Search Results (43,603)

Zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) is an important support for enzyme immobilization due to its good biocompatibility and structural tunability. However, the inherent structural characteristics of conventional ZIF-8 suffer from limited specific surface area, thereby restricting the achievable enzyme loading. In this study, we developed a novel alkali-induced (IA) strategy using sodium hydroxide to prepare IA-ZIF-8 with markedly enhanced textural properties. Subsequently, Pseudomonas fluorescens lipase (PFL) was successfully immobilized onto IA-ZIF-8 via physical adsorption, and the optimal conditions were systematically investigated. Compared with conventional ZIF-8, IA-ZIF-8 achieved a larger specific surface area (1462.3 m²/g), and a 9.8% increase in PFL loading. The resulting biocatalyst, IA-ZIF-8-PFL, exhibited significantly enhanced thermal and pH stability due to the confinement effect and protective microenvironment from the carrier. When the biocatalyst was applied to the chiral resolution of (R,S)-1-phenylethanol, it showed satisfactory catalytic activity and enantioselectivity with a conversion of 24.4% and an ee_s of 25.7%. In addition, IA-ZIF-8-PFL retained satisfactory reusability over five successive cycles. This work demonstrates that IA-ZIF-8 is a highly efficient carrier for immobilizing lipase and offers a green biocatalyst for the efficient preparation of chiral drug intermediates. Full article

Porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome virus (PRRSV) remains a major threat to swine production, and its circulation after the African swine fever outbreak requires continued surveillance. This study investigated the temporal, regional, and genetic characteristics of PRRSV in Anhui Province from September 2019 to November 2024. Ten rounds of repeated cross-sectional surveillance were conducted at 147 slaughterhouses and 21 rendering plants. Tissue samples were collected by random, cluster, or risk-based sampling, pooled in groups of five, and tested by RT-qPCR. Representative positive samples with Ct values < 25 underwent ORF5 amplification, Sanger sequencing, and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 994 site visits yielded 18,733 tissue samples. No positive samples were detected in autumn 2020 or spring 2021, whereas PRRSV was detected again from autumn 2021 and subsequently fluctuated. The highest site-level positivity was 41.18% in autumn 2023, and the highest estimated individual-level positivity was 4.66% in spring 2023. Regional differences were statistically significant, with the highest site-level positivity in northern Anhui, and pooled-sample positivity was higher in rendering plants than in slaughterhouses. All 24 ORF5 sequences belonged to PRRSV-2 and mainly clustered with NADC30-like, NADC34-like, or MLV/classical strains. These findings demonstrate temporal fluctuations and lineage coexistence, supporting continued multisource surveillance and broader genomic and antigenic evaluation. Full article

Adolescent charitable giving (CG) is vital for philanthropic sustainability. While parental influence is recognized, the association between parental psychosocial flourishing and adolescents’ CG intention, as well as the psychological processes underlying this association, remains underexplored. Drawing on spillover–crossover theory, this research examined a moderated mediation model in which adolescents’ psychosocial flourishing mediates the link between parental psychosocial flourishing and adolescents’ CG intention, with adolescents’ authenticity moderating this pathway. Two studies were conducted with Chinese parent–adolescent dyads. Study 1 (N = 1179 dyads) employed a cross-sectional design to provide preliminary evidence, and Study 2 (N = 347 dyads) used a three-wave longitudinal design to re-examine the model with temporal ordering. Across both studies, parental psychosocial flourishing was positively associated with adolescents’ psychosocial flourishing, which in turn statistically mediated the association between parental psychosocial flourishing and adolescents’ CG intention. Moreover, adolescents’ authenticity moderated the link between adolescents’ psychosocial flourishing and CG intention, with the indirect effect of parental psychosocial flourishing on CG intention via adolescents’ psychosocial flourishing being more pronounced among adolescents with higher authenticity. These findings contribute to an intergenerational understanding of family-related antecedents in the development of adolescents’ CG intention and offer considerations for future research on family well-being and adolescent charitable engagement. Full article

Desulfurization ash (DA) is a kind of industrial solid waste generated during flue gas desulfurization. To overcome the limited utilization of reactive calcium-bearing constituents and the insufficient mineralogical stability of DA, this study proposes a thermal CO₂ modification approach based on the synergistic coupling of oxidation and carbonation, and systematically investigates the associated evolution of mineral phases and microstructural features. The effects of reaction temperature, CO₂ flow rate, and reaction time are evaluated using TG-DSC, XRD, FT-IR, SEM-EDS, particle size analysis, and carbon-sulfur analysis to elucidate the reaction behavior of DA under a CO₂ atmosphere. The results demonstrate that reaction temperature is the dominant factor governing the modification process. During heating, CaSO₃ is preferentially oxidized to CaSO₄ under the CO₂ atmosphere, thereby stabilizing the sulfur-bearing components. Subsequently, Ca(OH)₂ undergoes carbonation to form CaCO₃, simultaneously contributing to CO₂ sequestration. Under the optimized conditions of 450 °C, a CO₂ flow rate of 120 mL/min, and a reaction time of 60 min, the resulting CaCO₃ exhibits a pronounced needle-like CaCO₃ morphology, while the CO₂ uptake reaches a maximum of 16.71%. These findings clarify the coupled oxidation–carbonation mechanism and mineral transformation behavior of DA during thermal CO₂ modification, providing a theoretical basis and technical reference for the low-carbon utilization of industrial solid wastes. Full article

To accurately and rapidly assess the damage level of slabs with openings in subway stations, a graded earth pressure loading device was developed. Model experiments revealed the crack evolution characteristics on the concrete surface of slabs with openings under graded earth pressure. A damage assessment method based on fractal theory was proposed, and empirical equations were established linking the fractal dimension with slab deflection, static stiffness, and the damage index. The results demonstrate that the damage process of opening slab structures can be divided into four stages: initial damage accumulation, damage manifestation, damage intensification, and damage saturation. The fractal dimension effectively characterizes the crack evolution features and damage states of the concrete surface in opening slabs. Under varying earth pressure levels, regions with the same opening area exhibit a linear increase in fractal dimension as earth pressure levels rise. During the graded earth pressure loading process, the fractal dimension of cracks in the slab opening region ranges from 1.45 to 1.88. Exponential relationships were identified between the fractal dimension of opening slabs and their mid-span deflection, static stiffness, and damage indices. This approach provides a novel method for rapidly evaluating the damage level of opening slabs based on fractal dimension analysis. Full article

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of cyclosporine A (CsA)-containing treatment for recurrent spontaneous abortion/recurrent pregnancy loss (RSA/RPL) through a systematic review and meta-analysis. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, CNKI, Wanfang Database, and VIP were searched from inception to 31 December 2025. Randomized controlled trials and non-randomized controlled studies evaluating CsA-containing treatment in women with RSA/RPL were included. Risk ratios (RRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled using a random-effects model. The main outcomes were live birth/successful delivery, pregnancy success/fetal protection success, miscarriage using the total enrolled population as the denominator, and maternal adverse events. The certainty of evidence was evaluated using the GRADE approach. Results: 13 studies involving 1181 participants were included. CsA-containing treatment was associated with a higher live birth/successful delivery rate than control treatment (RR = 1.32, 95% CI: 1.21–1.45). It was also associated with a higher pregnancy success/fetal protection success rate (RR = 1.34, 95% CI: 1.22–1.48) and a lower miscarriage rate (RR = 0.42, 95% CI: 0.33–0.54). No statistically significant difference in maternal adverse events was observed between the CsA-containing treatment and control groups (RR = 0.80, 95% CI: 0.43–1.49). The certainty of evidence was rated as low for efficacy outcomes and very low for maternal adverse events. Conclusions: CsA-containing treatment may be associated with improved pregnancy-related outcomes in women with RSA/RPL, including higher live birth/successful delivery and pregnancy success rates and a lower miscarriage rate. However, the certainty of evidence remains limited because of risk of bias, heterogeneous co-interventions, potential publication bias, and insufficient safety reporting. Further high-quality multicenter randomized controlled trials are needed. Full article

Glioblastoma (GBM) is characterized by extensive neo-angiogenesis, which drives rapid tumor growth and therapeutic resistance. We previously identified PDCD10 as a tumor suppressor in GBM. Here, we investigated whether PDCD10 loss promotes neo-angiogenesis through paracrine signaling and GBM cell plasticity. PDCD10 knockdown (shPDCD10) enhanced endothelial angiogenic activity after treatment with conditioned medium (CM) from shPDCD10 cells and in a direct co-culture model. Moreover, application of CM to the chicken chorioallantoic membrane increased vascular branching in an in vivo angiogenesis model. Antibody array analysis detected elevated levels of multiple pro-angiogenic factors following PDCD10 depletion. In a GBM mouse model, shPDCD10 tumors exhibited pronounced hypervascularity and stromal expansion. Indeed, immunofluorescence revealed colocalization of CD31 with the tumor cell reporter RFP in a subset of implanted shPDCD10 GBM cells, suggesting that these tumor cells acquired an endothelial molecular signature. PDCD10 loss also promoted a glioma stem cell (GSC)-like phenotype, characterized by enhanced clonogenicity, sphere formation, and upregulation of Nestin, KLF4, and SOX2. Under endothelial induction conditions, shPDCD10 sphere-derived cells exhibited endothelial-like characters, showing greater tube-forming capacity and increased Ac-LDL uptake. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that PDCD10 loss promotes GBM neo-angiogenesis involving complementary paracrine and GSC-like plasticity mechanisms, highlighting PDCD10 as a potential therapeutic target to suppress neo-angiogenesis in GBM. Full article

Deep metal mines commonly contain vertically stacked goafs whose geometry and rock mass properties are incompletely documented. This study evaluates a field-constrained screening framework for high-displacement material scenarios at the Lehong Pb-Zn mine. The framework combines a Latin hypercube sampling (LHS)-FLAC3D response library with static Bayesian inference. Evidence comprised 93 goaf records, 186 Mathews exposed-surface assessments, laboratory constraints, and 40 archived numerical scenarios, whose maximum downward displacement ranged from 4.48 to 31.75 cm. Friction angle φ showed the strongest marginal Pearson correlation with displacement (r = −0.81), followed by cohesion (r = −0.55) and elastic modulus (r = −0.22). At the response library Q75 threshold of 15.04 cm, the Laplace-smoothed probability increased from 0.262 (95% credible interval, 0.142–0.403) across all scenarios to 0.600 (0.352–0.824) under joint cohesion–friction angle degradation. However, the archived design was not an ideal 40-point LHS, and bootstrap resampling retained the scenario ordering in only 45.8–54.8% of replicates. All 93 inventory identifiers matched the Mathews stability table, enabling reproducible site-level triage when Bayesian network results are combined with treatment and stability evidence. The framework is an exploratory screening tool rather than an absolute failure probability model, collapse propagation model, or dynamic early warning system. Full article

Stanniocalcin-1 (STC-1) is a multifunctional glycoprotein; however, its role in protecting intestinal epithelial cells against oxidative injury has not been completely elucidated. This study investigated the cytoprotective effects and underlying molecular mechanisms of STC-1 overexpression in porcine intestinal epithelial (IPEC-J2) cells subjected to tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP)-induced oxidative stress. IPEC-J2 cells were transfected with pcDNA3.1/STC-1 prior to TBHP challenge. STC-1 overexpression markedly rescued cells from TBHP-induced cytotoxicity and cell death, and was associated with a reduced Bax/Bcl-2 ratio. Concurrently, elevated STC-1 expression dramatically suppressed intracellular reactive oxygen species and mitochondrial superoxide accumulation while preserving the mitochondrial membrane potential. These physiological improvements were accompanied by enhanced total antioxidant capacity and activities of key antioxidant enzymes. Mechanistically, STC-1 overexpression enhanced autophagic flux and promoted Pink1/Parkin-mediated mitophagy to eliminate dysfunctional mitochondria. Furthermore, STC-1 upregulation potentiated the AMPK–Nrf2/Sirt1 signaling axis and the subsequent transcriptional upregulation of mitochondrial quality control markers, including FoxO1, PGC-1α, and TFAM, under stress conditions. Collectively, these findings demonstrate that STC-1 safeguards porcine intestinal cells against oxidative injury by orchestrating a cooperative defense network encompassing ROS scavenging, mitochondrial homeostasis, and antioxidant defense amplification via the AMPK–Nrf2/Sirt1 pathway, highlighting a potential therapeutic target for preventing stress-associated intestinal disorders in piglets. Full article

Severe pulmonary diseases, including atelectasis, pneumonia, and meconium aspiration syndrome, are major causes of neonatal respiratory distress, weaning difficulties, ventilator or oxygen dependence, prolonged oxygen requirements, extended hospitalization, and poor prognosis. The lack of simple and effective treatment strategies seriously endangers the survival and health of newborns, particularly premature infants. Recent advances in lung ultrasound (LUS) technology have made LUS-guided non-fiberobronchoscopic bronchoalveolar lavage (NFB-BAL) a promising solution. This approach addresses the limitations of conventional BAL in neonates by enabling accurate diagnosis, precise lesion localization, and dynamic procedural monitoring, hence reducing complications. Based on international expert consensus, these guidelines were developed to improve knowledge and promote the application of this technology and enhance operational standardization to ensure its effectiveness and safety. These guidelines contain 17 recommendations on 13 key clinical issues for reference and implementation in clinical practice. The wide application of these guidelines is expected to help significantly improve the prognosis of critically ill newborns with atelectatic pulmonary diseases. Full article

Background: Portal vein tumor thrombus (PVTT) marks advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and carries a dismal prognosis. Survival varies widely even within this stage, yet simple tools for individualized risk stratification remain scarce. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled 134 HCC patients with PVTT and randomly divided them into a training set (n = 94) and a validation set (n = 40). Clinical predictors were selected by variance inflation factor screening and backward elimination Cox regression. A radiomics score (Rad-score) was constructed from portal-venous phase computed tomography (CT) images using Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) Cox regression with 10-fold cross-validation. Three Cox models were built: a clinical model, an imaging model based solely on the Rad-score, and a combined model integrating both. Discrimination was assessed by C-index and time-dependent area under the curve (AUC). Calibration was examined with bootstrap-based calibration curves. Decision curve analysis evaluated net benefit. A nomogram was developed from the combined model. Results: Four clinical variables (alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), body mass index (BMI), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and alkaline phosphatase (ALP)) and two CT texture features (GLRLM_SRHGE and GLZLM_SZHGE) were retained as independent predictors. The combined model gave the highest C-index in both the training set (0.843) and the internal validation set (0.815). Its 1-year AUC reached 0.953 and 0.947 in the two sets. Calibration slopes ranged from 1.044 to 1.291 across time points, indicating a tendency toward mild overdispersion; nevertheless, decision curve analysis confirmed net benefit across clinically relevant thresholds. The combined model offered greater net benefit than either single-domain model across a 0–50% threshold range. A nomogram incorporating all five predictors was generated for individualized 12- and 24-month survival prediction. Conclusions: A combined model integrating routine laboratory variables and a CT-based radiomics score improved survival prediction over clinical or imaging models alone. The corresponding nomogram uses inputs from a basic blood panel and a single portal-venous phase CT, suggesting its potential as a low-cost prognostic stratification tool for HCC patients with PVTT, although external validation in prospective multicenter cohorts is required before clinical implementation. Full article

Phytoene, a colorless precursor of carotenoids, has attracted increasing attention because of its favorable bioavailability, antioxidant activity, and potential applications in functional foods, nutraceuticals, and animal nutrition. However, its industrial utilization remains limited by low natural abundance and the dependence of current production strategies on genetic engineering or metabolic pathway manipulation. In this study, we identified and characterized a naturally occurring Brevundimonas vesicularis strain (Bv-xms2024) exhibiting pronounced phytoene accumulation without genetic modification. The strain was comprehensively characterized using morphological, biochemical, molecular, genomic, metabolomic, and transcriptional analyses. Quantitative LC–MS/MS analysis demonstrated that Bv-xms2024 accumulated phytoene to 420.42 ± 98.11 μg/g dry biomass after 96 h of cultivation, substantially exceeding the levels of downstream carotenoids, including β-carotene and astaxanthin. Optimization of cultivation parameters identified 25 °C, pH 7.0, and 96 h as the optimal conditions for phytoene accumulation, while serial passaging confirmed stable production over 20 generations. Genome annotation identified the carotenoid biosynthetic gene repertoire, while RT-qPCR analysis revealed a temporal shift from early upregulation of crtE and crtB to later upregulation of downstream pathway genes, consistent with the observed phytoene-dominant carotenoid profile. Short-term tolerance evaluations in mice and chickens revealed no observable adverse effects under the tested conditions. Collectively, these findings identify Bv-xms2024 as a promising natural microbial resource for phytoene production and provide a basis for further process development and strain-level safety evaluation. Full article

Afghanistan’s Panjshir Valley is an important emerald-producing region in Asia. In this study, emeralds from Kamar Safid in Southeastern Panjshir were investigated by Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), Raman spectroscopy, ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared (UV-Vis-NIR) spectroscopy, and laser ablation–inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS). These Kamar Safid emeralds are generally small, light-green-to-green crystals. Microscopic observations revealed abundant acicular and tubular three- or two-phase fluid inclusions, with transparent feldspar-group mineral inclusions. Solid phases in the fluid inclusions commonly consist of carbonate crystals or several transparent halite daughter crystals. FTIR spectra of samples indicated that the absorption of type II H₂O was higher than type I H₂O in the emeralds from Kamar Safid. The UV-Vis-NIR spectra are characterized by Cr- and V-related absorption bands, which are stronger than Fe-related absorptions. LA-ICP-MS results indicate slightly higher V contents and lower Cr contents than emeralds from other Panjshir mining areas. The relatively low total Cr and V contents of Kamar Safid emeralds account for the overall lighter color, suggesting that Cr and V are the principal chromophores, whereas Fe secondarily modifies hue. Rb, Cs, and Sc contents are 6.2–24.3 ppm, 11.9–141.6 ppm, and 92–1461 ppm, with total alkali contents of 4903.10–14,257.18 ppm. Cs-Rb, Cs-Sc, Li-Cs, and Li-Sc binary logarithmic diagrams indicate enrichment in Sc and Rb and depletion in Li and Cs. Full article

The 24 solar terms (STs) comprise a traditional Chinese seasonal calendar that has long guided agricultural practices, but their agronomic relevance under observed historical climate change remains uncertain. We assessed 24 STs’ applicability in Shanxi Province using climate records from 23 meteorological stations during 1960–2019. Climate trends were analyzed at the ST scale, and the Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer (DSSAT) CERES-Maize model, calibrated for Denghai 679, was applied to simulate maize phenology and yield for evaluating phenological shifts and sowing-date effects. Results showed that (1) warming was concentrated during Yushui–Qingming and Xiaoxue–Dahan, with sunshine declines across Mangzhong–Xiaoshu and Bailu–Hanlu. Precipitation trends were weak and spatially variable. (2) The calibrated CERES-Maize model reliably reproduced regional yields and phenology. Simulated V3 growth stage, anthesis, and maturity dates advanced by 1.53, 1.88, and 3.11 days per decade, respectively. V3 was associated with early-spring hydrothermal and radiation conditions, while anthesis and maturity were closely associated with summer heat during the STs Xiazhi, Xiaoshu, and Dashu. (3) Model-derived optimal ST/hou sowing windows were Guyu–H2–H3, Xiaoman–H1–H2, and Xiaoman–H2–H3 for Northern, Central, and Southern Shanxi, respectively. Optimized sowing shifted V3 towards Xiaoman–Mangzhong, delayed anthesis from early Xiaoshu to late Dashu–Liqiu, and postponed maturity towards Qiufen, all referring to STs. These findings provide a scientific basis for continued use of the 24 STs in guiding agricultural practices for maize. Full article

Root hairs are tubular protrusions of root epidermal cells that expand the root surface area to facilitate water and nutrient uptake. The target of rapamycin (TOR) kinase has been identified as a positive regulator of root hair elongation, and the RHD6-RSL4 bHLH transcriptional cascade is well established as a core module that governs root hair morphogenesis. However, whether TOR signaling acts upstream of the RHD6-RSL4 pathway and how glucose signals are integrated into this transcriptional regulatory network during root hair development remain incompletely understood. In this study, transcriptome profiling combined with pharmacological and genetic functional assays was performed to elucidate the TOR-mediated transcriptional regulatory pathway of root hair elongation in Arabidopsis. Chemical inhibition of TOR triggered genome-wide transcriptional reprogramming in seedling roots, including disruption of auxin and ethylene signal transduction and pronounced downregulation of hundreds of genes related to root hair development. Glucose-activated TOR signaling modulates the expression of root hair-specific (RHS) genes mainly through the core RHD6-RSL4 transcriptional cascade. The transcription of RSL1–RSL5 was strongly dependent on functional TOR activity, whereas RHD6 transcript abundance was specifically induced by glucose–TOR signaling under carbon-starvation recovery conditions. Genetic overexpression of either RHD6 or RSL4 partially rescued root hair elongation defects caused by TOR suppression, confirming that the RHD6-RSL4 cascade functions as a critical downstream transcriptional module of glucose–TOR signaling. Collectively, this work establishes a transcriptional framework in which glucose–TOR signals modulate root hair elongation via transcriptional activation of the master bHLH regulators RHD6 and RSL4. Full article