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Abstract Background The global incidence of obesity continues to rise, which increases the prevalence of metabolic diseases. We previously demonstrated the beneficial effect of adipose-specific growth hormone receptor (Ghr) knockout (KO) on metabolic parameters in male mice exposed to high fat diet. Although the effect of the growth hormone (GH) axis on lipid metabolism has been well studied, sexual dimorphism has not been considered. Furthermore, the effects of the GH axis on intergenerational adipose development are understudied. The present study aimed to evaluate whether adipose-specific Ghr knockout is associated with sex-specific differences in metabolic health of female offspring. Methods Ghr flox/flox (LL) mice were crossed with Adipoq-Cre mice to generate adipose-specific Ghr knockout (KO) mice. Physiological phenotype and fertility of female LL and KO mice were measured. Body weight, organ weight, glucose homeostasis, liver and adipose histology, hepatic triglycerides (TG) content, serum TG and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels of female offspring were detected. Results We found an increase in adipocyte size in female KO mice, but no change in glucose tolerance or insulin sensitivity. Adipose-specific Ghr deficiency impairs fertility in female KO mice. Maternal adipose-specific Ghr deficiency had a considerable beneficial effect on glucose metabolism in female offspring. The female offspring of the KO mice were protected against diet-induced obesity and the degree of hepatic steatosis and hyperlipidemia was reduced. The adipocyte size of the KO offspring did not change significantly despite the decrease in fat weight. Furthermore, the phenotypes of the offspring of LL mice fostered by the KO mothers differed from those of offspring remaining in the maternal nest. Conclusions The findings of our study suggest that adipose GH axis plays a complex and important role in the intergenerational effects of metabolic health and adipocytes on offspring in a sex-specific manner. Future studies are needed to reveal the mechanisms of these sexually dimorphic phenotypes and the feasibility of providing new interventions for improving offspring metabolic health.

Abstract The microRNA156 (miR156) has been widely studied in plants, however, the characterization of the miR156 family of genes in wheat and their expression patterns under abiotic stress are not completely clear. In this study, a total of 20 miR156 family members, referred to as tae-miR156a to tae-miR156t, were identified in wheat with their loci mapped to various chromosomes. These members were divided into five subgroups: miR156a/b/c/d/e/f, miR156g/h/i, miR156j/k, miR156l/m/n/o/p/q, and miR156r/s/t. They were highly conserved during evolution. The prediction of cis-elements in the tae-MIR156(s) promoter region revealed that the tae-MIR156(s) had diverse cis-acting elements; of these, 15 tae-MIR156(s) and 6 tae-MIR156(s) were found to be drought-responsive elements and cold-responsive elements, respectively. And the prediction target genes of tae-miR156(s) are mainly SPL transcription factor genes. Expression analysis based on quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT‒PCR) showed that miR156(s) have different expression levels in the various wheat tissues, and the subgroups’ response to abiotic stress varied. Among them, miR156g/h/i were strongly induced in the root of cold and heat stress, and miR156a/b/c/d/e/f were significantly increased in roots after drought stress, whereas miR156r/s/t were highly inhibited in leaves and roots after salt stress. These findings imply that tae-miR156(s) are involved in stress response in wheat, and they provide new fundamental knowledge for further analysis of the function of miR156 and its regulatory mechanism in response to abiotic stress.

Abstract Background Vasculopathy underlies diabetic complications, with perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT) playing crucial roles in its development. However, the changes in the cellular composition and function of PVAT, including the specific cell subsets and mechanisms implicated in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) vasculopathy, remain unclear. Methods To address the above issues, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on the stromal vascular fraction (SVF) of PVAT from normal and T2DM rats. Then, various bioinformatics tools and functional experiments were used to investigate the characteristic changes in the cellular profile of diabetic PVAT SVF, their implications, and the underlying mechanisms. Results Our study reveals the single-cell landscape of the SVF of PVAT, demonstrating its considerable heterogeneity and significant alterations in T2DM, including an enhanced inflammatory response and elevated proportions of macrophages and natural killer (NK) cells. Moreover, macrophages are critical hubs for cross-talk among various cell populations. Notably, we identified a decreased Pdpn + macrophage subpopulation in the PVAT of T2DM rats and confirmed this in mice and humans. In vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that Pdpn + macrophages alleviated insulin resistance and modulated adipokine/cytokine expression in adipocytes via the Pla2g2d-DHA/EPA-GPR120 pathway. This subset also enhances the function of vascular endothelial and smooth muscle cells, inhibits vascular inflammation and oxidative stress, and improves vasodilatory function, thereby protecting blood vessels. Conclusion Pdpn + macrophages exhibit significant vascular protective effects by alleviating insulin resistance and modulating adipokine/cytokine expression in PVAT adipocytes. This macrophage subtype may therefore play pivotal roles in mitigating vascular complications in T2DM. Our findings also underscore the critical role of immune-metabolic cross-talk in maintaining tissue homeostasis. Graphical Abstract

Abstract The quality of Recombination signal sequences (RSSs), location, and genetics of mammalian V, D, and J genes synergistically affect the recombination frequency of genes; however, the specific regulatory mechanism and efficiency have not been elucidated. By taking advantage of single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to investigate V(D)J rearrangement characteristics in the CDR3 repertoire, we found that the distal and proximal V genes (or J genes) “to D” gene were involved in rearrangement significantly more frequently than the middle V genes (or J genes) in the TRB locus among various species, including Primates (human and rhesus monkey), Rodentia (BALB/c, C57BL/6, and Kunming mice), Artiodactyla (buffalo), and Chiroptera (Rhinolophus affinis). The RSS quality of the V and J genes affected their frequency in rearrangement to varying degrees, especially when the V-RSSs with recombination signal information content (RIC) score < -45 significantly reduced the recombination frequency of the V gene. The V and J genes that were “away from D” had the dual advantages of recombinant structural accessibility and relatively high-quality RSSs, which promoted their preferential utilization in rearrangement. The quality of J-RSSs formed during mammalian evolution was apparently greater than that of V-RSSs, and the D-J distance was obviously shorter than that of V-D, which may be one of the reasons for guaranteeing that the “D-to-J preceding V-to-DJ rule” occurred when rearranged. This study provides a novel perspective on the mechanism and efficiency of V-D-J rearrangement in the mammalian TRB locus, as well as the biased utilization characteristics and application of V and J genes in the initial CDR3 repertoire.

Abstract Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) have profound effects on plant growth and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) nutrition. However, a comprehensive evaluation of how plant N and P respond to AMF inoculation is still unavailable. Here, we complied data from 187 original researches and carried out a meta-analysis to assess the effects of AMF inoculation on plant growth and N and P nutrition. We observe overall positive effects of AMF inoculation on plant performance. The mean increases of plant biomass, N concentration, P concentration, N and P uptake of whole plant are 47%, 16%, 27%, 67%, and 105%, respectively. AMF inoculation induces more increases in plant concentrations and storage of P than N. Plant responses to AMF inoculation are substantially higher with single AMF species than with mixed AMF species, in laboratory experiments than in field experiments, and in legumes than in non-legumes. The response ratios of plant N and P nutrition are positively correlated with AMF colonization rate, N addition, P addition, and water condition, while unvaried with experiment duration. The biggest and smallest effect sizes of AMF inoculation on plant performance are observed in the application of nitrate and ammonium, respectively. Accordingly, this meta-analysis study clearly suggests that AMF inoculation improves both plant N and P nutrients and systematically clarifies the variation patterns in AMF effects with various biotic and abiotic factors. These findings highlight the important role of AMF inoculation in enhancing plant N and P resource acquisitions and provide useful references for evaluating the AMF functions under the future global changes.

Abstract Background Society is burdened with stroke-associated pneumonia (SAP) after intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH). Cerebral small vessel disease (CSVD) complicates clinical manifestations of stroke. In this study, we redefined the CSVD burden score and incorporated it into a novel radiological-clinical prediction model for SAP. Materials and methods A total of 1278 patients admitted to a tertiary hospital between 1 January 2010 and 31 December 2019 were included. The participants were divided into training and testing groups using fivefold cross-validation method. Four models, two traditional statistical models (logistic regression and ISAN) and two machine learning models (random forest and support vector machine), were established and evaluated. The outcomes and baseline characteristics were compared between the SAP and non-SAP groups. Results Among the of 1278 patients, 281(22.0%) developed SAP after their first ICH. Multivariate analysis revealed that the logistic regression (LR) model was superior in predicting SAP in both the training and testing groups. Independent predictors of SAP after ICH included total CSVD burden score (OR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.03–1.54), haematoma extension into ventricle (OR, 2.28; 95% CI, 1.87–3.31), haematoma with multilobar involvement (OR, 2.14; 95% CI, 1.44–3.18), transpharyngeal intubation operation (OR, 3.89; 95% CI, 2.7–5.62), admission NIHSS score ≥ 10 (OR, 2.06; 95% CI, 1.42–3.01), male sex (OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.16–2.52), and age ≥ 67 (OR, 2.24; 95% CI, 1.56–3.22). The patients in the SAP group had worse outcomes than those in the non-SAP group. Conclusion This study established a clinically combined imaging model for predicting stroke-associated pneumonia and demonstrated superior performance compared with the existing ISAN model. Given the poor outcomes observed in patients with SAP, the use of individualised predictive nomograms is vital in clinical practice.

Abstract At the 3’ end of the C2 gene in the mammalian TRB locus, a distinct reverse TRBV30 gene (named TRBV31 in mice) has been conserved throughout evolution. In the fully annotated TRB locus of 14 mammals (including six orders), we observed noteworthy variations in the localization and quality of the reverse V30 genes and Recombination Signal Sequences (RSSs) in the gene trees of 13 mammals. Conversely, the forward V29 genes and RSSs were generally consistent with the species tree of their corresponding species. This finding suggested that the evolution of the reverse V30 gene was not synchronous and likely played a crucial role in regulating adaptive immune responses. To further investigate this possibility, we utilized single-cell TCR sequencing (scTCR-seq) and high-throughput sequencing (HTS) to analyze TCRβ CDR3 repertoires from both central and peripheral tissues of Primates (Homo sapiens and Macaca mulatta), Rodentia (Mus musculus: BALB/c, C57BL/6, and Kunming mice), Artiodactyla (Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis), and Chiroptera (Rhinolophus affinis and Hipposideros armige). Our investigation revealed several novel observations: (1) The reverse V30 gene exhibits classical rearrangement patterns adhering to the ‘12/23 rule’ and the ‘D-J rearrangement preceding the V-(D-J) rearrangement’. This results in the formation of rearranged V30-D2J2, V30-D1J1, and V30-D1J2. However, we also identified ‘special rearrangement patterns’ wherein V30-D rearrangement preceding D-J rearrangement, giving rise to rearranged V30-D2-J1 and forward Vx-D2-J. (2) Compared to the ‘deletional rearrangement’ (looping out) of forward V1-V29 genes, the reverse V30 gene exhibits preferential utilization with ‘inversional rearrangement’. This may be attributed to the shorter distance between the V30 gene and D gene and the ‘inversional rearrangement’ modes. In summary, in the mammalian TRB locus, the reverse V30 gene has been uniquely preserved throughout evolution and preferentially utilized in V(D)J recombination, potentially serving a significant role in adaptive immunity. These results will pave the way for novel and specialized research into the mechanisms, efficiency, and function of V(D)J recombination in mammals.

Abstract Background This study employs systematic review and meta-analysis to explore the incidence and characteristics of spinal cord injury (SCI) between 2000 and 2021, aiming to provide the most recent and comprehensive data support for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and care of SCI. Methods Systematic searches were conducted on epidemiological studies of SCI published between January 1, 2000, and March 29, 2024. Meta-analysis, subgroup analysis, meta-regression, publication bias detection, and literature quality assessment were extensively utilized. Results The pooled results from 229 studies indicated that the overall incidence rate of SCI was 23.77 (95% CI, 21.50–26.15) per million people, with traumatic spinal cord injuries (TSCI) at a rate of 26.48 (95% CI, 24.15–28.93) per million people, and non-traumatic spinal cord injuries (NTSCI) at a rate of 17.93 (95% CI, 13.30-23.26) per million people. The incidence of TSCI exhibited a marked age-related increase and was significantly higher in community settings compared to hospital and database sources. Males experienced TSCI at a rate 3.2 times higher than females. Between 2000 and 2021, the incidence of TSCI remained consistently high, between 20 and 45 per million people, whereas NTSCI incidence has seen a steady rise since 2007, stabilizing at a high rate of 25–35 per million people. Additionally, the incidence of TSCI in developing countries was notably higher than that in developed countries. There were significant differences in the causes of injury, severity, injury segments, gender, and age distribution among the TSCI and NTSCI populations, but the proportion of male patients was much higher than that of female patients. Moreover, study quality, country type, and SCI type contributed to the heterogeneity in the meta-analysis. Conclusions The incidence rates of different types of SCI remain high, and the demographic distribution of SCI patients is changing, indicating a serious disease burden on healthcare systems and affected populations. These findings underscore the necessity of adopting targeted preventive, therapeutic, and rehabilitative measures based on the incidence and characteristics of SCI.

Abstract Over the past decade, we have witnessed the development of cell transplantation as a new strategy for repairing spinal cord injury (SCI). However, due to the complexity of the central nervous system (CNS), achieving successful clinical translation remains a significant challenge. Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUMSCs) possess distinct advantages, such as easy collection, lack of ethical concerns, high self-renewal ability, multilineage differentiation potential, and immunomodulatory properties. hUMSCs are promising for regenerating the injured spinal cord to a significant extent. At the same time, for advancing SCI treatment, the appropriate benefit and risk evaluation methods play a pivotal role in determining the clinical applicability of treatment plans. Hence, this study discusses the advantages and risks of hUMSCs in SCI treatment across four dimensions—comprehensive evaluation of motor and sensory function, imaging, electrophysiology, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function—aiming to improve the rationality of relevant clinical research and the feasibility of clinical translation.

The effects of aluminum (Al) additions (0.04, 0.4, and 0.8 wt%) on the microstructural evolution, tensile properties, and sheared-edge ductility of dual phase (DP) steels were investigated. The DP steels were processed with distinct coiling temperatures after finish rolling, cold rolled, and subjected to two continuous galvanizing line (CGL) simulations: standard galvanizing (GI) and supercooling process (SC). Al expanded both the ɑ-ferrite and (ɑ+γ) phase fields at the expense of the γ-austenite region. Continuous cooling transformation (CCT) diagrams showed that Al increased ferrite start temperatures, broadened the ferrite transformation zone, and reduced austenite stability. Austenite growth kinetics during intercritical annealing, quantified using a modified Johnson-Mehl-Avrami-Kolmogorov (JMAK) model, revealed Avrami exponents ranging from 0.72 to 0.81 and apparent activation energies increasing from 422.9 to 496.7 kJ mol−1 with Al additions. Microstructural characterization revealed larger ferrite grain sizes and higher ferrite volume fractions with higher Al levels. Ultimate tensile strength (UTS) was influenced by Al contents, coiling temperatures, and CGL simulation methods. Global ductility (total elongation, TE) was highest for the 0.8Al Steel with a high coiling temperature and GI annealing, while local ductility (hole expansion ratio, HER) was maximized for the 0.04 Al Steel with a low coiling temperature and SC annealing. The majority of the CGL simulated DP steels exhibited good strength-ductility combinations, with the 0.8Al Steels demonstrating superior properties compared to current automotive advanced high-strength steel (AHSS) grades.

Growth hormone (GH) and gut microbiota are key regulators of metabolism and have been linked to the development and treatment of obesity. Although variations in GH levels are associated with changes in gut microbiota composition, the specific effects of GH on gut microbiota and its role in obesity remain unclear. This study explored the effects of various GH doses (0.25, 0.75 and 1.5 IU/kg) on adipose tissue mass and gut microbiota in high-fat diet-induced obese mice. Notably, high-dose GH (1.5 IU/kg) significantly reduced the adipose tissue mass. This dose also reversed high-fat diet-induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, restoring microbial diversity and increasing the abundance of beneficial genera such as Ruminococcaceae and Muribaculaceae. Additionally, high-dose GH normalized several obesity-related gut microbiota pathways, including starch and sucrose metabolism, galactose metabolism, and secondary bile acid biosynthesis. GH therapy also improved intestinal barrier function, a key determinant of gut microbial homeostasis. These findings underscore the therapeutic potential of GH in obesity management through its effects on gut microbiota, providing new avenues for obesity interventions.

Primary liver cancer (PLC), which includes hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (iCCA), remains a leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Chronic liver diseases, such as hepatitis B and C infections and metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), are key risk factors for PLC. Metabolic reprogramming, a defining feature of cancer, enables liver cancer cells to adapt to the demands of rapid proliferation and the challenging tumor microenvironment (TME). This manuscript examines the pivotal role of metabolic reprogramming in PLC, with an emphasis on the alterations in glucose, lipid, and amino acid metabolism that drive tumor progression. The Warburg effect, marked by increased glycolysis, facilitates rapid energy production and biosynthesis of cellular components in HCC. Changes in lipid metabolism, including elevated de novo fatty acid synthesis and lipid oxidation, support membrane formation and energy storage essential for cancer cell survival. Amino acid metabolism, particularly glutamine utilization, supplies critical carbon and nitrogen for nucleotide synthesis and maintains redox homeostasis. These metabolic adaptations not only enhance tumor growth and invasion but also reshape the TME, promoting immune escape. Targeting these metabolic pathways presents promising therapeutic opportunities for PLC. This review underscores the interaction between metabolic reprogramming and tumor immunity, suggesting potential metabolic targets for innovative therapeutic strategies. A comprehensive understanding of PLC’s intricate metabolic landscape may lead to more effective treatments and better patient outcomes. Integrating metabolomics, genomics, and proteomics in future research will be vital for identifying precise therapeutic targets and advancing personalized therapies for liver cancer.

The Yinshanbeilu region is arid, with little precipitation; its ecological environment is very fragile. This region is an important ecological security barrier in the north of China. To explore the cumulative and delayed effects of drought on vegetation, this study employed wavelet coherence, copula, and partial correlation analysis. Our findings indicated that whereas the annual mean value of the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) exhibited a declining trend over time, the annual maximum value of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) showed a rising tendency. The two spatial trends were also found to be substantially similar. At various timelines, there were significant variations in the association between the cumulative SPEI and NDVI, with an overall trend that first increased and subsequently decreased. The longest lag times were localized at 5, 8, and 4 months for grassland, forestland, and farmland, respectively. The likelihood of NDVI degradation rises as drought intensity rises. At short and medium scales, sunspots have the greatest influence on the SPEI-NDVI relationship, followed by Pacific Decadal Oscillation and El Niño Southern Oscillation.

Single-atom catalysts (SACs) are gaining popularity in catalytic reactions due to their nearly 100 ​% atomic utilization and defined active sites, which provide great convenience for studying the catalytic mechanism of catalysts. However, SACs still present challenges such as complex formation processes, low loading and easy agglomeration of catalysts. Herein, we systematically discuss the synthesis methods for SACs, including co-precipitation, impregnation, atomic layer deposition, pyrolysis and Anti-Ostwald ripening etc. Various techniques for characterizing single-atom catalysts (SACs) are described in detail. The utilization of individual atoms in various photocatalytic reactions and their mechanisms of action in different reactions are explained. The purpose of this review is to introduce single-atom synthesis methods, characterization techniques, specific catalytic action and their applications in the direction of photocatalysis, and to provide a reference for the industrialization of photocatalytic single-atoms, which is currently impossible, in the hope of promoting further development of photocatalytic single-atoms.

Abstract Studying the relationships between vegetation cover and geography in the Mongolian region of the Yellow River Basin will help to optimize local vegetation recovery strategies and achieve harmonious human relations. Based on MOD13Q1 data, the spatial and temporal variations in fractional vegetation cover (FVC) in the Mongolian Yellow River Basin during 2000–2020 were investigated via trend and correlative analysis. The results are as follows: (1) From 2000 to 2020, the vegetation cover in the Mongolian section of the Yellow River Basin recovered well, the mean increase in the FVC was 0.001/a, the distribution of vegetation showed high coverage in the southeast and low coverage in the northwest, and 31.19% of the total area showed an extremely significant and significant increase in vegetation cover. (2) The explanatory power of each geographic factor significantly differed. Precipitation, soil type, air temperature, land use type and slope were the main driving factors influencing the spatial distribution of the vegetation cover, and for each factor, the explanatory power of its interaction with other factors was greater than that of the single factor. (3) The correlation coefficients between FVC and temperature and precipitation are mainly positive. The mean value of the FVC and its variation trend are characterized by differences in terrain and soil characteristics, population density and land use. Land use conversion can reflect the characteristics of human activities, and positive effects, such as returning farmland to forest and grassland and afforestation of unused land, promote the significant improvement of regional vegetation, while negative effects, such as urban expansion, inhibit the growth of vegetation.

Objective: To examine and talk about the mechanism of the Huoxue Jiegu compound capsule's effects on osteoblasts and the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal pathway in rabbits suffering from tibial fractures. Method: In vitro, CCK8 was used to assess the survival rates. Alizarinred staining was used to evaluate mineralized nodules. ALP staining was used to observe the osteoblasts. qRT-PCR was used to determine the mRNA expression of the bone formation-related factors BMP-2, bFGF, and TGF-β. In vivo, three groups of nine male rabbits each were randomly assigned to three groups: the Model group, the Huoxue Jiegu compound capsule group (HXJGC group), and the inhibitor group (HXJGC+3-MA), four weeks following the intervention. HE staining was employed to examine the rabbits' bone histology. immunohistochemistry was employed to examine the relative expression of the proteins VEGF and LC3-II. Western Blot was utilized to examine the relative expression of the proteins Beclin-1, LC3-II/Ⅰ, p62, p-PI3K, p-AKT, and p-mTOR. Results: Compared to the control group, the medium- and high-dose groups exhibited considerably higher survival rates (P

Heavy metal pollution of the soil affects the environment and human health. Masson pine is a good candidate for phytoremediation of heavy metal in mining areas. Microorganisms in the rhizosphere can help with the accumulation of heavy metal in host plants. However, studies on its rhizosphere bacterial communities under heavy metal pollution are still limited. Therefore, in this study, the chemical and bacterial characteristics of Masson pine rhizosphere under four different levels of heavy metal pollution were investigated using 16 S rRNA gene sequencing, soil chemistry and analysis of plant enzyme activities. The results showed that soil heavy metal content, plant oxidative stress and microbial diversity damage were lower the farther they were from the mine dump. The co-occurrence network relationship of slightly polluted soils (C1 and C2) was more complicated than that of highly polluted soils (C3 and C4). Relative abundance analysis indicated Sphingomonas and Pseudolabrys were more abundant in slightly polluted soils (C1 and C2), while Gaiella and Haliangium were more abundant in highly polluted soils (C3 and C4). LEfSe analysis indicated Burkholderiaceae, Xanthobacteraceae, Gemmatimonadaceae, Gaiellaceae were significantly enriched in C1 to C4 site, respectively. Mantel analysis showed that available cadmium (Cd) contents of soil was the most important factor influencing the bacterial community assembly. Correlation analysis showed that eight bacterial genus were significantly positively associated with soil available Cd content. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to investigate the rhizospheric bacterial community of Masson pine trees under different degrees of heavy metal contamination, which lays the foundation for beneficial bacteria-based phytoremediation using Masson pines in the future.

Agricultural land use and temperature change can profoundly affect soil organic carbon (SOC), but their combined effects on regulating cropland SOC fractions over broad geographic scales remain poorly understood. Based on 871 topsoil (0–20 cm) samples collected from the Sichuan Basin of China, we used random forest model and partial correlations analysis to explore how the functionally distinct SOC fractions, including particulate and mineral-associated organic C (POC and MAOC), are affected by both agricultural land use and temperature over a large scale. The results show that POC accounts for 32.54 % of the total cropland SOC and soils with high SOC contents have larger proportions of POC. Cropland type is the dominant control of the two SOC fractions and regulates the impacts of other factors. The contents of soil POC and MAOC in dryland are much lower than that in paddy field and dryland-paddy rotation land. Significant correlations between mean annual temperature and the two SOC fractions are only found in dryland and dryland-paddy rotation land, while mean annual temperature has no impact on both POC and MAOC in paddy field. Meanwhile, the correlation coefficients between mean annual temperature and POC and MAOC for dryland decreased by 61.90 % and 69.23 %, respectively, and for dryland-paddy rotation land decreased by 28.00 % and 14.29 %, respectively, after removing correlations with net primary productivity. Additionally, correlation between mean annual temperature and POC is slightly higher than that between mean annual temperature and MAOC in dryland, while the reverse in dryland-paddy rotation land. These results suggest that the temperature effects on POC and MAOC are cropland type-dependent. To accurately predicting future cropland SOC change and reliably evaluate the potential contribution of cropland soil C sequestration, fraction-specific control mechanisms related to cropland type should be sufficiently considered in carbon models.

Summary: The insulin receptor (INSR, IR) has two isoforms, IRA and IRB, through alternative splicing. However, their distinct functions in vivo remain unclear. Here we generated β cell-specific IRB knockout (KO) mice (βIRBKO). The KO mice displayed worsened hyperinsulinemia and hyperproinsulinemia in diet-induced obesity due to impaired proinsulin processing in β cells. Mechanistically, loss of IRB suppresses eukaryotic translation initiation factor 4G1 (eIF4G1) by stabilizing the transcriptional receptor sterol-regulatory element binding protein 1 (SREBP1). Moreover, excessive autocrine proinsulin in βIRBKO mice enhances the activity of extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) through the remaining IRA to further stabilize nuclear SREBP1, forming a feedback loop. Collectively, our study paves the way to dissecting the isoform-specific function of IR in vivo and highlights the important roles of IRB in insulin processing and protecting β cells from lipotoxicity in obesity.

Ordos drought impacts are complex; the Geodetector model is able to explore the interaction between impact factors. Based on the drought severity index (DSI), this study explored the spatio-temporal dynamics and changing trends of drought, and analyzed the driving factors of DSI spatial differentiation by using the Geodetector model. The results show that: the evapotranspiration (ET) and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in Ordos showed a significant increasing trend (p < 0.05). The increasing rates were ET (4.291 mm yr−1) and NDVI (0.004 yr−1). In addition, the interannual variation of the DSI also showed a significant increase, with a trend change rate of 0.089. The spatial pattern of ET and the NDVI was low in the southwest and high in the northeast, and the spatial pattern of potential evapotranspiration (PET) was high in the southwest and low in the northeast, while the distribution of the DSI was dry in the west and wet in the east. The spatial differentiation of the DSI was mainly affected by five factors: air temperature, precipitation, land use type, soil type, and the digital elevation model (DEM), with q exceeding 0.15, which were the main driving factors of drought in the Loess Plateau. Under the interaction of multiple factors, the four combinations of temperature and the DEM, precipitation and the DEM, sunshine duration and the DEM, and relative humidity and the DEM jointly drive drought, in which precipitation (0.156) ∩ DEM (0.248) has the strongest influence on drought occurrence, and q reaches 0.389. This study directly informs specific drought management strategies or ecological conservation efforts in the region.

Introduction: With global warming, the disaster losses caused by extreme precipitation events are increasing. The poor natural conditions and climate change make the arid and semi-arid mountainous grassland area a sensitive region of climate change. The study on the spatio-temporal variation characteristics of extreme precipitation events in this region is helpful to improve the ability of climate prediction and disaster prevention and reduction in grassland.Methods: Based on the daily precipitation data of four meteorological monitoring stations in the Yinshanbeilu from 1970 to 2020, the trend analysis, M-K test and wavelet analysis were used to select seven typical extreme precipitation indicators to analyze the temporal and spatial characteristics of extreme precipitation.Results and Discussion: The results showed that the precipitation in the Yinshanbeilu increased in the past 51a, and the number of heavy rain days increased significantly. The significance test of CDD and CWD showed that the number of continuous dry days and continuous wet days decreased abruptly. The spatial analysis showed that the high value areas of R95p, R95d and PRCRTOT were all located in Siziwang Banner, and it could be concluded that the extreme precipitation risk was the highest in Siziwang Banner, while the low value areas of SDII, Rx1day, R95p and PRCRTOT were all located in Sonid Right Banner, which could be inferred that the Sonid Right Banner was relatively dry. The first main cycle of the seven indexes of extreme precipitation almost runs through the whole time series, and the starting point of the minimum main cycle changes inconsistent. In addition to the number of consecutive dry days, the other indices have a good correlation with annual precipitation, flood season and monthly precipitation from June to September, and July is the peak period of extreme precipitation events.

Intestine is responsible for nutrients absorption and plays a key role in defending against various dietary allergens, antigens, toxins, and pathogens. Accumulating evidence reported a critical role of intestine in maintaining animal and human health. Since the use of antibiotics as growth promoters in animal feed has been restricted in many countries, alternatives to antibiotics have been globally investigated, and polysaccharides are considered as environmentally friendly and promising alternatives to improve intestinal health, which has become a research hotspot due to its antibiotic substitution effect. Astragalus polysaccharide (APS), a biological macromolecule, is extracted from astragalus and has been reported to exhibit complex biological activities involved in intestinal barrier integrity maintenance, intestinal microbiota regulation, short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) production, and immune response regulation, which are critical for intestine health. The biological activity of APS is related to its chemical structure. In this review, we outlined the source and structure of APS, highlighted recent findings on the regulation of APS on physical barrier, biochemical barrier, immunological barrier, and immune response as well as the latest progress of APS as an antibiotic substitute in animal production. We hope this review could provide scientific basis and new insights for the application of APS in nutrition, clinical medicine and health by understanding particular effects of APS on intestine health, anti-inflammation, and animal production.

Spirulina is widely known as the “Super Nutritious Food of the Future” due to its exceptional nutritional properties. In this article, we investigated the effects of fermentation using a combination of Lactobacillus acidophilus KDB-03 and Kluyveromyces marxianus GDMCC 2.119 on Spirulina. Fermentation significantly increased the total flavonoid and phenol levels in Spirulina, and enhanced the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl free radical scavenging capacity and ferric-reducing antioxidant power. Untargeted ultra-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray tandem mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and gas chromatography-ion mobility spectrometry analysis revealed alterations in the metabolites and flavor components of fermented Spirulina (FS). Furthermore, a mice experiment demonstrated that FS could effectively alleviate metabolism-associated fatty liver disease (MAFLD) by regulating liver metabolism, intestinal flora, and facilitating communication between the liver and gut. These findings suggest that fermentation could be a innovative approach to enhance the diversity of Spirulina products, and potentially be used as a strategy for the prevention and treatment of MAFLD.

Carbon-fixing functional strain-loaded biochar may have significant potential in carbon sequestration given the global warming situation. The carbon-fixing functional strain Bacillus cereus SR was loaded onto rice straw biochar pyrolyzed at different temperatures with the anticipation of clarifying the carbon sequestration performance of this strain on biochar and the interaction effects with biochar. During the culture period, the content of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), easily oxidizable organic carbon, and microbial biomass carbon in biochar changed. This finding indicated that B. cereus SR utilized organic carbon for survival and enhanced carbon sequestration on biochar to increase organic carbon, manifested by changes in CO2 emissions and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (Rubisco) enzyme activity. Linear regression analysis showed that the strain was likely to consume DOC on 300 °C biochar, although the Rubisco enzyme activity was higher. In contrast, the strain had a higher carbon sequestration potential on 500 °C biochar. Correlation analysis showed that Rubisco enzyme activity was controlled by the physical structure of the biochar. Our results highlight the differences in the survival mode and carbon sequestration potential of B. cereus SR on biochar pyrolyzed at different temperatures.

Abstract Gastric cancer (GC) is the one of the most commonly solid cancer worldwide. Although under the aggressive treatment, the poor clinical outcomes of patients with GCs have not been improved. Current studies emphasized that targeting therapies or immune response-based therapeutic strategy may be a potential approach to improve the clinical outcomes. Moreover, accumulative evidence has reported the increasing expression of PD-L1 expression in GC cells and highlighted its role in the tumor progression. Currently, great development has been established in the immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) and further changed the clinical practice of GC treatment and prognosis. In addition, the combination therapies with targeting therapy or traditional therapies are expected to push the development of immunotherapies. In our present review, we predominantly focus on the biomarkers and molecular profiles for immunotherapies in GCs and highlight the role and administration of ICIs-based immunotherapeutic strategies against the GCs.

In response to the dilemma of the scarcity of mineral additions and the high cost of long-distance transport in Hotan, Xinjiang, China, this paper presented an activation process study on the feasibility of volcanic rock powders unique to this region as mineral additions. This study explored the activity-enhancing effects of volcanic rock powder via three methods: physical activation process, chemical activation process, and thermal activation process. The results showed that physical grinding improved the particle size distribution and enhanced the ‘microaggregate’ effect. For every 80 m2/kg increase in specific surface area, the particle size decreased by approximately 0.7 μm, and the 28-day activity index increased by up to 4%. In the chemical activation process, the optimal combination scheme of 6% CaO, 2% CaCO3, and 2% CaSO4·2H2O increased the 28-day strength of volcanic rock powder mortar specimens by approximately 20%, achieving an activity index of 82%. Thermal activation studies showed that the low-temperature heat treatment interval of 300 °C to 700 °C increased the 28 d activity index of volcanic rock powders by 12 to 22 percent. However, when the temperature reached the high-temperature interval of 800 °C to 1400 °C, it, rather, inhibited the activity enhancement. A combination of the three activation methods (physical milling with a specific surface area of 560 m2/kg after heat treatment at 600 °C, chemical activation with 6% CaO, 2% CaCO3, and 2% CaSO4·2H2O) resulted in an activity of up to 86% for the volcanic rock powder. The activity enhancement by different activation methods provided a theoretical basis and practical reference for the application of volcanic rock powder as a mineral additions in Hotan, Xinjiang.

The intensive use of chemical fertilizers in China to maintain high crop yields has led to significant environmental degradation and destabilized crop production. Returning straw to soil presents a potential alternative to reduce chemical fertilizer requirements and enhance soil fertility. This study investigates the effects of different nitrogen (N) input levels and straw additions on crop phosphorus (P) uptake and soil P availability based on a long-term N-fertilizer trial. The treatments included no fertilizer input (CK), conventional (NPK), reduced NPK (0.75NPK), and straw-amended (SNPK) treatments. Results indicate that SNPK significantly enhances shoot P uptake and crop yields by 43.7–61.9% and 29.3–39.6%, respectively. The SNPK treatment improved rhizosphere P availability and increased the phosphorus activation coefficient (PAC) by 1.72-fold compared to NPK alone. The enhanced soil P availability under SNPK was primarily attributed to an abundance of functional microbes, leading to higher P storage in the microbial biomass P pool and its turnover. Additionally, SNPK promoted root exudate and phosphate-mobilizing microbes, enhancing P mobilization and uptake. Nitrogen fertilization primarily influenced root functional traits related to P acquisition. These findings provide valuable insights for developing effective fertilizer management strategies in maize–oilseed rape rotation systems, emphasizing the benefits of integrating straw with chemical fertilizers.

Abstract The cytoplasmic droplet is a conserved dilated area of cytoplasm situated at the neck of the sperm flagellum. Viewed as residual cytoplasm inherited from late spermatids, the cytoplasmic droplet contains numerous saccular elements as its key content. However, the origin of these saccules and the function of the cytoplasmic droplet have long been speculative. Here, we identify the molecular origin of these cytoplasmic droplet components by uncovering a vesicle pathway essential for formation and sequestration of saccules within the cytoplasmic droplet. This process is governed by a transmembrane protein SYPL1 and its interaction with VAMP3. Genetic ablation of SYPL1 in mice reveals that SYPL1 dictates the formation and accumulation of saccular elements in the forming cytoplasmic droplet. Derived from the Golgi, SYPL1 vesicles are critical for segregation of key metabolic enzymes within the forming cytoplasmic droplet of late spermatids and epididymal sperm, which are required for sperm development and male fertility. Our results uncover a mechanism to actively form and segregate saccules within the cytoplasmic droplet to promote sperm fertility.

Gastric cancer (GC) is the fourth leading cause of cancer‐related death and the fifth most common malignant tumor globally. However, the clinical efficacy of conventional therapies is limited. Currently, immunotherapy is considered an effective therapeutic strategy for the management of various cancers, especially GC, but is of only limited benefit for GC patients. Accumulating evidence has revealed that oxidative stress plays a critical role in the regulation of immune responses within the tumor microenvironment (TME), affecting the efficacy of immunotherapies. Reactive oxygen species exert critical roles in enhancing antigen presentation, regulating immune responses, and preventing immunoescape. In this review, we summarize the dominant cancer immunotherapeutic strategies and describe the interaction between oxidative stress and the immune TME. We emphasize the underlying mechanisms of the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy, which involves its effects on oxidative stress, in the context of GC. We also highlight the therapeutic potential of regulating oxidative stress to improve immunotherapies, which may have benefits for clinical practice.

Abstract Allelic exclusion, one lymphocyte expresses one antigen receptor, is a fundamental mechanism of immunological self-tolerance and highly specific immune responses to pathogens. However, the phenomenon of V(D)J allelic inclusion (incomplete allelic exclusion or allelic escape) rearrangement and dual TCR T cells have been discovered by multiple laboratories. Despite continuous new discoveries, the proportion and underlying mechanism of dual TCR has been puzzling immunologists. In this study, we observed the presence of single T cells expressing multiple TCR chains in all samples, with the proportion of 15%, 10%, and 20% in the human thymus, human peripheral blood, and mouse lymphoid organs, respectively. The proportion of T cells possessing multiple T-cell receptors (TCR) varied significantly in different physiological states and developmental stages. By analyzing RSS category, RSS direction, and V(D)J gene position at TR locus of T cells which contain multiple TCR chains, we creatively found that one of TCR β (or TCR α) should originate from the transcription of V(D)J combination in T-cell receptor excision circle (TREC) formed after the twice successful rearrangement in the same chromosome. Moreover, human V30 (or mouse V31) gene may participate in reverse recombination and transcription to prevent allelic exclusion. In general, high proportion of T cells with multiple TCR at the transcriptome level was first made public, and we proposed a novel mechanism of secondary (or more) TCR rearrangement on a single chromosome. Our findings also indicated that the single-cell sequencing data should be classified according to the single, multiple, and abnormal TCR when analyzing the T-cell repertoire.

Abstract Photonic crystals (PhCs) are a kind of artificial structures that can mold the flow of light at will. Polaritonic crystals (PoCs) made from polaritonic media offer a promising route to controlling nano-light at the subwavelength scale. Conventional bulk PhCs and recent van der Waals PoCs mainly show highly symmetric excitation of Bloch modes that closely rely on lattice orders. Here, we experimentally demonstrate a type of hyperbolic PoCs with configurable and low-symmetry deep-subwavelength Bloch modes that are robust against lattice rearrangement in certain directions. This is achieved by periodically perforating a natural crystal α-MoO3 that hosts in-plane hyperbolic phonon polaritons. The mode excitation and symmetry are controlled by the momentum matching between reciprocal lattice vectors and hyperbolic dispersions. We show that the Bloch modes and Bragg resonances of hyperbolic PoCs can be tuned through lattice scales and orientations while exhibiting robust properties immune to lattice rearrangement in the hyperbolic forbidden directions. Our findings provide insights into the physics of hyperbolic PoCs and expand the categories of PhCs, with potential applications in waveguiding, energy transfer, biosensing and quantum nano-optics.

Background: Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is a common invasive malignant tumor that lacks powerful predictive or prognostic biomarkers. Ferroptosis and cuproptosis are two new forms of programmed cell death. Our study was aimed at constructing a prognostic model with a combination of cuproptosis and ferroptosis-related genes (CFRGs) for the early clinical detection of HNSCC. Methods: We obtained the information of CFRGs, including the RNASeq data and corresponding clinical data in HNSCC patients from the TCGA and GEO databases. We assessed 28 CFRGs, and analyzed the relationship between those genes and their clinical features and prognosis of HNSCC. The consensus cluster analysis was employed to generate three CFRGclusters. Then, we investigated the association of molecular patterns and prognostic significance in these subtypes. The clinical indicators of the prognosis-related genes were identified and prognostic CFRG_score were constructed. We then built a predictive nomogram with confirmed consistency and reliability by calibration curve analysis. At last, we verified the expression of CFRGs in HNSCC tissues by qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical results. Results: The DEGs were different between the normal and HNSCC tumor tissues and we screened out 28 CFRGs related to the prognosis in HNSCC. Associations between the clinical information and prognosis were found in the molecular subtypes related to prognosis. We utilized enrichment analysis of the differential genes and showed that those DEGs were mostly enriched in the biological processes associated with the pathways of neurodegeneration-multiple diseases, Alzheimer disease, Prion disease, Parkinson disease and Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. CFRG_score was established to predict the survival of HNSCC patients and found that higher CFRG_score suggested favorable OS for patients, indicating the prediction of better prognosis. Moreover, we created highly reliable nomogram which could predict well for the expected prognosis. In addition, we confirmed that the expression of EGFR, VEGFA, HSPA5, SLC3A2, CAV1 and CD44 were consistent with qRT-PCR and immunohistochemical analysis in HNSCC tissues by qRT-PCR. Conclusions: This prognostic model based on prognostic differential CFRG_score is strongly related to clinical characteristics, prognosis, and therapy in HNSCC patients and could be used as a promising tool which is dedicated to guiding the treatment of HNSCC.

BackgroundStudies investigating the effectiveness of acupuncture therapies in alleviating pain in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) have gained increasing attention. However, to date, there have been no systematic reviews and meta-analyses providing high-quality evidence regarding the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapies in this context.ObjectiveThe objective of this review was to assess the efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapies as complementary or alternative treatments for pain relief in patients with PID.MethodA comprehensive search was conducted in eight databases from inception to February 20, 2023: PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, the Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, VIP Database, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) investigating acupuncture therapies as complementary or additional treatments to routine care were identified. Primary outcomes were pain intensity scores for abdominal or lumbosacral pain. The Cochrane risk of bias criteria was applied to assess the methodological quality of the included trials. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system was used to evaluate the quality of evidence. Data processing was performed using RevMan 5.4.ResultThis systematic review included twelve trials comprising a total of 1,165 patients. Among these, nine trials examined acupuncture therapies as adjunctive therapy, while the remaining three did not. Meta-analyses demonstrated that acupuncture therapies, whether used alone or in combination with routine treatment, exhibited greater efficacy in relieving abdominal pain compared to routine treatment alone immediately after the intervention (MD: -1.32; 95% CI: -1.60 to -1.05; P < 0.00001). The advantage of acupuncture therapies alone persisted for up to one month after the treatment (MD: -1.44; 95% CI: -2.15 to -0.72; P < 0.0001). Additionally, acupuncture therapies combined with routine treatment had a more pronounced effect in relieving lumbosacral pain after the intervention (MD: -1.14; 95% CI: -2.12 to -0.17; P < 0.00001) in patients with PID. The incidence of adverse events did not increase with the addition of acupuncture therapies (OR: 0.56; 95% CI: 0.21 to 1.51; P = 0.25). The findings also indicated that acupuncture therapies, as a complementary treatment, could induce anti-inflammatory cytokines, reduce pro-inflammatory cytokines, alleviate anxiety, and improve the quality of life in patients with PID.ConclusionOur findings suggest that acupuncture therapies may effectively reduce pain intensity in the abdomen and lumbosacral region as complementary or alternative treatments, induce anti-inflammatory cytokines, decrease pro-inflammatory cytokines, alleviate anxiety, and enhance the quality of life in patients with PID, without increasing the occurrence of adverse events. However, due to the low quality of the included trials, the conclusion should be interpreted with caution, highlighting the need for further high-quality trials to establish more reliable conclusions.

Abstract The transcriptional repressor Snail induces EMT during embryonic development and tumor metastasis. Growing evidence indicates that Snail functions as a trans-activator to induce gene expression; however, the underlying mechanism remains elusive. Here, we report that Snail cooperates with GATA zinc finger protein p66β to transactivate genes in breast cancer cells. Biologically, depletion of p66β reduces cell migration and lung metastasis in BALB/c mice. Mechanistically, Snail interacts with p66β and cooperatively induces gene transcription. Notably, a group of genes induced by Snail harbor conserved G-rich cis-elements (5′-GGGAGG-3′, designated as G-box) in their proximal promoter regions. Snail directly binds to G-box via its zinc fingers and transactivates the G-box-containing promoters. p66β enhances Snail binding affinity to G-box, whereas depletion of p66β results in a decreased binding affinity of Snail to the endogenous promoters and concomitantly reduces the transcription of Snail-induced genes. Taken together, these data demonstrated that p66β is critical for Snail-mediated cell migration by acting as a co-activator of Snail to induce genes containing G-box elements in the promoters.

Objective To explore the efficacy of atorvastatin combined with compound probiotics in the treatment of hyperlipidemia. Methods From January 2019 to December 2019, 33 patients with hyperlipidemia were recruited from the People‘s Hospital of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region and were randomly divided into the test group（n=18） and the control group（n=15） using a randomized, double-blind, controlled trial design. The 20mg atorvastatin （once a day） plus compound probiotics（once a day, 2g each time） was given in test group, and the same dose of atorvastatin plus placebo was given in control group. The blood lipid level was measured once every 4 weeks for 12 weeks to compare the blood lipid levels at each time point between two groups. Results There were no significant differences in the baseline data between two groups (P＞0.05). There were no significant differences in the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and other blood lipid levels related to the treatment effects between two groups(P＞0.05). At the different time points, there were statistical differences in the levels of TC, TG, LDL-C and other blood lipids(P

Objective: To explore the kidney yang deficiency pattern (KYDP) in a chronic kidney disease (CKD) rat model and the mechanisms underlying the effects of Zhenwu decoction (ZWD) by conducting transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses. Methods: Adriamycin (ADR) combined with hydrocortisone (HC) was used to induce CKD with KYDP in rats. ADR was injected into the tail vein twice. HC was injected intramuscularly for 8 weeks. ZWD was administered by gavage for 8 weeks. The general condition was observed, 24-h urine protein was detected, serum corticosterone, triiodothyronine, thyroxine, TSH, testosterone, cAMP, and cGMP levels were determined, and pathological analysis was conducted. Transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses were conducted to screen differentially expressed genes (DEGs), differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs), and differentially expressed pathways (DEPs). The core DEMs and DEGs were input to Metaboanalyst 5.0 to identify the pathways affected by ZWD. Results: In the HC group, KYDP symptoms were observed. Compared with control group, the levels of 24-h urine protein, TSH, and cGMP significantly increased (all P

Continuous ovarian imaging has been proven to be a method for monitoring the development of follicles in vivo. The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of combining ultrasound bio-microscopy (UBM) with an intravital window for follicle imaging in rabbits and to monitor the ovarian dynamic processes. New Zealand White female rabbits (n = 10) received ovarian translocation to a subcutaneous position. The ovarian tissue was sutured onto the abdominal muscles and covered with an intravital window for the continuous monitoring of the follicles using UBM. Results show that physiological changes (red blood cell and white blood cell counts, feed intake, and body weight change) in rabbits induced by surgery returned to normal physiological levels in one week. Furthermore, UBM could provide high-resolution imaging of follicles through the intravital window. Daily monitoring of ovarian dynamic processes for 6 days displayed variabilities in follicle counts and size. Collectively, these results provide a relatively new method to monitor ovarian dynamic processes and to understand the reproductive physiology of female rabbits.

The work in this paper is applied to the Zhangbei Power grid. In the flexible direct current (DC) power system, the fault current rises extremely fast when a DC fault occurs. The requirements for the peak of breaking current and fault energy absorption of DC circuit breakers (DCCBs) increase linearly, which significantly increases the cost of the equipment. Therefore, in order to reduce the design difficulty of DCCBs, this paper proposes a strategy to control energy after the fault occurs. Firstly, the energy dimension is added on the basis of the traditional vector control of MMC, which constitutes a three-dimensional energy direct control. Subsequently, the architectures of energy fluctuation control and feedforward control are proposed. The influencing mechanisms for the peak fault current, peak fault voltage and energy dissipation are analyzed. Finally, the simulation of energy fluctuation control and feedforward control is constructed on PSCAD/EMTDC. The simulation results show that the energy fluctuation control is obviously better than the conventional three-dimensional energy control, and the feedforward energy control is further improved on this basis. Compared with the conventional vector control, the peak energy is reduced by 45.43% and the peak current is reduced by 25.39%, which helps to simplify the equipment design and reduce the equipment cost.

Recently, the frequent occurrence of droughts has caused a serious impact on vegetation growth and progression. This research is based upon the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) from 2001 to 2020. The correlation between the NDVI and standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI) at disparate time scales was used to assess the response of vegetation growth to drought in the Yinshanbeilu region. The drought levels of SPEI1, SPEI3, SPEI6, and SPEI12 increased prominently in the eastern region of the country, while the NDVI decreased significantly from east to west in spring, summer, and autumn but was reversed in the winter. The area with an upward trend (33.86%) was slightly lower than that with a downward trend (66.14%). The correlation coefficients between the NDVI and SPEI over the entire year increased with the SPEI timescale. The elevated values were concentrated in the southeastern and western regions of the survey region. Additionally, the best correlation timescales were SPEI6 and SPEI12. Grassland was the most sensitive vegetation type to the SPEI response in the NDVI. The correlation coefficients of NDVI and SPEI1–12 were 0.313, 0.459, 0.422, and 0.406. Both spring and summer were more responsive to SPEI12, whereas autumn and winter were more responsive to SPEI3. The correlation of disparate time scales exhibited complex soil texture features with respect to different seasonal scales, and the soil texture showed a strong response to vegetation in both summer and autumn. Loam, sandy loam, and silty loam all exhibited the highest response to SPEI12, with coefficients of 0.509, 0.474, and 0.403, respectively.

ABSTRACTBoth growth hormone (GH) and gut microbiota play significant roles in diverse physiological processes, but the crosstalk between them is poorly understood. Despite the regulation of GH by gut microbiota, study on GH’s influence on gut microbiota is limited, especially on the impacts of tissue specific GH signaling and their feedback effects on the host. In this study, we profiled gut microbiota and metabolome in tissue-specific GHR knockout mice in the liver (LKO) and adipose tissue (AKO). We found that GHR disruption in the liver rather than adipose tissue affected gut microbiota. It changed the abundance of Bacteroidota and Firmicutes at phylum level as well as abundance of several genera, such as Lactobacillus, Muribaculaceae, and Parasutterella, without affecting α-diversity. Moreover, the impaired liver bile acid (BA) profile in LKO mice was strongly associated with the change of gut microbiota. The BA pools and 12-OH BAs/non-12-OH BAs ratio were increased in the LKO mice, which was due to the induction of CYP8B1 by hepatic Ghr knockout. Consequently, the impaired BA pool in cecal content interacted with gut bacteria, which in turn increased the production of bacteria derived acetic acid, propionic acid, and phenylacetic acid that were possible to participate in the impaired metabolic phenotype of the LKO mice. Collectively, our findings suggested that the liver GH signaling regulates BA metabolism by its direct regulation on CYP8B1, which is an important factor influencing gut microbiota. Our study is significant in exploring gut microbiota modification effects of tissue-specific GH signaling as well as its involvement in gut microbiota–host interaction.

Mitochondrial dysfunction is closely intertwined with the progression of heart failure (HF). Ring-finger protein 5 (RNF5) is an E3 ubiquitin ligase, whose deletion induces the enhanced S100A8 expression. S100A8 regulates the mitochondrial dysfunction and S100A8/myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MYD88)/nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) pathway promotes an inflammatory response; however, whether RNF5 modulated mitochondrial dysregulation and inflammation through the S100A8/MYD88/NF-κB axis remains unknown. Here, H9c2 cells were stimulated with oxygen-glucose deprivation/reperfusion (OGD/R) to build a HF model in vitro. RNF5 level was assessed in gene expression omnibus database and in OGD/R-induced H9c2 cells with reverse transcriptase quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot. The RNF5 level was overexpressed via transfecting RNF5 overexpression plasmids into H9c2 cells. The role and mechanism of RNF5 in OGD/R-elicited H9c2 cells were determined by 3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyl tetrazolium bromide, spectrophotometry, flow cytometry, mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) measurement, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay and western blot assays. The RNF5 expression was downregulated both in silico and in OGD/R-stimulated H9c2 cells. OGD/R treatment caused a decrease in the cell viability, the MMP level, and the translational expression of mito-cyt-c and NF-κB-cyto, and an elevation in the concentrations of lactate dehydrogenase and creatine kinase myocardial band, the apoptosis rate, the inflammatory factor release, and the relative protein expression of cyto-cyt-c, S100A8, MYD88 and NF-κB-nuc in H9c2 cells. Upregulation of RNF5 reversed these indicators in OGD/R-stimulated H9c2 cells. Altogether, based on these outcomes, we concluded that RNF5 impeded mitochondrial dysfunction and inflammation through attenuating the S100A8/MYD88/NF-κB axis in OGD/R-stimulated H9c2 cells.

The k-eigenvalue neutronics/thermal-hydraulics coupling calculation is a key issue for reactor design and analysis. Jacobian-free Newton-Krylov (JFNK) method, featured with super-linear convergence rate and high efficiency, has been attracting more and more attention to solve the multi-physics coupling problem. However, it may converge to the high-order eigenmode because of the multiple solutions nature of the k-eigenvalue form of multi-physics coupling issue. Based on our previous work, a modified JFNK with a line search method is proposed in this work, which can find the fundamental eigenmode together with thermal-hydraulics feedback in a wide range of initial values. In detail, the existing modified JFNK method is combined with the line search strategy, so that the intermediate iterative solution can avoid a sudden divergence and be adjusted into a convergence basin smoothly. Two simplified 2-D homogeneous reactor models, a PWR model, and an HTR model, are utilized to evaluate the performance of the newly proposed JFNK method. The results show that the performance of this proposed JFNK is more robust than the existing JFNK-based methods.