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Abstract Continuous development of photonic crystals (PCs) over the last 30 years has carved out many new scientific frontiers. However, creating tunable PCs that enable flexible control of geometric configurations remains a challenge. Here we present a scheme to produce a tunable plasma photonic crystal (PPC) ‘kaleidoscope’ with rich diversity of structural configurations in dielectric barrier discharge. Multi-freedom control of the PPCs, including the symmetry, dielectric constant, crystal orientation, lattice constant, topological state, and structures of scattering elements, has been realized. Four types of lattice reconfigurations are demonstrated, including transitions from periodic to periodic, disordered to ordered, non-topological to topological, and striped to honeycomb Moiré lattices. Furthermore, alterations in photonic band structures corresponding to the reconstruction of various PPCs have been investigated. Our system presents a promising platform for generating a PPC ‘kaleidoscope’, offering benefits such as reduced equipment requirements, low cost, rapid response, and enhanced flexibility. This development opens up new opportunities for both fundamental and applied research. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Right aortic arch (RAA) is a common congenital aortic arch abnormality. Fetuses with RAA frequently have good outcomes after birth. However, chromosomal abnormalities and genetic syndromes suggest poor prognosis for these patients. So far the underlying genetic etiology is still not identified in most RAA patients based on traditional genetic techniques and a problem is still debated whether fetuses with isolated RAA should be referred for CMA. Our study aims to investigate the genetic etiology of fetuses with right aortic arch (RAA) by chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) and whole exome sequencing (WES) and evaluate the efficacy of CMA in fetal isolated RAA. Results Among these 153 fetuses, 99 (64.7%) with isolated RAA and 54 (35.3%) with non-isolated RAA; 25.5% (39/153) with additional intracardiac anomalies (ICA), and 19.0% (29/153) with extracardiac anomalies (ECA). Tetralogy of Fallot (n = 10) and persistent left superior vena cava (n = 11) are the most common ICA and ECA, respectively. CMA detected 15 clinically significant copy number variations (CNVs) in 14 cases (9.2%); microdeletion of 22q11.21 was the most common pathogenic CNVs (7.8%). The chromosomal abnormalities rate was higher in non-isolated RAA and RAA with ICA groups than in isolated RAA group (16.7% vs. 5.1%; 20% vs. 5.1%, both p < 0.05). From five cases further undergoing WES, a diagnostic variant in MTOR gene (c.7255G > A, de novo) was first reported in prenatal, extending the prenatal manifestation of Smith–Kingsmore syndrome (OMIM: 616638); a clinically relevant variant c.3407A > T in STAG2 was identified, being inherited from the healthy mother. Moreover, the premature birth and termination rates were higher in non-isolated RAA group than in isolated RAA group (11.1% vs. 1.0%; 37.0% vs. 2.0%, both p < 0.01). Conclusions We demonstrate that CMA and WES are useful diagnostic tools for fetal RAA, particularly non-isolated RAA, and all fetuses with RAA should be referred for CMA. The data probably aids in prenatal diagnosis and prenatal counseling of fetal RAA.

Abstract In animals, evolutionarily conserved Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) catalyzes histone H3 lysine 27 trimethylation (H3K27me3) and PRC1 functions in recruitment and transcriptional repression. However, the mechanisms underlying H3K27me3-mediated stable transcriptional silencing are largely unknown, as PRC1 subunits are poorly characterized in fungi. Here, we report that in the filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, the N-terminal chromodomain and C-terminal MRG domain of Eaf3 play key roles in facultative heterochromatin formation and transcriptional silencing. Eaf3 physically interacts with Ash1, Eed, and Sin3, encoding an H3K36 methyltransferase, the core subunit of PRC2, and a histone deacetylation co-suppressor, respectively. Eaf3 co-localizes with a set of repressive Ash1-H3K36me2 and H3K27me3 loci and mediates their transcriptional silencing. Furthermore, Eaf3 acts as a histone reader for the repressive H3K36me2 and H3K27me3 marks. Eaf3-occupied regions are associated with increased nucleosome occupancy, contributing to transcriptional silencing in M. oryzae. Together, these findings reveal that Eaf3 is a repressive H3K36me2 reader and plays a vital role in Polycomb gene silencing and the formation of facultative heterochromatin in fungi.

Abstract Backgroud A systematic analysis was conducted to investigate the molecular etiology of fetal cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P) and the association between various types of CL/P and copy number variations (CNVs), as well as their impact on birth outcomes. Methods In this retrospective study conducted between January 2016 and July 2022, a cohort of pregnancies diagnosed with fetal CL/P was enrolled and comprehensive clinical data for all cases were extracted from our medical record database, including demographic data about the pregnancies, ultrasound findings, results of Chromosomal microarray (CMA), as well as relevant pregnant and perinatal outcomes. Results Among the 358 cases, 32 clinically significant variants in 29 (8.1%) fetuses with CL/P were detected by CMA. In 338 singleton pregnancies, the diagnostic yield of CMA in the context of CL/P fetuses was determined to be 7.7% (26/338). CP cases exhibited a relatively higher prevalence of pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNVs at a rate of 25% (3/12), followed by CLP cases at 8.0% (23/288). Notably, the CL group did not demonstrate any pathogenic/likely pathogenic CNV findings among the examined cases (0/38). The diagnostic rate of clinically significant variants was notably higher in the non-isolated CL/P group than in the isolated CL/P group (11/33, 33.3% vs. 15/305, 4.9%, p

Tobacco fields have been continuously cropped for several years because of the high demand for tobacco leaves and limited land resources. To explore the effects of continuous cropping on tobacco growth and soil microecological community structure, this study compared the agronomic traits and physiological resistance characteristics of tobacco plants grown in noncontinuous cropping soil and soil with different continuous cropping years. High-throughput sequencing technology was used to analyze and predict the microbial community structure and functional gene variation patterns of tobacco soil. The results demonstrated that continuous cropping significantly impacted the average height, leaf area, and stem diameter of tobacco plants, as well as the contents of malondialdehyde, hydrogen peroxide, and glutathione in tobacco leaves that were continuously cropped. The relative abundances of Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Gemmatimonadetes in tobacco soil decreased with an increase in continuous cropping years, while relative abundance of Acidobacteria increased. The biodiversity index of tobacco soil samples showed a decreasing trend with an increase in continuous cropping years, with the sample with the longest continuous cropping year (33 years) having the lowest biodiversity index. Prediction of the potential functions of soil samples with different continuous cropping years revealed that the Z-scores of each pathway in noncontinuous cropping soil samples ranged from 1.12 to 0.078, while those in 33-year continuous cropping samples decreased from −0.10 to −1.41. Our findings indicate that continuous cropping has negative impacts on soil health and microecology, leading to a reduction in beneficial microbial population and microbial diversity.

Real-time ship detection using SAR images is crucial for maritime operations but remains challenging due to issues such as sidelobes, complex background interferences, and target defocusing. Studies have shown that deep learning can address these problems, current deep learning algorithms often suffer from achieving the necessary accuracy due to complex noise and background characteristics. Additionally, advanced algorithms excelling in feature extraction usually require significant computational resources. This paper proposes a novel deep learning approach based on YOLOv8 to improve accuracy while reducing model complexity and computational burden. The approach innovatively integrates a knowledge distillation module into the YOLOv8. We further enhance the model by replacing the original YOLOv8 backbone, neck, and head with lightweight alternatives: HGNetv2, SlimNeck, and a newly designed decoupled head. The enhanced model, YOLOSAR-Lite, demonstrated exceptional performance on both accuracy and model complexity metrics. Rigorous evaluation on the Official-SSDD dataset and the SAR-Ship-Dataset revealed recognition accuracies of 95.32% and 96.06%, respectively. Furthermore, YOLOSAR-Lite achieved significant reduction in complexity compared to the YOLOv8: 4.48G FLOPs (45.30% reduction), 2.05M parameters (31.89% reduction), and 3.91MB model size (31.76% reduction). These improvements demonstrate YOLOSAR-Lite achieves higher accuracy with minimal complexity. Consequently, YOLOSAR-Lite is a promising solution for real-time ship detection.

The filamentous fungus Magnaporthe oryzae is widely recognized as a notorious plant pathogen responsible for causing rice blasts. With rapid advancements in molecular biology technologies, numerous regulatory mechanisms have been thoroughly investigated. However, most recent studies have predominantly focused on infection-related pathways or host defence mechanisms, which may be insufficient for developing novel structure-based prevention strategies. A substantial body of literature has utilized cryo-electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction to explore the relationships between functional components, shedding light on the identification of potential drug targets. Owing to the complexity of protein extraction and stochastic nature of crystallization, obtaining high-quality structures remains a significant challenge for the scientific community. Emerging computational tools such as AlphaFold for structural prediction, docking for interaction analysis, and molecular dynamics simulations to replicate in vivo conditions provide novel avenues for overcoming these challenges. In this review, we aim to consolidate the structural biological advancements in M. oryzae, drawing upon mature experimental experiences from other species such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and mammals. We aim to explore the potential of protein construction to address the invasion and proliferation of M. oryzae, with the goal of identifying new drug targets and designing small-molecule compounds to manage this disease.

Background: Super-elderly patients with choledocholithiasis are considered to be at high risk for undergoing surgery. While laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration (LTCBDE) is regarded as a challenging procedure for super-elderly patients with choledocholithiasis, there have been no reported cases of its use in super-elderly patients over the age of 96. Case summary: This case study presents the case of a 96-year-old female patient with acute calculous cholecystitis and choledocholithiasis. Despite the presence of multiple high-risk comorbidities, the patient underwent with laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC) plus LTCBDE, with appropriate perioperative safety measures in place, and made a full recovery, being discharged from the hospital on the seventh day following the operation. Conclusion: The case study demonstrates the successful treatment of a 96-year-old patient with choledocholithiasis via LTCBDE, utilising skilled laparoscopic and choledochoscopic techniques along with robust perioperative safety measures. This achievement sets a historical precedent for the successful treatment of a 96-year-old patient with choledocholithiasis via LTCBDE, both domestically and internationally.

Purpose: 17q12 copy number variants (CNVs) have variable presentations and incomplete penetrance, challenging prenatal counseling and management. This study aims to investigate the intrauterine phenotype. Methods: We included 48 fetuses diagnosed with 17q12 microdeletion or microduplication by chromosomal microarray analysis. Results: For 17q12 deletion, renal anomalies were found in 35 fetuses (35/37, 94.6 %), with hyperechogenic kidneys (HEK, 28/37, 75.7 %) and multicystic dysplastic kidneys (17/37, 45.9 %) being the most common findings. Duodenal obstruction (DO) was most frequently combined in 17q12 duplication fetuses. In addition, cardiac abnormalities were the first reported prenatal phenotype in 17q12 duplication fetuses. Conclusion: Our study shows that HEK and DO are the most predominant presentations of 17q12 deletion and duplication, respectively, and cardiac structural abnormalities may be associated with the latter. Although 17q12 CNVs have incomplete penetrance and variable expressivity and may be mainly involved in neurodevelopmental disorders, their short-term prognosis appears positive.

Abstract Rice blast is a serious threat to the safe production of grain crops such as rice and wheat. Sporulation, appressorium formation, and invasive growth of Magnaporthe oryzae are the key stages of the development and spread of rice blast epidemics. M. oryzae is a hemibiotrophic fungus that undergoes changes in available carbon sources during the infection cycle. Lipid is a major storage for M. oryzae spores and a major carbon source used in glycerol synthesis and turgor pressure generation in appressoria. The formation of a dense cell wall melanin layer is necessary for an appressorium to produce turgor and to be pathogenic. The plant cell wall is an important carbon source during the infection stage of M. oryzae. Transcription factors regulate gene expression in fungi and are key intermediates between the reception of external environmental signals and the control of development and pathogenicity in M. oryzae. The disease cycle of M. oryzae is controlled by some key transcription factors, such as sporulation by Cos1 and Hox2, appressorium formation by Sfl1, Hox7, and Vrf1, invasive growth by Mst12 and Mig1, and resistance to host basal immunity by Ap1 and Atf1. This review focuses on describing the key transcription factors of M. oryzae that regulate sporulation, appressorium formation, invasive growth, lipid metabolism, carbohydrate metabolism, melanin synthesis, oxidative response, and host basal immunity, as well as the working mechanism of the transcription factors.

Abstract Purpose The status of hormone receptors (HR) is an independent factor affecting survival and chemotherapy sensitivity in breast cancer (BC) patients, with estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) having the most significant effects. The ER-/PR + phenotype has been controversial in BC, and experts will face many challenges in determining treatment strategies. Herein, we systematically analyzed the clinicopathological characteristics of the ER-/PR + phenotype in BC patients and the response to chemotherapy. Patients and methods We included two cohorts. The first cohort counted the relationship between clinicopathologic data and survival outcomes for 72,666 female patients in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. The second cohort analyzed the relationship between clinicopathological data and pathologic complete response (pCR) rate in 879 patients at the Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital. The classification data were compared by the chi-square test and Fister's exact test of the Logistic regression model, and predictor variables with P

Abstract Studying complex relaxation behaviors is of critical importance for understanding the nature of glasses. Here we report a Kovacs-like memory effect in glasses, manifested by non-monotonic stress relaxation during two-step high-to-low strains stimulations. During the stress relaxation process, if the strain jumps from a higher state to a lower state, the stress does not continue to decrease, but increases first and then decreases. The memory effect becomes stronger when the atomic motions become highly collective with a large activation energy, e.g. the strain in the first stage is larger, the temperature is higher, and the stimulation is longer. The physical origin of the stress memory effect is studied based on the relaxation kinetics and the in-situ synchrotron X-ray experiments. The stress memory effect is probably a universal phenomenon in different types of glasses.

The Loess Plateau region is seriously affected by soil erosion, water scarcity, and fragile ecosystems, which severely hinder social and economic development in the region. There is currently a lack of quantitative analysis and research on how human activities will affect the changes in water and sediment on the Loess Plateau and how to allocate the areas for reforestation and grassland restoration. This study focuses on the Beiluo River Basin in the Loess Plateau, analyzing the spatiotemporal variations of precipitation, runoff, water resources, sediment yield and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) over the past 20 years. The study establishes a distributed hydrological model for the basin, quantitatively evaluates the impact of returning farmland to forests and grassland on water resources and sediment transport, and explores the optimal land retirement plan under different decision-making conditions. The results show that the total water resources, runoff, groundwater resources and sediment yield in the basin are decreasing, and the annual reductions are 7×108 m3, 1×108 m3, 1.2×108 m3, and 1.6×104 tons respectively. While NDVI and precipitation is increasing, and the annual increases are 0.0064 and 65×108 m3 respectively. The continuous increase in NDVI has resulted in a reduction in runoff volume and sediment transport. Returning farmland to forests and grassland or increasing vegetation density can reduce the amount of runoff and sediment transport, with sediment transport being more sensitive. Considering both the impact on runoff and sediment transport, based on multi-objective optimization, an optimal allocation proposal for the area of returning farmland to forest and grass is proposed. The optimal land retirement area is 28.1%. This study provides decision-making support for ecological environment construction, soil and water conservation, and rational utilization of water and sediment resources in the Loess Plateau region.

BackgroundThe persistence of inflammatory stimulus has a tight relationship with the development of age-related diseases, ultimately resulting in a gradual escalation in the prevalence of tumors, but this phenomenon is rare in young cancer patients. Breast cancer arising in young women is characterized by larger tumor diameters and more aggressive subtypes, so neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NACT) can be especially appropriate for this population. Immune inflammatory biomarkers have been reportedly linked to the prognosis of some malignant tumor types, with varying results. In this study, we investigated the possible predictive value of blood-based markers in young breast cancer patients undergoing NACT, in addition to the association between the clinicopathological features and prognosis.MethodsFrom December 2011 to October 2018, a total of 215 young breast cancer patients referred to Harbin Medical University Cancer Hospital received NACT and surgery were registered in this retrospective study. The pretreatment complete blood counts were used to calculate the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), monocyte-to-lymphocyte ratio (MLR), and pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV).ResultsNLR, PLR, MLR, and PIV optimal cut-off values were 1.55, 130.66, 0.24, and 243.19, as determined by receiver operating characteristic analysis. Multivariate analysis revealed that PIV, HR status, HER-2 status, and Ki-67 index were all independent predictive factors for pathological complete response. Subgroup analysis revealed that young breast cancer patients in the population characterized by low PIV and HR negative group were more likely to get pCR (P=0.001). The five-year overall survival (OS) rate was 87.9%, and Cox regression models identified PIV as independently related to OS.ConclusionIn the present study, the pretreatment PIV was found to be a useful prognostic indicator for pCR and long-term survival in young breast cancer patients undergoing NACT. High immune and inflammation levels, MLR and PIV were connected to poor clinical prognosis in young breast cancer patients. PIV is a promising biomarker to guide strategic decisions in treating young breast cancer.

Robotization has caused widespread concern about job losses, but few scholars have paid attention to changes in employment quality. This study provides supplementary evidences on the impact of robotization on youth employment quality and compares the effectiveness of various measures. Using data about individual employment and robot usage in China, this study finds that robotization reduces youth employment quality, especially for males and the middle-educated, aged 26 to 35, and in regions with insufficient workers. The substitution effect, skill preparation effect, and productivity effect play important roles in this process. Besides the common strategy of education, the mitigating capabilities of skill training has been demonstrated, but self-entrepreneurship has not. This study suggests that the exploration of various youth self-development measures, such as skill training, is warranted to improve employment quality.

[Objective] The water resource carrying capacity of Yulin City, Shaanxi Province, was studied in order to provide a scientific reference for the development and utilization of water resources and regional coordinated development. [Methods] An evaluation system was constructed from the perspective of water-economy-society-ecology. Analytic hierarchy process, entropy, and TOPSIS methods were used to evaluate the carrying capacity of water resources in Yulin City. Coupled coordination degree and obstacle degree models were introduced to analyze the regional coordinated development level and the main obstacles to carrying capacity. Evolution analysis and prediction of carrying capacity were conducted based on development planning. [Results] The water resource carrying capacity indices of all districts and counties in Yulin City were at medium and weak levels, while the development of Yuyang District, Shenmu County, and Dingbian County were not coordinated. High population density and high agricultural water consumption were the main obstacles to increasing carrying capacity in Yuyang District. Ecological environment water demand was the main obstacle factor in Shenmu County. Weak water resources background, low availability, and soil erosion were the main obstacles limiting the carrying capacity of eastern counties. The overall regional water resource carrying capacity in 2020 has increased since 2016. Under future economic and social development and the implementation of water diversion projects, the water resource carrying capacity indices of Yuyang District, Shenmu County, Fugu County, and Hengshan County are expected to increase, while the water resource carrying capacity indices of other districts and counties are expected to weaken because of economic and social development and other factors. [Conclusion] Water resource carrying capacity and regional coordinated development in Yulin City are somewhat fragile and unbalanced. Therefore, it is necessary to further adjust the water use structure, optimize the allocation of water resources, and make coordinated plans to protect the water-food-safety-ecological resources.

【Objective】The spatial-temporal variation characteristics of soil pH and its driving factors were clarified to provide a basis for the improvement of soil acidification in southwest cigar area.【Method】Based on soil pH data of 26 sample points of the second general soil survey in Sichuan Province in 1984, 391 sample points of soil testing and fertilizer recommendation survey in Sichuan Province in 2009, and 164 sample points of cultivated land quality survey in Sichuan Province in 2019, Multi-statistics and Geostatistics were used to analyze the spatial-temporal variation characteristics of soil pH, and Random Forest model was used to explore the main driving factors of soil pH change.【Result】The mean values of pH in Shifang City in 1984, 2009 and 2019 were 6.40, 6.24 and 5.97, respectively, and the average annual value decreased by 0.01 from 1984 to 2009 and by 0.02 from 2009 to 2019. From 1984 to 2019, except for Jiandi Town and Yinghua Town, where the average soil pH value showed an upward trend, the rest of the towns were on the decline, with the largest decrease of 30.62% in Hefeng Town and the smallest decrease of 0.30% in Shigu Town. The overall soil pH in 1984 was dominated by weakly acidic and neutral properties, with alkaline soils accounting for 2.59% of the total area planted with tobacco, and the spatial distribution was characterized by higher soil pH in three areas: Luoshui Town, Hefeng Town and Majing Town. In 2009, only weakly acidic and neutral soils existed in the study area, and soil pH was spatially high in the centre and low in the north and south. In 2019, the area of weakly acidic and neutral soils accounted for 95.25%, and the area of acidic soils (pH < 5.5) accounted for 4.75%, which were mainly distributed in the towns of Majing, Mazu, Hefeng, Nanquan and Shigu. And soil pH in the south was spatially lower than that in the north. Soils planted with tobacco over the past 35 years have generally shown changes in acidification, with about 53.51% of the soil was acidified (ΔpH < -0.3), mainly distributed in the towns of Majing, Hefeng and Mazu, and about 11.63% of the soil was alkaline (ΔpH > 0.3), mainly in the towns of Yinghua and Jiandi; The pH of 44.98% tobacco growing soils ranged from -1.0 to -0.3, 34.86% ranged from -0.3 to 0.3, and tobacco growing soils with ΔpH ≤ -1.0 accounted for 8.54%. The random forest results showed that mean annual precipitation and soil organic matter were the main factors causing soil acidification.【Conclusion】Over the past 35 years, the acidification of tobacco growing soils in Shifang City was aggravated. Some measures should be taken to adjust the situation in production, such as creating new special fertilizer and applying soil conditioner.

【Objective】On the occasion of the implementation of the policy of returning farmland to forest for 20 years, the dynamic changes of soil aggregates and soil organic carbon (SOC) after returning farmland to forest in upper reaches of the Minjiang River were quantitatively studied, which provided scientific data support for ecological governance and ecological agriculture development in arid valleys.【Method】Taking the native forest as the control and the ecological forests (eco-forests) and orchards (cherry, crisp plum, apple) as research objects, the particle size composition, stability and SOC distribution of soil water-stable aggregates of various land types were analyzed, and the mixed effect was applied to determine the contribution of forest land type, soil depth, altitude gradient, gravel content (GC) and other factors to soil aggregate stability and organic carbon dynamics.【Result】The content of macro-aggregates (> 0.25 mm) in orchards was significantly lower than that in eco-forests, and that in both was significantly lower than that in native forests. The contents of soil agglomerates of various sizes in the native and eco-forests showed as: 5-10 mm > 2-5 mm > 0.25-2 mm > 0.053-0.25 mm > 0-0.053 mm, those in the orchards ranked as: 0.25-2 mm > 2-5 mm > 5-10 mm > 0.053-0.25 mm > 0-0.053 mm. In the 5-15 cm soil layer, the contents of 5-10 mm and 2-5 mm agglomerates in cherry orchards were significantly greater than those in crisp plum orchards and apple orchards. Soil aggregate stability indexes(MWD and GMD) showed as: native forests > eco-forests > cherry orchards > crisp plum orchards and apple orchards, and there were no significant differences between crisp plum orchards and apple orchards. The SOC content(SOCC) in the 0-5 cm soil layer showed as native forests > eco-forests > cherry orchards > crisp plum orchards and apple orchards, and the difference showed a decreasing trend with the increase of soil depth. SOC(SOCS) stocks at a depth of 0-30 cm were highest in eco-forests (63.1 t/hm2), followed by cherry orchards (56.1 t/hm2), apple orchards (52.5 t/hm2), and crisp plum orchards (51.3 t/hm2), while the SOCS in native forests were the lowest (47.3 t/hm2). At a dep th of 30-60 cm, cherry orchards had the highest SOCS (40.3 t/hm2), followed by crisp plum orchards (32.9 t/hm2), and apple orchards (2 9.3 t/hm2), and eco-forests had the l owest SOCS (24.7 t/hm2). SOC distribution was characterized as 'high content and low stock' in native forests, 'high content and high stock' in eco-forests, and 'low content and high stock' in orchards. The dominant factor of soil aggregates stability and organic carbon content was forest type, and the dominant factor of SOCS was soil depth.【Conclusion】The mountain agriculture of 'eco-forests on the higher valley and orchards on the lower valley, fruit trees and cattle on the gentle slopes and terraced fields' is an ideal model for the agriculture development in arid valleys, and the improvement of SOC accumulation in the topsoil should be the priority for the management of orchards in the future.

A high-precision attitude control satellite uses an angular momentum exchange device such as a flywheel or a control moment gyro as the actuator for attitude stability control. Once the accumulation of angular momentum exceeds the upper limit of the angular momentum exchange device, the satellite will lose its attitude control ability. Therefore, it is necessary to unload the angular momentum exchange device to ensure the attitude control ability of the satellite platform. The angular momentum accumulation of GEO(Geosynchronous Orbit, GEO) satellites with asymmetric structure can reach 40 Nms per day, and the accumulation speed is more than 20 times that of GEO satellites with symmetrical structure. Therefore, it is necessary to carry out angular momentum unloading for GEO satellites with asymmetric structure every day. The previous method of angular momentum unloading using electric propulsion has weak unloading capacity, which is not suitable for angular momentum unloading of asymmetric satellites. This paper presents a method of angular momentum unloading using a four-joint mechanical arm plus an electric thruster. Large angular momentum unloading with near-zero burn-up can be achieved through the thrust generated by station keeping. In addition, the problem of attitude and orbit coupling control can be solved by controlling the thrust direction of the electric thruster with a mechanical arm.

Hemophilia, an X-linked recessive disorder, is characterized by spontaneous or trauma-induced prolonged bleeding. It is classified as hemophilia A when caused by variants in the F8 gene, and hemophilia B when caused by F9 variants. Few studies have described hemophilia variants in the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the clinical and genetic profiles of 193 hemophilia patients from southern China. Utilizing Sanger sequencing, multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification, gap detection, long-range PCR, and multiplex PCR, we identified both F8 and F9 gene variants. Pregnant women with a history of hemophilia A offspring underwent amniocentesis or villus sampling for the variant detection. Variants in F8 and F9 were pinpointed in 183 patients, with 26 being novel discoveries. Notably, genetic testing was absent in the initial evaluation of 133 out of 161 patients, leading to a protracted average definitive diagnosis timeline of 2 years. Remarkably, two hemophilia A cases with anticipated severe phenotypes due to protein-truncating variants presented with only moderate or mild clinical manifestations. Among the 40 fetuses tested, 34 were males, with 17 exhibiting hemizygous variants in the F8 gene. Our results contribute to the broader understanding of F8 and F9 variant spectrum and highlight the underuse of genetic analyses in southern China.

Smash-ridge tillage is a novel cultivation technique that significantly influences the quality of arable land and crop yield. In this study, we employed high-throughput 16S rRNA sequencing and Biolog-ECO methods to systematically investigate the impact of smash-ridge tillage on soil microbial community structure and functional diversity. The results demonstrate that both ST30 and ST50 treatments significantly enhance the average plant height, average plant diameter, average fresh root weight, stem fresh weight, and leaf area of tobacco plants, with the ST50 treatment exhibiting superior performance. Furthermore, both ST30 and ST50 treatments exhibit significantly higher soil enzyme activity and microbial community diversity compared to the CK treatment. They also improve the soil microbial utilization of carbon sources. Additionally, the ST50-treated soil samples demonstrate 15 microbial functional pathways that exceed those of the CK and ST30 treatments. In conclusion, the Smash-ridge tillage treatment at a depth of 50 cm yields more favorable results. This study provides a theoretical foundation for enhancing soil quality in Smash-ridge tillage by elucidating the mechanisms through which it impacts soil microbial ecology.

【Objective】The research aims to investigate the effects of nitrogen application rates on growth, yield, output value and quality of cigar in order to provide a basis for rational application of nitrogen fertilizer in cigar filler planting in Shifang, Sichuan Province.【Method】With Dexue 3 (cigar filler) as material, the variation characteristics of agronomic characters, yield, output value, physical quality and chemical composition of tobacco plants under different nitrogen application rates (0, 60, 120, 150, 180 and 240 kg/hm2, which were recorded as N0, N60, N120, N150, N180 and N240, respectively) were analyzed by field experiment.【Result】Nitrogen application rate had little effect on agronomic character indexes of cigar at topping stage (44 days after transplanting). With the increase of nitrogen application rate, the yield and output value of tobacco leaves increased rapidly at first, then the yield increased slowly, and the output value decreased instead of increasing. Compared with N0 treatment, the yield and output value of nitrogen treatment obviously increased by 11.62%-57.62% and 10.11%-45.83%, respectively. Among them, the highest yield of tobacco leaves under N240 treatment was 2 737.18 kg/hm2, while the highest output value of tobacco leaves under N180 treatment was 99 834.63 yuan/hm2, both higher than those under N150 treatment, but there was no significant difference between treatments. With the increase of nitrogen application rate, the proportion of high-quality grade 1 and grade 2 tobacco leaves increased first and then decreased, while the proportion of lowquality grade 3 and lowest grade tobacco leaves presented an opposite trend, among which grade 1 and grade 2 tobacco leaves under N120 and N150 treatments accounted for the largest proportion, both reaching more than 80%. The comprehensive scores of physical quality and chemical composition of cigar leaves increased first and then decreased with the increase of nitrogen application rate. Among them, the coordination of physical quality and chemical composition of tobacco leaves treated with N120 was relatively better, and the comprehensive scores of physical quality and chemical composition of tobacco leaves were the highest, which were 8.58 and 7.58, respectively,【Conclusion】Suitable nitrogen application rate can increase the yield and output value of cigar tobacco, increase the proportion of high-quality tobacco, improve the physical quality of tobacco, and coordinate the chemical composition. Considering the yield, output value and quality of tobacco leaves, the reasonable nitrogen application rate of cigar filler in Shifang of Sichuan Province is 120-150 kg/hm2.

Abstract Background There are a few studies on the chromosomal aberration of Ultrasound soft markers (USMs). The aim of this study was to determine the detection rate of clinically significant chromosomal abnormalities (CSCA) in fetuses with different USMs. Methods This study included fetuses with USMs who underwent invasive prenatal diagnosis for karyotype and/or chromosomal microarray (CMA) by categorizing into two groups: a single USM (SUSM) and multiple USMs (MUSMs). Results Of the 358 cases with USMs, CSCA occurred in 3.09% (8/259) and 8.08% (8/99) of the SUSM and MUSM groups, respectively (P

In this paper, an extended three-dimensional (3D) model of the Yellow River Estuary (YRE) is established. It is based on a Delft 3D shallow-water high-resolution hydrodynamic model. The model is calibrated and verified by field observation data, which ensures its stability and accuracy, and provides a better simulation of the river plume in the estuary under different flow inputs. Since 2009, the spring flow pulse of the Yellow River can be divided into four types. The strong flow pulse is more conducive to the extension of the low salinity zone (LSZ). Doubling the peak discharge of pulse flow increases the LSZ area by 60%. The retardation time of salinity change in response to the flow pulse in estuary waters is weakly affected by the flow pulse intensity. The difference in shear front between the spring tide and the neap tide is the main dynamic mechanism contributing to the different retardation times. The average retardation time is 73 h during the spring tide and 55 h during the neap tide. In order to reduce the estuary salinity, it is suggested that the optimal time for the peak value of flow pulse in the river mouth is during the neap tide. HIGHLIGHTS An extended three-dimensional (3D) model of the Yellow River is established based on a Delft 3D shallow-water high-resolution hydrodynamic model.; The study focused on the change process of salinity distribution in the Yellow River Estuary under different discharge conditions.; The retardation time of salinity change in response to the flow pulse in estuary waters is affected by the flow pulse intensity.;

【Objective】The problem of soil nutrient imbalance becomes more and more serious with the increase of tobacco planting years. The effects of continuous cropping of flue-cured tobacco on soil nutrients and enzyme activities in calcareous purple soil were systematically studied to provide data support for the improvement of soil fertility and the prevention and control of continuous cropping obstacles.【Method】In April 2021, typical plots of calcareous purple soil with different continuous cropping years (0 year, and 8, 10, 27, 33 years) in Zhaohua District, Guangyuan City were selected as the research objects, and the effects of long-term continuous cropping on soil nutrients, enzyme activities and the growth and development of flue-cured tobacco were analyzed.【Result】Long-term continuous cropping of flue-cured tobacco led to the decrease of soil organic matter, pH and alkaline nitrogen by 18.34%, 17.43% and 23.15%, while the contents of soil available phosphorus and available potassium increased by 124% and 54.55%, respectively. Long-term continuous cropping resulted in a decrease of 58.51%-91.28% in urease activity and a decrease of 29.14%-48.66% in sucrase activity in soil. The results of correlation analysis showed that soil sucrase activity was significantly negatively correlated with soil available phosphorus (P < 0.01). Soil β-glucosidase was significantly positively correlated with soil available potassium content (P < 0.01), while significantly negatively correlated with soil available phosphorus (P < 0.05). The soil urease activity was significantly positively correlated with soil pH (P < 0.01).【Conclusion】Long-term continuous cropping of flue-cured tobacco in calcareous purple soil has an inhibitory effect on soil nutrients and enzyme activities. Attention should be paid to the balanced application of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizers, and organic fertilizer can be appropriately added to regulate the soil microenvironment to promote the transformation and absorption of nutrients.

Abstract Background Exome sequencing (ES) is becoming more widely available in prenatal diagnosis. However, data on its clinical utility and integration into clinical management remain limited in practice. Herein, we report our experience implementing prenatal ES (pES) in a large cohort of fetuses with anomalies detected by ultrasonography using a hospital-based in-house multidisciplinary team (MDT) facilitated by a three-step genotype-driven followed by phenotype-driven analysis framework. Methods We performed pES in 1618 fetal cases with positive ultrasound findings but negative for karyotyping and chromosome microarray analysis between January 2014 and October 2021, including both retrospective (n=565) and prospective (n=1053) cohorts. The diagnostic efficiency and its correlation to organ systems involved, phenotypic spectrum, and the clinical impacts of pES results on pregnancy outcomes were analyzed. Results A genotype-driven followed by phenotype-driven three-step approach was carried out in all trio pES. Step 1, a genotype-driven analysis resulted in a diagnostic rate of 11.6% (187/1618). Step 2, a phenotype-driven comprehensive analysis yielded additional diagnostic findings for another 28 cases (1.7%; 28/1618). In the final step 3, data reanalyses based on new phenotypes and/or clinical requests found molecular diagnosis in 14 additional cases (0.9%; 14/1618). Altogether, 229 fetal cases (14.2%) received a molecular diagnosis, with a higher positive rate in the retrospective than the prospective cohort (17.3% vs. 12.4%, p

Objective: This retrospective study aims to evaluate the utility of exome sequencing (ES) in identifying genetic causes of congenital orofacial clefts (OFCs) in fetuses with or without other structural abnormalities, and to further explore congenital OFCs genetic causes.Methods: The study enrolled 107 singleton pregnancies diagnosed with fetal OFCs between January 2016 and May 2022, and categorized them into two groups: isolated cleft lip and/or palate (CL/CP) and syndromic CL/CP. Cases with positive karyotyping and chromosomal microarray analysis results were excluded. Whole-exome sequencing was performed on eligible fetuses and their parents. Monogenic variants identified by ES and perinatal outcomes were recorded and evaluated during postnatal follow-up.Results: Clinically significant variants were identified in 11.2% (12/107) of fetuses, with no significant difference in detection rate between the isolated CL/CP group and the syndromic CL/CP group (8/83, 9.6% vs. 4/24, 16.7%, p = 0.553). Additionally, sixteen (16/107, 15.0%) fetuses had variants of uncertain significance. We identified 12 clinically significant variations that correlated with clinical phenotypes in 11 genes from 12 fetuses, with CHD7 being the most frequently implicated gene (n = 2). Furthermore, we observed a significant difference in termination rates and survival rates between the isolated CL/CP and syndromic CL/CP groups (41.0% vs. 70.8% and 56.6% vs. 20.8%, p < 0.05 for both).Conclusion: Based on our findings, it is clear that ES provides a significant increase in diagnostic yield for the molecular diagnosis of congenital OFCs, thereby substantially improving the existing prenatal diagnostic capabilities. This study also sheds light on seven novel pathogenic variants, broadening our understanding of the genetic underpinnings of OFCs and expanding the disease spectrums of relevant genes.

Abstract Most metals and alloys suffer from high friction and wear due to their low hardness and lack of self‐lubrication. Although plenty of strategies have been proposed, it is still a long‐standing challenge to achieve diamond‐like wear in metals. Metallic glasses (MGs) are supposed to possess low coefficient of friction (COF) because of their high hardness and fast surface mobility. However, their wear rate is larger than that of diamond‐like materials. Here, this work reports the discovery of Ta‐rich MGs that exhibit diamond‐like wear. This work develops an indentation approach for high‐throughput characterization of crack resistance. By employing deep indentation loading, this work is able to efficiently identify the alloys that exhibit better plasticity and crack resistance according to the differences of indent morphology. With high temperature stability, high hardness, improved plasticity, and crack resistance, the discovered Ta‐based MGs exhibit diamond‐like tribological properties, featured by COF as low as ≈0.05 for diamond ball test and ≈0.15 for steel ball test, and specific wear rate of only ≈10−7 mm3 N−1m−1. The discovery approach and the discovered MGs exemplifie the promise to substantially reduce friction and wear of metals and may unleash the potential of MGs in tribological applications.

PurposeThe primary objective is to optimize the population eligible for Mammotome Minimally Invasive Surgery (MIS) by refining selection criteria. This involves maximizing procedure benefits, minimizing malignancy risk, and reducing the rate of malignant outcomes.Patients and methodsA total of 1158 female patients who came to our hospital from November 2016 to August 2021 for the Mammotome MIS were analyzed retrospectively. Following χ2 tests to screen for risk variables, binary logistic regression analysis was used to determine the independent predictors of malignant lesions. In addition, the correlation between age and lesion diameter was investigated for BI-RADS ultrasound (US) category 4a lesions in order to better understand the relationship between these variables.ResultsThe malignancy rates of BI-RADS US category 3, category 4a and category 4b patients who underwent the Mammotome MIS were 0.6% (9/1562), 6.4% (37/578) and 8.3% (2/24) respectively. Malignant lesions were more common in patients over the age of 40, have visible blood supply, and BI-RADS category 4 of mammography. In BI-RADS US category 4a lesions, the diameter of malignant tumor was highly correlated with age, and this correlation was strengthened in patients over the age of 40 and with BI-RADS category 4 of mammography.ConclusionThe results of this study demonstrate that the clinical data and imaging results, particularly age, blood supply, and mammography classification, offer valuable insights to optimize patients’ surgical options and decrease the incidence of malignant outcomes.

Poly(PR) is a dipeptide repeat protein comprising proline and arginine residues. It is one of the translational product of expanded G4C2 repeats in the C9orf72 gene, and its accumulation is contributing to the neuropathogenesis of C9orf72-associated amyotrophic lateral sclerosis and/or frontotemporal dementia (C9-ALS/FTD). In this study, we demonstrate that poly(PR) protein alone is sufficient to induce neurodegeneration related to ALS/FTD in cynomolgus monkeys. By delivering poly(PR) via AAV, we observed that the PR proteins were located within the nucleus of infected cells. The expression of (PR)50 protein, consisting of 50 PR repeats, led to increased loss of cortical neurons, cytoplasmic lipofuscin, and gliosis in the brain, as well as demyelination and loss of ChAT positive neurons in the spinal cord of monkeys. While, these pathologies were not observed in monkeys expressing (PR)5, a protein comprising only 5 PR repeats. Furthermore, the (PR)50-expressing monkeys exhibited progressive motor deficits, cognitive impairment, muscle atrophy, and abnormal electromyography (EMG) potentials, which closely resemble clinical symptoms seen in C9-ALS/FTD patients. By longitudinally tracking these monkeys, we found that changes in cystatin C and chitinase-1 (CHIT1) levels in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) corresponded to the phenotypic progression of (PR)50-induced disease. Proteomic analysis revealed that the major clusters of dysregulated proteins were nuclear-localized, and downregulation of the MECP2 protein was implicated in the toxic process of poly(PR). This research indicates that poly(PR) expression alone induces neurodegeneration and core phenotypes associated with C9-ALS/FTD in monkeys, which may provide insights into the mechanisms of disease pathogenesis.

This study determined the effects of seed structures on seed dormancy and tested methods to break dormancy in seeds of Urochloa hybrid cultivar ‘Mulato II’. Seeds stored for 10 months in indoor ambient conditions were studied to determine effects of seed structures on seed germination and their water permeability. Results showed that seed structures presented a barrier to water permeability. Removal of lemmas, puncturing the seed coat, seed structure removal and sulfuric acid immersion all reduced seed dormancy. Water and alcohol extracts from different parts of seeds inhibited seed germination of Brassica pekinensis seeds. There were 3 mechanisms responsible for seed dormancy; first, the mechanical barrier of seed structures, which excluded water and reduced gas exchange as well as restricting growth of the embryo; second, an endogenous germination inhibitor mainly found in lemmas; and third, water permeability of the seed coat (including pericarp and testa). The mechanical removal of lemmas and immersion in concentrated sulfuric acid reduced seed dormancy, although mechanical removal of the lemma alone was effective, convenient and safer.

ABSTRACT Autophagy is a conserved degradation and recycling pathway in eukaryotes and is important for their normal growth and development. An appropriate status of autophagy is crucial for organisms which is tightly regulated both temporally and continuously. Transcriptional regulation of autophagy-related genes (ATGs) is an important layer in autophagy regulation. However, the transcriptional regulators and their mechanisms are still unclear, especially in fungal pathogens. Here, we identified Sin3, a component of the histone deacetylase complex, as a transcriptional repressor of ATGs and negative regulator of autophagy induction in the rice fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae. A loss of SIN3 resulted in upregulated expression of ATGs and promoted autophagy with an increased number of autophagosomes under normal growth conditions. Furthermore, we found that Sin3 negatively regulated the transcription of ATG1, ATG13, and ATG17 through direct occupancy and changed levels of histone acetylation. Under nutrient-deficient conditions, the transcription of SIN3 was downregulated, and the reduced occupancy of Sin3 from those ATGs resulted in histone hyperacetylation and activated their transcription and in turn promoted autophagy. Thus, our study uncovers a new mechanism of Sin3 in modulating autophagy through transcriptional regulation. IMPORTANCE Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved metabolic process and is required for the growth and pathogenicity of phytopathogenic fungi. The transcriptional regulators and precise mechanisms of regulating autophagy, as well as whether the induction or repression of ATGs is associated with autophagy level, are still poorly understood in M. oryzae. In this study, we revealed that Sin3 acts as a transcriptional repressor of ATGs to negatively regulate autophagy level in M. oryzae. Under the nutrient-rich conditions, Sin3 inhibits autophagy with a basal level through directly repressing the transcription of ATG1-ATG13-ATG17. Upon nutrient-deficient treatment, the transcriptional level of SIN3 would decrease and dissociation of Sin3 from those ATGs associates with histone hyperacetylation and activates their transcriptional expression and in turn contributes to autophagy induction. Our findings are important as we uncover a new mechanism of Sin3 for the first time to negatively modulate autophagy at the transcriptional level in M. oryzae.

Abstract Background There are a few literature reports of prenatal ultrasound manifestations of Williams-Beuren syndrome. We aimed to explore the prenatal diagnosis of Williams-Beuren syndrome by ultrasound and chromosomal microarray analysis and describe the prenatal ultrasound performance of this syndrome. Methods In this retrospective study, we reported eight cases of Williams-Beuren syndrome diagnosed at our prenatal diagnostic center from 2016 to 2021. We systematically reviewed clinical data from these cases, including indications for invasive testing, sonographic findings, QF-PCR results, chromosomal microarray analysis results, and pregnancy outcomes. Results In this study, the common ultrasound features were ventricular septal defect (37.5%), intrauterine growth retardation (25%), and aortic coarctation (25%). Moreover, all patients were found to have a common deletion in the Williams-Beuren syndrome chromosome region at the 7q11.23 locus, which contained the elastin gene. Deletion sizes ranged from 1.42 to 2.07 Mb. Seven parents asked for termination of pregnancy, and one patient was lost to follow-up. Conclusions This study is the most extensive prenatal study using chromosomal microarray analysis technology for detailed molecular analysis of Williams-Beuren syndrome cases. We reported three cases combined with first-reported ultrasound manifestations. Case 1 was concomitant with multicystic dysplastic kidney and duodenal atresia combined with case 3. Notably, case 4 was combined with multiple cardiovascular malformations: Tetralogy of Fallot, right aortic arch, and supravalvar aortic stenosis. These manifestations expand the intrauterine ultrasound phenotype of Williams-Beuren syndrome in previous literature reports.

Abstract Background Two recently developed novel rodent models have been reported to ablate microglia, either by genetically targeting microglia (via Cx3cr1-creER: iDTR + Dtx) or through pharmacologically targeting the CSF1R receptor with its inhibitor (PLX5622). Both models have been widely used in recent years to define essential functions of microglia and have led to high impact studies that have moved the field forward. Methods Using either Cx3cr1-iDTR mice in combination with Dtx or via the PLX5622 diet to pharmacologically ablate microglia, we compared the two models via MRI and histology to study the general anatomy of the brain and the CSF/ventricular systems. Additionally, we analyzed the cytokine profile in both microglia ablation models. Results We discovered that the genetic ablation (Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx), but not the pharmacological microglia ablation (PLX5622), displays a surprisingly rapid pathological condition in the brain represented by loss of CSF/ventricles without brain parenchymal swelling. This phenotype was observed both in MRI and histological analysis. To our surprise, we discovered that the iDTR allele alone leads to the loss of CSF/ventricles phenotype following diphtheria toxin (Dtx) treatment independent of cre expression. To examine the underlying mechanism for the loss of CSF in the Cx3cr1-iDTR ablation and iDTR models, we additionally investigated the cytokine profile in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx, iDTR + Dtx and the PLX models. We found increases of multiple cytokines in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx but not in the pharmacological ablation model nor the iDTR + Dtx mouse brains at the time of CSF loss (3 days after the first Dtx injection). This result suggests that the upregulation of cytokines is not the cause of the loss of CSF, which is supported by our data indicating that brain parenchyma swelling, or edema are not observed in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx microglia ablation model. Additionally, pharmacological inhibition of the KC/CXCR2 pathway (the most upregulated cytokine in the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx model) did not resolve the CSF/ventricular loss phenotype in the genetic microglia ablation model. Instead, both the Cx3cr1-iDTR + Dtx ablation and iDTR + Dtx models showed increased activated IBA1 + cells in the choroid plexus (CP), suggesting that CP-related pathology might be the contributing factor for the observed CSF/ventricular shrinkage phenotype. Conclusions Our data, for the first time, reveal a robust and global CSF/ventricular space shrinkage pathology in the Cx3cr1-iDTR genetic ablation model caused by iDTR allele, but not in the PLX5622 ablation model, and suggest that this pathology is not due to brain edema formation but to CP related pathology. Given the wide utilization of the iDTR allele and the Cx3cr1-iDTR model, it is crucial to fully characterize this pathology to understand the underlying causal mechanisms. Specifically, caution is needed when utilizing this model to interpret subtle neurologic functional changes that are thought to be mediated by microglia but could, instead, be due to CSF/ventricular loss in the genetic ablation model.

Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome (LMPS) is a rare disease with genetic and phenotypic heterogeneity and is inherited in an autosomal recessive (AR) pattern. Here, we have presented clinically significant results describing two novel mutations of CHRND gene: NM_000751.2: c.1006C>T p.(Arg336Ter) and NM_000751.2:c.973_975delGTG p.(Val325del), and measurement of the facial angle for determining micrognathia by prenatal diagnosis in the first trimester of pregnancy for a Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome case. In conclusion, this report complements the spectrum of genetic variants and phenotype of Lethal multiple pterygium syndrome and provides reliable recommendation for the counseling of future pregnancies in families with the disease.

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) acts as the starting point of the secretory pathway, where approximately one-third of the proteins are correctly folded and modified, loaded into vesicles, and transported to the Golgi for further processing and modification. In this process, COPII vesicles are responsible for transporting cargo proteins from the ER to the Golgi. Here, we identified the inner shell subunit of COPII vesicles (MoSec24B) and explored the importance of MoSec24B in the rice blast fungus. The targeted disruption of MoSec24B led to decreased growth, reduced conidiation, restricted glycogen and lipids utilization, sensitivity to the cell wall and hypertonic stress, the failure of septin-mediated repolarization of appressorium, impaired appressorium turgor pressure, and decreased ability to infect, which resulted in reduced pathogenicity to the host plant. Furthermore, MoSec24B functions in the three mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways by acting with MoMst50. Deletion of MoSec24B caused reduced lipidation of MoAtg8, accelerated degradation of exogenously introduced GFP-MoAtg8, and increased lipidation of MoAtg8 upon treatment with a late inhibitor of autophagy (BafA1), suggesting that MoSec24B regulates the fusion of late autophagosomes with vacuoles. Together, these results suggest that MoSec24B exerts a significant role in fungal development, the pathogenesis of filamentous fungi and autophagy.

Summary: Ustilaginoidea virens, which causes rice false smut disease, is a destructive filamentous fungal pathogen, attracting more attention to search for effective fungicides against U. virens. Here, the results showed that the inhibition of 2 nm AgNPs on U. virens growth and virulence displayed concentration-dependent manner. Abnormalities of fungal morphology were observed upon exposure to AgNPs. RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis revealed that AgNPs treatment up-regulated 1185 genes and down-regulated 937 genes, which significantly overlapped with the methyltransferase UvKmt6-regulated genes. Furthermore, we found that AgNPs reduced the UvKmt6-mediated H3K27me3 modification, resulting in the up-regulation of ustilaginoidin biosynthetic genes The decrease of H3K27me3 level was associated with the inhibition of mycelial growth by AgNPs treatment. These results suggested that AgNPs are an effective nano-fungicide for the control of rice false smut disease, but when using AgNPs, it needs to be combined with mycotoxin-reducing fungicides to reduce the risk of toxin pollution.

Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) is responsible for the trimethylation of lysine 27 of histone H3 (H3K27me3)-mediated transcriptional silencing. At present, its biological roles in the devastating rice pathogenic fungus Ustilaginoidea virens remain unclear. In this study, we analyzed the function of a putative PRC2 catalytic subunit UvKmt6. The results showed that disruption of UvKMT6 resulted in reduced growth, conidiation and pathogenicity in U. virens. Furthermore, UvKmt6 is essential for establishment of H3K27me3 modification, which covers 321 genes in the genome. Deletion of UvKMT6 led to transcriptional derepression of 629 genes, 140 of which were occupied with H3K27me3 modification. Consistent with RNA-seq and ChIP-seq analysis, UvKmt6 was further confirmed to participate in the transcriptional repression of genes encoding effectors and genes associated with secondary metabolites production, such as PKSs, NRPSs and Cytochrome P450s. Notably, we found that UvKmt6 is involved in transcriptional repression of oxidative, osmotic, cell wall and nutrient starvation stresses response-related genes. From the perspective of gene expression and phenotype, in addition to the relatively conservative role in fungal development, virulence and production of secondary metabolites, we further reported that UvKmt6-mdediated H3K27me3 plays a critical role in the response to various stresses in U. virens.

Lieb lattice has been proven to host various extraordinary properties due to its unique Dirac-flat band structure. However, the realization of tunable Lieb lattices with controllable configurations still remains a significant challenge. We demonstrate the first realization of a robust and tailorable plasma Lieb lattice in dielectric barrier discharges by the use of uniquely designed mesh-water electrodes. Fast reconfiguration between square lattice, Lieb lattice, and various Lieb superlattices has been achieved in a wide range of discharge parameters even in ambient air. Active control of the symmetry, size, and fine structures of plasma elements in Lieb lattices is realized. Three distinct discharge stages in plasma Lieb lattice are proposed on the basis of fast camera diagnostics. The Dirac-flat band structure of the plasma Lieb lattice is demonstrated. Experimental verification of the photonic bandgap for the Lieb lattice is provided. Moreover, the Gierer–Meinhardt reaction diffusion model with spatial modulations is established to simulate the formation of different Lieb lattices. Experimental observations and numerical simulations are in good agreement. The results provide an important step forward in the ongoing effort to realize tunable Lieb lattices, which may find promising applications in the manipulation of microwaves.

In fungi, the methylcitrate cycle converts cytotoxic propionyl-coenzyme A (CoA) to pyruvate, which enters gluconeogenesis. The glyoxylate cycle converts acetyl-CoA to succinate, which enters gluconeogenesis. The tricarboxylic acid cycle is a central carbon metabolic pathway that connects the methylcitrate cycle, the glyoxylate cycle, and other metabolisms for lipids, carbohydrates, and amino acids. Fungal citrate synthase and 2-methylcitrate synthase as well as isocitrate lyase and 2-methylisocitrate lyase, each evolved from a common ancestral protein. Impairment of the methylcitrate cycle leads to the accumulation of toxic intermediates such as propionyl-CoA, 2-methylcitrate, and 2-methylisocitrate in fungal cells, which in turn inhibits the activity of many enzymes such as dehydrogenases and remodels cellular carbon metabolic processes. The methylcitrate cycle and the glyoxylate cycle synergistically regulate carbon source utilization as well as fungal growth, development, and pathogenic process in pathogenic fungi.

Balanced chromosomal abnormalities (BCAs) are the most common chromosomal abnormalities and the frequency of congenital abnormalities is approximately twice as high in newborns with a de novo BCA, but a prenatal diagnosis based on BCAs is subject to evaluation. To detect translocation breakpoints and conduct a prenatal diagnosis, we performed whole-genome sequencing (WGS) in 21 subjects who were found BCAs, 19 balanced chromosome translocations and two inversions, in prenatal screening. In 16 BCAs on non-N-masked regions (non-NMRs), WGS detected 13 (81.2%, 13/16) BCAs, including all the inversions. All the breakpoints of 12 (12/14) cases of sufficient DNA were confirmed by Sanger sequencing. In 13 interrupted genes, CACNA1E (in case 12) and STARD7 (in case 17) are known causative and PDCL was found in subject (case 11) with situs inversus for the first time. Case 12 with abnormal ultrasound reached a definitive genetic diagnosis of CACNA1E-disease, while STARD7 exon deletion has never been found causative in patients. WGS provides the possibility of prenatal diagnosis in fetuses with BCAs, and its clinical significance also lies in providing data for postnatal diagnosis.

ObjectiveTo evaluate the utility of chromosomal microarray analysis (CMA) in fetuses with isolated ventricular septal defect (VSD) and to explore the favorable factors for predicting spontaneous closure of defects.MethodsThe study included 436 singleton pregnancies seen at a referral prenatal diagnosis center, between January 2016 and May 2020, of which 168 fetuses with isolated VSD were diagnosed in the prenatal setting. VSD was classified as an isolated VSD whether it had ultrasound soft markers or not. All patients underwent testing employing quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) and CMA as the first-line genetic detection strategies, mainly in amniotic fluid and umbilical blood samples. Rates of chromosomal abnormalities were compared by subgroups of isolated VSD (muscular or perimembranous). Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to predict the independent determinants of spontaneous closure by 2 years.ResultsOverall, the CMA identified clinically significant copy number variations (CNVs) in 7/168 (4.2%) fetuses and variants of unknown significance (VOUS) in 15/168 (8.9%). Muscular and perimembranous VSDs were found in 53.6 and 46.4%, respectively. Clinically significant relevant subchromosomal aberrations were revealed in seven (9.0%) perimembranous VSDs compared with none in 90 muscular defects (P < 0.01). The median initial size of the defect in the muscular VSDs was 2.2(1.8–2.7) mm, as compared to that of 2.8 (2.2–3.2) mm in the perimembranous VSDs group (p = 0.000). In muscular vs. perimembranous VSDs, spontaneous closure occurred more frequently and earlier [40.0 vs. 15.4% in utero (p = 0.000), 61.1 vs. 30.8% at 1-year (p = 0.000), and 75.6 vs. 42.3% at 2-year (P = 0.000)]. Postnatal surgical closure was warranted in 4/90 (4.4%) of the infants with muscular VSDs, as compared to 29/71 (40.8%) with perimembranous defects (p = 0.000). Furthermore, isolated muscular type VSD, smaller defect size, and maternal age of less than 35 years are all positive predictors of spontaneous closure of the defects.ConclusionThis study highlighted the value of microarray for unbalanced subchromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with isolated VSD, particularly in the perimembranous defects. The detection of an isolated muscular VSD prenatally may be considered a benign or likely benign finding; in contrast, for perimembranous VSD, a prenatal CMA should be offered.

Summary: In addition to neuroprotective strategies, neuroregenerative processes could provide targets for stroke recovery. However, the upregulation of inhibitory chondroitin sulfate proteoglycans (CSPGs) impedes innate regenerative efforts. Here, we examine the regulatory role of PTPσ (a major proteoglycan receptor) in dampening post-stroke recovery. Use of a receptor modulatory peptide (ISP) or Ptprs gene deletion leads to increased neurite outgrowth and enhanced NSCs migration upon inhibitory CSPG substrates. Post-stroke ISP treatment results in increased axonal sprouting as well as neuroblast migration deeply into the lesion scar with a transcriptional signature reflective of repair. Lastly, peptide treatment post-stroke (initiated acutely or more chronically at 7 days) results in improved behavioral recovery in both motor and cognitive functions. Therefore, we propose that CSPGs induced by stroke play a predominant role in the regulation of neural repair and that blocking CSPG signaling pathways will lead to enhanced neurorepair and functional recovery in stroke.

A global survey indicates that genetic syndromes affect approximately 8% of the population, but most genetic diagnoses can only be performed after babies are born. Abnormal facial characteristics have been identified in various genetic diseases; however, current facial identification technologies cannot be applied to prenatal diagnosis. We developed Pgds-ResNet, a fully automated prenatal screening algorithm based on deep neural networks, to detect high-risk fetuses affected by a variety of genetic diseases. In screening for Trisomy 21, Trisomy 18, Trisomy 13, and rare genetic diseases, Pgds-ResNet achieved sensitivities of 0.83, 0.92, 0.75, and 0.96, and specificities of 0.94, 0.93, 0.95, and 0.92, respectively. As shown in heatmaps, the abnormalities detected by Pgds-ResNet are consistent with clinical reports. In a comparative experiment, the performance of Pgds-ResNet is comparable to that of experienced sonographers. This fetal genetic screening technology offers an opportunity for early risk assessment and presents a non-invasive, affordable, and complementary method to identify high-risk fetuses affected by genetic diseases. Additionally, it has the capability to screen for certain rare genetic conditions, thereby enhancing the clinic’s detection rate.

Abstract This paper is concerned with necessary and sufficient conditions for stabilisability of time‐varying discrete‐time switched systems. Starting with an asymptotically stable function, an exponentially stable function and a uniformly exponentially stable function, we successively propose necessary and sufficient conditions for asymptotic stabilisability, exponential stabilisability and uniform exponential stabilisability of time‐varying switched linear systems. Further, considering the broad applications of finite‐time stability in practical systems, based on an additionally introduced concept of finite‐time stable functions, we derive a necessary and sufficient condition for finite‐time stabilisability of time‐varying switched linear systems. Afterwards, three illustrative examples are given to show the applicability of our theoretical results. In the end, we further discuss the necessary and sufficient conditions for global exponential stabilisability and global uniform exponential stabilisability of time‐varying switched non‐linear systems. Compared to traditional difference Lyapunov inequalities, we release the requirement on negative definiteness of the time‐difference of Lyapunov functions.

Abstract The rate-integrating gyroscope (RIG) operation is considered as the next generation architecture for hemispherical resonator gyroscopes (HRGs) with advantages of direct angle measurement and unlimited dynamic range. However, this RIG operation requires high symmetry for the HRG device and the damping mismatch of the two gyroscopic modes will result in a dead area problem. This work analyzes the error mechanism of the damping asymmetry induced dead area and proposed a novel virtual procession compensation method for HRG RIG. The simulation proves the existence of the dead area as the theory predicted. More importantly, the experimental HRG RIG platform with the proposed compensation method can significantly expand the dynamic range with accurate angle measurement and overcome the problem of dead area. The earth rotation is accurate measured which is the first time that captured by a RIG scheme as a state-of-the-art result.

This article solves the finite-time bounded tracking control problem for fractional-order systems. Firstly, by taking the fractional derivative on state equations and error signals, a fractional-order error system is constructed, and the error signal is taken as the output vector of the error system. Secondly, a state feedback controller is introduced into the error system, and the fractional derivative of disturbance signals and desired tracking signals are combined as the disturbance signal of the error system. Thus, the original problem is converted into the input-output finite time stability problem of the closed-loop error systems. Thirdly, based on the linear matrix inequalities (LMIs), the sufficient conditions which ensure the finite-time bounded tracking for the desired tracking signals are derived. Therefore, the finite-time bounded tracking controller of the original system is obtained. Finally, simulation results elucidate the effectiveness of the controller.

Background: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute, self-limited vasculitis disorder of unknown etiology in children. Immunologic abnormalities were detected during the acute phase of KD, which reflected that the effect cells of the activated immune system markedly increased cytokine production. High-dose intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) therapy is effective in resolving inflammation from KD and reducing occurrence of coronary artery abnormalities. However, 10%–20% of KD patients have no response to IVIG therapy, who were defined as IVIG resistance. Furthermore, these patients have persistent inflammation and increased risk of developing coronary artery aneurysm (CAA). EIF2AK4 is a stress sensor gene and can be activated by pathogen infection. In addition, the polymorphisms of EIF2AK4 were associated with various blood vessel disorders. However, it remains unclear whether the EIF2AK4 gene polymorphisms were related to IVIG therapy outcome in KD patients.Methods:EIF2AK4/rs4594236 polymorphism was genotyped in 795 IVIG response KD patients and 234 IVIG resistant KD patients through TaqMan, a real-time polymerase chain reaction. The odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated to assess the strength of association between EIF2AK4/rs4594236 polymorphism and IVIG therapeutic effects.Results: Our results showed that the EIF2AK4/rs4594236 AG/GG genotype was significantly associated with increased risk to IVIG resistance compared to the AA genotype (AG vs. AA: adjusted ORs = 1.71, 95% CIs = 1.17–2.51, and p = 0.0061; GG vs. AA: adjusted ORs = 2.09, 95% CIs = 1.36–3.23, and p = 0.0009; AG/GG vs. AA: adjusted ORs = 1.82, 95% CIs = 1.27–2.63, and p = 0.0013; and GG vs. AA/AG: adjusted ORs = 1.45, 95% CI = 1.04–2.02, and p = 0.0306). Furthermore, the stratified analysis of age and gender in the KD cohort indicated that male patients carrying the rs4594236 AG/GG genotype tends to be more resistant to IVIG therapy than female patients.Conclusion: These results suggested that EIF2AK4/rs4594236 polymorphism might be associated with increased risk of IVIG resistance in southern Chinese KD patients.

Objective: To evaluate the utility of a chromosomal microarray (CMA) in fetuses with isolated fetal growth restriction (FGR) and explore risk factors for the prediction of chromosomal aberration and perinatal adverse outcomes.Method: This study included 271 fetuses of estimated fetal weight less than the 3rd percentile without other structural malformation. Early-onset and late-onset FGR were defined as gestational weeks less than 32 weeks and more than 32 weeks respectively. These patients underwent quantitative fluorescent polymerase chain reaction (QF-PCR) and CMA as the first-line genetic detection strategy. Chromosomal anomalies were compared after stratified analysis by the early-onset and the late-onset FGR, including the absence or presence of ultrasound soft markers, abnormal amniotic fluid, abnormal umbilical Doppler, and gestational disorders. The follow-up time was within 1 year after birth. Logistic regression was used to seek risk predictors of chromosomal aberration and perinatal adverse outcomes for isolated FGR.Results: The CMA identified clinically significant variants in 18/271 (6.6%) fetuses, and variants of unknown significance (VOUS) in 15/271 (5.5%) fetuses. Stratified analysis showed that there was a higher incidence of clinically significant variants in fetuses with the early-onset FGR compared with late-onset FGR (8.7%, 17/195 vs. 1.3%, 1/76, p < 0.05). Regression analysis showed that early gestational age (GA) at diagnosis of FGR was the major risk factor for chromosomal aberration (OR = 0.846). By variable regression analysis, early GA at diagnosis and decreased estimated fetal weight (EFW) percentile of suspicion of FGR, asymmetrical FGR, abnormal amniotic fluid, and severe preeclampsia could all increase the risk of adverse outcomes of isolated FGR including intra-uterine fetal death (IUFD), termination of pregnancy (TOP), and preterm birth in pregnancies with FGR.Conclusion: This study emphasized the value of microarrays for unbalanced genomic variants in fetuses with isolated FGR, especially since the gestational age of nullipara was less than 32 weeks. Perinatal adverse outcomes of isolated FGR were influenced by multiple factors including GA and estimated fetal weight (EFW) percentile of suspicion of FGR, asymmetrical FGR, abnormal amniotic fluid, and severe preeclampsia.