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Parthenogenesis is an asexual reproduction mode characterized by the development of a female oocyte without fertilization. From an evolutionary perspective, parthenogenesis seems less successful than the predominant sexual mode, though there are groups in which both reproductive types exist, an example of which is the genus Artemia Leach, 1819. This salt-tolerant crustacean inhabiting hypersaline environments contains regionally endemic sexual species and obligate parthenogenetic groups with different ploidy levels, collectively referred to as Artemia parthenogenetica. Here, we discuss the difficulties of using a common species concept in Artemia Leach, 1819. While sexual species are widespread and fit the Biological Species Concept (BSC), which emphasizes reproductive isolation to maintain species genetic integrity or cohesiveness, it does not apply to uniparental organisms originating from sexual species with major meiotic changes. We show that different ploidy levels of parthenogenetic Artemia groups with uniform nuclear gene pools are maternally independent genetic entities (or cohesive), collectively and wrongly referred to as Artemia parthenogenetica. Thus, we conclude that ' Artemia parthenogenetica ' is an invalid nominal specific name. Additionally, parthenogenetic Artemia groups cannot be considered a form of Artemia species (A. urmiana and/or A. sinica). In conclusion, we recommend using the term 'parthenogenetic lineage(s)' instead of 'parthenogenetic population(s)' to describe asexual Artemia group(s), because in modern population genetics and systematics, the term 'population' refers to interbreeding individuals with sexual reproduction. Furthermore, it clarifies that parthenogenetic lineages of Artemia are native to Mediterranean biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellulose particles present a significant concern within the oil‐paper insulation of transformers, posing potential risks to insulation performance. Under the influence of the electric field, the movement of cellulose particles can compromise the transformer's insulation, leading to potential failure. An experimental platform was established to synchronously record particle motion images, partial discharge (PD) pulses, and electric voltage waveforms in oil, aiming to observe the PD characteristics resulting from particle motion under alternating current (AC) voltage and investigate the relationship between different particle motion modes, motion positions, and PD signals. The findings reveal that the phase distribution of PD signals is correlated with the particle motion mode. Specifically, the phase distribution of PD pulses during the back‐and‐forth motion mode is between 4°–94° and 182°–275°. In the suspended oscillation motion mode, the PD pulses phase is concentrated between 20°–84° and 203°–268°. The generation of PD pulses is closely linked to the particle's motion position. PD pulses occur when the particle remains on the electrode during the back‐and‐forth motion mode, generally, PD pulses rarely occur during the jumping process between the two electrodes. In the suspended oscillation motion mode, PD pulses occur when the particle moves upward, but generally do not occur during downward movement. Furthermore, the Pulse Sequence Analysis technique was used to employ the PD characteristics caused by particle motion in transformer oil. The simulation calculations of the electric field distribution for two different particle motion modes show that the particle's motion can cause distortion of the electric field distribution, leading to the generation of PD. The study of the PD characteristics at different particle motion modes and positions obtained contributes to a deeper understanding of the PD induced by cellulose particle motion under AC voltage and provides a reference for the insulation evaluation of transformers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Artificial intelligence technologies based on deep convolutional neural networks and large language models have made significant breakthroughs in many tasks, such as image recognition, target detection, semantic segmentation, and natural language processing, but also face a conflict between the high computational capacity of the algorithms and limited deployment resources. Quantization, which converts floating-point neural networks into low-bit-width integer networks, is an important and essential technique for efficient deployment and cost reduction in edge computing. This paper analyzes various existing quantization methods, showcases the deployment accuracy of advanced techniques, and discusses the future challenges and trends in this domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whitmania pigra Whitman is a non-bloodsucking leech, which is included in the Pharmacopoeia of the People's Republic of China. As a traditional Chinese medicine, its main function is to remove the blood stasis. In the process of breeding, Whitmania pigra Whitman is easily affected by the pollution of the heavy metal lead. This study simulated the pond culture environment in the aquarium with the soil in the bottom. The soil lead contamination was caused by adding lead nitrate to the soil. The blank leech group and lead contaminated leech group were obtained after 50 days of culturing in the aquariums. Denovo assembly and analysis were performed to reveal the changes of gene expression in Whitmania pigra Whitman after lead contamination. The sequencing results showed that each sample had more than 45 million Raw Reads and the percentage of Clean reads was more than 96%. There were altogether 120,684 transcripts which average length is 1590.42 bp. 34,612 unigenes were annotated based on the sequence homology. In result, a total of 1110 differentially expressed genes were obtained, including 694 up-regulated genes and 416 down-regulated genes. The GO enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes was significantly enriched to 85 GO entries. In the other hand, the KEGG enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes was significantly enriched to 5 pathways, among which arachidonic acid metabolism and lysosomes were important pathways. In conclusion, the results of this study can provide data support for future studies on the quality of leech and provide a reference for the effects of heavy metal lead accumulation in the culture environment on aquatic organisms.

Anthocyanin is one important nutrition composition in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) sprouts, a component missing in its seeds. Although anthocyanin biosynthesis requires light, the mechanism of light-induced anthocyanin accumulation in Tartary buckwheat is unclear. Here, comparative transcriptome analysis of Tartary buckwheat sprouts under light and dark treatments and biochemical approaches were performed to identify the roles of one B-box protein BBX22 and ELONGATED HYPOCOTYL 5 (HY5). The overexpression assay showed that FtHY5 and FtBBX22 could both promote anthocyanin synthesis in red-flower tobacco. Additionally, FtBBX22 associated with FtHY5 to form a complex that activates the transcription of MYB transcription factor genes FtMYB42 and FtDFR, leading to anthocyanin accumulation. These findings revealed the regulation mechanism of light-induced anthocyanin synthesis and provide excellent gene resources for breeding high-quality Tartary buckwheat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study conducted an phenotypic and whole-genome sequencing analysis with Klebsiella aerogenes to elucidate its clinical epidemiological characteristics, antimicrobial resistance (AMR) phenotype, biofilm formation ability and hemolytic activity testing, AMR genes and phylogenetic relationships, so as to provide a further understanding of the intra-hospital strain transmission. Methods: Samples were collected from a hospital in Beijing between 2020 and 2022. All strains underwent bacterial identification, antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) using the VITEK-2 compact system. Biofilm formation ability and hemolytic activity were tested. Second-generation sequencing was applied to all strains, with those carrying the blaKPC gene were selected for third-generation sequencing. Whole-genome analysis identified resistance genes, plasmid types, MLST typing, and phylogenetic relationships. Plasmids were assembled to detect plasmid structures and AMR gene location. Results: Among the 42 K. aerogenes isolates, 21 were carbapenem-resistant K. aerogenes (CRKA). All strains exhibited strong biofilm formation and no hemolytic activity. Most were sourced from sputum (83.3%). CRKA demonstrated extensive resistance to antibiotics, particularly β-lactamase inhibitors and Cefotetan. This resistance pattern was closely associated with the presence of an IncFII(pHN7A8) plasmid, which carried multiple resistance genes, including blaKPC-2, blaCTX-M-65, blaTEM-1, rmtB and a large number of mobile elements. The majority of CRKA strains clustered within the same branch of the phylogenetic tree, exhibiting minimal single nucleotide polymorphism (0– 13 SNPs) differences, and they shared the same sequence type (ST292), resistance genes, and plasmids, originating from different departments, suggesting clonal transmission among the hospital. Conclusion: Our research reveals that the clonal transmission of CRKA occurs across various departments within the hospital. The widespread resistance observed in CRKA, attributed to the presence of blaKPC and ESBLs genes, underscores the need for heightened vigilance to prevent the further dissemination of CRKA within the hospital and, potentially, throughout the wider community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The red panda (Ailurus fulgens) is a distinctive mammal known for its reliance on a diet primarily consisting of bamboo. The gut microbiota and overall health of animals are strongly influenced by diets and environments. Therefore, conducting research to explore the taxonomical and functional variances within the gut microbiota of red pandas exposed to various dietary and environmental conditions could shed light on the dynamic complexities of their microbial communities. In this study, normal fecal samples were obtained from red pandas residing in captive and semi‐free environments under different dietary regimes and used for metabolomic, 16S rRNA, and metagenomic sequencing analysis, with the pandas classified into four distinct cohorts according to diet and environment. In addition, metagenomic sequencing was conducted on mucus fecal samples to elucidate potential etiological agents of disease. Results revealed an increased risk of gastrointestinal diseases in red pandas consuming bamboo shoots due to the heightened presence of pathogenic bacteria, although an increased presence of microbiota‐derived tryptophan metabolites appeared to facilitate intestinal balance. The red pandas fed bamboo leaves also exhibited a decrease in gut microbial diversity, which may be attributed to the antibacterial flavonoids and lower protein levels in leaves. Notably, red pandas residing in semi‐free environments demonstrated an enriched gut microbial diversity. Moreover, the occurrence of mucus secretion may be due to an increased presence of species associated with diarrhea and a reduced level of microbiota‐derived tryptophan metabolites. In summary, our findings substantiate the influential role of diet and environment in modulating the gut microbiota of red pandas, offering potential implications for improved captive breeding practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypersaline lakes in arid and semi-arid areas are unique ecosystems that harbour unique extremophile organisms such as Artemia , the paradigmatic example of adaptation to harsh living conditions. We assessed the mitogenomic biodiversity of Artemia species from the Tibetan Plateau, China, a remote and yet minimally disturbed ecosystem with a variety of hypersaline lakes. Analysis of ten Tibetan salt lakes demonstrated the occurrence of two regionally endemic species, Artemia tibetiana and Artemia sorgeloosi , with the latter being the dominant species with eight localities. Both species coexist in Jingyu and Jibu lakes, representing the first case of natural distribution overlap between sexual Artemia species. Artemia sorgeloosi exhibits higher genetic diversity and interpopulation differences, a result consistent with the heterogeneity of local salt lakes, local Artemia population demographics, and their adaptive potentials. Significant F ST values demonstrate a gene flow barrier between A. sorgeloosi populations that is compatible with an 'island biogeography' distribution pattern, making the Tibetan Plateau a sort of natural laboratory to study intraspecific population differences. Artemia sorgeloosi and the exotic Artemia franciscana were found coexisting in Yangnapen Lake, demonstrating the ability of this invasive species to colonize high-altitude inland habitats, and the need to monitor its presence and eventual expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum) is an important plant, utilized for both medicine and food. It has become a current research hotspot due to its rich content of flavonoids, which are beneficial for human health. Anthocyanins (ATs) and proanthocyanidins (PAs) are the two main kinds of flavonoid compounds in Tartary buckwheat, which participate in the pigmentation of some tissue as well as rendering resistance to many biotic and abiotic stresses. Additionally, Tartary buckwheat anthocyanins and PAs have many health benefits for humans and the plant itself. However, little is known about the regulation mechanism of the biosynthesis of anthocyanin and PA in Tartary buckwheat. In the present study, a bHLH transcription factor (TF) FtTT8 was characterized to be homologous with AtTT8 and phylogenetically close to bHLH proteins from other plant species. Subcellular location and yeast two-hybrid assays suggested that FtTT8 locates in the nucleus and plays a role as a transcription factor. Complementation analysis in Arabidopsis tt8 mutant showed that FtTT8 could not recover anthocyanin deficiency but could promote PAs accumulation. Overexpression of FtTT8 in red-flowering tobacco showed that FtTT8 inhibits anthocyanin biosynthesis and accelerates proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. QRT-PCR and yeast one-hybrid assay revealed that FtTT8 might bind to the promoter of NtUFGT and suppress its expression, while binding to the promoter of NtLAR and upregulating its expression in K326 tobacco. This displayed the bidirectional regulating function of FtTT8 that negatively regulates anthocyanin biosynthesis and positively regulates proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. The results provide new insights on TT8 in Tartary buckwheat, which is inconsistent with TT8 from other plant species, and FtTT8 might be a high-quality gene resource for Tartary buckwheat breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum Gaertn.) belongs to the family of Polygonaceae and is used as a multi-functional plant. R2R3-MYB transcription factors play a crucial part in plant growth and are involved in many biological processes where they regulate their internal environment. To date, there is no documented systematic research on the R2R3-MYB gene family in Tartary buckwheat. Here, domain features, chromosomal location, motif prediction, gene structure, cis-acting elements, as well as the expression pattern of R2R3-MYB transcription factors were analyzed comprehensively in Tartary buckwheat using a bioinformatic approach. Additionally, one R2R3-MYB gene was verified by transgenic Arabidopsis. Results indicate that a total of 152 R2R3-MYB genes were identified with special R2R3 domains and were distributed on 8 chromosomes of Tartary buckwheat. They were further classified into 25 sub-categories via phylogenetic analysis in terms of the R2R3-MYB gene family classification principles of Arabidopsis thaliana. This classification was further supported by analysis of exon–intron structure, motif, and cis-elements. Tandem and segmental duplication existed among the R2R3-MYB gene family of Tartary buckwheat, and there were 5, 8, 27, and 36 FtR2R3-MYB homologous genes, respectively, when comparing with Zea mays, Oryza sativa, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Solanum melongena by synteny analysis. The expression pattern of FtR2R3-MYB genes in different tissue and under salt stress and different light condition showed that members had tissue-specific expression levels and that these members may play diverse functions in plant growth and adaptation to varying environments. In addition, one of the FtR2R3-MYB gene families, FtMYB43, a homologue of AtTT2, clustered with R2R3-MYB from other plant species, which were reported to be involved in the regulation of anthocyanin or proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. This gene was located in the nucleus, and had transcriptional activation activity, indicating that FtMYB43 may be a positive transcript factor of anthocyanin or proanthocyadin biosynthesis. Moreover, the function of FtMYB43 was further verified to improve the production of anthocyanin in transgenic Arabidopsis by overexpression, and qRT-PCR assay implied that FtMYB43 may regulate the expression levels of most structural genes of the anthocyanin biosynthesis pathway in Arabidopsis seedlings. These results provide more insights into the structure and function of the R2R3-MYB gene family and may accelerate the breeding of ornamental buckwheat cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenovirus (HAdV) is a highly virulent respiratory pathogen that poses clinical challenges in terms of diagnostics and treatment. Currently, no effective therapeutic drugs or prophylactic vaccines are available for HAdV infections. One factor contributing to this deficiency is that existing animal models, including wild‐type and single‐receptor transgenic mice, are unsuitable for HAdV proliferation and pathology testing. In this study, a tri‐receptor transgenic mouse model expressing the three best‐characterized human cellular receptors for HAdV (hCAR, hCD46, and hDSG2) was generated and validated via analysis of transgene insertion, receptor mRNA expression, and protein abundance distribution. Following HAdV‐7 infection, the tri‐receptor mice exhibited high transcription levels at the early and late stages of the HAdV gene, as well as viral protein expression. Furthermore, the tri‐receptor mice infected with HAdV exhibited dysregulated cytokine responses and multiple tissue lesions. This transgenic mouse model represents human HAdV infection and pathogenesis with more accuracy than any other reported animal model. As such, this model facilitates the comprehensive investigation of HAdV pathogenesis as well as the evaluation of potential vaccines and therapeutic modalities for HAdV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Linoleic acid (LA) is a primary n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), which is of interest to nutritional professionals as it has been associated with health outcomes. However, as some LA-rich foods offer protection against chronic diseases such as CVD (e.g., fatty fish), while others increase risk (e.g., red meat), the individual foods contributing to LA intake may be an important factor to consider. Therefore, this analysis sought to examine whether there are racial/ethnic differences in the proportion of overall LA intake accounted for by individual food groups, via a cross-sectional analysis of 3815 adults participating in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES; 2017–2018 cycle). Separate multivariable linear regressions models specified the proportion of overall LA intake attributable to each of the nine food groups (dairy, eggs, fat, fish, fruits and vegetables, grains, meat, nuts, and sweets) as the outcome, and race/ethnicity as the predictor, with age, gender, and socioeconomic status (SES) as covariates, in order to estimate whether there were mean differences by race/ethnicity in the proportion of overall LA intake attributable to each of these foods seperately. After a Bonferroni correction for multiple testing, eggs, grains, fruits and vegetables, meat, and fish each accounted for a different proportion of overall LA intake according to racial/ethnic grouping (all p < 0.006 after a Bonferroni correction). These findings indicate the food sources of LA in the diet differ by race/ethnicity, and warrant future investigations into whether this plays a role in health disparities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Species of Artemia are regionally endemic branchiopod crustaceans composed of sexual species and parthenogenetic lineages, and represent an excellent model for studying adaptation and speciation to extreme and heterogeneous hypersaline environments. We tested hypotheses of whether populations from the Tibetan Plateau belong to A. tibetiana Abatzopoulos, Zhang & Sorgeloos,1998 and whether a population from Kazakhstan is a new species, using other Asian species of Artemia as outgroups. We conducted a multitrait phylogenetic study based on the complete mitogenome, mitochondrial (COI, 12S, 16S) and nuclear (microsatellites, ITS1) markers, and a suit of uni- and multivariate morphological traits. Our results led to the discovery of two new species, one from the Tibetan Plateau (Haiyan Lake) in China (Artemia sorgeloosi n. sp.) and a second from Kazakhstan (Artemia amati n. sp.). Our analysis demonstrate that A. tibetiana and A. amati n. sp. are monophyletic, whereas A. sorgeloosi n. sp. , and A. tibetiana are polyphyletic. Evolutionary relationships based on mitochondrial and nSSR markers suggest that A. tibetiana may have arisen from a past hybridization event of a maternal ancestor of A. tibetiana with A. sorgeloosi n. sp. or its ancestor. We present the complete mitogenome of A. tibetiana , A. amati n. sp. , and A. sorgeloosi n. sp. We also provide a novel taxonomic identification key based on morphology, emphasizing the phenotype as a necessary component of the species concept. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human adenoviruses (HAdVs) can cause acute respiratory diseases (ARDs) worldwide, and HAdV‐55 is a reemergent pathogen in recent years. In the study, we investigated an outbreak of ARD at a school due to HAdV‐55 in Beijing, China, during the early outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19). The epidemic prevention team was dispatched to the school to collect epidemiologic data and nasopharyngeal samples. Then, real‐time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and multiplex PCR assays were used to detect severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 and other respiratory pathogens, respectively. One representative HAdV‐55 isolate was selected and submitted for whole‐genome sequencing using a MiSeq system and the whole‐genome phylogenetic tree was conducted based on the maximum likelihood method. The outbreak lasted from January 27 to February 6, 2020, and 108 students developed fever, among whom 60 (55.56%) cases were diagnosed with HAdV‐55 infection in the laboratory using real‐time PCR and 56 cases were hospitalized. All the confirmed cases had a fever and 11 cases (18.33%) presented with a fever above 39°C. Other main clinical symptoms included sore throat (43.33%) and headache (43.33%). We obtained and assembled the full genome of one isolate, BJ‐446, with 34 761 nucleotides in length. HAdV‐55 isolate BJ‐446 was 99.85% identical to strain QS‐DLL, which was the first HAdV‐55 strain in China isolated from an ARD outbreak in Shanxi in 2006. One and four amino acid mutations were observed in the hexon gene and the coding region of L2 pV 40.1 kDa protein, respectively. We identified the first HAdV‐55 infection associated with the ARD outbreak in Beijing since the emergence of COVID‐19. The study suggests that improved surveillance of HAdV is needed, although COVID‐19 is still prevalent in the world. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the characteristics of respiratory tract microbiome in Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) inpatients with different severity. We conducted a study that expected to clarify these characteristics as much as possible. A cross‐sectional study was conducted to characterize respiratory tract microbial communities of 69 COVID‐19 inpatients from 64 nasopharyngeal swabs and 5 sputum specimens using 16S ribosomal RNA gene V3‐V4 region sequencing. The bacterial profiles were analyzed to find potential biomarkers by the two‐step method, the combination of random forest model and the linear discriminant analysis effect size, and explore the connections with clinical characteristics by Spearman's rank test. Compared with mild COVID‐19 patients, severe patients had significantly decreased bacterial diversity (p‐values were less than 0.05 in the alpha and beta diversity) and relative lower abundance of opportunistic pathogens, including Actinomyces, Prevotella, Rothia, Streptococcus, Veillonella. Eight potential biomarkers including Treponema, Leptotrichia, Lachnoanaerobaculum, Parvimonas, Alloprevotella, Porphyromonas, Gemella, and Streptococcus were found to distinguish the mild COVID‐19 patients from the severe COVID‐19 patients. The genera of Actinomyces and Prevotella were negatively correlated with age in two groups. Intensive care unit admission, neutrophil count, and lymphocyte count were significantly correlated with different genera in the two groups. In addition, there was a positive correlation between Klebsiella and white blood cell count in two groups. The respiratory tract microbiome had significant differences in COVID‐19 patients with different severity. The value of the respiratory tract microbiome as predictive biomarkers for COVID‐19 severity deserves further exploration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To survey the virulence gene carrying status, drug sensitivity, and genetic characteristics of Vibrio parahaemolyticus, 26 seafood samples from three canteens in the Beidaihe area, as well as self-collected samples, were analyzed in August 2021. Four major virulence genes (tdh, trh, tlh, and toxR) were screened from ten strains of V. parahaemolyticus using PCR and the BD automatic microbial identification and drug susceptibility analysis system. Next-generation genome sequencing was performed on the isolates. A phylogenetic tree, drug resistance genes, and virulence genes were constructed based on core SNP sites. The gene carrying rates of tlh, toxR, were 100.00%, 100.00%; none of the isolates carried tdh or trh. Ten isolates were resistant to aztreonam and moderately sensitive to ampicillin. All the isolates contained the β-lactam resistance gene (CARB-18), corresponding to the resistance phenotype. One isolate was found to contain mexE, a virulence gene rarely reported in similar studies. Nine sequence types were identified. Several V . parahaemolyticus isolates exhibited high homology with local and foreign marine organism isolates. Local V. parahaemolyticus may pose a threat to human health, and its sources are complex and highly genetically diverse. There may be foreign sources of V. parahaemolyticus contamination; hence,monitoring needs to be strengthened. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]