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Soil salinization is a major limiting factor for cotton growth in Southern Xinjiang. Studying technologies and mechanisms to improve cotton salt tolerance is of significant importance for the development and utilization of saline–alkaline land. In this study, ‘Xinluzhong 40’ cotton was used as the material, and 150 mmol·L−1 sodium chloride (NaCl) and 1.2% natural saline–alkaline soil extract were employed to simulate single-salt (SS) and mixed-salt (MS) stresses, respectively. The effects of different exogenous substances (sodium nitrophenolate, 24-epibrassinolide, and γ-aminobutyric acid) on the growth characteristics of cotton under salt stress were investigated. The results show that: (1) Under salt stress, the height and biomass of cotton (50 d old) were reduced. Both SS and MS stresses led to increased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity, elevated proline (PRO) content (with an increase of 50.01% and no significant difference), and increased malondialdehyde (MDA) content (with increases of 63.14% and 32.42%, respectively). At the same time, catalase (CAT) activity decreased, Na+ and Cl− contents increased, K+ content decreased, and the K+/Na+ ratio was reduced. (2) Application of sodium nitrophenolate (S), 24-epibrassinolide (E), and γ-aminobutyric acid (G) significantly improved SOD activity and PRO content while reducing MDA content (decreased by 29.33%, 25.48%, and 30.47% compared to SS treatment; and 1.68%, 5.21%, and 5.49% compared to MS treatment, respectively). They also increased CAT activity (increased by 75.97%, 103.24%, and 80.79% compared to SS treatment; and 91.06%, 82.43%, and 119.68% compared to MS treatment, respectively) and K+/Na+ ratio (increased by 57.59%, 66.35%, and 70.50% compared to SS treatment; and 38.31%, 42.97%, and 66.66% compared to MS treatment, respectively), reduced Cl− content, and promoted increases in plant height and biomass. The effects of exogenous substances on antioxidant capacity and ion balance under salt stress were significant, particularly under SS stress. (3) Principal component analysis revealed that under SS and MS stresses, principal component 1 mainly reflects cotton’s antioxidant capacity, with SOD, CAT, and PRO having high weights; principal component 2 mainly reflects cotton’s ion balance and nutrient absorption, with root Na+, stem Na+, leaf Na+, root K+, and root Cl− having high weights. These findings highlight the potential of exogenous substances to improve cotton salt tolerance and provide scientific evidence for cotton cultivation on saline–alkaline land, offering new insights into cultivation techniques from an applied research perspective.

BackgroundPediatric cerebral palsy (CP) is a non-progressive brain injury syndrome characterized by central motor dysfunction and insufficient brain coordination ability. The etiology of CP is complex and often accompanied by diverse complications such as intellectual disability and language disorders, making clinical treatment difficult. Despite the availability of pharmacological interventions, rehabilitation programs, and spasticity relief surgery as treatment options for CP, their effectiveness is still constrained. Electroacupuncture (EA) stimulation has demonstrated great improvements in motor function, but its comprehensive, objective therapeutic effects on pediatric CP remain to be clarified.MethodsWe present a case of a 5-year-old Chinese female child who was diagnosed with CP at the age of 4. The patient exhibited severe impairments in motor, language, social, and cognitive functions. We performed a 3-month period of EA rehabilitation, obtaining resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) of the patient at 0 month, 3 months and 5 months since treatment started, then characterized brain functional connectivity patterns in each phase for comparison.ResultsAfter a 12-month follow-up, notable advancements were observed in the patient’s language and social symptoms. Changes of functional connectivity patterns confirmed this therapeutic effect and showed specific benefits for different recovery phase: starting from language functions then modulating social participation and other developmental behaviors.ConclusionThis is a pioneering report demonstrating the longitudinal effect of EA stimulation on functional brain connectivity in CP patients, suggesting EA an effective intervention for developmental disabilities (especially language and social dysfunctions) associated with pediatric CP.

Abstract Objective To construct a survival prediction model for patients with TNM stage III hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) to guide the clinical diagnosis and treatment of HCC patients and improve prognosis. Methods Based on data from patients with stage III (AJCC 7th TNM stage) recorded by the American Institute of Cancer Research from 2010 to 2013, risk factors affecting the prognosis were screened by Cox univariate and multivariate regression, line plots was constructed, and the credibility of the model was verified by Boostrap method. ROC operating curves, calibration curves and DCA clinical decision curves were used to evaluate the model, and Kaplan–Meier was used for survival analysis was used to evaluate the efficacy of the model. External survival data from patients newly diagnosed with stage III hepatocellular carcinoma during 2014–2015 were used to validate and fit the model and to optimize the model. Results Age > 75 years vs.18-53 years [HR = 1.502; 95%CI(1.134–1.990)], stage IIIC vs. Stage IIIA [HR = 1.930; 95%CI(1.509–2.470)], lobotomy vs. non-surgery [HR = 0.295; 95%CI(0.228–0.383)], radiotherapy vs. non-radiotherapy [HR = 0.481; 95%CI(0.373–0.619)], chemotherapy vs. Non-chemotherapy [HR = 0.443; 95%CI(0.381–0.515)], positive serum AFP before treatment vs. negative [HR = 1.667; 95%CI(1.356–2.049)], the above indicators are independent prognostic factors for patients with stage III hepatocellular carcinoma, and the P values for the above results were less than 0.05. A joint prediction model was constructed based on age, TNM stage, whether and how to operate, whether to receive radiotherapy, whether to receive chemotherapy, pre-treatment serum AFP status and liver fibrosis score. The consistency index of the improved prognosis model was 0.725. Conclusions The traditional TNM staging has limitations for clinical diagnosis and treatment, while the Nomogram model modified by TNM staging has good predictive efficacy and clinical significance.

Life control of aero-engine is an important part of aviation equipment maintenance support.To solve problems,such as existing multiple state life,single using strategy and serious state life consumption,a multi-state life control model of aero-engine is developed by using multi-objective decision-making model and considering various state life consumption constraints respectively.Combined with the proposed life control strategy injection method based on engine service process simulation,the rationality and feasibility of the proposed strategies are verified.The research results can provide technical support and method reference for the development of engine life control strategy for aviation equipment users and maintenance staff.

Excessive salt content in soil has adverse effects on cotton production, especially during the germination and seedling stages. γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is an important active substance that is expected to improve the resistance of plants to abiotic stresses. This study focused on two cotton cultivars (Gossypium hirsutum L.: Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62) and investigated the impact of exogenous GABA (0, 1, 2, 3, and 4 mM) on seed germination, seedling growth, and related morphological, physiological, and biochemical indicators under salt stress (150 mM NaCl). The results showed that salt stress significantly reduced the germination rate and germination index of cotton seeds (decreased by 20.34% and 32.14% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively), leading to decreased seedling height and biomass and causing leaf yellowing. Salt stress induced osmotic stress in seedlings, resulting in ion imbalance (marked reduction in K+/Na+ ratio) and oxidative damage. Under salt stress conditions, exogenous GABA increased the germination rate (increased by 10.64~23.40% and 2.63~31.58% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively) and germination index of cotton seeds, as well as plant height and biomass. GABA treatment improved leaf yellowing. Exogenous GABA treatment increased the content of proline and soluble sugars, with varying effects on betaine. Exogenous GABA treatment reduced the Na+ content in seedlings, increased the K+ content, and increased the K+/Na+ ratio (increased by 20.44~28.08% and 29.54~76.33% for Tahe 2 and Xinluzhong 62, respectively). Exogenous GABA treatment enhanced the activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase, and reduced the accumulation of hydrogen peroxide and malondialdehyde, but had a negative impact on catalase activity. In conclusion, exogenous GABA effectively improved cotton seed germination. By regulating osmoprotectant levels, maintaining ion homeostasis, and alleviating oxidative stress, GABA mitigated the adverse effects of salt stress on cotton seedling growth.

Soil salinization is a primary environmental factor leading to reduced crop yields, and oil shale waste residues may have the potential to alleviate plant salt stress. This study aims to investigate the effects of three types of oil shale waste residues (fine concentrate ore, fine ore, and semi-coke) on the growth and physiological characteristics of maize seedlings in saline–alkali soil. The results indicate the following: (1) All three types of oil shale waste residues increased the root vitality of seedlings and reduced the root proline content. (2) The three types of oil shale waste residues increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (1.70% to 97.19%) and peroxidase (29.39% to 61.21%) in maize seedlings, but there were differences in their effects on catalase activity. The fine ore and semi-coke treatments increased catalase activity (4.98% to 77.42%), while fine concentrate ore decreased catalase activity (39.28% to 5.30%). (3) The three types of oil shale waste residues effectively alleviated the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation in maize seedling leaves. (4) Principal component analysis showed that the semi-coke treatment was beneficial to the growth and physiology of maize seedlings in saline–alkali soil, with the optimal effect occurring at a 0.2% addition rate. In conclusion, adding semi-coke to saline–alkali soil promotes the growth of maize by regulating its physiological and biochemical mechanisms, alleviating the salt stress on maize seedlings caused by salt content.

Salinity stress significantly hampers cotton seed germination and seedling growth. Employing plant growth regulators stands out as an effective strategy to mitigate salt stress. In this study, we assessed the impact of varying concentrations of natural composite salt conditions (0%, 0.6%, and 1.2%) on cotton seed germination, seedling growth, and physiology. Additionally, we explored the effects of compound sodium nitrophenolate (CSN: 2 mg·L−1 and 10 mg·L−1), 24-epibrassinolide (EBR: 0.02 mg·L−1 and 0.1 mg·L−1), and gibberellic acid (GA: 60 mg·L−1 and 300 mg·L−1), against a control (CK: distilled water) group. The results indicate that with an increase in the composite salt concentration, the germination potential (GP) and germination rate (GR) of cotton seeds gradually decrease. Simultaneously, the fresh weight and root vitality of seedlings also correspondingly decrease, while the degree of membrane lipid peroxidation increases. Under high-salt (1.2%) conditions, soaking treatments with CSN and EBR significantly enhance both GP (45–59% and 55–64%) and GR (30–33% and 39–36%) compared to the CK. However, the GA treatment does not increase the GP and GR of cotton. Moreover, under high-salt (1.2%) conditions, CSN and EBR treatments result in the increased activities of superoxide dismutase (56–66% and 71–80%), peroxidase (20–24% and 37–51%), and catalase (26–32% and 35–46%). Consequently, cotton exhibits a relatively good tolerance to natural composite salts. Soaking treatments with CSN and EBR effectively improve cotton germination by enhancing antioxidant enzyme activities, thereby strengthening cotton’s tolerance to salt stress. These findings offer new insights for enhancing the salt tolerance of cotton.

Abstract Background Lysine 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation (Khib) is a newly discovered protein posttranslational modification (PTM) and is involved in the broad-spectrum regulation of cellular processes that are found in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, including in plants. The Chinese herb rhubarb (Dahuang) is one of the most widely used traditional Chinese medicines in clinical applications. To better understand the physiological activities and mechanism of treating diseases with the herb, it is necessary to conduct intensive research on rhubarb. However, Khib modification has not been reported thus far in rhubarb. Results In this study, we performed the first global analysis of Khib-modified proteins in rhubarb by using sensitive affinity enrichment combined with high-accuracy HPLC-MS/MS tandem spectrometry. A total of 4333 overlapping Khib modification peptides matched on 1525 Khib-containing proteins were identified in three independent tests. Bioinformatics analysis showed that these Khib-containing proteins are involved in a wide range of cellular processes, particularly in protein biosynthesis and central carbon metabolism and are distributed mainly in chloroplasts, cytoplasm, nucleus and mitochondria. In addition, the amino acid sequence motif analysis showed that a negatively charged side chain residue (E), a positively charged residue (K), and an uncharged residue with the smallest side chain (G) were strongly preferred around the Khib site, and a total of 13 Khib modification motifs were identified. These identified motifs can be classified into three motif patterns, and some motif patterns are unique to rhubarb and have not been identified in other plants to date. Conclusions A total of 4333 Khib-modified peptides on 1525 proteins were identified. The Khib-modified proteins are mainly distributed in the chloroplast, cytoplasm, nucleus and mitochondria, and involved in a wide range of cellular processes. Moreover, three types of amino acid sequence motif patterns, including EKhib/KhibE, GKhib and k.kkk….Khib….kkkkk, were extracted from a total of 13 Khib-modified peptides. This study provides comprehensive Khib-proteome resource of rhubarb. The findings from the study contribute to a better understanding of the physiological roles of Khib modification, and the Khib proteome data will facilitate further investigations of the roles and mechanisms of Khib modification in rhubarb.

The pollution of man-made groundwater has become a major global problem that threatens human health and affects the aquatic environment. The establishment of an effective screening system for water pollution assessment is of great importance for maintaining the ecological health of groundwater. In this study, the concentrations of natural and non-natural pollutants in the groundwater of Xiong’an New Area were measured, and the degree of pollution degree and toxicity index of pollutants were used to construct a novel screening method. The result shows that it was more suitable to use the weighted summation method with weights of 0.5, 0.25, and 0.25 for toxicity, total pollution degree, and median pollution degree, respectively. According to the proposed screening method, Benzo[a]pyrene, Hexachlorobenzene, As, Se, Atrazine, Benzo[b]fluoranthene, Ni, Mo, Ti, and naphthalene were identified as the dominant pollutants in the study area and their levels should be strictly monitored.

Deepwater gas fields have high bottom water energy and a high risk of seeing water. Higher requirements are put forward for the water control process to control the water effect. This article is based on the actual background and well design of the X gas field in the South China Sea and on three sets of physical simulation experiments and three sets of numerical simulation experiments. An analysis and comparison of the water control effect of a combination of continuous packer, continuous packer and variable density screen tube, and their adaptability evaluation in deepwater gas reservoirs were performed. The results obtained from the numerical and physical simulations are consistent. The experimental results show that the water control process of a continuous packer is mainly based on the water-seeing and water-blocking ability. It is less capable of extending the time to produce water in the horizontal section. However, its water-blocking ability is strong and is able to seal the water spot quickly. It extends the total production time by 12.29% and increases the total gas production by 5.96%; the combined water control process of the continuous packer and variable density screen tube can effectively play their respective advantages of water control. The combination of the continuous packer and variable density screen tube can effectively be advantageous of their respective water control processes, enabling the gas–water interface to advance in a balanced manner, extending the water-free gas recovery period by 11.61%, extending the total gas production time by 15.76%, and increasing the total gas production volume by 13.75%. Both water control processes have good applicability in deepwater gas fields and have certain sand control capability. It is conducive to the one-time completion operation for the commissioning of deepwater gas fields.

Normal early human B-cell development from lymphoid progenitors in the bone marrow depends on instructions from elements in that microenvironment that include stromal cells and factors secreted by these cells including the extracellular matrix. Glycosylation is thought to play a key role in such interactions. The sialyltransferase ST6Gal1, with high expression in specific hematopoietic cell types, is the only enzyme thought to catalyze the terminal addition of sialic acids in an α2-6-linkage to galactose on N-glycans in such cells. Expression of ST6Gal1 increases as B cells undergo normal B-lineage differentiation. B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemias (BCP-ALLs) with differentiation arrest at various stages of early B-cell development have widely different expression levels of ST6GAL1 at diagnosis, with high ST6Gal1 in some but not in other relapses. We analyzed the consequences of increasing ST6Gal1 expression in a diagnosis sample using lentiviral transduction. NSG mice transplanted with these BCP-ALL cells were monitored for survival. Compared to mice transplanted with leukemia cells expressing original ST6Gal1 levels, increased ST6Gal1 expression was associated with significantly reduced survival. A cohort of mice was also treated for 7 weeks with vincristine chemotherapy to induce remission and then allowed to relapse. Upon vincristine discontinuation, relapse was detected in both groups, but mice transplanted with ST6Gal1 overexpressing BCP-ALL cells had an increased leukemia burden and shorter survival than controls. The BCP-ALL cells with higher ST6Gal1 were more resistant to long-term vincristine treatment in an ex vivo tissue co-culture model with OP9 bone marrow stromal cells. Gene expression analysis using RNA-seq showed a surprisingly large number of genes with significantly differential expression, of which approximately 60% increased mRNAs, in the ST6Gal1 overexpressing BCP-ALL cells. Pathways significantly downregulated included those involved in immune cell migration. However, ST6Gal1 knockdown cells also showed increased insensitivity to chemotherapy. Our combined results point to a context-dependent effect of ST6Gal1 expression on BCP-ALL cells, which is discussed within the framework of its activity as an enzyme with many N-linked glycoprotein substrates.

As a typical two-dimensional layered metal sulfide, MoS2 has a high theoretical capacity and large layer spacing, which is beneficial for ion transport. Herein, a facile polymerization method is employed to synthesize polypyrrole (PPy) nanotubes, followed by a hydrothermal method to obtain flower-rod-shaped MoS2/PPy (FR-MoS2/PPy) composites. The FR-MoS2/PPy achieves outstanding electrochemical performance as a sodium-ion battery anode. After 60 cycles under 100 mA g−1, the FR-MoS2/PPy can maintain a capacity of 431.9 mAh g−1. As for rate performance, when the current densities range from 0.1 to 2 A g−1, the capacities only reduce from 489.7 to 363.2 mAh g−1. The excellent performance comes from a high specific surface area provided by the unique structure and the synergistic effect between the components. Additionally, the introduction of conductive PPy improves the conductivity of the material and the internal hollow structure relieves the volume expansion. In addition, kinetic calculations show that the composite material has a high sodium-ion transmission rate, and the external pseudocapacitance behavior can also significantly improve its electrochemical performance. This method provides a new idea for the development of advanced high-capacity anode materials for sodium-ion batteries.

The attribute of a country park and its visual environment are not only influenced by the distance from the park to the downtown area, but also the degree of urbanization. Based on the landscape geography, landscape ecology, landscape aesthetics theories and the Guideline for Technical Review of Environmental Impact Assessment of Construction Projects (HJ 616-2011) and aiming to evaluate the visual quality of the country parks, we put forward three first-grade indicators (visual sensitive capacity, visual space capacity and visual absorption capacity) and seven second grade indicators (sighting distance, visual disturbance frequency, green looking ratio, inter-visibility, openness, relative angle and the relative area of artificial matrix) in our research. By virtue of the established entropy weight method model, combined with field data, the quantitative research of the visual environment of landscape in country parks was carried out so that the visual quality of the park can be improved. At same time, this can also provide a scientific basis for spatial planning of urban fringe area and repositioning of the park attribute.