Search Results (29)

Background: China is currently developing standards for Food for Special Medical Purposes (FSMP) targeting for oncology patients. However, substantial challenges remain in defining optimal fortification levels of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ω-3 PUFAs). Accumulating evidence suggests that ω-3 PUFA intake improves postoperative prognosis by modulating oncological parameters in colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the therapeutic efficacy of ω-3 PUFA supplementation in enhancing postoperative safety and recovery stability following CRC surgery, to address critical gaps in nutritional interventions for optimizing clinical outcomes. These findings are expected to FSMP standard development, clinical nutrition protocols and product innovation. Methods: A systematic literature search was conducted, in accordance with PRISMA guidelines, across major databases until June 16, 2025. Data were analyzed using RevMan v5.4 (Cochrane Collaboration). Results: Thirty-four randomized controlled trials (RCTs) (n = 2889) were included. Compared to controls, the ω-3 PUFAs group showed significantly increased levels of nutritional markers: total protein (p < 0.00001), albumin (p = 0.001); immunological parameters: CD3⁺/CD4⁺/CD8⁺ T-cells, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio (all p < 0.0001); Karnofsky Performance Status (KPS) scores (p = 0.04); and serum ω-3 PUFA concentrations (p = 0.0004). Significant reductions were observed in inflammatory markers, such as procalcitonin, C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-6 (IL-6), tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) (p = 0.004 to < 0.00001); and clinical outcomes, such as hospitalization duration (p < 0.00001), infectious complications (p < 0.00001), anastomotic leakage (p = 0.0005), surgical site infections (p = 0.03). No significant intergroup differences were detected for white blood cells, transcription factor activity, mortality, or crypt cell proliferation indices (p = 0.06–0.55). Conclusions: Overall, ω-3 PUFA supplementation significantly attenuates postoperative inflammation, enhances immune function, shortens hospitalization, and improves the quality of life in CRC patients, though without mortality benefit. Notably, post hoc dose–response analysis identified a supplementation range of 0.16–0.30 g/kg/day as a potentially optimal supplementation range for Chinese CRC populations, providing foundational evidence for clinical practice and FSMP standardization. Full article

Ultraviolet-A light-emitting diode (UVA-LED) irradiation is an emerging technology for biofortifying plants with enhanced nutraceuticals. This study firstly investigated effects of various doses (0-control, 16, 32, 48 J/cm²) on Chinese cabbage microgreens (CCM) quality, identifying 32 J/cm² as the suitable dose for improving total antioxidant capacity (TAC) of CCM. Based on this dosage, the following two irradiation patterns were compared: single irradiation (SI, single pulse of 32 J/cm²) and fractionated irradiation (FI; four pulses of 8 J/cm² each). Both FI and SI significantly enhanced CCM quality, though through distinct mechanisms. FI effectively promoted accumulation of biomass and vitamin C, with increases by 9.25% and 13.20%, respectively. Meanwhile, SI markedly enhanced 20.90% higher TAC than FI. This was achieved by elevating enzymatic (7.71% superoxide dismutase-SOD, 9.03% peroxidase-POD, 40% catalase-CAT, and 52.17% ascorbate peroxidase-APX) and non-enzymatic (18.89% total phenolics-TPC, 10.04% total flavonoids-TF, and 18.99% carotenoids) antioxidants. Additionally, both FI and SI significantly reduced the nitrate content. To our knowledge, this is the first study to demonstrate the effect of UVA-LED irradiation pattern on microgreens quality. These findings provide basic information for UVA-LED application in indoor agriculture and the food industry, emphasizing the importance of strategically selecting irradiation patterns to achieve specific production goals. Full article

The Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) spaceborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) has great coverage ability, which can improve maritime ship target surveillance performance significantly. However, due to the huge computational load required for imaging processing and the severe defocusing caused by ship motions, traditional ship recognition conducted in focused image domains cannot process MEO SAR data efficiently. To address this issue, a multi-level focusing-classification strategy for MEO SAR ship recognition is proposed, which is applied to the range-compressed ship data domain. Firstly, global fast coarse-focusing is conducted to compensate for sailing motion errors. Then, a coarse-classification network is designed to realize major target category classification, based on which local region image slices are extracted. Next, fine-focusing is performed to correct high-order motion errors, followed by applying fine-classification applied to the image slices to realize final ship classification. Equivalent MEO SAR ship images generated by real LEO SAR data are utilized to construct training and testing datasets. Simulated MEO SAR ship data are also used to evaluate the generalization of the whole method. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve high classification precision. Since only local region slices are used during the second-level processing step, the complex computations induced by fine-focusing for the full image can be avoided, thereby significantly improving overall efficiency. Full article

China is the place of origin and main producer of black tea worldwide, with Dianhong (DH), Chuanhong (CH), and Keemunhong (KH) being the famous Chinese black teas. The contents of various odor components in black teas differ with their origins. However, the effects of these differences on the presentation of distinctive odor characteristics in various products remain unclear. We aimed to elucidate the odor characteristics and odor compounds of these three black teas; to this end, we performed a sensory evaluation and multivariate statistical analysis based on comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC×GC-MS) results. The sensory evaluation revealed that the odor characteristics of DH were floral and fruity, whereas sweet and herbal-like odors were more intense in CH and QH. A total of 119 volatile compounds were detected, with alcohols, aldehydes, and esters being the main volatile compounds. Among them, 41 volatile compounds were identified with an odor activity value (OAV) of >1, and 24 of them were selected through principal component analysis, hierarchical cluster analysis, and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis as marker substances to distinguish the three teas; thus, 24 volatile compounds are important odor compounds of DH, CH, and QH. Full article

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) causes vascular inflammation in piglets, resulting in vascular damage. However, the mechanism causing vascular inflammation remains unclear. Baicalin possesses an anti-inflammatory function. Tumor necrosis factor-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) has been implicated in immunosuppression. CD163, a scavenger receptor expressed on macrophages that acts as a decoy receptor for TWEAK, plays a crucial role in the regulation of autophagy and inflammation. This research investigated the efficacy of baicalin in reducing immunosuppression elicited by G. parasuis through the regulation of CD163/TWEAK-mediated autophagy. The data demonstrated that G. parasuis altered routine blood indicators and biochemical parameters, increased cytokine production, and induced blood vessel tissue damage. G. parasuis reduced the CD3+ T cell proportion, CD3+CD4+ T cell proportion, and CD3+CD8+ T cell proportion in piglet blood. The proteomic analysis revealed that CD163 was differentially expressed in the blood vessels of challenged piglets. Baicalin was found to regulate CD163/TWEAK axis expression, inhibit Notch/Wnt signaling pathway activation, promote autophagy, and reduce NLRP3/Caspase 1 signaling pathway activation. Baicalin also decreased cytokine production and alleviated pathological tissue damage in the blood vessels of G. parasuis-challenged piglets. Taken together, this study indicates that baicalin alleviates G. parasuis-induced immunosuppression and might promote CD163/TWEAK-mediated autophagy. This finding suggests that baicalin could serve as a potential therapeutic agent to control G. parasuis infection and related vascular inflammation. Full article

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) infection is responsible for Glässer’s disease in pigs. G. parasuis could trigger piglet immunosuppression, but the mechanism of inducing immunosuppression by G. parasuis remains unknown. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF)/CD74 axis has been shown to participate in inflammation response and immunosuppression, but the function of MIF/CD74 during immunosuppression elicited by G. parasuis has not been fully explored. This experiment explored the efficacy of baicalin on immunosuppression elicited by G. parasuis alleviation through regulating polarization via the MIF/CD74 signaling pathway. Our data indicated that baicalin reduced IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, IL-18, TNF-α, and COX-2 expression, and regulated MIF/CD74 axis expression in the spleen. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that baicalin enhanced CD74 protein levels in the spleen of piglets induced by G. parasuis. Baicalin regulated the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway and RAF/MEK/ERK signaling activation, modified the expression of the autophagy-related proteins Beclin-1, P62, and LC3B, promoted M2 polarization to M1 polarization, and enhanced CD3, CD4, CD8, and TIM3 levels in the spleen of piglets elicited by G. parasuis. Our study reveals the important functions of the MIF/CD74 axis in G. parasuis-induced immunosuppression and may offer a new therapeutic method to control G. parasuis infection. Full article

Arabinogalactan proteins (AGPs) constitute a diverse class of hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins implicated in various aspects of plant growth and development. However, their functional characterization in cotton (Gossypium spp.) remains limited. As a globally significant economic crop, cotton serves as the primary source of natural fiber, making it essential to understand the genetic mechanisms underlying its growth and development. This study aims to perform a comprehensive genome-wide identification and characterization of the AGP gene family in Gossypium spp., with a particular focus on elucidating their structural features, evolutionary relationships, and functional roles. A genome-wide analysis was conducted to identify AGP genes in Gossypium spp., followed by classification into distinct subfamilies based on sequence characteristics. Protein motif composition, gene structure, and phylogenetic relationships were examined to infer potential functional diversification. Subcellular localization of a key candidate gene, GhAGP50, was determined using fluorescent protein tagging, while gene expression patterns were assessed through β-glucuronidase (GUS) reporter assays. Additionally, hormonal regulation of GhAGP50 was investigated via treatments with methyl jasmonate (MeJA), abscisic acid (ABA), indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), and gibberellin (GA). A total of 220 AGP genes were identified in Gossypium spp., comprising 19 classical AGPs, 28 lysine-rich AGPs, 55 AG peptides, and 118 fasciclin-like AGPs (FLAs). Structural and functional analyses revealed significant variation in gene organization and conserved motifs across subfamilies. Functional characterization of GhAGP50, an ortholog of AGP18 in Arabidopsis thaliana, demonstrated its role in promoting epidermal hair formation in leaves and stalks. Subcellular localization studies indicated that GhAGP50 is targeted to the nucleus and plasma membrane. GUS staining assays revealed broad expression across multiple tissues, including leaves, inflorescences, roots, and stems. Furthermore, hormonal treatment experiments showed that GhAGP50 expression is modulated by MeJA, ABA, IAA, and GA, suggesting its involvement in hormone-mediated developmental processes. This study presents a comprehensive genome-wide analysis of the AGP gene family in cotton, providing new insights into their structural diversity and functional significance. The identification and characterization of GhAGP50 highlight its potential role in epidermal hair formation and hormonal regulation, contributing to a deeper understanding of AGP functions in cotton development. These findings offer a valuable genetic resource for future research aimed at improving cotton growth and fiber quality through targeted genetic manipulation. Full article

Our previous investigations identified miR-30a-3p as a differentially expressed miRNA in ovine mammary tissue across sheep breeds with distinct lactation performance and different physiological stages. However, its regulatory mechanisms controlling mammary gland development and lactation remain unexplored. In this study, the effect of miR-30a-3p on the proliferation of ovine mammary epithelial cells (MECs) and the target genes of miR-30a-3p were investigated. The regulatory effects of miR-30a-3p on the expression of the target genes and the content of triglycerides in ovine MECs were also analyzed. The transfection of miR-30a-3p mimic was found to promote cell viability and the number of proliferated ovine MECs using CCK8 and Edu assays. On the contrary, the miR-30a-3p inhibitor showed the opposite results with the miR-30a-3p mimic. These results suggest that miR-30a-3p promotes the proliferation of ovine MECs. The dual luciferase assay revealed that Phosphatase and Tensin Homolog (PTEN) can be targeted with miR-30a-3p. The transfection of miR-30a-3p mimic into ovine MECs resulted in a significant decrease in expression levels of the target PTEN genes. However, it promotes five milk fat synthesis marker genes, ACSL4, AKT, SREBP1, mTOR, and LPL, and promotes the content of triglycerides. The opposite effect of miR-30a-3p inhibitor with mimic on the expression levels of these genes and the level of triglycerides was also observed. This is the first study to reveal the biological mechanisms by which miR-30a-3p promotes milk fat synthesis by targeting PTEN in sheep. Full article

Glaesserella parasuis (G. parasuis) causes Glässer’s disease and systemic inflammatory responses in the host. The currently available therapies have limited efficacy and fail to achieve a balance between anti-inflammatory and antibacterial effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of baicalin, amoxicillin, and probenecid on blood biochemical parameters, routine blood indicators, survival rate, bacterial burden, and pathological tissue damage in G. parasuis-challenged mice. Treatment with baicalin, amoxicillin, and probenecid significantly modified the blood biochemical parameters and routine blood test indicators, increased the survival rate, attenuated the bacterial burden, and alleviated pathological tissue damage in G. parasuis-challenged mice. Treatment with baicalin, amoxicillin, and probenecid also increased the number of CD3⁺, CD3⁺CD4⁺, and CD3⁺CD8⁺ T cells as measured by flow cytometry, and restored the intensity of the CD3, CD4, and CD8 protein expression in the blood vessels of G. parasuis-challenged mice by immunohistochemistry. These compounds reduced interleukin 1β (IL-1β), IL-18, tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and high mobility group box 1 protein (HMGB1) expression in the spleen of G. parasuis-challenged mice. Furthermore, baicalin, amoxicillin, and probenecid inhibited activation of the family pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome and apoptosis in the spleen of G. parasuis-challenged mice. This study showed the important roles of baicalin, amoxicillin, and probenecid in the modulation of the inflammatory response of Glässer’s disease. The findings might provide new strategies for combination therapy using antibiotics and anti-inflammatory drugs to control G. parasuis infection. Full article

The cultivated land in the black soil of Northeast China (BSNC), due to long-term high-input and high-output utilization, is facing a series of challenges such as soil erosion, compaction, and nutrient loss. However, the existing cultivated land quality evaluation (CLQE) lacks regional specificity, making it difficult to accurately reflect the cultivated land quality (CLQ) characteristics across different areas. Therefore, this study proposes a comprehensive evaluation framework that integrates both cultivated land functionality and degradation risk, establishing an assessment system consisting of 18 indicators to comprehensively evaluate the CLQ in the BSNC from multiple perspectives. The results indicate that the CLQ in the BSNC exhibits a declining trend from north to south, with second- and third-grade land dominating, accounting for 75.68% of the total cultivated land area. The overall cultivated land functionality increases from west to east, with the Liaohe Plain Region (LHP) performing the best. Low-risk cultivated land is primarily concentrated in the Songnen Plain Region (SNP) and the Western Sandy Region (WS), covering 38.55% of the total cultivated land area. Additionally, this study finds a trade-off between the primary productivity function and the resource utilization efficiency function across different regions, while a synergistic relationship is observed between resource utilization efficiency and soil nutrient maintenance functions. This research emphasizes the necessity of balancing productivity and ecological protection to achieve the sustainable and efficient use of the BSNC. Full article

In the context of the worldwide attention on climate change, examining how land use relates to the carbon sink functions of regions is essential. This research innovatively utilizes the 2000–2020 land use data of Changde City, integrating the PLUS and InVEST models to analyze spatiotemporal changes and predict scenarios. It also combines the parameter geodetector and multiscale geographically weighted regression model to dissect driving factor distributions and mechanisms, capture interactions and multiscale impacts, uncover underlying laws, pioneer new paths for similar studies, and support regional ecological sustainability. The results show that from 2000–2020, forest and arable land areas declined while construction land expanded, leading to a yij1,172,200-ton carbon storage reduction in Changde City. Carbon storage decreased under natural development and arable land protection scenarios but increased in the ecological scenario. The main drivers of carbon storage in Changde City are the DEM, slope, and annual average temperature, with their interactions enhancing spatial heterogeneity. Human activities, especially in mountains and urbanizing regions, negatively impact carbon storage. This study aids in optimizing land resource allocation, improving land use efficiency, and promoting coordinated and sustainable development in Changde City’s ecological, economic, and social systems. Full article

The study delves into the prevailing focal points and developmental trends within the international sphere of crop root research under drip irrigation. It leverages the Web of Science core database and employs VOSviewer for a systematic review of the literature spanning 2001 to 2022. The analysis encompasses publication counts, publishing journals, contributing authors, research institutions, and keywords. Findings indicate that research on root systems under drip irrigation has become a notable area of interest in the field of irrigation, attracting global scholarly attention. There is a marked upward trend in publication output, with institutions in China and the United States taking on central roles. Journals like Agricultural Water Management and Acta Horticulturae are key publication venues, with Vadose Zone Journal being notable for high-impact articles. The research primarily involves agronomy, water resources, and horticulture, focusing on yield enhancement through drip irrigation, root distribution under various techniques, crop quality in response to partial root-zone drying, and irrigation scheduling model development. Scholars like Jiri Simunek and Yaohu Kang have made substantial contributions. The field’s established framework calls for continued international collaboration to drive further innovation. The identified trends and parameters can be a valuable reference for researchers, policymakers, and practitioners, guiding efforts to optimize agricultural productivity and resource use. Full article

Overuse of chemical nitrogen (N) fertilizers leads to N leaching and soil degradation. Replacing chemical N fertilizers with organic fertilizers can enhance soil nutrition, reduce N loss, and improve soil productivity. However, the effects of combining organic and chemical fertilizers on soil N components and N transformation remain unclear. A 12-year field study included four treatments: no fertilizer (CK), chemical fertilizer alone (CF), 50% chemical N fertilizer combined with co-composted organic fertilizer (CFM), and composted (CFMC) organic fertilizer. The results showed that CFM and CFMC significantly enhanced SOC, TN, LFON, DON, NH₄⁺-N, and MIN levels compared to CF. The CFM and CFMC treatments enhanced the soil N supply capacity and N pool stability by increasing the N mineralization potential (N₀) and decreasing the N0/TN ratio. The CFM and CFMC treatments decreased net N ammonification rates by 108.03%–139.83% and 0.44%–64.91% and net mineralization rates by 60.60%–66.30% and 1.74%–30.38%, respectively. Changes in N transformation have been attributed to increased soil pH, enzyme activity, and substrate availability. These findings suggest that partial organic fertilizer substitution, particularly with co-composted organic fertilizers, is a viable strategy for enhancing soil fertility, improving soil N supply and stability, and reducing N loss in rubber plantations. Full article

Surfactin is widely used in the petroleum extraction, cosmetics, biopharmaceuticals and agriculture industries. It possesses antibacterial and antiviral activities and can reduce interfacial tension. Bacillus are commonly used as production chassis, but wild-type Bacillus subtilis 168 cannot synthesise surfactin. In this study, the phosphopantetheinyl transferase (PPTase) gene sfp* (with a T base removed) was overexpressed and enzyme activity was restored, enabling B. subtilis 168 to synthesise surfactin with a yield of 747.5 ± 6.5 mg/L. Knocking out ppsD and yvkC did not enhance surfactin synthesis. Overexpression of predicted surfactin transporter gene yfiS increased its titre to 1060.7 ± 89.4 mg/L, while overexpression of yerP, ycxA and ycxA-efp had little or negative effects on surfactin synthesis, suggesting YfiS is involved in surfactin efflux. By replacing the native promoter of the srfA operon encoding surfactin synthase with three promoters, surfactin synthesis was significantly reduced. However, knockout of the global transcriptional regulator gene codY enhanced the surfactin titre to 1601.8 ± 91.9 mg/L. The highest surfactin titre reached 3.89 ± 0.07 g/L, with the yield of 0.63 ± 0.02 g/g DCW, after 36 h of fed-batch fermentation in 5 L fermenter. This study provides a reference for further understanding surfactin synthesis and constructing microbial cell factories. Full article

Dongbei Suaicai (DBSC) has a complicated microbial ecosystem in which the composition and metabolism of microbial communities during the process have not been well explored. Here, combined metagenomic and metaproteomic technology was used to reveal the taxonomic and metabolic profiles of DBSC. The results showed that firmicutes and proteobacteria were the prevalent bacteria in phylum and Pseudomonas, while Weissella, Pediococcus, and Leuconostoc were the prevalent genus. The vital metabolic pathways were involved in glycolysis/gluconeogenesis [path: ko00010], as well as pyruvate metabolism [path: ko00620], fructose and mannose metabolism [path: Ko00051], glycine, and serine and threonine metabolism [path: Ko00260]. Moreover, the key proteins (dps, fliC, tsf, fusA, atpD, metQ, pgi, tpiA, eno, alaS, bglA, tktA, gor, pdhD, aceE, and gnd) in related metabolized pathways were enriched during fermentation. This study will aid in facilitating the understanding of the fermentation mechanisms of DBSC. Full article