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Abstract Background Small airway dysfunction not only affects asthma control, but also has adverse effects on the psychological and/or social activities of asthma patients. However, few long-term observational studies have explored the complex relationship between small airway dysfunction and asthma control and health-related quality of life in patients with asthma exacerbations. Methods The study recruited 223 patients with exacerbations of asthma (i.e. those with at least one asthma attack over the past year) and 228 patients without exacerbations of asthma (i.e. those without asthma attacks over the past year). We evaluated SAD in patients with asthma exacerbations using impulse oscillometry method. At each evaluation time point within one year of follow-up, the attending physician conducts a case investigation of the patients. We analyzed the correlation between SAD and general characteristics (age, obesity, smoking history), type 2 inflammation (blood eosinophils, exhaled nitric oxide), FEV1, as well as asthma control (ACT) and health-related quality of life (mini-AQLQ) in patients with asthma exacerbations, and constructed a structural equation model to evaluate the causality of these clinical variables. Results The SAD prevalence in patients with asthma exacerbation is as high as 75%. SAD is connected with poor asthma control and poor health-related quality of life. The structural equation model indicates that age, obesity, FeNO, and FEV1 are independent predictive factors of SAD. SAD is the main determinant factor of asthma control, which in turn affected health-related quality of life. FEV1 and age directly affect asthma control and affect health-related quality of life through asthma control. In addition, there is a bidirectional relationship between FEV1 and small airway dysfunction and between asthma control and health-related quality of life. Conclusions Small airways are involved from an early stage in asthma. Abnormal function of the small airways can significantly increase airway resistance in asthma patients, while worsening their clinical symptoms. In addition, aging is also a key risk factor for asthma control. Especially, small airway dysfunction links asthma control with health-related quality of life.

Purpose: Firstly, this study diagnosed professional competence amongst Chinese vocational students within a broad range of the manufacturing sectors; then, the authors examined how different types of P-E fit (job, organisation and vocation) and internship quality jointly shape the newly acquired professional competences of interns. Design/methodology/approach: This study utilised the COMET methodology to conduct a large-scale assessment of professional competence amongst 961 graduates from vocational colleges who had successfully completed internships. Participants actively engaged in the data collection process by responding to questionnaires that sought contextual information concurrently. Findings: The majority of students have attained fundamental functional competencies, indicating their fulfillment of basic requirements. However, there is a tendency to overlook the cultivation of shaping competence. Three types of P-E fit and task characteristics are positively correlated with professional competence. The indirect relationship between P-E fit and professional competence mediated by task characteristics was verified through P-V fit and P-J fit except for P-O fit. Overall, the model explains 39.2% of the variance in professional competence. Originality/value: "How to promote professional competence" has been highlighted as an important topic in vocational education. This paper contributes to identify the characteristics of a quality internship program for vocational colleges and firms. These insights are important in considering a student-centred approach, design internships programmes that better fit their own abilities, needs and vocations, avoiding a one-size-fits-all approach to implement internships and thus, enhance students' professional development.

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the differences between pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection and intrafamilial infection and those without intrafamilial infection. Methods: HBV-DNA was extracted from the sera of 16 pregnant women with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) and their family members for gene sequencing and phylogenetic analyses. A total of 74 pregnant women with CHB were followed up from the second trimester to 3 months postpartum. Viral markers and other laboratory indicators were compared between pregnant women with CHB with and without intrafamilial infection. Results: The phylogenetic tree showed that HBV lines in the mother-spread pedigree shared a node, whereas there was an unrelated genetic background for HBV lines in individuals without intrafamilial infection. From delivery to 3 months postpartum, compared with those without intrafamilial infection, pregnant women with intrafamilial infection were related negatively to HBV-DNA (β = −0.43, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.76 to −0.12, p = 0.009), HBeAg (β = −195.15, 95% CI: −366.35 to −23.96, p = 0.027), and hemoglobin changes (β = −8.09, 95% CI: −15.54 to −0.64, p = 0.035) and positively to changes in the levels of alanine aminotransferase (β = 73.9, 95% CI: 38.92–108.95, p < 0.001) and albumin (β = 2.73, 95% CI: 0.23–5.23, p = 0.033). Conclusion: The mother-spread pedigree spread model differs from that of non-intrafamilial infections. Pregnant women with intrafamilial HBV infection have less hepatitis flares and liver damage, but their HBV-DNA and HBeAg levels rebound faster after delivery, than those without intrafamilial infection by the virus.

Brain Muscle ARNT-Like Protein 1 (BMAL1) suppresses oxidative stress in brain injury during surgery. Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), a monomer in green tea, has been identified as an antioxidant and a potential agonist for BMAL1. In this work, the mechanism by which BMAL1 is regulated was investigated, as well as the therapeutic effect of EGCG on surgically injured rats. The pathological environment after brain injury during surgery was simulated by excising the right frontal lobe of rats. Rats received an intraperitoneal injection of EGCG immediately after surgery. Neurological scores and cerebral edema were recorded after surgery. Fluoro-Jade C staining, TUNEL staining, western blot, and lipid peroxidation analyses were conducted 3 days later. Here we show that the endogenous BMAL1 level decreased after brain injury. Postoperative administration of EGCG up-regulated the content of BMAL1 around the cerebral cortex, reduced the oxidative stress level, reduced neuronal apoptosis and the number of degenerated neurons, alleviated cerebral edema, and improved neurological scores in rats. This suggests that BMAL1 is an effective target for treating surgical brain injury, as well as that EGCG may be a promising agent for alleviating postoperative brain injury.

This paper investigates the tightening and anti-loosening performance of phosphated spring washers (i.e., PSW) and galvanized spring washers (i.e., GSW), considering three torques and comparing them with galvanized flat washers (i.e., GFW). Subsequently, a finite element model of the spring washer connecting bolt was established and validated, further investigating the force performance of the spring washer and the stress distribution in the thread area. Finally, a quantitative evaluation method for the anti-loosening performance of spring washers was proposed. The results show that the preload of GSW is maximum after the nut is tightened, and the loss of preload can be supplied by the flattened spring washer. At the same time, the inner ring of the spring washer is sticking, while the outer ring is sliding. Similarly, the contact pressure of the washer decreases radially. During the lateral vibration process, the decrease curve of preload consists of three stages: initial stage, stable stage, and loosening rotation stage. Specifically, GSW has the best anti-loosening performance, because the wear of the zinc layer increases friction. More importantly, the spring washer compensates for the gap between the nut contact surface during transverse vibration, ensuring uniform force distribution in the threaded area and effectively improving the anti-loosening performance.

This study aimed to provide evidence for co-administration of the COVID-19 and EV71 vaccines in children aged 3 to 5 years. We conducted a phase 4, open-label, randomized, and controlled study. A total of 520 children were randomly allocated to two groups: Group C received the COVID-19 and EV71 vaccines simultaneously, while Group N received the two vaccines separately. The primary immunogenicity endpoints were the seroconversion rates of anti-SARS-CoV-2 and anti-EV71 antibodies 28 days after the second dose of each respective vaccine. Before vaccination, none of the participants was seropositive for anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies, and the baseline seropositivity for anti-EV71 antibodies was low (Group C: 14.86%; Group N: 17.83%). After completing full vaccination, the seroconversion rate of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies reached 100% in both groups, while for anti-EV71 antibodies, the seroconversion rates were 97.99% in Group C and 98.70% in Group N. The lower limit of the 95% confidence interval for the difference in seroconversion rates between the two groups for both COVID-19 and EV71 vaccines met the predefined non-inferiority criteria. Six months post-vaccination, the antibody levels remained high for both vaccines, with the seropositive rates of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies at 91.21% in Group C and 92.77% in Group N, and the seropositive rates of anti-EV71 antibodies at 99.16% in Group C and 99.15% in Group N. Safety analysis revealed a lower incidence of adverse reactions in Group C compared to Group N (28.85% vs 45.56%), primarily solicited. Co-administration of the COVID-19 and EV71 vaccines demonstrated a positive safety profile and non-inferior immune responses.Trial registration Number NCT04993365 (ClinicalTrials.gov).

Predicting computational intensity (CI) is essential for domain decomposition and load balance in parallel geoprocessing. However, traditional CI prediction is limited in capturing the heterogeneity of spatial domain, leading to poor accuracy and load imbalance. Leveraging recent advancements in deep learning from Artificial Intelligence (AI), this paper proposes a deep learning-based approach for predicting CI and enhancing domain decomposition, which reduces the dependency on expert knowledge through automatic feature learning. In the approach, Convolutional Neural Networks are employed to capture the heterogeneity of spatial domain, encompassing structural, distribution, and topological characteristics. A fully connected layer is then utilized for CI prediction and optimized domain decomposition. Comparative experiments were implemented between the proposed approach and three traditional methods, using two cases: spatial intersection on vector data and peak perilousness assessment. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach achieves a speedup ratio of 19.8 and a parallel efficiency of 0.82. The findings highlight the advantages of the proposed approach in terms of parallel performance and usability. This study serves as a valuable reference for illustrating how deep learning can enhance parallel geoprocessing, providing a roadmap for applying deep learning techniques to geocomputations and fostering further advancements of AI GIS.

ABSTRACTThe increasing incidence of diseases caused by Coxsackievirus A6 (CV-A6) and the presence of various mutants in the population present significant public health challenges. Given the concurrent development of multiple vaccines in China, it is challenging to objectively and accurately evaluate the level of neutralizing antibody response to different vaccines. The choice of the detection strain is a crucial factor that influences the detection of neutralizing antibodies. In this study, the National Institutes for Food and Drug Control collected a prototype strain (Gdula), one subgenotype D1, as well as 13 CV-A6 candidate vaccine strains and candidate detection strains (subgenotype D3) from various institutions and manufacturers involved in research and development. We evaluated cross-neutralization activity using plasma from naturally infected adults (n = 30) and serum from rats immunized with the aforementioned CV-A6 strains. Although there were differences between the geometric mean titer (GMT) ranges of human plasma and murine sera, the overall trends were similar. A significant effect of each strain on the neutralizing antibody test (MAX/MIN 48.0 ∼16410.3) was observed. Among all strains, neutralization of the S112 strain by 15 different sera resulted in higher neutralizing antibody titers (GMTS112 = 132.0) and more consistent responses across different genotypic immune sera (MAX/MIN = 48.0). Therefore, S112 may serve as a detection strain for NtAb testing in various vaccines, minimizing bias and making it suitable for evaluating the immunogenicity of the CV-A6 vaccine.

Individuals with neuromuscular pathologies are often prescribed an ankle-foot orthosis (AFO) to improve their gait mechanics by decreasing pathological movements of the ankle and lower limb. AFOs can resist or assist excessive or absent muscular forces that lead to tripping, instability, and slow inefficient gait. However, selecting the appropriate AFO with mechanical characteristics, which limit pathological ankle motion in certain phases of the gait cycle while facilitating effective ankle movement during other phases, requires careful clinical decision-making. The aim of this study is to propose an explicit methodology for the adjustment of multi-function articulated AFOs in clinical settings. A secondary aim is to outline the evidence supporting this methodology and to identify gaps in the literature as potential areas for future research. An emerging class of AFO, the multi-function articulated AFO, offers features that permit more comprehensive, iterative, and reversible adjustments of AFO ankle alignment and resistance to ankle motion. However, no standard method exists for the application and optimization of these therapeutic devices in the clinical setting. Here we propose an evidence-guided methodology applicable to the adjustment of multi-function articulated AFOs in the clinical setting. Characteristic load–deflection curves are given to illustrate the idealized yet complex resistance-angle behavior of multi-function articulated AFOs. Research is cited to demonstrate how these mechanical characteristics can help mitigate specific pathologic ankle and knee kinematics and kinetics. Evidence is presented to support the effects of systematic adjustment of high resistance, alignable, articulated AFOs to address many typical pathomechanical patterns observed in individuals with neuromuscular disorders. The published evidence supporting most decision points of the algorithm is presented with identified gaps in the evidence. In addition, two hypothetical case examples are given to illustrate the application of the method in optimizing multi-function articulated AFOs for treating specific gait pathomechanics. This method is proposed as an evidence-guided systematic approach for the adjustment of multi-function articulated AFOs. It utilizes observed gait deviations mapped to specific changes in AFO alignment and resistance settings as a clinical tool in orthotic treatment for individuals with complex neuromuscular gait disorders.

Abstract Developing high‐efficiency and stable bifunctional electrocatalysts for water splitting remains a great challenge. Herein, NiMoO4 nanowires as sacrificial templates to synthesize Mo‐doped NiFe Prussian blue analogs are employed, which can be easily phosphorized to Mo‐doped Fe2xNi2(1‐x)P nanotubes (Mo‐FeNiP NTs). This synthesis method enables the controlled etching of NiMoO4 nanowires that results in a unique hollow nanotube architecture. As a bifunctional catalyst, the Mo‐FeNiP NTs present lower overpotential and Tafel slope of 151.3 (232.6) mV at 100 mA cm−2 and 76.2 (64.7) mV dec−1 for HER (OER), respectively. Additionally, it only requires an ultralow cell voltage of 1.47 V to achieve 10 mA cm−2 for overall water splitting and can steadily operate for 200 h at 100 mA cm−2. First‐principles calculations demonstrate that Mo doping can effectively adjust the electron redistribution of the Ni hollow sites to optimize the hydrogen adsorption‐free energy for HER. Besides, in situ Raman characterization reveals the dissolving of doped Mo can promote a rapid surface reconstruction on Mo‐FeNiP NTs to dynamically stable (Fe)Ni‐oxyhydroxide layers, serving as the actual active species for OER. The work proposes a rational approach addressed by electron manipulation and surface reconstruction of bimetallic phosphides to regulate both the HER and OER activity.

Chlorophyll (Chl)-mediated oxygenic photosynthesis supports life on earth. From a view of evolution, ‘survival of the fittest’ facilitates oxygenic photosynthetic organisms evolved from cyanobacteria to higher plants by ever more sophisticated photosystems including antennae, Chls, and carotenoids. Increasing advances highlight (1) the H subunit of magnesium chelatase (CHLH)-mediated Chl biosynthesis at the branch point that also channels to heme biosynthesis by the common tetrapyrrole pathway, associated to various GUN (genomes uncoupled) anterograde signals; (2) the multiple functions of carotenoids generated by mevalonic acid (MVA) and methylerythritol phosphate (MEP) pathways, also linked to several hormonal and anterograde signals; (3) the size and composition of the modularly-assembled pigment-protein supercomplexes vary with green lineages adaptive to growth niches at genetic and structural levels, showing more Chls with more growth and fitness. Under favorable environments, the photosynthetic electron transfer chain (PETC) is responsible for sugar biosynthesis, fundamental to plant growth by auxin and cytokinin. While under stressful environments, the impeded PETC triggers ROS, consequently triggering both phytohormone signaling (ABA, SA, JA, and Eth) and retrograde signaling (PAP, MEcPP, and GUNs). These regulators weave a crosstalk network between nucleus-to-plastid anterograde signaling and plastid-to-nucleus retrograde signaling, finally fine-tuning plant development and adaptation. In this review, we outline photosystematic evolution and chloroplast-derived signals, paving the way to understanding plant survival and fitness by optimizing sugar biosynthesis and utilization.

The primary goal of rehabilitation for individuals with lower limb amputation, particularly those with unilateral transfemoral amputation (uTFA), is to restore their ability to walk independently. Effective control of the center of pressure (COP) during gait is vital for maintaining balance and stability, yet it poses a significant challenge for individuals with uTFA. This study aims to study the COP during gait in individuals with uTFA and elucidate their unique compensatory strategies. This study involved 12 uTFA participants and age-matched non-disabled controls, with gait and COP trajectory data collected using an instrumented treadmill. Gait and COP parameters between the control limb (CL), prosthetic limb (PL), and intact limb (IL) were compared. Notably, the mediolateral displacement of COP in PL exhibited significant lateral displacement compared to the CL from 30% to 60% of the stance. In 20% to 45% of the stance, the COP forward speed of PL was significantly higher than that of the IL. Furthermore, during the initial 20% of the stance, the vertical ground reaction force of PL was significantly lower than that of IL. Additionally, individuals with uTFA exhibited a distinct gait pattern with altered duration of loading response, single limb support, pre-swing and swing phases, and step time. These findings indicate the adaptability of individuals with uTFA in weight transfer, balance control, and pressure distribution on gait stability. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the unique gait dynamics and balance strategies of uTFA patients, highlighting the importance of optimizing prosthetic design, alignment procedures, and rehabilitation programs to enhance gait patterns and reduce the risk of injuries due to compensatory movements.

Abstract Non-dissociative chemisorption solid-state storage of hydrogen molecules in host materials is promising to achieve both high hydrogen capacity and uptake rate, but there is the lack of non-dissociative hydrogen storage theories that can guide the rational design of the materials. Herein, we establish generalized design principle to design such materials via the first-principles calculations, theoretical analysis and focused experimental verifications of a series of heteroatom-doped-graphene-supported Ca single-atom carbon nanomaterials as efficient non-dissociative solid-state hydrogen storage materials. An intrinsic descriptor has been proposed to correlate the inherent properties of dopants with the hydrogen storage capability of the carbon-based host materials. The generalized design principle and the intrinsic descriptor have the predictive ability to screen out the best dual-doped-graphene-supported Ca single-atom hydrogen storage materials. The dual-doped materials have much higher hydrogen storage capability than the sole-doped ones, and exceed the current best carbon-based hydrogen storage materials.

Abstract Background Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a degenerative neurological disorder. Recent studies have indicated that histone deacetylases (HDACs) are among the most prominent epigenetic therapy targets and that HDAC inhibitors have therapeutic effects on AD. Here, we identified sodium valproate (VPA), a pan-HDAC inhibitor, and WT161, a novel HDAC6 selective inhibitor, as potential therapeutic agents for AD. Underlying molecular mechanisms were investigated. Methods A cellular model, N2a-APPswe, was established via lentiviral infection, and the APPswe/PSEN1dE9 transgenic mouse model was employed in the study. LC–MS/MS was applied to quantify the concentration of WT161 in the mouse brain. Western blotting, immunohistochemical staining, thioflavin-S staining and ELISA were applied to detect protein expression in cells, tissues, or serum. RNA interference was utilized to knockdown the expression of specific genes in cells. The cognitive function of mice was assessed via the nest-building test, novel object recognition test and Morris water maze test. Results Previous studies have focused mainly on the impact of HDAC inhibitors on histone deacetylase activity. Our study discovered that VPA and WT161 can downregulate the expression of multiple HDACs, such as HDAC1 and HDAC6, in both AD cell and mouse models. Moreover, they also affect the expression of APP and APP secretases (BACE1, PSEN1, ADAM10). RNA interference and subsequent vitamin C induction further confirmed that the expression of APP and APP secretases is indeed regulated by HDAC1 and HDAC6, with the JNK pathway being the intermediate link in this regulatory process. Through the above pathways, VPA and WT161 effectively reduced Aβ deposition in both AD cell and mouse models and significantly improved cognitive function in AD mice. Conclusions In general, we have discovered that the HDAC6-JNK-APP secretases cascade is an important pathway for VPA and WT161 to exert their therapeutic effects on AD. Investigations into the safety and efficacy of VPA and WT161 were also conducted, providing essential preclinical evidence for assessing these two epigenetic drugs for the treatment of AD.

Research on evapotranspiration and its drivers in the Aksu River Basin from the perspectives of climate change and land use is of great significance for promoting the efficient use and precise allocation of its water resources. Theil-Sen median trend analysis (T-S) and the Mann–Kendall nonparametric test (M-K), in addition to correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis, complex correlation analysis, and driving-factor zoning principles, were used to examine the characteristics of the spatiotemporal changes in evapotranspiration and to explore the driving mechanism of the changes in evapotranspiration. The results indicated that the range of fluctuations in the multiyear average evapotranspiration in the Aksu River Basin from 2001 to 2020 was between 481.58 and 772.37 mm/a, which showed the spatial distribution characteristics of being high in the west and central part of the basin, and low in the north and south of the basin. The positive correlation between evapotranspiration and precipitation was stronger, and the negative correlations with temperature and relative humidity were stronger. The change in evapotranspiration in cultivated land is mainly driven by precipitation and relative humidity × precipitation; for grassland, the main drivers were relative humidity and precipitation × relative humidity; for woodland, the main drivers were relative humidity and other climatic factors; and for other land types, the main drivers were other climatic factors.

Polarimetric high-resolution range profile (HRRP), with its rich polarimetric and spatial information, has become increasingly important in radar automatic target recognition (RATR). This study proposes an interpretable target-aware vision Transformer (ITAViT) for polarimetric HRRP target recognition with a novel attention loss. In ITAViT, we initially fuse the polarimetric features and the amplitude of polarimetric HRRP with a polarimetric preprocessing layer (PPL) to obtain the feature map as the input of the subsequent network. The vision Transformer (ViT) is then used as the backbone to automatically extract both local and global features. Most importantly, we introduce a novel attention loss to optimize the alignment between the attention map and the HRRP span. Thus, it can improve the difference between the target and the background, and enable the model to more effectively focus on real target areas. Experiments on a simulated X-band dataset demonstrate that our proposed ITAViT outperforms comparative models under various experimental conditions. Ablation studies highlight the effectiveness of polarimetric preprocessing and attention loss. Furthermore, the visualization of the self-attention mechanism suggests that attention loss enhances the interpretability of the network.

Abstract Global warming has raised concerns regarding the potential impact on aquatic biosafety and health. To illuminate the adaptive mechanisms of bdelloid rotifers in response to global warming, the ecological and transcriptomic characteristics of two strains (HX and ZJ) of Rotaria rotatoria were investigated at 25°C and 35°C. Our results showed an obvious genetic divergence between the two geographic populations. Thermal stress significantly reduced the average lifespan of R. rotatoria in both strains, but increased the offspring production in the ZJ strain. Furthermore, the expression levels of genes Hsp70 were significantly upregulated in the HX strain, while GSTo1 and Cu/Zn‐SOD were on the contrary. In the ZJ strain, the expression levels of genes Hsp70, CAT2, and GSTo1 were upregulated under thermal stress. Conversely, a significant decrease in the expression level of the Mn‐SOD gene was observed in the ZJ strain under thermal stress. Transcriptomic profiling analysis revealed a total of 105 and 5288 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the HX and ZJ strains under thermal stress, respectively. The PCA results showed clear differences in gene expression pattern between HX and ZJ strains under thermal stress. Interestingly, compared to the HX strain, numerous downregulated DEGs in the ZJ strain were enriched into pathways related to metabolism under thermal stress, suggesting that rotifers from the ZJ strain prioritize resource allocation to reproduction by suppressing costly metabolic processes. This finding is consistent with the life table results. This study provides new insights into the adaptive evolution of aquatic animals in the context of global climate change.

Layered two-dimensional ferromagnetic materials have emerged as a promising platform for spintronic applications, owing to their extraordinary physical properties. Remarkably, the representative two-dimensional ferromagnet Fe3GeTe2 has been extensively investigated due to its high Curie temperature and strong perpendicular magnetic anisotropy, which are beneficial for high-density storage at room temperature. However, there are few reports on its stability in the air and the surface oxidation products, which may prohibit its future application. Here, we report the natural oxidation process of Fe3GeTe2 films grown by molecular beam epitaxy evolved in the atmosphere, which was studied by x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurements and transmission electron microscopy. Our research shows that the surface of the Fe3GeTe2 film is oxidized quickly when exposed to air and shows two obviously evolving stages in the whole oxidation process. In the first stage, metallic Ge atoms are almost completely oxidized to form Ge–O bonds in GeO2, while partial metallic Fe and Te atoms are oxidized into Fe2O3 and TeO2, respectively. The second stage of oxidation is dominated by changes in the valence state of the Fe element, where Fe2O3 is reduced to FeCO3 through the participation of carbon adsorbed on the surface with the final oxidation product of FeCO3 · GeO2 · TeO2. Our findings provide insight into the subsequent growth and protection of Fe3GeTe2 thin films, which is of great significance for in-depth study and further application of spintronic devices in two-dimensional limits.

Abscisic acid (ABA) and polyamines (PAs) play an important role in plant stress responses; however, their cooperative mechanisms are not fully understood. Here, using the detached-, PEG 6000- and pot-drought strawberry leaves, we investigated the expression changes of genes key to ABA and PA homeostasis by a combination of qRT-PCR, western blotting, RNA-sequencing, physiological analyses, and pharmacological tests. The results showed that early drought may promote the production of both putrescine (Put) by FaADC1 and ABA by FaNCED1, then these productions could be further facilitated by the accumulated Put. Meanwhile, the high accumulation of ABA not only further accelerated ABA biosynthesis by FaNCED3, but also controlled PA homeostasis by a decrease in FaADC1 expression and an increase in FaSAMDC1 and FaPAO5 expression. Based on our RNA-seq data, Put was involved in photosynthesis and oxidative phosphorylation, while ABA was implicated in sugar and flavonoid metabolism, both of which were linked to auxin (IAA). Altogether, in response to strawberry drought stress, FaNCED1/3 and FaADC1/FaSAMDC1 participated separately in ABA and PA accumulation, mostly FaNCED1/FaADC1 was induced by stress and FaNCED3/FaSAMDC1 was induced by ABA. Finally, a balance between ABA and PAs for the cooperative control of plant growth and adaptation is proposed through IAA, photosynthesis, oxidative phosphorylation, and flavonoid metabolism, among which ABA may act in a Put-dependent manner.

Tick-borne microorganisms in many tick species and many areas of China are still not thoroughly investigated. In this study, 224 ticks including two species (Haemaphysalis longicornis and Haemaphysalis qinghaiensis) were collected from four cities in Hebei, Shandong, and Qinghai provinces, China. Ticks were screened for the presence of tick-borne bacterial microorganisms including Rickettsia, Anaplasmataceae (Anaplasma, Ehrlichia, Neoehrlichia, etc.), Coxiella, Borrelia, and Bartonella. Two Anaplasma species (Anaplasma ovis and Anaplasma capra) were detected in H. longicornis from Xingtai City of Hebei Province, with a positive rate of 3 % and 8 %, respectively. A Coxiella species was detected in H. longicornis ticks from all three locations in Hebei and Shandong provinces, with the positive rate ranging from 30 to 75 %. All the 16S and rpoB sequences were very similar (99.77–100 % identity) to Coxiella endosymbiont of Haemaphysalis ticks. An Ehrlichia species was detected in H. qinghaiensis (6/66, 9 %) from Xining City, Qinghai Province. The 16S and groEL sequences had 100 % and 97.40–97.85 % nucleotide identities to “Candidatus Ehrlichia pampeana” strains, respectively, suggesting that it may be a variant of “Candidatus Ehrlichia pampeana”. All the ticks were negative for Rickettsia, Borrelia, and Bartonella. Because all the ticks were removed from goats or humans and were partially or fully engorged, it is possible that the microorganisms were from the blood meal but not vectored by the ticks. Our results may provide some information on the diversity and distribution of tick-borne pathogens in China.

Abstract With the continuous in-depth study of the interaction mechanism between viruses and hosts, the virus has become a promising tool in cancer treatment. In fact, many oncolytic viruses with selectivity and effectiveness have been used in cancer therapy. Human enterovirus is one of the most convenient sources to generate oncolytic viruses, however, the high seroprevalence of some enteroviruses limits its application which urges to exploit more oncolytic enteroviruses. In this study, coxsackievirus B5/Faulkner (CV-B5/F) was screened for its potential oncolytic effect against non-small cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) through inducing apoptosis and autophagy. For refractory NSCLCs, DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNA-PK) or ataxia telangiectasia mutated protein (ATM) inhibitors can synergize with CV-B5/F to promote refractory cell death. Here, we showed that viral infection triggered endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress-related pro-apoptosis and autophagy signals, whereas repair for double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs) contributed to cell survival which can be antagonized by inhibitor-induced cell death, manifesting exacerbated DSBs, apoptosis, and autophagy. Mechanistically, PERK pathway was activated by the combination of CV-B5/F and inhibitor, and the irreversible ER stress-induced exacerbated cell death. Furthermore, the degradation of activated STING by ERphagy promoted viral replication. Meanwhile, no treatment-related deaths due to CV-B5/F and/or inhibitors occurred. Conclusively, our study identifies an oncolytic CV-B5/F and the synergistic effects of inhibitors of DNA-PK or ATM, which is a potential therapy for NSCLCs.

Abstract Background Introducing new goat breeds or transferring adult goats from farms to slaughterhouses requires transportation, which can engender adverse effects, such as oxidative stress, pathological cell apoptosis and autophagy. Current evidence suggests that malondialdehyde (MDA) is a metabolite of lipid peroxidation during oxidative stress, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) can alleviate injury caused by free radicals and reactive oxygen species (ROS). Meanwhile, Bcl-2, Bax, LC3B, PINK1 and Parkin are important proteins that participate in pathological cell apoptosis and autophagy. This study aimed to investigate the effects of transportation stress on oxidative stress indexes and expressions of Bcl-2, Bax, LC3B, PINK1 and Parkin in the small intestine of goats. Twelve healthy adult male goats from western Jiangxi province were randomly divided into control, 2 h transportation stress, and 6 h transportation stress groups (n = 4 per group). Results Our results showed that MDA in the small intestine significantly increased after transportation, while SOD and CAT activities decreased, with a significantly increased apoptosis rate of the small intestine cells. The jejunum and duodenum exhibited the highest apoptosis rate in the 2 h and 6 h transportation groups, respectively. The expression of apoptosis-related genes Bcl-2 and Bax and their corresponding proteins exhibited varying degrees of down-regulation or up-regulation, while Bcl-2 and Bax genes in the small intestine were upregulated in the 6 h transportation group. In addition, autophagosomes and autophagolysosomes were found in various parts of the small intestine by transmission electron microscopy, and autophagy-related genes LC3B, PINK1 and Parkin were significantly down-regulated in the 2 h group and up-regulated in the 6 h group. Conclusions Our results indicate that the contents of MDA, SOD and CAT in the small intestine, the expression of pathologic apoptosis-related genes Bcl-2 and Bax, and autophagy-related genes LC3B, PINK1 and Parkin correlated with stress duration caused by transportation. Moreover, this study provides a foothold for further studies on the mechanism of transportation stress in goats and improving animal welfare.

Oil spill detection plays an important role in marine environment protection. The technique of global navigation satellite system-reflectometry (GNSS-R) has the advantage of a short revisit time, which could help with timely cleanup of marine oil pollution. The conventional GNSS-R oil spill detection algorithm can resolve only the dielectric constant of oil based on power ratio measurements, while that of water cannot be realized. This is because the dielectric constant of water is much larger than that of oil such that the range of the equation used in the conventional algorithm is inadequate. To resolve this problem, we proposed a new algorithm containing a new equation with a larger scope, which has never been applied previously to GNSS-R oil spill detection. We derived a lookup method to resolve the dielectric constant of both oil and water. To validate our method, a drone-borne GNSS-R experiment based on dual-frequency QZSS reflection signals was conducted on 17 July 2023 using experimental pools simulating oil spills. Raw IF data in the L1 and L5 bands, collected using dual antennas and a data recorder, were processed using a software-defined receiver to deduce the power ratios and SNR of the GNSS signals. Results showed that the proposed algorithm is capable of resolving the dielectric constants of the reflected surface. In addition, the L5 signal was found to provide more detail and better contrast than the L1 C/A signal.

For the past 20 years, Global Navigation Satellite System reflectometry (GNSS-R) technology has successfully shown its potential for remote sensing of the Earth’s surface, including ocean and land surfaces. It is a multistatic radar that uses the GNSS signals reflected from the Earth’s surface to extract land and ocean characteristics. Because of its numerous advantages such as low cost, multiple signal sources, and all-day/weather and high-spatiotemporal-resolution observations, this new technology has attracted the attention of many researchers. One of its most promising applications is GNSS-R ocean altimetry, which can complement existing techniques such as tide gauging and radar satellite altimetry. Since this technology for ocean altimetry was first proposed in 1993, increasing progress has been made including diverse methods for processing reflected signals (such as GNSS interferometric reflectometry, conventional GNSS-R, and interferometric GNSS-R), different instruments (such as an RHCP antenna with one geodetic receiver, a linearly polarized antenna, and a system of simultaneously used RHCP and LHCP antennas with a dedicated receiver), and different platform applications (such as ground-based, air-borne, or space-borne). The development of multi-mode and multi-frequency GNSS, especially for constructing the Chinese BeiDou Global Navigation Satellite System (BDS-3), has enabled more free signals to be used to further promote GNSS-R applications. The GNSS has evolved from its initial use of GPS L1 and L2 signals to include other GNSS bands and multi-GNSS signals. Using more advanced, multi-frequency, and multi-mode signals will bring new opportunities to develop GNSS-R technology. In this paper, studies of GNSS-R altimetry are reviewed from four perspectives: (1) classifications according to different data processing methods, (2) different platforms, (3) development of different receivers, and (4) our work. We overview the current status of GNSS-R altimetry and describe its fundamental principles, experiments, recent applications to ocean altimetry, and future directions.