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Abstract Huanglian Jiedu Decoction (HJD) is a well-known Traditional Chinese Medicine formula that has been used for liver protection in thousands of years. However, the therapeutic effects and mechanisms of HJD in treating drug-induced liver injury (DILI) remain unknown. In this study, a total of 26 genes related to both HJD and DILI were identified, which are corresponding to a total of 41 potential active compounds in HJD. KEGG analysis revealed that Tryptophan metabolism pathway is particularly important. The overlapped genes from KEGG and GO analysis indicated the significance of CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1. Experimental results confirmed that HJD has a protective effect on DILI through Tryptophan metabolism pathway. In addition, the active ingredients Corymbosin, and Moslosooflavone were found to have relative strong intensity in UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis, showing interactions with CYP1A1, CYP1A2, and CYP1B1 through molecule docking. These findings could provide insights into the treatment effects of HJD on DILI.

Chronic liver disease (CLD) is an extremely common clinical condition accompanied by sustained inflammatory response leading to tissue damage. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) is known as a master immune regulator in CLDs, but the association between TGF-β1 polymorphisms and CLD risk is controversial and inconclusive, and the genetic dominance of CLDs remains unknown. In this study, the relationship between TGF-β1 polymorphisms and CLD susceptibility is systematically analyzed based on 35 eligible studies. Individuals with the TGF-β1-509 allele (TT or CT) or codon 10 allele (Pro/Pro) show an increased risk of CLDs. Subgroup analyses indicate TGF-β1-509C/T has a significant correlation with cirrhosis and chronic hepatitis C, codon 10 is associated with chronic hepatitis B occurrence, and codon 25 exhibits a relationship with autoimmune hepatitis risk. Missense mutations in G29E, A105S, D191N, and F321L of TGF-β1 are the genetic factors of HCC susceptibility. Furthermore, the TGF-β1 gene expression is significantly elevated in CLD patients, and the TGF-β1 codon 263 is located close to the region where the TGF-β1 dimerization interacts, indicating the TGF-β1 codon 263 variant may affect the secretion of TGF-β1 by altering its dimerization. Together, our findings provide new insights into the immune regulator gene TGF-β1 polymorphisms as susceptibility factors for CLD occurrence and regulators for TGF-β1 expression, which have implications for the regulation of immune factors during CLD development.

Tyrosol is an important component of pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals, and cosmetics, and their biosynthetic pathways are currently a hot research topic. d-Erythrose 4-phosphate is a key precursor for the biosynthesis of tyrosol in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Hence, the flux of d-Erythrose 4-phosphate determined the yield of tyrosol synthesis. In this study, we first obtained an S. cerevisiae strain S19 with a tyrosol yield of 247.66 mg/L by metabolic engineering strategy. To increase the production of d-Erythrose 4-phosphate, highly active phosphoketolase BA-C was obtained by bioinformatics combined with tyrosol yield assay. The key residue sites 183, 217, and 320 were obtained by molecular docking, kinetic simulation, and tyrosol yield verification. After mutation, the highly efficient phosphoketolase BA-CHis320Met was obtained, with a 37.32 % increase in enzyme activity. The tyrosol production of strain S26 with BA-CHis320Arg increased by 43.05 % than strain S25 with BA-C and increased by 151.19 % compared with the strain S19 without phosphoketolase in a 20 L fermenter. The mining and modification of phosphoketolase will provide strong support for the de novo synthesis of aromatic compounds.

Supercapacitors are widely considered as advanced energy storage devices with vast development prospects due to their excellent properties, including high specific energy and good cyclic stability. Recently, the development of novel and high-performance supercapacitors has attracted extensive attention. As one of the key components, the electrode material has a significant impact on the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. Engineering biochar not only has natural advantages such as renewability, cost-effectiveness, and environmental-friendliness but also possesses well-developed properties, including pore structure, functional group, and cyclic stability. Therefore, numerous investigations have been conducted to develop high-performance engineered biochar-based supercapacitors. This review provides an overview of emerging synthesis routes for engineered biochar-based electrode materials and discusses recent advances in various synthesis approaches, offering deeper and more comprehensive information on engineered biochar-based supercapacitors. Machine learning (ML)-based predictions and inverse designs have contributed to the innovation of engineered biochar-based electrode materials for high-performance applications, clarifying the inherent mechanisms and complex relationships between the properties of engineering biochar and the electrochemical performance of supercapacitors. Finally, detailed assessments from perspectives of environmental benefits and economic feasibilities are proposed as science-based guidelines for industries and policymakers. The main existing challenges and solutions of engineered biochar-based energy storage systems are discussed, aiming to accelerate commercial applications of engineered biochar-based supercapacitors.

By high-throughput sequence methods, the research explored the diversity and succession of the bacterial communities in fermented grains of Shanxi aged vinegar. The results showed that during the acetic acid fermentation of Shanxi aged vinegar, mainly 7 phyla were at the phylum level, including Firmicutes, Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes, among which the relative abundance of Firmicutes showed an increasing trend during the fermentation, and finally even reached over 98%, dominating the entire fermentation stage. At the genus level, the main bacteria participating in the acetic acid fermentation stage of Shanxi aged vinegar included Lactobacillus (57.4%~66.4%), Acetobacter (3.8%~27.3%), Streptococcus (0.3%~3.0%), Weissella (0.2%~1.8%), Bacillus (0.1%~1.2%), Pseudomonas (0%~1.8%), etc, among which Lactobacillus and Acetobacter bacteria dominated, with a relative abundance of around 90% in the first 5 days of fermentation. Meanwhile, Pseudomonas was not detected in the vinegar Pei samples during the early stage of the acetic acid fermentation, but appeared in the samples on the 5th day and reached its peak (1.1%~3.4%) on the 7th day. Besides, "mash inoculation" adopted during the acetic acid fermentation of Shanxi aged vinegar, the bacterial community structure as well as changes in different fermentation batches were basically the same, and the shared microbial species accounted for more than 70% of the total, indicating the stability of the solid-state fermentation process of Shanxi aged vinegar.

Glucosinolates (GSLs) are important secondary metabolites abundantly distributed in Brassicaceae plants, whose degradation products benefit plant resistance but are regarded as disadvantageous factors for human health. Thus, reducing GSL content is an important goal in the breeding program in crops, such as Brassica napus. In this study, 1280 genes in the GSL pathway were identified from 14 land plant genomes, which are specifically distributed in Brassicaceae and are extensively expanded in B. napus. Most GSL pathway genes had many positive selection sites, especially the encoding genes of transcription factors (TFs) and structural genes involved in the GSL breakdown process. There are 344 genes in the GSL pathway in the B. napus genome, which are unequally distributed on the 19 chromosomes. Whole-genome duplication mainly contributed to the gene expansion of the GSL pathway in B. napus. The genes in GSL biosynthesis were regulated by various TFs and cis-elements in B. napus and mainly response to abiotic stress and hormone induction. A comparative transcriptome atlas of the roots, stems, leaves, flowers, siliques, and seeds of a high- (ZY821), and a low-GSL-content (ZS11) cultivar was constructed. The features of the two cultivars may be attributed to diverse expression differences in each organ at different stages, especially in seeds. In all, 65 differential expressed genes (DEGs) concentrated on the core structure pathway were inferred to mainly influence the GSL contents between ZY821 and ZS11. This study provides an important RNA-seq dataset and diverse gene resources for future manipulating GSLs biosynthesis and distribution in B. napus using molecular breeding methods.

Abstract Background Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is characterized by insulin resistance (IR) and is often accompanied by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). The detrimental effects of T2DM and IR on the hippocampus have been extensively demonstrated. Few studies have examined the effects of IR on structure and function of hippocampal subfields in T2DM‐MCI patients. Method A total of 104 T2DM patients were recruited in this prospective study and divided into four groups (T2DM‐MCI‐higherIR, n = 17; T2DM‐MCI‐lowerIR, n = 32; T2DM‐nonMCI‐higherIR, n = 19; T2DM‐nonMCI‐lowerIR, n = 36). Structure and function MRI data were captured. Clinical variables and neuropsychological scores were determined for all participants. Hippocampal subfield volume and functional connectivity were compared among four groups. Partial correlation analysis was performed between imaging indicators, clinical variables, and neuropsychological scores in all patients. Results T2DM‐MCI‐higher IR group had the smallest volumes of bilateral hippocampal tail, right subiculum‐body, right GC‐ML‐DG‐body, and right CA4‐body. IR in right hippocampal tail, right subiculum‐body, and right GC‐ML‐DG‐body exerted main effect. Furthermore, elevated functional connectivity was found between right subiculum‐body and bilateral dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and right anterior cingulate–medial prefrontal cortex. Hippocampal subfield volume positively correlates with total cholesterol and triglycerides and negatively correlates with fasting insulin. Conclusion The present study found that T2DM‐MCI patients have structural and functional alterations in hippocampal subfields, and IR is a negative factor influencing the alteration of hippocampal subfields volume. These findings support the importance of IR in T2DM‐MCI patients and might be potential neuroimaging biomarkers of cerebral impairment in T2DM‐MCI patients.

Dietary flavonoids are regarded as potent inhibitors of gut bacterial β-glucuronidase (β-GUS), although the precise structure-activity relationship between dietary flavonoids and β-GUS remains elusive. In this study, 24 dietary flavonoids of 6 common different structural types were selected as model molecules to investigate this relationship through enzymatic inhibition kinetics and molecular docking simulations. The findings revealed that delphinidin (1) and baohuoside I (16) exhibited robust inhibitory activities, while the formation of ionic bond and hydrogen bonds was found to play crucial roles in these interactions. Moreover, the core structure, position, and quantity of hydroxyl groups; type and number of glycosyls, and the presence of isopentenyl group all played pivotal roles in influencing inhibitory activities against β-GUS derived from Escherichia coli. These results offer valuable insights into the relationship between flavonoid structure and enzyme inhibition, which could prove invaluable for the development of novel drugs and flavonoid dietary supplements.

Abstract Knowledge diffusion in regional innovation ecosystems is an important factor that influences the regional innovation efficiency. In regional innovation ecosystems under digital empowerment, the knowledge diffusion enables the optimal allocation of innovation resources and promotes the sustainable development and ecological evolution of regional innovation ecosystems. In this paper, a SEIR (Susceptible–Exposed–Infected–Recovered) model is proposed for knowledge diffusion in regional innovation ecosystems under digitization. The basic reproduction number of the proposed model is calculated and its stability is validated. Finally, the expressions for the optimal control system and the optimal control parameters are presented. According to the research conclusions of this paper, the knowledge-diffusion ability of innovation agents in an innovation ecosystem affects the knowledge diffusion in a system; the contact rate between innovation agents affects the efficiency of knowledge diffusion in the system and the structure of the system; the digital transmission ability of innovation agents affects the breadth of knowledge diffusion in the system; and the self-learning ability of innovation agents affects the efficiency of knowledge diffusion in the system.The digital technologies help heterogeneous innovation agents in regional innovation ecosystems to break down the knowledge silos. At the same time, the digital technologies enhance the ability of innovation agents to absorb and learn knowledge in regional innovation ecosystems under digitization, thereby increasing the infection rate of knowledge diffusion in such systems.These conclusions extend the theoretical boundaries of innovation ecosystems and knowledge diffusion and offer management implications for enterprises and governments in decision-making.

Abstract Background Insulin like growth factor II mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) has been implicated in numerous inflammatory and cancerous conditions. However, its precise molecular mechanisms in endometriosis (EMs) remains unclear. The aim of this study is to examine the influence of IGF2BP3 on the occurrence and progression of EMs and to elucidate its underlying molecular mechanism. Methods Efects of IGF2BP3 on endometriosis were confrmed in vitro and in vivo. Based on bioinformatics analysis, RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pull-down assays and Fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) were used to show the association between IGF2BP3 and UCA1. Single-cell spatial transcriptomics analysis shows the expression distribution of glutaminase 1 (GLS1) mRNA in EMs. Study the effect on glutamine metabolism after ectopic endometriotic stromal cells (eESCs) were transfected with Sh-IGF2BP3 and Sh-UCA1 lentivirus. Results Immunohistochemical staining have revealed that IGF2BP3 was upregulated in ectopic endometriotic lesions (EC) compared to normal endometrial tissues (EN). The proliferation and migration ability of eESCs were greatly reduced by downregulating IGF2BP3. Additionally, IGF2BP3 has been observed to interact with urothelial carcinoma associated 1 (UCA1), leading to increased stability of GLS1 mRNA and subsequently enhancing glutamine metabolism. Results also demonstrated that IGF2BP3 directly interacts with the 3’ UTR region of GLS1 mRNA, influencing its expression and stability. Furthermore, UCA1 was able to bind with c-MYC protein, stabilizing c-MYC mRNA and consequently enhancing GLS1 expression through transcriptional promotion. Conclusion These discoveries underscored the critical involvement of IGF2BP3 in the elevation and stability of GLS1 mRNA in the context of glutamine metabolism by interacting with UCA1 in EMs. The implications of our study extended to the identification of possible therapeutic targets for individuals with EMs.

Background : : Knee osteoarthritis causes physical dysfunction, and its prevalence increases with age. Although clinical studies examined acupoint catgut embedding in patients with knee osteoarthritis, no systematic reviews or meta-analyses have been conducted to date. We aim to comprehensively review the effects of acupoint catgut embedding on knee osteoarthritis.Methods : : Eleven databases will be searched from inception to August 1, 2023, without language limitations. Additionally, two registration platforms—ClinicalTrials.gov and the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry—will be searched for ongoing trials. The primary outcomes will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index. Secondary outcomes include the total effective rate, Lysholm Score, and adverse effects. Two reviewers will independently select the studies, extract data, and evaluate the risk of bias and the quality of evidence.Discussion: This systematic review will provide evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of acupoint catgut embedding in patients with knee osteoarthritis.

Umami peptides have the ability to enhance food flavours and have potential health benefits. The objective of this study was to conduct a comprehensive investigation into the umami intensity, taste mechanism, and antioxidant activity of six umami peptides derived from wheat gluten hydrolysates (WGHs) and fermented WGHs. The e-tongue analysis demonstrated that the peptides exhibited a direct proportionality in terms of umami value and concentration, and were capable of enhancing the umami of commercially available condiments. The molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that the peptides interacted with T1R1/T1R3 receptors via hydrogen bonds, hydrophobic interactions, ionic interactions, and water bridges, thereby producing umami. Furthermore, the DPPH, ABTS, hydroxyl radical-scavenging, and FRAP assays demonstrated that the six peptides exhibited antioxidant activity in vitro. Ultimately, the network pharmacology and molecular docking results indicated that AKT1, JUN, and CASP3 may serve as the core targets for the peptides in the treatment of oxidative diseases. In conclusion, this work offers novel insights into the use of bioactive umami peptides, emphasising their prospective applications in the food and health supplement industries.

Regional innovation ecosystems (RIEs) are a new paradigm in innovation research, and the development of RIEs under digitization is constrained by the development of innovation environments. The study of ecological niche suitability of regional innovation environment provides the basis for the government to create an innovation environment suitable for the development of a regional innovation ecosystem. This paper conducts an empirical analysis based on panel data from 29 provinces (autonomous regions) in China from 2012 to 2021. The paper analyzes the suitability of the ecological niche of the innovation environment as well as the spatio-temporal evolution pattern of the regional innovation ecosystem under digitalization in China. The results of the study show that: (1) The innovation environment of regional innovation ecosystems under digitization in China has become increasingly suitable during the sample period. (2) From the perspective of evolution in time, the suitability of the ecological niche of the regional innovation environment has always maintained an evolutionary trend of rolling forward in the echelon. (3) From the perspective of spatial evolution, the center line of the curve of the development level of the suitability of the regional innovation environment shows a rightward shifting evolution.

Hydrogen has attracted widespread attention as a carbon-neutral energy source, but developing efficient and safe hydrogen storage technologies remains a huge challenge. Recently, liquid organic hydrogen carriers (LOHCs) technology has shown great potential for efficient and stable hydrogen storage and transport. This technology allows for safe and economical large-scale transoceanic transportation and long-cycle hydrogen storage. In particular, traditional organic hydrogen storage liquids are derived from nonrenewable fossil fuels through costly refining procedures, resulting in unavoidable environmental contamination. Biomass holds great promise for the preparation of LOHCs due to its unique carbon-balance properties and feasibility to manufacture aromatic and nitrogen-doped compounds. According to recent studies, almost 100% conversion and 92% yield of benzene could be obtained through advanced biomass conversion technologies, showing great potential in preparing biomass-based LOHCs. Overall, the present LOHCs systems and their unique applications are introduced in this review, and the technical paths are summarized. Furthermore, this paper provides an outlook on the future development of LOHCs technology, focusing on biomass-derived aromatic and N-doped compounds and their applications in hydrogen storage.

Alfin-like proteins (ALs) form a plant-specific transcription factor (TF) gene family involved in the regulation of plant growth and development, and abiotic stress response. In this study, 30 ALs were identified in Brassica napus ecotype ‘Zhongshuang 11’ genome (BnaALs), and unevenly distributed on 15 chromosomes. Structural characteristic analysis showed that all of the BnaALs contained two highly conserved domains: the N terminal DUF3594 domain and the C-terminal PHD-finger domain. The BnaALs were classified into four groups (Group I-IV), supported by conserved intron–exon and protein motif structures in each group. The allopolyploid event between B. oleracea and B. rapa ancestors and the small-scale duplication events in B. napus both contributed to the large BnaALs expansion. The promoter regions of BnaALs contained multiple abiotic stress cis-elements. The BnaALs in I-IV groups were mainly expressed in cotyledon, petal, root, silique, and seed tissues, and the duplicated gene pairs shared highly similar expression patterns. RNA-seq and RT-qPCR analysis showed that BnaALs were obviously induced by low nitrogen (LN) and low phosphorus (LP) treatments in roots. Overexpressing BnaAL02 and BnaAL28 in Arabidopsis demonstrated their functions in response to LN and LP stresses. BnaAL28 enhanced primary roots’ (PRs) length and lateral roots’ (LRs) number under LP and LN conditions, where BnaAL02 can inhibit LR numbers under the two conditions. They can promote root hair (RH) elongation under LP conditions; however, they suppressed RH elongation under LN conditions. Our result provides new insight into the functional dissection of this family in response to nutrient stresses in plants.

Background and Purpose: To investigate the abnormal pattern of altered functional activity in the brain and the neuroimaging mechanisms underlying the cognitive impairment of patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) via resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI). Materials and Methods: CRC patients (n = 56) and healthy controls (HCs) (n = 50) were studied. The participants underwent rs-fMRI scans and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). The amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations (ALFF), degree centrality (DC), regional homogeneity (ReHo), and MoCA scores, were calculated for participants. Results: The scores of executives, visuospatial, memory, language and attention were lower in CRC patients. ReHo and ALFF values in the left postcentral gyrus, ReHo values in the right postcentral gyrus, ALFF and DC values in the left middle occipital gyrus, ReHo and DC values in the right lingual gyrus, DC values in the right angular gyrus and precuneus, and ALFF values in the left middle temporal gyrus decreased conspicuously in the CRC patients. Conclusion: CRC patients have abnormal resting state function, mainly in the brain areas involved in cognitive function. The overlapping brain regions with abnormal functional indicators are in the middle occipital gyrus, postcentral gyrus, and lingual gyrus. This study reveals the potential biological pathways involved in brain impairment and neurocognitive decline in patients with CRC.

B-box (BBX) proteins, a subfamily of zinc-finger transcription factors, are involved in various environmental signaling pathways. In this study, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of BBX family members in Brassica crops. The 482 BBX proteins were divided into five groups based on gene structure, conserved domains, and phylogenetic analysis. An analysis of nonsynonymous substitutions and (Ka)/synonymous substitutions (Ks) revealed that most BBX genes have undergone purifying selection during evolution. An analysis of transcriptome data from rapeseed (Brassica napus) organs suggested that BnaBBX3d might be involved in the development of floral tissue-specific RNA-seq expression. We identified numerous light-responsive elements in the promoter regions of BnaBBX genes, which were suggestive of participation in light signaling pathways. Transcriptomic analysis under shade treatment revealed 77 BnaBBX genes with significant changes in expression before and after shading treatment. Of these, BnaBBX22e showed distinct expression patterns in yellow- vs. black-seeded materials in response to shading. UPLC-HESI-MS/MS analysis revealed that shading influences the accumulation of 54 metabolites, with light response BnaBBX22f expression correlating with the accumulation of the flavonoid metabolites M46 and M51. Additionally, BnaBBX22e and BnaBBX22f interact with BnaA10.HY5. These results suggest that BnaBBXs might function in light-induced pigment accumulation. Overall, our findings elucidate the characteristics of BBX proteins in six Brassica species and reveal a possible connection between light and seed coat color, laying the foundation for further exploring the roles of BnaBBX genes in seed development.

With the aim of improving the processing added value of soybean isolate protein, the single factor and response surface testing method were used to optimize the enzymatic conditions of soybean isolate protein using hydrolysis degree and protein recovery as evaluation indexes. The enzymatic digest of soybean isolate protein fermented by Corynebacterium glutamicum was used to prepare the seasoning, which was evaluated by glutamic acid content and sensory evaluation. The results showed that the optimal enzyme digestion conditions were 2.0 g/100 g of enzyme, pH7.0, 15 g/100 mL of substrate, 54.0 ℃, and 13.0 h. The hydrolysis degree (37.1%) and protein recovery (70.3%) of the optimized enzyme solution were 1.7 times and 0.8 times higher, respectively, than those before the optimization. In the shake flask fermentation conditions, the glutamic acid content of the enzymatic digest fermentation (32.1 g/L) was increased by 32.1% compared to that before optimization. Under the batch replenishment condition of 20 L tank, the glutamic acid yield was (83.6 g/L) 10.0% higher than before optimization. The results of sensory evaluation of the seasonings prepared by fermentation with batch replenishment showed that the freshness of the fermented seasonings was significantly improved (P

The emergence of safe and functional eggs for consumer acceptance has gained focus. The production of carotenoid-enriched eggs has received attention due to its multifunctional biological properties. Nutritional modification of laying hens’ diet can be a strategy to produce such eggs. This review presents the chemistry of carotenoids in nature and eggs, the accumulation process of carotenoids into eggs, and the functions of carotenoids in eggs. Our findings showed that carotenoids can be deposited into the egg and contribute to improving its nutritive value. The biosynthesis, chemical structure, and metabolism pathways of carotenoids lead to the deposition of carotenoids into eggs in their original or metabolized forms. Also, some factors modulate the efficiency of carotenoids in fowls before accumulation into eggs. Carotenoid-enriched eggs may be promising, ensuring the availability of highly nutritive eggs. However, further studies are still needed to comprehend the full metabolism process and the extensive functions of carotenoids in eggs.

The steam gasification characteristics of poplar sawdust were investigated in a piston fed fixed-bed gasifier, reflecting the batch feeding process of fixed-bed gasifiers in industrial applications. The effects of operating conditions, including steam supply, the flow rate of inert gas, gasification temperature, and feeding rate, on gasification reactivity and performance were investigated online. The major gas product during pyrolysis was CO, followed by H2, CH4, and CO2, and the gasification was greatly facilitated by the injection of steam to generate H2. The gasification reactivity and performance were improved with increased steam supply and temperature. The maximum production rate of H2 by char gasification was tripled and doubled, respectively, with an increase in steam supply from 50 to 400 mL/min and a temperature rise from 800 to 900 °C, and the time required for complete gasification was also halved. Compared to pyrolysis, the volume fraction of H2 increased from 23% to 37%, and correspondingly, the H2/CO ratio increased from 0.42 to 0.95.

Abstract Yellow-seed trait is a desirable breeding characteristic of rapeseed (Brassica napus) that could greatly improve seed oil yield and quality. However, the underlying mechanisms controlling this phenotype in B. napus plants are difficult to discern because of their complexity. Here, we assemble high-quality genomes of yellow-seeded (GH06) and black-seeded (ZY821). Combining in-depth fine mapping of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for seed color with other omics data reveal BnA09MYB47a, encoding an R2R3-MYB-type transcription factor, as the causal gene of a major QTL controlling the yellow-seed trait. Functional studies show that sequence variation of BnA09MYB47a underlies the functional divergence between the yellow- and black-seeded B. napus. The black-seed allele BnA09MYB47aZY821, but not the yellow-seed allele BnA09MYB47aGH06, promotes flavonoid biosynthesis by directly activating the expression of BnTT18. Our discovery suggests a possible approach to breeding B. napus for improved commercial value and facilitates flavonoid biosynthesis studies in Brassica crops.

A wide range of research has illustrated that carotenoids play a key role in human health through their versatile beneficial biological functions. Traditionally, the majority dietary sources of carotenoids for humans are obtained from vegetables and fruits, however, the contribution of animal-derived foods has attracted more interest in recent years. Livestock products such as eggs, meat, and milk have been considered as the appropriate and unique carriers for the deposition of carotenoids. In addition, with the enrichment of carotenoids, the nutritional quality of these animal-origin foods would be improved as well as the economic value. Here, we offer an overview covering aspects including the physicochemical properties of carotenoids, the situation of carotenoids fortified in livestock products, and the pathways that lead to the deposition of carotenoids in livestock products. The summary of these important nutrients in livestock products will provide references for animal husbandry and human health.

Abstract The operation of a shield tunnel boring machine (TBM) in a high-strength hard rock stratum results in significant cutter damage, adversely affecting the thrust and torque of the cutter head. Therefore, it is very important to carry out the research on the stress characteristics and optimize the cutter parameters of cutters break high-strength hard rock. In this paper, the rock-breaking performance of cutters in an andesite stratum in the tunnel of Qingdao Metro Line No. 8 was investigated using the discrete element method and theoretical analysis. The rock-breaking processes of a disc cutter and wedge tooth cutter were simulated by software particle flow code PFC3D, and the rock-breaking degree, stress of the cutter, and rock-breaking specific energy were analyzed. The rock damage caused by the cutter in a specific section was divided into three stages: the advanced influence, crushing, and stabilizing stages. The rock-breaking degree and the tangential and normal forces of the wedge tooth cutter are larger than that of the disc cutter under the same conditions. The disc cutter (wedge tooth cutter) has the highest rock-breaking efficiency at a cutter spacing of 100 mm (110 mm) and a penetration depth of 8 mm (10 mm), and the rock-breaking specific energy is 11.48 MJ/m3 (12.05 MJ/m3). Therefore, two types of cutters with different penetration depths or cutter spacing should be considered. The number of teeth of wedge tooth cutters can be increased in hard strata to improve the rock-breaking efficiency of the shield. The research results provide a reference for shield cutterhead selection and cutter layout in similar projects.

Abstract Diagnosing wooden foreign bodies (WFBs) using computed tomography (CT) is often missed, leading to adverse outcomes. This study aims to reduce misdiagnoses by exploring the density variation of blood-saline mixtures in ex vivo models. Twenty Cunninghamia lanceolata sticks, selected as WFB models, were randomly assigned to five groups: a control group (saline) and four experimental groups immersed in blood-saline mixtures with varying concentrations. The samples were then placed in a constant-temperature water bath at 36.8 °C. CT scans were performed in the lowest and highest density areas, and the volume of the low-density areas was measured at the post-processing workstation. Finally, the effects of time and concentration on imaging were analyzed, and fitting curves were generated. The blood-saline mixture concentration and time significantly affected the CT number in the three areas. WFB images changed dynamically over time, with two typical imaging signs: the bull's-eye sign on the short axis images and the tram line sign on the long axis images. Fitting curves of the CT number in the lowest density areas with different concentrations can quantify imaging changes. The CT number of the lowest density areas increased with time, following a logarithmic function type, while the CT number of the highest density areas exhibited a fast-rising platform type. The volume of the low-density areas decreased over time. The time of damage caused by WFBs and the influence of varying blood and tissue fluid contents at the damaged site should be considered in the diagnosis. Imaging changes from multiple CT scans at different times can aid in diagnosis.

Abstract Improving the resolution of computed tomography (CT) medical images can help doctors more accurately identify lesions, which is important in clinical diagnosis. In the absence of natural paired datasets of high resolution and low resolution image pairs, we abandoned the conventional Bicubic method and innovatively used a dataset of images of a single resolution to create near‐natural high–low‐resolution image pairs by designing a deep learning network and utilizing noise injection. In addition, we propose a super‐resolution generative adversarial network called KerSRGAN which includes a super‐resolution generator, super‐resolution discriminator, and super‐resolution feature extractor to achieve a 4× super‐resolution of CT images. The results of an experimental evaluation show that KerSRGAN achieved superior performance compared to the state‐of‐the‐art methods in terms of a quantitative comparison of non‐reference image quality evaluation indicators on the generated 4× super‐resolution CT images. Moreover, in terms of an intuitive visual comparison, the images generated by the KerSRGAN method had more precise details and better perceptual quality.

Rice husk-based activated carbon was prepared with the help of zinc chloride using microwave and electrical dual-mode heating. The pore characteristics and chemical properties of rice husk-based activated carbon (RH-AC) were characterized by BET, XRD, Raman spectra, FTIR and pHIEP (pH of isoelectric point). The specific surface area of RH-AC is 1719.32 m2/g with a total pore volume of 1.05 cm3/g. The performance of RH-AC for removing Cr(VI) from aqueous solution was examined considering the variation of the contact time (0–120 min), pH value (2.0–9.0), adsorbent dose (0.5–3.0 g/L), initial concentration (28–145 mg/L) and solvent temperature (15–45 °C). The ideal pH for Cr(VI) removal is between 2.0 and 3.0 with the equilibrium time of 90 min, achieving the maximum adsorption capacity of 56.82 mg/g with the pH of 3.0. Comparable study on the established kinetic models and isotherms to simulate the removal of Cr(VI) by RH-AC was carried out to sort out the inherent mechanism of the absorption. Reasonable agreements could be obtained by the pseudo-second-order kinetic model and Langmuir, Freundlich and Tempkin isothermal models. Results from Body model simulation suggest that external mass transfer was the essential cause for rate-controlling in the adsorption process of Cr(VI).

The sorption-enhanced method can change the thermodynamic equilibrium by absorbing CO2. However, it also brings about the problems of high regeneration temperature of adsorbent and large regeneration energy consumption. In order to study the impact of enhanced adsorption methods on the overall energy cost of the system in the hydrogen production process, this paper analyzes and compares steam methane reforming and reactive adsorption-enhanced steam methane reforming with the energy consumption of hydrogen production products as the evaluation index. The results showed that the energy consumption per unit hydrogen production decreased from 276.21 MJ/kmol to 131.51 MJ/kmol, and the decomposition rate of H2O increased by more than 20% after the addition of adsorption enhancement method. It is proved that the advantage of sorption enhanced method on pre-separation of CO2 in the product makes up for the disadvantage of energy consumption of adsorbent regeneration. In addition, the ability of the process to obtain H element is improved by the high decomposition rate of H2O, which realizes a more rational distribution of the element.

For a gasification process, the char-CO2 gasification is the controlling step worthwhile to be deeply investigated. The article chosen corn stalk (CS), poplar sawdust (PS) and bagasse residue (BR) as the typical waste species derived from agricultural, forestal and industrial sources. The char-CO2 gasification behavior, reaction kinetics and carbon structure were studied to reveal the intrinsic factors determining the reaction kinetics. Generally, the carbon conversion and maximum conversion rate were influenced by the feedstocks species and char preparation temperatures, as influenced by ash proportion, potassium content in ash and carbon structure of char. The char-CO2 reaction for CS was subject more to the catalytic effect of alkali compositions, while pore structure affected more the gasification reaction for PS char. The isoconversional kinetic analysis indicated that the gasification reaction became stable at carbon conversion of 0.5. Subsequently, sectionalized kinetic parameters were calculated for the initial gasification temperature to the temperature reaching 50% conversion. The result showed that high initial gasification temperature increased the char-CO2 gasification barrier to hardly start the reaction but accelerate the reaction rate. The carbon structure analyses further clarified that the reaction activation energy was highly related to the microcrystalline structure of carbon, while the reaction rate was more determined by carbon pore structure.

With the complexity of modern power system and the susceptibility to external weather influences, it brings challenges to build an accurate load model. This paper proposes a variational autoencoder (VAE) long short-term memory (LSTM) load model based on the attention mechanism (Attention). First, the Prophet data decomposition method is used to decompose long sequences of load data at multiple time scales. Second, the correlation-based feature selection with maximum information coefficient (CFS-MIC) method is employed to select weather features based on their relevance, a subset of features with high correlation and low redundancy is chosen as model inputs. Finally, the Attention-LSTM-VAE model is constructed to capture the temporal variations laws of load. The dataset includes 2 years of load values and weather data collected in Caojiaping, Hunan Province, China. The experimental results show that the Attention-LSTM-VAE model has the lowest mean absolute error of 0.0374 and the highest R-squared value of 0.9714, verifying the accuracy of the model. Therefore, the performance of the Attention-LSTM-VAE model is better than the general deep learning load models, which has important reference for the research of power load models. Comparisons with other deep learning methods, the experimental results show that the Attention-LSTM-VAE model has the lowest mean absolute error of 0.0374 and the highest R-squared value of 0.9714. The Attention-LSTM-VAE has better robustness, stability, and accuracy in load modeling, which has an important reference for the research of power load models.

Background: Thyroid-associated ophthalmopathy (TAO) is an orbital disease closely related to thyroid disease with a long-lasting duration that can be blinding and disabling. Recently, structural and functional neuroimaging studies have been performed in TAO patients, but studies have reported inconsistent results. This quantitative meta-analysis was conducted to identify convergent patterns of abnormal brain function among different studies in TAO. Methods: We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane, and Web of Science, performed reference tracking, and retrieved 15 eligible studies. Peak coordinates were extracted from these studies and subsequently tested for convergence using activation likelihood estimation (ALE). Results: Compared to healthy subjects, resting-state brain activity in the whole brain of TAO patients was significantly increased in the left superior frontal gyrus (SFG) and decreased in the left cuneus/precuneus. Functional decoding analysis of the BrainMap database revealed that these regions are predominantly associated with cognitive and emotional impairment. In this study, task-related meta-analytic connectivity modeling (MACM) analysis was used to describe the connectivity and function of the two seed regions. Significant coactivation of these regions was found primarily in the bilateral superior parietal lobule, medial frontal gyrus, left fusiform gyrus, left cingulate gyrus, supplementary motor area and thalamus. Conclusion: Our findings underscore the role of the SFG and the cuneus/precuneus in the pathophysiology of TAO, highlighting the crucial impact of working memory deficits.

AbstractIntroduction To estimate the up-to-date prevalence of chronic kidney disease among the health check-up population in economically developed areas of China using estimated glomerular filtration rate, urinary albumin creatinine ratio, and kidney ultrasound.Methods Healthcare data from 38,093 subjects in 10 megalopolises of China who had an annual health check-up in 2021 were used. The overall and stratified prevalence of chronic kidney disease by sex, age, region and comorbidity group was reported. The association between chronic kidney disease and covariates of demographics, and comorbidities were analyzed in the multivariable-adjusted logistic regression model.Results A total of 3837 CKD cases were detected meeting any of the three CKD diagnostic criteria, with a crude prevalence of 10.1% in the study population. Using one criterion of decreased glomerular filtration rate, albuminuria and kidney structural abnormalities alone detected 204 (5.3%), 3289 (85.7%) and 563 (14.7%) cases, respectively. The addition of kidney ultrasound detected 427 (11.1%) structural abnormality cases without decreased GFR and albuminuria. The most common abnormalities were renal masses, hydronephrosis due to obstruction and congenital anomalies of kidney and urinary tract. Female, older age, low city-tier, hypertension, diabetes, obesity, hypertriglyceridemia as well as early disease stages such as pre-hypertension, impaired fasting glucose and overweight were significantly associated with chronic kidney disease.Conclusion Kidney ultrasound helps to amplify the detection of CKD patients, which is a supplement to kidney function and urine protein.

Exchange coupling interaction in sintered magnetic materials is generally isotropic. In this study, the anisotropic exchange coupling interaction was found in sintered oblate cylindrical SrFe12O19 (SrM) specimens obtained by the SrM nanopowders synthesized via a hydrothermal method. According to Henkel plots, the exchange coupling interaction between hard–hard magnetic grains was found in both as-pressed and sintered specimens. However, the exchange coupling interaction can only be found in the in-plane direction but not in the out-of-plane direction for the sintered specimens. By building a model of a grain configuration, this anisotropy of the exchange coupling interaction was ascribed to the vertically arranged plate-like SrM grains with micrometers in width but nanometers in thickness, which was confirmed by morphologies of cross sections in fractured specimens.

The enhancements in thermoelectric (TE) performances of p-type skutterudites are usually limited due to the relatively low Seebeck coefficients owing to the higher carrier concentration and more impurity phases induced by inherent structural instability of a Fe-based skutterudite. As shown in this study, alloying engineering of Ni doping at Fe sites in a p-type CeFe3.8Co0.2Sb12 skutterudite can not only reduce the impurity phases with high thermal conductivity but also regulate the carrier concentration, and thus significantly increase the Seebeck coefficient. The thermal conductivity was largely suppressed due to the enhanced point defect phonon scattering and decreased hole concentration. As a result, a TE figure of merit ZT of the CeFe3.5Ni0.3Co0.2Sb12 sample reached 0.8, which is approximately 50% higher than that of a Ni-free sample. Appropriate Ni doping can maintain a high ZT at a high temperature by controlling the reduction in a band gap. Therefore, a high average ZT close to 0.8 at 650–800 K for CeFe3.5Ni0.3Co0.2Sb12 was obtained, which was comparable to or even higher than those of the reported Ce-filled Fe-based skutterudites due to the synergistic optimization of electrical and thermal performances. This study provides a strategy to synergistically optimize electrical–thermal performances of the p-type skutterudites by alloying engineering.

The sustainable production of chemicals and fuels from waste carbon sources holds significant promise for reducing our dependence on fossil resources. Here, the authors demonstrate renewable formate production from biomass wastes and CO2 powered by solar energy.

Abstract Background Growth-promoting antibiotics have been banned by law in the livestock and poultry breeding industry in many countries. Various alternatives to antibiotics have been investigated for using in livestock. Epimedium (EM) is an herb rich in flavonoids that has many beneficial effects on animals. Therefore, this study was planned to explore the potential of EM as a new alternative antibiotic product in animal feed. Methods A total of 720 1-day-old male broilers (Arbor Acres Plus) were randomly divided into six groups and fed basal diet (normal control; NC), basal diet supplemented with antibiotic (75 mg/kg chlortetracycline; CTC), and basal diet supplemented with 100, 200, 400 or 800 mg/kg EM extract for 6 weeks (EM100, EM200, EM400 and EM800 groups). The growth performance at weeks 3 and 6 was measured. Serum, intestinal tissue and feces were collected to assay for antioxidant indexes, intestinal permeability, lactic acid and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) profiles, microbial composition, and expression of intestinal barrier genes. Results The average daily feed intake in CTC group at 1–21 d was significantly higher than that in the NC group, and had no statistical difference with EM groups. Compared with NC group, average daily gain in CTC and EM200 groups increased significantly at 1–21 and 1–42 d. Compared with NC group, EM200 and EM400 groups had significantly decreased levels of lipopolysaccharide and D-lactic acid in serum throughout the study. The concentrations of lactic acid, acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid and SCFAs in feces of birds fed 200 mg/kg EM diet were significantly higher than those fed chlortetracycline. The dietary supplementation of chlortetracycline and 200 mg/kg EM significantly increased ileal expression of SOD1, Claudin-1 and ZO-1 genes. Dietary supplemented with 200 mg/kg EM increased the relative abundances of g_NK4A214_group and Lactobacillus in the jejunal, while the relative abundances of Microbacterium, Kitasatospora, Bacteroides in the jejunal and Gallibacterium in the ileum decreased. Conclusion Supplementation with 200 mg/kg EM extract improved the composition of intestinal microbiota by regulating the core bacterial genus Lactobacillus, and increased the concentration of beneficial metabolites lactic acid and SCFAs in the flora, thereby improving the antioxidant capacity and intestinal permeability, enhancing the function of tight junction proteins. These beneficial effects improved the growth performance of broilers. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The study is to evaluate the performance of ocular biometric measures and uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) for detecting myopia among Chinese students. Among 5- to 18-year-old Chinese students from two cities of China, trained eye-care professionals performed assessment of ocular biometrics (axial length (AL), corneal curvature radius (CR), anterior chamber depth) under noncycloplegic conditions using NIDEK Optical Biometer AL-Scan, distance visual acuity using retro-illuminated logMAR chart with tumbling-E optotypes, and cycloplegic refractive error using NIDEK autorefractor with administration of 0.5% tropicamide. Spherical equivalent (SER) in diopters (D) was calculated as sphere plus half cylinder, and myopia was defined as SER ≤ − 0.5 D. Performances of ocular biometrics and UCVA (individually and in combination) for detecting myopia were evaluated using sensitivity and specificity, predictive values, and area under ROC curve (AUC) in both development dataset and validation dataset. Among 3436 students (mean age 9.7 years, 51% female), the mean (SD) cycloplegic SER was − 0.20 (2.18) D, and 1269 (36.9%) had myopia. Cycloplegic SER was significantly correlated with AL (Pearson Correlation coefficient r = − 0.82), AL/CR ratio (r = − 0.90), and UCVA (r = 0.79), but was not correlated with CR (r = 0.02, p = 0.15). The AL/CR ratio detected myopia with AUC 0.963 (95% CI 0.957–0.969) and combination with UCVA improved the AUC to 0.976 (95% CI 0.971–0.981). Using age-specific AL/CR cutoff (> 3.00 for age 3.06 for 10–14 years, > 3.08 for ≥ 15 years) as myopia positive, the sensitivity and specificity were 87.0% (95% CI 84.4–89.6%) and 87.8% (86.0–89.6%), respectively, in the development dataset and 86.4% (95% CI 83.7–89.1%) and 89.4% (95% CI 87.3–91.4%), respectively, in the validation dataset. Combining AL/CR and UCVA (worse than 20/32 for age

In order to accurately simulate the productivity variation characteristics of fractured wells with complex fracture network in shale gas reservoir, based on the multiple migration mechanism of shale gas, the micro-seismic data and discrete fracture model were used to characterize the fracture geometry and complex boundary characteristics, and the comprehensive seepage mathematical model of fractured wells with complex fracture network was established based on the dual porosity-discrete fracture model, and the numerical solution was carried out by combining the unstructured grid and the control volume finite element method. The sensitivity analysis of the influence of key parameters such as fracture conductivity, physical property difference in composite area and Langmuir volume on the production performance of fractured horizontal wells is carried out. This study provides theoretical methods and calculation tools for accurate prediction of productivity change and optimization of production system of fractured horizontal wells with complex fracture network in shale gas reservoirs.

Little work seems to be known about stabilization results of highly nonlinear stochastic time-varying delay systems (STVDSs) with Markovian switching and Poisson jump. This paper is concerned with the stabilization problem for a class of STVDSs with Markovian switching and Poisson jump. The coefficients of such systems do not satisfy the conventional linear growth conditions, but are subject to high nonlinearity. The aim of this paper is to design a delay feedback controller to make an unstable highly nonlinear STVDSs with Markovian switching and Poisson jump $H_\infty$-stable and asymptotically stable. Besides, an illustrative example is provided to support the theoretical results.

Lipids in foods are sensitive to various environmental conditions. Under light or high temperatures, free radicals could be formed due to lipid oxidation, leading to the formation of unstable food system. Proteins are sensitive to free radicals, which could cause protein oxidation and aggregation. Protein aggregation significantly affects protein physicochemical characteristics and biological functions, such as digestibility, foaming characteristics, and bioavailability, further reducing the edible and storage quality of food. This review provided an overview of lipid oxidation in foods; its implications on protein oxidation; and the assessment methods of lipid oxidation, protein oxidation, and protein aggregation. Protein functions before and after aggregation in foods were compared, and a discussion for future research on lipid or protein oxidation in foods was presented.

In order to compare the composition and antioxidant properties of sea cucumber peptides prepared by different methods, sea cucumber peptides were prepared by endogenous enzyme (sea cucumber autolysis) and compared with those prepared by exogenous enzyme (neutral protease, alkaline protease and trypsin). The results showed that the degree of hydrolysis of sea cucumber crude peptide prepared by autolysis method was autolysis 8 h method>autolysis 4 h method>autolysis 2 h method, and the degree of hydrolysis of sea cucumber crude peptide prepared by exogenous enzyme was trypsin method>alkaline protease method>neutral protease method. More than 94% of sea cucumber peptides produced by autolysis for 2, 4 and 8 h were less than 314 Da. The molecular weight of sea cucumber peptides prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis was mainly distributed in 1~8.5 kDa； With the increase of autolysis time, the types of amino acids of sea cucumber peptides prepared by autolysis gradually increased, and the content of flavor amino acids was higher at 8 h. The sea cucumber peptides prepared by autolysis for 2, 4 and 8 h had better hydroxyl radical scavenging ability, DPPH radical scavenging ability and Fe3+ reducing ability than those prepared by enzymatic hydrolysis. At the concentration of 10 mg/mL, the hydroxyl radical scavenging rate of autolysis for 8 h was 93.4%, DPPH radical scavenging rate was 85.8% and Fe3+ reducing force was 0.740. In conclusion, sea cucumber peptides prepared by autolysis method had their own unique advantages. This study can provide theoretical support for the preparation of sea cucumber peptides.

The synthesis of renewable chemical fuels from CO2 and H2O via photoelectrochemical (PEC) route reprensents a promising room-temperature approach for transforming greenhouse gas into value-added chemicals (e.g., syngas), but to date it has been hampered by the lack of efficient photocathode for CO2 reduction. Herein, we report efficient PEC CO2 reduction into syngas by photocathode engineering. The photocathode is consisting of a planar p-n Si junction for strong light harvesting, GaN nanowires for efficient electron extraction and transfer, and Au/TiO2 for rapid electrocatalytic syngas production. The photocathode yields a record-high solar energy conversion efficiency of 2.3%. Furthermore, desirable syngas compositions with CO/H2 ratios such as 1:2 and 1:1 can be produced by simply varying the size of Au nanoparticle. Theoretical calculations reveal that the active sites for CO and H2 generation are the facet and undercoordinated sites of Au particles, respectively.

Considering the effect of the natural enemy on aphid populations, the corresponding model with delay is built. The model is analyzed using the qualitative theory of differential equations and catastrophe theory etc. For the outbreak phenomenon of aphid populations, the corresponding management model is proposed and the catastrophe controller is designed to keep the system in a virtuous cycle by means of the qualitative theory of impulsive differential equations. In the mean time, some simulations are carried to prove the results. The paper not only provides a new method for catastrophe control but also expands the application fields of catastrophe control.

Huanglongbing (HLB) is one of the most devastating diseases of citrus worldwide. The phloem-restricted bacterium Candidatus Liberibacter asiaticus (CLas) is considered to be the main pathogen responsible for HLB. There is currently no effective practical strategy for the control of HLB. Our understanding of how pathogens cause HLB is limited because CLas has not been artificially cultured. In this study, 15 potential virulence factors were predicted from the proteome of CLas through DeepVF and PHI-base searches. One among them, FlgI, was found to inhibit yeast growth when expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The expression of the signal peptide of FlgI fused with PhoA in Escherichia coli resulted in the discovery that FlgI was a novel Sec-dependent secretory protein. We further found that the carboxyl-terminal HA-tagged FlgI was secreted via outer membrane vesicles in Sinorhizobium meliloti. Fluoresence localization of transient expression FlgI-GFP in Nicotiana benthamiana revealed that FlgI is mainly localized in the cytoplasm, cell periphery, and nuclear periphery of tobacco cells. In addition, our experimental results suggest that FlgI has a strong ability to induce callose deposition and cell necrosis in N. benthamiana. Finally, by screening a large library of compounds in a high-throughput format, we found that cyclosporin A restored the growth of FlgI-expressing yeast. These results confirm that FlgI is a novel Sec-dependent effector, enriching our understanding of CLas pathogenicity and helping to develop new and more effective strategies to manage HLB.

An experimental study is conducted to investigate the effects of different operating parameters on the performance of liquid–gas jet pumps. A square nozzle with an area ratio of 2.25 is designed for the liquid–gas jet pump, and an experimental setup for the liquid–gas jet pump system is constructed. By varying parameters such as inlet flow rate, temperature, and inlet pressure, the variations in the pumping capacity and pumping ratio of the system are studied. The performance of liquid–gas jet pumps with square nozzles and traditional circular nozzles under the same working conditions was compared through experimental data. Explore the performance advantages and disadvantages of liquid–gas jet pumps with different shaped nozzles under the same working conditions. The experimental results indicate that as the inlet flow rate of the liquid–gas jet pump increases, the pumping capacity of the system increases, leading to an increase in the pumping ratio. The operational efficiency slightly decreases with a rise in the working water flow rate. The pumping ratio of the system increases with an increase in the inlet pressure, reaching a peak value of around 4.0 when the inlet valve is fully open. Inlet pressure significantly affects the efficiency of the liquid–gas jet pump, with the highest efficiency point achieved at Pa (inlet air pressure) = 60 kPa, reaching an operational efficiency of 42.48%. When Pa exceeds 70 kPa, the operational efficiency rapidly declines. Comparing the performance of square and circular nozzle liquid–gas jet pumps under the same operating conditions, the performance of the square nozzle liquid–gas jet pump outperforms that of the circular nozzle counterpart. The pumping system’s performance decreases continuously with an increase in the working liquid temperature; however, the decline in pumping performance becomes gradual after exceeding 40 °C. As the water level rises, both the pumping capacity and pumping ratio of the system increase. After the liquid level reaches 40 cm, the changes in the pumping system’s performance become less pronounced.

Yellow seed coat in rapeseed (Brassica napus) is a desirable trait that can be targeted to improve the quality of this oilseed crop. To better understand the inheritance mechanism of the yellow-seeded trait, we performed transcriptome profiling of developing seeds in yellow- and black-seeded rapeseed with different backgrounds. The differentially expressed genes (DEGs) during seed development showed significant characteristics, these genes were mainly enriched for the Gene Ontology (GO) terms carbohydrate metabolic process, lipid metabolic process, photosynthesis, and embryo development. Moreover, 1206 and 276 DEGs, which represent candidates to be involved in seed coat color, were identified between yellow- and black-seeded rapeseed during the middle and late stages of seed development, respectively. Based on gene annotation, GO enrichment analysis, and protein–protein interaction network analysis, the downregulated DEGs were primarily enriched for the phenylpropanoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathways. Notably, 25 transcription factors (TFs) involved in regulating flavonoid biosynthesis pathway, including known (e.g., KNAT7, NAC2, TTG2 and STK) and predicted TFs (e.g., C2H2-like, bZIP44, SHP1, and GBF6), were identified using integrated gene regulatory network (iGRN) and weight gene co-expression networks analysis (WGCNA). These candidate TF genes had differential expression profiles between yellow- and black-seeded rapeseed, suggesting they might function in seed color formation by regulating genes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. Thus, our results provide in-depth insights that facilitate the exploration of candidate gene function in seed development. In addition, our data lay the foundation for revealing the roles of genes involved in the yellow-seeded trait in rapeseed.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a chronic progressive neurodegenerative disease characterized by the deposition of amyloid-beta (Aβ) peptide and neurofibrillary tangles in the brain. The approved drug for AD has certain limitations such as a short period of cognitive improvement effect; moreover, the development of drug for AD therapeutic single target for Aβ clearance in brain ended in failure. Therefore, diagnosis and treatment of AD using a multi-target strategy according to the modulation of the peripheral system, which is not only limited to the brain, is needed. Traditional herbal medicines can be beneficial for AD based on a holistic theory and personalized treatment according to the time-order progression of AD. This literature review aimed to investigate the effectiveness of herbal medicine therapy based on syndrome differentiation, a unique theory of traditional diagnosis based on the holistic system, for multi-target and multi-time treatment of mild cognitive impairment or AD stage. Possible interdisciplinary biomarkers including transcriptomic and neuroimaging studies by herbal medicine therapy for AD were investigated. In addition, the mechanism by which herbal medicines affect the central nervous system in connection with the peripheral system in an animal model of cognitive impairment was reviewed. Herbal medicine may be a promising therapy for the prevention and treatment of AD through a multi-target and multi-time strategy. This review would contribute to the development of interdisciplinary biomarkers and understanding of the mechanisms of action of herbal medicine in AD.

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD), the second most common progressive neurodegenerative disease, causes heterogeneous clinical symptoms. Patients experience a range of motor and non-motor symptoms, and personalized diagnosis and treatment are needed. In traditional East Asian medicine, syndrome differentiation (SD) is a diagnostic approach for customized therapy that uses a comprehensive analysis and varies for the same disease. We aimed to evaluate the efficacy of herbal medicine (HM) prescribed according to the SD of PD.Methods: Ten electronic databases were searched from inception to August 2021 without language limitations. All randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving HM for SD of PD were included. Assessment of Cochrane's risk of bias and meta-analysis and Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation was also performed. Effect measurement was summarized using the mean difference (MD) with 95% confidence interval, through a meta-analysis.Results: Thirteen RCTs involving 843 participants were included. The overall risk of bias was either low or unclear. Compared with the placebo, a combined therapy of HM and Western medicine (WM) significantly improved the total Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale (UPDRS) (MD = −8.03, [−10.27, −5.79], p < 0.00001; I2 = 0%) and was more beneficial, as assessed using the UPDRS (I–III), the Parkinson’s Disease Questionnaire-39, and the Non-Motor Symptoms Scale. Adverse events did not differ between the groups.Conclusion: The findings suggest that the combined treatment of WM and HM based on SD diagnosis has additional benefits in PD treatment. However, the methodological quality of the included RCTs was suboptimal. Nevertheless, this systematic review is the first to investigate the efficacy of HM treatment according to the SD diagnosis in PD. The clinically meaningful improvement in HM according to SD in PD needs to be tested in further studies with rigorous designs and longer follow-up periods.Systematic Review Registration: [https://inplasy.com/inplasy-2021-10-0020/], identifier [INPLASY2021100020].

This paper studies the issue of the adaptive neural security controller design for uncertain networked singular systems in the presence of deception attacks. Considering that the attack signal is unknown, the neural networks technique is exploited to approximate the attack signal, which eliminates the assumption that the attack signal has a known upper bound. By combining the state feedback with the estimated information of the attack, the impact of the attack is effectively compensated. Furthermore, a novel Lyapunov function, including the decomposed state vector and the weight matrix estimation error, is established to evaluate the bounded area of the system state. Finally, a numerical example substantiates the validity of the theoretical results.