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The lower Cambrian Qiongzhusi (Є1q) shale in the Sichuan Basin, formerly considered a source rock, recently achieved high gas production (7.388 × 105 m3·d−1) from well Z201 in the Deyang–Anyue rift trough (DART), marking an exploration breakthrough of the world’s oldest industrial shale gas reservoir. However, the shale gas enrichment mechanism within the DART is not fully understood. This study reviews the formation of the Qiongzhusi shale gas reservoirs within the DART by comparing them with cotemporaneous deposits outside the DART, and several findings are presented. The gas production interval was correlated with the main phase of the Cambrian explosion (lower Cambrian stage 3). In the early Cambrian ecosystem, dominant animals likely accelerated the settling rates of organic matter (OM) in the upper 1st member of Є1q (Є1q12) by feeding on small planktonic organisms and producing larger organic fragments and fecal pellets. High primary productivity and euxinic conditions contributed to OM enrichment in the lower 1st member of Є1q (Є1q11). Additionally, shale reservoirs inside the DART demonstrated better properties than those outside in terms of thickness, brittle minerals, gas content, and porosity. In particular, the abundant OM pores inside the DART facilitated shale gas enrichment, whereas the higher thermal maturity of the shales outside the DART possibly led to the graphitization and collapse of some OM pores. Meanwhile, the overpressure of high-production wells inside the DART generally reflects better shale gas preservation, benefiting from the shale’s self-sealing nature, “upper capping and lower plugging” configuration, and limited faults and microfractures. Considering these insights, we introduced a “ternary enrichment” model for the Qiongzhusi shale gas. Although the current high gas production of Z201 was found at the reservoir 3, two additional reservoirs were identified with significant potential, thus suggesting a “multilayer stereoscopic development” strategy in future shale gas exploration within the DART.

Abstract Microtubule-based vesicle trafficking usually relies upon kinesin and dynein motors and few reports describe microtubule polymerisation driving directional vesicle trafficking. Here we show that Arabidopsis END BINDING1b (EB1b), a microtubule plus-end binding protein, directly interacts with SYP121, a SNARE protein that mediates the trafficking of the K+ channel KAT1 and its distribution to the plasma membrane (PM) in Arabidopsis guard cells. Knockout of AtEB1b and its homologous proteins results in a modest but significant change in the distribution of KAT1 and SYP121 in guard cells and consequently delays light-induced stomatal opening. Live-cell imaging reveals that a portion of SYP121-associated endomembrane compartments co-localise with AtEB1b at the growing ends of microtubules, trafficking along with the growth of microtubules for targeting to the PM. Our study reveals a mechanism of vesicle trafficking driven by microtubule growth, which is involved in the redistribution of PM proteins to modulate guard cell movement.

Abstract Among the many adverse geological disasters, the surge water disaster in karst areas causes the greatest loss to underground engineering construction, so it is necessary to carry out relevant research on the management of surge water disaster in karst pipelines. This study presents the creation of an oily epoxy resin magnetic convergence grouting material (OEMS) specifically developed to prevent water infiltration in pipelines. A self-designed visual karst pipeline grouting simulation system was used to conduct an experimental study on the diffusion and plugging behavior of magnetic slurry grouting. A model was constructed to simulate the migration of a magnetic slurry in water inrush circumstances. The model is based on the theory of slurry diffusion and the concept of magnetic adsorption. The results suggest that:(i) The best performance in grouting sealing is achieved when the ratio of new OEMS epoxy resin A liquid to B liquid is 2:1, and the blending ratio of flyash and Fe3O4 powder falls between 25 and 55%. (ii) The primary and secondary correlations among the parameters that affect the rate of change in flow rate, plugging pressure, and slurry retention rate are as follows: Hydrodynamic velocity has the greatest correlation, followed by plugging length, Fe3O4 power ratio, and flyash mixture ratio. (iii) The validity of the model is verified by comparing empirical observations with calculated theoretical values.

Abstract Background Adenomyosis is a commonly observed benign gynecological disease that affects the quality of life and social psychology of women of childbearing age. However, because of the unknown etiology and incidence of adenomyosis, its pathophysiological mechanism remains unclear; further, because no noninvasive, accurate, and individualized diagnostic methods are available, treatment and efficacy evaluations are limited. Notably, the interaction between the changes in the microecological environment of the female reproductive tract and human immunity, endocrine, and other links leads to the occurrence and development of diseases. In addition, the vaginal microbiome differs in different menstrual cycles; therefore, assessing the differences between the microbiomes of patients with adenomyosis and healthy individuals in different menstrual cycles will improve the understanding of the disease and provide references for the search for noninvasive diagnosis and individualized precision treatment of adenomyosis. This study aimed to explored the data of individuals in different menstrual cycles. Results Differences in the vaginal microbiome between patients with adenomyosis and healthy individuals were observed. At phylum level, the relative abundance of Firmicutes in the adenomyosis group was higher than that in the control group, which contributed the most to the species difference between the two groups. At the genus level, Lactobacillus was the most dominant in both groups, Alpha-diversity analysis showed significant differences in the adenomyosis and control group during luteal phase (Shannon index, p = 0.0087; Simpson index, p = 0.0056). Beta-diversity index was significantly different between the two groups (p = 0.018). However, based on Weighted Unifrac analysis, significant differences were only observed throughout the luteal phase (p = 0.0146). Within the adenomyosis group, differences between women with different menstrual cycles were also observed. Finally, 50 possible biomarkers including were screened and predicted based on the random forest analyse. Conclusions The vaginal microbiome of patients with adenomyosis and healthy individuals differed during menstrual periods, especially during the luteal phase. These findings facilitate the search for specific biological markers within a limited range and provide a more accurate, objective, and individualized diagnostic and therapeutic evaluation method for patients with adenomyosis, compared to what is currently available.

Abstract Background Pancreatic cancer is one of the most lethal malignancies and the lack of treatment options makes it more deadly. Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and made great breakthroughs in treating hematological malignancies, however its success in treating solid cancers remains limited mainly due to the lack of tumor-specific antigens. On the other hand, the prolonged traditional manufacturing process poses challenges, taking 2 to 6 weeks and impacting patient outcomes. CD276 has recently emerged as a potential therapeutic target for anti-solid cancer therapy. Here, we investigated the efficacy of CD276 CAR-T and rapidly-manufactured CAR-T against pancreatic cancer. Methods In the present study, CD276 CAR-T was prepared by CAR structure carrying 376.96 scFv sequence, CD8 hinge and transmembrane domain, 4-1BB and CD3ζ intracellular domains. Additionally, CD276 rapidly-manufactured CAR-T (named CD276 Dash CAR-T) was innovatively developed by shortening the duration of ex vitro culture to reduce CAR-T manufacturing time. We evaluated the anti-tumor efficacy of CD276 CAR-T and further compared the functional assessment of Dash CAR-T and conventional CAR-T in vitro and in vivo by detecting the immunophenotypes, killing ability, expansion capacity and tumor-eradicating effect of CAR-T. Results We found that CD276 was strongly expressed in multiple solid cancer cell lines and that CD276 CAR-T could efficiently kill these solid cancer cells. Moreover, Dash CAR-T was successfully manufactured within 48–72 h and the functional validation was carried out subsequently. In vitro, CD276 Dash CAR-T possessed a less-differentiated phenotype and robust proliferative ability compared to conventional CAR-T. In vivo xenograft mouse model, CD276 Dash CAR-T showed enhanced anti-pancreatic cancer efficacy and T cell expansion. Besides, except for the high-dose group, the body weight of mice was maintained stable, and the state of mice was normal. Conclusions In this study, we proved CD276 CAR-T exhibited powerful activity against pancreatic cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. More importantly, we demonstrated the manufacturing feasibility, acceptable safety and superior anti-tumor efficacy of CD276 Dash CAR-T generated with reduced time. The results of the above studies indicated that CD276 Dash CAR-T immunotherapy might be a novel and promising strategy for pancreatic cancer treatment.

ABSTRACT Objectives Methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase 1 (MTHFD1) is the enzyme with the activities of methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase, methylenetetrahydrofolate cyclohydrolase, and formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase. Our aim was to elucidate the function of MTHFD1 in colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods In vitro assessments of the proliferation, invasion, and migration abilities of CRC cells were conducted using Immunohistochemistry, Transwell invasion assays, Western blot (WB), and Cell counting Kit‐8 assays. WB was also utilized to measure autophagy protein levels and PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR signaling pathway expression. Furthermore, the role of MTHFD1 was evaluated in vivo by using subcutaneous xenograft tumor models and lateral tail vein metastasis models of human CRC in nude mice. Results Overexpression of MTHFD1 promoted the abilities of tumorigenesis and metastasis in CRC in vitro and in vivo and reduced autophagy, attributing to the PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR signaling pathway in CRC cells. In contrast, the down‐regulation of MTHFD1 increased autophagy and suppressed their proliferation, migration, and invasion. Conclusions MTHFD1 can modulate the PI3K‐AKT‐mTOR signaling pathway to suppress autophagy and stimulate tumorigenesis and metastasis.

Objectives We aimed to investigate the association between the albumin-corrected anion gap (ACAG) and the prognosis of cardiogenic shock (CS).Design A multicentre retrospective cohort study.Setting Data were collected from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC-IV) and eICU Collaborative Research Database (eICU-CRD) datasets.Participants 808 and 700 individuals from the MIMIC-IV and eICU-CRD, respectively, who were diagnosed with CS.Primary and secondary outcomes The primary endpoint was short-term all-cause mortality, including intensive care unit (ICU), in-hospital and 28-day mortality. The secondary endpoints were the 28-day free from the ICU duration and the length of ICU stay.Results CS patients were divided into two groups according to the admission ACAG value: the normal ACAG group (≤20 mmol/L) and the high ACAG group (> 20 mmol/L). CS patients with higher ACAG values exhibited increased short-term all-cause mortality rates, including ICU mortality (MIMIC-IV cohort: adjusted HR: 1.43, 95% CI=1.05–1.93, p=0.022; eICU-CRD cohort: adjusted HR: 1.38, 95% CI=1.02–1.86, p=0.036), in-hospital mortality (MIMIC-IV cohort: adjusted HR: 1.31, 95% CI=1.01–1.71, p=0.03; eICU-CRD cohort: adjusted HR: 1.47, 95% CI=1.12–1.94, p=0.006) and 28-day mortality (adjusted HR: 1.42, 95% CI: 1.11 to 1.83, p=0.007). A positive linear correlation was observed between the ACAG value and short-term mortality rates via restricted cubic splines. Compared with the AG, the ACAG presented a larger area under the curve for short-term mortality prediction. In addition, the duration of intensive care was longer, whereas the 28-day free from the ICU duration was shorter in patients with a higher ACAG value in both cohorts.Conclusion The ACAG value was independently and strongly associated with the prognosis of patients with CS, indicating that the ACAG value is superior to the conventional AG value.

Abstract Advancements in quantum system lifetimes and control have enabled the creation of increasingly complex quantum states, such as those on multiple bosonic cavity modes. When characterizing these states, traditional tomography scales exponentially with the number of modes in both computational and experimental measurement requirement, which becomes prohibitive as the system size increases. Here, we implement a state reconstruction method whose sampling requirement instead scales polynomially with system size, and thus mode number, for states that can be represented within such a polynomial subspace. We demonstrate this improved scaling with Wigner tomography of multimode entangled W states of up to 4 modes on a 3D circuit quantum electrodynamics (cQED) system. This approach performs similarly in efficiency to existing matrix inversion methods for 2 modes, and demonstrates a noticeable improvement for 3 and 4 modes, with even greater theoretical gains at higher mode numbers.

Abstract Heart transplantation is the gold standard for treating patients with advanced heart failure. Although improvements in immunosuppressive therapies have significantly reduced the frequency of cardiac graft rejection, the incidences of T cell-mediated rejection (TCMR) and antibody-mediated rejection remain almost unchanged. A four-archetype analysis (4AA) model, developed by Philip F. Halloran, illustrated this problem well. It provided a new dimension to improve the accuracy of diagnoses and an independent system for recalibrating the histology guidelines. However, this model was based on the invasive method of endocardial biopsy, which undoubtedly increased the postoperative risk of heart transplant patients. Currently, little is known regarding the associated genes and specific functions of the different phenotypes. We performed bioinformatics analysis (using machine-learning methods and the WGCNA algorithm) to screen for hub-specific genes related to different phenotypes, based Gene Expression Omnibus accession number GSE124897. More immune cell infiltration was observed with the ABMR, TCMR, and injury phenotypes than with the stable phenotype. Hub-specific genes for each of the four archetypes were verified successfully using an external test set (accession number GSE2596). Logistic-regression models based on TCMR-specific hub genes and common hub genes were constructed with accurate diagnostic utility (area under the curve > 0.95). RELA, NFKB1, and SOX14 were identified as transcription factors important for TCMR/injury phenotypes and common genes, respectively. Additionally, 11 Food and Drug Administration-approved drugs were chosen from the DrugBank Database for each four-archetype model. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors may be a promising new option for transplant rejection treatment. KRAS signaling in cardiac transplant rejection is worth further investigation. Our results showed that heart transplant rejection subtypes can be accurately diagnosed by detecting expression of the corresponding specific genes, thereby enabling precise treatment or medication.

Abstract Background The aberrant secretion and excessive deposition of type I collagen (Col1) are important factors in the pathogenesis of myocardial fibrosis in dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). However, the precise molecular mechanisms underlying the synthesis and secretion of Col1 remain unclear. Methods and results RNA-sequencing analysis revealed an increased HtrA serine peptidase 1 (HTRA1) expression in patients with DCM, which is strongly correlated with myocardial fibrosis. Consistent findings were observed in both human and mouse tissues by immunoblotting, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), immunohistochemistry, and immunofluorescence analyses. Pearson’s analysis showed a markedly positive correlation between HTRA1 level and myocardial fibrosis indicators, including extracellular volume fraction (ECV), native T1, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), in patients with DCM. In vitro experiments showed that the suppression of HTRA1 inhibited the conversion of cardiac fibroblasts into myofibroblasts and decreased Col1 secretion. Further investigations identified the role of HTRA1 in promoting the formation of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) exit sites, which facilitated the transportation of Col1 from the ER to the Golgi apparatus, thereby increasing its secretion. Conversely, HTRA1 knockdown impeded the retention of Col1 in the ER, triggering ER stress and subsequent induction of ER autophagy to degrade misfolded Col1 and maintain ER homeostasis. In vivo experiments using adeno-associated virus-serotype 9-shHTRA1-green fluorescent protein (AAV9-shHTRA1-GFP) showed that HTRA1 knockdown effectively suppressed myocardial fibrosis and improved left ventricular function in mice with DCM. Conclusions The findings of this study provide valuable insights regarding the treatment of DCM-associated myocardial fibrosis and highlight the therapeutic potential of targeting HTRA1-mediated collagen secretion.

Abstract Background Soybean is a major oil crop; the nutritional components of soybean oil are mainly controlled by unsaturated fatty acids (FA). Unsaturated FAs mainly include oleic acid (OA, 18:1), linoleic acid (LLA, 18:2), and linolenic acid (LNA, 18:3). The genetic architecture of unsaturated FAs in soybean seeds has not been fully elucidated, although many independent studies have been conducted. A 3 V multi-locus random single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-effect mixed linear model (3VmrMLM) was established to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) and QTL-by-environment interactions (QEIs) for complex traits. Results In this study, 194 soybean accessions with 36,981 SNPs were calculated using the 3VmrMLM model. As a result, 94 quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) and 19 QEIs were detected using single-environment (QTN) and multi-environment (QEI) methods. Three significant QEIs, namely rs4633292, rs39216169, and rs14264702, overlapped with a significant single-environment QTN. Conclusions For QTNs and QEIs, further haplotype analysis of candidate genes revealed that the Glyma.03G040400 and Glyma.17G236700 genes were beneficial haplotypes that may be associated with unsaturated FAs. This result provides ideas for the identification of soybean lipid-related genes and provides insights for breeding high oil soybean varieties in the future.

Abstract Background Patients treated with drug-coated balloons (DCB) have the theoretical advantage of adopting a low-intensity antiplatelet regimen due to the absence of struts and polymers. Nevertheless, the optimal antiplatelet strategy for patients undergoing DCB-only treatment remains a topic of debate and has not been investigated in randomized trials. Methods The REC-CAGEFREE II is an investigator-initiated, prospective, open-label, multi-center, randomized, non-inferiority trial aimed to enroll 1908 patients from ≥ 40 interventional cardiology centers in China to evaluate the non-inferiority of an antiplatelet regimen consisting of Aspirin plus Ticagrelor for one month, followed by five months Ticagrelor monotherapy, and then Aspirin monotherapy for six months (Experimental group) compared to the conventional treatment of Aspirin plus Ticagrelor for 12 months (Reference group) in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) who have undergone percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) using paclitaxel-coated balloons (DCB) exclusively. Participants will be randomly assigned to the Experimental or Reference group in a 1:1 ratio. The randomization will be stratified based on the center and the type of lesion being treated (De novo or in-stent restenosis). The primary endpoint is net adverse clinical events (NACE) within 12 months of PCI, which includes the composite of all-cause death, any stroke, any myocardial infarction, any revascularization and Bleeding Academic Research Consortium (BARC) defined type 3 or 5 bleeding. The secondary endpoint, any ischemic and bleeding event, which includes all-cause death, any stroke, MI, BARC-defined type 3 bleeding, any revascularization, and BARC-defined type 2 bleeding events, will be treated as having hierarchical clinical importance in the above order and analyzed using the win ratio method. Discussion The ongoing REC-CAGEFREE II trial aims to assess the efficacy and safety of a low-intensity antiplatelet approach among ACS patients with DCB. If non-inferiority is shown, the novel antiplatelet approach could provide an alternative treatment for ACS patients with DCB. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04971356.

Endophytic fungi inhabit various plant tissues and organs without inducing evident disease symptoms. They can contribute positively to the growth of plants, bolster plants resilience to environmental and biological stresses, and facilitate the accumulation of secondary metabolites. These microbial resources possess significant developmental and utilization value in various applications. Hence, this study focused on exploring the plant growth-promoting (PGP) traits of 14 endophytic fungi from Ligusticum chuanxiong Hort (CX) and elucidating the effects and mechanisms that facilitate plant growth. According to PGP activity evaluation, the majority of strains demonstrated the capacity to produce IAA (78.57%), siderophores (50.00%), ammonia (35.71%), potassium solubilization (21.43%), nitrogen fixation (57.14%), and phosphate solubilization (42.86%). Further investigations indicated that the levels of IAA ranged from 13.05 to 301.43 μg/mL, whereas the soluble phosphorus levels ranged from 47.32 to 125.95 μg/mL. In cocultivation assays, it was indicated that Fusarium sp. YMY5, Colletotrichum sp. YMY6, Alternaria sp. ZZ10 and Fusarium sp. ZZ13 had a certain promoting effect on lateral root number and fresh weight of tobacco. Furthermore, ZZ10 and ZZ13 significantly enhanced the germination potential, germination index, and vigor index of tobacco seeds. The subsequent potted trials demonstrated that the four endophytic fungi exhibited an enhancement to growth parameters of tobacco to a certain extent. ZZ10 and ZZ13 treatment had the best promotion effect. Inoculation with YMY5 increased the chlorophyll a and total chlorophyll content. ZZ10 and ZZ13 treatment remarkably increased the net photosynthetic rate, soluble sugars and soluble protein content, catalase and peroxidase activities, and lowered malondialdehyde content in tobacco leaves. In addition, YMY5 remarkably elevated superoxide dismutase activities. ZZ13 upregulated the expression of growth-related gene. Among them, ZZ13 had a better growth-promoting effect. In conclusion, these endophytic fungi possessing multi-trait characteristics and the capacity to enhance plant growth exhibit promising potential as biofertilizers or plant growth regulators.

Alismatis Rhizoma (AR) is a crucial substance for discovering new triterpenoids to address hyperlipidemia and obesity. Currently, approximately 120 triterpenoids have been identified in AR, making the discovery of new triterpenoids increasingly challenging. Thus, based on the advantages of HPLC-HRMS, it was utilized to identify both reported and new triterpenoids, and then in-silico analysis was employed to predict the functions of these new triterpenoids. Twenty reported triterpenoids and four new triterpenoids (25-methoxy-16-oxo-11-anhydroalisol A, 25-methoxy-16-oxo-alisol A, 25-methoxy-16-oxo-alisol A 23-acetate, and 25-methoxy-16-oxo-alisol A 24-acetate) from AR were identified using HPLC-HRMS, and then KEGG analysis suggested four new triterpenoids might be activated the PPAR signaling pathway to relieve hyperlipemia. The results of PPI and molecular docking indicated PPARA might be the key targets for anti-hyperlipidemia of four new triterpenoids, of which 25-methoxy-16-oxo-11-anhydroalisol A has better binding activity with PPARA. Additionally, 25-methoxy-16-oxo-11-anhydroalisol A has more potential as a candidate drug because of its better absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and lower toxicity. Hence, our findings proved there are new triterpenoids with anti-hyperlipidemia medicinal potential in AR, thereby guiding the direction of future works and reducing the consumption of time and financial resources.

IntroductionSoybean, as a globally significant crop, has garnered substantial attention due to its agricultural importance. The utilization of molecular approaches to enhance grain yield in soybean has gained popularity.MethodsIn this study, we conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using 156 Chinese soybean accessions over a two-year period. We employed the general linear model (GLM) and the mixed linear model (MLM) to analyze three agronomic traits: pod number, grain number, and grain weight. ResultsOur findings revealed significant associations between qgPNpP-98, qgGNpP-89 and qgHGW-85 QTLs and pod number, grain number, and grain weight, respectively. These QTLs were identified on chromosome 16, a region spanning 413171bp exhibited associations with all three traits. DiscussionThese QTL markers identified in this study hold potential for improving yield and agronomic traits through marker-assisted selection and genomic selection in breeding programs.

Abstract Atherosclerosis, which is a vascular pathology characterized by inflammation and plaque build-up within arterial vessel walls, acts as the important cause of most cardiovascular diseases. Except for a lipid-depository and chronic inflammatory, increasing evidences propose that epigenetic modifications are increasingly associated with atherosclerosis and are of interest from both therapeutic and biomarker perspectives. The chronic progressive nature of atherosclerosis has highlighted atherosclerosis heterogeneity and the fact that specific cell types in the complex milieu of the plaque are, by far, not the only initiators and drivers of atherosclerosis. Instead, the ubiquitous effects of cell type are tightly controlled and directed by the epigenetic signature, which, in turn, is affected by many proatherogenic stimuli, including low-density lipoprotein, proinflammatory, and physical forces of blood circulation. In this review, we summarize the role of DNA methylation and histone post-translational modifications in atherosclerosis. The future research directions and potential therapy for the management of atherosclerosis are also discussed. Video Abstract

Purposes To verify the axil fensile beaning performance of pre embeded mechanical sleeve connectors used for anti-pulling pile. Methods The axial tension test of 6 groups of anti-pulling pile tensile mechanical sleeve connectors was completed, and the maximum failure load and failure mode were obtained. Combined with the finite element calculation results, the stress distribution law of the specimen was analyzed to find out the stress concentration point or weak part. Findings The results show that the pre-embedded mechanical sleeve connection specimen meets the requirements of tensile bearing capacity; when the specimen was subjected to ultimate failure, the main failure phenomena were the failure of sleeve groove and steel bar end block; the inclination angle decrease of the contact surface between the pier head and the groove has a significant effect on improving the stress concentration of the specimen, it is suggested that the inclination angle should be controlled within 15°. Conclusion Pile concrete limits the deformation of sleeve connectors and improves the safety and reliability of specimens during pullout.

Objective In Southwest China, rockfall hazards are extremely developed in high mountains and deep valley areas with high and steep slopes. Due to the large elevation difference and steep slope, the dangerous rock mass on a high-steep slope has remarkable characteristics of suddenness. Thus, a rapid, accurate and convenient interpretation and identification for the source of dangerous rock mass becomes the primary problem of risk analysis of high-steep slopes. At present, the progress of detection makes image-based geological hazard interpretation gradually develop from visual identification to human-computer interactive identification. Among them, the UAV LiDAR system is widely used in geological disaster investigation by integrating both advantages of UAV carrier and LiDAR measurement technology, while the introduction of ground imitation flight technology can make the UAV LiDAR system adapt to complex terrain, obtaining high-precision and high-density point cloud data. Methods On this basis, a UAV survey was carried out on the East side slope of open-pit mine, and a high-precision DOM image and 3D point cloud model were obtained by processing the UAV survey data. As the supplementary materials of the DOM image, the geometric feature parameters of outcrop, including surface roughness and dip, are quantitatively extracted from the point cloud model. On this basis, a set of human-computer interactive identification for dangerous rock masses based on DOM images and geometric features is proposed. Results The application to the East side slope of open-pit mine shows that by superimposing outcrop slope geometric features based on DOM images, the proposed human-computer interactive identification method can significantly improve the efficiency and accuracy of identification, and the identification of overhanging dangerous rock mass is much more robust than visual ones. Conclusion By combining innovative remote sensing technologies, the proposed method provides a fast and convenient solution for the identification of dangerous rock masses on high and steep rocky slopes.

Abstract Background Gaming disorder is a new disease, which is included in the disease unit of disorder caused by addiction in the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases. This study examined the symptom characteristics of gaming disorders in Chinese adolescents using the latent profile analysis. Methods Totally, 5988 students (including 3285 boys and 2703 girls; aged 12–18 years) from junior high schools and senior high schools were enrolled. The Gaming Disorder Symptom Questionnaire-21 (GDSQ-21) was used to screen gaming disorder. A latent profile analysis was used for classifying the subgroups based on the extent of gaming usage. The relationship between adolescent gamers and demographic variables was analyzed by logistic regression. Results The results of latent profile analysis supported the models of four latent profiles, which were defined as healthy gamers (Profile 1, 56.83%), impaired control gamers (Profile 2, 26.09%), impaired control-game priority gamers (Profile 3, 9.72%) and gamers with disorder (Profile 4, 7.36%), respectively. Logistic regression analysis found that, compared with girls, boys were more likely to be classified into the group dominated by the impaired gamers, the impaired control-game priority gamers, and the gamers with disorder. Conclusions This study highlighted that the latent profile analysis identified four different groups of adolescent gamers, showing a clearer conceptualization of heterogeneous gamers. Gender and average weekly gaming time can predict the latent profile of adolescents. Our findings may facilitate the design of individualized assessment and early intervention programs for adolescent gamer users based on different gaming usage symptoms.

Abstract Background To determine whether there is a correlation between stiffness measured by strain elastography and the severity of dysmenorrhea and to determine the value of elastography in evaluating severe dysmenorrhea in patients with adenomyosis. Methods The correlation between tissue stiffness and dysmenorrhea was analyzed by performing elastography on premenopausal women diagnosed with adenomyosis. Expression levels of transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and protein gene product 9.5 (PGP9.5) were detected by immunohistochemistry; the correlation of TGF-β and α-SMA levels with the tissue stiffness and the degree of fibrosis was further analyzed. Also, the relationship of the PGP9.5 expression level with the tissue stiffness and degree of dysmenorrhea was determined. Results The degree of dysmenorrhea was significantly positively correlated with lesion stiffness in patients with adenomyosis but not with the uterine or lesion volume. The cutoff for the strain ratio was > 1.36 between the adenomyosis and control groups, with an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.987. For severe dysmenorrhea, the cutoff for the strain ratio was > 1.65 in patients with adenomyosis, with an AUC of 0.849. TGF-β, α-SMA, and PGP9.5 expression levels were higher in adenomyotic lesions than in the endometrium of the adenomyosis and control groups. Both TGF-β and α-SMA levels were positively correlated with the tissue stiffness and degree of fibrosis. Additionally, the expression level of PGP9.5 showed a positive correlation with the tissue stiffness and degree of dysmenorrhea. Conclusions Elastography can be used to evaluate the degree of dysmenorrhea; the greater the tissue stiffness, the greater the degree of dysmenorrhea. In addition, elastography performed well in the diagnosis of adenomyosis and the evaluation of severe dysmenorrhea in patients with adenomyosis.

Abstract Salt is recognized as one of the most major factors that limits soybean yield in acidic soils. Soil enzyme activity and bacterial community have a critical function in improving the tolerance to soybean. Our aim was to assess the activities of soil enzyme, the structure of bacteria and their potential functions for salt resistance between Salt-tolerant (Salt-T) and -sensitive (Salt-S) soybean genotypes when subject to salt stress. Plant biomass, soil physicochemical properties, soil catalase, urease, sucrase, amylase, and acid phosphatase activities, and rhizosphere microbial characteristics were investigated in Salt-T and Salt-S soybean genotypes under salt stress with a pot experiment. Salt stress significantly decreased the soil enzyme activities and changed the rhizosphere microbial structure in a genotype-dependent manner. In addition, 46 ASVs which were enriched in the Salt-T geotype under the salt stress, such as ASV19 (Alicyclobacillus), ASV132 (Tumebacillus), ASV1760 (Mycobacterium) and ASV1357 (Bacillus), which may enhance the tolerance to soybean under salt stress. Moreover, the network structure of Salt-T soybean was simplified by salt stress, which may result in soil bacterial communities being susceptible to external factors. Salt stress altered the strength of soil enzyme activities and the assembly of microbial structure in Salt-T and Salt-S soybean genotypes. Na+, NO3 −–N, NH4 +–N and Olsen-P were the most important driving factors in the structure of bacterial community in both genotypes. Salt-T genotypes enriched several microorganisms that contributed to enhance salt tolerance in soybeans, such as Alicyclobacillus, Tumebacillus, and Bacillus. Nevertheless, the simplified network structure of salt-T genotype due to salt stress may render its bacterial community structure unstable and susceptible.

In the process of agricultural production in solar greenhouses, the key to the healthy growth of greenhouse crops lies in accurately predicting environmental conditions. However, there are complex couplings and nonlinear relationships among greenhouse environmental parameters. This study independently developed a greenhouse environmental acquisition system to achieve a comprehensive method for the monitoring of the greenhouse environment. Additionally, it proposed a multi-parameter and multi-node environmental prediction model for solar greenhouses based on the Golden Jackal Optimization-Convolutional Neural Network-Bidirectional Gated Recurrent Unit-Self-Attention Mechanism (GCBS). The GCBS model successfully captures the complex nonlinear relationships in the greenhouse environment and accurately predicts changes in carbon dioxide concentration, air temperature and humidity, and soil temperature at different location nodes. To validate the performance of this model, we employed multiple evaluation metrics and conducted a comparative analysis with four baseline models. The results indicate that, while the GCBS model exhibits slightly higher computational time compared to the traditional Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) network for time series prediction, it significantly outperforms the LSTM in terms of prediction accuracy for four key parameters, achieving improvements of 76.89%, 69.37%, 59.83%, and 56.72%, respectively, as measured by the Mean Absolute Error (MAE) metric.

Typhoons and other marine meteorological disasters often bring significant losses to human beings, and their data are characterized by multiple sources and scales, making traditional visualization methods unable to accurately express the characteristics and movement trends of the disasters. To address the above problems, this study proposes a typhoon dynamic visualization method based on the integration of vector and scalar fields. To address the above problems, this study proposes a typhoon dynamic visualization method based on the integration of vector and scalar fields. The method uses the ray casting method to visualize the volume rendering of typhoon scalar data, proposes a hybrid interpolation method to improve the visualization efficiency, and introduces the Sobel operator to achieve the edge enhancement of the volume rendering effect. Meanwhile, a particle system approach is used for dynamic visualization of typhoon vector data, where the tedious particle motion calculation is divided into two parts: parallel tracking and dynamic rendering to improve the visualization efficiency, and the Lagrangian field representation of the particle system is achieved. The experimental results show that the typhoon visualization method proposed in this study has better comprehensive visual effects, with a rendering frame rate greater than 44, and is able to stably and smoothly express the continuous spatio-temporal dynamic visualization features of typhoon.This study is conducive to the understanding of the evolution law of marine meteorological disasters and the adoption of disaster prevention and mitigation measures, and is of great significance for the expression of marine meteorological data such as typhoons and the analysis of their spatial and temporal changes.

Summary: Trichinella spiralis infection is associated with the formation of cysts within host skeletal muscle cells, thereby enabling immune evasion and subsequent growth and development; however, the pathogenic factors involved in this process and their mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we found that Ts-RNF secreted by T. spiralis is required for its growth and development in host cells. Further study revealed that Ts-RNF functions as an E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets the UBA domain of SQSTM1/p62 by forming K63-type ubiquitin chains. This modification interferes with autophagic flux, leading to impaired mitochondrial clearance and abnormal myotube differentiation and fusion. Our results established that T. spiralis increases its escape by interfering with host autophagy via the secretion of an E3 ubiquitin ligase.

Appropriate straw incorporation has ample agronomic and environmental benefits, but most studies are limited to straw mulching or application on the soil surface. To determine the effect of depth of straw incorporation on the crop yield, soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN) and greenhouse gas emission, a total of 4 treatments were set up in this study, which comprised no straw returning (CK), straw returning at 15 cm (S15), straw returning at 25 cm (S25) and straw returning at 40 cm (S40). The results showed that straw incorporation significantly increased SOC, TN and C:N ratio. Compared with CK treatments, substantial increases in the grain yield (by 4.17~5.49% for S15 and 6.64~10.06% for S25) were observed under S15 and S25 treatments. S15 and S25 could significantly improve the carbon and nitrogen status of the 0-40 cm soil layer, thereby increased maize yield. The results showed that the maize yield was closely related to the soil carbon and nitrogen index of the 0-40 cm soil layer. In order to further evaluate the environmental benefits of straw returning, this study measured the global warming potential (GWP) and greenhouse gas emission intensity (GHGI). Compared with CK treatments, the GWP of S15, S25 and S40 treatments was increased by 9.35~20.37%, 4.27~7.67% and 0.72~6.14%, respectively, among which the S15 treatment contributed the most to the GWP of farmland. GHGI is an evaluation index of low-carbon agriculture at this stage, which takes into account both crop yield and global warming potential. In this study, GHGI showed a different trend from GWP. Compared with CK treatments, the S25 treatments had no significant difference in 2020, and decreased significantly in 2021 and 2022. This is due to the combined effect of maize yield and cumulative greenhouse gas emissions, indicating that the appropriate straw returning method can not only reduce the intensity of greenhouse gas emissions but also improve soil productivity and enhance the carbon sequestration effect of farmland soil, which is an ideal soil improvement and fertilization measure.

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common cause of urinary tract infections by strains that are often multidrug resistant, representing a major challenge to the world’s health care system. This microorganism has a highly adaptable metabolism that allows it to colonize many environments, including the urinary tract. In this work, we have characterized the metabolic strategies used by stationary phase P. aeruginosa cells cultivated in urine-like media to understand the adaptations used by this microorganism to survive and produce disease. Our proteomics results show that cells rely on the Entner-Duodoroff pathway, pentose phosphate pathway, the Krebs cycle/ glyoxylate shunt and the aerobic oxidative phosphorylation to survive in urine-like media and other conditions. A deep characterization of the oxidative phosphorylation showed that the respiratory rate of stationary phase cells is increased 3–4 times compared to cells in the logarithmic phase of growth, indicating that the aerobic metabolism plays critical roles in the stationary phase of cells grown in urine like media. Moreover, the data show that respiratory complex III, succinate dehydrogenase and the NADH dehydrogenase NQR have important functions and could be used as targets to develop new antibiotics against this bacterium.

To explore the accuracy of the calculation method of the jacking force of circular curved pipe jacking under different pipe-soil contact characteristics, in combination with the curved steel pipe jacking project of Gongbei Tunnel of Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge, this paper adopted several commonly used jacking force calculation formulas for the curved pipe jacking at home and abroad and jacking force finite element analysis model with consideration of grouting effect and the pipe-soil contact range established with ABAQUS to calculate the jacking force. It was found by contrast with the pipe jacking force data: ①The calculated value of jacking force: JMTA formula≫Shanghai normative formula>Shimada formula, where it was considered that the calculated value of the lower limit of Shimada formula of 1/3 pipe-soil contact was relatively close to the measured value. ②Through numerical simulation, it was found that the simulated jacking force of 1/3 pipe-soil contact characteristics was gradually close to the one of 1/2 pipe-soil contact characteristics; in the grouting state, the previously measured jacking force was close to the one of 1/2 pipe-soil contact characteristics. When the jacking force tended to be stable, the measured jacking force was close to the one of 1/3 pipe-soil contact characteristics. Therefore, the numerical model could predict the jacking force of the pipe jacking under the same working condition and had a certain guiding significance for actual construction.

Abstract Ammonia-oxidizing archaea and bacteria (AOA and AOB, respectively) are important intermediate links in the nitrogen cycle. Apart from the AOA and AOB communities in soil, we further investigated co-occurrence patterns and microbial assembly processes subjected to inorganic and organic fertilizer treatments for over 35 years. The amoA copy numbers and AOA and AOB communities were found to be similar for the CK and organic fertilizer treatments. Inorganic fertilizers decreased the AOA gene copy numbers by 0.75–0.93-fold and increased the AOB gene copy numbers by 1.89–3.32-fold compared to those of the CK treatment. The inorganic fertilizer increased Nitrososphaera and Nitrosospira. The predominant bacteria in organic fertilizer was Nitrosomonadales. Furthermore, the inorganic fertilizer increased the complexity of the co-occurrence pattern of AOA and decreased the complexity pattern of AOB comparing with organic fertilizer. Different fertilizer had an insignificant effect on the microbial assembly process of AOA. However, great difference exists in the AOB community assembly process: deterministic process dominated in organic fertilizer treatment and stochastic processes dominated in inorganic fertilizer treatment, respectively. Redundancy analysis indicated that the soil pH, NO3 −N, and available phosphorus contents were the main factors affecting the changes in the AOA and AOB communities. Overall, this findings expanded our knowledge concerning AOA and AOB, and ammonia‐oxidizing microorganisms were more disturbed by inorganic fertilizers than organic fertilizers.

The stink bug, Riptortus pedestris (Fabricius) (Hemiptera: Alydidae), is a highly destructive pest that significantly damages legume crops in East and South Asia. Neonicotinoid insecticides containing thiamethoxam are widely used to control R. pedestris in soybean fields. However, the current knowledge on the impact of different thiamethoxam concentrations on R. pedestris growth and reproduction is lacking and insufficient. The present study investigated the effects of thiamethoxam on the biological traits of R. pedestris after treatment with LC10 (19.8 mg/L), LC20 (31.6 mg/L), LC30 (44.2 mg/L), LC40 (58.9 mg/L), and LC50 (77.0 mg/L) concentrations. These five thiamethoxam concentrations (LC10~LC50) reduced adult longevity and fecundity in the F1 generation females. Thiamethoxam treatment also significantly decreased the population trend index, intrinsic rate of increase, net reproductive rate, gross reproductive rate, and finite rate of increase and increased the mean generation time. These results show that thiamethoxam hinders and suppresses the development and growth of the F1 population of R. pedestris. Thiamethoxam is recommended for spray control during peak adult emergence, as it not only has a controlling effect on the parental generation but also a negative impact on the F1 generations.

Protein content (PC) is crucial to the nutritional quality of soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill]. In this study, a total of 266 accessions were used to perform a genome-wide association study (GWAS) in three tested environments. A total of 23,131 high-quality SNP markers (MAF ≥ 0.02, missing data ≤ 10%) were identified. A total of 40 association signals were significantly associated with PC. Among them, five novel quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) were discovered, and another 32 QTNs were found to be overlapping with the genomic regions of known quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to soybean PC. Combined with GWAS, metabolome and transcriptome sequencing, 59 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that might control the change in protein content were identified. Meantime, four commonly upregulated differentially abundant metabolites (DAMs) and 29 commonly downregulated DAMs were found. Remarkably, the soybean gene Glyma.08G136900, which is homologous with Arabidopsis hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins (HRGPs), may play an important role in improving the PC. Additionally, Glyma.08G136900 was divided into two main haplotype in the tested accessions. The PC of haplotype 1 was significantly lower than that of haplotype 2. The results of this study provided insights into the genetic mechanisms regulating protein content in soybean.

Objective This prospective cohort study aimed to compare the clinical efficacy and safety of goserelin 10.8 mg administered trimonthly with goserelin 3.6 mg administered monthly in premenopausal females with symptomatic adenomyosis.Methods We recruited 139 premenopausal females with adenomyosis who complained of dysmenorrhea and/or menorrhagia. The first group (n = 70) received a single subcutaneous injection of goserelin 10.8 mg, and the second group (n = 69) received monthly subcutaneous goserelin 3.6 mg administered for 3 months. Follow-up was performed at the outpatient department after 12 weeks.Results Ultimately, 130 patients completed the study, including 68 and 62 patients in the goserelin 10.8 mg (n = 70) and 3.6 mg (n = 69) groups, respectively. We observed a significant decrease in the dysmenorrhea (NRS) score, uterine volume, and cancer antigen 125 (CA125) levels, and a significant increase in hemoglobin (HGB) levels in both treatment groups. There was no significant difference between the two groups. The sum of the adverse event scores was slightly higher in the goserelin 3.6 mg than in the 10.8 mg group.Conclusions The clinical efficacy of trimonthly administration of goserelin 10.8 mg was equivalent to monthly 3.6 mg dosing and was non-inferior regarding safety and tolerability. Hence, it can be a more cost-effective and convenient alternative treatment option in premenopausal females with symptomatic adenomyosis.Trial registration ChiCTR2200059548

The management of endometriosis has been complicated by the COVID-19 pandemic. We aimed to introduce the establishment and application of a new follow-up method during the COVID-19 pandemic—the electronic follow-up (e-follow-up) platform for endometriosis—and to test the applicability of the platform-based follow-up management model and patient satisfaction. We used the platform for information entry and post-operative follow-up of 152 patients with endometriosis from January 2021 to August 2022, and compared patients’ Zung’s Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and Visual Analogue Score (VAS) (range: 0 − 10, indicating: no pain-extreme pain) scores preoperatively and after 6-month of follow-up, together with recording patients’ follow-up satisfaction and number of recurrence of lesions. Eventually, the SDS, SAS, and VAS scores were significantly lower than those at pre-surgery (p

Background Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an ideal model to study the mechanisms underlying synaptic deficits in addiction as it eliminates the confounding effects of substance use. Synaptic loss and deficits are hypothesised to underlie the enduring maladaptive behaviours and impaired cognitive function that contribute to IGD.Aims This study aimed to determine whether subjects with IGD have lower synaptic density than control subjects and the relationship between synaptic density and IGD severity.Methods Eighteen unmedicated subjects diagnosed with current IGD according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition criteria and 16 demographically matched healthy controls (HCs) participated in the study and underwent 18F-labelled difluoro-analogue of UCB-J (18F-SynVesT-1) positron emission tomography scans to assess the density of synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2A (SV2A). The Internet Gaming Disorder Scale-Short Form (IGDS9-SF), Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HAMD), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAMA), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale Version 11 (BIS-11), Stroop Colour-Word Test (SCWT), stop-signal paradigms and N-back tasks were administered to all subjects.Results Patients with IGD had significantly higher scores on the IGDS9-SF, HAMD, HAMA and BIS-11 than HCs. HCs performed better on the two-back and SCWT tests as well as in terms of stop-signal reaction times (SSRTs) in the stop-signal paradigms than patients with IGD. Lower uptake was found in the bilateral putamen, right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex and Rolandic operculum of patients with IGD compared with HCs. Furthermore, in the IGD group, IGDS9-SF scores and daily gaming hours were negatively correlated with the standardised uptake value ratios of 18F-SynVesT-1 in the bilateral putamen. Longer SSRTs were significantly associated with lower SV2A density in the right pregenual anterior cingulate cortex and right Rolandic operculum.Conclusions The in vivo results in this study suggest that lower synaptic density contributes to the severity and impairments in inhibitory control of IGD. These findings may provide further incentive to evaluate interventions that restore synaptic transmission and plasticity to treat IGD.

Effect of Sm addition on the microstructure and tensile properties of as-extruded Mg–xSm–0.4Zr (x = 1, 2, 3, 4 wt.%) alloys have been investigated by optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, electron backscatter diffraction and transmission electron microscope. The results indicat that all the extruded alloys exhibit a fully dynamically recrystallized (DRXed) microstructure. When the Sm content exceeds 3 wt.%, the as extruded sheet dynamic precipitate the Mg41Sm5 particles during hot extrusion. Sm addition could refine the grain size and weaken the texture of the as-extruded alloy, significantly enhance the strength and ductility of the as-extruded alloy. When the Sm content is 3 wt.%, the alloy sheet displays a good balance of strength and ductility. The Mg–3Sm–0.4Zr sheet shows YS and UTS of 144.5 MPa and 280.7 MPa along ED, the YS and UTS are 163.8 MPa and 280.7 MPa for 45°and 192 MPa and 283.9 MPa for TD. The ε along the ED, 45°and TD are 22.3%, 21.6% and 19.8%, respectively. The dominant strengthening mechanisms include grain boundary strengthening, solid solution strengthening and precipitation strengthening.

Challenges associated with topical analgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs include poor drug penetration and retention at the desired lesion site. Therefore, improving these challenges would help to reduce the toxic and side effects caused by drug absorption into the systemic circulation and improve the therapeutic efficacy of topical therapeutic drugs. Pentapeptide (KTTKS) is a signal peptide in skin tissue, it can be recognized and bound by signal recognition particles. In the current study, we successfully prepared novel indomethacin (IMC) loaded KTTKS-modified ethosomes (IMC-KTTKS-Es), and the physicochemical properties and topical efficacy were investigated. Results showed that the prepared IMC-KTTKS-Es displayed a particle size of about 244 nm, a negative charge, good deformability, and encapsulation efficiency (EE) exceeding 80% for IMC, with a sustained release pattern. In vitro percutaneous permeation studies revealed that the skin retention was increased after the drug was loaded in the IMC-KTTKS-Es. Confocal laser scanning microscopy also showed improved skin retention of IMC-KTTKS-Es. In addition, IMC-KTTKS-Es showed improved topical analgesic and anti-inflammatory activity with no potentially hazardous skin irritation. This study suggested that the IMC-KTTKS-Es might be an effective drug carrier for topical skin therapy with a good safety profile.

Hyaluronic acid (HA), as a hygroscopic and biocompatible molecule, has displayed unique permeation enhancement in transdermal delivery systems. Hence, indomethacin (IND) was encapsulated in HA-modified transfersomes (IND-HTs) to enhance transdermal IND delivery to reduce adverse effects in this study. The physiochemical properties of IND-HTs were characterized. Results showed that the prepared IND-HTs were spherical and revealed good entrapment efficiency (87.88 ± 2.03%), with a nanometric particle size (221.8 ± 93.34 nm). Then, IND-HTs were further incorporated into a carbopol 940 hydrogel (IND-HTs/Gel) to prolong retention capacity on the skin. The in vitro release and skin permeation experiments of IND-HTs/Gel were carried out with the Franz diffusion cells. It was found that IND-HTs/Gel exhibited sustained drug release, as well as superior drug permeation and flux across the skin. Confocal laser scanning microscopy showed improved penetration of HTs/Gel with a wider distribution and higher fluorescence intensity. The hematoxylin–eosin stained showed that HA improved the transdermal effect by changing the microstructure of skin layers and decreasing skin barrier function. In addition, IND-HTs/Gel showed significant analgesic activity in hot plate test and no potentially hazardous skin irritation. This study indicated that the developed IND-HTs/Gel could be a promising alternative to conventional oral delivery of IND by topical administration.

Herba Gynostemma (Jiaogulan) is an herbaceous plant of the genus Gynostemma in the family Cucurbitaceae. Gynostemma longipes has lipid-lowering activity, thus, it is used as a medicinal material. However, its medicinal using parts have been recorded as whole plants or aerial parts in different provincial quality standards; therefore, it is necessary to conduct a comprehensive compositional analysis of the different parts of G. longipes (rhizomes, stems, and leaves) used in traditional medicine. In this study, offline two-dimensional liquid chromatography-ion mobility-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (2D-LC/IM-QTOF-MS) was used to analyze the different parts of G. longipes obtained from Shaanxi province, China. By combining the retention times, mass fragments, collision cross-section values, reference standards, and information concerning literature compounds, 396 components were identified from the three parts of the plant, including 94 groups of isomers, and 217 components were identified or tentatively identified as new compounds. In the rhizomes, leaves, and stems, 240, 220, and 168 compounds, respectively, were identified. Differential analysis of the compounds in the rhizomes and aerial parts was also carried out, and 36 differential components were identified, of which 32 had higher contents in the rhizomes. Therefore, these findings indicate that the number of chemical components and the content of major differential components are higher in the rhizomes than the leaves and stems of G. longipes from the Maobaling Planting Base in Pingli county, Shaanxi province. Thus, the rhizomes of G. longipes are also an important part for medicinal use. These results will contribute to the establishment of quality control methods for G. longipes.

BackgroundEndoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography is a common procedure performed for choledocholithiasis and gallstone pancreatitis. Although a relatively low risk procedure, it is not without its complications. Cases of impacted Dormia baskets during stone retrieval have been reported, but these are usually retrieved surgically during the same setting.Case summaryA 40-year-old man presented to our hospital with an episode of epigastric pain and discomfort. He has a prior background of recurrent episodes of pancreatitis of which he underwent prior endoscopic therapy in his home country. Initial investigations revealed a metallic object seen on abdominal x-ray, computer tomographic scan of the abdomen and pelvis, and magnetic resonance imaging of the pancreas. Further evaluation was done with endoscopy, which revealed a retained stone extraction basket from a previous endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, resulting in recurrent episodes of acute chronic pancreatitis. Although the retained foreign body was removed, he subsequently developed further complications of portal vein thrombosis as a result of recurrent acute chronic pancreatitis, which required anticoagulation.ConclusionThis case highlights the importance of retrieving any foreign body from the pancreas, especially on the head, to prevent the development of further complications.

Recently, serious concerns have been raised about potential safety risk posed by exogenous pesticide contaminants in herbal medicines. It is highly desirable to have reliable detection and determination of suspected pesticide residues for understanding of their overall quality. However, inherent metabolites abundant in herbal medicines typically make screening of trace-level pesticide residues arduous. Taking Lonicerae Japonicae Flos (LJF) as an example, the current study investigated the capability of a three-dimensional separation system, ultra high-performance liquid chromatography tandem ion mobility/quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC-IM/Q-TOF MS), for qualitative detection of numerous pesticides when suffering from complex matrix interferences. The comparison of collision gases was first performed to improve unwanted dissociations of pesticides, particularly labile ones, and nitrogen was ultimately chosen instead of argon. Further optimization of key MS parameters resulted a data-independent high-definition MSE (HDMSE) method was developed. Then, an in-house pesticide scientific library (PSL) containing 438 pesticides was constructed following a four-step workflow. Based on multi-dimensional information in this library, different identification criteria were compared and an enhanced qualitative screening approach for 432 targeted pesticides was finally proposed and validated. By its application to 104 batches of LJFs, the approach was demonstrated effective in resolving complex matrix interferences. Moreover, collision cross section (CCS) for identification purpose was favorable to improve detection sensitivity while maintain ideal accuracy.

Tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum L.) is the most important cash crop in the mountainous Chongqing region, where mini rotary tillers are widely used for land preparation. The decline in tobacco yields has been partially attributed to deteriorating soil physical properties and the formation of plough pans as a result of the repeated use of the mini rotary tiller. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different tillage depths on soil physical properties and the growth and yield of tobacco. Three tillage depths were evaluated: mini rotary tillage to 15 cm (T15) as a control, medium-deep tillage to 25 cm (T25), and deep tillage to 35 cm (T35). Total porosity, capillary porosity, and soil water content were measured for each treatment, and the root distribution, agronomical traits, and dry matter accumulation were monitored at different growing stages. Tobacco yield and output value were determined following the harvest. Compared to T15, T35 significantly increased total porosity and capillary porosity in the 10–40 cm soil layer and soil water content in the 0–40 cm soil layer, while T25 improved soil physical properties but not significantly. T35 significantly promoted dry matter accumulation and root, stem, and leaf growth compared to T15, while differences in some agronomic traits between T25 and T15 were not significant. Compared to T15, T35 and T25 increased the tobacco yield by 17.2–18.9% and 8.0–10.1%, respectively, and increased the output value by 44.4–46.4% and 29.2–32.6%, respectively. The results indicate that deep tillage improves soil physical properties, breaks plough pans, stimulates root growth, and increases tobacco yield and output value.

In this work, we investigated the microstructure and the mechanical properties of extruded Mg-xGd-0.5Mn alloys (GMx0) with the variation of Gd content (0, 2, 4, 7 wt.%). For the GM00 alloys with no Gd content, the typical basal fiber texture (BFT) was formed, which led to similar mechanical properties to the pure Mg. However, with the dilute addition of the Gd element, the texture was transformed into ED-split texture, termed Rare Earth (RE)-texture, which improved the ductility significantly. As the Gd content increased, the texture was transformed from RE-texture to the BFT, decreasing the ductility and increasing the stretch yield strength. Furthermore, the electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD)-assisted slip trace analysis method and the Visco-Plastic Self-Consistent (VPSC) model were utilized to uncover the strain coordination mechanism variation. The results indicated that non-basal slip systems, including prismatic slip and the pyramidal slip, were activated more frequently with the increase of Gd content. The Gd addition has more excellent facilitation for the pyramidal slip than the prismatic slip. However, this promotion effect of non-basal slip systems was insufficient to compensate for the overall reduction in ductility owing to the texture change.

Abstract Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely distributed and important crops in China. Maize ear differentiation plays an important role grain yield formation. However, it is unclear if ear and root morphophysiology status affects yield formation by altering ear differentiation and development under different nitrogen (N) conditions. The aim of this study is to understand how the ear differentiation and development are affected by ear and root morphophysiology traits, as affected by the N rate. The experiment consisted of two N rates: high nitrogen (180 kg ha−1), and low nitrogen (60 kg ha−1). Two N-efficient varieties (NEVs) and two N-inefficient varieties (NIVs) were grown in the field. The results showed higher nitrogen accumulation and grain yield in NEVs than in NIVs, which was mainly attributed to the increased N uptake by the larger root system under both N conditions. Under high N conditions, among ear differentiation-related traits, only FR was significantly positively correlated with grain yield, and NEVs ensure FR through higher N concentration and ZR content in ear at the fertilization stage. Under low N conditions, NEVs obtained higher FP, SR and FR through higher N concentration and IAA in ear at the early stage of ear differentiation, maintained lower AR and BTL by higher RA, R-ZR and E-ZR at the late stage of ear growth. These results suggest that NEVs have a more complex mechanism for obtaining higher grain yield under low N conditions than N sufficiency, and that phytohormones play an important role in this process.

The dried tuber of Alisma orientale (Sam.) Juzep. (AOJ) is a traditional Chinese medicine with high medicinal value. The endophytic fungi of medicinal plants are a treasure house of natural compounds. However, there is a lack of research on the diversity and biological activity of endophytic fungi of AOJ. In this study, high-throughput sequencing technology was used to study the diversity of endophytic fungi in the roots and stems of AOJ, and endophytic fungi with a high output of phenols and flavonoids were screened by chromogenic reaction, and the antioxidant and antibacterial activities and chemical constituents of crude extracts of their fermentation broth were studied. A total of 3,426 amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) belonging to 9 phyla, 27 classes, 64 orders, 152 families, and 277 genera were identified from AOJ. There were significant differences in the endophytic fungal communities of AOJ roots and stems, as well as in the endophytic fungal communities of triangular AOJ and circular AOJ. In addition, 31 strains of endophytic fungi were isolated from AOJ, of which 6 strains had good antioxidant and antibacterial activities. The crude extract of YG-2 had the strongest free radical scavenging ability and bacteriostatic ability, and its IC50DPPH, IC50ABTS, and IC50⋅OH values were 0.009 ± 0.000 mg/mL, 0.023 ± 0.002 mg/mL, and 0.081 ± 0.006 mg/mL, respectively. The results of LC-MS showed that the main component of the crude extract of YG-2 was caffeic acid (10.12 μmol/g). Overall, the results of this study preliminarily elucidated the diversity and community composition of endophytic fungi of AOJ, indicating that AOJ endophytic fungi have abundant secondary metabolites and good antioxidant and antibacterial activities. This study provides an important reference for further research, development and utilization of AOJ endophytic fungi and a theoretical basis for the further development of the endophytic fungus YG-2 (Chaetomium globosum) as a source of antioxidants.

Different crop genotypes showed different adaptability to salt stress, which is partly attributable to the microorganisms in the rhizosphere. Yet, knowledge about how fungal communities of different genotypes in soybean respond to salt stress is limited. Here, qPCR and ITS sequencing were used to assess the response of rhizobial fungal communities of resistant and susceptible soybean to salt stress. Moreover, we isolated two fungal species recruited by resistant soybeans for validation. The assembly of fungal community structure might be strongly linked to alterations in fungal abundance and soil physicochemical properties. Salt stress derived structural differences in fungal communities of resistant and susceptible genotypes. The salt-resistant genotype appeared to recruit some fungal taxa to the rhizosphere to help mitigating salt stress. An increase of fungal taxa with predicted saprotrophic lifestyles might help promoting plant growth by increasing nutrient availability to the plants. Compared with the susceptible genotypes, the resistant genotypes had more stronger network structure of fungi. Lastly, we verified that recruited fungi, such as Penicillium and Aspergillus, can soybean adapt to salt stress. This study provided a promising approach for rhizospheric fungal community to enhance salt tolerance of soybean from the perspective of microbiology and ecology.

Ferroptosis is an iron-dependently nonapoptotic cell death characterized by excessive accumulation of lipid peroxides and cellular iron metabolism disturbances. Impaired iron homeostasis and dysregulation of metabolic pathways are contributors to ferroptosis. As a major metabolic hub, the liver synthesizes and transports plasma proteins and endogenous fatty acids. Also, it acts as the primary location of iron storage for hepcidin generation and secretion. To date, although the intricate correlation between ferroptosis and liver disorders needs to be better defined, there is no doubt that ferroptosis participates in the pathogenesis of liver diseases. Accordingly, pharmacological induction and inhibition of ferroptosis show significant potential for the treatment of hepatic disorders involved in lipid peroxidation. In this review, we outline the prominent features, molecular mechanisms, and modulatory networks of ferroptosis and its physiopathologic functions in the progression of liver diseases. Further, this review summarizes the underlying mechanisms by which ferroptosis inducers and inhibitors ameliorate liver diseases. It is noteworthy that natural active ingredients show efficacy in preclinical liver disease models by regulating ferroptosis. Finally, we analyze crucial concepts and urgent issues concerning ferroptosis as a novel therapeutic target in the diagnosis and therapy of liver diseases.

Cytokinin oxidase/dehydrogenase (CKX) irreversibly degrades cytokinin, regulates growth and development, and helps plants to respond to environmental stress. Although the CKX gene has been well characterized in various plants, its role in soybean remains elusive. Therefore, in this study, the evolutionary relationship, chromosomal location, gene structure, motifs, cis-regulatory elements, collinearity, and gene expression patterns of GmCKXs were analyzed using RNA-seq, quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), and bioinformatics. We identified 18 GmCKX genes from the soybean genome and grouped them into five clades, each comprising members with similar gene structures and motifs. Cis-acting elements involved in hormones, resistance, and physiological metabolism were detected in the promoter regions of GmCKXs. Synteny analysis indicated that segmental duplication events contributed to the expansion of the soybean CKX family. The expression profiling of the GmCKXs genes using qRT-PCR showed tissue-specific expression patterns. The RNA-seq analysis also indicated that GmCKXs play an important role in response to salt and drought stresses at the seedling stage. The responses of the genes to salt, drought, synthetic cytokinin 6-benzyl aminopurine (6-BA), and the auxin indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) at the germination stage were further evaluated by qRT-PCR. Specifically, the GmCKX14 gene was downregulated in the roots and the radicles at the germination stage. The hormones 6-BA and IAA repressed the expression levels of GmCKX1, GmCKX6, and GmCKX9 genes but upregulated the expression levels of GmCKX10 and GmCKX18 genes. The three abiotic stresses also decreased the zeatin content in soybean radicle but enhanced the activity of the CKX enzymes. Conversely, the 6-BA and IAA treatments enhanced the CKX enzymes’ activity but reduced the zeatin content in the radicles. This study, therefore, provides a reference for the functional analysis of GmCKXs in soybean in response to abiotic stresses.

The water-soluble polysaccharides from plants have attracted ever-increasing attention in the field of food and drug due to their various activities and low toxicity. CBP50-1, as a purified fraction of polysaccharide from the rhizome of Cibotium barometz (CBP), mainly consisted of glucose (55.45%) and xylose (25.27%). CBP50-1 showed excellent antioxidant activity for scavenging 2,2‑Diphenyl‑1‑picryl‑hydrazy (DPPH) radical and hydroxyl radical, further inhibiting lipid peroxidation. CBP50-1 significantly improved the survival rate of Caenorhabditis elegans under thermal and oxidative stress. Furthermore, CBP50-1 reduced the paralysis and oxidative damage induced by amyloid-beta (Aβ) and increased the antioxidant enzyme activity in Alzheimer’s disease (AD) model C. elegans CL4176 through c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signal pathway. Thus, CBP50-1 had a potential application in health industries.

In this study, magnetically separable Fe3O4/CeO2 nanocomposite (F/CNc) was first synthesized in hydrothermal and sol-precipitation methods and characterized by techniques including SEM-EDS, XRD, BET, FT-IR and VSM. The adsorption experiments of acid black dye (AB210) onto F/CNc were carried out under the conditions of temperature (30 – 60 ℃), solution pH (1 – 11), Fe-Ce molar ratio (1:2.5 – 4) and initial dye concentrations (20 – 80 mg/L). The adsorption capacity of AB210 increased with increasing initial dye concentration and temperature, and decreased with increasing solution pH. The maximum adsorption capacity of F/CNc for AB210 reached 124.5 mg/g when Fe-Ce molar ratio was 1:3. Pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models were then used to describe the kinetics of adsorption, of which the latter fitted the adsorption process well, and the adsorption process complied also with the intra-particle diffusion model. The isothermal adsorption was described using Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models and the Langmuir model matched. FT-IR and Zeta-potential measurement proved the physical adsorption process of AB210 onto F/CNc. The saturation magnetizations of Fe3O4 nanospheres and F/CNc were measured to be 69.1 emu/g and 22.9 emu/g respectively, indicating the coating layer reduced the magnetization of Fe3O4 nanospheres, but F/CNc were still separated easily by applying a magnetic field, keeping easy separability. Being easy to recover and remaining adsorption efficiency 90 % in comparison to the original even after four adsorption cycles, demonstrate the effectiveness and practical application of F/CNc as an adsorbent.

Precise object detection for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) images is a prerequisite for many UAV image applications. Compared with natural scene images, UAV images often have many small objects with few image pixels. These small objects are often obscured, densely distributed, or in complex scenes, which causes great interference to object detection. Aiming to solve this problem, a GhostConv-based lightweight YOLO network (GCL-YOLO) is proposed. In the proposed network, a GhostConv-based backbone network with a few parameters was firstly built. Then, a new prediction head for UAV small objects was designed, and the original prediction head for large natural scene objects was removed. Finally, the focal-efficient intersection over union (Focal-EIOU) loss was used as the localization loss. The experimental results of the VisDrone-DET2021 dataset and the UAVDT dataset showed that, compared with the YOLOv5-S network, the mean average precision at IOU = 0.5 achieved by the proposed GCL-YOLO-S network was improved by 6.9% and 1.8%, respectively, while the parameter amount and the calculation amount were reduced by 76.7% and 32.3%, respectively. Compared with some excellent lightweight networks, the proposed network achieved the highest and second-highest detection accuracy on the two datasets with the smallest parameter amount and a medium calculation amount, respectively.

Soybean cyst nematode (SCN, Heterodera glycines, HG) is one of the severe pests in plant-parasitic nematodes, which impairs root development and causes severe losses in soybean production worldwide. Breeding SCN-resistant cultivars is an important measure for securing harvests without affecting the environment, as can be done with pesticides. The majority of genetic resources for plant pest resistances are found in wild or closely related species which are often difficult to use in breeding due to crossing barriers or close linkage with unfavorable agronomic traits. In this study, 12 soybean cultivars were evaluated for their marker haplotype at the rhg1 and Rhg4 SCN resistance loci and their SCN resistance tested against multiple races in environmentally controlled bioassays. The results showed that all 12 cultivars displayed Peking-type resistance marker haplotypes and all of them proved to be resistant to multiple SCN races. These cultivars provide potential for improving H. glycines resistance of soybean as donor parent in breeding and can contribute to reduce SCN field populations as part of a sustainable agriculture management.