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Abstract Background Postmenopausal women are more susceptible to stress urinary incontinence (SUI), and insulin resistance (IR) is closely related to SUI. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is an efficient metric for assessing IR. Investigating whether TyG index and its correlation indexes were correlated with SUI in postmenopausal women was the aim of this research. Methods Data from 2,132 postmenopausal women from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were included in the study for analysis. Weighted multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate the correlation between the TyG index and its correlation indexes and SUI. The nonlinear correlation between the TyG correlation indexes and SUI, as well as the diagnostic efficacy for SUI, was investigated using the smooth curve approach and receiver operating characteristics. Through detailed subgroup analysis, the stability and generalization of the results are confirmed. Results Of the 26.87 million, 13.63 million, or 50.73%, suffered from SUI. The prevalence of SUI was significantly higher in the fourth quartile of TyG-BMI (OR = 1.93, 95% CI 1.13–2.84), TyG-WC (OR = 1.76, 95% CI 1.23–2.51), and TyG-WHtR (OR = 1.81, 95% CI 1.28–2.55) compared to the first quartile. Among the three models, TyG-WHtR always maintained a more significant correlation with SUI (Model 1:OR = 1.30;Model 2:OR = 1.33; Model 3:OR = 1.24). Smooth curve fitting results showed that TyG correlation indexes were not linearly correlated with SUI (P > 0.05). Subgroup analysis further confirmed the reliability and applicability of the results. TyG-BMI had the greatest diagnostic performance for SUI out of the four markers. Conclusions In comparison to TyG, TyG correlation indexes showed a more significant correlation with SUI among postmenopausal women in US, with TyG-BMI showing the best diagnostic effectiveness.

Abstract The regeneration of osteoporotic bone defects remains challenging as the critical stem cell function is impaired by inflammatory microenvironment. Synthetic materials that intrinsically direct osteo-differentiation versus self-renewal of recruited stem cell represent a promising alternative strategy for endogenous bone formation. Therefore, a microenvironmentally optimized polyurethane (PU) /n-HA scaffold to enable sustained delivery of gastrodin is engineered to study its effect on the osteogenic fate of stem cells. It exhibited interconnected porous networks and an elevated sequential gastrodin release pattern to match immune-osteo cascade concurrent with progressive degradation of materials. In a critical-sized femur defect model of osteoporotic rat, 5% gastrodin-PU/n-HA potently promoted neo-bone regeneration by facilitating M2 macrophage polarization and CD146+ host stem cell recruitment to defective site. The implantation time-dependently increased the bone marrow mesenchymal stem cell (BMSC) population, and further culture of BMSCs showed a robust ability of proliferation, migration, and mitochondrial resurgence. Of note, some of cell pairs produced one stemness daughter cell while the other committed to osteogenic lineage in an asymmetric cell division (ACD) manner, and a much more compelling ACD response was triggered when 5% gastrodin-PU/n-HA implanted. Further investigation revealed that one-sided concentrated presentation of aPKC and β-catenin in dividing cells effectively induced asymmetric distribution, which polarized aPKC biased the response of the daughter cells to Wnt signal. The asymmetric cell division in skeletal stem cells (SSCs) was mechanically comparable to BMSCs and also governed by distinct aPKC and β-catenin biases. Concomitantly, delayed bone loss adjacent to the implant partly alleviated development of osteoporosis. In conclusion, our findings provide insight into the regulation of macrophage polarization combined with osteogenic commitment of recruited stem cells in an ACD manner, advancing scaffold design strategy for endogenous bone regeneration. Graphical abstract

Abstract Background Poplar canker caused by Botryosphaeria dothidea is one of the most severe plant disease of poplars worldwide. In our study, we aimed to investigate the modes of antagonism by fermentation broth supernatant (FBS) of Streptomyces spiroverticillatus HS1 against B. dothidea. Results In vitro, the strain and FBS of S. spiroverticillatus HS1 significantly inhibited mycelial growth and biomass accumulation, and also disrupted the mycelium morphology of B. dothidea. On the 3rd day after treatment, the inhibition rates of colony growth and dry weight were 80.72% and 52.53%, respectively. In addition, FBS treatment damaged the plasma membrane of B. dothidea based on increased electrical conductivity in the culture medium, and malondialdehyde content of B. dothidea mycelia. Notably, the analysis of key enzymes in glycolysis pathway showed that the activity of hexokinase (HK), phosphofructokinase (PFK), and pyruvate kinase (PK), Ca2+Mg2+-ATPase were significantly increased after FBS treatment. But the glucose contents were significantly reduced, and pyruvate contents were significantly increased in B. dothidea after treatment with FBS. Conclusions The inhibitory mechanism of S. spiroverticillatus HS1 against B. dothidea was a complex process, which was associated with multiple levels of mycelial growth, cell membrane structure, material and energy metabolism. The FBS of S. spiroverticillatus HS1 could provide an alternative approach to biological control strategies against B. dothidea.

Background Carboxylesterase 4A (CES4A) belongs to the member of the carboxylesterase family, yet there has been limited research into its malignant biological behavior in malignant tumors. Here, we aim to investigate the expression, cellular biological functions, and the potential underlying mechanism of CES4A in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Method A standardized mean difference (SMD) analysis was used to analyze the dysregulation of CES4A based on the gene expression omnibus (GEO) database. qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical staining (IHC) were used to identify the mRNA and protein levels of CES4A in NPC cell lines and tissues, respectively. CCK-8, colony formation, wound healing and transwell assays were utilized to estimate cellular growth and metastasis, respectively. Western blot was conducted to evaluate the activity of PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. Result Both mRNA and protein expression of CES4A was significantly diminished both in NPC cell lines and primary tumor tissues. Ectopic expression of CES4A restrains the proliferation, colony formation, migration and invasion of NPC. Additionally, KEGG analysis based on GEO data and high-throughput transcriptome sequencing of cell lines all strongly suggested that CES4A was involved in regulating phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway. It was observed that AKT and phosphorylated AKT were remarkably reduced in CES4A overexpressing NPC cells, indicating that PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is hindered by CES4A. Conclusion CES4A expression is silenced in NPC, functioning as a tumor suppressor by negatively modulating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.

Clinical use of small-diameter vascular grafts remains a challenging issue in neovessel regeneration in view of thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia. Developing a vascular graft with structure and function similar to those of the native vessels necessitates a major direction of vascular tissue regeneration. Thus, this study sought to design and fabricate a range of tri-phasic scaffolds (0, 2, and 5 wt% gastrodin-polyurethane (PU)) with spatiotemporally defined structure and gastrodin-release for regulating the highly coordinated processes in growth of the intima and media. While the small pores of inner layer guided infiltration of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the bigger pores of medial layer could offer smooth muscle cell (SMC)-friendly habitat, and external fibers conferred adequate mechanical properties. Correspondingly, spatial distribution and differential regulation of key proteins in HUVECs and SMCs were mediated by hierarchical release of gastrodin, of which rapid release in inner layer elicited enhanced HUVEC proliferation and migration against those of the SMC via activated endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) signal. Of note, superior anti-coagulation was reflected in 2 wt% gastrodin-PU ex vivo extracorporeal blood circulation experiment. After in vivo implantation for 12 weeks, there was no formation of obvious thrombosis and intimal hyperplasia in 2 wt% gastrodin-PU. The scaffold maintained high patency and improved vascular remodeling, including the formation of thin endothelialization in lumen and dense extracellular matrix deposition in medial layer. Taken together, the results demonstrate the positive function of hierarchical releasing system that responded to tri-phasic structure, which not only suppressed intimal thickening but also tightly controlled tissue regeneration.

Catechins are pivotal determinants of tea quality, with soil environmental factors playing a crucial role in the synthesis and accumulation of these compounds. To investigate the impact of changes in tea garden soil environments on the catechin content in sun-dried tea, this study measured the catechin content in soil samples and corresponding tea leaves from Nanhua, Yunnan, China. By integrating the variations in catechin content with those of 17 soil factors and employing COX regression factor analysis, it was found that pH, organic matter (OM), fluoride, arsenic (As), and chromium (Cr) were significantly correlated with catechin content (p < 0.05). Further, using the LASSO regression for variable selection, a model named LCLN-CA was constructed with four variables including pH, OM, fluoride, and As. The LCLN-CA model demonstrated high fitting accuracy with AUC values of 0.674, 0.784, and 0.749 for catechin content intervals of CA ≤ 10%, 10% < CA ≤ 20%, and 20% < CA ≤ 30% in the training set, respectively. The validation set showed AUC values of 0.630, 0.756, and 0.723, respectively, indicating a well-calibrated curve. Based on the LCLN-CA model and the DynNom framework, a visual prediction system for catechin content in Yunnan sun-dried tea was developed. External validation with a test dataset achieved an Accuracy of 0.870. This study explored the relationship between soil-related factors and variations in catechin content, paving a new way for the prediction of catechin content in tea and enhancing the practical application value of artificial intelligence technology in agricultural production.

ABSTRACT In order to provide a highly feasible research pathway for the control of larch shoot blight, healthy larch branches and leaves were collected from 13 sampling sites in 8 provinces in China. The antagonistic endophytic bacteria obtained from the screening were used to carry out disease control experiments in potted seedlings. The safety evaluation test was conducted on the antagonistic bacteria. Subsequently, the strains with better preventive effect and high safety were identified by morphological and molecular methods. A total of 391 strains of endophytic bacteria were isolated from healthy larch branches and leaves. Seventy-eight strains of larch endophytic bacteria with antagonistic effect were obtained by primary sieving. Ten strains of endophytic bacteria with obvious antagonism were further obtained by secondary sieving, and all of them had an inhibition rate of more than 57%. Among them, strains YN 2, JL 6, NMG 23, and JL 54 showed the highest inhibition rate of 63.16%–65.08%, which was significantly different from the other treatments. The results of the pot test showed that 14 days after inoculation with the pathogen, strains YN 2 and JL 54 were more effective in the control of larch shoot blight, with the preventive effects reaching 57.7% and 50.0%, respectively. Strains JL 6 and JL 54 were biologically safe in the safety evaluation test. Therefore, strain JL 54 was selected for identification. It was identified as Bacillus amyloliquefaciens through morphological observation, 16S rDNA sequence, gyrB gene sequence and 16S rDNA-gyrB tandem feature sequence analysis.IMPORTANCELarch shoot blight is a widely distributed, damaging, and rapidly spreading fungal disease of forest trees that poses a serious threat to larch plantations. Endophytic bacteria have biological effects on host plants against pests and diseases, and they have a growth-promoting effect on plants. In this paper, we investigated for the first time the biocontrol effect of endophytic bacteria on larch shoot blight by screening endophytic bacteria with the function of antagonizing dieback fungi. Bacillus amyloliquefaciens JL 54 has a better prospect of biocontrol against larch shoot blight, which lays the foundation for the application of this bacterium in the future.

BackgroundDepressive symptoms represent a significant public health challenge, impacting the mental well-being of older adults. Despite this, the understanding of how activities of daily living (ADL) abilities correlate with life satisfaction and depressive symptoms among older Chinese adults remains limited.AimsThis study aims to investigate the relationship between ADL and depressive symptoms in older people Chinese individuals, with a specific focus on examining the mediating role of life satisfaction within this context.MethodsThe study utilized data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) collected in 2020. A cohort of 8,343 individuals aged 60 years and above was included. The analysis was conducted using STATA 17.0 and SPSS 26.0, employing descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, Pearson correlations, and mediation analysis using the percentile Bootstrap method with 5,000 resamples to explore the interrelations among ADL, life satisfaction, and depressive symptoms.ResultsADL is positively correlated with life satisfaction (r = 0.129, p

China’s Yunnan Province, known for its tea plantations, faces significant challenges in smart pest management due to its ecologically intricate environment. To enable the intelligent monitoring of pests within tea plantations, this study introduces a novel image recognition algorithm, designated as YOLOv8n-WSE-pest. Taking into account the pest image data collected from organic tea gardens in Yunnan, this study utilizes the YOLOv8n network as a foundation and optimizes the original loss function using WIoU-v3 to achieve dynamic gradient allocation and improve the prediction accuracy. The addition of the Spatial and Channel Reconstruction Convolution structure in the Backbone layer reduces redundant spatial and channel features, thereby reducing the model’s complexity. The integration of the Efficient Multi-Scale Attention Module with Cross-Spatial Learning enables the model to have more flexible global attention. The research results demonstrate that compared to the original YOLOv8n model, the improved YOLOv8n-WSE-pest model shows increases in the precision, recall, mAP50, and F1 score by 3.12%, 5.65%, 2.18%, and 4.43%, respectively. In external validation, the mAP of the model outperforms other deep learning networks such as Faster-RCNN, SSD, and the original YOLOv8n, with improvements of 14.34%, 8.85%, and 2.18%, respectively. In summary, the intelligent tea garden pest identification model proposed in this study excels at precise the detection of key pests in tea plantations, enhancing the efficiency and accuracy of pest management through the application of advanced techniques in applied science.

Benzene is a known contributor to human leukaemia through its toxic effects on bone marrow cells, and epigenetic modification is believed to be a potential mechanism underlying benzene pathogenesis. However, the specific roles of N6-methyladenosine (m6A), a newly discovered RNA post-transcriptional modification, in benzene-induced hematotoxicity remain unclear. In this study, we identified self-renewing malignant proliferating cells in the bone marrow of benzene-exposed mice through in vivo bone marrow transplantation experiments and Competitive Repopulation Assay. Subsequent analysis using whole transcriptome sequencing and RNA m6A methylation sequencing revealed a significant upregulation of RNA m6A modification levels in the benzene-exposed group. Moreover, RNA methyltransferase METTL14, known as a pivotal player in m6A modification, was found to be aberrantly overexpressed in Lin-Sca-1+c-Kit+ (LSK) cells of benzene-exposed mice. Further analysis based on the GEO database showed a positive correlation between the expression of METTL14, mTOR, and GFI and benzene exposure dose. In vitro cellular experiments, employing experiments such as western blot, q-PCR, m6A RIP, and CLIP, validated the regulatory role of METTL14 on mTOR and GFI1. Mechanistically, continuous damage inflicted by benzene exposure on bone marrow cells led to the overexpression of METTL14 in LSK cells, which, in turn, increased m6A modification on the target genes’ (mTOR and GFI1) RNA. This upregulation of target gene expression activated signalling pathways such as mTOR-AKT, ultimately resulting in malignant proliferation of bone marrow cells. In conclusion, this study offers insights into potential early targets for benzene-induced haematologic malignant diseases and provides novel perspectives for more targeted preventive and therapeutic strategies.

Grading tea leaves efficiently in a natural environment is a crucial technological foundation for the automation of tea-picking robots. In this study, to solve the problems of dense distribution, limited feature-extraction ability, and false detection in the field of tea grading recognition, an improved YOLOv8n model for tea grading and counting recognition was proposed. Firstly, the SPD-Conv module was embedded into the backbone of the network model to enhance the deep feature-extraction ability of the target. Secondly, the Super-Token Vision Transformer was integrated to reduce the model’s attention to redundant information, thus improving its perception ability for tea. Subsequently, the loss function was improved to MPDIoU, which accelerated the convergence speed and optimized the performance. Finally, a classification-positioning counting function was added to achieve the purpose of classification counting. The experimental results showed that, compared to the original model, the precision, recall and average precision improved by 17.6%, 19.3%, and 18.7%, respectively. The average precision of single bud, one bud with one leaf, and one bud with two leaves were 88.5%, 89.5% and 89.1%. In this study, the improved model demonstrated strong robustness and proved suitable for tea grading and edge-picking equipment, laying a solid foundation for the mechanization of the tea industry.

Three-dimensional (3D) cell spheroid models combined with mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) enables innovative investigation of in vivo-like biological processes under different physiological and pathological conditions. Herein, airflow-assisted desorption electrospray ionization-MSI (AFADESI-MSI) was coupled with 3D HepG2 spheroids to assess the metabolism and hepatotoxicity of amiodarone (AMI). High-coverage imaging of >1100 endogenous metabolites in hepatocyte spheroids was achieved using AFADESI-MSI. Following AMI treatment at different times, 15 metabolites of AMI involved in N-desethylation, hydroxylation, deiodination, and desaturation metabolic reactions were identified, and according to their spatiotemporal dynamics features, the metabolic pathways of AMI were proposed. Subsequently, the temporal and spatial changes in metabolic disturbance within spheroids caused by drug exposure were obtained via metabolomic analysis. The main dysregulated metabolic pathways included arachidonic acid and glycerophospholipid metabolism, providing considerable evidence for the mechanism of AMI hepatotoxicity. In addition, a biomarker group of eight fatty acids was selected that provided improved indication of cell viability and could characterize the hepatotoxicity of AMI. The combination of AFADESI-MSI and HepG2 spheroids can simultaneously obtain spatiotemporal information for drugs, drug metabolites, and endogenous metabolites after AMI treatment, providing an effective tool for in vitro drug hepatotoxicity evaluation.

Abstract Background Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis, an economically important forest tree, provides important raw material for energy and reduces damage to native forests. However, the absence of a high-quality E. urophylla × E. grandis reference genome has significantly hindered its evolution and genetic analysis. Results We successfully presented a high-quality reference genome of E. urophylla × E. grandis (545.75 Mb; scaffold N50, 51.62 Mb) using a combination of the Illumina, PacBio HiFi, and Hi-C sequencing platforms. A total of 34,502 genes and 58.56% of the repetitive sequences in this genome were annotated. Using genome evolution analyses, we identified a recent whole-genome duplication (WGD) event in E. urophylla × E. grandis. We further found that gene families associated with starch and sucrose metabolism, flavonoid biosynthesis, and plant–pathogen interaction were significantly expanded in E. urophylla × E. grandis. Moreover, comparative genomic and evolutionary analyses showed large structural variations among the different chromosomes of the 34 Eucalyptus accessions, which were divided into six clades. Conclusions Overall, our findings provide a valuable resource for expanding our understanding of the E. urophylla × E. grandis genome evolution, genetic improvement, and its comparative biology.

Abstract Background HR (hairy root) has emerged as a valuable tissue for the rapid characterization of plant gene function and enzyme activity in vivo. AhGLK1 (Arachis hypogaea L. golden2-like 1) is known to play a role in post-drought recovery. However, it is unclear (a) whether HR has properties that are distinct from those of PR (primary root); and (b) which gene networks are regulated by AhGLK1 in response to drought stress and recovery in peanut. Results We found that cells of the root tip cortex were larger in HR than in PR, while a total of 850 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in HR compared to PR. Eighty-eight of these DEGs, relating to chlorophyll and photosynthesis, were upregulated in HR. In addition, AhGLK1-OX (AhGLK1-overexpressing) HR showed a green phenotype, and had a higher relative water content than 35 S::eGFP (control) HR during drought stress. RNA-seq analysis showed that 74 DEGs involved both in the drought response and the post-drought recovery process were significantly enriched in the galactose metabolism pathway. GO terms enrichment analysis revealed that 59.19%, 29.79% and 17.02% of the DEGs mapped to the ‘biological process’ (BP), ‘molecular function’ (MF) and ‘cellular component’ (CC) domains, respectively. Furthermore, 20 DEGs involved in post-drought recovery were uniquely expressed in AhGLK1-OX HR and were significantly enriched in the porphyrin metabolism pathway. GO analysis showed that 42.42%, 30.30% and 27.28% of DEGs could be assigned to the BP, MF and CC domains, respectively. Transcription factors including bHLH and MYB family members may play a key role during drought stress and recovery. Conclusion Our data reveal that HR has some of the characteristics of leaves, indicating that HR is suitable for studying genes that are mainly expressed in leaves. The RNA-seq results are consistent with previous studies that show chlorophyll synthesis and photosynthesis to be critical for the role of AhGLK1 in improving post-drought recovery growth in peanut. These findings provide in-depth insights that will be of great utility for the exploration of candidate gene functions in relation to drought tolerance and/or post-drought recovery ability in peanut.

Wound healing is a highly orchestrated process involving a variety of cells, including immune cells. Developing immunomodulatory biomaterials for regenerative engineering applications, such as bone regeneration, is an appealing strategy. Herein, inspired by the immunomodulatory effects of gastrodin (a bioactive component in traditional Chinese herbal medicine), a series of new immunomodulatory gastrodin-comprising biodegradable polyurethane (gastrodin-PU) and nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) (gastrodin-PU/n-HA) composites were developed. RAW 264.7 macrophages, rat bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (rBMSCs), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) were cultured with gastrodin-PU/n-HA containing different concentrations of gastrodin (0.5%, 1%, and 2%) to decipher their immunomodulatory effects on osteogenesis and angiogenesis in vitro. Results demonstrated that, compared with PU/n-HA, gastrodin-PU/n-HA induced macrophage polarization toward the M2 phenotype, as evidenced by the higher expression level of pro-regenerative cytokines (CD206, Arg-1) and the lower expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines (iNOS). The expression levels of osteogenesis-related factors (BMP-2 and ALP) in the rBMSCs and angiogenesis-related factors (VEGF and BFGF) in the HUVECs were significantly up-regulated in gastrodin-PU/n-HA/macrophage-conditioned medium. The immunomodulatory effects of gastrodin-PU/n-HA to reprogram macrophages from a pro-inflammatory (M1) phenotype to an anti-inflammatory and pro-healing (M2) phenotype were validated in a rat subcutaneous implantation model. And the 2% gastrodin-PU/n-HA significantly decreased fibrous capsule formation and enhanced angiogenesis. Additionally, 2% gastrodin-PU/n-HA scaffolds implanted in the rat femoral condyle defect model showed accelerated osteogenesis and angiogenesis. Thus, the novel gastrodin-PU/n-HA scaffold may represent a new and promising immunomodulatory biomaterial for bone repair and regeneration.

Context The alkaloids of Narcissus tazetta L. var. Chinensis Roem (Amaryllidaceae) have antitumor and antiviral activities. However, the immunopharmacological effects of one of its constituents, pseudolycorine chloride (PLY), have not been reported yet.Objective We evaluated the effect of PLY on myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expansion and differentiation into monocyte-like MDSCs (M-MDSCs) and examined whether PLY alleviates Th17 cell-mediated experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), a murine model of multiple sclerosis (MS).Materials and methods In vitro, MDSCs were treated with PLY (0.67, 2 and 6 μM) or solcitinib (10 μM, positive control) for 48 or 96 h, and their proliferation, expansion, and differentiation into M-MDSCs were examined by flow cytometry. Myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein (MOG35–55) was used to induce EAE in female C57BL/6 mice, and the mice were treated with 40 mg/kg/d PLY or 1 mg/kg/d FK-506 (tacrolimus, positive control) for 21 days. Inflammatory infiltration, spinal cord demyelination, and MDSCs and Th17 cells infiltration into the spinal cord were examined using haematoxylin and eosin staining, Luxol fast blue staining, and immunofluorescence, respectively.Results In vitro, PLY (IC50/24 h = 6.18 μM) significantly inhibited IL-6 and GM-CSF-induced MDSCs proliferation, expansion and differentiation into M-MDSCs at all concentrations used. However, these concentrations did not show cytotoxicity. In mice, PLY (40 mg/kg) treatment alleviated EAE and inhibited inflammatory infiltration, demyelination, and MDSCs and Th17 cells infiltration into the spinal cord.Discussion and conclusions PLY may be an excellent candidate for the treatment of MS and other autoimmune diseases.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is the most common endocrine and metabolic disease in women of childbearing age and can cause metabolic disorder, infertility, and increased anxiety and depression; as a result, it can seriously affect the physical and mental health of fertile women. PCOS is a highly clinically heterogeneous disease with unclear etiology and pathogenesis, which increases the difficulty of treatment. The thyroid gland has complex regulatory effects on metabolism, reproduction, and emotion, and produces hormones that act on almost all cells of the human body. The clinical manifestations of PCOS are similar to some thyroid diseases. Furthermore, some thyroid diseases, such as subclinical hypothyroidism (SCH), not only increase the incidence rate of PCOS, but also exacerbate its associated metabolic abnormalities and reproductive disorders. Interestingly, PCOS also increases the incidence of some thyroid diseases. However, the role of the thyroid in PCOS remains unclear. This review is intended to thoroughly explore the critical role of the thyroid in PCOS by summarizing the comorbidity of PCOS and thyroid diseases and their combined role in metabolic disorders, related metabolic diseases, and reproductive disorders; and by analyzing the potential mechanism through which the thyroid influences the development and progression of PCOS and its symptoms. We hope this review will provide a valuable reference for the role of the thyroid in PCOS.

Lipid metabolism reprogramming is one of the most prominent metabolic anomalies in cancer, wherein cancer cells undergo dysregulation of lipid metabolism to acquire adequate energy, cell membrane building blocks, as well as signaling molecules essential for cell proliferation, survival, invasion, and metastasis. These adaptations enable cancer cells to effectively respond to challenges posed by the tumor microenvironment, leading to cancer therapy resistance and poor cancer prognosis. Head and neck cancer, ranking as the seventh most prevalent cancer, exhibits numerous abnormalities in lipid metabolism. Nevertheless, the precise role of lipid metabolic rewiring in head and neck cancer remains unclear. In line with the LIPID MAPS Lipid Classification System and cancer risk factors, the present review delves into the dysregulated molecules and pathways participating in the process of lipid uptake, biosynthesis, transportation, and catabolism. We also present an overview of the latest advancements in understanding alterations in lipid metabolism and how they intersect with the carcinogenesis, development, treatment, and prognosis of head and neck cancer. By shedding light on the significance of metabolic therapy, we aspire to improve the overall prognosis and treatment outcomes of head and neck cancer patients.

Abstract Aims This study aimed to develop and validate the psychometric properties of Information Needs Questionnaire for Differentiated Thyroid Cancer (INQ‐DTC) in DTC patients with radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy. Design Mixed methods. Methods Using qualitative methods, we developed the initial questionnaire from a personal perspective of information needs of 15 patients with DTC. We used a formal Delphi consensus process to help assess the initial questionnaire and provide recommendations for its application. Totally, 230 DTC patients with RAI therapy were selected for the process of validation. Results The final version of INQ‐DTC contains 33 items. The total Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.945, the total split‐half reliability was 0.822, and the test‐retest value was 0.984 for the overall score. Exploratory factor analysis extracted 5 factors, which could explain 61.86% of the total variance. The Scale‐level content validity index (S‐CVI) was 0.928, and 0.929 for the item‐level content validity index (I‐CVI).

Peripheral nerve regeneration and functional recovery remain a major clinical challenge. Nerve guidance conduit (NGC) that can regulate biological behavior of Schwann cells (SCs) and facilitate axonal regeneration through microenvironmental remodeling is beneficial for nerve regeneration and functional recovery. Gastrodin, a main constituent of a Chinese traditional herbal medicine, has been known to display several biological and pharmacological properties, especially antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory and nerve regeneration. Herein, polyurethane (PU) NGCs modified by different weight ratio of Gastrodin (0, 1 and 5 wt%) were designed for sequential and sustainable drug release, that created a favorable microenvironment for nerve regeneration. The scaffold showed suitable pore structure and biocompatibility in vitro, and evidently promoted morphological and functional recovery of regenerated sciatic nerves in vivo. Compared to the PU and 1%Gastrodin/PU scaffolds, the 5%Gastrodin/PU significantly enhanced the proliferation, migration and myelination of SCs and up-regulated expression of neurotrophic factors, as well as induction of the differentiation of PC12 cells. Interestingly, the obvious anti-inflammatory response was observed in 5%Gastrodin/PU by reduced expression of TNF-α and iNOS, which also evidenced by the few fibrous capsule formation in the subcutaneous implantation. Such a construct presented a similarity to autograft in vivo repairing a 10 mm sciatic nerve defects. It was able to not only boost the regenerated area of nerve and microvascular network, but also facilitate functional axons growth and remyelination, leading to highly improved functional restoration. These findings demonstrate that the 5%Gastrodin/PU NGC efficiently promotes nerve regeneration, indicating their potential for use in peripheral nerve regeneration applications.

The frequency security problem of power system is highlighted as wind power penetration increases yearly, the eigenvalue analysis method based on the deterministic model is difficult to accurately evaluate the small signal stability of power system. The Weibull probability distribution is used to describe the uncertainty of wind speed. In this paper, the shape and scale parameters of the Weibull distribution are calculated by using the maximum likelihood approach and combining with the measured data, and the stability of small signal with large-scale wind power access is analyzed by the probability distribution method. Meanwhile, considering that the lack of inertia of the system caused by high-penetration wind power access can easily lead to the problem of frequency stability, it is proposed to take the maximum damping ratio of regional oscillation mode as optimization objective, virtual inertia and pitch angle control parameters as variables, and frequency stability as constraints, an small signal stability optimization model of wind power access to power system is established according to the proposed probabilistic small signal stability model. The sensitivity algorithm is used to obtain the optimal solution for the virtual inertia and pitch angle control parameters, and the validity of the proposed method and model is verified by two-area four-machine examples. Simulation results show that by optimizing the virtual inertia and pitch angle parameters of wind turbines, the small signal stability of the high-penetration wind power access system can be improved under the condition of ensuring sufficient inertia of the system, which provides a certain theoretical basis for the safe and reliable operation of wind power large-scale cluster access power system.

Establishing a portable diagnostic method for identifying plant pathogens is essential to prevent the spread of plant disease, especially in field and customs inspections. Leptosphaeria maculans (L. maculans) is an aggressive fungus, which causes severe phoma stem canker of Brassica napus, responsible for major yield losses of oilseed rape worldwide. In this study, CRISPR/Cas12a-based detection system and recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) technique were employed to develop a rapid and sensitive detection method for identifying L. maculans. The involved RPA pre-amplification and CRISPR/Cas12a cleavage confer considerable sensitivity and selectivity, which can be finished within 45 min with a LOD of 4.7 genomic DNA copies. This detection system was further developed to two portable platforms, i.e., one-pot lateral flow detection and all-in-one chip lateral flow assay (AOCLFA), which integrates the lyophilized recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) reagents and lyophilized Cas12a cleavage reagents in one tube or chip. The developed portable platforms have flexible portability and simple operation for the detection of L. maculans from plant tissues in the field. The proposed portable suitcase containing the minimum equipment, regents, and AOCLFA meets the practical needs of rapid on-site disease screening of plant fungi, port quarantine, or pathogen spreading control.

The development of functional materials for osteoporosis is ultimately required for bone remodeling. However, grafts were accompanied by increasing pro-inflammatory cytokines that impaired bone formation. In this work, nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA)/resveratrol (Res)/chitosan (CS) composite microspheres were designed to create a beneficial microenvironment and help improve the osteogenesis by local sustained release of Res. Study of in vitro release confirmed the feasibility of n-HA/Res/CS microspheres for controlled Res release. Notably, microspheres had anti-inflammatory activity evidenced by the decreased expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, IL-1β and iNOS in RAW264.7 cells in a dose dependent manner. Further, enhanced adhesion and proliferation of BMSCs seeded onto microspheres demonstrated that composite microspheres were conducive to cell growth. The ability to enhance osteo-differentiation was supported by up-regulation of Runx2, ALP, Col-1 and OCN, and substantial mineralization in osteogenic medium. When implanted into bone defects in the osteoporotic rat femoral condyles, enhanced entochondrostosis and bone regeneration suggested that the n-HA/Res/CS composite microspheres were more favorable for impaired fracture healing. The results indicated that optimized n-HA/Res/CS composite microspheres could serve as promising multifunctional fillers for osteoporotic bone defect/fracture treatment.

Abstract Glioma stem cells (GSCs) contribute to therapy resistance and poor outcomes for glioma patients. A significant feature of GSCs is their ability to grow in an acidic microenvironment. However, the mechanism underlying the rewiring of their metabolism in low pH remains elusive. Here, using metabolomics and metabolic flux approaches, we cultured GSCs at pH 6.8 and pH 7.4 and found that cells cultured in low pH exhibited increased de novo purine nucleotide biosynthesis activity. The overexpression of glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase, encoded by G6PD or H6PD, supports the metabolic dependency of GSCs on nucleotides when cultured under acidic conditions, by enhancing the pentose phosphate pathway (PPP). The high level of reduced glutathione (GSH) under acidic conditions also causes demand for the PPP to provide NADPH. Taken together, upregulation of G6PD/H6PD in the PPP plays an important role in acidic-driven purine metabolic reprogramming and confers a predilection toward glioma progression. Our findings indicate that targeting G6PD/H6PD, which are closely related to glioma patient survival, may serve as a promising therapeutic target for improved glioblastoma therapeutics. An integrated metabolomics and metabolic flux analysis, as well as considering microenvironment and cancer stem cells, provide a precise insight into understanding cancer metabolic reprogramming.

Apple fruits are susceptible to infection by postharvest fungal pathogens, which may cause fruit decay and severe economic losses. This study investigated the antifungal spectrum of vanillin against common decay pathogens of apple and explored the antifungal mechanisms of vanillin in vitro. In vivo experiments were carried out to evaluate the effects of vanillin on apple postharvest disease control and fruit quality. Moreover, the induced resistance mechanism of vanillin on apple fruit was preliminarily explored. The results showed that vanillin has broad-spectrum antifungal effects, especially on Alternaria alternata. Vanillin could significantly inhibit the growth rate, mycelium biomass, and spore germination of pathogenic fungi by increasing the cell membrane permeability and lipid peroxidation. Importantly, vanillin treatment reduced the incidence of apple decay caused by A. alternata and Penicillium expansum, and contributed to improve fruit quality. Further studies indicated that vanillin could induce elevation in the activities of defense-related enzymes in apple fruit, such as phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chitinase (CHI) and β-1,3-glucanase (β-1,3-GA), and increase total phenols and flavonoids contents. Generally, these results suggest that vanillin may contribute to the induced resistance of apple fruits to pathogenic fungi. To conclude, the results of this research provide theoretical foundations for the application of vanillin in the control of apple postharvest decay caused by fungal pathogens.

Commensal microbes cross talk with their colonized mucosa. We show that microbes and their cell wall components induce an inflammatory response in cultured human mucosal cells derived from the nonmalignant nasopharyngeal epithelium (NNE) cells in vitro. NNE cells show significant induction of NF-κB with nuclear shuttling and inflammatory gene response when exposed to Gram-positive bacteria (streptococci) or peptidoglycan (PGN), a component of the Gram-positive bacterial cell wall. This response is abrogated in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)–derived cell lines. The inflammatory response induced by NF-κB signaling was blocked at two levels in the tumor-derived cells. We found that NF-κB was largely trapped in lipid droplets (LDs) in the cytoplasm of the NPC-derived cells, while the increased expression of lysine-specific histone demethylase 1 (LSD1, a repressive nuclear factor) reduces the response mediated by remaining NF-κB at the promoters responding to inflammatory stimuli. This refractory response in NPC cells might be a consequence of long-term exposure to microbes in vivo during carcinogenic progression. It may contribute to the decreased antitumor immune responses in NPC, among others despite heavy T-helper cell infiltration, and thus facilitate tumor progression.

The main objective of this article is to investigate the dynamical transition for a 3-component Lotka-Volterra model with diffusion. Based on the spectral analysis, the principle of exchange of stability conditions for eigenvalues is obtained. In addition, when $\delta_0\delta_1$, the first eigenvalue is real. Generically, the first eigenvalue is simple and all three types of transition are possible. In particular, the transition is mixed if $\int_{\Omega}e_{k_0}^3dx\neq 0$, and is continuous or jump in the case where $\int_{\Omega}e_{k_0}^3dx= 0$. In this case we also show that the system bifurcates to two saddle points on $\delta 0$, and bifurcates to two stable singular points on $\delta>\delta_1$ as $\tilde{\theta}< 0$ where $\tilde{\theta}$ depends on the system parameters.

Vascular grafts must avoid negative inflammatory responses and thrombogenesis to prohibit fibrotic deposition immediately upon implantation and promote the regeneration of small diameter blood vessels (

Push-pull ventilation systems provide excellent control of contaminants and harmful gases. However, since both a push inlet and a pull outlet are used in the push-pull ventilation system, the flow rate required by the system is large. In that case, the energy consumption of the system is large. The purpose of this paper is to study the flow field and economic characteristics of a parallel push-pull ventilation system by reducing the flow rate of the exhaust outlet, which will be achieved by reducing the size of the exhaust hood. The three commonly used push-pull ventilation systems were analyzed: a high velocity push-pull system with high air supply velocity, a low velocity push-pull system with wide airflow and small velocity, and a parallel push-pull system with wide airflow and uniform air supply velocity. Results showed that the parallel push-pull ventilation system was the only one in which the flow rate of the exhaust outlet could be reduced, reducing the overall energy consumption. Under conditions of the parallel air supply jet, the diffusion range of contaminants in the push-pull flow field was the smallest and reducing the exhaust air flow rate did not affect the capture efficiency of pollutants. These results may be useful in guiding the design of push-pull ventilation system and optimize economic constraints.

Abstract Background Untreated male partners are a critical source of maternal re-infection. Contact tracing is a good way to identify infection among partners and reduce risk of mother-to-child transmission related to maternal re-infection. This study aimed to analyze the current situation and related factors of contact tracing of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and syphilis-infection among their male partners. Method Data of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and their male partners attending clinic for syphilis-screening were obtained from the Shenzhen Program for Prevention of Congenital Syphilis. Contact tracing rate of syphilis-seropositive pregnant women and syphilis prevalence among male partners were counted, and related factors were also analyzed using a random-effects logistic regression model. Result Of the 1299 syphilis-seropositive pregnant women, 74.1% (963/1299) had their male partners receiving syphilis-screening and 19.1% (184/963) of male partners were syphilis-infected. For pregnant women, being divorced (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] =0.39; 95%CI: 0.17–0.87), seeking for emergency services at their first antenatal clinics visits (AOR = 0.58; 95%CI: 0.44–0.77), reporting willingness to notify partner(AOR = 7.65; 95%CI: 4.69–12.49), multi-partners (AOR = 1.38; 95%CI:1.03–1.86) and having a history of drug abuse (AOR = 0.37; 95%CI: 0.14–1.00)were independently associated with successful contact tracing. For male partners, of minority ethnicity (AOR = 4.15; 95%CI: 1.66–10.34), age at first sex>20(AOR = 0.57; 95%CI: 0.37–0.87), reporting multi-partners (AOR = 1.60; 95%CI: 1.04–2.46), having a history of drug abuse (AOR = 4.07; 95%CI: 1.31–12.64) were independently associated with syphilis-infection. In addition, pregnant women with TRUST titer ≥1:8 (AOR = 2.81; 95%CI: 1.87–4.21), having a history of adverse pregnancy outcomes (AOR = 1.70; 95%CI: 1.14–2.53), reporting multi-partners (AOR = 0.43; 95%CI: 0.29–0.64) and reporting the current partner as the source of syphilis (AOR = 5.05; 95%CI: 2.82–9.03) were independently associated with partners’ syphilis-infection. Conclusion Contact tracing is feasible and effective in identifying syphilis-infected partners among syphilis-seropositive pregnant women. Contact tracing is associated with many factors such as women’s marital status, services at their first antenatal clinics visit and willingness of partner notification. Partners’ ethnicity, age at first sex, multi-partners and history of drug abuse as well as women’s levels of TRUST titer were associated with partners’ syphilis-infection.

The role of miRNAs as crucial components in carcinogenesis has been well documented. However, whether and how miR-214 influences oral cancer cells’ drug resistance remains to be elucidated, and its downstream targets are still under investigation. Hence, this research is aimed at determining miR-214 and ULK1 expression in oral cancer before and after chemotherapy and their correlations with cancer cell growth. Human oral normal epithelial cells and human tongue squamous cell carcinoma CAL-27 cells were cultured to detect miR-214 and ULK1 levels. It was found that before chemotherapy, miR-214 was higher, while ULK1 was underexpressed in CAL-27 cells, versus normal epithelial cells. After chemotherapy, miR-214 decreased obviously in CAL-27 cells, while ULK1 level increased significantly. In addition, autophagy-related genes (Beclin 1, mTOR, and P53) in CAL-27 cells were found to be significantly inhibited before chemotherapy and were obviously increased after chemotherapy. Moreover, to further determine the impacts of miR-214 and ULK1 on oral cancer cell growth after chemotherapy, the two were overexpressed or silenced in CAL-27 cells after transfection. We found that ULK1 could effectively decrease the activity and invasion of CAL-27 cells and increase their apoptosis level, while miR-214 could antagonize its antitumor effect. Therefore, miR-214 can be used as an early prognostic biomarker for oral cancer, and ULK1 is a new candidate therapeutic target.

Abstract As a chronic metabolic disease, diabetes mellitus (DM) creates a hyperglycemic micromilieu around implants, resulting inthe high complication and failure rate of implantation because of mitochondrial dysfunction in hyperglycemia. To address the daunting issue, the authors innovatively devised and developed mitochondria‐targeted orthopedic implants consisted of nutrient element coatings and polyetheretherketone (PEEK). Dual nutrient elements, in the modality of ZnO and Sr(OH)2, are assembled onto the sulfonated PEEK surface (Zn&Sr‐SPEEK). The results indicate the synergistic liberation of Zn2+ and Sr2+ from coating massacres pathogenic bacteria and dramatically facilitates cyto‐activity of osteoblasts upon the hyperglycemic niche. Intriguingly, Zn&Sr‐SPEEK implants are demonstrated to have a robust ability to recuperate hyperglycemia‐induced mitochondrial dynamic disequilibrium and dysfunction by means of Dynamin‐related protein 1 (Drp1) gene down‐regulation, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) resurgence, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) elimination, ultimately enhancing osteogenicity of osteoblasts. In vivo evaluations utilizing diabetic rat femoral/tibia defect model at 4 and 8 weeks further confirm that nutrient element coatings substantially augment bone remodeling and osseointegration. Altogether, this study not only reveals the importance of Zn2+ and Sr2+ modulation on mitochondrial dynamics that contributes to bone formation and osseointegration, but also provides a novel orthopedic implant for diabetic patients with mitochondrial modulation capability.

Polyploidization events are prevalent in plants and act as an important evolutionary force for speciation, adaptation and diversification. During this process, the genome undergoes reorganization and large changes. However, the evolutionary characteristics of specific gene families are still not well investigated. Cultivated peanut is an allotetraploid that evolved from a diploid. In this study, we focused on the family of mitochondrial transcription termination factors (mTERF), which is increasing in gene number in higher plants and acts in organellar gene expression. The 65 mTERFs were identified in allotetraploid peanut, but only 31 in diploid peanut, which showed that the genome has not doubled simply during the polyploidization event. Some of the mTERFs may have emerged as a result of reverse complements, deletions, insertions, fusions and so on. mTERFs were divided into three groups according to their predicted localization. Six representative proteins showed their different localization. Most of the AhmTERF mRNAs were detected in root and leaf samples and responded to dehydration stress. Our data provide insights into the evolution of the mTERF gene family in peanut and further support the hypothesis that these genes respond to dehydration stress.

Abstract Background NGF-TrkA is well known to play a key role in propagating and sustaining pruritogenic signals, which form the pathology of chronic pruritus. Inhibition of NGF-TrkA is a known strategy for the treatment of pruritus. In the present paper, we describe the identification, in vitro characterization, structure–activity analysis, and inhibitory evaluation of a novel TrkA inhibitory scaffold exemplified by Cucurbitacins (Cus). Methods Cus were identified as TrkA inhibitors in a large-scale kinase library screen. To obtain structural models of Cus as TrkA inhibitors, AutoDock was used to explore their binding to TrkA. Furthermore, PC12 cell culture systems have been used to study the effects of Cus and traditional Chinese medicinal plants (Tian Gua Di and bitter gourd leaf) extracts on the kinase activity of TrkA. Results Cus block the phosphorylation of TrkA on several tyrosine sites, including Tyr490, Tyr674/675, and Tyr785, and inhibit downstream Akt and MAPK phosphorylation in response to NGF in PC12 cell model systems. Furthermore, traditional Chinese medicinal plants (Tian Gua Di and bitter gourd leaf) containing Cu extracts were shown to inhibit the phosphorylation of TrkA and Akt. These data reveal mechanisms, at least partly, of the anti-pruritus bioactivity of Cus. Conclusion Taken together, with the recent discovery of the important role of TrkA as a therapeutic target, Cus could be the basis for the design of improved TrkA kinase inhibitors, which could someday help treat pruritus.

Although the fruit of Ficus tikoua Bur. has been consumed by montanic people in China for centuries, its chemical and biological composition was still unclear. A series of comprehensive investigations on its chemical constituents and bioactivities were carried out for the first time. As a result, six compounds were isolated and identified as the main components in this fruit. GC–MS analysis of the lipid components demonstrated that Ficus tikoua Bur. fruit contains some wholesome constituents such as fatty acids, vitamins, triterpenoids, and phytosterols. The fatty acids are mainly composed of linolenic acid (61.27%) and linoleic acid (22.79%). Furthermore, this fruit contains a relative high content of crude protein (9.41 ± 0.03%), total amino acids (9.28%), and total polyphenols (0.86 ± 0.01 g/100 g). The analysis of monosaccharide composition showed that the total polysaccharide mainly consists of glucose, glucuronic acid, xylose, arabinose, mannose, galactose, galacturonic acid, and rhamnose. The polysaccharide, polyphenol, water, ethanol, and flavonoid extracts exhibited prominent antioxidant activity determined by ABTS, DPPH, and FRAPS methods. Meanwhile, the total polysaccharide exhibited significant immunomodulatory effect by enhancing the release of cytokines and expression of iNOS and COX-2 in RAW264.7 cells, significantly decreasing the expression of c-Jun and p65 proteins in the cytoplasm; increasing the translocation of c-Jun and p65 to the nucleus; and regulating the phosphorylation level of Akt, PI3K, and PDK1 in the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. This study proved that the fruit of F. tikoua is a reliable source of functional food.

Owing to their low minimal environmental risk and other ethical considerations, plant-derived sterilants are used to control rodent populations. However, the effects of plant-derived sterilants are not immediate, and their efficacy on rodent control is controversial, which negatively affects sterilant research and application. Here, a meta-analysis of the available literature was conducted to evaluate the effects of two plant-derived sterilants, triptolide and curcumol, on rodent populations. Using a random-effects and a fixed-effects model, we calculated the weighted mean difference (WMD) and relative risk (RR) and their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). After the application of plant-derived sterilants, the rodent population density tended to decrease. Three outcome-related measures in rodents, i.e., capture rate (RR = 0.31, 95% CI [0.20, 0.47]), pregnancy rate (RR = 0.49, 95% CI [0.40, 0.61]), and sperm survival rate (WMD = −17.53, 95% CI [−28.96, −6.06]), significantly decreased, as shown by a significant reduction of ovarian, uterine, and testicular organ coefficients. However, the number of effective rodent holes did not change significantly after the interventions, indicating that the studied sterilants did not directly eradicate the rodent populations. This study provides a theoretical basis for elucidating the inhibitory mechanisms of plant-derived sterilants on rodent populations and for the rational use of these sterilants.

Plantation forestry of Eucalyptus urophylla × Eucalyptus grandis supplies high-quality raw material for pulp, paper, wood, and energy and thereby reduces the pressures on native forests and their associated biodiversity. Nevertheless, owing to the heterozygosity of the E. urophylla × E. grandis genetic background, germplasm improvement by crossbreeding tends to be inefficient. As an alternative approach, genetic engineering of Eucalyptus can be used to effectively improve germplasm resources. From a strategic standpoint, increasing the plantation productivity and wood quality by transgenic technology has become increasingly important for forest industry. In this study, we established a fluorescence labelling method using CRISPR/Cas9 technology to obtain positive transformed progenies. The positive transformed progenies were easily obtained from the genetically modified population via fluorescence screening. This system can be used as a plant genome site-specific editing tool and may be useful for improving Eucalyptus genetic resources.

In this study, we analyzed differences in the enzyme activities and transcriptomes of embryogenic and non-embryogenic calli to gain insights for improving the success of tissue culture-based breeding. A total of 2,856 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 1,632 up-regulated and 1,224 down-regulated) were identified based on RNA sequencing and verified by reverse transcription quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gene set enrichment analysis revealed that many of the up-regulated DEGs in embryogenic callus were enriched in the photosynthesis processes. Furthermore, the enzyme activity, hormone content, and cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) gene expression analyses were found to be consistent with the transcriptome results. Cytokinin biosynthesis in N-phenyl-N′-[6-(2-chlorobenzothiazol)-yl] urea (PBU)-induced embryogenic callus increased owing to CKX repression. Measurement of endogenous hormones by high-performance liquid chromatography revealed that, compared with non-embryogenic callus, in embryogenic callus, the indole-3-acetic acid, abscisic acid and trans-zeatin riboside content had significantly higher values of 129.7, 127.8 and 78.9 ng/g, respectively. Collectively, the findings of this study will provide a foundation for elucidating the molecular mechanisms underlying embryogenic callus differentiation and can potentially contribute to developing procedures aimed at enhancing the success of callus-based plant regeneration.

Abstract Human exposure to lead mainly occurs by ingestion of contaminated food, water and soil. Blocking lead uptake in the gastrointestinal tract is a novel prevention strategy. Whole-cell biosorbent for lead was constructed with PbrR genetically engineered on the cell surface of Escherichia coli (E. coli), a predominant strain among intestinal microflora, using lipoprotein (Lpp)-OmpA as the anchoring protein. In vitro, the PbrR displayed cells had an enhanced ability for immobilizing toxic lead(II) ions from the external media at both acidic and neutral pH, and exhibited a higher specific adsorption for lead compared to other physiological two valence metal ions. In vivo, the persistence of recombinant E. coli in the murine intestinal tract and the integrity of surface displayed PbrR were confirmed. In addition, oral administration of surface-engineered E. coli was safe in mice, in which the concentrations of physiological metal ions in blood were not affected. More importantly, lead associated with PbrR-displayed E. coli was demonstrated to be less bioavailable in the experimental mouse model with exposure to oral lead. This is reflected by significantly lower blood and femur lead concentrations in PbrR-displayed E. coli groups compared to the control. These results open up the possibility for the removal of toxic metal ions in vivo using engineered microorganisms as adsorbents.

Biological invasion refers to the phenomenon that some organisms have been accidentally or artificially introduced into the wild. The invasive populations compete with the local population,and cause damage to the local ecosystem. To protect the local ecosystem, the invasive populations should be artificially reduced. Such processes are seldom studied in dynamical models.

Abstract BD750, a novel JAK3/STAT5 inhibitor, can inhibit T cell proliferation. This study aims to evaluate whether BD750 can induce tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDC) and their function in experimental autoimmune encephalitis (EAE) in mice. Following BD750 treatment, lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced maturation of DCs, allogeneic T cell proliferation, Th1 and Th17 cell functional differentiation, and STAT5 and AKT activation were determined. The effect of tolDC loaded with antigen peptide on the development and severity of EAE and splenic Th1 and Th17 cell responses was determined. In comparison with LPS-induced mature DCs (mDCs), BD750 treatment induced tolDC with lower expression levels of costimulatory molecules and proinflammatory cytokines and lower levels of STAT5 phosphorylation. TolDC inhibited allogeneic T cell proliferation and reduced Th1 and Th17 responses. Adoptive transfer of tolDC loaded with myelin oligodendrocyte glycoprotein35-55 inhibited the development and severity of EAE in mice, accompanied by reduced numbers of inflammatory infiltrates and decreased levels of demyelination in the spinal cord tissues. In addition, treatment with tolDC loaded with antigen peptide also significantly reduced the frequency of splenic Th1 and Th17 cells in EAE mice. The effects of tolDC were similar to that of JAK/STAT inhibitor CP690550-treated DCs. In conclusion, treatment with BD750 induced tolDC that inhibited proinflammatory T cell immunity in vitro and in vivo. BD750 and tolDC may be valuable for development of new therapies for EAE and other autoimmune diseases.

Endophytes are considered to be excellent biocontrol agents and biofertilizers, and are associated with plant growth promotion and health. In particular, seed-endophytic bacteria benefit the host plant’s progeny via vertical transmission, and can play a role in plant growth and defense. However, seed-associated endophytic bacteria have not been fully explored, with very little known about how they interact with peanut (Arachis hypogaea), for example. Here, 10 genera of endophytic bacteria were isolated from the root tips of peanut seedlings grown either aseptically or in soil. Forty-two bacterial colonies were obtained from peanut seedlings grown in soil, mostly from the genus Bacillus. Eight colonies were obtained from aseptic seedling root tips, including Bacillus sp., Paenibacillus sp., and Pantoea dispersa. Four Bacillus peanut strains GL1–GL4 (B.p.GL1-GL4) produced bio-films, while B.p.GL2 and Paenibacillus glycanilyticus YMR3 (P.g.YMR3) showed strong amylolytic capability, enhanced peanut biomass, and increased numbers of root nodules. Conversely, P. dispersa YMR1 (P.d.YMR1) caused peanut plants to wilt. P.g.YMR3 was distributed mainly around or inside vacuoles and was transmitted to the next generation through gynophores and ovules. Hexanoate, succinate, and jasmonic acid (JA) accumulated in peanut root tips after incubation with P.g.YMR3, but linolenate content decreased dramatically. This suggests that strain P.g.YMR3 increases JA content (14.93-fold change) and modulates the metabolism of peanut to facilitate nodule formation and growth. These findings provide new insight into plant–seed endophytic bacterial interactions in peanut.

The development of photothermal materials with a high light-to-heat conversion capability is essential for the utilization of clean solar energy. In this work, we demonstrate the use of a novel and sustainable concept involving cellulose liquefaction, rapid gelation, in situ synthesis and hot-press drying to convert cellulose and metal–organic framework (Prussian blue) into a stable photothermal bioplastic that can harvest sunlight and convert it into mechanical motion. As expected, the obtained Prussian blue@cellulose bioplastic (PCBP) can effectively absorb sunlight and the surface can be heated up to 70.3 °C under one sun irradiation (100 mW cm−2). As a demonstration of the practicality of PCBP, it was successfully used to drive a Stirling engine motion. Meanwhile, hot-pressing promotes the densification of the structure of PCBP and, therefore, improves the resistance to the penetration of water/non-aqueous liquids. Moreover, PCBP shows good mechanical properties and thermal stability. Given the excellent photothermal performance and environmentally friendly features of photothermal conversion bioplastic, we envisage this sustainable plastic film could play important roles toward diversified applications: a photothermal layer for thermoelectric generator, agricultural films for soil mulching and photothermal antibacterial activity, among others.

A total of 17 species of Fissocantharis Pic is recorded from Guangxi, China. Six species are described new to science, F. sinensomima sp. n., F. sexcostata sp. n., F. basilaris sp. n., F. eschara sp. n., F. latipalpa sp. n. and F. biprojicientis sp. n., and two previously known species are redescribed, F. gracilipes (Pic, 1927) and F. sinensis (Wittmer, 1988). These species are presented with habitus of males, abdominal sternites VIII of females and genitalia of both sexes. Fissocantharis flavofacialis (Pic, 1926) is synonymized with F. angusta (Fairmaire, 1900); both were originally described in the genus Podabrus Westwood. Additionally, a key and a checklist of all the species of Fissocantharis from Guangxi are provided.

A portable unmanned Mie-scattering Scheimpflug lidar system has been designed and implemented for atmospheric remote sensing. The Scheimpflug lidar system employs a continuous-wave high-power 808 nm laser diode as the light source and the emitted laser beam is collimated by an F6 lens with a 100 mm aperture. Atmospheric backscattering light is collected by a F5 lens with a 150 mm aperture and then detected by a 45° tilted image sensor. The separation between the transmitting and the receiving optics is about 756 mm to satisfy the Scheimpflug principle. Unmanned outdoor atmospheric measurements were performed in an urban area to investigate system performance. Localized emissions can be identified by performing horizontal scanning measurements over the urban atmosphere for 107° approximately every 17 min. The temporal variation of the vertical aerosol structure in the boundary layer has also been studied through zenith scanning measurements. The promising result shows great potential of the present portable lidar system for unmanned atmospheric pollution monitoring in urban areas.

Twenty previously known species of Fissocantharis Pic, 1921 and Micropodabrus Pic, 1920 from Taiwan are illustrated and described with the genitalia of both sexes and or abdominal sternite VIII of female. The following reconfirmed combinations are proposed, Micropodabrus chujoi (Wittmer, 1972), M. mucronata (Wittmer, 1979), M. multicostata (Wittmer, 1982) and M. nodicornis (Wittmer, 1982), which were all originally described in Kandyosilis Pic, 1929. Two new species are described, Fissocantharis nigriceps Y. Yang & Okushima sp. nov. and Micropodabrus brunneipennis Y. Yang & Okushima sp. nov., which are provided with the illustrations of aedeagus and photos of male habitus.

In past decades, lidar techniques have become main tools for atmospheric remote sensing. However, traditional pulsed lidar systems are relatively expensive and require considerable maintenance. These shortcomings may be overcome by the development of a blue band Scheimpflug lidar system in Dalian, Northern China. Atmospheric remote measurements were carried out for 10 days in an urban area to validate the feasibility and performance of a 450-nm Scheimpflug lidar system. A 24-h continuous measurement was achieved in winter on a near horizontal path with an elevation angle of about 6.4°. The aerosol extinction coefficient retrieved by the Fernald-inversion algorithm shows good agreement with the variation of PM10/PM2.5 concentrations recorded by a national pollution monitoring station. The experimental result reveals that the linear ratio between the aerosol extinction coefficient and the PM10 concentration under high relative humidity (75–90%) is about two-times that in low relative humidity (≤75%) when the PM10 concentrations are less than 100 µg/m3.

We study the generalized Keldys-Fichera boundary value problem for a class of higher order equations with nonnegative characteristic. By using the acute angle principle and the Hölder inequalities and Young inequalities we discuss the existence of the weak solution. Then by using the inverse Hölder inequalities, we obtain the regularity of the weak solution in the anisotropic Sobolev space.