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Soil salinization poses a critical challenge to global food security, impacting plant growth, development, and crop yield. This study investigates the efficacy of deep learning techniques alongside chlorophyll fluorescence (ChlF) imaging technology for discerning varying levels of salt stress in soybean seedlings. Traditional methods for stress identification in plants are often laborious and time-intensive, prompting the exploration of more efficient approaches. A total of six classic convolutional neural network (CNN) models—AlexNet, GoogLeNet, ResNet50, ShuffleNet, SqueezeNet, and MobileNetv2—are evaluated for salt stress recognition based on three types of ChlF images. Results indicate that ResNet50 outperforms other models in classifying salt stress levels across three types of ChlF images. Furthermore, feature fusion after extracting three types of ChlF image features in the average pooling layer of ResNet50 significantly enhanced classification accuracy, achieving the highest accuracy of 98.61% in particular when fusing features from three types of ChlF images. UMAP dimensionality reduction analysis confirms the discriminative power of fused features in distinguishing salt stress levels. These findings underscore the efficacy of deep learning and ChlF imaging technologies in elucidating plant responses to salt stress, offering insights for precision agriculture and crop management. Overall, this study demonstrates the potential of integrating deep learning with ChlF imaging for precise and efficient crop stress detection, offering a robust tool for advancing precision agriculture. The findings contribute to enhancing agricultural sustainability and addressing global food security challenges by enabling more effective crop stress management.

SnSe-based thermoelectric materials are being explored since they have potential high thermoelectric figure of merit. We synthesized polycrystalline AlxSn1-xSe (x = 0.01, 0.02, 0.03 and 0.04) by hot-pressing method, and combined theoretical estimation with experimental measurement to investigate the influence of Al doping on thermoelectric properties of SnSe. It was found that dopant Al can effectively adjust the band structure of SnSe by introducing intermediate band. Al doping with low content (x = 0.01 and 0.02) can introduce a single intermediate band close to the valence band maximum or conduction band minimum, achieving band engineering optimization. In high temperature region (498 K

IntroductionDiscretionary salt (added in cooking at home or at the table) is a source of sodium and iodine in New Zealand. The amount of discretionary salt consumed in a population has implications on policies regarding sodium and iodine. Sodium intake from discretionary salt intake has not been quantified in New Zealand. The aim of this study was to estimate the proportion of total sodium that comes from discretionary salt in adults using the lithium-tagged salt method.MethodsA total of 116 healthy adults, who were not pregnant or breastfeeding, regularly consume home-cooked meals and use salt during cooking or at the table, aged 18–40 years from Dunedin, New Zealand were recruited into the study. The study took place over a 9-day period. On Day 1, participants were asked to collect a baseline 24-h urine to establish their normal lithium output. From Day 2 to Day 8, normal discretionary salt was replaced with lithium-tagged salt. Between Day 6 and Day 8, participants collected another two 24-h urine samples. A 24-h dietary recall was conducted to coincide with each of the final two 24-h urine collections. Urinary sodium was analysed by Ion-Selective Electrode and urinary lithium and urinary iodine were analysed using Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry. The 24-h dietary recall data was entered into Xyris FoodWorks 10. All statistical analysis were conducted using Stata 17.0.ResultsA total of 109 participants with complete 24-h urine samples were included in the analysis. From the 24-h urine collections, the median urinary excretion of sodium and iodine was 3,222 mg/24 h (25th, 75th percentile: 2516, 3969) and 112 μg/24 h (82, 134). The median estimated sodium intake from discretionary salt was 13% (25th, 75th percentile: 7, 22) of the total sodium intake or 366 mg/24 h (25th, 75th percentile: 186, 705).ConclusionThe total sodium intake was higher than the suggested dietary target of 2,000 mg/day. In this sample of healthy adults 18 to 40 years old, 13% of total sodium intake derived from discretionary salt. Discretionary salt is an additional source of iodine if iodised salt is used. Policies to reduce sodium intake is recommended to include a range of strategies to target discretionary and non-discretionary sources of salt and will need to take into account the contribution of iodine from discretionary salt intake.

ABSTRACT The role of micronutrients such as folate and vitamin B‐12 in bone quality has been widely studied with conflicting results. Ethnicity seems to play a large role on nutrient intake, as diet varies across cultures. In this study, we examined the relationships of BMD, proximal femur strength, and bone resorption with plasma folate and vitamin B‐12 in a cohort of 93 healthy postmenopausal women of Chinese‐Singaporean descent. The parameters examined were areal (aBMD) and volumetric BMD (vBMD) of the proximal femur and the third lumbar vertebra (L3), total body aBMD, proximal femur bending, compressive and impact strength indices (composite strength indices) and circulating levels of C‐telopeptide of type I collagen. Eighteen participants (19.4%) had aBMD in the osteoporotic range (osteoporosis group), 59 (63.4%) in the osteopenic range (osteopenia group), and the remaining 16 (17.2%) in the normal range (normal BMD group). Circulating folate levels were significantly higher in the normal BMD group compared with the osteoporosis group. Using linear regression analysis, we found that overall, aBMD and vBMD are positively associated with folate concentrations, whereas composite strength indices were positively associated with vitamin B‐12 concentrations. These findings support the existing literature and suggest a link between levels of circulating folate/vitamin B‐12 and BMD/bone strength in the cohort examined. Further investigation is needed to examine if individuals with inadequate circulating levels of these nutrients could decrease their risk for fragility fractures through better nutrition or vitamin supplementation. © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research © 2020 The Authors. JBMR Plus published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Wnt/β-catenin signal transduction directs intestinal stem cell (ISC) proliferation during homeostasis. Hyperactivation of Wnt signaling initiates colorectal cancer, which most frequently results from truncation of the tumor suppressor Adenomatous polyposis coli (APC). The β-catenin-TCF transcription complex activates both the physiological expression of Wnt target genes in the normal intestinal epithelium and their aberrantly increased expression in colorectal tumors. Whether mechanistic differences in the Wnt transcription machinery drive these distinct levels of target gene activation in physiological versus pathological states remains uncertain, but is relevant for the design of new therapeutic strategies. Here, using a Drosophila model, we demonstrate that two evolutionarily conserved transcription cofactors, Earthbound (Ebd) and Erect wing (Ewg), are essential for all major consequences of Apc1 inactivation in the intestine: the hyperactivation of Wnt target gene expression, excess number of ISCs, and hyperplasia of the epithelium. In contrast, only Ebd, but not Ewg, mediates the Wnt-dependent regulation of ISC proliferation during homeostasis. Therefore, in the adult intestine, Ebd acts independently of Ewg in physiological Wnt signaling, but cooperates with Ewg to induce the hyperactivation of Wnt target gene expression following Apc1 loss. These findings have relevance for human tumorigenesis, as Jerky (JRK/JH8), the human Ebd homolog, promotes Wnt pathway hyperactivation and is overexpressed in colorectal, breast, and ovarian cancers. Together, our findings reveal distinct requirements for Ebd and Ewg in physiological Wnt pathway activation versus oncogenic Wnt pathway hyperactivation following Apc1 loss. Such differentially utilized transcription cofactors may offer new opportunities for the selective targeting of Wnt-driven cancers.

We aim to assess sedentary behavior (SB) and its determinants, as well as potential strategies to reduce SB among employees in a tertiary hospital in Singapore, using a mixed-methods approach grounded in the socioecological framework. All employees with email and security guards of a tertiary hospital in Singapore were invited to complete a questionnaire that captured sociodemographics and self-reported domain-specific SB. Environmental influences of occupational SB were assessed using an adapted version of the Checklist for Health Promotion Environments at the Worksite (CHEW). Focus group discussion (FGD) addressed perceptions, barriers, and strategies toward reducing workplace SB. Analyses were performed separately and integrated using an inductive comparative approach. The median occupational sitting time (n = 938) was 300 minutes/day, and highest among administrative staff (administrative, 421 minutes/day; allied health, 300 minutes/day; ancillary, 300 minutes/day; nursing, 120 minutes/day; medical/dental/others, 240 minutes/day; p value: <0.001). The CHEW assessment identified poor physical and information environment contributing to occupational SB. FGDs confirmed an unsupportive environment and elicited barriers such as low SB awareness, nature of work, and workplace norms. Besides environmental approaches, participants suggested having face-to-face communication and social modelling to promote more breaks from sitting. This mixed-methods study among diverse professional groups of a tertiary hospital indicated a large amount of occupational SB, particularly among administrative staff. Raising awareness of the health risks of SB and building a supportive organizational culture, information, and physical environment emerged as significant factors. To reduce occupational SB, multicomponent interventions addressing these diverse factors are warranted.

To address the significance of enhancing myelination for functional recovery after white matter injury (WMI) in preterm infants, we characterized hypomyelination associated with chronic hypoxia and identified structural and functional deficits of excitatory cortical synapses with a prolonged motor deficit. We demonstrate that genetically delaying myelination phenocopies the synaptic and functional deficits observed in mice after hypoxia, suggesting that myelination may possibly facilitate excitatory presynaptic innervation. As a gain-of-function experiment, we specifically ablated the muscarinic receptor 1 (M1R), a negative regulator of oligodendrocyte differentiation in oligodendrocyte precursor cells. Genetically enhancing oligodendrocyte differentiation and myelination rescued the synaptic loss after chronic hypoxia and promoted functional recovery. As a proof of concept, drug-based myelination therapies also resulted in accelerated differentiation and myelination with functional recovery after chronic hypoxia. Together, our data indicate that myelination-enhancing strategies in preterm infants may represent a promising therapeutic approach for structural/functional recovery after hypoxic WMI.