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Abstract While the changes in ocean heat uptake in a warming climate have been well explored, the changes in response to climate mitigation efforts remain unclear. Using coupled climate model simulations, here we find that in response to a hypothesized reduction of greenhouse gases in the late 21st century, ocean heat uptake would significantly decline in all ocean basins except the North Atlantic, where a persistently weakened Atlantic meridional overturning circulation results in sustained heat uptake. These prolonged circulation anomalies further lead to interbasin heat exchanges, characterized by a sustained heat export from the Atlantic to the Southern Ocean and a portion of heat transfer from the Southern Ocean to the Indo-Pacific. Due to ocean heat uptake decline and interbasin heat export, the Southern Ocean experiences the strongest decline in ocean heat storage therefore emerging as the primary heat exchanger, while heat changes in the Indo-Pacific basin are relatively limited.

Identifying stable quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield-related traits across populations and environments is crucial for wheat breeding and genetic studies. Consensus maps also play important roles in wheat genetic and genomic research. In the present study, a wheat consensus map was constructed using a doubled haploid (DH) population derived from Jinghua 1×Xiaobaidongmai (JX), an F2 population derived from L43×Shanxibaimai (LS) and the BAAFS Wheat 90K SNP array single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array. A total of 44,503 SNP markers were mapped on the constructed consensus map, and they covered 5,437.92 cM across 21 chromosomes. The consensus map showed high collinearity with the individual maps and the wheat reference genome IWGSC RefSeq v2.1. Phenotypic data on eight yield-related traits were collected in the JX population, as well as the F2:3 and F2:4 populations of LS, in six, two and two environments, respectively, and those data were used for QTL analysis. Inclusive composite interval mapping (ICIM) identified 32 environmentally stable QTLs for the eight yield-related traits. Among them, four QTLs (QPH.baafs-4B, QKNS.baafs-4B, QTGW.baafs-4B, and QSL.baafs-5A.3) were detected across mapping populations and environments, and nine stable QTLs (qKL.baafs-1D, QPH.baafs-2B, QKNS.baafs-3D, QSL.baafs-3D, QKW.baafs-4B, QPH.baafs-5D, QPH.baafs-6A.1, QSL.baafs-6A, and QSL.baafs-6D) are likely to be new. The physical region of 17.25–44.91 Mb on chromosome 4B was associated with six yield-related traits, so it is an important region for wheat yield. The physical region around the dwarfing gene Rht24 contained QTLs for kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW), spike length (SL), and thousand-grain weight (TGW), which are either from a pleiotropic effect of Rht24 or closely linked loci. For the stable QTLs, 254 promising candidate genes were identified. Among them, TraesCS5A03G1264300, TraesCS1B03G0624000 and TraesCS6A03G0697000 are particularly noteworthy since their homologous genes have similar functions for the corresponding traits. The constructed consensus map and the identified QTLs along with their candidate genes will facilitate the genetic dissection of wheat yield-related traits and accelerate the development of wheat cultivars with desirable plant morphology and high yield.

Abstract Background Grilled Nux Vomica (GNV) is a promising traditional Chinese medicine to treat myasthenia gravis (MG), but its effects and mechanisms need further exploration. Methods Experimental autoimmune MG (EAMG) model was established by muscle-specific kinase (MuSK) induction on C57BL/6 J mice. Mice were treated with GNV and/or ruxolitinib (JAK2 inhibitor) or AG490 (STAT3 inhibitor) for 30 days via gavage after modeling and randomized into 7 groups: control, model, low-dose GNV, middle-dose GNV, high-dose GNV, GNV + ruxolitinib, GNV + AG490. Body weight, muscle strength, clinical score, MuSK level, neuromuscular junction integrity (agrin and acetylcholine receptor [AChR] levels), inflammatory factors (IL-2 and IL-6), and the activation of the JAK2/STAT3 pathway were measured and compared between groups. Results GNV significantly improved body weight and muscle strength, as well as reduced clinical scores, MuSK levels, and inflammatory markers (IL-2 and IL-6) levels compared with untreated EAMG mice. GNV also protected the neuromuscular junction and increased agrin and AChR co-expression in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GNV attenuated the levels of p-JAK2 and p-STAT3, which are aberrantly upregulated in EAMG mice. After co-treatment with ruxolitinib or AG490, the effect of GNV on body weight, muscle strength, clinical score, MuSK level, neuromuscular junction integrity, levels of inflammatory factors, and JAK2/STAT3 pathway was further amplified in EAMG mice. Conclusions GNV improves MG by inhibiting the JAK2/STAT3 pathway, which might be an effective therapeutic strategy for MG.

Abstract Coastal communities face substantial risks from long-term sea level rise and decadal sea level variations, with the North Atlantic and U.S. East Coast being particularly vulnerable under changing climates. Employing a self-organizing map-based framework, we assess the North Atlantic sea level variability and predictability using 5000-year sea level anomalies (SLA) from two preindustrial control model simulations. Preferred transitions among patterns of variability are identified, revealing long-term predictability on decadal timescales related to shifts in Atlantic meridional overturning circulation phases. Combining this framework with model-analog techniques, we demonstrate prediction skill of large-scale SLA patterns and low-frequency coastal SLA variations comparable to that from initialized hindcasts. Moreover, additional short-term predictability is identified after the exclusion of low-frequency signals, which arises from slow gyre circulation adjustment triggered by the North Atlantic Oscillation-like stochastic variability. This study highlights the potential of machine learning to assess sources of predictability and to enable long-term climate prediction.

Papaya leaf curl China virus (PaLCuCNV) is a damaging plant pathogen causing substantial losses to crop. The complete genomes of three PaLCuCNV isolates from Ageratum conyzoides were obtained and combined with the 68 reference isolates in GenBank for comprehensive genetic diversity analyses using specialized computational tools. Sequence alignment revealed nucleotide sequence similarity ranging from 85.3% to 99.9% among 71 PaLCuCNV isolates. Employing phylogenetic analysis, 71 PaLCuCNV sequences were clustered into five groups, with no significant correlation observed between genetic differentiation and either host species or geographical origin. Additionally, 13 recombination events across all PaLCuCNV isolates were identified. Genetic diversity analysis indicated the ongoing expansion and evolution of PaLCuCNV populations, supported by a neutral model. Moreover, significant genetic differentiation was observed among distinct viral populations, primarily attributed to genetic drift. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into the detection, genetic variation, and evolutionary dynamics of PaLCuCNV.

Abstract This study investigates global extreme precipitation events (EPEs) during warm seasons, with a particular focus on EPEs preceded by extreme heat stress (EPE-Hs) and a comparative analysis with those not (EPE-NHs). Using reanalysis product and Earth System Model data, the spatiotemporal characteristics and temperature sensitivities of EPEs are analyzed. Results show that EPE-Hs, while less frequent, have longer duration and greater magnitude compared to EPE-NHs, particularly in high latitude regions. In the future, a significant increase is projected in the characteristics of EPE-Hs, in contrast to the stable duration and magnitude of EPE-NHs. EPE-Hs demonstrate substantially higher temperature sensitivity than EPE-NHs, especially in low latitudes. The precipitation-temperature scaling relationships diverge markedly between EPE-Hs and EPE-NHs, with notable regional variations. These insights are pivotal for crafting region-specific early warning and adaptation strategies to mitigate the risks associated with extreme precipitation under the backdrop of global warming.

Abstract Background The most common progressive form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which is characterized by the development of cirrhosis, and requires liver transplantation. We screened for the differentially expressed necroptosis-related genes in NASH in this study, and analyzed immune infiltration through microarray and bioinformatics analysis to identify potential biomarkers, and explore the molecular mechanisms involved in NASH. Methods The GSE24807 microarray dataset of NASH patients and healthy controls was downloaded, and we identified the differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Necroptosis-related differential genes (NRDEGs) were extracted from these DEGs, and functionally annotated by enrichment analyses. The core genes were obtained by constructing gene co-expression networks using weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). Finally, the transcription factor (TF) regulatory network and the mRNA-miRNA network were constructed, and the infiltrating immune cell populations were analyzed with CIBERSORT. Results We identified six necroptosis-related genes (CASP1, GLUL, PYCARD, IL33, SHARPIN, and IRF9), and they are potential diagnostic biomarkers for NASH. In particular, PYCARD is a potential biomarker for NAFLD progression. Analyses of immune infiltration showed that M2 macrophages, γδ T cells, and T follicular helper cells were associated with the immune microenvironment of NASH, which is possibly regulated by CASP1, IL33, and IRF9. Conclusions We identified six necroptosis-related genes in NASH, which are also potential diagnostic biomarkers. Our study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms and immune microenvironment of NASH.

Pathogenic microorganisms can spread in the air as bioaerosols. When the human body is exposed to different bioaerosols, various infectious diseases may occur. As indoor diagnosis and treatment environments, hospitals are relatively closed and have a large flow rate of people. This indoor environment contains complex aerosol components; therefore, effective sampling and detection of microbial elements are essential in airborne pathogen monitoring. This article reviews the sampling and detection of different kinds of microorganisms in bioaerosols from indoor diagnostic and therapeutic settings, with a particular focus on microbial activity. This provides deeper insights into bioaerosols in diagnostic and therapeutic settings.

Abstract Background The impact of weather on human health has been proven, but the impact of extreme weather events on cardiometabolic multimorbidity (CMM) needs to be urgently explored. Objectives Investigating the impact of extreme temperature, relative humidity (RH), and laboratory testing parameters at admission on adverse events in CMM hospitalizations. Designs Time-stratified case-crossover design. Methods A distributional lag nonlinear model with a time-stratified case-crossover design was used to explore the nonlinear lagged association between environmental factors and CMM. Subsequently, unbalanced data were processed by 1:2 propensity score matching (PSM) and conditional logistic regression was employed to analyze the association between laboratory indicators and unplanned readmissions for CMM. Finally, the previously identified environmental factors and relevant laboratory indicators were incorporated into different machine learning models to predict the risk of unplanned readmission for CMM. Results There are nonlinear associations and hysteresis effects between temperature, RH and hospital admissions for a variety of CMM. In addition, the risk of admission is higher under low temperature and high RH conditions with the addition of particulate matter (PM, PM2.5 and PM10) and O3_8h. The risk is greater for females and adults aged 65 and older. Compared with first quartile (Q1), the fourth quartile (Q4) had a higher association between serum calcium (HR = 1.3632, 95% CI: 1.0732 ~ 1.7334), serum creatinine (HR = 1.7987, 95% CI: 1.3528 ~ 2.3958), fasting plasma glucose (HR = 1.2579, 95% CI: 1.0839 ~ 1.4770), aspartate aminotransferase/ alanine aminotransferase ratio (HR = 2.3131, 95% CI: 1.9844 ~ 2.6418), alanine aminotransferase (HR = 1.7687, 95% CI: 1.2388 ~ 2.2986), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (HR = 1.4951, 95% CI: 1.2551 ~ 1.7351) were independently and positively associated with unplanned readmission for CMM. However, serum total bilirubin and High-Density Lipoprotein (HDL) showed negative correlations. After incorporating environmental factors and their lagged terms, eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) demonstrated a more prominent predictive performance for unplanned readmission of CMM patients, with an average area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.767 (95% CI:0.7486 ~ 0.7854). Conclusions Extreme cold or wet weather is linked to worsened adverse health effects in female patients with CMM and in individuals aged 65 years and older. Moreover, meteorologic factors and environmental pollutants may elevate the likelihood of unplanned readmissions for CMM.

Abstract Humid heat extreme (HHE) is a type of compound extreme weather event that poses severe risks to human health. Skillful forecasts of HHE months in advance are crucial for developing strategies to enhance community resilience to extreme events1,2. This study demonstrates that the frequency of summertime HHE in the southeastern United States (SEUS) can be skillfully predicted 0–1 months in advance using the SPEAR (Seamless system for Prediction and EArth system Research) seasonal forecast system. Sea surface temperatures (SSTs) in the tropical North Atlantic (TNA) basin are identified as the primary driver of this prediction skill. The responses of large-scale atmospheric circulation and winds to anomalous warm SSTs in the TNA favor the transport of heat and moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to the SEUS. This research underscores the role of slowly varying sea surface conditions in modifying large-scale environments, thereby contributing to the skillful prediction of HHE in the SEUS. The results of this study have potential applications in the development of early warning systems for HHE.

Abstract Background Photo-thermo-sensitive male sterility (PTMS), which refers to the male sterility triggered by variations in photoperiod and temperature, is a crucial element in the wheat two-line hybrid system. The development of safe production and efficient propagation for male sterile lines holds utmost importance in two-line hybrid wheat. Under the stable photoperiod condition, PTMS is mainly induced by high or low temperatures in wheat, but the effect of daily temperature difference (DTD) on the fertility conversion of PTMS lines has not been reported. Here, three BS type PTMS lines including BS108, BS138, and BS366, as well as a control wheat variety J411 were used to analyze the correlation between fertility and DTD using differentially sowing tests, photo-thermo-control experiments, and transcriptome sequencing. Results The differentially sowing tests suggested that the optimal sowing time for safe seed production of the three PTMS lines was from October 5th to 25th in Dengzhou, China. Under the condition of 12 h 12 °C, the PTMS lines were greatly affected by DTD and exhibited complete male sterility at a temperature difference of 15 °C. Furthermore, under different temperature difference conditions, a total of 20,677 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were obtained using RNA sequencing. Moreover, through weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) and KEGG enrichment analysis, the identified DEGs had a close association with “starch and sucrose metabolism”, “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis”, “MAPK signaling pathway-plant”, “flavonoid biosynthesis”, and “cutin, and suberine and wax biosynthesis”. qRT-PCR analysis showed the expression levels of core genes related to KEGG pathways significantly decreased at a temperature difference of 15 ° C. Finally, we constructed a transcriptome mediated network of temperature difference affecting male sterility. Conclusions The findings provide important theoretical insights into the correlation between temperature difference and male sterility, providing guidance for the identification and selection of more secure and effective PTMS lines.

Abstract Introduction Chronic inflammation is the major pathological feature of Atherosclerosis(As). Inflammation may accelerate plaque to develop, which is a key factor resulting in the thinning of the fibrous cap and the vulnerable rupture of plaque. Presently, clinical treatments are still lacking. It is necessary to find a safe and effective treatment for As inflammation. Simiaoyongan Decoction (SMYA) has potential anti-inflammatory and plaque protection effects. This protocol aims to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and mechanism of SMYA for patients with carotid atherosclerotic plaque. Methods/design The assessment of SMYA clinical trial is designed as a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study. The sample size is 86 cases in total, with 43 participants in the intervention group and the control group respectively. The intervention group takes SMYA, while the control group takes SMYA placebo. The medication lasts for 14 days every 10 weeks, with a total of 50 weeks. We will use carotid artery high resolution magnetic resonance imaging (HR-MRI) to measure plaque. The plaque minimum fiber cap thickness (PMFCT) is adopted as the primary outcome. The secondary outcomes include plaque fiber cap volume, volume percentage of fiber cap, lipid-rich necrotic core (LRNC) volume, volume percentage of LRNC, internal bleeding volume of plaque, internal bleeding volume percentage of plaque, plaque calcification volume, volume percentage of plaque calcification, lumen stenosis rate, average and a maximum of vessel wall thickness, vessel wall volume, total vessel wall load, carotid atherosclerosis score, hs-CRP, IL-1β and IL-6, the level of lipid profiles and blood glucose, blood pressure, and body weight. Discussion We anticipate that patients with As plaque will be improved from SMYA by inhibiting inflammation to enhance plaque stability. This study analyzes plaque by using HR-MRI to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of SMYA. Moreover, we conduct transcriptome analysis, proteomic analysis, and metagenomic analysis of blood and stool of participants to study the mechanism of SMYA against As plaque. This is the first prospective TCM trial to observe and treat As plaque by inhibiting inflammatory reaction directly. If successful, the finding will be valuable in the treatment of As plaque and drug development, especially in the “statin era”. Trial registration number This trial is registered on Chinese Clinical Trials.gov with number ChiCTR2000039062 on October 15, 2020 ( http://www.chictr.org.cn ).

Abstract Heavy metal accumulation in agricultural products has become a major concern. Previous studies have focused on the transport of heavy metals from the soil and their accumulation in crops. However, recent studies revealed that wheat leaves, ears, and awns can also transport and accumulate heavy metals. Wheat grains can be influenced by two sources of heavy metals: soil contamination and atmospheric deposition. To comprehend the transport characteristics of heavy metals in soil, atmospheric deposition, and wheat, 37 samples each for wheat rhizosphere soil, wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains were collected. Fifteen samples of atmospheric dry deposition and atmospheric wet deposition were collected from Linshu County (northern area), China. Based on the test data, the characteristics of heavy metals and their distribution in the study area were analyzed. Migration patterns of heavy metals in crops from different sources were investigated using Pearson correlation and redundancy analysis. Finally, a predictive model for heavy metals in wheat grains was developed using multiple linear regression analysis. Significant disparities in the distribution of heavy metals existed among wheat roots, stems, leaves, and grains. The coefficient of variation of heavy metals in atmospheric deposition was relatively high, indicating discernible spatial patterns influenced by human activities. Notably, a positive correlation was observed between the concentration of heavy metals in wheat grains and atmospheric deposition of Hg, Cd, and Pb. Conversely, Zn and Ni levels in wheat grains were significantly negatively associated with soil Zn, Ni, pH, and OM content. The contribution of heavy metal elements from different sources varied in their impact on the grain's heavy metal content. Specifically, atmospheric deposition was the primary source of Hg and Pb in wheat grains, while Cd, Ni, Cu, and Zn were predominantly derived from soil. Using a multiple linear regression model, we could accurately predict Hg, Pb, Cd, Ni, Zn, and As concentrations in crop grains. This model can facilitate quantitative evaluation of ecological risk of heavy metals accumulation in crops in the study area.

Abstract Objective To investigate the characteristics of different Acute Gastrointestinal Injury (AGI) grading trajectories and examine their impact on prognosis in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU). Methods This retrospective cohort study was conducted at a large children’s hospital in China. The children admitted to the PICU were included. AGI grade was assessed every other day during the initial nine days following PICU admission. Results A total of 642 children were included, of which 364 children (56.7%) exhibited varying degrees of gastrointestinal dysfunction (AGI grade ≥ 2). Based on the patterns of AGI grading over time, six groups were identified: low-stable group, low-fluctuating group, medium-decreasing group, medium-increasing group, high-decreasing group, high-persistent group. The high-persistent group accounted for approximately 90% of all recorded deaths. Compared to low-stable group, both the medium-increasing and high-persistent groups exhibited positive correlations with length of stay in PICU (PICU LOS) and length of stay (LOS). Compared to low-stable group, the five groups exhibited a negative correlation with the percentage of energy received by enteral nutrition (EN), as well as the protein received by EN. Conclusion This study identified six distinct trajectory groups of AGI grade in critically ill children. The pattern of AGI grade trajectories over time were associated with EN delivery proportions and clinical outcomes.

Abstract Milvexian, an oral activated Factor XI (FXIa) inhibitor, is in clinical studies where it may be combined with antiplatelet agents, including aspirin and/or clopidogrel, to prevent thromboembolic diseases. This phase I trial assessed safety, pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics of milvexian coadministration with aspirin and/or clopidogrel in healthy participants through 3 drug-drug interaction studies using a 3-period, 3-treatment, crossover design. A total of 113 participants were randomized to receive milvexian (200 mg; twice daily for 5 days) or matched placebo coadministered with once-daily aspirin (325 mg for 5 days) and/or clopidogrel (Day 1: 300 mg; Days 2–5: 75 mg). Milvexian was safe and well tolerated, with and without aspirin and/or clopidogrel. Eight mild bleeding adverse events (AEs) were reported in 5 of 113 participants across various treatment arms. Peak and total exposures of milvexian were similar with or without clopidogrel and/or aspirin. Exposure-dependent prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time and reduction of FXI clotting activity by milvexian were similar with coadministration of aspirin and/or clopidogrel. Milvexian, with or without coadministration of aspirin and/or clopidogrel, did not affect bleeding time or platelet aggregation. Administration of milvexian alone or with aspirin and/or clopidogrel was safe and well tolerated without increased incidence of AEs, including bleeding. Pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic effects of milvexian, including bleeding time, were similar with or without aspirin and/or clopidogrel. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03698513.

The drugs extending healthspan in clinic have always been searched. Nitazoxanide is an FDA-approved clinical antiprotozoal drug. Nitazoxanide is rapidly metabolized to tizoxanide after absorption in vivo. Our previous studies find that nitazoxanide and its metabolite tizoxanide induce mild mitochondrial uncoupling and activate cellular AMPK, oral nitazoxanide protects against experimental hyperlipidemia, hepatic steatosis, and atherosclerosis. Here, we demonstrate that both nitazoxanide and tizoxanide extend the lifespan and healthspan of Caenorhabditis elegans through Akt/AMPK/sir 2.1/daf16 pathway. Additionally, both nitazoxanide and tizoxanide improve high glucose-induced shortening of C. elegans lifespan. Nitazoxanide has been a clinical drug with a good safety profile, we suggest that it is a novel anti-aging drug.

Abstract Background Natural products are important sources for the discovery of new biopesticides to control the worldwide destructive pests Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris. Here, insecticidal substances were discovered and characterized from the secondary metabolites of the bio-control microorganism Bacillus velezensis strain ZLP-101, as informed by whole-genome sequencing and analysis. Results The genome was annotated, revealing the presence of four potentially novel gene clusters and eight known secondary metabolite synthetic gene clusters. Crude extracts, prepared through ammonium sulfate precipitation, were used to evaluate the effects of strain ZLP-101 on Acyrthosiphon pisum Harris aphid pests via exposure experiments. The half lethal concentration (LC50) of the crude extract from strain ZLP-101 against aphids was 411.535 mg/L. Preliminary exploration of the insecticidal mechanism revealed that the crude extract affected aphids to a greater extent through gastric poisoning than through contact. Further, the extracts affected enzymatic activities, causing holes to form in internal organs along with deformation, such that normal physiological activities could not be maintained, eventually leading to death. Isolation and purification of extracellular secondary metabolites were conducted in combination with mass spectrometry analysis to further identify the insecticidal components of the crude extracts. A total of 15 insecticidal active compounds were identified including iturins, fengycins, surfactins, and spergualins. Further insecticidal experimentation revealed that surfactin, iturin, and fengycin all exhibited certain aphidicidal activities, and the three exerted synergistic lethal effects. Conclusions This study improved the available genomic resources for B. velezensis and serves as a foundation for comprehensive studies of the insecticidal mechanism by Bacillus velezensis ZLP-101 in addition to the active components within biological control strains.

Abstract Background This study aimed to explore discrepancies in adolescents with chronic illness and their parents’ perceptions of family resilience, as well as the relationship between these differences and the psychological adjustment of adolescents with chronic illness. Methods A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 264 dyads of parents (77.7% mothers, mean age 41.60 years, SD = 6.17) and adolescents (48.5% girls, mean age 12.68 years, SD = 2.11) with chronic illness were recruited through convenience sampling from three children’s hospitals in Wenzhou, Hangzhou, and Shanghai, China between June 2022 and May 2023. The Chinese version of the Family Resilience Scale and the Psychological Adjustment Scale, which are commonly used measures with good reliability and validity, were employed to assess family resilience and psychological adaption, respectively. The data were analyzed using polynomial regression and response surface analysis. Results Adolescents with chronic illness reported higher family resilience than their parents (t=-2.80, p

In this study, we present a new species of freshwater mussel in the genus Postolata Dai et al., 2023, from Guangxi Province, China, by integrating morphological, anatomical, and molecular data. Postolata longjiangensis Liu & Wu, sp. nov. is distinguished from its congener (i.e., Postolata guangxiensis) by its shell shape, beak position, surface sculpture, nacre color, and hinge structure. Molecular species delimitation results based on the mitochondrial COI gene support the separation of Postolata longjiangensis Liu & Wu, sp. nov. from its congener. The multi-locus (COI + 16S rRNA + 28S rRNA) phylogeny reveals that this species forms the sister lineage to Postolata guangxiensis in the tribe Gonideini.

Abstract Twisted a pair of stacked two-dimensional materials exhibit many exotic electronic and photonic properties, leading to the emergence of flat-band superconductivity, moiré engineering and topological polaritons. These remarkable discoveries make twistronics the focus point of tremendous interest, but mostly limited to the concept of electrons, phonons or photons. Here, we present twist piezoelectricity as a fascinating paradigm to modulate polarization and electromechanical coupling by twisting precisely the stacked lithium niobate slabs due to the interlayer coupling effect. Particularly, the inversed and twisted bilayer lithium niobate is constructed to overcome the intrinsic mutual limitation of single crystals and giant effective electromechanical coupling coefficient $${k}_{t}^{2}$$ k t 2 is unveiled at magic angle of $$111^\circ$$ 11 1 ∘ , reaching 85.5%. Theoretical analysis based on mutual energy integrals shows well agreements with numerical and experimental results. Our work opens new venues to flexibly control multi-physics with magic angle, stimulating progress in wideband acoustic-electric, and acoustic-optic components, which has great potential in wireless communication, timing, sensing, and hybrid integrated photonics.

Abstract Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) has a long history in the development of photovoltaics, especially in the research field of a-Si:H thin-film solar cells and crystalline/amorphous silicon heterojunction solar cells. More than 40 years ago, Staebler and Wronski reported conductance decrease of a-Si:H induced by light soaking. This phenomenon has been widely investigated for electronic applications. In contrast to that, we found light soaking can also improve dark conductance of a-Si:H when boron or phosphorus atoms are doped into the amorphous network. Here we survey these two photoelectronic effects, and discuss their implementations to silicon solar cells.

Ovarian cancer (OC) is the deadliest malignancy of the female reproductive system. The standard first-line therapy for OC involves cytoreductive surgical debulking followed by chemotherapy based on platinum and paclitaxel. Despite these treatments, there remains a high rate of tumor recurrence and resistance to platinum. Recent studies have highlighted the potential anti-tumor properties of metformin (met), a traditional diabetes drug. In our study, we investigated the impact of met on the anticancer activities of cisplatin (cDDP) both in vitro and in vivo. Our findings revealed that combining met with cisplatin significantly reduced apoptosis in OC cells, decreased DNA damage, and induced resistance to cDDP. Furthermore, our mechanistic study indicated that the resistance induced by met is primarily driven by the inhibition of the ATM/CHK2 pathway and the upregulation of the Rad51 protein. Using an ATM inhibitor, KU55933, effectively reversed the cisplatin resistance phenotype. In conclusion, our results suggest that met can antagonize the effects of cDDP in specific types of OC cells, leading to a reduction in the chemotherapeutic efficacy of cDDP.

In response to the surface micro–nano defects of small Si3N4 ceramic bearing rollers during use, as well as the poor generalization ability and low accuracy of the object detection model trained on the micro and nano defect dataset, an enhanced recognition algorithm based on deep convolutional generative adversarial networks is proposed. Due to the limited size of the dataset, the DCGAN model is reconstructed to effectively expand the micro–nano defect dataset. In addition, noise generalization is applied to stabilize DCGAN model training, creating a low-dimensional manifold distribution to ensure significant overlap between the data and the original dataset, and activating Jensen–Shannon (JS) divergence for stable training. To verify the effectiveness of the enhanced dataset, synthetic micro–nano defects are used to improve the YOLO-v4-tiny object detection model. By comparing t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) and feature vectors, it can be found that the images generated by the optimized DCGAN have higher grayscale feature diversity and better visual consistency. After generations of enhancements, the micro–nano defect detection speed has reached 226FPS, and the accuracy has reached 97.41%.

BackgroundBurns are a global health issue causing significant mortality and high medical costs. Non-pharmacological interventions such as music therapy and virtual reality (VR) therapy have shown potential in alleviating pain and anxiety in burn patients. This study systematically evaluates the impact of these interventions using a network meta-analysis.MethodsA systematic review and network meta-analysis were conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered in PROSPERO (CRD42024566536). Searches in PubMed, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, and Embase up to November 22, 2023, identified randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving music therapy or VR therapy in burn patients. The Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool (2.0) assessed study quality. Data were analyzed using StataMP-64 software.ResultsSeventeen RCTs with 1,119 burn patients were included. Both music therapy and VR therapy significantly reduced pain and anxiety compared to control groups. Music therapy was more effective for pain reduction (SUCRA: 85.4%), while VR therapy was superior for anxiety relief (SUCRA: 79.5%).ConclusionMusic therapy and VR therapy effectively reduce pain and anxiety in burn patients. Integrating these interventions into burn care can enhance patient outcomes. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and optimize individualized treatment plans.Systematic Review Registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, PROSPERO (CRD42024566536).

BackgroundLower respiratory infections (LRIs) remain one of the most deadly infectious diseases in the world, and non-optimal temperature is a risk factor for LRIs. The aim of this study was to analyze the global burden of LRI attribute to non-optimal temperature and its trends from 1990 to 2019, and to project long-term trends.MethodsExcerpts from the release of the 2019 Global Burden of Disease (GBD) study, which analyses the burden of lower respiratory infections due to non-optimal temperatures from 1990 to 2019 using data on deaths and disability adjusted life years (DALYs); explores differences across regions, populations and seasons, and projects future trends in burden.ResultsBetween 1990 and 2019, there is a significant downward trend in the global burden of deaths and DALYs, but it remains high in infants and young children, the older adult, African countries and LOW SDI regions. Differences in geographical risk factors and economic levels lead to heterogeneous disease burdens across regions. In 2019, low SDI regions will have the highest burden, but high SDI regions will have the highest number of deaths. In addition, increasing SDI values were associated with decreasing trends in age-standardized mortality rates and disability-adjusted life years. BAPC model projections suggest a downward trend in the future burden of death and DALYs from the disease, but the improvement in the burden of death for women was not significant.ConclusionOur study comprehensively elucidates the distribution and dynamic trends in the burden of lower respiratory tract infections due to non-optimal temperatures from 1990 to 2019 along multiple dimensions. The burden of deaths and DALYs showed an overall decreasing trend, but the improvement was uneven in different regions. In addition, the results suggest that efforts should be made to reduce lower respiratory health losses in infants, young children, and older adult populations. Effective public health policies and interventions to reduce the burden of lower respiratory tract infections should be sustained globally.

The effect of pesticide pollution on environmental microorganisms in soil has become the focus of widespread concern in society today. The response of earthworm gut and surrounding soil microbial functional diversity and enzyme activity to carbendazim (CBD) was studied in a soil-earthworm ecosystem amended with manure. In the experiment, CBD was added to the manured soil (MS). Meanwhile, the pesticide treatment without manure and the control treatment without pesticides were also set up. The activities of catalase (CAT) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE) were measured to evaluate the toxicity of CBD. The Biolog method was used to assess the functional diversity of the microbial community. In the 2 mg/kg CBD treatment, earthworm AChE activity decreased significantly in the MS after 14 d, which occurred earlier than in the un-manured soil (NS). The changes of earthworm CAT activity in the pesticide treatments showed a trend of initially increasing and then maintaining at a high activity level. However, the CAT activities at 28 d in the manured soils were clearly lower than that at 7 d for both the CBD treatments, while they remained stable in the control treatments. The carbon source utilization, Simpson index, Shannon index, and McIntosh index of soil microorganisms in the MS treatments were significantly higher than those in the NS treatments. The overall activity of earthworm gut microorganisms in the MS treated with 2 mg/kg CBD was higher than that in the control. Also, CBD treatment (2 mg/kg) increased significantly the Simpson index and McIntosh index of earthworm gut microorganisms. The results indicated that the enzyme activities in the manured soils increased before 7 d for the pesticide treatments. Furthermore, exposure to CBD at a high concentration in the MS not only led to the earlier inhibition of earthworm enzyme activity but also significantly improved the overall activity of earthworm gut microorganisms and microbial functional diversity. This study revealed the ecotoxicological effects of earthworms in response to pesticide stress following the use of organic fertilizers under facility environmental conditions, which can provide a theoretical basis for the remediation of pesticide pollution in soil in the future.

BackgroundInhibition of indolamine-2,3-dioxygenase 1 (IDO1) has been proposed as a promising strategy for cancer immunotherapy; however, it has failed in clinical trials. Macrophages in the tumor microenvironment (TME) contribute to immune escape and serve as potential therapeutic targets. This study investigated the expression pattern of IDO1 in TME and its impact on prognosis and therapeutic response of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC).MethodsRNA sequencing data from 95 patients with ESCC from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database were used to explore the prognostic value of IDO1. Bioinformatics tools were used to estimate scores for stromal and immune cells in tumour tissues, abundance of eight immune cell types in TME, and sensitivity of chemotherapeutic drugs and immune checkpoint (IC) blockage. The results were validated using digitalized immunohistochemistry and multiplexed immunofluorescence in ESCC tissue samples obtained from our clinical center.ResultsTCGA and validation data suggested that high expression of IDO1 was associated with poor patient survival, and IDO1 was an independent prognostic factor. IDO1 expression positively correlated with macrophages in TME and PDCD1 within diverse IC genes. Single-cell RNA sequencing data analysis and multiplexed immunofluorescence verified the coexpression of IDO1 and PD-1 in tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs). Patients with high IDO1 expression showed increased sensitivity to various chemotherapeutic drugs, while were more likely to resist IC blockage.ConclusionThis study identifies IDO1 as an independent prognostic indicator of OS in patients with ESCC, reveals a compelling connection of IDO1, PD-1, and TAMs, and explores the sensitivity of patients with high IDO1 expression to chemotherapeutic drugs and their resistance to IC blockade. These findings open new avenues for potential targets in ESCC immunotherapy.

Abstract The capability to anticipate the exceptionally rapid warming of the Northwest Atlantic Shelf and its evolution over the next decade could enable effective mitigation for coastal communities and marine resources. However, global climate models have struggled to accurately predict this warming due to limited resolution; and past regional downscaling efforts focused on multi‐decadal projections, neglecting predictive skill associated with internal variability. We address these gaps with a high resolution (1/12°) ensemble of dynamically downscaled decadal predictions. The downscaled simulations accurately predicted past oceanic variability at scales relevant to marine resource management, with skill typically exceeding global coarse‐resolution predictions. Over the long term, warming of the Shelf is projected to continue; however, we forecast a temporary warming pause in the next decade. This predicted pause is attributed to internal variability associated with a transient, moderate strengthening of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and a southward shift of the Gulf Stream.

Objective: To identify distinct trajectories of psychological resilience among Chinese patients with maintenance hemodialysis, explore influencing factors and inform the formulation of corresponding interventions. Methods: This was a multi-center longitudinal study with a 6-month follow-up. With convenience sampling, a total of 231 patients with maintenance hemodialysis were recruited between September 2020 and July 2021. Patients’ characteristics, including sociodemographic information, social support and family resilience was collected through structured questionnaires as potential baseline influencing factors of psychological resilience trajectories. Psychological resilience was evaluated using the 25-item Chinese version of the Conner and Davidson resilience scale. Latent class growth modeling was conducted to identify homogeneous subgroups with distinct trajectories of psychological resilience. Univariable and multinomial logistic regression analysis were used to examine whether baseline influencing factors were associated with trajectories in patients with maintenance hemodialysis. Results: Five distinct psychological resilience trajectory groups were identified: declining group (n = 20, 8.7 %), rising group (n = 17, 7.4 %), moderate-stable group (n = 128, 55.4 %), high-stable group (n = 7, 3.0 %) and low-stable group (n = 59, 25.5 %). High-stable group and moderate-stable group were combined into the well-psychological resilience group for multinomial logistic regression analysis. The multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that influencing factors associated with trajectories of psychological resilience were age, religion, monthly household income per capita, and baseline family resilience. Conclusions: The results highlight the heterogeneity in the development of psychological resilience among Chinese patients with maintenance hemodialysis. There is a need for healthcare professionals to screen for trajectories of psychological resilience in Chinese maintenance hemodialysis patients and prepare individual mental healthcare interventions.

Citrus diseases caused by fungal pathogens drastically decreased the yield and quality of citrus fruits, leading to huge economic losses. Given the threats of chemical pesticides on the environment and human health, biocontrol agents have received considerable attention worldwide as ecofriendly and sustainable alternative to chemical fungicides. In the present study, we isolated a Bacillus velezensis strain TZ01 with potent antagonistic effect against three citrus pathogenic fungi: Diaporthe citri, Colletotrichum gloeosporioides and Alternaria alternata. The culture supernatant of this strain exhibited remarkable antifungal activity on potato dextrose agar plates and detached leaves of five citrus varieties. Treatment with TZ01 culture supernatant obviously affected the hyphal morphology and caused nucleic acid leakage. The crude lipopeptides (LPs) extracted from the culture supernatant were found as the major active ingredients, and could maintain the activity under a wide range of temperature and pH and ultraviolet radiation. Furthermore, the type of LPs, produced in vitro, were explored. Whole-genome sequencing of TZ01 revealed secondary metabolite gene clusters encoding synthetases for non-ribosomal peptides and polyketide production, and gene clusters responsible for the synthesis of three important LPs (surfactin, iturin, and fengycin) were identified in the genome. The liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry analysis confirmed the presence of various homologs of surfactin A, bacillomycin D, and fengycin A in the extracted LPs. Taken together, these results contribute to the possible biocontrol mechanisms of B. velezensis strain TZ01, as well as providing a promising new candidate strain as a biological control agent for controlling citrus fungal pathogens.

Objective To explore the impacts of health empowerment model combined with binary coping intervention on neurological function,coping style,and hope level in elderly stroke patients. Methods A total of 144 elderly stroke patients admitted to Handan Central Hospital from October 2020 to October 2022 were selected as the research subjects,they were randomly separated into a reference group and an observation group,with 72 cases in each group.The reference group received routine nursing intervention,while observation group received health empowerment combined with binary coping intervention,The neurological function [National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)] ,coping style [Simplified coping style questionnaire(SCSQ)] ,and hope level [Herth hope index(HHI)] of both groups were evaluated before and after intervention. Results There was no statistically significant difference in NIHSS scores,SCSQ scores,and HHI scores between the two groups before intervention(P>0.05).After intervention,the NIHSS scores of the observation group were lower than those in the control group(P

Abstract The rate of sea level rise (SLR) along the Southeast Coast of the U.S. increased significantly after 2010. While anthropogenic radiative forcing causes an acceleration of global mean SLR, regional changes in the rate of SLR are strongly influenced by internal variability. Here we use observations and climate models to show that the rapid increase in the rate of SLR along the U.S. Southeast Coast after 2010 is due in part to multidecadal buoyancy-driven Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) variations, along with heat transport convergence from wind-driven ocean circulation changes. We show that an initialized decadal prediction system can provide skillful regional SLR predictions induced by AMOC variations 5 years in advance, while wind-driven sea level variations are predictable 2 years in advance. Our results suggest that the rate of coastal SLR and its associated flooding risk along the U.S. southeastern seaboard are potentially predictable on multiyear timescales.

Abstract A method for skyline query of multidimensional incomplete data based on a classification tree has been proposed to address the problem of a large amount of useless data in existing skyline queries with multidimensional incomplete data, which leads to low query efficiency and algorithm performance. This method consists of two main parts. The first part is the proposed incomplete data weighted classification tree algorithm. In the first part, an incomplete data weighted classification tree is proposed, and the incomplete data set is classified using this tree. The data classified in the first part serves as the basis for the second step of the query. The second part proposes a skyline query algorithm for multidimensional incomplete data. The concept of optimal virtual points has been recently introduced, effectively reducing the number of comparisons of a large amount of data, thereby improving the query efficiency for incomplete data. Theoretical research and experimental analysis have shown that the proposed method can perform skyline queries for multidimensional incomplete data well, with high query efficiency and accuracy of the algorithm.

Abstract Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) is the most common histiocytic disorder in children, and liver involvement in LCH is rare. This retrospective study reported the clinical features and prognosis of patients with hepatic LCH. Liver involvement was defined by histopathological findings, liver dysfunction or abnormalities, or ultrasound imaging. A total of 130 patients (14.5%) with hepatic LCH out of 899 in the LCH population were enrolled. Patients with liver involvement had greater frequencies of skin, lung, hearing system, and haematologic system involvement, and hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (P

Abstract Background Compensation for medical damage liability disputes (CMDLD) seriously hinders the healthy development of hospitals and undermines the harmony of the doctor-patient relationships (DPR). Risk management in the DPR has become an urgent issue of the day. The study aims to provide a comprehensive description of CMDLD in China and explore its influencing factors, and make corresponding recommendations for the management of risks in the DPR. Methods This study extracted data from the China Judgment Online - the official judicial search website with the most comprehensive coverage. Statistical analysis of 1,790 litigation cases of medical damage liability disputes (COMDLD) available from 2015 to 2021. Results COMDLD generally tended to increase with the year and was unevenly distributed by regions; the compensation rate was 52.46%, the median compensation was 134,900 yuan and the maximum was 2,234,666 yuan; the results of the single factor analysis showed that there were statistically significant differences between the compensation for different years, regions, treatment attributes, and trial procedures (P

Abstract Heavy metal contamination is an urgent ecological governance problem in mining areas. In order to seek for a green and environmentally friendly reagent with better plant restoration effect to solve the problem of low efficiency in plant restoration in heavy metal pollution soil. In this study, we evaluated the effects of three biodegradable chelating agents, namely citric acid (CA), fulvic acid (FA) and polyaspartic acid (PASP), on the physicochemical properties of copper tailings, growth of ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.) and heavy metal accumulation therein. The results showed that the chelating agent application improved the physicochemical properties of copper tailings, increased the biomass of ryegrass and enriched more Cu and Cd in copper tailings. In the control group, the main existing forms of Cu and Cd were oxidizable state, followed by residual, weak acid soluble and reducible states. After the CA, FA or PASP application, Cu and Cd were converted from the residual and oxidizable states to the reducible and weak acid soluble states, whose bioavailability in copper tailings were thus enhanced. Besides, the chelating agent incorporation improved the Cu and Cd extraction efficiencies of ryegrass from copper tailings, as manifested by increased root and stem contents of Cu and Cd by 30.29–103.42%, 11.43–74.29%, 2.98–110.98% and 11.11–111.11%, respectively, in comparison with the control group. In the presence of multiple heavy metals, CA, FA or PASP showed selectivity regarding the ryegrass extraction of heavy metals from copper tailings. PCA analysis revealed that the CA-4 and PASP-7 treatment had great remediation potentials against Cu and Cd in copper tailings, respectively, as manifested by increases in Cu and Cd contents in ryegrass by 90.98% and 74.29% compared to the CK group.

BackgroundAir quality health index (AQHI) is derived from exposure-response coefficients calculated from air pollution and morbidity/mortality time series, which helps to understand the overall short-term health impacts of air pollution. ObjectiveTo study the effects of common air pollutants on respiratory diseases in Urumqi and to develop an AQHI for the risk of respiratory diseases in the city. MethodsThe daily outpatient volume data of respiratory diseases from The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, meteorological data (daily mean temperature and daily mean relative humidity), and air pollutants [fine particulate matter (PM2.5), inhalable particulate matter (PM10), sulfur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon dioxide (CO), and ozone (O3)] in Urumqi City, Xinjiang, China were collected from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2021. A distributed lag nonlinear model based on quasi-Poisson distribution was constructed by time-stratified case crossover design. Adopting zero concentration of air pollutants as reference, the exposure-response coefficient (β value) was used to quantify the impact of included air pollutants on the risk of seeking medical treatment for respiratory diseases, and the AQHI was established. The association of between AQHI and the incidence of respiratory diseases and between air quality index (AQI) and the incidence of respiratory diseases was compared to evaluate the prediction effect of AQHI. ResultsEach 10 µg·m−3 increase in PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 concentrations presented the highest excess risk of seeking outpatient services at 3 d cumulative lag (Lag03) and 2d cumulative lag (Lag02), with increased risks of morbidity of 0.687% (95%CI: 0.101%, 1.276%), 17.609% (95%CI: 3.253%, 33.961%), 13.344% (95%CI: 8.619%, 18.275%), and 4.921% (95%CI: 1.401%, 8.502%), respectively. There was no statistically significant PM2.5 or CO lag effect. An AQHI was constructed based on a model containing PM10, SO2, NO2, and O3, and the results showed that the excess risk of respiratory disease consultation for the whole population, different genders, ages, or seasons for each inter-quartile range increase in the AQHI was higher than the corresponding value of AQI. ConclusionPM10, SO2, NO2, and O3 impact the number of outpatient visits for respiratory diseases in Urumqi, and the constructed AQHI for the risk of respiratory diseases in Urumqi outperforms the AQI in predicting the effect of air pollution on respiratory health.

Abstract Background To describe the changes in the level of sleep quality during pregnancy among pregnant women in Urumqi; also to construct a structural equation model of the factors influencing the sleep quality of pregnant women, to analyze the path relationship between the influencing factors, and to take reasonable interventions to prevent and reduce the occurrence of sleep disorders among pregnant women. Methods 986 pregnant women who gave birth in Urumqi Maternal and Child Health Hospital and Urumqi Youai Hospital between August 2021 and May 2023 were selected. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Edinburgh Postpartum Depression Scale (EPDS) were used to assess the sleep, anxiety, and depression of pregnant women, Building a structural equation model based on AMOS 23.0 Tools. Results The results of structural equation modeling showed that: basic characteristics, obstetrical characteristics, tocolysis, lifestyle, psychological had a direct effect on the PSQI, with path coefficients of 0.243, 0.106, 0.140, 0.174, 0.658, the corresponding T-values for each path are 4.585, 2.677, 2.578, 2.297, and 9.036. The indirect effect of basic characteristics, obstetric characteristics and lifestyle on PSQI was 0.123, 0.020, 0.027. Conclusions The high incidence of sleep disorders in pregnant women and their close association with psychological symptoms in pregnant women should focus on screening and counseling regarding psychological disorders in pregnant women, thus improving the quality of sleep in pregnant women.

Study region: The Loess Plateau, China Study focus: The trade-off between carbon uptake and water loss, characterized by ecosystem water use efficiency (WUE), deeply influences ecosystem sustainability. In this study, WUE was estimated based on GPP from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) product and ET simulated by the Priestley Taylor Jet Propulsion Laboratory (PT-JPL) model. The emerging hot spot analysis (EHSA) was used to comprehensively examine the spatio-temporal heterogeneity of WUE. Additionally, the Geodetector model was employed to identify the main drivers of WUE and quantify the interactive effects of drivers on WUE, focusing on different vegetation types. New hydrological insights for the region: Results indicated obvious spatial heterogeneity of WUE under different vegetation and hydro-climatic conditions. Significant increases in WUE occurred in sub-humid cropland and grassland areas that have experienced large-scale ecological restoration and agricultural intensification. By contrast, slight decreases in WUE were observed in semi-arid grassland areas, some of which were accompanied by intensifying cold spots. It was noteworthy that WUE in some hot spots with excessive vegetation coverage also showed a slight downward trend. Further, the WUE pattern in cropland/forests/grassland was dominated by the interaction of vegetation coverage (characterized by the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, NDVI) and precipitation/air temperature/vapor pressure deficit, with NDVI playing a leading role and hydro-climatic drivers playing a supporting role.

The increasing prevalence of drug-resistant bacteria has prompted the search for alternative approaches to address bacterial infections. Lanthipeptides, which are small molecule peptides, are biosynthesized and post-translationally modified by ribosomes in gram-positive bacteria. These compounds possess distinctive target recognition properties, making them highly potential candidates for combating antimicrobial resistance. Consequently, they hold promising potential as innovative substitutes for traditional antibiotics. We conducted a comprehensive analysis of 65 publicly available Bacillus amyloliquefaciens genomes’ data to explore the potential for lanthipeptide synthesis in this species. We annotated 21 putative precursor peptide genes for these novel lanthipeptides. Through heterologous expression experiments, we successfully obtained a novel lanthipeptide named amyA3. We accomplished a novel co-transformation strategy by introducing the synthetic enzyme obtained from B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8 into the E. coli BL21 (DE3) strain along with the heterologous precursor peptide amyA3. Through mass spectrometry analysis, we confirmed the successful modification of amyA3 by the synthetic enzyme derived from B. amyloliquefaciens WS-8, which represents a significant breakthrough in this research field. The identification and characterization of the lanthipeptide amyA3 along with the elucidation of its biosynthetic pathway provide novel perspectives into the discovery of naturally derived products and the intricate processes of translation and post-translational modifications.

Abstract Self‐assembled peptides have been among the important biomaterials due to its excellent biocompatibility and diverse functions. Over the past decades, substantial progress and breakthroughs have been made in designing self‐assembled peptides with multifaceted biomedical applications. The techniques for quantitative analysis, including imaging‐based quantitative techniques, chromatographic technique and computational approach (molecular dynamics simulation), are becoming powerful tools for exploring the structure, properties, biomedical applications, and even supramolecular assembly processes of self‐assembled peptides. However, a comprehensive review concerning these quantitative techniques remains scarce. In this review, recent progress in techniques for quantitative investigation of biostability, cellular uptake, biodistribution, self‐assembly behaviors of self‐assembled peptide etc., are summarized. Specific applications and roles of these techniques are highlighted in detail. Finally, challenges and outlook in this field are concluded. It is believed that this review will provide technical guidance for researchers in the field of peptide‐based materials and pharmaceuticals, and facilitate related research for newcomers in this field.

IntroductionEradicating poverty is the primary objective of the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. While China has achieved great success in achieving poverty reduction targets, reducing the poverty vulnerability of rural households is crucial for ensuring the sustainability of poverty reduction gains. The purpose of land transfer is to ensure the continuous increase of farmers’ income through efficient land use; it has become an important initiative for poverty alleviation in rural areas. Existing studies have confirmed the positive effect of land transfer on poverty alleviation, but few have explored the difference in the impact of land transfer on poverty vulnerability of households with different income structures.MethodsUsing data from the China Family Panel Survey (CFPS) from 2010 to 2020, this paper empirically examines the impact of land transfer on poverty vulnerability.Results and discussionThe results show that land transfer has a significant positive impact on poverty vulnerability alleviation among rural households. Further comparing households with different livelihood structures, we find that land transfer is more effective in reducing poverty for non-farm employment-oriented household. Therefore, we suggest that the government should improve the land transfer system, increase agricultural subsidies, and consider the occupational differentiation among farmers to improve the poverty reduction effect of land transfer. These suggestions also provide a reference for promoting sustainable agricultural development and consolidating the achievements of poverty alleviation.

Background: The incidence of non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) has been on the rise in recent years. Studies have shown that people with NSSI have difficulties in emotion regulation and cognitive control. In addition, some studies have investigated the cognitive emotion regulation of people with NSSI which found that they have difficulties in cognitive emotion regulation, but there was a lack of research on cognitive emotion regulation strategies and related neural mechanisms. Methods: This study included 117 people with NSSI (age = 19.47 ± 5.13, male = 17) and 84 non-NSSI participants (age = 19.86 ± 4.14, male = 16). People with NSSI met the DSM-5 diagnostic criteria, and non-NSSI participants had no mental or physical disorders. The study collected all participants' data of Cognitive Emotion Regulation Questionnaire (CERQ) and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to explore the differences in psychological performance and brain between two groups. Afterwards, Machine learning was used to select the found differential brain regions to obtain the highest correlation regions with NSSI. Then, Allen's Human Brain Atlas database was used to compare with the information on the abnormal brain regions of people with NSSI to find the genetic information related to NSSI. In addition, gene enrichment analysis was carried out to find the related pathways and specific cells that may have differences. Results: The differences between NSSI participants and non-NSSI participants were as follows: positive refocusing (t = −4.74, p

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are shed from the plasma membrane, but the regulation and function of these EVs remain unclear. We found that oxidative stress induced by H2O2 in Hela cells stimulated filopodia formation and the secretion of EVs. EVs were small (150 nm) and labeled for CD44, indicating that they were derived from filopodia. Filopodia‐derived small EVs (sEVs) were enriched with the sphingolipid ceramide, consistent with increased ceramide in the plasma membrane of filopodia. Ceramide was colocalized with neutral sphingomyelinase 2 (nSMase2) and acid sphingomyelinase (ASM), two sphingomyelinases generating ceramide at the plasma membrane. Inhibition of nSMase2 and ASM prevented oxidative stress‐induced sEV shedding but only nSMase2 inhibition prevented filopodia formation. nSMase2 was S‐palmitoylated and interacted with ASM in filopodia to generate ceramide for sEV shedding. sEVs contained nSMase2 and ASM and decreased the level of these two enzymes in oxidatively stressed Hela cells. A novel metabolic labeling technique for EVs showed that oxidative stress induced secretion of fluorescent sEVs labeled with NBD‐ceramide. NBD‐ceramide‐labeled sEVs transported ceramide to mitochondria, ultimately inducing cell death in a proportion of neuronal (N2a) cells. In conclusion, using Hela cells we provide evidence that oxidative stress induces interaction of nSMase2 and ASM at filopodia, which leads to shedding of ceramide‐rich sEVs that target mitochondria and propagate cell death.

Abstract Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) based on vanadium oxides or sulfides are promising candidates for large‐scale rechargeable energy storage due to their ease of fabrication, low cost, and high safety. However, the commercial application of vanadium‐based electrode materials has been hindered by challenging problems such as poor cyclability and low‐rate performance. To this regard, sophisticated nanostructure engineering technology is used to adeptly incorporate VS2 nanosheets into the MXene interlayers to create a stable 2D heterogeneous layered structure. The MXene nanosheets exhibit stable interactions with VS2 nanosheets, while intercalation between nanosheets effectively increases the interlayer spacing, further enhancing their stability in AZIBs. Benefiting from the heterogeneous layered structure with high conductivity, excellent electron/ion transport, and abundant reactive sites, the free‐standing VS2/Ti3C2Tz composite film can be used as both the cathode and the anode of AZIBs. Specifically, the VS2/Ti3C2Tz cathode presents a high specific capacity of 285 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1. Furthermore, the flexible Zn‐metal free in‐plane VS2/Ti3C2Tz//MnO2/CNT AZIBs deliver high operation voltage (2.0 V) and impressive long‐term cycling stability (with a capacity retention of 97% after 5000 cycles) which outperforms almost all reported Vanadium‐based electrodes for AZIBs. The effective modulation of the material structure through nanocomposite engineering effectively enhances the stability of VS2, which shows great potential in Zn2+ storage. This work will hasten and stimulate further development of such composite material in the direction of energy storage.

IntroductionThis study aims to investigate the impact of human activities on the evolution of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta. Understanding these impacts is crucial for the management, protection, and sustainable development of the ecological environment in the region.MethodsQuantitative analysis of the evolution of coastal wetlands along the Liaohe River from 1995 to 2020 using Landsat series remote sensing images. This study examines the changes in different landscapes and explores the impact of human activities on wetlands through methods such as land transfer matrix, landscape pattern index, and human activity hotspots.ResultsThe results show that the area of coastal wetlands in the Liaohe River Delta exhibited a fluctuating downward trend from 1995 to 2020. The eastern and western parts of the delta experienced greater disturbance to wetland landscapes due to human activities, while the northern and southern parts were mostly waters and reed lands with a smaller degree of human disturbance. Human activities have led to significant changes in farmland, ponds, rice paddies, construction land, and reed fields, thereby promoting the evolution of coastal wetlands.DiscussionThis article discusses the characteristics of landscape pattern evolution in the study area, as well as the impact of human interference, economy, policies, and other factors on it, and compares it with the evolution patterns of other coastal wetlands in China. The changes in the landscape pattern of the study area are mainly reflected in the reduction and fragmentation of natural wetland areas, which are closely related to human activities, especially the development of construction and agriculture. The main economic manifestation is that the increase in land demand due to economic and urban development has led to the transformation of natural wetlands into construction land and other artificial landscapes. The implementation of regulations such as the Wetland Protection Law has contributed to the rational use and ecological restoration of wetlands, and also reflects the influence of policy factors. Compared with other studies, coastal wetlands in China generally face issues of degradation and loss, mainly caused by human activities, but also affected by natural factors such as rising sea levels, changes in coastlines, and climate change.

IntroductionLuteolin (LTL) is the primary active ingredient in honeysuckle, which exhibited wide pharmacological activities, including heat-clearing, detoxifying, anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant effects. The conventional method for the extraction of LTL consumed a substantial amount of time and organic solvents, and poor selectivity. Therefore, fabrication of novel material with simple preparation process, low cost and excellent selectivity is of great significance for the extraction and enrichment of LTL from honeysuckle.ResultsIn this system, a novel surface imprinting polymer for luteolin, denoted as Fe3O4@SiO2@MIP, was synthesized using covalent-noncovalent synergistic imprinting strategies. 3-acrylamidephenylboric acid was adopted as covalent functional monomer, deep eutectic solvent (choline chloride/methacrylic acid (ChCl/MAA, 1/2, n/n)) and methacrylic acid as the non-covalent functional monomers, and Fe3O4@SiO2 nanoparticles as the magnetic support. The resultant Fe3O4@SiO2@MIP displayed a uniform morphology, good crystallinity, and excellent magnetic properties. Meanwhile, the binding experiments demonstrated that Fe3O4@SiO2@MIP exhibited high binding performance and the maximum adsorption capacity was 20.97 mg/g. Moreover, the selectivity and reusability behavior of them were satisfactory. In addition, this polymer, serving as an adsorbent, presented practical application potential in separation and enrichment of LTL from honeysuckle.ConclusionThe covalent-noncovalent synergistic imprinting strategy could greatly facilitate the preparation of imprinted nanoparticles for the specific recognition of LTL, providing a valuable approach for the enrichment of LTL in complex samples.

Study area: Three headwater basins of the Tarim River Study focus: This study built upon existing knowledge by incorporating threshold melting temperatures into the Spatial Processes in Hydrology (SPHY) model and decomposing the streamflow changes into individual runoff components. Additional glacier retreat rate data were used to calibrate the improved SPHY, which provides better constrained estimates of glacier response to climate change. We employed bias-corrected simulations from Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) models to drive the improved SPHY under four future scenarios (SSP1–2.6, SSP2–4.5, SSP3–7.0, and SSP5–8.5). New hydrological insights for the region: Modeling results show accelerated glacier melt in the future, with glacier volume at the end of this century projected to be less than 20% of the current level under SSP5–8.5. Furthermore, future streamflow is expected to decrease, most notably in the Karakash River basin under the SSP1–2.6 scenario. The reduction in streamflow, mainly during the summer months, results from decreased glacier melt runoff, which cannot be offset by increased rainfall runoff. Additionally, the implementation of climate change mitigation measures could delay glacier loss, but the dominant component of runoff would still shift from current glacier melt to future rainfall. Plain language summary: Global warming accelerates the hydrological cycle, altering the temporal and spatial patterns of streamflow, especially in cold regions, such as the Tarim River Basin. Understanding future streamflow changes is important for the economic development and ecological protection of this region, which will help to manage the risk of water shortages and to plan engineering works to mitigate water shortage crises. We therefore used state-of-the-art climate simulation to project future streamflow changes over three basins of the Upper Tarim River. We found that under all future scenarios, runoff will decrease in these basins. This decrease is mainly due to glacier retreat and cannot be mitigated by anticipated increases in rainfall in the future.

Abstract How to represent a human face pattern? While it is presented in a continuous way in human visual system, computers often store and process it in a discrete manner with 2D arrays of pixels. The authors attempt to learn a continuous surface representation for face image with explicit function. First, an explicit model (EmFace) for human face representation is proposed in the form of a finite sum of mathematical terms, where each term is an analytic function element. Further, to estimate the unknown parameters of EmFace, a novel neural network, EmNet, is designed with an encoder‐decoder structure and trained from massive face images, where the encoder is defined by a deep convolutional neural network and the decoder is an explicit mathematical expression of EmFace. The authors demonstrate that our EmFace represents face image more accurate than the comparison method, with an average mean square error of 0.000888, 0.000936, 0.000953 on LFW, IARPA Janus Benchmark‐B, and IJB‐C datasets. Visualisation results show that, EmFace has a higher representation performance on faces with various expressions, postures, and other factors. Furthermore, EmFace achieves reasonable performance on several face image processing tasks, including face image restoration, denoising, and transformation.

Developing eco-friendly, degradable, and flexible electronic devices using renewable cellulose, such as waste agricultural straw, is increasingly vital. This approach tackles the growing issue of nondegradable electronic waste. In this study, flexible transparent electrodes (FTEs) were created using cellulose from waste corn straw, embedding silver nanowires (AgNWs) networks within the surface layer. This method is suitable for reel-to-reel processing. These sustainable FTEs had high transparency and conductivity, with a film resistance of 45.4 Ω/sq and light transmittance of 86.2% at 550 nm. The "dissolution–regeneration" self-assembly process harnesses cellulose's hydrogen bond network to stabilize the AgNWs network, providing the FTEs with excellent electromechanical stability. Resistance changes were less than 3% during bending, folding, and 1,000-time cyclic bending tests. Furthermore, these electrodes showed remarkable environmental stability, with only a 2.5% resistance increase after 16 days at room temperature. This research demonstrates a new application for agricultural straw cellulose in flexible electronics, offering a sustainable alternative in electronic materials.