Search Results (160)

The extraction technology of sterol was confirmed by ethanol reflux and saponification in this study. The orthogonal test was employed to assess the impact of extraction time, solid–liquid ratio, ethanol concentration and extraction temperature on the yield of sterol extraction. Hyperlipidemia model mice were established by feeding a high-fat and -sugar diet, and different doses of sterol extracts were given to the mice by gavages. The optimal extraction conditions were identified as an extraction time of 80 min, a solid–liquid ratio of 1:10, an ethanol concentration of 95%, and an extraction temperature of 90 °C, resulting in a sterol concentration of 1.16 mg/g. Compared with the high-fat model group, the high-dose group significantly reduced body weight by 17.2%, liver weight by 30.9%, and serum low density lipoprotein cholesterol by 20.0% (p < 0.05), while serum total cholesterol (5.59 ± 0.48 vs. 5.68 ± 0.64 mmol/L) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (0.98 ± 0.05 vs. 0.93 ± 0.03 mmol/L) showed no significant changes compared to the model group. Full article

Objectives: Previous studies have confirmed that biological age (BA) acceleration is associated with single cardio-renal–metabolic diseases (CRMDs), typically including type 2 diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. However, its association with progression to cardio-renal–metabolic multimorbidity (CRMM, coexistence of ≥2 CRMDs) and subsequent mortality remains unexplored. Methods: Using the multi-state model, we analyzed 278,927 UK Biobank participants free of CRMDs at baseline to investigate the association between BA acceleration—measured by phenotypic age (PhenoAge) and Klemera–Doubal method age (KDMAge)—and CRMM progression trajectory, from health to the first CRMD and then to CRMM and death. BA acceleration was the residual from regressing BA on chronological age; positive values indicated a biologically older individual. Results: PhenoAge acceleration showed stronger associations than KDMAge acceleration. Per the 1-SD increase in PhenoAge acceleration; HRs (95% CIs) were observed at 1.18 (1.17–1.19) for baseline to first CRMD; 1.24 (1.22–1.26) for first CRMD to CRMM; 1.25 (1.22–1.27) for baseline to death; 1.13 (1.11–1.15) for first CRMD to death; and 1.09 (1.06–1.12) for CRMM to death. Biologically older individuals by PhenoAge acceleration showed greater reductions in CRMD-free and total life expectancy than those by KDMAge acceleration. Age, socioeconomic status, education, smoking status, alcohol consumption, physical activity, and diet-modified risks for specific transitions. Conclusions: BA acceleration, particularly PhenoAge acceleration, relates to higher CRMM progression risk and shorter life expectancy. Combining BA acceleration with sociodemographic or lifestyle factors improves risk identification for specific transitions. BA acceleration offers the potential to guide CRMM prevention across its entire progression. Full article

We propose a novel ultraviolet (UV) phototransistor (PT) architecture based on an AlGaN/GaN high electron mobility transistor (HEMT) with a buried p-GaN layer. In the dark, the polarization-induced two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the AlGaN/GaN heterojunction interface is depleted by the buried p-GaN and the conduction channel is closed. Under UV illumination, the depletion region shrinks to just beneath the AlGaN/GaN interface and the 2DEG recovers. The retraction distance of the depletion region during device turn-on operation is comparable to the thickness of the AlGaN barrier layer, which is an order of magnitude smaller than that in the conventional p-GaN/AlGaN/GaN PT, whose retraction distance spans the entire GaN channel layer. Consequently, the proposed device demonstrates significantly enhanced weak-light detection capability and improved switching speed. Silvaco Atlas simulations reveal that under a weak UV intensity of 100 nW/cm², the proposed device achieves a photocurrent density of 1.68 × 10⁻³ mA/mm, responsivity of 8.41 × 10⁵ A/W, photo-to-dark-current ratio of 2.0 × 10⁸, UV-to-visible rejection ratio exceeding 10⁸, detectivity above 1 × 10¹⁹ cm·Hz^1/2/W, and response time of 0.41/0.41 ns. The electron concentration distributions, conduction band variations, and 2DEG recovery behaviors in both the conventional and novel structures under dark and weak UV illumination are investigated in depth via simulations. Full article

Sperm cryopreservation is helpful for maintaining the genetic diversity of fish species. This study was aimed at developing efficient methods to cryopreserve the sperm of three fish species, including koi carp (Cyprinus carpio L.), Ya fish (Schizothorax prenanti), and Glyptosternum maculatum. Firstly, based on the analysis of sperm viability, the cryomedium, dilution ratio, volume, and cooling procedure were assessed and optimized in koi carp. The results showed that the highest sperm viability was up to 63.23 ± 1.36% after a 14-day cryopreservation using the optimal method, briefly, sperm frozen with a volume of 50 μL (Vol.sperm:Vol.cryomedium = 1:9) of cryomedium containing 10% DMSO and 3% sucrose in D17 through ultrarapid cooling. Secondly, both the mitochondrial membrane potential and the DNA fragmentation index of sperm were examined and found to be significantly damaged after the cryopreservation. Intriguingly, the fertilization rate of sperm after 14-day cryopreservation is up to 63.03 ± 1.36% and the elongation of cryopreservation time (210 days) just slightly affected the fertilization rate (55.09 ± 4.70%) in koi carp. Thirdly, the optimal cryopreservation method was applied to cryopreserve Glyptosternum maculatum sperm; the cell viability was 45.39 ± 4.70%. And then this method, after a minor modification (3% sucrose of cryomedium replaced with 3% SMP) was adopted to cryopreserve Ya fish sperm, the cell viability was up to 70.45 ± 2.23%. Lastly, the ultrastructure and morphology of sperm was observed by SEM, and it was found that the cryopreservation prominently caused sperm head swelling and tail shortening in three fish species. In conclusion, this study established effective methods for cryopreserving sperm in three fish species and elaborated the injuries on sperm caused by cryopreservation. And the findings facilitate developing more protocols with practical value to cryopreserve sperm in different fish species. Full article

Xishuangbanna cucumber (Cucumis sativus L. var. xishuangbannanesis), as a rare and endangered cucumber germplasm resource, possesses certain irreplaceable characteristics that make it difficult to reacquire once lost. To ensure long-term preservation of this germplasm, immediate propagation and regeneration are required after successful collection. Current germplasm management relying on conventional viability testing methods often leads to seed loss. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop a rapid and non-destructive testing technology for assessing the seed viability of Xishuangbanna cucumber. This study integrated hyperspectral imaging technology with various data preprocessing methods, feature wavelength selection algorithms, and classification models to achieve rapid and non-destructive detection of Xishuangbanna cucumber seed viability. Hyperspectral imaging was employed to acquire spectral data from the seeds. Preprocessing methods including MSC (Multivariate Scattering Correction), SNV (Standard Normal Variety), FD (First Derivative), SD (Second Derivative), and L2NN (L2 Norm Normalization) were applied to enhance spectral data quality. Feature selection algorithms such as UVE (Uninformative Variables Elimination), SPA (Successive Projections Algorithm), and CARS (Competitive Adaptive Reweighted Sampling) were utilized to identify optimal spectral bands. Combined with KNN (K-Nearest Neighbor) and LogitBoost algorithms, predictive models for seed viability were established. The results demonstrated that the L2NN-KNN model outperformed other models, achieving an accuracy of 83.33%, precision of 86.99%, and an F1-score of 0.83. This study confirms that hyperspectral imaging combined with machine learning can effectively predict the viability of Xishuangbanna cucumber seeds, providing a novel technical approach for the conservation of rare and endangered cucumber germplasm resources. The findings hold significant implications for promoting long-term preservation and sustainable utilization of this valuable genetic material. Full article

The maize FT-interacting protein (FTIP) gene family represents a group of multiple C2 domain and transmembrane proteins (MCTPs), characterized by their unique structural motifs and membrane-spanning regions., plays crucial roles in intercellular communication and stress responses. Here, we systematically characterized 27 ZmFTIP genes unevenly distributed across 10 maize chromosomes. Phylogenetic analysis with rice, soybean, and Arabidopsis homologs revealed five evolutionary clades with monocot-specific conservation patterns. Promoter cis-element profiling identified hormone-responsive (ABA, JA, auxin) and stress-related motifs, corroborated by differential expression under abiotic stresses and phytohormone treatments. Notably, ZmFTIP18 and ZmFTIP25 showed sustained upregulation under cadmium exposure, while ZmFTIP13 exhibited downregulation. Synteny analysis demonstrated strong conservation with monocot FTIPs, suggesting ancient evolutionary origins. This comprehensive study provides foundational insights into ZmFTIP functional diversification and potential biotechnological applications. Full article

In this study, a Bacillus velezensis SDU strain capable of producing poly-γ-glutamate (γ-PGA) was newly identified from the rhizosphere soil of Baimiao taro. The strain is a glutamate-independent strain and can produce polyglutamic acid in a culture medium completely free of glutamate. The hydrolyzed product of the polyglutamic acid produced is D-glutamic acid. The molecular weight of γ-PGA, estimated via the Mark–Houwink equation, was 1390 kDa. Furthermore, the molecular weight measured by Waters gel permeation chromatography with multi-angle laser light scattering (GPC–MALLS) was 1167 kDa. The production of γ-PGA and its antioxidant and tyrosine inhibition properties were investigated. The γ-PGA production reached 23.1 g/L, and the productivity was 0.77 g L⁻¹ h⁻¹. Specifically, γ-PGA exhibited superoxide anion (·O₂⁻) radical scavenging activity and tyrosinase inhibitory activity. This study introduces a promising strain and a highly efficient application method for γ-PGA, which can be broadly utilized in the pharmaceutical, food, and cosmetic industries. Full article

The appearance of Allium L. seeds is very similar, and it is difficult to achieve fast and accurate classification using traditional seed classification methods, which may cause damage to the seeds. Therefore, finding a quick and nondestructive classification method is very important to solve the problem of seed confounding in actual production. In this study, hyperspectral imaging technology was combined with a variety of data preprocessing and classification models to achieve rapid and nondestructive classification of Welsh onion, onion, and Chinese chives seeds. In this paper, 1050 Welsh onion, onion, and Chinese chives seeds were used as materials, and their 400–1000 nm spectral images were collected for processing. Standard Normal Variable (SNV), Multivariate Scattering Correction (MSC), First-order Differential (FD), and Second-order Differential (SD) were used to denoise the spectral data. Then the dimensionality was reduced by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). Four classification models, Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and k-Nearest Neighbor (KNN), were used to classify seeds quickly and accurately. The results show that the prediction accuracies of the Original-PLS-DA model, Original-Linear SVM model, and FD-Linear SVM model are the highest, reaching 98%, while the accuracy, recall rate, and F1 score all reach 96%. This study provides a new idea for rapid and nondestructive classification of Allium L. seeds in practical production. Full article

Background: Beagle dogs are widely used in biomedical research, but their genetic diversity and population structure require further investigation. This study aimed to assess genetic diversity, population structure, and selection signals in a foundational Beagle breeding population using genome-wide SNP genotyping. Methods: A total of 459 Beagle dogs (108 males, 351 females) were genotyped using the Canine 50K SNP chip. After quality control, 456 individuals and 31,198 SNPs were retained. Genetic diversity indices, principal component analysis (PCA), identity-by-state (IBS) distance, a genomic relationship matrix (G-matrix), runs of homozygosity (ROH), and Tajima’s D selection scans were analyzed. Results: The average minor allele frequency was 0.224, observed heterozygosity was 0.303, and expected heterozygosity was 0.305. A total of 2990 ROH segments were detected, with a mean inbreeding coefficient of 0.031. Phylogenetic analysis classified 106 stud dogs into 13 lineages. Selection signal analysis identified TTN (muscle function) and DLA-DRA, DLA-DOA, DLA-DMA (immune regulation) under selection. Conclusions: The Beagle population exhibits high genetic diversity and low inbreeding. To maintain genetic stability and ensure the long-term conservation of genetic resources, structured breeding strategies should be implemented based on lineage classifications. Full article

Polymer flooding has been gradually applied in Chinese offshore oilfields to enhance oil recovery (EOR). Injectivity loss during polymer flooding is a common issue that could cause lower displacement speed and efficiency, and eventually compromise the polymer flooding result. This paper presents a case study of a Chinese offshore field where injectivity loss issues were encountered in the polymer flooding project. A series of measures are applied to enhance the injectivity. The injectivity enhancement strategies are proposed and conducted from three main aspects, namely, (1) surface polymer fluid preparation; (2) downhole wellbore stimulation; and (3) reservoir–polymer compatibility, respectively. For the surface polymer fluid preparation, a series of sieve flow tests are conducted to obtain the optimal mesh size to improve the polymer fluid preparation quality and reduce the amount of “fish eyes”. The downhole wellbore stimulations involve oxidization-associated acidizing treatment and re-perforation. Polymer–reservoir compatibility tests are conducted to optimize the molecular weight (MW). Regarding the surface measures, the optimal filtration sieve mesh number is 200, which could reduce fish eyes to a desirable level without causing mesh plugging. After mesh refinement, the average injection pressure of the twelve injection wells decreases by 0.5 MPa. For the downhole stimulations, acidizing treatment are applied to six injection wells, which decreases the injection pressures by 6 to 7 MPa. For Well A, where acidizing does not work, the re-perforation measure is used and enhances the injectivity by 300%. Moreover, the laboratory and field polymer–reservoir compatibility tests show that the optimal polymer molecular weight (MW) is sixteen million. Proposed strategies applied from the surface, downhole, and reservoir aspects could be used to resolve different levels of injectivity loss, which could provide guidance for future offshore polymer projects. Full article

Intercropping legumes is an effective and sustainable planting pattern that has the benefit of decreasing chemical fertilizer input and improving the soil environment. However, the effects of chemical fertilizer reduction and intercropping different legumes on soil nutrients, microorganisms, and tea quality remain elusive. Hereby, compared with 100% chemical fertilizer (CK), Sesbania cannabina (SC) and Crotalaria pallida Blanco (CP) were selected as the intercropped plant with 70% chemical fertilizer to investigate its effect on soil nutrients, microorganisms, and tea quality. The results showed that compared with monocropping, intercropping legumes had greater concentrations of the soil labile organic matter, nitrate nitrogen, ammonia nitrogen, inorganic nitrogen, and alkali-hydrolyzable nitrogen. Intercropping systems significantly enhanced the content of non-ester-type catechins (catechin and gallocatechin) and ester-type catechins (epicatechin gallate). In SC, the content of gallocatechin, catechin, and epicatechin gallate increased by 146.67%, 107.69%, and 21.05%, respectively, while in CP, the content of these three compounds increased by 166.67%, 84.62%, and 19.08%, respectively. Significant differences in microbial composition were also observed under different systems. Actinobacteria, Rhodoplanes, and Thaumarchaeota were obviously enhanced in SC, while Rhodanobacter, Pseudolabrys, and Pedosphaera were manifestly improved in CP compared to those in the monoculture. Moreover, intercropping legumes significantly increased the abundances of CNP cycling functional genes, such as gpmB, mch, accD6, pgi-pmi, mcr, glmS, ACOX1 and fadB (carbohydrate metabolism), nirD and narI (nitrification), pmoB-amoB and hao (dissimilatory N reduction), and phoN (organic phosphoester hydrolysis). The relationship between intercropping systems and tea qualities was mainly established by soil nutrition and the abundance of C and N cycling functional microorganisms. This study provides more information on the relationship between soil nutrients, functional genes of microorganisms, and tea quality under tea/legume intercropping systems in tea plantations and offers a basis for the higher-performance intercropping pattern. Full article

The photosynthetic system of maize (Zea mays) leaves is sensitive to low temperatures and suffers from irreversible damage induced by cold exposure, making cold stress a major factor limiting maize yield. Identifying genes that improve the recovery of photosynthesis from low temperatures in maize will help enhance the cold tolerance of this crop and ensure stable yields. Here, we demonstrate the role of starch phosphorylase 2 (ZmPHOH) in promoting photosynthetic recovery from cold damage. Chlorotic leaf3 (chl3), a null mutant of ZmPHOH, which undergoes chlorophyll degradation and chlorosis earlier than under normal growth conditions after brief exposure to 8 °C and restoration to normal. We determined that chl3 plants could not repair the damage to their photosynthetic system caused by short-term cold exposure after the temperature returned to normal. Metabolome and transcriptome profiling indicated that the soluble sugar content in chl3 leaves was significantly increased after cold treatment and could not be catabolized promptly, leading to repression of photosynthetic gene expression. Our results reveal that ZmPHOH enhances post-cold photosynthetic recovery by promoting the decomposition and metabolism of soluble sugars, thereby regulating the low-temperature resilience in maize, which provides new insights into the chilling tolerance mechanism of maize. Full article

Biological control is considered one of the most important methods for preventing and controlling the worldwide fungal disease gray mold, caused by Botrytis cinerea. Among the various agents used in biological control, actinomycetes represent a significant group of microorganisms that offer valuable resources for biocontrol strategies. In this study, a total of 132 actinomycetes, belonging to four genera (Streptomyces, Kitasatospora, Amycolatopsis, and Nocardia), were isolated from soil. Among the five media tested, ISP-2 and GS NO.1 media were found to be highly suitable for isolating actinomycetes. It is worth mentioning that the strain TCS21-117 displayed significant inhibitory effects against Botrytis cinerea and nine other pathogenic fungi. The strain TCS21-117 was identified as Streptomyces roietensis by its morphological characteristics and phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene. The optimum culture conditions for the strain TCS21-117 were a potato dextrose broth medium at an initial pH of 8.0, a liquid volume of 125 mL in a 250 mL flask, 180 r·min⁻¹ at 28 °C, and an inoculum size of 1% for 7 days. Under these conditions, the inhibition rate against Botrytis cinerea was 93.31%, a significant increase (31.98%) as compared to the control. Notably, the antifungal compounds produced by the strain TCS21-117 exhibited strong stability across a range of temperatures, pH levels, and durations of storage and UV irradiation. This study showed that the Streptomyces roietensis strain TCS21-117 had strong inhibitory activity against Botrytis cinerea under optimized fermentation conditions, enriching the microbial resources for gray mold control. Full article

The robotic arm is a critical component of modern industrial manufacturing. However, its positioning performance can be hindered by overshooting and oscillation. External disturbances, including collisions or impacts with other objects, can also affect its accuracy and precision. To resolve this problem, this work integrates a compact magnetorheological (MR) bearing, which is capable of switching between locking and unlocking states utilizing the MR effect, into the gearbox of the actuation system of the robotic arm. This integration enables the gearbox (referred to as the MR gearbox) to exhibit variable damping characteristics. This controllable damping property will play an important role in improving the positioning accuracy by offering additional damping. In this study, the MR gearbox was first designed and prototyped. A characterization test was then conducted to verify its variable damping property. The classic Bouc–Wen model was used to describe the MR gearbox and then a mathematical model was established for the whole robotic arm. Additionally, a new variable damping control method was proposed for further improving the positioning precision and reducing energy consumption. As follows, the positioning and the anti-disturbance performances of the robotic arm system installed with the MR gearbox were assessed through numerical simulations and experimental tests. The result shows that the robotic arm under the new control method achieves reductions of 11.76% in overshoot, 14.73% in settling time, and 26.1% in energy consumption compared to the uncontrolled case under the step trajectory, indicating improved positioning performance. Full article

The collection and real-time transmission of emergency environmental information are crucial for rapidly assessing the on-site situation of sudden disasters and responding promptly. However, the acquisition of emergency environmental information, particularly its seamless transmission, faces significant challenges under complex terrain and limited ground communication. This paper utilizes sensors, line-of-sight communication with unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and LoRa long-distance communication to establish an integrated emergency environmental monitoring system that combines real-time monitoring, UAV-mounted LoRa gateway relaying, and backend data analysis. This system achieves real-time acquisition, seamless transmission, storage management, and visualization of environmental emergency information. First, a portable emergency environmental monitoring device was developed to collect and transmit environmental factor data. Second, a UAV-mounted LoRa gateway was designed to extend the data transmission coverage, ensuring seamless communication. Finally, multiple field experiments were conducted to evaluate the system’s performance. The experimental results indicate that the system possesses reliable capabilities for emergency data collection and transmission in complex environments, providing new technical solutions and practical support for developing and applying emergency environmental monitoring systems. Full article