However, these signal processing approaches are suitable for a linear signal but not for a nonlinear signal. In this paper, we investigate the characteristics of the Hilbert-Huang transform (HHT) for dealing with activity data with properties such as nonlinearity and non-stationarity. A multi-features extraction method based on HHT is then proposed to improve the effect of activity recognition. The extracted multi-features include instantaneous amplitude (IA) and instantaneous frequency (IF) by means of empirical mode decomposition (EMD), as well as instantaneous energy density (IE) and marginal spectrum (MS) derived from Hilbert spectral analysis. Experimental studies are performed to verify the proposed approach by using the PAMAP2 dataset from the University of California, Irvine for wearable sensors-based activity recognition. Moreover, the effect of combining multi-features vs. a single-feature are investigated and discussed in the scenario of a dependent subject. The experimental results show that multi-features combination can further improve the performance measures. Finally, we test the effect of multi-features combination in the scenario of an independent subject. Our experimental results show that we achieve four performance indexes: recall, precision, F-measure, and accuracy to 0.9337, 0.9417, 0.9353, and 0.9377 respectively, which are all better than the achievements of related works., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.