Search Results (114)

Fetal growth restriction (FGR) remains a significant problem in obstetrics and is a key risk factor for perinatal brain injury. The fetal neuronal vesicles (FNVs) isolated from maternal blood represent an innovative approach—a “fetal brain liquid biopsy”—enabling early diagnostics of neuronal dysfunction in FGR. Western blotting was used to evaluate the protein pattern expression of FNVs isolated from the blood of pregnant women with FGR and uncomplicated pregnancy. Significant changes in the neurotrophic proteins levels (pro-BDNF, pro-NGF) and presynaptic neurotransmission proteins (SYN1, SYP, SYNPO) were identified. New data were obtained on changes in the expression of proteins of sumoylation (SUMO2/3/4) and neddylation (NAE1, UBC12), which differs in early-onset and late-onset FGR. Moreover, increased SUMO2/3/4 levels can be considered as an endogenous neuroprotective response to cerebral hemodynamic reaction in fetuses with late-onset growth restriction. An association has been established between changes in the expression of the studied proteins and intraventricular hemorrhage (IVH) in newborns with late-onset growth restriction. Full article

Increasing grain production is crucial for national food security, and fertilizer management is one of the most effective ways to achieve this. In traditional agricultural production, excessive nitrogen (N) application often leads to reduced N use efficiency and increased environmental pollution. Compound slow-release fertilizers can effectively improve N use efficiency while still meeting the nutritional demands of rice. However, research on these compound slow-release fertilizers remains limited. The effects of fertilizer management measures (controlled-release fertilizer ratios and N fertilizer levels) on rice yield, material accumulation, photosynthetic characteristics, and N use efficiency are not yet fully understood. In particular, the relationships between yield and material accumulation, photosynthetic characteristics, and N use efficiency require further study. Therefore, this study was conducted in 2021 and 2022 using Jinongda 667 as the material, with three N fertilizer rates of 90 (N1), 120 (N2), and 150 kg ha⁻¹ N (N3). Six controlled-release fertilizer ratios of sulfur-coated urea (SCU) and resin-coated urea (RCU) were tested: 1:0 (C1), 0:1 (C2), 3:1 (C3), 4:1 (C4), 5:1 (C5), and 6:1 (C6) (optimized in 2022 to three ratios: 3:1, 4:1, and 5:1, with traditional split-application fertilization (CF) added as a control). The results showed that the N3C5 treatment achieved the highest yield of 9246.7 kg ha⁻¹ among all combinations of slow-controlled release compound fertilizer ratios and N levels. In 2021, under the same N gradient, yields followed the order C5 > C4 > C3 > C2 > C1, whereas the C6 treatment exhibited a declining yield trend across different N levels. The yield pattern observed in 2022 was consistent with that of 2021. Further comparisons of C3, C4, and C5 under different N levels with the traditional fertilization treatment (N3CF) indicated that, under the same N level, the C5 treatment produced significantly higher yields than the C3 and C4 treatments. Photosynthetic rates at various stages under the C5 treatment increased by 1.9% to 12.7% compared to the C3 and C4 treatments. The N2C5 and N3C5 treatments increased yield by 1.3% and 9.4%, respectively, compared with N3CF, with effective panicle numbers increasing by 6.7% and 11.1%, respectively. The N2C5 treatment reduced N application by 20% compared with N3CF, while significantly increasing N Apparent Use Efficiency (NAUE) by 56.6% and Agronomic N Agricultural Utilization Efficiency (NAE) by 41.8%. Therefore, applying a 5:1 controlled-release fertilizer at a N application rate of 120 kg ha⁻¹ can reduce N use while enhancing efficiency. This approach provides a theoretical basis for green, high-yield rice cultivation. Full article

The allelopathic compound coumarin inhibits root growth across numerous species, but its mechanism is unknown. Through a genetic screen in Arabidopsis mutants, we identified the mutants for AXR1 (AUXIN RESISTANT 1) and ECR1 (E1 C-TERMINAL RELATED 1), two subunits of the NEDD8-activating enzyme (NAE), that are resistant to coumarin. Conversely, overexpression of the NEDD8-encoding gene RUB1 (RELATED TO UBIQUITIN 1) caused hypersensitivity, while the NAE inhibitor MLN4924 blocked coumarin’s effect. Since neddylation regulates auxin signaling, we analyzed downstream AUX/IAA proteins and found that the loss-of-function mutant of AUXIN RESISTANT 2 (AXR2) (also known as IAA7) was resistant to coumarin. We further showed that coumarin treatment leads to the accumulation of the AXR2 protein. Taken together, these results demonstrate that coumarin inhibits primary root growth by modulating auxin signaling via neddylation. Full article

This study evaluated the response of two winter wheat lines: hypoallergenic wasko.gl− and control line wasko.gl+ to nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) fertilization under field conditions in southern Poland during 2019–2021. A split-split-plot design with six N doses (0–120 kg ha⁻¹) and three S doses (0, 20, 40 kg ha⁻¹) was applied to assess grain yield, nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE), vegetation indices (LAI, NDVI), and grain protein content. Grain yields ranged from 3.92 to 6.08 Mg ha⁻¹, with the hypoallergenic line producing on average 16.6% more than the control one. Nitrogen fertilization significantly increased yields up to 80–100 kg N ha⁻¹, while sulfur application showed no consistent yield effect. The highest NAE was achieved at 80 kg N ha⁻¹, reaching 13.7 kg grain kg⁻¹ N for hypoallergenic and 19.6 kg grain kg⁻¹ N for the control wheat line. Remote sensing indices correlated with fertilization intensity; LAI and NDVI increased up to 80–100 kg N ha⁻¹, with optimal values differing between lines, confirming distinct nitrogen-use efficiencies. Grain protein content increased systematically with higher N inputs, exceeding 145.6 g kg⁻¹ DM at 120 kg N ha⁻¹; sulfur fertilization modified protein levels, with the optimal dose being 20 kg S ha⁻¹ for the hypoallergenic line and 40 kg S ha⁻¹ for the allergenic line. Results demonstrate that nitrogen supply strongly influences yield and quality traits, whereas sulfur plays a secondary role, particularly in modifying protein content in grains. Differences in genotype responses to fertilization emphasize the importance of taking an individualized approach to nitrogen and sulfur fertilization strategies, which are tailored to specific lines of wheat. This optimizes fertilization, yield, and quality, while maintaining environmental sustainability. Full article

Excessive nitrogen fertilizer application in tea plantations is a common problem that leads to soil acidification and reductions in both yield and economic returns. To evaluate the impacts of varying nitrogen input levels (0–600 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) on yield, as well as environmental and economic outcomes, a two-year field experiment was conducted. Results demonstrated that when nitrogen application exceeded 150 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, key efficiency indicators—agronomic efficiency (NAE), recovery efficiency (NRE), and partial factor productivity (NPFP) declined markedly. Among all treatments, the 150 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ rate achieved the highest NRE at 28.01%. Moreover, environmental burdens including global warming potential, acidification, and eutrophication intensified with increasing nitrogen input. Benefit analysis revealed that yield-based economic returns peaked between 150 and 165 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, whereas the highest ecosystem economic benefit, accounting for both profit and environmental cost, occurred at 120 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹. Thus, 120 kg N ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ is identified as the optimal application rate for maximizing integrated economic and environmental returns while maintaining yield. These findings provide valuable guidance for promoting sustainable nitrogen management in tea cultivation worldwide. Full article

Integrated soil fertility management is essential for improving soil productivity, rice yield, and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE). This study investigated the combined effects of the chemical fertilizer rate, humic acid (HA), and flue gas desulfurization gypsum (FG) on the soil chemical properties, rice yield, NUE, and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE) in acidic paddy soil. The following three factors were evaluated: (1) fertilization based on farmer practices and rice nutrient requirements; (2) HA at 0 and 975 kg ha⁻¹; and (3) FG at 0, 23, and 636 kg ha⁻¹. Fertilization based on rice requirements reduced the nitrogen (N) input by 14.5% compared to farmer practices while still maintaining similar grain yields. Under farmer practice, HA enhanced total N content, cation exchange capacity (CEC), rice yield, NUE, and NAE. HA with FG (636 kg ha⁻¹) increased total organic carbon (TOC) levels, total N levels, and exchangeable ammonium nitrogen (NH₄-N), but decreased the yield. In contrast, HA combined with FG at 23 kg ha⁻¹ enhanced the soil exchangeable Ca and S levels, as well as resulting in a high rice yield (7.7 t ha⁻¹), NUE (39%), and NAE (32 kg kg⁻¹). The findings suggest that to maintain farmer fertilization practices while improving soil properties and rice yield, HA should be applied with FG (23 kg ha⁻¹). Full article

N-Acylethanolamines (NAEs) are a class of lipid mediators that consist of long-chain fatty acids condensed with ethanolamine and exert various biological activities depending on their fatty acyl groups. NAEs are biosynthesized from membrane phospholipids by two-step reactions or alternative multi-step reactions. In the first reaction, N-acyltransferases transfer an acyl chain from the sn-1 position of phospholipids to the amino group (N position) of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), generating N-acyl-PE (NAPE), a precursor of NAE. So far, two types of N-acyltransferases have been identified with different levels of Ca²⁺-dependency: cytosolic phospholipase A₂ ε (cPLA₂ε) as a Ca²⁺-dependent N-acyltransferase and phospholipase A and acyltransferase (PLAAT) enzymes as Ca²⁺-independent N-acyltransferases. Recent in vivo studies using knockout mice with cPLA₂ε and PLAAT enzymes, combined with lipidomic approaches, have clarified their roles in the skin and brain and in other physiological events. In this review, we summarize the current understanding of the functions and properties of these enzymes. Full article

Soil salinization poses a serious threat to global food security, as high Na⁺ contents in soils hinder nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), affecting the growth and yield of crop plants. The present study aims to explore the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer types viz., NO₃⁻ (N1) and NH₄⁺ (N2) and planting densities, viz., D1: 30 × 10 cm, D2: 20 × 20 cm, and D3: 30 × 20 cm, on growth and development, nitrogen absorption and utilization, and yield formation. The salt-tolerant rice variety ‘Jingliangyou 3261’ was exposed to 0.3% salt irrigation water. Results revealed that N2 substantially improved the rice yield by increasing the number of effective panicles and the rate of grain-setting compared to N1. In addition, the N2 also increased leaf chlorophyll content, dry matter accumulation, antioxidant enzyme activity such as superoxide dismutase, peroxidase, and catalase activity and reduced the content of malondialdehyde. In comparison with N1, the N2 treatment resulted in an increase of 12.21%, 31.89%, and 37.53% in total nitrogen accumulation, nitrogen recovery efficiency (NRE), and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE), respectively. This increase can be attributed to enhanced leaf nitrogen metabolic enzyme activity, including nitrate reductase and glutamine synthetase, and a more robust root system. Under N1 and N2 conditions, compared to D3, D1 resulted in an increase in the number of tillers but decreased the percentage of productive tillers, the grains per panicle, the grain-filling rate, and the thousand-grain weight, thereby reducing yield. Additionally, the D3 treatment also significantly improved NRE and NAE compared to the D1 treatment. Therefore, the rational selection of nitrogen fertilizer type (N2) and planting density (D3) is crucial for improving the yield and nitrogen use efficiency of salt-tolerant rice. This would broaden the scope of agricultural solutions for saline soils, potentially improving food security in regions where soil salinization is a widespread issue. Full article

A field experiment was conducted in 2018 at Marciano della Chiana (Arezzo, AR, Central Italy) with the main aim of investigating the effect of soil amendment with organic fraction municipal solid waste (OFMSW) compost and legume green manuring (Vicia villosa Roth, cv. villana) on a tobacco crop (dark fire-cured Kentucky type, cv. Foiano) grown under both full (100% of ET_c) and deficit (70% of crop evapotranspiration, ET_c) irrigation. The treatments are hereafter reported as GM (vetch green manuring) and NGM (no vetch green manuring), FI (full irrigation) and DI (deficit irrigation), and C (compost soil amendment) and NC (no compost soil amendment). The following parameters were calculated: (i) yield of the cured product (CLY, Mg ha⁻¹) at a standard moisture content of 19%; (ii) irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE, kg of cured product m⁻³ seasonal irrigation volume), nitrogen (N) agronomic efficiency (NAE, kg of cured product kg⁻¹ mineral N by synthetic fertilizers). Dry biomass accumulated in the stem and leaves (Mg ha⁻¹) was also measured at 25, 57, 74, and 92 days after transplanting (DAT). The N recovery from the different plant parts (kg ha⁻¹) was determined at 57 and 74 DAT. The C/N ratio, NO₃-N (kg ha⁻¹), the soil organic matter (SOM, %), and the soil contents of P₂O₅ and K₂O (mg kg⁻¹) were also analytically determined at 43, 74, and 116 DAT. Water retention measurements were carried out on soil samples at 116 DAT at 0–0.3 and 0.3–0.6 soil depths. Overall, there was a negative effect of both compost amendment and green manuring on yield. Green manuring and compost soil amendment improved soil chemical characteristics (i.e., SOM and C/N), as well as the plant N recovery, the IWUE, and the NAE. They increased the water retention capacity of the soil when the tobacco crop was deficit-irrigated and appeared to be promising practices to support the deficit irrigation strategy, contributing to reaching good agronomic results, although under the conditions of water shortage, and showing synergistic action in those conditions. Full article

Water resources are fundamental to economic and social development. Improving agricultural water-use efficiency is essential for alleviating water scarcity, ensuring food security, and fostering sustainable growth. This study examines the effects of irrigation levels (severe water deficit, W0: 45–55% θ_FC; moderate water deficit, W1: 55–65% θ_FC; mild water deficit, W2: 65–75% θ_FC; full irrigation, W3: 75–85% θ_FC) and nitrogen application rates (N0: 0 kg·hm⁻², N1: 150 kg·hm⁻², N2: 300 kg·hm⁻², N3: 450 kg·hm⁻²) on soil environment, crop yield, and water–nitrogen use efficiencies in Lycium barbarum under integrated water–fertilizer drip irrigation. The coordinated application of water and nitrogen significantly influenced yield and efficiencies (p < 0.05) by modifying rhizosphere conditions such as soil moisture, temperature, salinity, and enzyme activities. Soil temperature increased with nitrogen application (N1 > N2 > N0 > N3), with N1 raising soil temperature by 4.98–8.02% compared to N0, N2, and N3. Electrical conductivity was lowest under N0, showing a 7.53–18.74% reduction compared to N1, N2, and N3. Urease activity peaked under N3 (31.84–96.78% higher than other treatments), while alkaline phosphatase and catalase activities varied across treatments. The yield was highest under N2, at 6.79–41.31% higher than other nitrogen treatments. Water use efficiency (WUE), growth use efficiency (GUE), and nitrogen agronomic efficiency (NAE) peaked under N2, while nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) decreased with higher nitrogen rates. Among irrigation levels, W0 showed the highest soil temperature, while W3 exhibited the lowest conductivity in the 0–40 cm layer. W2 had the highest soil enzyme activities, yielding 4.41–42.86% more than other levels, with maximum efficiencies for WUE, GUE, NUE, and NAE. The combination of mild water deficit (65–75% θ_FC) and 300 kg·hm⁻² nitrogen application (W2N2) resulted in the highest yield (2701.78 kg·hm⁻²). This study provides key insights for implementing integrated drip irrigation in northwest China’s arid regions. Full article

The excessive application of nitrogen (N) fertilizer can result in soil and water pollution, thereby negatively impacting the ecological environment. However, reducing the amount of N fertilizer may lead to a decrease in crop yield. Two years’ experiment (2021 and 2022) investigates the influence of one-time reduced basal application of controlled-release N fertilizer (CRU) and increased planting density on the grain yield and N utilization characteristics of mechanically transplanted japonica rice. Nanjing 5718 was used as the experimental material. Under the condition of 225 kg ha⁻¹ of N, three controlled-release periods of CRUs (60d, 80d, 100d) and three planting densities (6, 8, and 10 seedlings/hole) were combined, totaling nine combinations. Moreover, a conventional split fertilization treatment with 300 kg ha⁻¹ of N and a planting density of 4 seedlings/hole was set as the control (CK). The yield, dry matter accumulation, N accumulation, and N utilization efficiency were evaluated. The research findings demonstrate that the CRU80-6 treatment exhibited the highest efficacy among all N reduction and density increase treatments, resulting in a significant yield increase of 3.1–10.3% compared to other treatments. After the jointing stage, the CRU80-6 treatment exhibited the highest dry matter accumulation compared to other treatments, with an increase ranging from 0.8% to 13.6%, and was significantly lower than that of the CK by 4.3% to 5.0%. The N accumulation and translocation traits of the CRU80-6 treatment closely resembled those of CK. However, both N recovery efficiency (NRE) and N agronomic efficiency (NAE) exhibited a remarkable increase compared to CK, with an average enhancement in NRE of 30.01%. Therefore, we contend that the CRU80-6 treatment, with a 25% reduction in N input, can ensure efficient N utilization and attain a relatively stable grain yield. Full article

This study examines the hydrogeological response to the 12 September 2016 Gyeong-Ju earthquake (ML 5.8) in the southeastern region of the Korean Peninsula. Using 2D hydro-mechanical coupled bonded particle modeling, we simulated the dynamic fault rupture process to analyze stress redistribution and its impact on pore pressure and groundwater levels (GWLs). The results indicated that compressional areas correlated strongly with pore pressure increases and GWL rises, while extensional areas showed decreases in both. Observations from the groundwater monitoring Well 5 at Gyeong-Ju San-Nae and Well 8 at Gyeong-Ju Cheon-Buk, located approximately 15 km from the earthquake’s epicenter, aligned well with the model’s predictions and interpretation, providing validation for the simulation. These findings highlight the capability of hydro-mechanical models to capture fault-induced hydrological responses and offer valuable insights into the interplay between seismic activity and groundwater systems. Full article

A false data injection attack (FDIA) is one of the major threats to power systems, and identifying false data is critical to the stable operation of power systems. However, false data that closely resemble normal data hinder the accuracy of existing detection methods, and their performance further declines when exposed to ambient noise. To address these challenges, this paper proposes an attentional convolutional neural network based on distinction enhancement and information fusion (DEIF-ACNN) for FDIA detection. Firstly, by minimizing the loss of reconstruction and discrimination, this paper designed an autoencoder with a discriminator for normal data (NAE), which had the characteristic of producing a small loss for normal data. Secondly, the trained NAE is utilized to compute the feature correlation matrix between the original and reconstructed data to enhance the distinction between normal and false data. Finally, to enhance feature extraction and suppress ambient noise interference in detection, DEIF-ACNN incorporates a convolutional block attention module (CBAM) to emphasize key feature channels and highlight crucial regions in the feature matrix. Experimental results show that DEIF-ACNN outperforms other FDIA detection methods on IEEE-9, IEEE-14, and IEEE-118 bus power systems, achieving an accuracy of 99.22%, 99.83%, and 100.00%, respectively. In addition, the method exhibits the best robustness under different noise environments, and its accuracy is maintained at about 80%. Full article

The ongoing obesity epidemic has raised awareness of the complex physiology of adipose tissue. Abnormal adipocyte differentiation results in the development of systemic metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and diabetes. The conjugation of NEDD8 (neural precursor cell expressed, developmentally downregulated 8) to target protein, termed neddylation, has been shown to mediate adipogenesis. However, much remains unknown about its role in adipogenesis. Here, we demonstrated that neddylation and its targets, the cullin (CUL) family members, are differentially regulated during mouse and human adipogenesis. Inhibition of neddylation by MLN4924 significantly reduced adipogenesis of 3T3-L1 and human stromal vascular cells. Deletion of NAE1, a subunit of the only NEDD8 E1 enzyme, suppressed neddylation and impaired adipogenesis. Neddylation deficiency did not affect mitotic cell expansion. Instead, it disrupted CREB/CEBPβ/PPARγ signaling, essential for adipogenesis. Interestingly, among the neddylation-targeted CUL family members, deletion of CUL3, but not CUL1, CUL2, or CUL4A, largely replicated the adipogenic defects observed with neddylation deficiency. A PPARγ agonist minimally rescued the adipogenic defects caused by the deletion of NAE1 and CUL3. In conclusion, our study demonstrates that neddylation and its targeted CUL3 are crucial for adipogenesis. These findings provide potential targets for therapeutic intervention in obesity and metabolic disorders. Full article

The uneven soil fertility made it difficult to implement the recommended nitrogen (N) management practices in the North China Plain (NCP). In order to clarify the effect of N managements in high-fertility soil with a perennial wheat yield of 10,500 kg ha⁻¹ on photosynthetic characteristics, grain yield, N agronomic efficiency (NAE), and water use efficiency (WUE), a trial was conducted from 2022 to 2024. Main plots were N rates of 0 (N1), 150 (N2), 210 (N3), and 270 (N4) kg N ha⁻¹; The sub-plots adopted fertigation (F) and traditional fertilization method (T). The results showed that, compared with T, F increased the intercept rate of photosynthetic effective radiation of canopy, net photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and transpiration rate of flag leaves, as well as the activity of phosphate sucrose synthase and sucrose content. It enhanced dry matter transport and contribution to grain. Under N2, the time required to reach the maximum grain filling rate, duration of grain filling and active grain-filling period of F were improved. Grain yield of N2 was increased by 27.81% and 6.75% compared to N1 and N3, respectively. NAE was improved by 48.63% and 51.47%, and WUE was improved by 20.71% and 9.85%. Therefore, the best effect was achieved by using fertigation and the N rate of 210 kg ha⁻¹ in high-fertility soil. Full article