Search Results (408)

This study quantified nutrient accumulation and partitioning among the kernel, shell, husk, rachis, and leaves during fruit development in three macadamia cultivars. Racemes and leaves were sampled at biweekly intervals until kernel maturity. The shell and rachis ceased to accumulate biomass earlier in the season than the husk or kernel. Nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) were the dominant nutrients accumulated in the fruit. Despite declining concentrations between 80 and 140 DAF, total kernel nutrient content continued to increase, indicating sustained nutrient import during this critical period. The kernel was the primary sink for N, phosphorus (P), sulfur (S), and magnesium (Mg), with peak accumulation occurring during rapid kernel growth at 80–175 days after flowering (DAF). In contrast, the accumulation of calcium (Ca) and manganese (Mn) into the kernel ceased earlier, suggesting limited late-stage mobility. The husk accumulated more K than the kernel and remained an active sink for K, S, Mg, Ca, and Mn until maturity, while N, P, and boron (B) accumulation slowed after ~107 DAF. The shell contributed minimally to nutrient demand, with N, zinc (Zn), and B accumulation ceasing after shell hardening (90–110 DAF). The cultivars exhibited consistent temporal patterns, differing mainly in magnitude. Nutrient partitioning efficiency among- the fruit components was highest for cv. A38. The rachis acted as a transient sink early in development before declining in mobile nutrients, while leaf nutrient dynamics did not reflect fruit demand. Full article

Rice grain quality is strongly influenced by starch composition and structure, which differ between the two major cultivated Oryza sativa subspecies, indica and japonica. Although allelic variation in several key genes has been linked to these differences, it remains unclear whether subspecies divergence in starch metabolism is more strongly reflected in gene repertoire, structural organization, promoter composition, or transcriptional regulation. Here, we identified 52 starch metabolism-related genes representing 26 orthologous gene pairs in indica and japonica rice and compared their gene structures, predicted promoter cis-regulatory elements, and grain-filling expression patterns. The analyzed gene set was largely conserved between the two subspecies, with limited structural variation among orthologs. Although promoter analysis revealed differences in predicted cis-regulatory element composition, the strongest divergence was observed at the transcriptional level during grain filling. At 10 days after flowering (DAFs), RNA-seq profiling revealed relatively higher expression of several starch biosynthesis genes, including SSI, SSIIa, and BEI, in japonica than in indica. qRT-PCR further confirmed higher expression of SSI, SSIIa, BEIIb, and GBSSI in japonica, whereas AGPS2b was more highly expressed in indica during early grain filling. By 30 DAFs, expression of most tested genes had declined markedly in both subspecies. These findings indicate that divergence between indica and japonica is more clearly associated with transcriptional regulation during grain filling than with major differences in core starch metabolism gene content or structural organization. Full article

Multiple studies have demonstrated that the conjugation of various metal cores to a modified tamoxifen vector amplifies its antitumor activity, rendering such engineered structures effective even in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), a tumor subtype traditionally considered irrelevant for endocrine therapy. With a focus on TNBC cell line, this study shows that hybrids with Pd- and Cu- in comparison to Pt-based counterparts exerted an advanced cytotoxic profile in terms of sustained cytotoxicity throughout all tested periods, well synchronized with an intensive and prolonged oxidative burst measured by 4-amino-5-methylamino-2′,7′-difluorofluorescein diacetate (DAF-FM), dihydroethidium (DHE), and dihydrorhodamine 123 (DHR-123) in the background. Translation to the orthotopic syngeneic mouse in vivo model confirmed their superiority toward Pt-based conjugates, as well as tamoxifen alone, with a more profound tumor-reducing potential of Cu-tamoxifen, which was finally restricted by its toxicity. Surprisingly, the tamoxifen vector per se, with an approx. 2-fold lower cytotoxic potential than Pt- and Cu-hybrids in vitro, showed exceptional tumor-reducing potential in vivo, profiled in the last days of the treatment period. Intensive infiltration of immune cells, preferentially lymphocytes, was observed in tumor samples from animals exposed to the tamoxifen vector, underscoring the ligand’s immune potential and again suggesting that cytotoxicity is not a measure of successful treatment. Full article

This study investigates the influence of key parameters—vehicle speed, weight, loading lane, and pavement roughness—on the Dynamic Amplification Factor (DAF) and ride comfort of a beam–arch composite continuous rigid-frame bridge under vehicle–bridge coupling. A six-span bridge is analyzed using a spatial beam-element model in ANSYS and a typical three-axle vehicle model is adopted to conduct the coupled dynamic response analysis. Based on the modal and structural characteristics of this bridge, key response indices are selected, including vertical displacement and bending moment at midspan, longitudinal displacement and bending moment at pier top, arch crown displacement, and tensile force in the long hanger. Control sections are identified in Span 4 (midspan, arch crown, long hanger) and at the top of Pier 16. The results demonstrate that pavement roughness significantly influences ride comfort, with the root mean square (RMS) value varying up to 107%, whereas the loading lane shows a negligible effect. Vehicle speed effects are divided into two distinct regimes: at 60 km/h and within 70–90 km/h, with dynamic responses in the higher speed range approximately 22% greater. Increasing vehicle weight raises the peak dynamic response by up to 77.68%, but does not lead to a proportional increase in DAF. Transverse loading eccentricity has a more pronounced impact on vertical bridge responses (>20% change) than on longitudinal responses (<10% change). Deterioration in pavement roughness elevates both dynamic response and DAF, with maximum increases reaching 27.97% and 28%, respectively. Full article

Cross-domain formations composed of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) and Unmanned Surface Vessels (USVs) are critical for maritime defense but face significant challenges in countering complex aerial threats and developing flexible, collaborative strategies. Addressing the limitations of traditional decision support systems in semantic understanding and dynamic adaptation, this paper proposes a novel Large Language Model (LLM)-driven decision support framework grounded in the Department of Defense Architecture Framework (DoDAF). By integrating Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with a domain-specific knowledge base, the framework enhances the LLM’s ability to align natural-language directives with standardized DoDAF view models, effectively mitigating hallucinations in tactical generation. The proposed framework coordinates a closed-loop process, using Petri net-based static logic verification to ensure structural consistency and Monte Carlo-based dynamic effectiveness evaluation to optimize the selection of kill chains. Experimental validations in a simulated UAV-USV maritime defense scenario demonstrate that the framework achieves 96.6% entity accuracy and 100% format compliance in model generation. In comparison, the generated cooperative kill chains significantly outperform non-cooperative methods by improving interception efficacy by approximately 26.08% under saturation attack conditions. This study develops an automated, interpretable workflow that transforms unstructured situational understanding into decision reporting, significantly enhancing the efficiency and reliability of cross-domain collaborative mission planning. Full article

This study evaluated the susceptibility of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) cultivars to Euschistus heros feeding across various phenological stages. Three cultivars (IPR Curió, IPR Sabiá, and IPR Urutau) were infested with 0.5 insects per plant for eight days starting at anthesis and 8, 16, 24, 32, and 40 days after flowering (DAF) using a randomized block design with five replicates. E. heros did not significantly impact grain yield or reproductive abscission, except for the IPR Curió cultivar during flowering, which demonstrated substantial qualitative damage. Feeding injury resulted in increased grain punctures and the grading of commercial classification to Type 2. The most critical susceptibility period occurred during the grain-filling stages (16–24 DAF). IPR Curió was the most sensitive cultivar, exhibiting Type 2 status at both 16 and 24 DAF. These findings demonstrate that although common beans exhibit quantitative tolerance to E. heros at the tested density, qualitative damage during grain development significantly compromises marketability and value. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) should prioritize protecting the crop during mid-to-late reproductive stages to ensure that grain quality standards are met. Full article

Bud sport mutations are valuable sources of citrus germplasm innovation and provide an ideal system to dissect genetic regulation of specific traits. The Ponkan mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco cv. Ponkan) bud sport mutant “Pumpkin mandarin” displays a Pumpkin-shaped, ribbed peel protrusion phenotype with elevated soluble sugars, but its molecular basis remains unclear. Here, wild-type Ponkan (PG) and Pumpkin mandarin (NG) were compared across six developmental stages (90–240 days after flowering, DAF) for fruit appearance and internal quality, peel firmness, and tissue morphology; RNA-seq was performed on mature peel at 240 DAF. Peel protrusion was detectable as early as flowering. NG showed significantly lower mature fruit weight and consistently higher soluble sugar content throughout development. Peel firmness exhibited a stage-dependent reversal: NG exceeded PG before 180 DAF, PG exceeded NG at 180–210 DAF, and NG again exceeded PG at 240 DAF. RNA-seq generated 41.38 Gb of high-quality data and identified 580 differentially expressed genes (DEGs; 411 upregulated, 169 downregulated). DEGs were enriched in cell wall organization/modification, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, starch and sucrose metabolism, cutin/wax biosynthesis, and photosynthesis. Expansin (EXP) and GH18 genes were upregulated, while NAM genes encoding NAC transcription factors were downregulated, suggesting an imbalance between cell wall loosening and structural maintenance in protrusion formation. Peel DEGs also included upregulated sucrose synthase (SUS) and sugar transporter (SUT) genes, indicating carbohydrate-related reprogramming in mutant peel. We propose a preliminary network in which NAM may function upstream, cell wall remodeling represents a principal effector module, and the peel carbohydrate metabolism acts as an accompanying module. Full article

It is widely recognized that microbial inoculants (MI) and bio-organic fertilizers (BOFs) containing beneficial microorganisms can play an important role in improving orchard soil properties and enhancing fruit quality. However, insufficient data regarding the relevant fruit quality effects hindered the supplementary MI and BOFs in kiwifruit cultivation. Using conventional fertilization management as the control, this study investigated the impacts of supplementary applications of MI and BOFs at two gradient dosages on the harvest-time quality and cold storage characteristics of ‘Puyu’ yellow-fleshed kiwifruit. Regarding leaf physiological indices and soil pH, MI-3.0 and BOF-20 treatments significantly elevated total chlorophyll content at 60 days after flowering (DAF) (the fruit expansion stage). Leaf nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents declined gradually during fruit development, while MI-2.0 and BOF-10 treatments markedly promoted leaf P accumulation at 20–100 DAF. Additionally, the MI-2.0 treatment significantly reduced 20–40 cm subsoil pH, which is favorable for kiwifruit plants that prefer acidic and slightly acidic conditions. On the other hand, appropriate doses of MI and BOF treatments exerted a significant effect on improving the quality of kiwifruit at the ripening stage. These effects were mainly manifested in the increased single fruit weight, firmness, dry matter content and total soluble solids (TSSs) of kiwifruit following MI-3.0 and BOF-20 treatments. Furthermore, MI-3.0 and BOF-10 notably elevated the fructose and glucose contents in both flesh and core, as well as sucrose and ascorbic acid (AsA) contents in the flesh; MI-2.0 and BOF treatments significantly increased citric and malic acids in the core and quinic acid in the flesh. During cold storage, the BOF-20 treatment not only delayed the occurrence of the ethylene peak by 20 d and significantly reduced its peak value, but also alleviated the decline in total acid content at the middle storage stage (20–40 d). Additionally, MI-2.0 and BOF-20 treatments effectively delayed kiwifruit softening at the early storage stage (0–10 d), and MI treatments maintained a high AsA content in the core during 10–20 d of cold storage. MI and BOF fertilization treatments had little effect on the dynamic change trends of sucrose synthase (SuS), sucrose phosphate synthase (SPS) and acid invertase (AI) in kiwifruit during cold storage, only exerting significant effects at specific time points. In conclusion, supplementary applications of MI and BOFs could improve kiwifruit quality at the harvest stage by positively regulating the accumulation of dry matter, soluble sugars and organic acid contents, and also have the potential to enhance the storage performance of kiwifruit. These findings provide a scientific basis for establishing an effective fertilization regime for kiwifruit. Full article

Existing remote sensing change detection methods often struggle to accurately capture the contours of complex change targets and subtle textural differences. This makes it difficult to effectively distinguish between the boundaries of change targets and the background. To address this challenge, we propose a novel method called spatial-frequency decoupling alignment encoding (SDA-Encoding), which is designed to fully leverage information from both the spatial and frequency domains. Specifically, we first use a Transformer encoder to extract bi-temporal features. Next, we apply wavelet transform to decouple these features into low-frequency and high-frequency components. In the multi-scale high-frequency interaction (MHI) module, we combine local spatial enhancement using spatial pyramid pooling with cross-scale dependency supplementation via the dual-domain alignment fusion (DAF) module. Meanwhile, in the position-aware low-frequency enhancement (PLE) module, spatial position sensitivity is restored using coordinate attention, and region-level contextual dependencies are captured through the selective fusion attention (SFA) module. Finally, the two frequency-domain branches are complementarily fused within the spatial domain to achieve unified detection of both fine-grained and structural changes. Experimental results on three benchmark datasets demonstrate the significant performance improvements of SDA-Encoding. Full article

Power load forecasting is a core technical component for achieving safe, stable, and economic operation in smart grids. This paper proposes a hybrid BiLSTM–Transformer forecasting method based on a Dynamic Adaptive Fusion (DAF) module. The core of this method involves utilizing the DAF module to adaptively weight different feature channels to highlight key influencing factors, while simultaneously employing a temporal attention mechanism to capture the contributions of various time steps. Building on this, the model effectively combines the strengths of BiLSTM networks in capturing bidirectional dependencies with the capability of Transformer models to extract global contextual features, thereby achieving a multi-level dynamic fusion of load characteristics. Experiments on real-world grid datasets demonstrate that the proposed method achieves a significant performance improvement over traditional models, particularly in terms of load peak prediction accuracy and stability. This provides effective technical support for the refined scheduling of power systems. Full article

6-PPD quinine (6-PPDQ) affects intestinal barrier function; however, its underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. In the current study, we examined the role of reduction in phosphatidic acid synthesis in mediating the toxicity of 6-PPDQ in affecting intestinal barrier function. In Caenorhabditis elegans, 6-PPDQ exposure reduced the phosphatidic acid content, which was accompanied by the decreased expression of acl-5 and acl-6 encoding glycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase. The RNAi of acl-5 and acl-6 lowered the phosphatidic acid content, enhanced intestinal permeability, and resulted in the increased accumulation of 6-PPDQ. Meanwhile, acl-5 and acl-6 RNAi caused susceptibility to 6-PPDQ toxicity by upregulating the expressions of insulin ligands and receptor genes and downregulating the expressions of daf-16 and its target genes. Moreover, the RNAi of acl-5 and acl-6 elevated the expression of let-363, and the RNAi of let-363 could reduce the expressions of insulin ligand genes and confer resistance to 6-PPDQ toxicity. The double RNAi of acl-5 and acl-6 caused more severe enhanced intestinal permeability and 6-PPDQ toxicity. Therefore, 6-PPDQ exposure potentially disrupts phosphatidic acid synthesis to affect intestinal barrier function by downregulating acl-5 and acl-6 expressions. Full article

Dissolved-air flotation (DAF) is widely used for surface-water pretreatment but remains insufficiently explored for chemically complex groundwater. This study develops a thermodynamic and bubble-dynamics modeling framework to evaluate the feasibility of DAF pretreatment for groundwater containing elevated arsenic, natural organic matter (NOM), and color. The study is theoretical and model-based; no experimental dissolved-air flotation tests were performed. Air solubility was calculated at pressures of 4–6 bar and temperatures of 13–17 °C, while microbubble size, rise velocity, and bubble–floc interaction efficiencies were estimated using established physical models. Laboratory coagulation–flocculation jar tests with FeCl₃ and FeCl₃/PAC were used to define realistic floc properties prior to flotation modeling. No experimental dissolved-air flotation tests were conducted; all flotation-related results presented in this study are derived from thermodynamic and hydrodynamic modeling. Results show that a temperature decrease from 17 to 13 °C increases effective gas supersaturation by ~15% and shifts predicted microbubble diameters from ~60–90 µm to ~35–60 µm under identical operating conditions. The qualitative consistency between modeled flotation-relevant parameters and previously observed coagulation–flocculation trends for color, total organic carbon, and arsenic removal supports the proposed mechanistic framework. The study demonstrates how coupling coagulation chemistry with thermodynamically optimized air dissolution can enhance DAF applicability for arsenic- and NOM-rich groundwater. Full article

Coffee silverskin (CSS), the major by-product of coffee roasting, is reported to contain bioactive compounds, including xanthines and polyphenols, showing promising potential for food and nutraceutical applications. This study investigated the beneficial effects of CSS hydroalcoholic extracts, which were chemically characterized by Attenuated Total Reflectance–Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy and ElectroSpray Ionization tandem Mass Spectrometry, on Caenorhabditis elegans physiology. CSS supplementation improved healthspan-related parameters and delayed aging-associated functional decline, without significantly extending lifespan in wild-type nematodes. Treated worms exhibited a 57% reduction in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and upregulation of antioxidant genes (gst-4 and sod-3), suggesting that CSS mitigates oxidative stress through the DAF-2/DAF-16 pathway. Under high-glucose diet conditions, CSS reduced lipid droplet accumulation and modulated the expression of metabolic genes, including upregulation of nhr-49 which is a key regulator of fatty acid oxidation. CSS restored lipid homeostasis and rescued the shortened lifespan of obese nhr-49 mutant worms, suggesting enhanced β-oxidation. Moreover, CSS modulated serotonergic signaling by increasing tph-1 and ser-6 expression, linking its effects to serotonin-mediated regulation of fat metabolism. Finally, CSS promoted the growth of probiotic strains, suggesting potential prebiotic properties. Overall, these findings identify CSS as a metabolic modulator capable of alleviating oxidative and metabolic stress, supporting its sustainable application in the development of functional foods and nutraceuticals. Full article

Objectives: We aimed to compare performance-based functional ability and cognitive screening performance to determine the cortical thickness relationship in cognitively unimpaired (CN) elders, mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and dementia patients, as well as to compare performance-based and proxy-evaluated functional ability and to determine its cerebral white and gray matter correlates. Methods: In total, 22 CN, 32 MCI, and 21 dementia patients were included in this study. They underwent clinical, cognitive, and Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) assessment. Individuals were evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Rey Auditory Verbal Learning test (RAVLT), the Activities of Daily Living Questionnaire (ADL-Q) and the Direct Assessment of Functional Status-Revised (DAFS-R). Results: Higher ADL-Q scores were significantly associated with lower cortical thickness (bilateral temporoparietal regions, including the inferior temporal lobes and precuneus), p < 0.05. The DAFS-R scale showed a relationship with greater cortical thickness across extensive regions of the bilateral frontal, parietal, and temporal cortices (p < 0.05). MMSE presented a more focal association, primarily in canonical memory-related areas, including the medial and lateral temporal lobes and inferior parietal regions (p < 0.05). Conclusions: Functional independence measured by ADL-Q was associated with frontal and parietal cortical thickness, while DAFS-R scores demonstrated a more diffuse evaluation of cortical atrophy. Additionally, performance-based functional abilities according to the DAFS-R appear to be a stronger marker of cortical thickness than ADL-Q and MMSE. Full article

Paederia scandens (Lour.) Merr is a substance exhibiting medicine–food homology (MFH), commonly used in China. However, the antioxidant and anti-aging effects of paederoside (PSG) have not been thoroughly investigated; therefore, in this study, Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) was treated with PSG to investigate these effects. We found that 50, 80, and 100 μg/mL of PSG could prolong the lifespan of C. elegans, and administration of 100 μg/mL PSG significantly reduced the accumulation of lipofuscin. Under conditions of oxidative stress, RT-qPCR analysis revealed that PSG treatment significantly up-regulated the expression of key antioxidant gene skn-1 and longevity-associated gene daf-16. In addition, PSG increased the activity of the antioxidant enzymes SOD and CAT and reduced the level of MDA. When DAF-2 activity is reduced or inhibited in C. elegans, DAF-16 and SKN-1 are activated and translocate to the nucleus to promote stress resistance and prolong lifespan. Finally, by utilizing HeLa cell models, we demonstrated that the core component of Paederia scandens, PSG, promotes targeted degradation of IGF1R through the ubiquitin–proteasome system. Our results suggest that feeding C. elegans PSG is effective in extending this organism’s lifespan by improving oxidative stress resistance; thus, PSG has significant potential for development as an anti-aging food product and drug. Full article