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In order to explore the effects of lactic acid bacteria fermentation on the quality, flavour and antioxidant activity of rice milk, different rice varieties (black rice, red rice and brown rice), auxiliary ingredients (milk powder and sucrose) and lactic acid bacteria were used to produce rice milk in this study. The stability, protein content, reducing sugar content, total phenolic content, DPPH· and ABTS+· scavenging activity, and volatile flavor compounds of fermented and non-fermented rice milk were evaluated. The results showed that the acidity, protein content, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity of rice milk increased significantly after fermentation by lactic acid bacteria, while the pH, soluble solids and reducing sugar content decreased significantly (P

Abstract In the present study, different doses of lyophilized kiwifruit peel powder extract (KPE) were incorporated into carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) and gum Arabic (GA) based polymer matrices to fabricate films CG-CT (control film), CG-KPE1 (1% KPE), CG-KPE2 (2% KPE), and CG-KPE3 (3% KPE) to investigate their effects on active packaging functionality and sliced-beef sausage quality. Consequently, CG-KPE films demonstrated a superior antimicrobial effect on Gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus and Bacillus cereus) and Gram-negative (Escherichia coli) bacteria and antioxidant efficacy compared to CG-CT films. The scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) of CG-KPE films revealed an enhanced micrograph. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) evidenced the intramolecular interaction between KPE and CG and the improved thermal stability of film matrix. Film X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks revealed a good crystallinity. CG-KPE films exhibited better physical and mechanical properties, increased opacity, and better ultraviolet (UV) emission barrier due to KPE addition and pigmentation compared to CG-CT films. The quick biodegradability of CG-KPE film suggested potential for KPE as a biopolymer. Subsequently, sliced-beef sausages were packaged with CG-CT, CG-KPE1, CG-KPE2, and CG-KPE3 (respective to CT, TI, T2, and T3) and stored for 12 d (4 ± 1 °C). The product’s pH and moisture content were controlled due to KPE addition in CG-KPE films. The products revealed that during storage CG-KPE treatments had a positive impact on the textural property, the color stability, and the sensory quality compared to CG-CT treatments. CG-KPE treatments showed antimicrobial effectiveness and lesser TBARS values than CG-CT treatments during storage. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Aims Acute myocarditis (AM) has been recognized as a rare complication of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) infection. This study was conducted to present the clinical characteristics, disease courses and short‐term prognoses of Omicron variant of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) induced AM in China, which has been unavailable so far. Methods and results Data from 28 patients diagnosed with definite COVID‐19–associated AM from 6 hospitals in China between 1 December 2022 and 30 June 2023 were collected and analysed. The diagnosis of AM was based on increased troponin level plus typical findings of AM on cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging and/or endomyocardial biopsy. Among 28 patients with definite COVID‐19–related AM, median age was 37 years (Q1–Q3: 22–52) and 53.6% were men. Twenty‐three patients occurred within 2 weeks of the onset of COVID‐19 infection, 10 patients underwent endomyocardial biopsy and CMR was performed in all patients. Seven (25.0%) patients developed fulminant myocarditis that required inotropic agents or temporary mechanical circulatory support. Of the nine patients (32.1%) with left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) below 50% on admission, five had fully recovered LVEF and two demonstrated improvement but to levels below normal at discharge. The comparison of CMR parameters between the baseline and first follow‐up showed that ECV was decreased at the first follow‐up [28.95 (25.38, 32.55)% vs. 33.65 (31.58, 37.55)%, P = 0.028), while other CMR parameters had no significant changes. Eighteen patients (64.3%) were prescribed with corticosteroids, and seven patients (25.0%) underwent temporary mechanical circulatory support. Only two patients died during hospitalization. Conclusions The majority of COVID‐19–associated AM occurred within 2 weeks of Omicron variant infection. Fulminant myocarditis complicated by hemodynamic instability requiring temporary mechanical circulatory support was not uncommon. However, short‐term outcome was generally good and most AM patients fully recovered.

Abstract The upper ocean provides thermal energy to tropical cyclones. However, the impacts of the subsurface ocean on tropical cyclogenesis have been largely overlooked. Here, we show that the subsurface variabilities associated with the variation in the 26 °C isothermal depth have pronounced impacts on tropical cyclogenesis over global oceans. The sea surface wind stress and its curl before tropical cyclogenesis are large enough to perturb the ocean interior down to more than one hundred meters due to entrainment and upwelling. The 26 °C isothermal depth can fluctuate by tens of meters to significantly modify the upper ocean heat content. Consequently, sea surface temperature anomalies under nascent tropical cyclones are induced, and tropical cyclogenesis is modulated. Our results substantiate an unexpected relation between ocean interior variations and tropical cyclogenesis.

Abstract Background Type-III prostatitis is the most common prostate disease in adult males below 40 years old. The actual operation of its diagnosis process is cumbersome. Recently, a group of top Chinese urologists have proposed the theory of “prostate-pelvic syndrome (PPS)” and suggested using it to replace the traditional term for type-III prostatitis. However, the practical application effectiveness of PPS theory in clinical practice is still unclear. Objective The aims of this study were to verify the clinical outcome of PPS theory in diagnosing the adult patients with type-III prostatitis below 40 years old and analyze the related factors for the main symptoms of PPS in adult males below 40 years old, providing references for the prevention and treatment of PPS in young adult males. Methods The clinical medical records of 548 adult outpatients with type-III prostatitis under 40 years old between August 2018 and May 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were diagnosed retrospectively again by using PPS diagnostic criteria in this retrospective cohort study. Subsequently, the age, disease duration, prostate volume (PV), PV ≥ 20 mL detection rate and other related indicators among different symptom groups were analyzed by univariate analysis. The correlation between different symptoms of PPS patients and PV as well as disease duration was analyzed by correlation analysis. Additionally, the related factors for different main symptoms of PPS patients were analyzed by multivariate analysis. Results Of the 548 patients, 229 patients had lower urinary tract symptoms, 159 patients had pelvic pain symptoms, and 160 patients had lower urinary tract and pelvic pain symptoms, respectively corresponding to those with voiding symptoms (VS), pain symptoms (PS), and voiding + pain symptoms (VS + PS) defined according to the concept of PPS. There were significant differences in PV and disease duration among the three main symptoms groups of PPS. PV in the VS group was larger than that in the PS group. Spearman correlation analysis showed that VS was positively correlated with PV and disease duration, while four secondary symptoms (including sexual dysfunction, psychosocial symptoms, reproductive dysfunction and other symptoms) were not related to PV. The proportion of VS patients in the PV ≥ 20 mL group was higher than that in the PV

Composite materials are high-performance materials formed by the optimal combination of material components with different properties through advanced material preparation techniques. In recent years, additive manufacturing of continuous fiber composites has garnered significant interest across various industries. However, additively manufactured Continuous carbon fiber reinforced composites (CCFRC) parts are still deficient in interlayer bonding strength. In this paper, modified equipment based on commercial Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) has been developed for the additive manufacturing of CCFRC. The equipment was improved to address the problems of too sharp nozzle, insufficient traction force of continuous fiber, insufficient level of hot bed, and humidity of filament. To improve the CCFRC interlayer bonding strength, this paper explores the effects of different hatch spacing and printing speeds on the interlayer shear strength of the specimens. The results show that smaller hatch spacing can print components with higher Interlaminar Shear Strength (ILSS), while either too large or too small a printing speed will result in greater porosity and thus a decrease in the ILSS of the part. After the optimization, the maximum interlaminar shear strength and the maximum relative density of the produced samples reach 27.41 MPa and 99.47% with the parameters of hatch spacing 0.8 mm and printing speed 2 mm/s. Finally, the mechanism analysis of the above improvement and parameter optimization is carried out by relative density and surface morphology. It can provide guidance for interlaminar reinforcement of CCFRC parts for additive manufacturing.

Abstract Mechanical properties of steels are closely related to microstructures. However, in steel process there is a lack of effective online monitoring and characterized methods for steel microstructures and mechanical properties, giving rise to issues of low steel quality and high alloy costs (to ensure mechanical strength). In order to ensure the mechanical performance of steels, advanced characterization methods and measurement instruments are necessary for real-time online monitoring of the production process. In this study, electromagnetic responses on steel microstructures and mechanical properties are investigated. An online electromagnetic non-destructive characterization system for steel microstructures is developed. Relationships between microstructures and steel mechanical properties have been demonstrated through mechanical performance tests. Therefore, the electromagnetic non-destructive characterization system can be used for real-time online monitoring of mechanical properties of steels.

Abstract Objective To identify specific clinical signs of Omicron pharyngitis infection. Methods A clinical cross-sectional retrospective study was designed to analyze the primary symptoms of pharyngitis in outpatients seeking treatment for sore throat. Pharyngeal congestion, mucosal edema, were measured using a visual analogue assessment score (0–10) while the presence of ulcers, no-tonsil-swelling, no-tonsil-exudate. They were recorded as "yes" or "no "as two-Categorical data by two senior clinicians, respectively. Significant clinical signs were selected and combined to form a diagnostic panel using SPSS software to differentiate between Omicron pharyngitis and other sore throat cases. The efficiency of the panel was calculated. Results A total of 39 sore throat patients were included in the study, including 15 confirmed cases of Omicron pharyngitis through nuclear acid or Sars-Cov-2 virus antigen testing, and 24 cases of common pharyngitis caused by other pathogens. Mucosal congestion and edema were identified as the most significant symptoms and consolidated into a single working group. When combined with the third significant symptom of no-tonsil-swelling, the three-sign-combined diagnostic panel was found to have a high diagnostic efficiency. Mucosal congestion and edema were the most significant signs. When mucosal congestion and edema were consolidated into a single working panel, the cut-off values were determined to be 7.5 and 1, respectively. When combined with the third significant symptom no-tonsil-swelling, the three-sign diagnostic panel was found to have a high diagnostic efficiency. When compared with the gold standard measurement of Sars-Cov-2 virus antigen or nucleic acid, the diagnostic panel has a sensitivity of 66.7% and a specificity of 91.7%. Conclusion A combination of three signs may be a useful diagnostic tool for Omicron pharyngitis. Clinical signs of dramatic mucosal congestion and edema, non-swollen tonsils are the characteristics of Omicron pharyngitis.

AIM: To test the effect of autophagy on inflammatory damage resulting from oxidative stress in adult retinal pigment epithelial cell line (ARPE-19). METHODS: ARPE-19 cells were pretreated with 200 and 600 µmol/L hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) at various time intervals. The changes of cell morphology, cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, autophagic activity, and the inflammatory cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and TGFβ) were measured at baseline and after treatment with autophagy inducer rapamycin (Rapa) and suppressor wortmannin (Wort) or shATG5. RESULTS: The levels of ROS, cytokines (TNFα, IL-6, and TGFβ), and autophagic activity were significantly increased in ARPE-19 cells after pretreated with H2O2 (all P

Abstract Background Non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has become the most common chronic liver disease in recent years, but the pathogenesis is not fully understood. Therefore, it is important to establish an effective animal model for studying NAFLD. Methods Adult zebrafish were fed a normal diet or a high‐fat diet combined with egg yolk powder for 30 days. Body mass index (BMI) was measured to determine overall obesity. Serum lipids were measured using triglyceride (TG) and total cholesterol (TC) kits. Liver lipid deposition was detected by Oil Red O staining. Liver injury was assessed by measuring glutathione aminotransferase (AST) and glutamic acid aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) were used to evaluate oxidative damage. The level of inflammation was assessed by qRT‐PCR for pro‐inflammatory factors. H&E staining was used for pathological histology. Caspase‐3 immunofluorescence measured apoptosis. Physiological disruption was assessed via RNA‐seq analysis of genes at the transcriptional level and validated by qRT‐PCR. Results The high‐fat diet led to significant obesity in zebrafish, with elevated BMI, hepatic TC, and TG. Severe lipid deposition in the liver was observed by ORO and H&E staining, accompanied by massive steatosis and ballooning. Serum AST and ALT levels were elevated, and significant liver damage was observed. The antioxidant system in the body was severely imbalanced. Hepatocytes showed massive apoptosis. RNA‐seq results indicated that several physiological processes, including endoplasmic reticulum stress, and glucolipid metabolism, were disrupted. Conclusion Additional feeding of egg yolk powder to adult zebrafish for 30 consecutive days can mimic the pathology of human nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

Abstract A well-designed scheduling plan that meets the practical constraints of the workshop is crucial for enhancing production efficiency in ship plane block assembly. Unlike traditional flow line scheduling problems, the scheduling optimization problem for ship plane block flow line involves dual resource constraints, including work teams and spare parts supply limitations. This can be seen as a Dual Resource Constrained Blocked Flow Shop Scheduling Problem (DRCBFSP). This paper presents a scheduling optimization method for this kind of problem to minimize the maximum completion time. To address the dual constraints, chromosomes are encoded as a two-dimensional array composed of positive integers representing the assembly order of blocks and the allocation of work teams. An improved Grey Wolf Optimization Algorithm (IGWO) is proposed to solve the problem, and the Rank Order Value (ROV) rule is used to transform the discrete scheduling solution with the continuous individual position vector. The IGWO algorithm also incorporates nonlinear search factors, dynamic inertia weight factors, and Gaussian mutation perturbation strategies to enhance its development and exploration capabilities. The experimental results suggest that the mathematical model and the IGWO algorithm established in this paper can effectively solve the DRCBFSP encountered in ship block building.

Abstract Histone acetylation is an important epigenetic modification, modulating the development of many tumors. However, the functions of most histone acetylation-related genes (HARGs) and their prognostic values in Ewing sarcoma (EWS) remain unclear. The current study aimed to investigate the prognostic values and potential functions of HARGs in EWS. After collecting EWS patients with mRNA sequencing data from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database and a list of HARGs from previous studies, Cox regression and Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) regression were performed to construct a prognostic gene signature based on HARGs. Then, four HARGs (TAF4, ATF2, HDAC2 and OGA) composed a formula to calculate risk score for each patient in the training cohort. Based on median risk score, all patients were classified into low- and high-risk group, and patients with high-risk score had a poor survival outcome (p

Abstract Background The phenomenon of growth in drug consumption within the framework of national volume-based procurement (VBP) policy raises speculations about demand release and policy inducing. This study aims to explore the reasons and mechanisms of drug consumption increases following VBP policy from two perspectives. Methods We collected data from the China Drug Supply Information Platform, National Bureau of Statistics and the Joint Procurement Office. Twenty cardiovascular international non-proprietary names (INNs) in the first three VBP batches and 28 observation regions were included, constructing 418 valid INN-region combinations as the unit for analysis. The average monthly consumption volume of VBP cardiovascular drug was assigned as the explained variable. The generalized difference-in-difference method was conducted using the price reduction level and the size of policy assessment task as the policy intensity indicator. Moderating effect model was employed to examine the role of resident’s income level. Results Increased cardiovascular drug consumption was observed in 285 (68.18%) INN-region combinations after policy implementation. Under VBP policy, the price reduction level was significantly correlated with drug consumption in total (β = 0.144, p 0.05). The size of policy assessment task was positively associated with drug consumption in total (β = 0.052, p

The microstructure evolution and mechanical properties are investigated systematically on Flash-butt welded IN718 alloy joint after annealing at 980 °C and subsequent aging. The yield strength (YS) is increased from 667 MPa to 1175 MPa and the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) is increased from unprocessed 980 MPa to 1412 MPa. A grain gradient distribution is achieved in the heat-affected zone (HAZ) with the grain size gradually increasing from the weld seam (WS) to the matrix after heat treatment, and the ductility of the welded sample is higher than that of the matrix without any loss of strength. The contribution mechanism of grain gradient to ductility is investigated by varying the fraction of the HAZ. The results demonstrate that the ductility of the welded sample higher than that of the matrix is because of the co-deformation between the HAZ and the matrix, which results in the effectively dynamic accumulation of geometrically necessary dislocations (GNDs) from gradient transition zones into the matrix. Therefore, premature stress concentration is prevented and additional ductility is obtained for welded samples. Increasing the fraction of HAZ effectively enhances local strain within coordinated deformation zones, leading to improved ductility.

Multiplexing multiple yet distinct functionalities in one single device is highly desired for modern integration optics, but conventional devices are usually of bulky sizes and/or low efficiencies. While recently proposed metasurfaces can be ultra-thin and highly efficient, functionalities multiplexed by metadevices so far are typically restricted to two, dictated by the number of independent polarization states of the incident light. Here, we propose a generic approach to design metadevices exhibiting wave-control functionalities far exceeding two, based on coherent wave interferences continuously tuned by varying the incident polarization. After designing a series of building-block metaatoms with optical properties experimentally characterized, we construct two metadevices based on the proposed strategy and experimentally demonstrate their polarization-tuned multifunctionalities at the wavelength of 1550 nm. Specifically, upon continuously modulating the incident polarization along different paths on the Poincare’s sphere, we show that the first device can generate two spatially non-overlapping vortex beams with strengths continuously tuned, while the second device can generate a vectorial vortex beam carrying continuously-tuned polarization distribution and/or orbital angular momentum. Our proposed strategy significantly expands the wave-control functionalities equipped with a single optical device, which may stimulate numerous applications in integration optics.

Abstract Pigs play a central role in human livelihoods in China, but a lack of systematic large-scale whole-genome sequencing of Chinese domestic pigs has hindered genetic studies. Here, we present the 1000 Chinese Indigenous Pig Genomes Project sequencing dataset, comprising 1011 indigenous individuals from 50 pig populations covering approximately two-thirds of China’s administrative divisions. Based on the deep sequencing (~25.95×) of these pigs, we identify 63.62 million genomic variants, and provide a population-specific reference panel to improve the imputation performance of Chinese domestic pig populations. Using a combination of methods, we detect an ancient admixture event related to a human immigration climax in the 13th century, which may have contributed to the formation of southeast-central Chinese pig populations. Analyzing the haplotypes of the Y chromosome shows that the indigenous populations residing around the Taihu Lake Basin exhibit a unique haplotype. Furthermore, we find a 13 kb region in the THSD7A gene that may relate to high-altitude adaptation, and a 0.47 Mb region on chromosome 7 that is significantly associated with body size traits. These results highlight the value of our genomic resource in facilitating genomic architecture and complex traits studies in pigs.

Abstract Cold stress has a significantly negative effect on the growth, development, and yield of rice. However, the genetic basis for the differences in the cold tolerance of Xian/indica and Geng/japonica rice seedlings is still largely unknown. In this study, an RIL population was generated by crossing of the cold-tolerant japonica variety Nipponbare and the cold-sensitive indica variety WD16343 for BSA-seq analysis, and a major cold tolerance QTL qCTS11 was identified on chromosome 11. This locus was narrowed to the 584 kb region through fine mapping. Sequence alignment and expression analysis identified the cloned gene COLD11 and a novel cold-related gene OsCTS11. According to the reported functional variation of COLD11, Nipponbare (TCG + 3GCG)×2 presented more GCG repeats in the 1st exon than WD16343 (TCG + 3GCG), partially explaining the difference in cold tolerance between the parents. OsCTS11, encoding a stress enhanced protein based on phylogenetic analysis, was strongly induced by cold stress and located in the chloroplast and the nucleus. oscts11-mutant lines generated via CRISPR/Cas9 system improved the cold tolerance of rice seedlings. Our study not only reveals novel genetic loci associated with cold tolerance, but also provides potentially valuable gene resources for the cultivation of cold-tolerant rice.

Abstract Metabolic-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) is a common chronic condition that poses a significant threat to human health. Mitochondrial dysfunction, particularly involving the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU), plays a key role in its pathogenesis. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the MCU gene on hepatic lipid metabolism in mice fed a high-fat diet. Using MCU knockout and wild-type mice, subjected to either a high-fat or normal diet for 14 weeks, we observed notable Steatosis and liver weight gain in MCU-deficient mice. Liver function markers, serum triglycerides, very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL) levels, and ApoB protein expression were all significantly elevated. Mechanistic studies revealed that MCU deletion led to mitochondrial dysfunction, increased oxidative stress. These findings highlight the critical role of the MCU gene in maintaining hepatic lipid balance and suggest its potential as a therapeutic target for managing nonalcoholic fatty liver disease.

AIM: To investigate the proliferation regulatory effect of cone-rod homeobox (CRX) in retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and retinoblastoma (RB) cells to explore the potential application and side effect (oncogenic potential) of CRX-based gene therapy in RPE-based retinopathies. METHODS: Adult human retinal pigment epithelial (ARPE)-19 and human retinal pigment epithelial (RPE)-1 cells and Y79 RB cell were used in the study. Genetic manipulation was performed by lentivirus-based technology. The cell proliferation was determined by a CellTiter-Glo Reagent. The mRNA and protein levels were determined by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and Western blot assay. The transcriptional activity of the promoter was determined by luciferase reporter gene assay. The bindings between CRX and transcription factor 7 (TCF7) promoter as well as TCF7 and the promoters of TCF7 target genes were examined by chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay. The transcription of the TCF7 was determined by a modified nuclear run-on assay. RESULTS: CRX overexpression and knockdown significantly increased (n=3, P

Abstract Although advances in long-read sequencing technology and genome assembly techniques have facilitated the study of genomes, little is known about the genomes of unique Chinese indigenous breeds, including the Huai pig. Huai pig is an ancient domestic pig breed and is well-documented for its redder meat color and high forage tolerance compared to European domestic pigs. In the present study, we sequenced and assembled the Huai pig genome using PacBio, Hi-C, and Illumina sequencing technologies. The final highly contiguous chromosome-level Huai pig genome spans 2.53 Gb with a scaffold N50 of 138.92 Mb. The Benchmarking Universal Single-Copy Orthologs (BUSCO) completeness score for the assembled genome was 95.33%. Remarkably, 23,389 protein-coding genes were annotated in the Huai-pig genome, along with 45.87% repetitive sequences. Overall, this study provided new foundational resources for future genetic research on Chinese domestic pigs.

Abstract The mechanisms underlying myopia pathogenesis are not well understood. Using publicly-available human and animal datasets, we expound on the roles of known, implicated proteins, and new myopia-related signaling pathways were hypothesized. Proteins identified from human serum or ocular fluids, and from ocular tissues in myopic animal models, were uploaded and analyzed with the QIAGEN Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software (March 2023). With each IPA database update, more potentially-relevant proteins and signaling pathways previously unavailable during data acquisition are added, allowing extraction of novel conclusions from existing data. Canonical pathway analysis was used to analyze these data and calculate an IPA activation z-score—which indicates not only whether an association is significant, but also whether the pathway is likely activated or inhibited. Cellular immune response and cytokine signaling were frequently found to be affected in both human and animal myopia studies. Analysis of two publicly-available proteomic datasets highlighted a potential role of the innate immune system and inflammation in myopia development, detailing specific signaling pathways involved such as Granzyme A (GzmA) and S100 family signaling in the retina, and activation of myofibroblast trans-differentiation in the sclera. This perspective in myopia research may facilitate development of more effective and targeted therapeutic agents.

Abstract This study investigates the influence of body physiology on the rupture risk of cerebral saccular aneurysms. Comprehensive hemodynamic analyses were conducted using computational fluid dynamics to assess the potential for aneurysm rupture under three physiological conditions: rest, normal activity, and exercise. Contours of wall shear stress, oscillatory shear index, and pressure were analyzed and compared to identify regions at high risk of rupture. Additionally, statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the rupture risk of aneurysms. Blood flow dynamics during the peak systolic phase were also examined under these conditions. Our findings indicate that the dome area, where blood pressure is highest and the incoming blood flow first contacts the aneurysm sac, is the critical region with a heightened risk of rupture.

Abstract Despite a rapid expansion of Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) sublineage 8.7 over recent years, very little is known about the patterns of virus evolution, dispersal, and the factors influencing this dispersal. Relying on a national PRRSV surveillance project established over 20 years ago, we expand the available genomic data of sublineage 8.7 from China. We perform independent interlineage and intralineage recombination analyses for the entire study period, which showed a heterogeneous recombination pattern. A series of Bayesian phylogeographic analyses uncover the role of Guangdong as an important infection hub within Asia. The spatial spread of PRRSV is highly linked with a composite of human activities and the heterogeneous provincial distribution of the swine industry, largely propelled by the smaller-scale Chinese rural farming systems in the past years. We sequence all four available modified live vaccines (MLVs) and perform genomic analyses with publicly available data, of which our results suggest a key “leaky” period spanning 2011–2017 with two concurrent amino acid mutations in ORF1a 957 and ORF2 250. Overall, our study provides an in-depth overview of the evolution, transmission dynamics, and potential leaky status of HP-PRRS MLVs, providing critical insights into new MLV development.

The autophagy–lysosome axis is an evolutionarily conserved intracellular degradation pathway which constitutes an important component of host innate immunity against microbial infections. Here, we show that African swine fever virus (ASFV), one of most devastating pathogens to the worldwide swine industry, can reshape the autophagy–lysosome axis by recruiting the critical lysosome membrane proteins (LAMP1 and LAMP2) to viral factories while inhibiting autophagic induction in macrophages. The screening of viral membrane proteins led to the identification of several ASFV membrane proteins, exemplified by viral protein pEP153R, that could significantly alter the subcellular localization of LAMP1/2 when expressed alone in transfected cells. Further analysis showed that pEP153R was also a component of viral factories and could induce endoplasmic reticulum (ER) retention of LAMP1/2, leading to the inhibition of the fusion of autophagosomes with lysosomes. Interestingly, the ASFV mutant lacking EP153R could still actively recruit LAMP into viral factories (VFs) and inhibit autophagic flux, indicating the existence of a functional redundancy of other viral proteins in the absence of pEP153R and highlighting the complexity of ASFV replication biology. Taken together, our results reveal novel information about the interplay of ASFV with the autophagy–lysosome axis and a previously unrecognized function of ASFV protein pEP153R in regulating the cellular autophagic process.

Abstract Objective To investigate the relationship between the expression of androgen receptor (AR) and clinical characteristics in breast cancer. Patients and methods The clinical records of all 432 patients tested for AR in our institution between January 2020 and May 2023 were reviewed. Clinical characteristics, age, menopausal status, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, distant metastasis, pathological complete response (pCR), histopathological features histological grade, estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor, Her-2, Ki-67, and molecular subtype were registered for all patients. Results About 377 (87.27%) of the 432 patients had AR expression. No significant difference in AR expression was found with age, menopausal status, TNM stage of primary tumor, or pCR. AR was positively and significantly associated with the histological grade, and recurrence. The AR expression was significantly related with molecular subtypes, including ER, PR Her-2, Ki67 and molecular subtype. ER (OR = 10.489, 95%CI: 5.470–21.569), PR (OR = 7.690, 95%CI: 3.974–16.129, Her-2 (OR = 10.489, 95%CI: 2.779–23.490 and tumor recurrence (OR = 0.110, 95%CI: 0.031–0.377 were significant independent risk factors affecting AR expression. Conclusions AR expression can serve as a reliable basis for judging the clinical molecular types and poor prognosis for breast cancer. AR may be a novel biomarker and target in AR-positive breast cancer depending on significant difference in AR expression among different molecular types of breast cancer.

Abstract Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW), which supplies the lower limb of the thermohaline circulation, originates from dense shelf water (DSW) forming in Antarctic polynyas. Here, combining a long mooring record of DSW measurements with numerical simulations and satellite data, we show that significant correlation exists between interannual variability of DSW production in the Ross Sea polynyas, where DSW contributes between 20–40% of the global AABW production, and the Southern Annular Mode (SAM). The correlation is largest when the Amundsen Sea Low (ASL) is weakened and shifted east of the Ross Sea. During positive SAM phases, enhanced offshore winds and lower air temperatures over the western Ross Sea increase sea ice production and promote DSW formation, with the opposite response during negative SAM phases. These processes ultimately modulate AABW thickness in the open ocean. A projected positive shift of the SAM and eastward displacement of the ASL thus has implications for the future of DSW and AABW formation.

China has a wealth of abundant coalbed methane (CBM) resources at great depths. However, the low permeability of these deep coal seams coupled with the challenges posed by high-stress pressure environments, hampers efficient gas extraction. Water jet punching and cavitation in horizontal wells is a new technology for relieving pressure and enhancing the permeability of coal seam over a wide area. Nevertheless, the mechanisms underlying rock breaking and pore formation in deep environment remain to be studied. Because the deep coal seam exists in the geological environment of high ground stress and high stress difference, it is difficult to carry out the physical simulation experiment in the laboratory. Consequently, a numerical model of water jet punching and rock breaking is established based on the viscoelastic-plastic theory and material point method. The model integrates the advantages of the Lagrange and Euler algorithms, proficiently simulating the whole process of momentum exchange, large deformation of coal, rock breaking, fluid erosion and rock carrying and reverse drainage throughout the process of jet rock breaking. Subsequently, based on this numerical model, the mechanism and influencing factors of rock breaking and pore-forming by water jet in deep coal seams are studied, and the conclusions are as follows: ① the shear failure caused by high in-situ stress load in deep coal seams is the leading mechanism of rock breaking, while jet mainly plays the role of erosion and rock carrying and reverse drainage. The tensile failure caused by stress wave generated by water jet collision with coal rock is the leading mechanism of rock breaking when there is no stress load. Due to the strong plasticity of coal rock, water wedge effect is not obvious. ② The high in-situ stress load accelerates the rock breaking process of deep coal seams. The amount of rushed-out coal under high in-situ stress load is higher than that without stress load. Meanwhile, the stress load causes the coal body to move towards the opening direction, resulting in a decrease in cavity volume, but the plastic damage zone is significantly increased compared with that without stress load. ③ The amount of rushed-out coal and the area of plastic damage zone increase with the increase of jet time, but the increase rate gradually slows down. The amount of rushed-out coal and the area of plastic damage zone show a downward trend with the increase of incident angle. The smaller the jet angle, the better the effect of water jet punching and rock breaking. The vertical incidence of jet is not the best way to break rock. ④ The amount of rushed-out coal and the area of plastic damage area increase with the increase of stress difference and the width of coal-rock opening, but the increase of stress difference has little effect on jet rock breaking in deep coal seams. The width of coal seam opening should not be too high, and the rock breaking efficiency of jet can be improved by increasing the width of the opening hole appropriately.

ABSTRACT The gene mtlA, encoding the mannitol transporter subunit IICBA of the phosphotransferase system, was the core gene with the greatest variability in Vibrio parahaemolyticus and could be used as a new typing marker in Vibrio parahaemolyticus. To expand its application, we performed an evolutionary analysis and found that the mtlA gene was present in nine phyla, 371 genera, and 1,662 species of bacteria. It is commonly found in pathogenic species of Vibrio, followed by Paenibacillus, Mycolicibacterium, etc. To investigate whether the mtlA gene could serve as a novel typing gene for whole Vibrio species, we compared the typing effect of the mtlA gene with multilocus sequence type (MLST) in 13 common pathogenic Vibrio species. The results revealed that the mtlA gene was present in all common pathogenic species, providing comparable or even higher typing resolution than MLST, especially in Vibrio cholerae, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio harveyi, and Vibrio anguillarum, enabling accurate typing and traceability; however, many species lacked allelic profiles of MLST genes, making it impossible to obtain accurate STs. In summary, these findings validated the potential typing application of the mtlA gene in Vibrio species.IMPORTANCEVibrio is a collection of gram-negative bacteria characterized by possessing two chromosomes, which exhibit numerous shared biological and genomic traits. Around 13 species of Vibrio are known to cause infections in humans. Without appropriate medical interventions, the consequences of these infections can escalate to become life-threatening. Therefore, based on the prevalent characteristics of pathogenic Vibrio, it is imperative for us to classify and trace various Vibrio species that cause human illness and prescribe medication rationally to control the spread of diseases. In our investigation, we explored the prevalence and typing accuracy of the mtlA gene in Vibrio. Our findings revealed its ubiquitous presence across typical pathogenic Vibrio species, offering superior typing efficacy compared with MLST and more extensive implications.

Study Region: The Northeast China (NEC) is located in the northeastern part of China (117.78°E-135.08°E, 38.71°N-53.55°N). Study focus: To address the limitations in previous studies that could not monitor compound heat and drought events (CHDEs) at a daily-scale during crop growing seasons, we developed a daily-scale method for analyzing CHDEs. New hydrological insights for the region: We found: (1) CHDE frequency, duration, and severity were higher in the south and west of NEC, especially in the vegetative growth stage (VGS) compared to the reproductive stage (RGS). (2) Compared to 1961–1990, during 1991–2020, most stations showed more severe CHDEs during the EGS, VGS and RGS of spring maize. (3) Throughout the entire period (1961–2020) and the earlier period (1961–1990), drought-dominated CHDEs were more frequent during the EGS and VGS of spring maize. In the later period (1991–2020), heat-dominated CHDEs became more prevalent. For RGS, drought-dominated CHDEs were more likely in both the entire period and the later period, while heat-dominated CHDEs were more common during the earlier period. This research advances understanding of CHDEs in spring maize and offers a novel daily-scale framework for crop CHDE analysis.

Background: Nucleic acid testing (NAT) is widely used for screening blood donors for infectious diseases to enhance transfusion safety. Roche's advanced cobas® MPX assay detects human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), and hepatitis B virus (HBV) using the cobas® 6800/5800 Systems, based on real-time PCR technology, providing improved sensitivity. This study aims to evaluate the clinical sensitivity and specificity of the cobas® MPX assay and its effectiveness in identifying infected donors in HBV endemic areas, particularly those with occult HBV infection (OBI). Materials and methods: A total of 12,067 donor samples from the Dalian Blood Center (DLBC, northern China) were tested for HIV, HCV, and HBV using both the cobas® MPX assay on the cobas® 6800 system and the previous generation cobas® TaqScreen MPX test v2.0 on the cobas s 201 system as the reference method. Testing was conducted using individual-donation testing (IDT) and primary pool of six donations (PP6), following the manufacturer's instructions and the operational procedures of the instruments. Samples with inconsistent results underwent repeated confirmation tests. Results: Cobas® MPX demonstrated 100.00 % overall percent agreement (95 % CI, 99.22 %-100.00 %) for IDT and 99.89 % (95 % CI, 99.82 %-99.95 %) for PP6. Kappa coefficients were 1.0 for IDT and 0.76 for PP6. Cobas® MPX specificity was 100.00 % (95 % CI, 99.22 %-100.00 %) for IDT and 99.99 % (95 % CI, 99.94 %-100.00 %) for PP6. Sensitivity was 100.00 % (95 % CI, 2.50 %-100.00 %) for IDT and 86.67 % (95 % CI, 68.36 %-95.64 %) for PP6. A total of 12 HBV NAT-yield cases were detected by cobas® MPX. Conclusion: Cobas® MPX demonstrated outstanding sensitivity and specificity in screening HIV, HCV, and HBV in routine blood donations, particularly enhancing occult HBV detection in endemic regions.

To overcome the time-consuming off-site limitations in conventional pesticide detection, this contribution presents an in situ quantitative analysis detection strategy for pesticides on leaf surfaces using matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry imaging technology. Taking fungicide metrafenone as a representative, we initially screened seven commonly used matrices, and identifying α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid as the most effective one in positive mode. Subsequently, coating the matrix using sublimation spraying method resulted in the highest mass intensity. The optimal combination of operation parameters were established with imaging step size of 30 μm × 30 μm, laser diameter of 75 μm, and laser energy of 4.01 μJ/pulse. Under these conditions, a lowest detection limit of 0.6 ng/mm2 was reached for metrafenone, demonstrating extremely high sensitivity and strong repeatability. This method exhibits great potential for the analysis of various pesticides, including triadimefon and tebuconazole, thereby offering innovative approaches to the analysis of pesticide residues.

Agricultural drought causes serious harm to food security and vegetation ecosystems, and challenges the entire food-water-energy-health-environment nexus, complicating, in turn, management strategies. By building a meteorological and soil mutual-information index, this paper developed a novel method for assessing agricultural drought from a network science perspective. The method identified the atmospheric vapor pressure deficit as the key to the information on drought propagation by the network of meteorological and hydrological elements. Results showed that the meteorological and soil mutual-information index was superior to the standardized soil moisture index in monitoring agricultural drought. The spatial propagation of information on drought led to the key source areas for the occurrence of drought. A highly clustered connectivity structure derived from the drought propagation network was demonstrated in China. Under climate scenario SSP1-26, the increase in water vapor pressure deficit was significantly suppressed, thus mitigating agricultural (and/or vegetation) drought. Under high emission scenarios SSP2-45 and SSP5-85, the mutual-information between meteorological and hydrological elements progressively increased, and this increased information to extreme agricultural drought. The information transfer that occurred under a wide range of meteorological and hydrological elements can also be applied to the mutual-information network.

Abstract Splicing dysregulation arising from spliceosomal mutations contributes to disease progression and treatment resistance, mostly in hematologic malignancy. Whereas spliceosomal mutations are less common in solid tumors, splicing disorders are pervasive and proven to promote tumorigenesis. However, there is a lack of systematic understanding of the overall splicing dysregulation patterns and how widespread different patterns occur within or across solid tumor lineage. To address these questions, a computational method called SMNPLS (Sparse Multi‐Network Regularized Partial Least Squares) is developed to uncover the pan‐cancer splicing dysregulation landscape by extracting joint modular patterns from paired matrices of splicing factors (SFs) expressions and alternative splicing events (ASEs). Six unique patterns illustrated by ASE‐SF co‐modules are summarized, which involve 1,570 ASEs and altered expression of 170 SFs, covering 40% of TCGA solid tumors. Cross‐cancer commonalities of splicing dysregulation are observed among digestive system neoplasms, renal‐associated tumors, and urogenital tumors. By contrast, brain tumors demonstrate a distinct splicing pattern with the highest ASE‐SF correlation. In addition, some new splicing regulatory relationships are identified that are potentially oncogenic. Overall, the study characterizes the full spectrum of splicing dysregulation patterns, indicating the similarity and specificity of splicing‐derived pathogenesis across 31 human solid tumors.

Data-driven regression models are generally calibrated by minimizing a representation error. However, optimizing the model accuracy may create nonphysical wiggles. In this study, we propose topological consistency as a new metric to mitigate these wiggles. The key enabler is Persistent Data Topology (PDT) which extracts a topological skeleton from discrete scalar field data. PDT identifies the extrema of the model based on a neighborhood analysis. The topological error is defined as the mismatch of extrema between the data and the model. The methodology is exemplified for the modeling of the Laminar Burning Velocity (LBV) of ammonia-hydrogen flames. Four regression models, Multi-layer Perceptron (MLP), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), Random Forest (RF), and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (Light GBM), are trained using the data generated by a modified GRI3.0 mechanism. In comparison, MLP builds a model that achieves the highest accuracy and preserves the topological structure of the data. We expect that the proposed topologically consistent regression modeling will enjoy many more applications in model calibration, model selection and optimization algorithms.

Herpes simplex virus type I (HSV-1) is a member of the α-herpesvirus subfamily and is capable of causing herpes simplex keratitis, herpes labialis, and herpes simplex encephalitis. HSV-1 is well known for its lytic infections at the primary sites and for establishing latency in the sensory neuronal ganglia, with occasional recurrent infections. To date, there are no approved commercially available vaccines, and anti-HSV-1 drugs such as specific or non-specific nucleotide (nucleoside) analogs and helicase-primase inhibitors have become the main clinical agents for the treatment of HSV-1 infections despite challenges from resistance. Therefore, development of new anti-HSV-1 compounds or therapies is key to addressing the issue of resistance. The present review provides an update on the progress made over approximately 60 years regarding anti-HSV-1 agents while also highlighting future perspectives for controlling HSV-1 infections.

Accurate detection of fabric defects is crucial for quality control in the textile industry. However, the task of fabric defect detection remains highly challenging due to the complex textures and diverse defect patterns. To address the issues of inaccurate localization and false positives caused by complex textures and varying defect sizes, this paper proposes an improved YOLOv8-based fabric defect detection method. First, Dynamic Snake Convolution is introduced into the backbone network to enhance sensitivity to elongated and subtle defects, improving the extraction of edge and texture details. Second, a Channel Priority Convolutional Attention mechanism is incorporated after the Spatial Pyramid Pooling layer to enable more precise defect localization by leveraging multi-scale structures and channel priors. Finally, the feature fusion network integrates Partial Convolution and Efficient Multi-scale Attention, optimizing the fusion of information across different feature levels and spatial scales, which enhances the richness and accuracy of feature representations while reducing computational complexity. Experimental results demonstrate a significant improvement in detection performance. Specifically, mAP@0.5 increased by 2.9%, precision improved by 3.5%, and mAP@0.5:0.95 rose by 2.3%, highlighting the model's superior capability in detecting complex defects. The project is available at https://github.com/lilian998/fabric.

Summary: Background: Anxiety disorders is a significant contributor to the Global Burden of Diseases (GBD), particularly in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exacerbated the issue. Previous studies have not examined the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on anxiety disorders over the entire time series, nor have they offered predictions regarding future trends of global anxiety disorders in the aftermath of the pandemic. This study aims to present the Age-Standardized Prevalence Rates (ASPR), Age-Standardized Incidence Rates (ASIR), and disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) associated with anxiety disorders from 1990 to 2021 across 204 countries and regions, emphasizing the age structure and the disease burden following the pandemic. Additionally, it examines the relationship between the burden of anxiety disorders and the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as trend predictions for the incidence of anxiety disorders from 2022 to 2050. Methods: We analysed data from the GBD 2021 study, employed the GBD method to integrate epidemiological data on ASPR, ASIR, and DALYs to accurately assess the global burden of anxiety disorders across various regions, genders, and age groups. Additionally, joint point regression analysis was applied to rigorously examine the time trends of anxiety disorders from 1990 to 2021, calculating the annual percentage change (APC), annual average percentage change (AAPC), and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Furthermore, path analysis was utilized to investigate the impact pathways between the COVID-19 pandemic and anxiety disorders. Finally, a Bayesian age-period-cohort (BAPC) model was employed to predict the prevalence trends of anxiety disorders from 2022 to 2050. Findings: From 1990 to 2021, the ASPR, ASIR, and DALYs associated with anxiety disorders worldwide exhibited a significant upward trend, particularly evident from 2019 to 2021, during which all three metrics experienced a sharp increase. The most pronounced changes in the burden of anxiety disorders from 2019 to 2021 were observed in high socio-demographic index (SDI) regions, where the ASIR surpassed expected levels in tropical Latin America, high-income North America, and Australia in 2021. Bulgaria recorded the highest increase in anxiety disorders burden during this period, with a change rate of 0.32, while Bhutan experienced the smallest increase, with a total change rate of 0.02. Notably, the global anxiety disorders burden among women is greater than that among men. From 2019 to 2021, women aged 20–24 years were particularly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, with a change rate of 0.21. Additionally, the ASIR of COVID-19 pandemic in 2021 had a significant positive correlation with the prevalence of anxiety disorders, standardized path coefficient value of 0.224 (z = 2.708, P

It is well established that shrubs have facilitative effects on soil arthropods in semiarid ecosystems. However, there is limited knowledge about whether shrubs continue to exhibit these facilitative effects under grazing regimes. To investigate this, we examined the abundance, α and β diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods in microhabitats (shrub understory and open space) using pitfall trapping method in both ungrazed and grazed plots in a semiarid region of northwestern China. We also examined soil properties and plant attributes in order to explore the key drivers. Results indicated that there was no significant difference in abundance of ground-dwelling arthropods between both microhabitats in ungrazed plots, whereas it was significantly greater in shrub understory than in open space in grazed plots. There was significantly greater α and β diversity of ground-dwelling arthropods in shrub understory than in open spaces in ungrazed plots, whereas no significant difference in either index was observed between microhabitats in grazed plots. The decreased arthropod species turnover between microhabitats in grazed plots relative to ungrazed plots led to alterations of their original community assembly. The key drivers of herbaceous plant height in ungrazed plots and those of soil bulk density, soil organic carbon, and soil moisture in grazed plots shaped ground-dwelling arthropod distribution between microhabitats. In conclusion, grazing activities simplified the structure of ground-dwelling arthropod communities, resulting in lower α and β diversity in both shrub understory and open space in grazed plots compared to ungrazed plots.

Intramuscular fat (IMF) is an important indicator for evaluating meat quality. Transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) is widely used for the study of IMF deposition. Machine learning (ML) is a new big data fitting method that can effectively fit complex data, accurately identify samples and genes, and it plays an important role in omics research. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze RNA-seq data by ML method to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) affecting IMF deposition in pigs. In this study, a total of 74 RNA-seq data from muscle tissue samples were used. A total of 155 DEGs were identified using a limma package between the two groups. 100 and 11 significant genes were identified by support vector machine recursive feature elimination (SVM-RFE) and random forest (RF) models, respectively. A total of six intersecting genes were in both models. KEGG pathway enrichment analysis of the intersecting genes revealed that these genes were enriched in pathways associated with lipid deposition. These pathways include α-linolenic acid metabolism, linoleic acid metabolism, ether lipid metabolism, arachidonic acid metabolism, and glycerophospholipid metabolism. Four key genes affecting intramuscular fat deposition, PLA2G6, MPV17, NUDT2, and ND4L, were identified based on significant pathways. The results of this study are important for the elucidation of the molecular regulatory mechanism of intramuscular fat deposition and the effective improvement of IMF content in pigs.

Objectives This study aimed to explore the views and expectations of medical students and faculty members on blended learning following university-wide teaching reforms, focusing on its influence on self-directed learning (SDL) and educational effectiveness.Design A qualitative study employing grounded theory methodology with semistructured individual and group interviews.Setting A tertiary medical university after institution-wide educational reforms.Participants One administrator, 11 faculty members and 30 third-year preclinical medical students were recruited to participate in the study.Results The analysis of faculty and student perceptions yielded two core categories from faculty and three from students. Faculty highlighted the comparison between face-to-face and online instruction, emphasising the influence of students’ learning attitudes, SDL abilities, teachers' beliefs and teaching strategies on blended learning outcomes. Students shared their learning preferences and challenges with SDL, identifying learning attitudes, teaching management and learning methods as key factors impacting blended learning success.Conclusions The study highlights that teachers’ positive beliefs enhance blended learning success, while fostering students’ self-directed skills and learning attitudes, along with addressing challenges and needs, is key to effective strategies.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of ultrasound-assisted cross-linking of myofibrillar protein (MP) emulsions on the enhancement of rheological and tribological properties of emulsion-filled gel. The micro-morphology, texture, water hold capacity (WHC), chemical forces, linear shear rheological behavior, large amplitude oscillatory shear (LAOS), oil-released content, and simulated oral friction of the water-filled gel (WP-G), the original MP fabricated emulsion-filled gel (NP-G), the crosslinked MP fabricated emulsion-filled gel (NPG-G), and the ultrasound treated crosslinked MP fabricated emulsion-filled gel (NPGU-G) were determined. Results indicated that emulsion as filler phase significantly improved the rheological and tribological properties of the gel, especially for the ultrasound-assisted MP emulsion-filled gel (NPGU-G) group, the smaller droplet size of emulsion contributed to the density and structural uniformity of the gel. Based on the excellent hydrophobic interaction between emulsion droplets and protein matrix, the NPGU-G group presented enhanced hardness, gumminess, chewiness, hydrophobic interaction, creep-recovery behavior, and the retarded transition of nonlinear response. Furthermore, the lower oil-released content and reduced friction coefficient in the NPGU-G group also indicated that the smaller emulsion droplets contributed to the gel quality and mouth lubrication. Consequently, this study demonstrated that ultrasound-assisted cross-linked MP emulsion with smaller droplets can be successfully filled into gel structures, form a denser network structure, and improve the quality of the emulsion-filled gel.

Abstract Monsoonal precipitation is dominated by intraseasonal variabilities, whose skillful prediction lead time is currently less than 5 days and remains a grand challenge. Here we show that an intrinsic variability in the Indian Ocean, the Central Indian Ocean (CIO) mode, when combined with a machine learning (ML) algorithm, can produce skillful predictions of intraseasonal precipitation over the monsoon region with a lead time of over 15 days, which is close to the theoretical predictability limit. This remarkable skill improvement stems from the fact that the CIO mode is dynamically related to the intraseasonal monsoon rainfall, while the data‐driven ML algorithm suppresses unwanted high‐frequency noise. Using the CIO mode and the ML algorithm, the forecast system hybridizes physical fundamentals and versatility of data‐driven algorithms. The identification of CIO mode and the verification of its significant contribution to intraseasonal predictions advance our understanding of the coupled monsoon system and also underscores the great potential of ML techniques in weather forecasts and climate predictions.

Summary: Microbial infectivity increases with rising environmental temperature, heightening the risk of infection to host organisms. The host’s basal immunity is activated accordingly to mitigate upcoming pathogenic threats; still, how animals sense temperature elevation to adjust their preventive immune response remains elusive. This study reports that high temperature enhances innate immunity differently from pathogen infection. Unlike pathogen invasion requiring the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPR), high temperature engages the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) UPR to trigger the innate immune response. Furthermore, chronic activation of the XBP-1 UPR branch represses nucleolar ribosome biogenesis, a highly energy-consuming process, leading to lipid accumulation. The subsequent increase in oleic acid promotes the activation of the PMK-1 immune pathway. Additionally, ribosome biogenesis was identified as a regulator of longevity, wherein its impact is dependent on lipid metabolism and innate immunity. Collectively, our findings reveal the crucial role of ER-nucleolus crosstalk in shaping preventive immune responses and lifespan regulation.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and obesity are nutritional metabolic diseases that are prevalent in the poultry industry, and have a negative impact on its functioning. Veratric acid (VA) is a phenolic acid compound extracted from the Chinese herbal medicine Trollius chinensis Bunge, known for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In this study, we used chicken hepatocytes (Leghorn male hepatoma cells) and treated with a mixture of oleic acid and palmitic acid as well as Yellow-feathered broilers fed a high-fat diet to examine the impact of VA on liver-lipid metabolism and deposition of abdominal fat. The results showed that VA (1μM) reduced the triglyceride and total cholesterol levels in the chicken hepatocytes (p < 0.05). In the broiler NAFLD model, VA significantly reduced liver TG levels (p < 0.05) without affecting growth performance. Dietary supplementation with 0.05% or 0.1% VA supplementation also significantly reduced the mRNA expression levels of key genes involved in the synthesis of fatty acids such as sterol regulatory element-binding protein 1c, fatty acid synthase, and acetyl-CoA carboxylase in broiler livers. In addition, 0.1% VA reduced abdominal fat accumulation and improved blood biochemical indexes in broilers. Network pharmacology analysis suggested that VA may participate in regulating fat metabolism in broilers via the proliferator-activated receptor signaling pathway. Taken together, the study results support VA as a candidate feed additive to provide a novel strategy for preventing NAFLD and excessive fat deposition in chickens.

ABSTRACTBenign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) is a prevalent disease among middle-aged and elderly males, but its pathogenesis remains unclear. Dysbiosis of the microbiome is increasingly recognized as a significant factor in various human diseases. Prostate tissue also contains a unique microbiome, and its dysbiosis has been proposed to contribute to prostate diseases. Here, we obtained prostate tissues and preoperative catheterized urine from 24 BPH individuals, and 8 normal prostate samples as controls, which followed strict aseptic measures. Using metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS), we found the disparities in the microbiome composition between normal and BPH tissues, with Pseudomonas significantly enriched in BPH tissues, as confirmed by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). Additionally, we showed that the prostate microbiome differed from the urine microbiome. In vitro experiments revealed that lipopolysaccharide (LPS) of Pseudomonas activated NF-κB signalling, leading to inflammation, proliferation, and EMT processes, while inhibiting apoptosis in prostatic cells. Overall, our research determines the presence of microbiome dysbiosis in BPH, and suggests that Pseudomonas, as the dominant microflora, may promote the progression of BPH through LPS activation of NF-κB signalling.