Search Results (73)

Reductive soil disinfestation (RSD) significantly alters soil characteristics, yet its combined effects with bacterial inoculation on subsequent rhizospheric microbial community composition remains poorly understood. To address this knowledge gap, we investigated the effects of RSD and endophytic Brevibacillus laterosporus inoculation on the composition, network, and predicted function of peanut rhizospheric bacteria and fungi. Our results demonstrated that RSD and B. laterosporus inoculation substantially increased rhizospheric bacterial diversity while reducing fungal diversity. Specifically, B. laterosporus-enhanced RSD significantly reshaped the bacterial community, resulting in increased relative abundances of Chloroflexi, Desulfobacterota, and Myxococcota while decreasing those of Firmicutes, Gemmatimonadota, and Acidobacteriota. The fungal community exhibited a more consistent response to RSD and B. laterosporus amendment, with reduced proportions of Ascomycota and Gemmatimonadota but an increase in Chytridiomycota. Network analysis revealed that B. laterosporus inoculation and RSD enhanced the bacterial species complexity and keystone taxa. Furthermore, canonical correspondence analysis indicated strong associations between the soil bacterial community and soil properties, including Eh, EC, NO₃⁻-N, and SOC. Our findings highlight that the shifts in bacterial taxa induced by B. laterosporus inoculation and RSD, particularly the keystone taxa identified in the network, may contribute to the suppression of soil-borne pathogens. Overall, this study provides a novel insight into the shifts in rhizospheric bacterial and fungal communities and their ecological functions after bacteria inoculation and RSD treatment. Full article

Recently, the emerging class of hydroxamate-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs) has demonstrated significant structural diversity and chemical robustness, both essential for potential applications. Combining the favorable hard–hard Bi-O interactions and chelating chemistry of hydroxamate groups, a rigid and symmetrical three-dimensional bismuth-hydroxamate metal–organic framework was successfully prepared via solvothermal synthesis and structurally elucidated via X-ray crystallography. The MOF, namely SUM-91 (SUM = Sichuan University Materials), features one-dimensional Bi-oxo secondary building blocks (SBUs), which are bridged by chelating 1,4-benzenedihydroxamate linkers. With the demonstrated permanent porosity and molecular sieving effect (CO₂ vs. N₂), SUM-91 was also found to be stable under harsh chemical conditions (aqueous solutions with pH = 2–12 and various organic solvents). As the structural robustness of SUM-91 could be attributed to the finetuning of the coordinative sphere of Bi centers, this work shed light on the further development of (ultra-)microporous materials with high stability and selective adsorption properties. Full article

Designing bifunctional catalysts for efficient hydroisomerization of phenanthrene to alkyl-adamantane is a great challenge for producing high-density fuels. Herein, a bifunctional Pt catalyst was fabricated by developing hierarchical H-MSY-T zeolites with an NOA-co strategy. The influence of different mesopore template agents on the hierarchical structure of H-MSY-T zeolite was investigated. Effective regulation of pore structure and acid distribution of zeolites was achieved by adjusting the templating agents. The block copolymer P123 promoted the formation of mesoporous structures via self-assembly with a large mesopore centered at 8 nm. Large mesoporous structure and suitable distribution of Bronsted acid boosted the hydroisomerization of phenanthrene. The highest alkyl-adamantane yield of 45.9 wt% was achieved on the Pt/MSY-P1 catalyst and a reaction network of hydroisomerization was proposed. This work provides guidance to design highly selective bifunctional catalysts for the one-step hydroconversion of tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons into high-density fuels. Full article

Soil moisture content has a direct effect on the growth rate and survival rate of trees. However, previous studies on soil moisture have often focused on the topsoil, lacking effective monitoring of long-term dynamic changes in deep soil layers. In this study, 16 time-domain reflectometer (TDR) probes were installed in the Haikou plantation in Kunming to conduct long-term continuous monitoring of soil moisture within a depth range of 0 to 300 cm. The results indicate that the vertical distribution of soil moisture can be classified into three levels: the active layer from 0 to 70 cm ($\theta =0.23\pm 0.08\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^3{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{-3})$, where the moisture content fluctuates significantly due to precipitation events; the transitional accumulation layer from 70 to 170 cm $(\theta =0.26\pm 0.06\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^3{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{-3})$, where moisture content increases with depth and peaks at 170 cm; and the deep dissipative layer from 170 to 300 cm $(\theta =0.24\pm 0.08\mathrm{c}{\mathrm{m}}^3{\mathrm{c}\mathrm{m}}^{-3})$, where moisture content decreases with depth, forming a noticeable steep drop zone at 290 cm. The Hydrus-1D (Version 4.xx) model demonstrated high simulation capabilities (${\mathrm{R}}^2=0.58$) in shallow (10 to 50 cm) and deep (280 to 300 cm) layers, while its performance decreased (${\mathrm{R}}^2=0.39$) in the middle layer (110 to 200 cm). This study systematically reveals the dynamics of soil moisture from the surface active zone to the deep transition zone and evaluates the simulation ability of the Hydrus-1D model in this specific environment, which is also significant for assessing the groundwater resource conservation function of plantation ecosystems. Full article

The flower buds of Syzygium nervosum are traditional edible and medicinal plant materials for the treatment of inflammation and stomach disorders. With rising demand for natural products in food and cosmetics, the nutraceutical and nutricosmetic potential of the flower buds has been evaluated in this work. The antioxidant activity of ethanol and water extracts of S. nervosum flower buds were detected through free radical scavenging (DPPH, ·OH, and ABTS) assays, and their inhibitory effects on tyrosinase and elastase enzymes were also evaluated. The ethanol extract (SNEE) exhibited stronger antioxidant activity and superior inhibitory effects on both enzymes compared with the water extract (SNWE), highlighting its potential for anti-aging and skin-whitening applications. Meanwhile, the LC-QTOF-MS was employed for the identification of key chemical molecules responsible for the nutricosmetic properties. Moreover, the enzyme inhibitory mechanisms of the flower bud extracts were further elucidated using inhibition kinetics and molecular docking methods. This research underscores the promising nutraceutical and nutricosmetic potential of S. nervosum flower buds so as to offer important information for further developing the edible flower resource as skin feeding bioactive ingredients. Full article

Bovine pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) hold significant potential for diverse applications in agriculture, reproductive biotechnology, and biomedical research. However, challenges persist in establishing stable bovine PSC lines and understanding the mechanisms underlying their pluripotency maintenance. Here, we derived bovine embryonic stem cells (bESCs) from Holstein cattle embryos. These cells exhibited robust differentiation capacity into three germ layers in vitro and in vivo. Transcriptome analysis revealed distinct molecular profiles compared to primed-state bESCs. Notably, bESC proliferation ceased on methanol-treated feeder cells, in contrast to mouse ESCs (mESCs), which proliferated normally. Pathway analysis identified key signaling events critical for bESC survival and proliferation, highlighting species-specific regulatory mechanisms. Furthermore, the derived bESCs demonstrated chimerism capacity in early bovine embryos, underscoring their functional pluripotency. This work provides a foundation for advancing bovine embryology research and stem cell-based biotechnologies in livestock. Full article

To investigate the micromechanical fracture behavior of high-strength steel, an integrated experimental and numerical study was conducted on Q460C steel and its welded joints, with specimens extracted from the base metal, weld metal, and the heat-affected zone (HAZ). Eighteen smooth round bars were tested under monotonic and cyclic loading to analyze mechanical performance and stress–strain curves. A constitutive model was developed based on the experimental results and numerical simulations. Additionally, eighteen notched round bars with three different notch sizes and three different zones were tested under monotonic loading, and thirty-six notched round bars with three different notch sizes, three different zones, and two loading protocols were tested under cyclic loading. The stress-modified critical strain model (SMCS) and void growth model (VGM) were calibrated and validated using the test results. The study reveals that the HAZ is more susceptible to cracking under cyclic loading. A positive correlation between toughness parameters and plasticity was discovered. The validated VGM and SMCS provide a reliable tool for predicting ductile fracture in Q460C steel and its welds, offering significant insights for the design and safety assessment of high-strength steel structures. Full article

Olfaction plays a crucial role in crustaceans for essential activities such as foraging and predator evasion. Among the components involved in olfactory perception, Ionotropic Receptors (IRs) are particularly important. Oratosquilla oratoria, a perennial crustacean of substantial economic and ecological value, serves as an ideal model for studying olfactory mechanisms. Identifying the IR chemosensory genes in O. oratoria enhances our understanding of its olfactory recognition system. Based on the whole-genome data of O. oratoria, we identified and analyzed 50 members of the IR gene family (OratIRs) through bioinformatics approaches. These genes were classified into subfamilies of co-receptor IRs and tuning IRs. The physicochemical properties of the encoded proteins exhibit marked variability, indicating distinct roles. The motif types and conserved domains among these subfamilies display certain similarities, but their gene structures differ markedly. Furthermore, we found that OratIR25a, OratIR07629, and OratIR14286 are key nodes in protein–protein interaction networks, coordinating organisms’ responses to signals like temperature and acids. We utilized fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) to find that OratIR75-1 and OratIR8a demonstrated robust expression signals in the antennae of the O. oratoria. These findings lay a foundation for further investigations and elucidate the functional roles of olfactory receptor genes in crustaceans. Full article

Most of the existing hydrogel dressings have inadequacies in mechanical performance, biological activities, compatibility, or versatility, which results in the development of rapid, green, and cost-effective approaches for hydrogels in biochemical and biomedical applications becoming a top-priority task. Herein, inspired by the inherent bioactivity, water retention properties, and biocompatibility of natural polysaccharide hydrogels, we have prepared self-healing gels. Using Bletilla striata polysaccharide (BSP), carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), and borax via borate ester linkages, we created hemostatic and self-healing Chinese herbal medicine hydrogels in varying concentrations (2.5%, 3.0%, and 4.0%). A rotational rheometer was used to describe the hydrogels’ shape and rheological characteristics. At all concentrations, it was found that the hydrogels’ elastic modulus (G′) consistently and significantly outperformed their viscous modulus (G″), suggesting a robust internal structure. All of the hydrogels had cell viability levels as high as 100% and hemolysis rates below 1%, indicating the hydrogels’ outstanding biocompatibility. Furthermore, the hydrogels demonstrated superior hemostatic qualities in an in vivo mouse tail amputation model, as well as in in vitro coagulation tests. The results show that the hydrogel possesses excellent self-healing properties, as well as a good biocompatibility and hemostatic performance, thus paving the way for the development of a potential hemostatic green hydrogel. Full article

Object detection in low-light conditions presents significant challenges due to issues such as weak contrast, high noise, and blurred boundaries. Existing methods often use image enhancement to improve detection, which results in a large amount of computational resource consumption. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a detection method, 3L-YOLO, based on YOLOv8n, which eliminates the need for image enhancement modules. First, we introduce switchable atrous convolution (SAConv) into the C2f module of YOLOv8n, improving the model’s ability to efficiently capture global contextual information. Second, we present a multi-scale neck module that aggregates shallow features and incorporates a channel attention mechanism to prioritize the most relevant features. Third, we introduce a dynamic detection head, which employs a cascade of spatial, scale, and channel attention mechanisms to enhance detection accuracy and robustness. Finally, we replace the original loss function with MPDIoU loss, improving bounding box regression and overall reliability. Additionally, we create a synthetic low-light dataset to evaluate the performance of the proposed method. Extensive experiments on the ExDark, ExDark+, and DARK FACE datasets demonstrate that 3L-YOLO outperforms YOLOv8n in low-light object detection, with improvements in mAP@0.5 of 2.7%, 4.3%, and 1.4%, respectively, across the three datasets. In comparison to the LOL-YOLO low-light object detection algorithm, 3L-YOLO requires 16.9 GFLOPs, representing a reduction of 4 GFLOPs. Full article

With societal progress, urban brownfields have become restrictive, and redevelopment studies have become an important part of urban renewal. In this work, we developed a two-step model for urban brownfield redevelopment, while considering the Wangping brownfield as the study area. Site suitability evaluation models for brownfield parks, agricultural picking gardens, and creative industrial centers were developed based on the elevation, slope, and surface runoff, and the evaluation results were categorized into five levels. The redevelopment plan was formulated based on these evaluation results. To study the effect of the plan, a transition matrix of land use was assessed using satellite images and the cellular automata (CA)–Markov model; based on the analysis, we predicted the land use situation of the Wangping brownfield, with respect to natural development, for 2030. A comparison of the redevelopment planning with the forecasted results revealed that the proportions of grassland, construction, and unused land decreased by 25.68, 3.12, and 2.38% and those of plowland and forest land increased by 6.61 and 24.57%. This confirms the advantages of redevelopment planning for restoring plowland and increasing biological carbon sinks. Notably, our two-step urban brownfield redevelopment model can enrich the current research on urban brownfields and guide similar urban renewal projects. Full article

Achieving effective integration of urban–rural relationships and promoting the flow of resources between urban and rural areas in megacities are a key priority in the development of China’s new urbanization efforts. As a transitional zone between urban and rural areas, the urban fringe is the frontier of urban–rural integration. The specific research object of this paper is the urban fringe areas of Wuhan City. This paper quantifies the neighborhood vitality of the fringe areas by the short-stay visitors in the fringe areas and selects the 5D elements of the built environment and social media data from multiple sources to construct the indicator system assessing the neighborhood vitality of the urban fringe areas. This paper analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics of neighborhood vitality and its influencing factors in urban fringe areas and investigates the connection between neighborhood vitality and its influencing factors through the application of the multi-scale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model. Based on the regression results, relevant planning recommendations are made on how to enhance the vitality of neighborhoods in urban fringe areas. The results show that the index system constructed by “5D” elements of built environment and social media data can well explain the spatial distribution of neighborhood vitality in urban fringe areas. Among the influencing factors, the absolute value of the correlation coefficient of network exposure is the largest, followed by road density and functional density. Thanks to the different bandwidths given by MGWR to the influencing factors, the global influencing factors are only two indicators—development intensity and functional mixing degree—while the other influencing factors are all local, and the influence degree of different regions is different, so it is necessary to analyze and put forward different planning suggestions accordingly. Full article

Pandan pigment (Pandanus amaryllifolius) is widely used as a natural food coloring and flavoring agent. However, its application in food is limited because of its susceptibility to thermal degradation during food processing, which affects both pigment stability and color. Despite its growing use, there is limited research on how common food ingredients can mitigate this degradation. This study addresses this gap by exploring the effects of sucrose, lactose, rice starch, whey protein, and soy protein isolate on the thermal and color stability of pandan pigment under various heating conditions (65 °C, 95 °C, 115 °C, and 121 °C for 15 min). Spectroscopic techniques (UV–visible, infrared, and fluorescence) and laser confocal microscopy were used to elucidate the molecular interactions. The results revealed that rice starch provided the strongest protection, followed by whey protein, soy protein isolate, lactose, and sucrose, although the protective effects decreased at higher temperatures. These findings offer new insights into the use of sugars and proteins to increase the thermal stability of natural pigments in food applications. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the nutritional requirements of Saccharomyces cerevisiae to improve low ethanol production in some fruit wines. The growth kinetics, ethanol production and nutrient requirements of S. cerevisiae were analyzed in chemically defined media. The results revealed that Ca²⁺, Fe²⁺, Co²⁺, Mo²⁺, Cu²⁺ and BO₃³⁻ were predominantly utilized during the late lag phase, whereas free amino acids, nicotinic acid, calcium pantothenate, Na⁺ and Mg²⁺ were mainly consumed during the logarithmic phase. Compared with the control medium, supplementation with threonine, inositol, calcium pantothenate, thiamine hydrochloride, riboflavin, biotin, MgSO₄ or KH₂PO₄ significantly increased the ethanol content by 1.10-fold (p < 0.05). Furthermore, adding key nutrients to noni-, guava- and mango juice significantly shortened the fermentation time and increased the final alcohol content of the fruit wines (p < 0.05). This study provides scientific insights and effective methods for shortening fermentation time and increasing alcohol content with S. cerevisiae in some fruit wines. Full article

The grapevine, a globally significant fruit and an essential fruit tree species in China, is vulnerable to the adverse effects of high temperatures. Understanding the roles of microRNA and transcription factors in plant development and stress resistance is crucial for mitigating the impact of high temperature on grape growth and yield. This study investigates the response of miRNA to high-temperature stress in grape leaves. The expression level of Vvi-miR3633a was found to be inhibited under heat treatment in both Thompson seedless and Shen yue varieties, while its potential target genes (Vv-Atg36 and Vv-GA3ox2) were induced. Through transgenic overexpression experiments, it was demonstrated that Vvi-miR3633a plays a role in thermal response by affecting the expression of target genes. Furthermore, under heat stress conditions, overexpression of Vvi-miR3633a in grape callus decreased heat resistance compared to the control group (CK). The study also revealed that the target genes of Vvi-miR3633a regulate the expression of oxidase synthesis genes VvSOD and VvCAT, leading to reduced oxidase synthesis which may compromise the oxidation system. Additionally, the expression level of heat shock proteins in the transgenic lines was changed compared to the control (CK). Overall, this research provides valuable insights into understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in different crossing/breeding programs to produce heat-resistant grape varieties. Such varieties can be appropriate to propagate in warm climate areas with high temperature conditions. Full article