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Weeds in paddy fields compete with rice for nutrients and cause pests and diseases, greatly affecting rice yield. Accurate weed detection is vital for implementing variable spraying with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for weed control. Therefore, this paper presents an improved weed detection algorithm, YOLOv10n-FCDS (YOLOv10n with FasterNet, CGBlock, Dysample, and Structure of Lightweight Detection Head), using UAV images of Sagittaria trifolia in rice fields as the research object, to address challenges like the detection of small targets, obscured weeds and weeds similar to rice. We enhanced the YOLOv10n model by incorporating FasterNet as the backbone for better small target detection. CGBlock replaced standard convolution and SCDown modules to improve the detection ability of obscured weeds, while DySample enhanced discrimination between weeds and rice. Additionally, we proposed a lightweight detection head based on shared convolution and scale scaling, maintaining accuracy while reducing model parameters. Ablation studies revealed that YOLOv10n-FCDS achieved a 2.6% increase in mean average precision at intersection over union 50% for weed detection, reaching 87.4%. The model also improved small target detection (increasing mAP50 by 2.5%), obscured weed detection (increasing mAP50 by 2.8%), and similar weed detection (increasing mAP50 by 3.0%). In conclusion, YOLOv10n-FCDS enables effective weed detection, supporting variable spraying applications by UAVs in rice fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deposition of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) in the brain is the main pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). The development of potent inhibitors against Aβ aggregation is one of the effective strategies to combat AD. Endogenous transthyretin (TTR) can inhibit Aβ fibrillization via hydrophobic interactions, but its weak inhibitory potency hinders its application in AD therapy. Here, different recombinant TTRs were designed by cationic surface charge engineering. Compared with TTR, all positively charged recombinant TTRs showed enhanced capability in inhibiting Aβ aggregation, especially the recombinant protein obtained by mutating the acidic amino acid in TTR to arginine (TTR-nR) exhibited excellent inhibitory effect. Among them, TTR-7R remarkably increased the inhibitory potency against Aβ, which could effectively inhibit Aβ40 fibrillization at a very low concentration (0.5 μM). In addition, TTR-7R increased cultured cell viability from 62% to 89%, scavenged amyloid plaques in AD nematodes, and prolonged nematode lifespan by 5 d at 2 μM. Thermodynamic studies demonstrated that TTR-7R, enriching in positive charges, presented hydrophobic interactions and enhanced electrostatic interactions with Aβ40, leading to a significantly enhanced inhibitory capacity of TTR-7R. The research provided insights into the development of efficient recombinant protein inhibitors for AD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates an intermodal routing problem for transporting wood from a storage yard of the timber harvest area to a timber mill, in which the transfer nodes in the intermodal transportation network have multiple service time windows. To improve the environmental sustainability of timber transportation, a carbon tax policy is employed in the routing to reduce the carbon emissions. Uncertain information on the capacities and carbon emission factors of the transportation activities in the intermodal transportation network is modeled using interval fuzzy numbers to enhance the feasibility of the routing optimization in the actual timber transportation. Based on the above consideration, an interval fuzzy nonlinear optimization model is established to handle the specific routing problem. Model defuzzification and linearization are then conducted to obtain an equivalent formulation that is crisp and linear to make the global optimum solution attainable. A numerical experiment is conducted to verify the feasibility of the proposed model, and it reveals the influence of the optimization level and service time windows on the routing optimization, and it confirms that intermodal transportation is suitable for timber transportation. This experiment also analyzes the feasibility of a carbon tax policy in reducing the carbon emissions of timber transportation, and it finds that the performance of this policy is determined by the optimization level given by the timber mill and is not always feasible in all cases. For the case where a carbon tax policy is infeasible, this study proposes a bi-objective optimization that can use Pareto solutions to balance the economic and environmental objectives as an alternative. The bi-objective optimization further shows the relationship between lowering the transportation costs, reducing the carbon emissions, and enhancing the reliability on capacity and budget by improving the optimization level. The conclusions provide managerial insights that can help the timber mill and intermodal transportation operator organize cost-efficient, low-carbon, and reliable intermodal transportation for timber distribution, and support sustainable forest logistics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the gradual improvement and implementation of unconventional wells drilling and environmental regulations, there is an urgent need for high-performance and more environmentally friendly lubricants for water-based drilling fluids (WD). Developing green oilfield chemicals from natural products is a shortcut. In this work, Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench/okra has been studied as the lubricant in WD. The green drilling fluid lubricant developed demonstrates excellent lubrication performance, as well as good filtration loss reduction and inhibition of bentonite hydration expansion. The results show that with the addition of 2.5% okra slurry to water-based drilling fluid, the coefficient of friction decreased by 51.68%, the apparent viscosity (AV) increased by 51.32%, the plastic viscosity (PV) increased by 42.99%, and the fluid loss decreased by 39.88%. Moreover, through TGA, SEM, FT-IR, particle distribution tests, and contact angle tests, the lubrication mechanism of okra slurry was discussed. Finally, the economic feasibility of using okra as an environmentally friendly lubricant for drilling fluids was analyzed. This work combines agricultural products with industrial production, which not only solves industrial problems but also enhances the added value of agricultural products, providing a reference for the coordinated development of industry and agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a low-carbon freight routing problem for time-sensitive goods is investigated in the context of water–rail–road multimodal transportation. To enhance the on-time transportation of time-sensitive goods, hard time windows are employed to regulate both pickup and delivery services at the start and end of their transportation. The uncertainty of both the demand for time-sensitive goods and the capacity of the transportation network are modeled using L-R triangular fuzzy numbers in the routing process to make the advanced routing more feasible in the actual transportation. Based on the carbon tax policy, a fuzzy linear optimization model is established to address the proposed problem, and an equivalent chance-constrained programming formulation is then obtained to make the solution to the problem attainable. A numerical experiment is carried out to verify the feasibility of incorporating the carbon tax policy, uncertainty, and water–rail–road multimodal transportation to optimize the low-carbon freight routing problem for time-sensitive goods. Furthermore, a multi-objective optimization is used to reveal that lowering the transportation costs, reducing the carbon emissions, and avoiding the risk are in conflict with each in the routing. We also analyze the sensitivity of the optimization results concerning the confidence level of the chance constraints and the uncertainty degree of the uncertain demand and capacity. Based on the numerical experiment, we draw several conclusions to help the shipper, receiver, and multimodal transportation operator to organize efficient water–rail–road multimodal transportation for time-sensitive goods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Salt stress severely inhibits crop growth and production. The native turfgrass species Carex rigescens in northern China, exhibits extraordinary tolerance to multiple abiotic stresses. However, little is known about its specific metabolites and pathways under salt stress. To explore the molecular metabolic mechanisms under salt stress, we conducted metabolome analysis combined with transcriptome analysis of two varieties of Carex rigescens with differing salt tolerances: salt-sensitive Lvping NO.1 and salt-tolerant Lvping NO.2. After 5 days of salt treatment, 114 and 131 differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) were found in Lvping NO.1 and Lvping NO.2, respectively. Among them, six amino acids involved in the amino acid biosynthesis pathway, namely, valine, phenylalanine, isoleucine, tryptophan, threonine, and serine, were accumulated after treatment. Furthermore, most DAMs related to phenylalanine biosynthesis, metabolism, and phenylpropanoid biosynthesis increased under salt stress in both varieties. The expression profiles of metabolism-associated genes were consistent with the metabolic profiles. However, genes including HCT, β-glucosidases, and F5H, and metabolite 4-hydroxycinnamic acid, of the two varieties may account for the differences in salt tolerance. Our study provides new insights into the mechanisms underlying salt tolerance in Carex rigescens and reveals potential metabolites and genes to improve crop resilience to saline environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to capture the mechanical response of the support structure of deep excavation subject asymmetric load. A two-dimensional (2D) numerical analysis model was established by taking a pipe gallery deep excavation subject to asymmetric load as an example. The numerical analysis results were in good agreement with the measured data, thus verified the validity of the numerical model. On this basis, the stress and displacement of support structure caused by the change in foundation asymmetric load were studied. According to the numerical results, horizontal displacement of the diaphragm wall (DW) was dominant, and the maximum horizontal displacement of the DW was 7.54 mm when the deep excavation was completed. With the increase in asymmetric load, the left wall displacement continued to increase, while the displacement of the right DW continued to decrease, and the maximum horizontal wall displacement occurred near the excavation face. The DW was the main bending component, and the maximum wall bending moment when the deep excavation was completed was 173.5 kN·m. The maximum wall bending moment increased with the increase in asymmetric load, and the maximum wall bending moment on the left of the deep excavation was greater than that on the right. The inner support sustained the main component of axial force, with the axial force peaking at 1051.8 kN when the deep excavation was completed. The axial force of the inner support increased with increasing the asymmetric load, and the axial force of the second inner support was obviously greater than that of the first inner support. This research has a positive effect on the design and optimization of deep excavation support structure subject to asymmetric load on ground surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heterologous double-root grafting represents an effective strategy to mitigate challenges associated with continuous coffee cropping and reduce soil-borne diseases. However, its specific regulatory mechanism remains unclear. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted including six different grafting combinations for C. canephora cv. Robusta (Robusta) and Coffea Liberica (Liberica): Robusta scion with a homologous double root (R/RR), Liberica scion with a homologous double root (L/LL), Robusta scion with a heterologous double root (R/RL and L/RL), and Liberica scion with a heterologous double root (L/LR and R/LR); these combinations were conducted to clarify the effects of heterologous double-root grafting combinations on the root exudates and soil microbial diversity, structure, and function of Robusta and Liberica. The results demonstrated notable differences in root exudates, rhizosphere microbial structure, and function between Robusta and Liberica. Despite Liberica having lower diversity in its rhizosphere microbial communities and relatively higher levels of potential pathogenic bacteria, it showed stronger resistance to diseases. Roots of Robusta in heterologous double-root coffee seedlings significantly enhanced the secretion of resistance compounds, increased the relative abundance of potentially beneficial bacteria, and reduced the relative abundance of potential pathogenic fungi. This enhances the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta against soil-borne diseases. The results indicated that grafting onto Liberica roots can strengthen resistance mechanisms and enhance the rhizosphere immunity of Robusta, thereby mitigating challenges associated with continuous cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lawns play a vital role in urban development, but the impact of sod production on soil properties has always been controversial. In this study, we examined the physical, chemical, and biological properties of sod production bases across different regions and years [including northern China (2.5, 3, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12 years), referred to as N-2.5, N-3, etc., and southern China (3, 10, 11, 14, 17 years), referred to as S-3, S-10, etc.], with tall fescue and Kentucky bluegrass planted in the north and bermudagrass or creeping bentgrass planted in the south. Sod production was found to increase soil bulk density while reducing porosity and field capacity, but these effects did not consistently intensify with longer production periods. Except for available phosphorus and available potassium, other soil nutrients (total carbon, total nitrogen, organic matter, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, etc.) were either unaffected or increased at certain time points (S-11, S-14). Prolonged sod production (S-10, S-17) also boosted microbial content. In northern regions, organic matter and total nitrogen were the key factors influencing microbial community structure, whereas in southern regions, alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen, electrical conductivity, available potassium, and organic matter were most influential. We also found that crop rotation, sand mulching, and deep plowing could enhance soil nutrient content and microbial activity in sod production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oriented antibody immobilization has been widely employed in immunoassays and immunodiagnoses due to its efficacy in identifying target antigens. Herein, a heptapeptide ligand, HWRGWVC (HC7), was coupled to poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) nanospheres (PGMA-HC7). The antibody immobilization behavior and antigen recognition performance were investigated and compared with those on PGMA nanospheres by nonspecific adsorption and covalent coupling via carbodiimide chemistry. The antibodies tested included bovine, rabbit, and human immunoglobulin G (IgG), while the antigens included horseradish peroxidase (HRP) and β-2-Microglobulin (β2-MG). The nanospheres were characterized using zeta potential and particle size analyzers, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and reversed-phase chromatography, proving each synthesis step was succeeded. Isothermal titration calorimetry assay demonstrated the strong affinity interaction between IgG and PGMA-HC7. Notably, PGMA-HC7 achieved rapid and extremely high IgG adsorption capacity (~3 mg/mg) within 5 min via a specific recognition via HC7 without nonspecific interactions. Moreover, the activities of immobilized anti-HRP and anti-β2-MG antibodies obtained via affinity binding were 1.5-fold and 2-fold higher than those of their covalent coupling counterparts. Further, the oriented-immobilized anti-β2-MG antibody on PGMA-HC7 exhibited excellent performance in antigen recognition with a linear detection range of 0–5.3 μg/mL, proving its great potential in immunoassay applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Direct detection of miRNA is currently limited by the complex amplification and reverse transcription processes of existing methods, leading to low sensitivity and high operational demands. Herein, we developed a CRISPR/Cas13a-mediated photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensing platform for direct and sensitive detection of miRNA-21. The direct and specific recognition of target miRNA-21 by crRNA-21 eliminates the need for pre-amplification and reverse transcription of miRNA-21, thereby preventing signal distortion and enhancing the sensitivity and precision of target detection. When crRNA-21 binds to miRNA-21, it activates the trans-cleavage activity of CRISPR/Cas13a, leading to the non-specific cleavage of biotin-modified DNA with uracil bases (biotin-rU-DNA). This cleavage prevents the biotin-rU-DNA from being immobilized on the electrode surface. As a result, streptavidin cannot attach to the electrode via specific biotin binding, reducing spatial resistance and causing a positively correlated increase in the photocurrent response. This Cas-PEC biosensor has good analytical capabilities, linear responses between 10 fM and 10 nM, a minimum detection limit of 9 fM, and an excellent recovery rate in the analysis of real human serum samples. This work presented an innovative solution for detecting other biomarkers in bioanalysis and clinical diagnostics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The foliar application of biostimulants at specific concentrations under magnetic–electric water irrigation has a positive effect on water and fertilizer use efficiency and yield of cotton, which is crucial for green and sustainable agricultural development. As a new type of fertilizer, biostimulants have demonstrated remarkable effects in improving crop yield and quality by enhancing nutrient uptake, promoting plant growth, and increasing resilience to environmental stress. In this study, the effects of magnetic–electric-activated water irrigation and foliar biostimulant application on cotton growth and yield were investigated, with the aim of understanding the underlying mechanisms. The field experiment included various irrigation treatments (brackish water, fresh water, magnetic–electric brackish water, and magnetic–electric fresh water) and biostimulant concentrations (1600, 1200, 800, 400 times dilution, and no spraying). SEM analysis indicated that under magnetoelectric water irrigation, the foliar application of biostimulants enhances physiological growth of cotton, improving the water and nutrient uptake efficiency, and thereby increasing yield. Specifically, the effective boll number and single boll weight under magnetic–electric fresh water irrigation with an 800 times biostimulant concentration increased by 21.84–48.78% and 5.50–18.91%, respectively, compared to the no-spraying treatment. The seed cotton yield rose by 16.61–38.63%, water-use efficiency improved by 24.35%, the harvest index reached 0.33, and nitrogen absorption increased by 76.21%. Thus, integrating magnetic–electric water irrigation with foliar biostimulants offers a theoretical and technical foundation for advancing green, high-quality agriculture and sustainable production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heart failure (HF) is a significant health burden, with two major clinical subtypes: HF with reduced (HFrEF) and preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). Blood pressure and lipid profile are established risk factors of HF. We performed univariable and multivariable Mendelian randomization (MR) analyses to assess potential causal effects of blood pressures and lipids on HF subtypes. Genetic instruments for blood pressures and lipids were derived from genome-wide association studies (GWASs) among the European participants of the UK Biobank. GWAS summaries of HFrEF and HFpEF were obtained from the meta-analysis of the European participants from the Million Veteran Program and the Vanderbilt University DNA Databank. Systolic blood pressure exhibited a supportive MR association primarily with HFpEF (odds ratio [OR], 1.14; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04–1.23), while diastolic blood pressure had an independent MR association with HFrEF (OR, 1.43; 95% CI, 1.13–1.77). MR associations also supported the observation that higher levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol increase the risk for both subtypes (HFrEF OR, 1.10 and 95% CI, 1.05–1.17; HFpEF OR, 1.05 and 95% CI, 1.02–1.09). These findings underscore differences in HF subtype-specific risk profiles and mechanisms, which may lead to different interventional strategies for different HF subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis, an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder, seriously affects the quality of life of nearly four percent of the world population. Euphorbia helioscopia L. is the monarch constituent of Chinese ZeQi powder preparation for psoriasis, so it is necessary to illustrate its active ingredients. Thus, twenty-three diterpenoids, including seven new ones, were isolated from the whole herb of E. helioscopia L. Compounds 1 and 2, each featuring a 2,3-dicarboxylic functionality, are the first examples in the ent-2,3-sceo-atisane or the ent-2,3-sceo-abietane family. Extensive spectroscopic analysis (1D, 2D NMR, and HRMS data) and computational methods were used to confirm their structures and absolute configurations. According to the previous study and NMR data from the jatropha diterpenes obtained in this study, some efficient 1H NMR spectroscopic rules for assigning the relative configurations of 3α-benzyloxy-jatroph-11E-ene and 7,8-seco-3α-benzyloxy-jatropha-11E-ene were summarized. Moreover, the hyperproliferation of T cells and keratinocytes is considered a key pathophysiology of psoriasis. Anti-proliferative activities against induced T/B lymphocytes and HaCaT cells were tested, and IC50 values of some compounds ranged from 6.7 to 31.5 μM. Compounds 7 and 11 reduced the secretions of IFN-γ and IL-2 significantly. Further immunofluorescence experiments and a docking study with NF-κB P65 showed that compound 13 interfered with the proliferation of HaCaT cells by inhibiting the NF-κB P65 phosphorylation at the protein level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The precise structure and function of the intestinal tract, along with the underlying molecular mechanisms governing the production of translucent eggs, remain unclear. The present study revealed that translucent eggs exhibited a thicker eggshell and a lower egg yolk color, which may be attributed to a disruption in the plasma lipid metabolism of the laying hens, a reduction in their intestinal antioxidant capacity, a decline in digestive and absorptive processes, and an alteration in their metabolic capabilities. Furthermore, we identified a total of 471 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in duodenal tissue from laying hens producing translucent and normal eggs, comprising 327 upwardly expressed genes and 144 downwardly expressed genes. Enrichment analysis revealed that the up-regulated genes were predominantly enriched in metabolism-associated pathways and oxidative phosphorylation pathways, offering novel insights for enhancing egg quality in commercial poultry production. Producing translucent eggs has been found to reduce the quality and safety of the eggs, as well as the demand from consumers. However, the intestinal function and the molecular mechanism for the production of translucent eggs remain uncertain. A total of 120 eggs from 276-day-old Jining Bairi were divided into two groups based on eggshell translucence: the translucent egg group (group T) and the normal group (group C). Group T exhibited thicker eggshells and a lower egg yolk color. Subsequently, we divided the chickens into translucent and normal groups based on their egg quality. We then assessed the plasma biochemical index, intestinal morphology and structure, enzyme activity, and antioxidant capacity of the hens producing translucent eggs compared to those producing normal eggs. The results showed that the ratio of duodenal villus length to crypt depth, succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) activity, chymotrypsin, total ATPase (T-ATPase), alkaline phosphatase (AKP), and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activities were decreased in the hens produced translucent eggs (p < 0.05), but malondialdehyde (MDA) content was increased (p < 0.05); jejunal lipase activity, Na+K+-ATPase activity, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and GSH-Px activities were decreased (p < 0.05) in group T; ileal amylase and Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase activities were also decreased (p < 0.05) in group T. In addition, we identified a total of 471 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in duodenal tissue, with 327 up-regulated genes and 144 down-regulated genes (|log2FC| ≥ 1 and p < 0.05). Enrichment analysis showed that the up-regulated genes, such as GSTT1, GSTO2, and GSTA3, were mostly enriched in metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450, drug metabolism-cytochrome P450, and oxidative phosphorylation pathways. The results of our study indicate that plasma lipid metabolism disorder, decreased intestinal antioxidant capacity, and altered intestinal metabolism capabilities may influence the formation of translucent eggs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing a globally consistent high-precision map is essential for the application of mobile robots. Existing optimization-based mapping methods typically constrain robot states in pose space during the graph optimization process, without directly optimizing the structure of the scene, thereby causing the map to be inconsistent. To address the above issues, this paper presents a three-dimensional (3D) LiDAR mapping framework (i.e., BA-CLM) based on LiDAR bundle adjustment (LBA) cost factors. We propose a multivariate LBA cost factor, which is built from a multi-resolution voxel map, to uniformly constrain the robot poses within a submap. The framework proposed in this paper applies the LBA cost factors for both local and global map optimization. Experimental results on several public 3D LiDAR datasets and a self-collected 32-line LiDAR dataset demonstrate that the proposed method achieves accurate trajectory estimation and consistent mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From birth to adulthood, the mammalian heart grows primarily through increasing cardiomyocyte (CM) size, which is known as maturational hypertrophic growth. The Hippo-YAP signaling pathway is well known for regulating heart development and regeneration, but its roles in CM maturational hypertrophy have not been clearly addressed. Vestigial-like 4 (VGLL4) is a crucial component of the Hippo-YAP pathway, and it functions as a suppressor of YAP/TAZ, the terminal transcriptional effectors of this signaling pathway. To develop an in vitro model for studying CM maturational hypertrophy, we compared the biological effects of T3 (triiodothyronine), Dex (dexamethasone), and T3/Dex in cultured neonatal rat ventricular myocytes (NRVMs). The T3/Dex combination treatment stimulated greater maturational hypertrophy than either the T3 or Dex single treatment. Using T3/Dex treatment of NRVMs as an in vitro model, we found that activation of VGLL4 suppressed CM maturational hypertrophy. In the postnatal heart, activation of VGLL4 suppressed heart growth, impaired heart function, and decreased CM size. On the molecular level, activation of VGLL4 inhibited the PI3K-AKT pathway, and disrupting VGLL4 and TEAD interaction abolished this inhibition. In conclusion, our data suggest that VGLL4 suppresses CM maturational hypertrophy by inhibiting the YAP/TAZ-TEAD complex and its downstream activation of the PI3K-AKT pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Near-space high-altitude balloon-based platforms have a series of advantages and provide superior conditions for optical observation. In order to ensure the stability of the optical axis of the optical detection load and stable tracking of the target, a near-space high-altitude balloon-based high-precision pointing and tracking system was designed, which can compensate for changes in the pitch angle and azimuth angle of the platform during flight. The system includes a primary platform stable pointing system and a secondary precise tracking system. In the finished flight experiment, the primary platform pointing system and secondary precise tracking system on the balloon-based observation platform worked normally, providing a guarantee for the coronagraph's stable tracking and detection of the sun. The primary platform pointing system can realize ±1° pointing accuracy, and the simulated accuracy of the secondary precise tracking system is 4″, which guaranteed that the coronagraph obtained more than 20,000 images. In subsequent works, we will upgrade and optimize the whole system and conduct our next flight experiment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fusarium graminearum, a devastating fungal pathogen, causes great economic losses to crop yields worldwide. The present study investigated the potential of Streptomyces pratensis S10 to alleviate F. graminearum stress in wheat seedlings based on plant growth-promoting and resistance-inducing assays. The bioassays revealed that S10 exhibited multiple plant growth-promoting properties, including the production of siderophores, 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid deaminase (ACC), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), phosphate solubilization, and nitrogen fixation. Meanwhile, the pot experiment demonstrated that S10 improved wheat plant development, substantially enhancing wheat height, weight, root activity, and chlorophyll content. Consistently, genome mining identified abundant genes associated with plant growth promotion. S10 induced resistance against F. graminearum in wheat seedlings. The disease incidence and disease index reduced by nearly 52% and 65% in S10 pretreated wheat seedlings, respectively, compared with those infected with F. graminearum only in the non-contact inoculation assay. Moreover, S10 enhanced callose deposition and reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and induced the activities of CAT, SOD, POD, PAL, and PPO. Furthermore, the quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) results indicated that S10 pretreatment increased the expression of SA- (PR1.1, PR2, PR5, and PAL1) and JA/ET-related genes (PR3, PR4a, PR9, and PDF1.2) in wheat seedlings upon F. graminearum infection. In summary, S. pratensis S10 could be an integrated biological agent and biofertilizer in wheat seedling blight management and plant productivity enhancement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fisetin has shown numerous health benefits, whereas its food application is constrained by water insolubility, poor stability, and low bioaccessibility. This work investigated the potential of hyaluronic acid (HA)-coated nanoliposomes for the encapsulation and delivery of fisetin. It was observed that HA can adsorb onto the liposomal membrane through hydrogen bonding and maintain the spherical shape of nanoliposomes. Fluorescence analysis suggested that the HA coating restricted the motion and freedom of phospholipid molecules in the headgroup region and reduced the interior micropolarity of the nanoliposomes but did not affect the fluidity of the hydrophobic core. These effects were more pronounced for the HA with a low molecular weight (35 kDa) and moderate concentration (0.4%). The HA coating improved the storage and thermal stability of the nanoliposomes, as well as the digestive stability and bioaccessibility of the encapsulated fisetin. These findings could guide the development of HA-coated nanoliposomes for the controlled delivery of hydrophobic bioactives such as fisetin in functional foods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blueberries are one of the more economically rewarding fruits for fruit growers. Identifying blueberry fruit at different stages of maturity is economically important and can aid fruit growers in planning pesticide applications, estimating yields, and efficiently conducting harvesting operations, among other benefits. Visual methods for identifying the different ripening stages of fruits are increasingly receiving widespread attention. However, due to the complex natural environment and the serious shading caused by the growth characteristics of blueberries, the accuracy and efficiency of blueberry detection are reduced to varying degrees. To address the above problems, in the study presented herein, we constructed an improved YOLOv9c detection model to accurately detect and identify blueberry fruits at different ripening stages. The size of the network was reduced by introducing the SCConv convolution module, and the detection accuracy of the network in complex and occluded environments was improved by introducing the SE attention module and the MDPIoU loss function. Compared to the original model, the mAP0.5 and mAP0.5:0.95 of the improved YOLOv9c network improved by 0.7% and 0.8%, respectively. The model size was reduced by 3.42 MB, the number of model parameters was reduced by 1.847 M, and the detection time of a single image was reduced by 4.5 ms. The overall performance of the detection model was effectively improved to provide a valuable reference for accurate detection and localization techniques for agricultural picking robots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detecting temperature and concentration fields within engine combustors holds paramount significance in enhancing combustion efficiency and ensuring operational safety. Within the realm of engine combustors, the laminar absorption spectroscopy technique has garnered considerable attention. Particularly crucial is the optimization of the optical path configuration to enhance the efficacy of reconstruction. This study presents a flame parameter field reconstruction model founded on laminar absorption spectroscopy. Furthermore, an optimization approach for refining the optical path configuration is delineated. In addressing non-axisymmetric flames, the simulated annealing algorithm (SA) and Harris's Hawk algorithm (HHO) are employed to optimize the optical path layout across varying beam quantities. The findings underscore a marked reduction in imaging errors with the optimized optical path configuration compared to conventional setups, thereby elevating detection precision. Notably, the HHO algorithm demonstrates superior performance over the SA algorithm in terms of optimization outcomes and computational efficiency. Compared with the parallel optical path, the optimized optical path of the HHO algorithm reduces the temperature field error by 25.5% and the concentration field error by 26.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In multivariate and multistep time series prediction research, we often face the problems of insufficient spatial feature extraction and insufficient time-dependent mining of historical series data, which also brings great challenges to multivariate time series analysis and prediction. Inspired by the attention mechanism and residual module, this study proposes a multivariate time series prediction method based on a convolutional-residual gated recurrent hybrid model (CNN-DA-RGRU) with a two-layer attention mechanism to solve the multivariate time series prediction problem in these two stages. Specifically, the convolution module of the proposed model is used to extract the relational features among the sequences, and the two-layer attention mechanism can pay more attention to the relevant variables and give them higher weights to eliminate the irrelevant features, while the residual gated loop module is used to extract the time-varying features of the sequences, in which the residual block is used to achieve the direct connectivity to enhance the expressive power of the model, to solve the gradient explosion and vanishing scenarios, and to facilitate gradient propagation. Experiments were conducted on two public datasets using the proposed model to determine the model hyperparameters, and ablation experiments were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the model; by comparing it with several models, the proposed model was found to achieve good results in multivariate time series-forecasting tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lack of trace element iron has become a key factor restricting vegetable yield and quality improvement. To address the low production efficiency of water–fertilizer coupling in agricultural production, we used a combination of experimental research, theoretical analysis, and mathematical modeling to systematically determine the effects of magneto-electric water irrigation with iron application on spinach growth and physiology, its yield and quality, and soil water transport characteristics. Compared with conventional water irrigation, under magneto-electric water irrigation, the water volume and applied iron concentration average increased the total accumulation of nitrogen, carbon, and iron in the aboveground part of spinach by 3.71%, 10.16%, and 14.14%, respectively, and the aboveground part of spinach had the highest total accumulation of nitrogen and carbon when irrigation water was 3300 m3 ha−1 and iron fertilizer application at 0.15%. Additionally, magneto-electric water irrigation increased spinach aboveground fresh weight and soluble sugar and protein content by an average of 13.34, 18.26, and 11.61%, respectively. Based on a comprehensive quantitative evaluation and analysis of aboveground nutrient accumulation in spinach, aboveground fresh weight, water use efficiency, and soluble sugar and protein content, we determined the optimal irrigation water and iron fertilizer application for spinach growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mulching cultivation with agricultural wastes is the main production pattern of coffee at present, but the effect of mulching cultivation on photosynthetic physiological processes of coffee plants is still not clear. Therefore, a randomized block design was adopted to establish a field experiment by one-year-old Coffee Canephora seedlings in this study. There were four types of mulch treatments, including non-mulch coffee waste (C), mulching coffee litter (L), mulching coffee cascara (cherry pericarp, P), and mulching coffee litter and cascara (LP) in this field experiment. Soil properties and microenvironment (e.g., moisture, temperature, pH, bulk density, organic matter content, alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen content, available potassium content, and available potassium content), agronomic traits (e.g., specific leaf area, leaf area index, plant height, and relative chlorophyll content), and photosynthetic indices (e.g., photosynthesis, transpiration, respiration, stomatal conductance, intercellular CO2 concentration, water use efficiency, and carbon use efficiency) were investigated to determine the effects of different coffee waste mulches on the photosynthetic physiology of coffee seedlings. The results show that coffee litter and cascara mulch significantly reduced soil temperature by 0.42 or 0.33 °C, respectively, and coffee litter rather than cascara mulch significantly increased the soil's available potassium content by 46.28%, although coffee waste mulch did not affect other soil properties or microenvironment indices; coffee cascara mulching significantly increased the specific leaf area and net and gross photosynthesis of coffee by 45.46%, 78.33%, and 91.72%, respectively, but the mulching treatments did not affect stomatal conductance, transpiration, or carbon use efficiency in this study. Additionally, coffee cascara mulching increased leaf respiration and net and gross water use efficiency by 109.34%, 80.54%, and 104.95%, respectively. The coffee cascara mulching alone had the most significant positive impact on the photosynthetic index, followed by a combination of litter and cascara, litter alone, and the control treatment. The observed variations in the coffee photosynthetic index may be attributed to the reduction of soil temperature caused by mulching treatments rather than the increase in soil nutrients content. These results indicate that coffee cascara mulching could effectively promote photosynthesis and the growth of coffee seedlings by improving the soil microenvironment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The problem of poor water and fertilizer retention in sandy soils can lead to physiological growth restriction and yield and quality decline in apples. Sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) formula can improve the soil structure and increase the water- and fertilizer-holding capacity of the soil, and Biogenic Stimulant (BS) can improve the drought stress resistance of crops and promote the physiological growth of crops. Considering that CMC and BS may improve the physiological characteristics of sandy soil apples, in this study, CMC was coupled with BS in sandy apples, and the effects on the physiological characteristics, yield, and quality of apples were systematically investigated. The results showed that CMC and BS could increase leaf N, P, and K content, with the greatest increases seen in the Y2C2 treatment (9.28, 0.61, and 0.56 g kg−1, respectively) compared with the CK treatment. The SPAD values of leaves following the coupled CMC and BS treatment compared to the CK treatment were elevated in the range of 4.47–24.29% at the flowering and fruiting stage, 2.84–26.50% at fruit expansion stage, and 6.64–19.41% at maturation stage. In the light response data of different treatments, the maximum net photosynthetic rate occurred in the Y2C2 treatment, and the net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, and stomatal conductance were all the highest in the Y2C2 treatment during the fruit expansion stage, with the net photosynthetic rate being higher than that of the CK treatment by 5.09 µmol m−2 s−1. The combination treatments of CMC and BS increased apple yield by 10.69 to 27.62% as compared to the CK treatment, and also increased soluble reducing sugar, soluble solids, and VC and reduced the titratable acid content. There was no correlation between the SPAD value during fruit expansion (p > 0.05) and the other physiological indexes (p < 0.05). Through the established functional relationship between the application rate of CMC and BS and apple yield, the recommended BS application rate of 27 kg ha−1 and CMC application rate of 20.625 kg ha−1 could yield up to 43,357.8 kg ha−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern (VOCs) with increased transmissibility and partial resistance to neutralization by antibodies has been observed globally. There is an urgent need for an effective vaccine to combat these variants. Our study demonstrated that the B.1.351 variant inactivated vaccine candidate (B.1.351V) generated strong binding and neutralizing antibody responses in BALB/c mice against the B.1.351 virus and other SARS-CoV-2 variants after two doses within 28 days. Immunized K18-hACE2 mice also exhibited elevated levels of live virus-neutralizing antibodies against various SARS-CoV-2 viruses. Following infection with these viruses, K18-hACE2 mice displayed a stable body weight, a high survival rate, minimal virus copies in lung tissue, and no lung damage compared to the control group. These findings indicate that B.1.351V offered protection against infection with multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants in mice, providing insights for the development of a vaccine targeting SARS-CoV-2 VOCs for human use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fungal diseases of plants are one of the key factors causing global crop losses. In this study, we isolated a Bacillus velezensis strain VC3, which was found to have a broad-spectrum inhibitory effect on a variety of phytopathogenic fungi through in vitro and in planta experiments, especially on Magnaporthe oryzae and Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Further genomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed that the B. velezensis VC3 has multiple functional gene clusters encoding for the synthesis of a variety of antifungal secondary metabolites, including antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and lipopeptides (LPs). In addition, AMPs and LPs were isolated and purified from B. velezensis VC3 fermentation broth and their antifungal activities were verified in this study. AMPs and LPs significantly inhibited spore germination, appressorium formation, and disease development, and AMPs have a better potential for controlling M. oryzae and C. gloeosporioides than LPs. These findings open new avenues for utilizing B. velezensis VC3 as biocontrol agents, providing potential sustainable solutions for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies on the Ke'eryin pegmatite-type lithium ore field in the Songpan–Ganzi Orogenic Belt have explored the characteristics of the parent rock but have not precisely determined its magma source area. This uncertainty limits our understanding of the regularity of lithium ore formation in this region. In this study, to address the issue of the precise source area of the parent rock of lithium mineralization, a detailed analysis of the Li isotope composition of the ore-forming parent rock (Ke'eryin two-mica monzogranite) and its potential source rocks (Triassic Xikang Group metamorphic rocks) was conducted. The δ7Li values of the Ke'eryin two-mica monzogranite, Xikang Group metasandstone, and Xikang Group mica schist are −3.3–−0.7‰ (average: −1.43‰), +0.1–+6.9‰ (average: +3.83‰), and −9.1–0‰ (average: −5.00‰), respectively. The Li isotopic composition of the Ke'eryin two-mica monzogranite is notably different from the metasandstone and aligns more closely with the mica schist, suggesting that the mica schist is its primary source rock. The heavy Li isotopic composition of the two-mica monzogranite compared to the mica schist may have resulted from the separation of the peritectic garnet into the residual phase during the biotite dehydration melting process. Moreover, the low-temperature weathering of the source rocks may have been the main factor leading to the lighter lithium isotope composition of the Xikang Group mica schist compared to the metasandstone. Further analysis suggests that continental crust weathering and crustal folding and thickening play crucial roles in the enrichment of lithium during multi-cycle orogenies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence is closely related to DNA damage, proteasome inactivity, histone loss, epigenetic alterations, and tumorigenesis. The mammalian proteasome activator PA200 (also referred to as PSME4) or its yeast ortholog Blm10 promotes the acetylation-dependent degradation of the core histones during transcription, DNA repair, and spermatogenesis. According to recent studies, PA200 plays an important role in senescence, probably because of its role in promoting the degradation of the core histones. Loss of PA200 or Blm10 is a major cause of the decrease in proteasome activity during senescence. In this paper, recent research progress on the association of PA200 with cellular senescence is summarized, and the potential of PA200 to serve as a therapeutic target in age-related diseases is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we extend the research on the multimodal routing problem by considering flexible time window and multi-uncertainty environment. A multi-uncertainty environment includes uncertainty regarding the demand for goods, the travel speed of the transportation mode, and the transfer time between different transportation modes. This environment further results in uncertainty regarding the delivery time of goods at their destination and the earliness and lateness caused by time window violations. This study adopts triangular fuzzy numbers to model the uncertain parameters and the resulting uncertain variables. Then, a fuzzy mixed integer nonlinear programming model is established to formulate the specific problem, including both fuzzy parameters and fuzzy variables. To make the problem easily solvable, this study employs chance-constrained programming and linearization to process the proposed model to obtain an equivalent credibilistic chance-constrained linear programming reformulation with an attainable global optimum solution. A numerical case study based on a commonly used multimodal network structure is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method. Compared to hard and soft time windows, the numerical case analysis reveals the advantages of the flexible time window in reducing the total costs, avoiding low reliability regarding timeliness, and providing confidence level-sensitive route schemes to achieve flexible routing decision-making under uncertainty. Furthermore, the numerical case analysis verifies that it is necessary to model the multi-uncertainty environment to satisfy the improved customer requirements for timeliness and enhance the flexibility of the routing, and multimodal transportation is better than unimodal transportation when routing goods in an uncertain environment. The sensitivity analysis in the numerical case study shows the conflicting relationship between the economic objective and the reliability regarding the timeliness of the routing, and the result provides a reference for the customer to find a balance between them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water scarcity and the overuse of chemical fertilizers present significant challenges to modern agriculture, critically affecting crop photosynthesis, yield, quality, and productivity sustainability. This research assesses the impact of organic fertilizer on the photosynthetic attributes, yield, and quality of pakchoi under varying irrigation water conditions, including fresh water and brackish water. Findings reveal that the modified rectangular hyperbolic model most accurately captures the photosynthetic reaction to organic fertilization, outperforming other evaluated models. The maximum net photosynthesis rate (Pnmax), yield, soluble sugar (SS), and soluble protein content (SP) all exhibited a downward-opening quadratic parabolic trend with increasing amounts of organic fertilizer application. Specifically, under fresh-water irrigation, the optimal Pnmax, yield, SS, and SP were obtained at organic fertilizer rates of 65.77, 74.63, 45.33, and 40.79 kg/ha, respectively, achieving peak values of 20.71 µmol/(m2·s), 50,832 kg/ha, 35.63 g/kg, and 6.25 g/kg. This investigation provides a foundational basis for further research into the intricate relationship between water salinity stress and nutrient management, with the goal of crafting more sophisticated and sustainable farming methodologies. The insights gained could significantly influence organic fertilizer practices, promoting not only higher yields but also superior quality in agricultural outputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing textual attacks mostly perturb keywords in sentences to generate adversarial examples by relying on the prediction confidence of victim models. In practice, attackers can only access the prediction label, meaning that the victim model can easily defend against such hard-label attacks by denying access based on the attack's frequency. In this paper, we propose an efficient hard-label attack approach, called WordBlitz. First, based on the adversarial transferability, we train a substitute model to initialize the attack parameter set, including a candidate pool and two weight tables of keywords and candidate words. Then, adversarial examples are generated and optimized under the guidance of the two weight tables. During optimization, we design a hybrid local search algorithm with word importance to find the globally optimal solution while updating the two weight tables according to the attack results. Finally, the non-adversarial text generated during perturbation optimization is added to the training of the substitute model as data augmentation to improve the adversarial transferability. Experimental results show that WordBlitz surpasses the baseline in terms of better effectiveness, higher efficiency, and lower cost. Its efficiency is especially pronounced in scenarios with broader search spaces, and its attack success rate on a Chinese dataset is higher than on baselines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid is a heavy oil thermal recovery method independently developed by China National Offshore Oil Co., Ltd (Beijing, China). It uses waste liquid at the production end of the production well as the water source, the injection medium temperature exceeds 374 °C, 22.1 MPa, and all the produced flue gas is re-injected. Compared with steam huff and puff technology, supercritical technology has the advantages of high enthalpy value, high heat utilization rate, good oil displacement effect, and being green and pollution-free. In addition, its oil–water treatment cost is low, it can realize the reuse of organic matter, it has a good cost advantage of water treatment under the background of low carbon, and it is a thermal recovery method with great application potential for offshore heavy oil. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out research on the adaptability and application potential of supercritical multi-source, multi-heat flow thermal recovery technology in the sea. Based on the laboratory one-dimensional displacement experiment, this paper reveals the mechanism of heavy oil supercritical multi-source multi-component thermal fluid displacement and the contribution of supercritical components to the displacement effect, and establishes the supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid numerical simulation characterization method. Combined with the characteristics of offshore heavy oil reserves, the main control factors affecting supercritical multi-source, multi-component thermal fluid development were established by numerical simulation and orthogonal test methods, and the adaptive screening method of offshore supercritical technology was established. The application potential of 670 million tons of offshore heavy oil reserves was evaluated and sorted, and KL 10-2 oilfield was selected as the pilot test oilfield. The results show that supercritical technology has great advantages in oil displacement and water treatment cost reduction, and the results play an important guiding significance for the development of offshore heavy oil technology system and the iteration of new technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the realm of high-tech materials and energy applications, accurately measuring the transient heat flow at media boundaries and the internal thermal conductivity of materials in harsh heat exchange environments poses a significant challenge when using conventional direct measurement methods. Consequently, the study of photothermal parameter reconstruction in translucent media, which relies on indirect measurement techniques, has crucial practical value. Current research on reconstructing photothermal properties within participating media typically focuses on single-objective or time-invariant properties. There is a pressing need to develop effective methods for the simultaneous reconstruction of time-varying thermal flow fields and internal thermal conductivity at the boundaries of participating media. This paper introduces a computational model based on the numerical simulation theory of internal heat transfer systems in participating media, stochastic particle swarm optimization algorithms, and Kalman filter technology. The model aims to enable the simultaneous reconstruction of various thermal parameters within the target medium. Our results demonstrate that under varying levels of measurement noise, the inversion results for different target parameters exhibit slight oscillations around the true values, leading to a reduction in reconstruction accuracy. However, overall, the model demonstrates robustness and accuracy in ideal conditions, validating its effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroponic experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of varying particle sizes (5 μm, 0.1 μm, and 0.08 μm) and concentrations (0, 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, and 2000 mg/L) of polystyrene plastic microspheres (PS-MPs) on the germination and growth of P. sativum seeds in order to investigate the effects of the microplastic environment on crop seed germination and seedling growth. The findings demonstrated that PS-MPs significantly harmed P. sativum seed germination. Specifically, low concentrations or high particle sizes weakened or promoted P. sativum seed germination, indicating varying susceptibilities to PS-MP treatment at different particle sizes. The strongest inhibitory effect on growth was observed under small particle size (0.08 μm) and high concentration (2000 mg/L). Stress had less of an impact on P. sativum in environments with low concentrations of PS-MPs, but in environments with medium and high concentrations, physiological and biochemical indicators like germination rate, stem length, and root length were significantly impacted. Furthermore, the particle size and concentration of PS-MPs had an impact on the growth effect of P. sativum seedlings. The indices of P. sativum seed germination were significantly impacted by the particle size of PS-MPs, despite the fact that PS-MP concentration was low. When the concentration of PS-MPs is low, the effects of varying PS-MP particle sizes on seed germination and root length are as follows: 0.1 μm > 5 μm > 0.08 μm. The concentration of PS-MPs had a significant impact on how it affected the buildup of dry matter and photosynthetic pigment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rural landscapes serve as important platforms to determine the landscape characteristics (LCs) of rural areas, demonstrating the landscape characteristics specific to certain regions to the public. However, the development trend of urban and rural areas is continuous and impacts the characteristics of rural landscapes, which directly affects the public's visual experience and landscape perception. In order to improve the characteristics of rural landscapes, this study evaluates and analyzes their visual quality based on public preferences and eye movement heat maps. The results show that most subjects have a high preference for horizontal, open-view rural landscapes with fields and landform features as the dominant landscape elements. This study also found that the combination of strip-like or planar settlement buildings with regional characteristics and landform features has an active impact on the visual quality of rural landscapes. These results show that rural landscapes characterized by scattered settlement buildings without significant regional characteristics, horizontally curved roads, bridges, and other human-made landscape elements, and mixed and disorderly vegetation have low landscape preference, which degrades their visual quality. These research results provide crucial suggestions for landscape managers to protect and renew rural landscape features. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance for scientific land use planning and ecological security protection to clarify the impacts of land use changes on an ecosystem's health. Based on the dynamic evolution of land use and ecosystem health on the Northern Slope of Tianshan Mountain (NSTM) from 2000 to 2020, this study utilized the patch-generating land use simulation (PLUS) model, the Vitality–Organization–Resilience–Services (VORS) model, and the elasticity approach to assess the impacts of land use changes on ecosystem health under four different scenarios: Natural Development Scenario (ND), Farmland Conservation Priority Scenario (FP), Ecological Conservation Priority Scenario (EP), and Urban Development Priority Scenario (UD). The results indicate that (1) land use on the NSTM from 2000 to 2020 was predominantly characterized by barren land and grassland. (2) The overall level of ecosystem health on the NSTM was poor from 2000 to 2020 but showed a gradual improvement trend. (3) Ecosystem health levels vary greatly across scenarios. In general, ecosystem health improves under FP and EP scenarios but deteriorates significantly under ND and UD scenarios. The resilience of ecosystem health varies significantly across different land categories. In the future, optimizing the current land use pattern and refining the ecological protection policy are essential to enhance ecosystem health and services in the NSTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moslae Herba (MH) can be used for both medicine and food and has a long history of medicine. MH has the effects of sweating and relieving the exterior, removing dampness and harmonizing, and is mainly used for colds caused by damp heat in summer. It is called "Xiayue Zhi Mahuang" in China. So far, 123 chemical compounds have been isolated and identified from MH, including flavonoids, terpenoids, phenolic acids, phenylpropanoids, and other chemical compounds. Its chemical components have a wide range of pharmacological activities, including antibacterial, antiviral, anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, analgesic sedation, antipyretic, immune regulation, insecticidal, and other effects. In addition, because of its aromatic odor and health care function, MH also has development and utilization value in food, chemical, and other fields. This paper reviewed the research progress of MH in botany, traditional uses, phytochemistry, and pharmacology and provided a possible direction for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factor (TF) family is one of the biggest TF families identified so far in the plant kingdom, functioning in diverse biological processes including plant growth and development, signal transduction, and stress responses. For Perilla frutescens, a novel oilseed crop abundant in polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) (especially α-linolenic acid, ALA), the identification and biological functions of bZIP members remain limited. In this study, 101 PfbZIPs were identified in the perilla genome and classified into eleven distinct groups (Groups A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, S, and UC) based on their phylogenetic relationships and gene structures. These PfbZIP genes were distributed unevenly across 18 chromosomes, with 83 pairs of them being segmental duplication genes. Moreover, 78 and 148 pairs of orthologous bZIP genes were detected between perilla and Arabidopsis or sesame, respectively. PfbZIP members belonging to the same subgroup exhibited highly conserved gene structures and functional domains, although significant differences were detected between groups. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis revealed differential expressions of 101 PfbZIP genes during perilla seed development, with several PfbZIPs exhibiting significant correlations with the key oil-related genes. Y1H and GUS activity assays evidenced that PfbZIP85 downregulated the expression of the PfLPAT1B gene by physical interaction with the promoter. PfLPAT1B encodes a lysophosphatidate acyltransferase (LPAT), one of the key enzymes for triacylglycerol (TAG) assembly. Heterogeneous expression of PfbZIP85 significantly reduced the levels of TAG and UFAs (mainly C18:1 and C18:2) but enhanced C18:3 accumulation in both seeds and non-seed tissues in the transgenic tobacco lines. Furthermore, these transgenic tobacco plants showed no significantly adverse phenotype for other agronomic traits such as plant growth, thousand seed weight, and seed germination rate. Collectively, these findings offer valuable perspectives for understanding the functions of PfbZIPs in perilla, particularly in lipid metabolism, showing PfbZIP85 as a suitable target in plant genetic improvement for high-value vegetable oil production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytophthora root rot is a devastating disease of soybean caused by Phytophthora sojae. However, the resistance mechanism is not yet clear. Our previous studies have shown that GmAP2 enhances sensitivity to P. sojae in soybean, and GmMYB78 is downregulated in the transcriptome analysis of GmAP2-overexpressing transgenic hairy roots. Here, GmMYB78 was significantly induced by P. sojae in susceptible soybean, and the overexpressing of GmMYB78 enhanced sensitivity to the pathogen, while silencing GmMYB78 enhances resistance to P. sojae, indicating that GmMYB78 is a negative regulator of P. sojae. Moreover, the jasmonic acid (JA) content and JA synthesis gene GmAOS1 was highly upregulated in GmMYB78-silencing roots and highly downregulated in overexpressing ones, suggesting that GmMYB78 could respond to P. sojae through the JA signaling pathway. Furthermore, the expression of several pathogenesis-related genes was significantly lower in GmMYB78-overexpressing roots and higher in GmMYB78-silencing ones. Additionally, we screened and identified the upstream regulator GmbHLH122 and downstream target gene GmbZIP25 of GmMYB78. GmbHLH122 was highly induced by P. sojae and could inhibit GmMYB78 expression in resistant soybean, and GmMYB78 was highly expressed to activate downstream target gene GmbZIP25 transcription in susceptible soybean. In conclusion, our data reveal that GmMYB78 triggers soybean sensitivity to P. sojae by inhibiting the JA signaling pathway and the expression of pathogenesis-related genes or through the effects of the GmbHLH122-GmMYB78-GmbZIP25 cascade pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study models a container routing problem using multimodal transportation to improve its economy, timeliness, and reliability. Pickup and delivery time windows are simultaneously formulated in optimization to provide the shipper and the receiver with time-efficient services, in which early pickup and delayed delivery can be avoided, and nonlinear storage periods at the origin and the destination can be minimized. Furthermore, the capacity uncertainty of the multimodal network is incorporated into the advanced routing to enhance its reliability in practical transportation. The LR triangular fuzzy number is adopted to model the capacity uncertainty, in which its spread ratio is defined to measure the uncertainty level of the fuzzy capacity. Due to the nonlinearity introduced by the time windows and the fuzziness from the network capacity, this study establishes a fuzzy nonlinear optimization model for optimization problem. A chance-constrained linear reformulation equivalent to the proposed model is then generated based on the credibility measure, which makes the global optimum solution attainable by using Lingo software. A numerical case verification demonstrates that the proposed model can effectively solve the problem. The case analysis points out that the formulation of pickup and delivery time windows can improve the timeliness of the entire transportation process and help to achieve on-time transportation. Furthermore, improving the confidence level and the uncertainty level increases the total costs of the optimal route. Therefore, the shipper and the receiver must prepare more transportation budget to improve reliability and address the increasing uncertainty level. Further analysis draws some insights to help the shipper, receiver, and multimodal transport operator to organize a reliable and cost-efficient multimodal transportation under capacity uncertainty through confidence level balance and transportation service and transfer service selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leaf senescence is the terminal stage of leaf development, and its initiation and progression are closely controlled by the integration of a myriad of endogenous signals and environmental stimuli. It has been documented that WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play essential roles in regulating leaf senescence, yet the molecular mechanism of WRKY-mediated leaf senescence still lacks detailed elucidation in crop plants. In this study, we cloned and identified a tobacco WRKY TF gene, designated NtWRKY70b, acting as a positive regulator of natural leaf senescence. The expression profile analysis showed that NtWRKY70b transcript levels were induced by aging and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and downregulated upon hydrogen sulfide (H2S) treatment. The physiological and biochemical assays revealed that overexpression of NtWRKY70b (OE) clearly promoted leaf senescence, triggering increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and decreased H2S content, while disruption of NtWRKY70b by chimeric repressor silencing technology (SRDX) significantly delayed the onset of leaf senescence, leading to a decreased accumulation of ROS and elevated concentration of H2S. The quantitative real-time PCR analysis showed that the expression levels of various senescence-associated genes and ROS biosynthesis-related genes (NtRbohD and NtRbohE) were upregulated in OE lines, while the expression of H2S biosynthesis-related genes (NtDCD and NtCYSC1) were inhibited in OE lines. Furthermore, the Yeast one-hybrid analysis (Y1H) and dual luciferase assays showed that NtWRKY70b could directly upregulate the expression of an ROS biosynthesis-related gene (NtRbohD) and a chlorophyll degradation-related gene (NtPPH) by binding to their promoter sequences. Accordingly, these results indicated that NtWYKY70b directly activated the transcript levels of NtRbohD and NtPPH and repressed the expression of NtDCD and NtCYCS1, thereby promoting ROS accumulation and impairing the endogenous H2S production, and subsequently accelerating leaf aging. These observations improve our knowledge of the regulatory mechanisms of WRKY TFs controlling leaf senescence and provide a novel method for ensuring high agricultural crop productivity via genetic manipulation of leaf senescence in crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid expansion of tourism, mining, and manufacturing, the economy of Hainan Island in southern China has experienced swift growth. However, it also brings the risk of soil pollution by mercury (Hg) as a result of increased traffic and mineral processing activities. In order to investigate the characteristics of soil Hg pollution in Hainan Island and assess the health risk, a total of 239 samples were gathered from five representative regions across the island. The findings indicate considerable fluctuations in the soil Hg concentration across the five sub-study areas, which are influenced by factors such as wind direction, mining activities, and economic development. Changjiang Li Autonomous County, situated in the downwind direction (NW) and rich in mineral resources, shows the highest soil Hg concentration (10.00–1582.50 ng·g−1). Following closely are Haikou and Sanya, the two most economically developed cities on the island, with soil Hg concentrations of 8.33–321.50 ng·g−1 and 6.04–180.50 ng·g−1, respectively. Wuzhishan Nature Reserve and Lingshui Li Autonomous County, located in the upwind area (SE), show the lowest concentrations, ranging between 10.70–104.67 ng·g−1 and 9.43–84.00 ng·g−1, respectively. Both the Single Pollution Index method and the Geo-accumulation Index method were employed to assess the level of Hg pollution. The results indicate that nearly half of the sampling sites are contaminated, in which the proportion of contaminated sites in Sanya and Haikou are the highest, but the level of contamination is low; the heavily contaminated sites are predominantly found in Changjiang Li Autonomous County. However, the low Health Risk Index (HI) ranging from 0.0001 to 0.0334 suggests that although the soil is contaminated with Hg, it does not pose a substantial non-carcinogenic risk to human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a planarization technique, chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) continues to suffer from pattern effects that result in large variations in material thickness, which can influence circuit performance and yield. Therefore, tools for predicting post-CMP chip morphology based on the layout-dependent effect (LDE) have become increasingly critical and widely utilized for design verification and manufacturing development. In order to characterize the impact of patterns on polishing, such models often require the extraction of graphic parameters. However, existing extraction algorithms provide a limited description of the interaction effect between layout patterns. To address this problem, we calculate the average density as a density correction and innovatively use a one-dimensional line contact deformation profile as a weighting function. To verify our hypothesis, the density correction method is applied to a density step-height-based high-K metal gate-CMP prediction model. The surface prediction results before and after optimization are compared with the silicon data. The results show a reduction in mean squared error (MSE) of 40.1% and 35.2% in oxide and Al height predictions, respectively, compared with the preoptimization results, confirming that the optimization method can improve the prediction accuracy of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of amyloid β-protein (Aβ) inhibitors is considered an effective strategy for the prevention and treatment of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, the limited blood–brain barrier (BBB) penetration and poor Aβ-targeting capability restricts the therapeutic efficiency of candidate drugs. Herein, we have proposed to engineer transthyretin (TTR) by fusion of the Aβ-targeting peptide KLVFF and cell-penetrating peptide Penetratin to TTR, and derived a fusion protein, KLVFF-TTR-Penetratin (KTP). Moreover, to introduce the scavenging activity for reactive oxygen species (ROS), a nanocomposite of KTP and manganese dioxide nanoclusters (KTP@MnO2) was fabricated by biomineralization. Results revealed that KTP@MnO2 demonstrated significantly enhanced inhibition on Aβ aggregation as compared to TTR. The inhibitory effect was increased from 18%, 33%, and 49% (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL TTR, respectively) to 52%, 81%, and 100% (10, 25, and 50 μg/mL KTP@MnO2). In addition, KTP@MnO2 could penetrate the BBB and target amyloid plaques. Moreover, multiple ROS, including hydroxyl radicals, superoxide radicals, hydrogen peroxide, and Aβ-induced-ROS, which cannot be scavenged by TTR, were scavenged by KTP@MnO2, thus resulting in the mitigation of cellular oxidative damages. More importantly, cell culture and in vivo experiments with AD nematodes indicated that KTP@MnO2 at 50 μg/mL increased the viability of Aβ-treated cells from 66% to more than 95%, and completely cleared amyloid plaques in AD nematodes and extended their lifespan by 7 d. Overall, despite critical aspects such as the stability, metabolic distribution, long-term biotoxicity, and immunogenicity of the nanocomposites in mammalian models remaining to be investigated, this work has demonstrated the multifunctionality of KTP@MnO2 for targeting Aβ in vivo, and provided new insights into the design of multifunctional nanocomposites of protein–metal clusters against AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PETase exhibits a high degradation activity for polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic under moderate temperatures. However, the effect of non-active site residues in the second shell of PETase on the catalytic performance remains unclear. Herein, we proposed a crystal structure- and sequence-based strategy to identify the key non-active site residue. D186 in the second shell of PETase was found to be capable of modulating the enzyme activity and stability. The most active PETaseD186N improved both the activity and thermostability with an increase in Tm by 8.89 °C. The PET degradation product concentrations were 1.86 and 3.69 times higher than those obtained with PETaseWT at 30 and 40 °C, respectively. The most stable PETaseD186V showed an increase in Tm of 12.91 °C over PETaseWT. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the D186 mutations could elevate the substrate binding free energy and change substrate binding mode, and/or rigidify the flexible Loop 10, and lock Loop 10 and Helix 6 by hydrogen bonding, leading to the enhanced activity and/or thermostability of PETase variants. This work unraveled the contribution of the key second-shell residue in PETase in influencing the enzyme activity and stability, which would benefit in the rational design of efficient and thermostable PETase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates a green multimodal routing problem with soft time window. The objective of routing is to minimize the total costs of accomplishing the multimodal transportation of a batch of goods. To improve the feasibility of optimization, this study formulates the routing problem in an uncertain environment where the capacities and carbon emission factors of the travel process and the transfer process in the multimodal network are considered fuzzy. Taking triangular fuzzy numbers to describe the uncertainty, this study proposes a fuzzy nonlinear programming model to deal with the specific routing problem. To make the problem solvable, this study adopts the fuzzy chance-constrained programming approach based on the possibility measure to remove the fuzziness of the proposed model. Furthermore, we use linear inequality constraints to reformulate the nonlinear equality constraints represented by the continuous piecewise linear functions and realize the linearization of the nonlinear programming model to improve the computational efficiency of problem solving. After model processing, we can utilize mathematical programming software to run exact solution algorithms to solve the specific routing problem. A numerical experiment is given to show the feasibility of the proposed model. The sensitivity analysis of the numerical experiment further clarifies how improving the confidence level of the chance constraints to enhance the possibility that the multimodal route planned in advance satisfies the real-time capacity constraint in the actual transportation, i.e., the reliability of the routing, increases both the total costs and carbon emissions of the route. The numerical experiment also finds that charging carbon emissions is not absolutely effective in emission reduction. In this condition, bi-objective analysis indicates the conflicting relationship between lowering transportation activity costs and reducing carbon emissions in routing optimization. The sensitivity of the Pareto solutions concerning the confidence level reveals that reliability, economy, and environmental sustainability are in conflict with each other. Based on the findings of this study, the customer and the multimodal transport operator can organize efficient multimodal transportation, balancing the above objectives using the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to investigate the durability of two kinds of fiber-reinforced composite materials, and obtain the degradation mechanism and failure model in a hygrothermal environment, E-glass- fiber-reinforced composite materials, glass fiber-reinforced epoxy vinyl ester and glass fiber-reinforced unsaturated polyester (named GF/VE and GF/UP, respectively) were chosen to suffer rigorous hygrothermal aging. Their mechanical performance was monitored during the aging process to evaluate their durability. The cause of deterioration of the composite was comprehensively analyzed. Based on the analysis results of attenuated total-reflectance-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), the change mechanism of chain structure of the resin molecule was proposed. SEM (scanning electron microscopy), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to analyze the microstructure and degradation mechanism of the fiber and the interface between fiber and matrix. The degradation mechanism of the composite system, including the resin, the fiber and the interface, was obtained, and it was found that the deterioration of the matrix resin caused by the hygrothermal environment was the main factor leading to the decline in composites performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]