Search Results (135)

The O3-type layered oxide materials have the advantage of high specific capacity, which makes them more competitive in the practical application of cathode materials for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, the existing reported O3-type layered oxide materials still have a complex irreversible phase transition phenomenon, and the cycle life of batteries needs, with these materials, to be further improved to meet the requirements. Herein, we performed structural characterization and electrochemical performance tests on O3-NaNi_0.6−xFe_0.25Mn_0.15Mg_xO₂ (x = 0, 0.025, 0.05, and 0.075, denoted as NFM, NFM-2.5Mg, NFM-5.0Mg, and NFM-7.5Mg). The optimized NFM-2.5Mg has the largest sodium layer spacing, which can effectively enhance the transmission rate of sodium ions. Therefore, the reversible specific capacity can reach approximately 148.1 mAh g⁻¹ at 0.2C, and it can even achieve a capacity retention of 85.4% after 100 cycles at 1C, demonstrating excellent cycle stability. Moreover, at a low temperature of 0 °C, it also can keep capacity retention of 86.6% after 150 cycles at 1C. This study provides a view on the cycling performance improvement of sodium-ion layered oxide cathodes with a high theoretical specific capacity. Full article

The objective of this study is to isolate, identify, and describe rumen yeast strains and assess their probiotic potentials and effects on ruminal fermentation in vitro. Yeasts were isolated from ruminal fluids, yielding 59 strains from nine distinct species. A number of tests were conducted to assess their anaerobic traits, growth rate, acid tolerance, and lactate utilization ability, and a second screening in fresh ruminal fluid to evaluate in vitro pH and acid accumulation was conducted. The probiotic yeast Candida rugosa (NJ-5) was selected for in vitro culture studies on rumen fermentation. Finally, Candida rugosa (NJ-5) with good probiotic characteristics was chosen to investigate its effects on ruminal fermentation in vitro. The batch culture technique was used to explore the effects of Candida rugosa (NJ-5) yeast culture on rumen fermentation parameters. By altering the fermentation substrate to a concentrate-to-roughage ratio of 70:30, which simulated a high-concentration diet. The CON, LYC, MYC, and HYC groups were supplemented with 0%, 1%, 2%, and 5% Candida rugosa (NJ-5) yeast culture (dry matter basis), respectively. The pH value and volatile fatty acid (VFA) contents were determined at 6, 12, and 24 h after fermentation. The results showed that adding Candida rugosa (NJ-5) yeast culture successfully modulated in vitro rumen fermentation. Compared to the CON group, HYC had a significantly mitigated reduction in pH in fermentation, resulting in a significant increase in total VFAs and acetate levels (p < 0.05). Additionally, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that Candida rugosa (NJ-5) yeast culture supplementation did not significantly alter ruminal bacterial alpha diversity (p > 0.05). At the phylum and genus taxonomic levels, Candida rugosa (NJ-5) yeast culture addition increased the relative abundance of several functionally important bacterial groups in the rumen microbial community. Compared to the CON group, the HYC group concurrently had an increased abundance of Desulfobacterota, Christensenellaceae_R-7_group, F082, and Ruminococcus (p < 0.05) but a significantly reduced abundance of Cyanobacteria, Bdellovibrionota, Succinivibrionaceae_UCG-002, Enterobacter, and Succinivibrio (p < 0.05). The in vitro fermentation experiment demonstrated that the optimal dry matter supplementation of Candida rugosa (NJ-5) into the basal diet was 5%, which could be effective for maintaining ruminal fermentation stability when ruminants were fed a high-concentrate diet. This study provides empirical support for the use of yeast as a nutritional supplement in ruminant livestock management, as well as a theoretical underpinning for further animal research. Full article

Background: Pediatric in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA) remains a critical health challenge with high mortality rates. Limited data from Western China prompted this study to investigate the characteristics of IHCA using the Utstein style. Methods: A retrospective analysis of 456 pediatric patients with IHCA (2018–2022) at the Children’s Hospital of Chongqing Medical University assessed demographics, arrest characteristics, outcomes and mortality risk factors. The primary outcome was survival to discharge; the secondary outcomes included return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) > 20 min, 24 h survival, and favorable neurological outcomes. Logistic regression was used to identify the mortality risk factors. Results: ROSC > 20 min was achieved in 78.07% of cases, with 37.94% surviving to discharge (86.13% of survivors had favorable neurological outcomes). Etiological stratification identified general medical conditions (52.63%) as the predominant diagnoses, with surgical cardiac patients demonstrating superior resuscitation outcomes (ROSC > 20 min: 86.84%, discharge survival: 64.04%). Initial arrest rhythms predominantly featured non-shockable patterns, specifically bradycardia with poor perfusion (79.39%), whereas shockable rhythms (ventricular fibrillation/pulseless ventricular tachycardia) constituted only 4.17% of cases. Multivariable regression analysis identified five independent risk factors: vasoactive infusion before arrest (OR = 7.69), CPR > 35 min (OR = 13.92), emergency intubation (OR = 5.17), administration of >2 epinephrine doses (OR = 3.12), and rearrest (OR = 8.48). Notably, prolonged CPR (>35 min) correlated with higher mortality (8.96% survival vs. 48.54% for 1–15 min), yet all six survivors with CPR > 35 min had favorable neurological outcomes. Conclusions: These findings underscore the persistent challenges in pediatric IHCA management while challenging the conventional CPR duration thresholds for futility. The identified mortality risk factors inform resuscitation decision making and future studies. Full article

As an endophytic fungus, Piriformospora indica has attracted great attention for its plant growth- and stress resistance-promoting effects on various host plants. However, up until now, there have been no reports on its application in asparagus. In this study, we report the colonization ability of P. indica in the roots of three asparagus varieties, ‘Guanjun’ (GJ), ‘Fengdao No. 2’ (FD), and ‘Jin Lusun No. 1’ (JL), with colonization ratios of 80.0%, 76.6%, and 73.3%, respectively. The influences of this fungal colonization on the growth of GJ, FD, and JL seedlings were further studied by determining the growth- and phytohormone-related parameters. The results showed that, at 2 months post inoculation (mpi), the P. indica-colonized seedlings exhibited improved total root length, peroxidase (POD) activity, and jasmonic acid (JA) accumulation in their roots and photosynthetic pigment accumulation in the leaves of all three varieties. At 8 mpi, most of the detected growth-related parameters, such as plant height, stem number and width, dry weight, photosynthetic pigment accumulation, and POD activity, were improved by the fungal colonization. However, the contents of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) in the P. indica-colonized roots were lower than that in the non-colonized ones. Moreover, the fungus’s promoting effects on GJ were found to be the best of the three varieties. These results indicate that P. indica colonization can promote asparagus seedling growth and development by enhancing root development and by regulating phytohormone balance, with some variety-specific and temporal differences. Full article

Avian reovirus (ARV) is one of the main causes of viral arthritis, tenosynovitis, malabsorption syndrome (MAS), runting-stunting syndrome, and immunodepression. In recent years, due to the emergence of new ARV strains, outbreaks of the disease have brought significant economic losses to chicken flocks. To determine the prevalence of ARV in China from 2010 to 2024, a total of 409 tissue samples from different breeding farms were collected from chickens presenting clinical signs of lameness and swollen joints in various flocks located in 18 provinces. As performed on these tissue samples, the ARV-specific reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay indicated 111 ARV-positive samples with a positive rate of 27.14%. After viral isolation from the necropsied chicken samples, 69 ARV strains were isolated, and specific sigma C (σC) genes were amplified and sequenced. The sequence analysis of σC genes showed that these 69 isolates were grouped into six clusters, including 14 ARV isolates from cluster I (20.29%), 12 ARV isolates from cluster II (17.39%), 3 ARV isolates from cluster III (4.35%), 8 ARV isolates from cluster IV (11.59%), 3 ARV isolates from cluster V (4.35%), and 29 ARV isolates from cluster VI (42.03%). Except for cluster V, each of the other five clusters could be divided into two subclusters. Homology analysis showed that ARV isolates in clusters II–VI had only 50.3 to 60.8% homology with the commercial S1133 vaccine strain which is derived from cluster I. The ARVs in subcluster Ia had high homology with the S1133 vaccine strain (93.5–98.0%), while the ARVs in subcluster Ib had a low homology with the S1133 strain (73.4–76.4%). Further, the cluster VI viruses, the main epidemic genotype in China, had only 50.3–55.7% homology with the S1133 strain. The results of the pathogenicity test showed that the representative strains of the six different clusters all caused swelling of the footpads in SPF chickens, and the incidence rate was not significantly different. The present study will be helpful in the understanding the prevalence of ARV strains in China and revealed the genetic differences between the ARV isolates and the commercial vaccine strain. Full article

Background/Objectives: Potency is a critical quality attribute for vaccine development as well as clinical drug product (DP) lot release and stability testing. Animal studies have the potential to offer conclusive insights about the potency of vaccines by demonstrating technical relevance with respect to the hypothesized vaccine mode of action. However, animal studies are expensive, time-consuming, labor intensive, and, most importantly, involve the use of animals. Therefore, alternative in vitro potency assays should be explored. Methods: In this study, female BALB/c mice were immunized intramuscularly with various doses of a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) mRNA vaccine V171 lots at day 0 and day 21. Vaccine-elicited immune responses were determined by ELISA (post-dose 1) and neutralizing assay (post-dose 2). These vaccine lots were also tested in a cell-based relative potency assay in which the ability of each lot to express the RSV F protein in Hep G2 cells was measured against a reference standard. Results: Effective Dose 50s (ED50s) of the vaccine lots were determined with probit models based on dichotomized ELISA or neutralizing titers. Statistical analysis demonstrated that the post-dose 2 neutralizing ED50 correlates with cell-based relative potency (Pearson’s correlation test ln (RP) and ln (ED₅₀): correlation coefficient = −0.82; p-value = 0.047). Conclusions: These data merit the use of a cell-based potency assay to replace the animal study to support V171 vaccine development and to use for DP lot release and stability testing. This study also establishes proof-of-concept of using cell-based potency assays as an alternative to animal immunogenicity studies for mRNA-based vaccines. Full article

Anthropogenic CO₂ emissions are one of the primary drivers of the increase in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations. It has been indicated that reducing emitted pollution gases can simultaneously bring out anthropogenic CO₂ reduction, known as the synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction for controlling increases in CO₂ and pollution gas concentrations. This study aims to assess these synergistic effects, which are still not clearly understood, by analyzing the mechanisms of atmospheric CO₂ and NO₂ concentration variability in response to human emission reduction activities. We utilize satellite-observed NO₂, which is a short-lived anthropogenic pollution gas with the same emission sources as CO₂, along with CO₂ concentration data to detect their simultaneous response to anthropogenic CO₂ emissions, thereby assessing and comparing the synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction in the two study areas of China and the United States, as well as in a special scenario of abrupt reductions in anthropogenic CO₂ emissions. The results show that the synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction in the United States are likely better than those in China, as the United States demonstrates a stronger response (R² = 0.53) between atmospheric NO₂ and anthropogenic CO₂ emission compared with China (R² = 0.36). This difference is attributable to the CO₂ emissions from coal-fired power generation in China are much more than those in the United States, where oil and natural gas dominate. Furthermore, the analysis of special scenarios during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020–2022) in China demonstrates that the types of anthropogenic emission sources are the main factors influencing the synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction. Specifically, the megacity regions, where fossil fuel power plants and transportation are the main emission sources, presented stronger synergistic effects of pollution and carbon reduction than those regions dominated by coal-based metallurgical and chemical plants. Full article

The structural parameters of the liquid sheet represent a significant factor influencing the atomization performance, and its measurement is an important part of the agrochemical atomization study. Currently, the measurement predominantly relies on commercial software with manual operation, which is labor intensive and inefficient. In this study, deep learning methods with high-speed photographing were employed to measure the structural parameters of the liquid sheet of hydraulic nozzles with different atomization modes. The LM-YOLO liquid sheet structure recognition model was constructed to recognize the liquid sheet and perforations. Based on the recognition results, a method is designed to calculate several key parameters, including the breakup length, the liquid sheet area, the spray angle, the average number of perforations, and the average perforation area. A comparative scrutiny of the assorted liquid sheet structural parameters under different experimental conditions was also implemented. Based on the constructed model, a recognition accuracy of 81.0% for the liquid sheet structure of the LU nozzle (a classical hydraulic nozzle with high liquid sheet integrity) and 71.3% for the IDK nozzle (an air-induced hydraulic nozzle with a certain amount of bubbles in the liquid sheet) was achieved. The liquid sheet structure was measured based on the recognition results. It was found that the pressure has a significant impact on the structural parameters of the liquid film. For the LU120-03 nozzle, the breakup length of the liquid film decreases from 48.96 mm to 39.05 mm as the pressure increases. In contrast, for the IDK120-03 nozzle, the breakup length exhibits fluctuating changes, with a peak value of 29.65 mm occurring at 250 kPa. After adding silicone adjuvant, the breakup length and area of the liquid film generally decrease. The variation trends of the measured structural parameters under different experimental conditions are consistent with the trends of the data in previous relevant research by other scholars. This study provides a new method for measuring out the structural parameters of the liquid sheet, and it has potential application in related fields. Full article

In order to advocate for green and environmentally friendly travel modes, enhance the attractiveness of rail transit, and promote the sustainable development of rail transport, we focus on the transportation organization problem under limited-resource conditions. This paper studies the formulation of a train plan under the condition of through operation between intercity and high-speed railway, constructing a multi-objective nonlinear optimization model with train frequency, a stop plan, and turn-back station locations as decision variables. Given the high dimensionality of model variables and complex constraints, an improved multi-population genetic algorithm (IMGA) is designed. Through an actual case study of the through operation between the Chengdu–Mianyang–Leshan Intercity Railway and the Chengdu–Chongqing High-Speed Railway, a staged solution method is adopted for analysis. The results indicate that the through-operation mode can save operational costs for enterprises and travel costs for passengers, while also better adapting to changes in passenger flow. Additionally, the IMGA demonstrates better solution quality and higher efficiency compared to the classical genetic algorithm. The main contribution of this paper is to propose a novel approach to solve the train plan problem. It also contributes to creating a high-quality, high-efficiency, and high-comfort integrated transportation service network, promoting the sustainable development of rail transit. Full article

Wheat leaf rust caused by Puccinia triticina (Pt) is a prevalent disease worldwide, seriously threatening wheat production. Pt acquires nutrients from host cells via haustoria and secretes effector proteins to modify and regulate the expression of host disease resistance genes, thereby facilitating pathogen growth and reproduction. The study of effector proteins is of great significance for clarifying the pathogenic mechanisms of Pt and effective control of leaf rust. Herein, we report a wheat leaf rust candidate effector protein Pt48115 that is highly expressed in the late stages of infection during wheat–Pt interaction. Pt48115 contains a signal peptide with a secretory function and a transit peptide that can translocate Pt48115 to the host chloroplasts. The amino acid sequence polymorphism analysis of Pt48115 in seven different leaf rust races showed that it was highly conserved. Pt48115 inhibited cell death induced by Bcl-2-associated X protein (BAX) from mice or infestans 1 (INF1) from Phytophthora infestans in Nicotiana benthamiana and by DC3000 in wheat, and its 145–175 amino acids of the C-terminal are critical for its function. Furthermore, Pt48115 inhibited callose deposition and reactive oxygen species accumulation in the wheat cultivar Thatcher, demonstrating that it is an effector that enhances Pt virulence by suppressing wheat defense responses. Our findings lay a foundation for future studies on the pathogenesis of Pt during wheat–fungus interaction. Full article

Sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is globally considered an important crop for sugar and biofuel production. During sugarcane production, the heavy reliance on chemical nitrogen fertilizer has resulted in low nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and high loss. Up until now, there has been extensive research on the transcriptomic dynamics during sugarcane response to low nitrogen (LN) stress. However, the specific contribution of S. spontaneum to the NUE of modern sugarcane remains unclear. In the present study, the comparative transcriptome analysis of two contrasting sugarcane cultivars in response to nitrogen deficiency was performed via the combination of genomes of S. spontaneum and S. officinarum. Sub-genome analysis indicated that S. spontaneum supports the high NUE of modern sugarcane by providing genes related to nitrogen and carbohydrate metabolism, photosynthesis, and amino acid metabolism. Additionally, the key genes involved in nitrogen metabolism from the S. spontaneum were successfully identified through weighted gene co-expression network analyses (WGCNA), and a high-affinity nitrate transporter named ScNRT2.3 was subsequently cloned. Heterogeneous expression of the ScNRT2.3, a cell membrane-localized protein, could enhance the growth of Arabidopsis under low nitrate conditions. Furthermore, a conserved protein module known as NAR2.1/NRT2.3 was shown to regulate the response to LN stress in sugarcane roots through molecular interaction. This work helps to clarify the contribution of S. spontaneum to the NUE in modern sugarcane, and the function of the ScNRT2.3 in sugarcane. Full article

To investigate the effects of biofloc mode on the water environment and intestinal microbial community structure of largemouth bass, a 60-day culture experiment was conducted without water replacement in 300-L glass tanks. The experiment included a control group and a biofloc group, each with three replicates. The results showed the following: (i) the richness and diversity of the water environment and fish intestinal microbial community increased under the biofloc model; (ii) Proteobacteria, Patescibacteria, and Bacteroidota were the dominant phyla in the water environment of largemouth bass, while Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidota, Patescibacteria, and Actinobacteriota were the dominant phyla in the gut of largemouth bass. However, differences in the relative abundance and community structure of microorganisms were observed between the two groups, suggesting that the biofloc system impacts both the water environment and intestinal microbial community structure in largemouth bass culture. (iii) A correlation analysis between water quality indices and enzyme activity with microbial abundance revealed that microbial community composition could effectively reflect water quality and fish physiological health. Based on the analysis of microbial community structure, this study offers a theoretical foundation for integrating largemouth bass culture with the biofloc system, and provides valuable data for future health management and water quality control in largemouth bass production. Full article

Background: The Chinese beverage industry is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the popularity of non-sugar sweetened beverages (NSSs) and ready-to-drink beverages (RSBs). This study aimed to assess current consumption patterns and determinants of various beverage types among retail visitors. Methods: A total of 44 observation points, including 22 supermarkets and 22 convenience stores, were randomly selected across Shanghai. At each location, at least 100 individuals were recruited to participate. Data were collected using an electronic self-administered questionnaire. Results: The consumption rates of total beverages, sugar-sweetened beverages, NSSs, and RSBs were 57.70%, 56.94%, 19.60%, and 29.50%, respectively; the median consumption amounts among the drinking population were 162.57 mL/day, 137.98 mL/day, 32.85 mL/day, and 32.85 mL/day, respectively. The consumption proportions of NSSs and RSBs ranked 2nd and 3rd. The multifactorial analyses showed that people aged 6–18 years consumed more beverages (p < 0.05). Males were more likely to consume sugar-sweetened beverages and NSSs, but females were more likely to consume RSBs (p < 0.05). Higher educated people and bachelors were more likely to consume beverages (p < 0.05). Conclusions: The emerging beverage categories, NSSs and RSBs, warrant attention due to their significant consumption rates. Tailored intervention strategies should be considered for demographic groups varying by age, gender, and educational attainment. Full article

A novel and environmentally friendly molecularly imprinted polymer (PCA-MIP) was successfully synthesized in an aqueous solution for the selective extraction of protocatechuic acid (PCA). In this study, a deep eutectic solvent (DES, choline chloride/methacrylic acid, 1:2, mol/mol) and chitosan were employed as the eco-friendly functional monomers. These two components interacted with PCA through hydrogen bonding, integrating a multitude of recognition sites within the PCA-MIP. Thus, the resulting PCA-MIP exhibited outstanding adsorption performance, rapid adsorption rate, and better selectivity, with a maximum binding capacity of 30.56 mg/g and an equilibrium time of 30 min. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) analyses revealed that the synthesized polymers possessed a uniform morphology and substantial surface areas, which were conducive to their adsorption properties. Moreover, the PCA-MIP integrated with HPLC demonstrated its efficacy as an adsorbent for the selective extraction of PCA from mango juice. The PCA-MIP presented itself as an exemplary adsorbent, offering a highly effective and eco-friendly method for the enrichment of PCA from complex matrices. Full article

Endophytic bacteria from pea (Pisum sativum L.) plants play important roles in regulating plant growth, health, and nutrition. To enhance the understanding of endophytic bacteria in peas, twenty pea cultivars, two chickpeas, and two broad bean cultivars were planted into artificial soils for 4 weeks. Leaves and roots were collected from plants and sterilized. Endophytic bacterial DNAs were isolated from sterilized materials (leaves, roots, and seeds) and used as templates to detect the bacterial diversity by amplifying the 16S V3–V4 region. The Remel Tryptose Soya Agar (TSA) medium, the aluminum sec-butoxide (ASb) medium, and the yeast extract mannitol agar (YMA) medium were used to isolate bacteria from sterilized leaves and roots, respectively. The plant growth-promoting (PGP) properties of these isolated bacteria, such as the solubilization of phosphorus and potassium and the production of Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase, nitrogenase, pectinase, and cellulose, were studied in vitro. Bacterial isolates were processed for 16S rDNA gene sequencing and performed molecular identification by reconstruction of the phylogenetic tree using the neighborhood association approach in the software MEGA X. Results indicated that the majority of the bacterial communities were shared among leaves, roots, and seeds of pea plants. In both the leaves and roots of pea plants, the prominent phyla identified were Pseudomonadota, Bacteroidota, and Bacillota, with dominant genera such as Rhizobium, Bacteroides, Blautia, and Prevotella prevailing at the genus level. The samples from leaves and roots had unique dominant bacterial genera. In total, 48 endophytic bacteria strains were isolated from leaves and roots, of which 16 strains were from roots and 32 strains were from leaves. The majority of the isolates from leaves (78.13%) and roots (75%) had the ability to produce indole-3-acetic acid (IAA). Moreover, isolates from roots also had greater ability to produce 1-amino-cyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid (ACC) deaminase (81.25%) than those from leaves (62.5%). This study demonstrated the unique distribution of endophytes in leaves and roots of pea, which can have great potential in pea production. Full article