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Simple Summary: The infection of animals and humans with Sarcocystis spp. causes public health problems and significant economic losses to the livestock industry. To date, more than 200 species in the genus Sarcocystis have been reported. Sarcocystis spp. can cause sarcocystosis, which leads to emaciation, abortion, and even death in sheep. However, to date, Sarcocystis spp. infection has not been reported in sheep (Ovis aries) in Shanxi Province. In the present study, 582 mutton samples collected from sheep in ten representative counties in this province were investigated for Sarcocystis spp. by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene. The results showed that the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in sheep in Shanxi Province was 33.85% (197/582). Of them, 196 cox1 sequences showed a nucleotide similarity of 98.56–99.81% with those of S. tenella, and the remaining one cox1 sequence showed a nucleotide similarity of 99.71% with that of S. arieticanis. The present study reported the occurrence and prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. for the first time in sheep in Shanxi Province, China, which has important implications for the control and prevention of Sarcocystis infection in this province and elsewhere. Sarcocystis species are intracellular coccidian protozoans that can infect a range of animals and humans and cause public health problems and economically significant losses. Sarcocystosis in sheep (Ovis aries) can cause abortion, neurological symptoms, and even death and results in significant economic losses to the livestock industry. To date, however, it is yet unknown whether sheep in Shanxi Province, north China, are infected with Sarcocystis spp. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in sheep in Shanxi Province. Thus, 582 muscle samples of sheep were purchased from farmers' markets from ten representative counties in Shanxi Province, north China, and examined for the presence and prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. by PCR amplification of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (cox1) gene. Of the examined 582 mutton samples, 197 samples (33.85%) were Sarcocystis-positive and were sequenced. Of the obtained 197 cox1 sequences, 196 sequences showed nucleotide similarity of 98.56–99.81% with those of S. tenella, and the remaining one cox1 sequence showed nucleotide similarity of 99.71% with that of S. arieticanis. Two representative cox1 sequences of S. tenella (accession nos. PQ189447 and PQ189448) have 99.52% and 99.61% identity with S. tenalla (KC209725) and S. tenalla (MK419984), respectively. The sequence of S. arieticanis (accession no. PQ165949) obtained in this study has 99.71% identity with S. arieticanis (MK419975). This present study documents the occurrence and prevalence of Sarcocystis spp. in sheep in Shanxi Province for the first time, which enriches the data on the distribution of Sarcocystis spp. in sheep in China and has implications for the control of sheep sarcocystosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our previous research, we found that trichokonins' (TKs) employment improved the thermotolerance of the Lanzhou lily, a renowned edible crop species endemic to China that is relatively susceptible to high temperatures (HTs). Here, a novel Lanzhou lily GRAS gene, LzSCL9, was identified to respond to heat stress (HS) and HS+TKs treatment based on transcriptome and RT-qPCR analysis. TKs could improve the upregulation of LzSCL9 during long-term HS. The expression profile of LzSCL9 in response to HS with or without TKs treatment showed a significant positive correlation with LzHsfA2a-1, which was previously identified as a key regulator in TKs' conferred resilience to HT. More importantly, overexpression of LzSCL9 in the lily enhanced its tolerance to HTs and silencing LzSCL9 in the lily reduced heat resistance. Taken together, this study identified the positive role of LzSCL9 in TK-induced thermotolerance, thereby preliminarily establishing a molecular mechanism on TKs regulating the thermostability of the Lanzhou lily and providing a new candidate regulator for plant heat-resistant breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Cyclospora cayetanensis is an emerging zoonotic intestinal protozoan that poses a threat to human health, and the main symptoms of C. cayetanensis infection are voluminous, watery diarrhea, abdominal cramps, nausea, low-grade fever, fatigue, and weight loss. However, to date, no study of Cyclospora spp. has been reported in cattle in Shanxi Province. We first reported the occurrence and prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in beef and dairy cattle in Shanxi Province, China. A total of 761 fecal samples collected from cattle in three representative counties in this Province were examined for Cyclospora spp. by using a polymerase-chain-reaction–restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) test targeting the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle was 2.1%, and region, age, sex, and breed were not found to be significantly associated with Cyclospora prevalence. Twelve representative sequences were obtained. Among them, seven sequences were identified as Cyclospora colobi and five sequences were identified as other Cyclospora spp.. This study reported the occurrence and prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle in Shanxi Province for the first time, which extends the geographical distribution of the genus Cyclospora. To date, more than 20 species in the genus Cyclospora have been reported. Among them, Cyclospora cayetanensis has been recognized as the causative agent of human cyclosporiasis, which is characterized by severe intestinal injury and prolonged diarrhea in patients with immune dysfunction. The presence of C. cayetanensis in cattle has been confirmed. To date, however, no surveillance data are available on the occurrence and prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle in Shanxi Province, North China. In the present study, a total of 761 fecal samples collected from cattle in three representative counties (Qi, Jishan, and Shanyin) in this Province were examined for Cyclospora spp. by using a polymerase-chain-reaction–restriction-fragment-length polymorphism (PCR–RFLP) test based on the nuclear small subunit ribosomal RNA (SSU rRNA) gene. The prevalence of Cyclospora spp. in cattle was 2.1%, and region, age, sex, and breed were not identified to be risk factors. Molecular evolutionary analysis based on the SSU rRNA sequences revealed that all 12 of the isolates were relatively distant from the human pathogen C. cayetanensis; seven isolates were grouped with Cyclospora colobi, whereas the others were grouped with cattle Cyclospora spp. reported previously. Though C. cayetanensis was not detected in cattle in the present study, more investigations should be performed in human populations, other animal species, or cattle from other regions of Shanxi Province and other environmental sources from the One Health perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bioaccessibility of particle-bound hydrophobic organic contaminants, such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and the factors influencing their re-release are crucial for assessing potential human health risks via inhalation and hand-mouth exposure. However, the mechanisms by which various factors affect the re-release of PAHs in body fluids, particularly in response to environmental changes like freeze-thaw cycles, remain unclear. To obtain a better understanding, an in vitro method was employed to investigate the re-release processes of PAHs from different soil types (ferrallitic soil and calcareous soil) in simulated body fluids (simulated lung fluid and simulated saliva) under varying freeze-thaw conditions (0, 15, and 30 cycles). The findings indicated that the bioaccessibilities of phenanthrene and pyrene decreased with the frequency of freeze-thaw cycles, which were constrained by soil nature and simulated body fluids compositions as well. Additionally, this study observed that the portion of reversible adsorption of PAHs declined after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles in a nonlinear manner, suggesting that the potential human health risk associated with PAHs could be mitigated due to the "aging effect" which occurred as PAHs became less bioaccessible over time. These results underscore the importance of considering the characteristics of pollutants, body fluids, and environmental media when conducting a precise assessment of the human health risks posed by such contaminants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Giardia duodenalis is a common zoonotic intestinal protozoan and causes significant economic losses and potential risks to public health. China is among the several major producers of donkeys worldwide, with approximately 2.6 million donkeys being reared in 2019, but studies on G. duodenalis infection in donkeys were limited. Thus, in order to better understand the molecular epidemiology of G. duodenalis in donkeys in China, 815 fecal samples were collected from donkeys in three representative geographical locations in Shanxi Province, North China, to determine the presence and genotypes of G. duodenalis based on three established loci (tpi, bg, and gdh). A total of 137 out of 815 fecal samples were detected as G. duodenalis-positive with an overall prevalence of 16.81%. Among the detected assemblages A, B, and E, the most predominant assemblage was B in the three study areas. Three MLGs (MLG-novel-1 to 3) were identified with multilocus genotypes (MLGs) analysis and validated by a phylogenetic tree. This is the first report of G. duodenalis infection in donkeys in Shanxi Province, which not only enhances our understanding of the genetic diversity of G. duodenalis in donkeys in China but also provides essential baseline data for the prevention and control of G. duodenalis infection donkeys in the study areas. Giardia duodenalis is a ubiquitous flagellated protozoan, causing significant economic losses to animal husbandry and posing threats to public health. China ranks the world's sixth largest major producer of donkeys, rearing approximately 2.6 million donkeys in 2019, but limited investigation of G. duodenalis prevalence has been conducted in the past, and it is yet to be known whether donkeys in Shanxi Province are infected with G. duodenalis. In the present study, a total of 815 fecal samples collected from donkeys in representative regions of Shanxi Province, North China, were examined for G. duodenalis using nested PCR. Then, the assemblages and multilocus genotypes (MLGs) were examined based on three established loci: namely, β-giardin (bg), triosephosphate isomerase (tpi), and glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh). The overall prevalence of G. duodenalis in donkeys in Shanxi Province was 16.81% (137/815). The region was identified as the main risk factor for the observed difference in G. duodenalis prevalence in donkeys among the three study areas (χ2 = 21.611, p < 0.001). Assemblages A, E, and B were identified, with the latter as the predominant assemblage. Three MLGs (MLG-novel-1 to 3) were formed based on sequence variation among the three loci. The present study reveals the presence of G. duodenalis in donkeys in Shanxi Province, North China, for the first time, which not only enriches the data on the distribution of G. duodenalis in donkeys in China but also provides useful baseline data for planning control strategies against G. duodenalis infection in the sampled areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A nanosecond laser is used to fabricate groove-patterned textures on the upper surface of Ti-6Al-4V alloys, and then molybdic sulfide solid lubricants are filled into the grooves. The treated titanium alloy is subjected to friction and wear tests. The tribological performances of Ti-6Al-4V alloys are evaluated, and the wearing mechanism is analyzed. The combination of solid lubricants and surface texturing can effectively reduce the frictional coefficient and reduce the adhesion of Ti-6Al-4V materials on the steel balls for friction. The main wearing mechanism is the adhesive wear of the Ti-6Al-4V alloy and the adhesion of Ti-6Al-4V alloy materials on the surface of the steel balls. During the friction process, solid lubricants are squeezed from the grooves and coated at the friction interface to form a solid lubrication layer. This is the important reason why the combination of surface texturing and solid lubricants can improve the friction properties of titanium alloys effectively. The combination of solid lubricants and laser surface texturing provides an effective alternative way to improve the tribological properties of titanium alloy materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Compared with multiparous sows, primiparous sows have poor reproductive performance and insufficient nutritional reserves, resulting in a decreased growth performance in their offspring, which affects the efficiency of pig production. Yeast culture (YC) is rich in nutrients, and the supplementation of yeast culture in gestation and lactation diets is beneficial to improving the nutritional level of primiparous sows. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was mainly to investigate the effects of supplementing 0.5% and 0.8% yeast cultures into diets during gestation and lactation on the reproductive performance and intestinal health of primiparous sows, and the nutrient content of their colostrum and milk. The results showed that the dietary yeast cultures improved reproductive performance, improved the intestinal environment and energy metabolism, and increased the nutrient content of colostrum from primiparous sows. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the performance of primiparous sows, and also provides a reference for the application of yeast cultures in sow production. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of yeast culture (YC) on reproductive performance, gut microbiota, and milk composition in primiparous sows. A total of 60 primiparous sows were randomly assigned to the control group (CON) and YC group (0.5% YC during gestation and 0.8% YC during lactation) consisting of 30 replicates, with one sow in each. The results showed that dietary YC supplementation increased the piglet birth weight and backfat thickness at 28 d of lactation (p < 0.05). Dietary YC supplementation increased the apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of gross energy and calcium during lactation, the content of acetic acid and propionic acid at 110 d of gestation, and the content of acetic acid and butyric acid at 28 d of lactation in feces (p < 0.05). Furthermore, dietary YC supplementation decreased the abundance of Firmicutes, Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group, and Terrisporobacter (p < 0.05), and increased the abundance of Prevotellaceae_NK3B31_group and Rikenellaceae_RC9_gut_group (p < 0.05). Compared to the control group, dietary YC supplementation increased the fat and lactose content of the colostrum (p < 0.05). Metabolomics analysis showed that YC increased 26 different metabolites in the colostrum. Among them were mainly pantothenic acid, proline, isoleucine, phenylalanine, acylcarnitine, and other metabolites. In conclusion, these results suggested that dietary YC supplementation improves reproductive performance and gut health and increases the nutrient content in the colostrum of primiparous sows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene aerogels (GAs) possess a remarkable capability to absorb electromagnetic waves (EMWs) due to their favorable dielectric characteristics and unique porous structure. Nevertheless, the introduction of nitrogen atoms into graphene aerogels can result in improved impedance matching. In recent years, nitrogen-doped graphene aerogels (NGAs) have emerged as promising materials, particularly when combined with magnetic metals, magnetic oxides, carbon nanotubes, and polymers, forming innovative composite systems with excellent multi-functional and broadband absorption properties. This paper provides a comprehensive summary of the synthesis methods and the EMW absorption mechanism of NGAs, along with an overview of the absorption properties of nitrogen-doped graphene-based aerogels. Furthermore, this study sheds light on the potential challenges that NGAs may encounter. By highlighting the substantial contribution of NGAs in the field of EMW absorption, this study aims to facilitate the innovative development of NGAs toward achieving broadband absorption, lightweight characteristics, and multifunctionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient deep-blue emitters with thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties is a highly significant but challenging task in the field of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) applications. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of two new 4,10-dimethyl-6H,12H-5,11-methanodibenzo[b,f][1,5]diazocine (TB)-derived TADF emitters, TB-BP-DMAC and TB-DMAC, which feature distinct benzophenone (BP)-derived acceptors but share the same dimethylacridin (DMAC) donors. Our comparative study reveals that the amide acceptor in TB-DMAC exhibits a significantly weaker electron-withdrawing ability in comparison to that of the typical benzophenone acceptor employed in TB-BP-DMAC. This disparity not only causes a noticeable blue shift in the emission from green to deep blue but also enhances the emission efficiency and the reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) process. As a result, TB-DMAC emits efficient deep-blue delay fluorescence with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of 50.4% and a short lifetime of 2.28 μs in doped film. The doped and non-doped OLEDs based on TB-DMAC display efficient deep-blue electroluminescence with spectral peaks at 449 and 453 nm and maximum external quantum efficiencies (EQEs) of 6.1% and 5.7%, respectively. These findings indicate that substituted amide acceptors are a viable option for the design of high-performance deep-blue TADF materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a major public health issue, early cancer detection is of great significance. A field-effect transistor (FET) based on an MoS2/C60 composite nanolayer as the channel material enhances device performance by adding a light source, allowing the ultrasensitive detection of cancer-related miRNA. In this work, atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to deposit MoS2 layer by layer, and C60 was deposited by an evaporation coater to obtain a composite nanolayer with good surface morphology as the channel material of the FET. Based on the good absorption of C60 by blue-violet light, a 405 nm laser was selected to irradiate the channel material, improving the function of FET biosensors. A linear detection window from 10 pM to 1 fM with an ultralow detection limit of 5.16 aM for miRNA-155 was achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The coarse aggregate–mortar interface transition zone (ITZ) has a great influence on the mechanical properties of concrete, which cannot be easily studied using laboratory tests in the mesoscale. In this paper, a series of axial compression tests were conducted using the discrete element method (DEM) on concrete specimens for four phases: coarse aggregates, mortars, aggregate–mortar interface transition zones, and voids. The effects of ITZ strength on macroscopic stress and microscopic cracks under different strength reduction factors were investigated through axial compression testing. With the increase in interface transition strength, the compressive strength of the concrete becomes stronger; moreover, the number of cracks decreases, and the anisotropy of contact orientation becomes weaker. Meanwhile, the direction of crack development and the damage mode of compressed concrete specimens were also dependent on the coarse aggregate–mortar interface strength coefficient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social media connects individual users and corporate bodies on a self-service technology (SST) platform. The food and beverage industry has increasingly adopted the social media-based SST over other online and kiosk types of technologies for their service delivery. The present study sheds light on the dimensionality of service quality on the social media-based SST in the food service delivery context and went further to investigate the impact of the SST service quality on functional value, user satisfaction, and intention to reuse. The analytic results of 410 valid survey data found five salient dimensions (i.e., Functionality, Enjoyment, Assurance, Convenience, and Customization) constituting the service quality. The results also revealed that the perceived quality of social media-based food service is directly and positively associated with consumer's satisfaction and perceived functional value and is indirectly associated with intention to reuse. The results provide practical suggestions regarding how to take advantage of using social media platforms for food and beverage professionals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate prediction of photovoltaic power is of great significance to the safe operation of power grids. In order to improve the prediction accuracy, a similar day clustering convolutional neural network (CNN)–informer model was proposed to predict the photovoltaic power. Based on correlation analysis, it was determined that global horizontal radiation was the meteorological factor that had the greatest impact on photovoltaic power, and the dataset was divided into four categories according to the correlation between meteorological factors and photovoltaic power fluctuation characteristics; then, a CNN was used to extract the feature information and trends of different subsets, and the features output by CNN were fused and input into the informer model. The informer model was used to establish the temporal feature relationship between historical data, and the final photovoltaic power generation power prediction result was obtained. The experimental results show that the proposed CNN–informer prediction method has high accuracy and stability in photovoltaic power generation prediction and outperforms other deep learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The subtropical region of East China is characterized by abundant water and temperature resources conducive to crop cultivation, and large areas of lowland have been widely used for agricultural planting. The objectives of the study were to explore feasible methods of greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction for rice–wheat rotation systems and to explain the mechanism underlying the effect of drainage on GHG reduction. Shallow ditch (SD) and deep ditch (DD) treatments in the wheat season were set up for drainage to control the paddy soil water content, with conventional non-ditching as the control group (CG). CH4 and N2O emission fluxes were continuously measured, and related soil physical and chemical properties were also measured in this study. The results showed that CH4 emissions from paddy soil accounted for most of the global warming potential (GWP) in the rice–wheat rotation system. Drainage led to a significant reduction in cumulative soil CH4 emissions during the rice and wheat seasons; however, the overall cumulative N2O flux increased significantly. The total GWP produced by SD and DD in the three years was reduced by 58.21% and 54.87%, respectively. The GHG emission intensity (GHGI) of SD and DD declined by 60.13% and 56.40%, respectively. The CH4 emission flux was significantly positively correlated with the 5 cm ground temperature but negatively correlated with the soil redox potential (soil Eh). The drainage decreased the soil water and soil organic matter contents and increased soil pH, which were the mechanisms that reduced the CH4 emissions. The drainage increased the soil nitrogen content, which is the main reason for regulating N2O. The findings indicate that SD and DD not only ensured a stable increase in production but also effectively reduced GHG emissions, and we recommend SD treatment for agricultural production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) tools are widely used for hard machining of various ferrous materials. The edge structure of the PCBN cutting tool greatly affects the machining performance. In this paper, dry turning experiments were conducted on gray cast iron with a PCBN chamfered tool. Both the cutting temperature and the cutting force were measured, and then the surface quality and tool wear mechanisms were analyzed in detail. It was found that the cutting temperature and cutting force increased with the increase in feed rate, depth of cut, and cutting speed. The surface roughness firstly decreased, and then increased with an increase in feed rate. The minimum surface roughness was obtained with a feed rate of 0.15 mm/r which exceeded the tool chamfer width. The PCBN tool wear mode was mainly micro notches on the rake face and micro chipping on the tool chamfer, while the adhesion wear mechanism was the main tool wear mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-dimples were fabricated on the surface of WC/Co cemented carbide disks by laser, and dry friction tests were carried out by sliding with Al2O3/WC ceramic balls. Results show that the textured cemented carbide can reduce the average friction coefficient by about 30% compared to the smooth sample, while the textured cemented carbide with solid lubricants can reduce the average friction coefficient by about 50%. The density of textured dimples has no obvious influence on the friction coefficient. The wear rates of worn ceramic balls continue to decline with the increase in sliding speeds. The wear rates of the ceramic balls can be reduced by 40~50% for textured samples and about 65% for textured samples with solid lubricants compared to the untextured ones. The mechanism for improving the tribological properties of cemented carbide materials is that the textured dimples can store lubricants and capture wear debris, which would play an important role in promoting the engineering application of surface texturing in cemented carbide materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The initiation and quality of flowering directly affect the time to market and economic benefit of cultivated strawberries, but the underlying mechanisms of these processes are largely unknown. To investigate the gene activity during the key period of floral induction in strawberries, time-course transcriptome analysis was performed on the shoot apex of the strawberry cultivar 'Benihoppe.' A total of 7177 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified through pairwise comparisons. These DEGs were grouped into four clusters with dynamic expression patterns. By analyzing the key genes in the potential flowering pathways and the development of the leaf and flower, at least 73 DEGs that may be involved in the regulatory network of floral induction in strawberries were identified, some of which belong to the NAC, MYB, MADS, and SEB families. A variety of eight hormone signaling pathway genes that might play important roles in floral induction were analyzed. In particular, the gene encoding DELLA, a key inhibitor of the gibberellin signaling pathway, was found to be significantly differentially expressed during the floral induction. Furthermore, the differential expression of some important candidate genes, such as TFL1, SOC1, and GAI-like, was further verified by qRT-PCR. Therefore, we used this time-course transcriptome data for a preliminary exploration of the regulatory network of floral induction and to provide potential candidate genes for future studies of flowering in strawberries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitrate transporter 2 (NRT2) plays an essential role in Nitrogen (N) uptake, transport, utilization, and stress resistance. In this study, the NRT2 gene family in two sequenced Brassica napus ecotypes were identified, including 31 genes in 'Zhongshuang11' (BnaZSNRT2s) and 19 in 'Darmor-bzh' (BnaDarNRT2s). The candidate genes were divided into three groups (Group I−III) based on phylogenetic analyses, supported by a conserved intron-exon structure in each group. Collinearity analysis revealed that the large expansion of BnaZSNRT2s attributed to allopolyploidization of ancestors Brassica rapa and Brassica oleracea, and small-scale duplication events in B. napus. Transcription factor (TF) binding site prediction, cis-element analysis, and microRNA prediction suggested that the expressions of BnaZSNRT2s are regulated by multiple factors, and the regulatory pattern is relatively conserved in each group and is tightly connected between groups. Expression assay showed the diverse and differentiated spatial-temporal expression profiles of BnaZSNRT2s in Group I, but conserved patterns were observed in Group II/III; and the low nitrogen (LN) stress up-regulated expression profiles were presented in Group I−III, based on RNA-seq data. RT-qPCR analyses confirmed that BnaZSNRT2.5A-1 and BnaZSNRT2.5C-1 in Group II were highly up-regulated under LN stress in B. napus roots. Our results offer valid information and candidates for further functional BnaZSNRT2s studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Functional lilies are a group of edible lily cultivars with great potential for landscape application. Low-temperature storage can significantly improve their taste, but the knowledge of this process is largely unknown. In this study, we used the functional lilies 'Fly Shaohua' and 'Fly Tiancheng' as materials. Through physiological observation and transcriptome analysis during the bulbs' cold storage, it was found that the starch degradation and sucrose accumulation in bulbs contributed to taste improvement. After 60 d of cold storage, the sucrose accumulation was highest and the starch content was lower in the bulbs, suggesting this time-point was optimal for consumption. Accompanying the fluctuation of sucrose content during cold storage, the enzyme activities of sucrose phosphate synthase and sucrose synthase for sucrose synthesis were increased. Transcriptome analysis showed that many differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were involved in the starch and sucrose metabolism pathway, which might promote the conversion of starch to sucrose in bulbs. In addition, the DEGs involved in dormancy and stress response were also determined during cold storage, which might explain the decreased sucrose accumulation with extended storage time over 60 d due to the energy consumption for dormancy release. Taken together, our results indicated sucrose accumulation was a main factor in the taste improvement of lily bulbs after cold storage, which is attributable to the different gene expression of starch and sucrose metabolism pathways in this process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The permutation flow shop scheduling problem (PFSP) is a renowned problem in the scheduling research community. It is an NP-hard combinatorial optimization problem that has useful real-world applications. In this problem, finding a useful algorithm to handle the massive amounts of jobs required to retrieve an actionable permutation order in a reasonable amount of time is important. The recently developed crow search algorithm (CSA) is a novel swarm-based metaheuristic algorithm originally proposed to solve mathematical optimization problems. In this paper, a hybrid CSA (HCSA) is proposed to minimize the makespans of PFSPs. First, to make the CSA suitable for solving the PFSP, the smallest position value rule is applied to convert continuous numbers into job sequences. Then, the HCSA uses a Nawaz–Enscore–Ham (NEH) technique to create a population with the required levels of quality and diversity. We apply a local search to enhance the quality of the solutions and avoid premature convergence; simulated annealing enhances the local search of a method based on a variable neighborhood search. Computational tests are used to evaluate the algorithm using PFSP benchmarks with job sizes between 20 and 500. The tests indicate that the performance of the proposed HCSA is significantly superior to that of other algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem that the built-in parallel bond model in the discrete element software cannot adequately simulate the post-peak fracture behavior of quasi-brittle materials, a linear cohesive model was established. First, two particles are used to simulate the interface constitutive behavior in different modes. The results show that the new model can better simulate the behavior of Mode-I fracture, Mode-II fracture, and Mixed-mode fracture. Then, the influence of micro-parameters on the newly constructed constitutive model is analyzed, which provides a basis for the determination of micro-parameter values. Finally, the proposed softening model is applied to a three-point bending test of mortar, and the fracture behavior obtained is compared to the acoustic emission results. The simulation results also show that the constitutive model we built can be used to simulate the fracture behavior of quasi-brittle materials such as mortar and concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lily (Lilium spp.) is a widely cultivated horticultural crop that has high ornamental and commercial value but also the serious problem of pollen pollution. However, mechanisms of anther dehiscence in lily remain largely unknown. In this study, the morphological characteristics of the stomium zone (SZ) from different developmental stages of 'Siberia' lily anthers were investigated. In addition, transcriptomic and metabolomic data were analyzed to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and secondary metabolites involved in stomium degeneration. According to morphological observations, SZ lysis occurred when flower buds were 6–8 cm in length and was completed in 9 cm. Transcriptomic analysis identified the genes involved in SZ degeneration, including those associated with hormone signal transduction, cell structure, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and transcription factors. A weighted co-expression network showed strong correlations between transcription factors. In addition, TUNEL (TdT-mediated dUTP nick-end labeling) assays showed that programmed cell death was important during anther SZ degeneration. Jasmonates might also have key roles in anther dehiscence by affecting the expression of the genes involved in pectin lysis, water transport, and cysteine protease. Collectively, the results of this study improve our understanding of anther dehiscence in lily and provide a data platform from which the molecular mechanisms of SZ degeneration can be revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro-textured tools were fabricated by making textures on rake faces and filling them with molybdenum disulfide. Dry milling of Ti-6Al-4V alloys was carried out with the micro-textured tools and conventional tools for comparison. Results showed that micro-textured tools can reduce the resultant cutting forces, cutting temperatures, and power consumption by approximately 15%, 10%, and 5%, respectively. Meanwhile, the developed tools can improve tool lives by approximately 20–25%. The radial width of cut, the cutting speed, and the axial depth of cut all had statistical and physical effects on the energy consumption per unit of volume in dry milling of Ti-6Al-4V alloys, while the feed per tooth seemed to have no significant effect. The mechanism for improved performance of micro-textured tools can be mainly interpreted as their self-lubricating function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The quality and yields of strawberry plants are seriously affected by abiotic stress every year. NAC (NAM, ATAF, CUC) transcription factors are plant-specific, having various functions in plant development and response to stress. In our study, FaNAC2 from strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa, cultivar "Benihoppe") was isolated and found to be a member of the ATAF sub-family, belonging to the NAC family of transcription factors. FaNAC2 was strongly expressed in the shoot apical meristem and older leaves of strawberries, and was induced by cold, high salinity, and drought stress. To investigate how FaNAC2 functions in plant responses to abiotic stress, transgenic Nicotiana benthamiana plants ectopically overexpressing FaNAC2 were generated. The transgenic plants grew better under salt and cold stress, and, during simulated drought treatment, these transgenic lines not only grew better, but also showed higher seed germination rates than wild-type plants. Gene expression analysis revealed that key genes in proline biosynthesis pathways were up-regulated in FaNAC2 overexpression lines, while its catabolic pathway genes were down-regulated and proline was accumulated more with the overexpression of FaNAC2 after stress treatments. Furthermore, the gene expression of abscisic acid biosynthesis was also promoted. Our results demonstrate that FaNAC2 plays an important positive role in response to different abiotic stresses and may be further utilized to improve the stress tolerance of strawberry plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, with the satisfaction of people's material life, sports, like yoga and tai chi, have become essential activities in people's daily life. For most yoga amateurs, they could only learn yoga by self-study, like mechanically imitating from yoga video. They could not know whether they performed standardly without feedback and guidance. In this paper, we proposed a full-body posture modeling and quantitative evaluation method to recognize and evaluate yoga postures to provide guidance to the learner. Back propagation artificial neural network (BP-ANN) was adopted as the first classifier to divide yoga postures into different categories, and fuzzy C-means (FCM) was utilized as the second classifier to classify the postures in a category. The posture data on each body part was regarded as a multidimensional Gaussian variable to build a Bayesian network. The conditional probability of the Gaussian variable corresponding to each body part relative to the Gaussian variable corresponding to the connected body part was used as criterion to quantitatively evaluate the standard degree of body parts. The angular differences between nonstandard parts and the standard model could be calculated to provide guidance with an easily-accepted language, such as "lift up your left arm", "straighten your right forearm". To evaluate our method, a wearable device with 11 inertial measurement units (IMUs) fixed onto the body was designed to measure yoga posture data with quaternion format, and the posture database with a total of 211,643 data frames and 1831 posture instances was collected from 11 subjects. Both the posture recognition test and evaluation test were conducted. In the recognition test, 30% data was randomly picked from the database to train BP-ANN and FCM classifiers, and the recognition accuracy of the remaining 70% data was 95.39%, which is highly competitive with previous posture recognition approaches. In the evaluation test, 30% data were picked randomly from subject three, subject four, and subject six, to train the Bayesian network. The probabilities of nonstandard parts were almost all smaller than 0.3, while the probabilities of standard parts were almost all greater than 0.5, and thus the nonstandard parts of body posture could be effectively separated and picked for guidance. We also tested separately the trainers' yoga posture performance in the condition of without and with guidance provided by our proposed method. The results showed that with guidance, the joint angle errors significantly decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The lily (Lilium spp.) anther contains a lot of pollen. It is not known if lily pollen contains allergens, and therefore screening pollen allergy-related proteins and genes is necessary. The pollen development period of lily 'Siberia' was determined by microscope observation. Early mononuclear microspores and mature pollens were used as sequencing materials. The analysis of the pollen transcriptome identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs), e.g., Profilin, Phl p 7 (Polcalcin), Ole e 1, and Phl p 11, which are associated with pollen allergens. The proteome analysis positively verified a significant increase in pollen allergenic protein content. The expression levels of LoProfiilin and LoPolcalcin, annotated as allergen proteins, gradually increased in mature pollen. LoProfiilin and LoPolcalcin were cloned and their open reading frame lengths were 396 bp and 246 bp, which encoded 131 and 81 amino acids, respectively. Amino acid sequence and structure alignment indicated that the protein sequences of LoProfilin and LoPolcalcin were highly conserved. Subcellular localization analysis showed that LoProfilin protein was localized in the cell cytoplasm and nucleus. LoProfilin and LoPolcalcin were highly expressed in mature pollen at the transcriptional and protein levels. A tertiary structure prediction analysis identified LoProfilin and LoPolcalcin as potential allergens in lily pollen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chrysanthemum (Chrysanthemum morifolium (Ramat.) Kitamura) plants have great ornamental value, but their flowers can also be a source of pollen contamination. Previously, morphological and cytological studies have shown that anthers of some chrysanthemum cultivars such as 'Qx-115′ fail to dehisce, although the underlying mechanism is largely unknown. In this study, we investigated the molecular basis of anther indehiscence in chrysanthemum via transcriptome analysis of a dehiscent cultivar ('Qx-097′) and an indehiscent cultivar ('Qx-115′). We also measured related physiological indicators during and preceding the period of anther dehiscence. Our results showed a difference in pectinase accumulation and activity between the two cultivars during dehiscence. Detection of de-esterified pectin and highly esterified pectin in anthers during the period preceding anther dehiscence using LM19 and LM20 monoclonal antibodies showed that both forms of pectin were absent in the stomium region of 'Qx-097′ anthers but were abundant in that of 'Qx-115′ anthers. Analysis of transcriptome data revealed a significant difference in the expression levels of two transcription factor-encoding genes, CmLOB27 and CmERF72, between 'Qx-097′ and 'Qx-115′ during anther development. Transient overexpression of CmLOB27 and CmERF72 separately in tobacco leaves promoted pectinase biosynthesis. We conclude that CmLOB27 and CmERF72 are involved in the synthesis of pectinase, which promotes the degradation of pectin. Our results lay a foundation for further investigation of the role of CmLOB27 and CmERF72 transcription factors in the process of anther dehiscence in chrysanthemum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the porous composite films of carboxymethyl chitosan/alginate/tranexamic acid were fabricated, with calcium chloride as the crosslinking agent and glycerin as a plasticizer. The composite films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The properties of the composite films, including water absorption, air permeability, and cumulative release rate, were tested. In addition, their hemostatic performance was evaluated. The results showed that the appearance of the films with good adhesion was smooth and porous. FTIR showed that chemical crosslinking between carboxymethyl chitosan and sodium alginate was successful. The excellent cumulative release of tranexamic acid in the composite films (60–80%) gives the films a significant procoagulant effect. This has good prospects for the development of medical hemostasis materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work addresses the model predictive control (MPC) of the offset-free tracking problem in the dynamic partial least square (DyPLS) framework. Firstly, state space MPC based on the DyPLS is proposed. Then, two methods are proposed to solve the offset-free problem. One is to reform the state space model as a velocity form. Another is to augment the state space model with a disturbance model and estimate the mismatch between system output and model output with an estimator. Both methods use the system output as a feedback in the control scheme. Hence, the offset-free tracking is guaranteed, and unmeasured step disturbance can be rejected. The results of two simulations demonstrate the effectiveness of proposed methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological samples of lipids and metabolites degrade after extensive years in -80 °C storage. We aimed to determine if associated multivariate models are also impacted. Prior TOFI&#95;Asia metabolomics studies from our laboratory established multivariate models of metabolic risks associated with ethnic diversity. Therefore, to compare multivariate modelling degradation after years of -80 °C storage, we selected a subset of aged (≥5-years) plasma samples from the TOFI&#95;Asia study to re-analyze via untargeted LC-MS metabolomics. Samples from European Caucasian ( n = 28) and Asian Chinese ( n = 28) participants were evaluated for ethnic discrimination by partial least squares discriminative analysis (PLS-DA) of lipids and polar metabolites. Both showed a strong discernment between participants ethnicity by features, before (Initial) and after (Aged) 5-years of -80 °C storage. With receiver operator characteristic curves, sparse PLS-DA derived confusion matrix and prediction error rates, a considerable reduction in model integrity was apparent with the Aged polar metabolite model relative to Initial modelling. Ethnicity modelling with lipids maintained predictive integrity in Aged plasma samples, while equivalent polar metabolite models reduced in integrity. Our results indicate that researchers re-evaluating samples for multivariate modelling should consider time at -80 °C when producing predictive metrics from polar metabolites, more so than lipids., Competing Interests: Aidan Joblin-Mills, Zhanxuan E. Wu and Karl Fraser are/were employees of AgResearch Limited The paper reflects the views of the scientists and not the company.

More than one hundred cannabinoids have been found in cannabis. Δ9-Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the recognized addictive constituent in cannabis; however, the mechanisms underlying THC-induced toxicity remain elusive. To better understand cannabis-induced toxicity, the present study compared the metabolic pathways of THC and its isomer cannabidiol (CBD) in human and mouse liver microsomes using the metabolomic approach. Thirty-two metabolites of THC were identified, including nine undescribed metabolites. Of note, two glutathione (GSH) and two cysteine (Cys) adducts were found in THC's metabolism. Molecular docking revealed that THC conjugates have a higher affinity with GSH and Cys than with the parent compound, THC. Human recombinant cytochrome P450 enzymes, and their corresponding chemical inhibitors, demonstrated that CYP3A4 and CYP1B1 were the primary enzymes responsible for the formation of THC-GSH and THC-Cys, thus enabling conjugation to occur. Collectively, this study systematically compared the metabolism of THC with the metabolism of CBD using the metabolomic approach, which thus highlights the critical role of metabolomics in identifying novel drug metabolites. Moreover, this study also facilitates mechanistic speculation in order to expand the knowledge of drug metabolism and safety.

When developing a sample preparation protocol for LC-MS untargeted metabolomics of a new sample matrix unfamiliar to the laboratory, selection of a suitable injection concentration is rarely described. Here we developed a simple workflow to address this issue prior to untargeted LC-MS metabolomics using pig adipose tissue and liver tissue. Bi-phasic extraction was performed to enable simultaneous optimisation of parameters for analysis of both lipids and polar extracts. A series of diluted pooled samples were analysed by LC-MS and used to evaluate signal linearity. Suitable injected concentrations were determined based on both the number of reproducible features and linear features. With our laboratory settings, the optimum concentrations of tissue mass to reconstitution solvent of liver and adipose tissue lipid fractions were found to be 125 mg/mL and 7.81 mg/mL respectively, producing 2811 (ESI+) and 4326 (ESI-) linear features from liver, 698 (ESI+) and 498 (ESI-) linear features from adipose tissue. For analysis of the polar fraction of both tissues, 250 mg/mL was suitable, producing 403 (ESI+) and 235 (ESI-) linear features from liver, 114 (ESI+) and 108 (ESI-) linear features from adipose tissue. Incorrect reconstitution volumes resulted in either severe overloading or poor linearity in our lipid data, while too dilute polar fractions resulted in a low number of reproducible features (<50) compared to hundreds of reproducible features from the optimum concentration used. Our study highlights on multiple matrices and multiple extract and chromatography types, the critical importance of determining a suitable injected concentration prior to untargeted LC-MS metabolomics, with the described workflow applicable to any matrix and LC-MS system.

The aim of this research is to explore the biological and chemical diversity of bacteria associated with a marine flatworm Paraplanocera sp., and to discover the bioactive metabolites from culturable strains. A total of 141 strains of bacteria including 45 strains of actinomycetes and 96 strains of other bacteria were isolated, identified and fermented on a small scale. Bioactive screening (antibacterial and cytotoxic activities) and chemical screening (ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS)) yielded several target bacterial strains. Among these strains, the ethyl acetate (EA) crude extract of Streptomyces sp. XY-FW47 fermentation broth showed strong antibacterial activity against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus ATCC43300 (MRSA ATCC43300) and potent cytotoxic effects on HeLa cells. The UPLC-MS spectral analysis of the crude extract indicated that the strain XY-FW47 could produce a series of geldanamycins (GMs). One new geldanamycin (GM) analog, 4,5-dihydro-17-O-demethylgeldanamycin (1), and three known GMs (2-4) were obtained. All of these compounds were tested for antibacterial, cytotoxic, and antifungal activities, yet only GM (3) showed potent cytotoxic (HeLa cells, EC 50 = 1.12 μg/mL) and antifungal ( Setosphaeria turcica MIC = 2.40 μg/mL) activities. Their structure-activity relationship (SAR) was also preliminarily discussed in this study., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Biofouling causes huge economic loss and generates serious ecological issues worldwide. Marine coatings incorporated with antifouling (AF) compounds are the most common practices to prevent biofouling. With a ban of organotins and an increase in the restrictions regarding the use of other AF alternatives, exploring effective and environmentally friendly AF compounds has become an urgent demand for marine coating industries. Marine microorganisms, which have the largest biodiversity, represent a rich and important source of bioactive compounds and have many medical and industrial applications. This review summarizes 89 natural products from marine microorganisms and 13 of their synthetic analogs with AF EC 50 values ≤ 25 μg/mL from 1995 (the first report about marine microorganism-derived AF compounds) to April 2017. Some compounds with the EC 50 values < 5 μg/mL and LC 50 /EC 50 ratios > 50 are highlighted as potential AF compounds, and the preliminary analysis of structure-relationship (SAR) of these compounds is also discussed briefly. In the last part, current challenges and future research perspectives are proposed based on opinions from many previous reviews. To provide clear guidance for the readers, the AF compounds from microorganisms and their synthetic analogs in this review are categorized into ten types, including fatty acids, lactones, terpenes, steroids, benzenoids, phenyl ethers, polyketides, alkaloids, nucleosides and peptides. In addition to the major AF compounds which targets macro-foulers, this review also includes compounds with antibiofilm activity since micro-foulers also contribute significantly to the biofouling communities., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.