Search Results (522)

Grapholita molesta is a globally significant fruit pest. Females achieve maximal reproductive output through efficient sperm utilization following a single copulation. Post-mating maturation of eupyrene sperm is a critical step in reproductive success. Here, we report that a male accessory gland-derived serine protease (named GmAGSP1) is essential for this process. GmAGSP1 was only distantly related to other identified sperm-activating SPs, and its transcript was highly expressed in the AG at 48 h after emergence. RNAi-mediated knockdown of GmAGSP1 in males did not affect courtship rate, copulation duration, or mating frequency, whereas male fertility decreased significantly. Mating with GmAGSP1-knockdown males markedly impaired eupyrene sperm maturation in the spermatophores, with phenotypes including failure of eupyrene sperm bundles to dissociate normally and marked reduction in viability of the dissociated eupyrene sperm. Finally, untargeted metabolomic analysis preliminarily demonstrated marked alterations in multiple metabolic pathways within the spermatophore following mating with GmAGSP1-knockdown males. This study advances our understanding of the regulatory mechanism of “sperm activation in the spermatophore’s metabolic microenvironment mediated by male AG-derived SP” while providing critical insights for the development of novel genetic control strategies targeting G. molesta. Full article

This study investigates syntactic parafoveal processing in Chinese reading using a boundary paradigm with two-character verb–object phrases. Participants (N = 120 undergraduates) viewed sentences with manipulated previews (identity, syntactically consistent, and inconsistent previews). Results showed a selective syntactic preview effect: syntactical violations reduced target word skipping rates, but fixation durations remained unaffected. This dissociation contrasts with robust syntactic preview benefits observed in alphabetic languages, highlighting how Chinese’s lack of morphological markers constrains parafoveal processing. The findings challenge parallel processing models while supporting language-specific modulation of universal cognitive mechanisms. Our results advance understanding of hierarchical information extraction in reading, with implications for developing cross-linguistic reading models. Full article

T-2 toxin, a type A trichothecene mycotoxin produced by Fusarium species, is widely present in cereals and their processed products, posing a significant contaminant in food safety. To address the food safety challenges caused by this toxin, we established a dual signal enhancement by magnetic separation and split aptamer for ultrasensitive T-2 toxin detection. In this method, the introduction of magnetic graphene oxide (MGO) enhanced signal and increased sensitivity by reducing background interference. The shortened split aptamer reduces non-specific binding to MGO via decreased steric hindrance, thereby facilitating rapid target-induced dissociation and signal generation. A FAM fluorophore-labeled split aptamer probe FAM-SpA1-1 was quenched by MGO. While the fluorescence intensity remained nearly unchanged when the unlabeled split aptamer probe SpA1-2 was introduced alone, a significant fluorescence recovery was observed upon simultaneous addition of SpA1-2 and T-2 toxin. This recovery resulted from the cooperative binding of SpA1-1 and SpA1-2 to T-2 toxin, which distanced the FAM-SpA1-1 probe from MGO. Therefore, the proposed biosensor demonstrated excellent stability, reproducibility, and specificity, with a linear response range of 10–500 pM and a limit of detection (LOD) of 0.83 pM. Satisfactory recovery rates were achieved in spiked wheat (86.0–114.2%) and beer (112.0–129.6%) samples, highlighting the biosensor’s potential for practical applications in real-sample detection. This study establishes the T-2 toxin split aptamer and demonstrates a novel dual-signal enhancement paradigm that pushes the sensitivity frontier of aptamer-based mycotoxin sensors. Full article

The mineral processing of a low-grade tungsten-molybdenum ore (LGTMO) was investigated to assess the potential of recovering molybdenum (Mo) and tungsten (W). Techniques such as Polarizing Microscope (PM), Scanning Electron Microscopy-Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS), Mineral Liberation Analysis (MLA), and Advanced Mineral Identification and Characterization System (AMICS) were employed. The recoverable metals in the ore are Mo (0.158% ± 0.03%) and W (0.076% ± 0.02%). Mo exists in two forms: 63.30% as molybdenite and 36.7% as powellite (CaMo_xW_1−xO₄). W is present as 75.26% scheelite and 24.74% powellite. The complete dissociation rates of molybdenite and scheelite-powellite are 27.14% and 88.87%, respectively. Particles of scheelite-powellite with a diameter less than 10 µm account for 34.61%, while molybdenite particles with a diameter below 10 µm make up 72.73%. Scheelite-powellite is mainly associated with olivine and dolomite, while molybdenite is mainly associated with pyroxene, calcite, and hornblende. Based on the process mineralogy, the mineralogical factors influencing the flotation recovery of molybdenite and scheelite-powellite were analyzed. Finally, a complete hydrometallurgical leaching test was carried out. The optimal experimental conditions are as follows: liquid-solid ratio of 6 mL/g, KMnO₄ concentration of 0.015 mol/L, Na₂CO₃ concentration of 0.12 mol/L, NaHCO₃ concentration of 0.024 mol/L, leaching time of 4 h, and leaching temperature of 85 °C. Under these conditions, the leaching efficiencies of Mo and W reach 79.23% and 41.41%, respectively. This study presents a novel approach for the recovery of refractory W and Mo resources in LGTMO while simultaneously providing a theoretical basis for the high-efficiency utilization of these resources. Full article

The selection of grinding media significantly impacts the resulting mineral’s liberation degree and grinding quality; this is particularly impactful for granite pegmatite-type quartz. Accordingly, in this study, we investigate the effects of different grinding media on the breakage characteristics of muscovite granite pegmatite-type quartz, focusing also on quartz mineral flotation. An analysis of scanning electron microscope images reveals distinct fracture characteristics among different minerals. Notably, the fractal dimension of mineral fracture roughness in ball-milled products is larger compared to that of rod-milled products, which exhibit a smaller fractal dimension. This fractal dimension serves as a quantitative measure of the microscopic morphology of mineral fractures in the grinding products, establishing a relationship between the roughness of the fractures and the type of grinding medium used. Further analysis of particle size distribution and mineral dissociation indicates that the rod mill produces a higher yield of coarse fractions compared to both ceramic and steel balls, while the fine fraction yield is significantly lower than that of the rod mill and steel balls. Importantly, the rod mill enhances the dissociation degree of quartz, suggesting that it can improve the liberation of mineral monomers and increase the yield of qualified fractions during the grinding process while effectively reducing the phenomenon of overgrinding. Our flotation experiments demonstrate that the recovery rate of quartz using the rod mill is 2.59% and 5.07% higher than that achieved with the ball mill and ceramic mill, respectively. These findings provide theoretical support for the optimization of grinding media and enhancement of mineral flotation recovery. Full article

Kasugamycin (KSM) is easily affected by photolysis, acid–base destruction, and oxidative decomposition in the natural environment, leading to its poor durability and low effective utilization rate, which affects its control effect on plant bacterial diseases. Nanomaterials modified with environment-responsive agents enable the control of the release of pesticides through intelligently responding to external stimuli, thereby improving efficacy and reducing environmental impact. In this study, a pH-responsive controlled release system was constructed using zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (ZIF-93) for the sustained and targeted delivery of KSM. The synthesized KSM@ZIF-93 exhibited a diameter of 63.93 ± 11.19 nm with a drug loading capacity of 20.0%. Under acidic conditions mimicking bacterial infection sites, the Schiff base bonds and coordination bonds in ZIF-93 dissociated, triggering the simultaneous release of KSM and Zn²⁺, achieving a synergistic antibacterial effect. Light stability experiments revealed a 34.81% reduction in UV-induced degradation of KSM when encapsulated in ZIF-93. In vitro antimicrobial assays demonstrated that KSM@ZIF-93 completely inhibited Erwinia amylovora at 200 mg/L and had better antibacterial activity and persistence than KSM and ZIF-93. The field experiment and safety evaluation showed that the control effect of KSM@ZIF-93 on pear fire blight at the concentration of 200 mg/L was (75.19 ± 3.63)% and had no toxic effect on pollen germination. This pH-responsive system not only enhances the stability and bioavailability of KSM but also provides a targeted and environmentally compatible strategy for managing bacterial infections during the flowering period of pear trees. Full article

A catalyst with the active component Cu loaded onto the carrier activated carbon was prepared, and metal Ca was introduced into the catalyst to modify it. This catalyst was used in the hydrogenation reaction of dimethyl oxalate, and the reaction kinetics was studied. The kinetic experiments were carried out in a fixed bed reactor with a reaction temperature varying from 483 K to 513 K, reaction pressure varying from 1.5 Mpa to 2.5 Mpa, and the weight hourly space velocity of dimethyl oxalate varying from 0.435 h⁻¹ to 0.726 h⁻¹. Eight possible dynamic models were proposed, the optimal model was selected, and the parameters of the optimal model were calculated using MATLAB. The results showed that dimethyl oxalate adsorbed on the active site by dissociation adsorption, and the dissociation adsorption of ester was the rate-controlling step. The parameters of the model were consistent with thermodynamics and statistical analysis, further proving that the model has good forecasting performance. Full article

This work examines how multiphase flow behavior during CO₂ and N₂ displacement in a microfluidic chip under capillary-dominated circumstances is affected by interfacial tension (IFT) and the viscosity ratio. In order to simulate real pore-scale displacement operations, microfluidic tests were performed on a 2D rock chip at flow rates of 1, 10, and 100 μL/min (displacement of water by N₂/supercritical CO₂). Moreover, core flooding experiments were performed on various sandstone samples collected from three different geological basins in Australia. Although CO₂ is notably denser and more viscous than N₂, the findings show that its displacement efficiency is more influenced by the IFT values. Low water recovery in CO₂ is the result of non-uniform displacement that results from a high mobility ratio and low IFT; this traps remaining water in smaller pores via snap-off mechanisms. However, due to the blebbing effect, N₂ injection enhances the dissociation of water clots, resulting in a greater swept area and fewer remaining water clusters. The morphological investigation of the residual water indicates various displacement patterns; CO₂ leaves more retained water in irregular shapes, while N₂ enables more uniform displacement. These results confirm earlier studies and suggest that IFT has a crucial role in fluid displacement proficiency in capillary-dominated flows, particularly at low flow rates. This study emphasizes the crucial role of IFT in improving water recovery through optimizing the CO₂ flooding process. Full article

Accurate detection of biomolecular interactions is essential in many areas, from the detection of the presence of biomarkers in the clinic to the development of therapeutic drugs and biologics in biopharma to the understanding of various biological processes in basic research. Traditional endpoint approaches can suffer from false-negative results for biomolecular interactions with fast kinetics. By contrast, real-time detection techniques like surface plasmon resonance (SPR) monitor interactions as they form and disassemble, reducing the risk of false-negative results. By leveraging cell-free expressed proteins captured on either glass or SPR biosensors and using two different commercial antibodies with variable off-rates that both target HaloTag antigens as a model, we compare and contrast results from a fluorescence endpoint assay versus real-time sensor-integrated proteome on chip (SPOC^®) SPR-based detection. In this study, we illustrate the limitations of the representative immunofluorescent endpoint assay when investigating transient interactions characterized by fast dissociation rates. We highlight the importance of choosing reagents well suited to the selected assay, as well as the importance of considering binding kinetics and protein ligand conformational states when interpreting results from binding assays, especially for applications as critical as the off-target screening of therapeutics. Full article

Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) represents a significant cause of morbidity and mortality in children under one year of age, a particularly vulnerable population due to immunological and respiratory immaturity. The diverse etiology includes multiple respiratory viruses such as Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV), influenza, rhinovirus, and SARS-CoV-2, each with distinct potential to cause severe illness and death. Understanding the specific incidence and lethality by etiological agents in the recent Brazilian context (2024), after the COVID-19 pandemic, is essential to guide surveillance and public health strategies. This study aimed to analyze the risk of incidence and lethality by specific etiology of SARS in children under one year of age hospitalized in Brazil during the year 2024. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using secondary data from the 2024 Influenza Epidemiological Surveillance Information System (SIVEP-Gripe), obtained via OpenDataSUS. Reported cases of SARS hospitalized in children <1 year of age in Brazil were included. Distribution by final classification and epidemiological week (EW) was analyzed; the incidence rate by Federative Unit (FU) (cases/100,000 < 1 year) with risk classification (Low/Moderate/High) was assessed; and, for cases with positive viral RT-PCR, the etiological frequency and virus-specific lethality rate (deaths/total cases of etiology ×100), also with risk classification, were extracted. A multivariate logistic regression model was performed for the risk factors of death. A total of 66,170 cases of SARS were reported in children under 1 year old (national incidence: 2663/100,000), with a seasonal peak between April and May. The majority of cases were classified as “SARS due to another respiratory virus” (49.06%) or “unspecified” (37.46%). Among 36,009 cases with positive RT-PCR, RSV (50.06%) and rhinovirus (26.97%) were the most frequent. The overall lethality in RT-PCR-positive cases was 1.28%. Viruses such as parainfluenza 4 (8.57%), influenza B (2.86%), parainfluenza 3 (2.49%), and SARS-CoV-2 (2.47%) had higher lethality. The multivariate model identified parainfluenza 4 (OR = 6.806), chronic kidney disease (OR = 3.820), immunodeficiency (OR = 3.680), Down Syndrome (OR = 3.590), heart disease (OR = 3.129), neurological disease (OR = 2.250), low O₂ saturation (OR = 1.758), SARS-CoV-2 (OR = 1.569) and respiratory distress (OR = 1.390) as risk factors for death. Cough (OR = 0.477) and RSV (OR = 0.736) were associated with a lower chance of death. The model had good calibration (Hosmer–Lemeshow p = 0.693) and overall significance (p < 0.001). SARS represented a substantial burden of hospitalizations, with marked seasonal and geographic patterns. RSV and rhinovirus were the main agents responsible for the volume of confirmed cases but had a relatively low to moderate risk of lethality. In contrast, less frequent viruses such as parainfluenza 4, influenza B, parainfluenza 3, and SARS-CoV-2 were associated with a significantly higher risk of death. These findings highlight the importance of dissociating frequency from lethality and reinforce the need to strengthen etiological surveillance, improve diagnosis, and direct preventive strategies (such as immunizations) considering the specific risk of each pathogen for this vulnerable population. Full article

This study investigated the effects of potassium magnesium sulfate (PMS) on intestinal dissociation and absorption rate, immune function, and expression of the NOD-like receptor thermal domain-associated protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, aquaporins (AQPs), and potassium and magnesium ion channels in weaned piglets. Experiment 1 involved the assessment of the dissociation rate of PMS in pig digestive fluid and the absorption rate of PMS in the small intestine using an Ussing chamber in vitro. In Experiment 2, 216 healthy 21-day-old weaned piglets were selected and randomly assigned to six groups (0%, 0.15%, 0.30%, 0.45%, 0.60%, and 0.75% PMS), with each group 6 replicates of six piglets per replicate. The in vitro Ussing chamber results indicated that the absorption of K⁺ and Mg²⁺ in the jejunum and ileum was significantly higher than that in the duodenum (p < 0.05). The in vivo study demonstrated that the addition of PMS resulted in a linear increase in serum K⁺, IgG, and interleukin (IL)-2 levels while simultaneously reducing serum IL-1β levels (p < 0.05). Dietary PMS significantly elevated serum IL-10 and Mg²⁺ levels in feces (p < 0.05). Furthermore, supplementation with 0.60% or 0.75% PMS significantly downregulated the mRNA expression of NLRP3 in the jejunum (p < 0.05). Dietary PMS supplementation linearly reduced the mRNA expression levels of cysteine protease 1 (Caspase-1) and IL-1β in both the jejunum and colon as well as the mRNA expression levels of two-pore domain channel subfamily K member 5 (KCNK5) in these regions (p < 0.05). Notably, supplementation with 0.15% PMS significantly decreased the mRNA expression of transient receptor potential channel 6 (TRPM6) in the jejunum and significantly increased the expression of TRPM6 in the colon (p < 0.05). Dietary addition of 0.45% and 0.60% PMS significantly increased the mRNA expression of aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in the colon (p < 0.05), whereas 0.75% PMS significantly increased the mRNA expression of aquaporin 8 (AQP8) in both the jejunum and colon. Moreover, the expression levels of AQP3 and AQP8 were significantly negatively correlated with the diarrhea rate observed between days 29 and 42. In conclusion, dietary PMS supplementation improved immune function, inhibited the activation of intestinal NLRP3, and modulated the expression of water and ion channels in weaned piglets, thereby contributing to the maintenance of intestinal water and ion homeostasis, which could potentially alleviate post-weaning diarrhea in piglets. The recommended supplemental level of PMS in the corn-soybean basal diet for weaned piglets is 0.30%. Full article

Interspecific and intersectional crosses have introduced valuable genetic traits for blueberry (Vaccinium sect. Cyanococcus) cultivar improvement. Introgression from Vaccinium species at the diploid, tetraploid, and hexaploid levels has been found in cultivated blueberries. Continued efforts to integrate wild blueberry genetic resources into blueberry breeding are essential to broaden the genetic diversity of cultivated blueberries. However, performing heteroploid crosses among Vaccinium species is challenging. Polyploid induction through tissue culture has been useful in bridging ploidy barriers. Mixoploid or chimeric shoots often are produced, along with solid polyploid mutants. These chimeras are mostly discarded because of their genome instability and the difficulty in identifying periclinal mutants carrying germline mutations. Since induced polyploidy in blueberries often results in a low frequency of solid mutant lines, it is important to recover solid polyploids through chimera dissociation. In this study, two vegetative propagation methods, i.e., axillary and adventitious shoot induction, were evaluated for their efficiency in chimera dissociation. Significantly higher rates of chimera dissociation were found in adventitious shoot induction compared to axillary shoot induction. Approximately 89% and 82% of the adventitious shoots induced from mixoploid lines 145.11 and 169.40 were solid polyploids, respectively, whereas only 25% and 53% of solid polyploids were recovered through axillary shoot induction in these lines. Effective chimera dissociation provides useful and stable genetic materials to enhance blueberry breeding. Full article

Background and clinical significance: Functional/dissociative seizures (FDSs) in adolescents are paroxysmal events which superficially resemble epileptic seizures or syncope. This study evaluated the effectiveness of brief cognitive analytic therapy (CAT). Case presentation: The patient was a 17-year-old white cisgender male with a diagnosis of non-epileptic attack disorder. The functional/dissociative seizures were treated with 8-session CAT, with follow-up at 5 weeks. Two target problems (TPs) and associated target problem procedures (TPPs) were rated for recognition and revision at each session and at follow-up. An A-B-C-FU single-case experimental evaluation of the TP/TPPs was conducted. Nomothetic outcome measures (DES-2 and RCADS) were administered at session 1, session 8, and at follow-up, and the YP-CORE and the Session Rating Scale were completed at each session. The patient was independently interviewed using the Change Interview 13 weeks after completing therapy. The results show that CAT effectively increased the recognition and revision of TPs/TPPs, four specific changes occurred (including cessation of functional seizures). There were pre–post reliable and clinically significant improvements to psychological wellbeing, but these were not maintained at follow-up. Conclusions: This study indicates that CAT was a partially effective intervention. The use of CAT as a treatment for FND in adolescents holds promise, but more research is needed. Full article

Background: Listening to music has been widely reported to improve resistance exercise performance. However, few studies have considered lyrical content. The act of using explicit language has been shown to alter performance and psychophysiological responses to exercise. Although explicit language is widely used in mainstream music, it is unknown if altering explicit lyric content in music influences performance and psychophysiological responses to resistance exercise. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of censoring explicit lyrical music on bench press performance and psychophysiological responses to exercise. Methods: In a counterbalanced crossover manner, resistance-trained males (n = 11) were subjected to two conditions, namely (1) explicit music (EM) or (2) censored music (CM). Following a warm-up, music played continuously as participants completed 2 sets × 2 repetitions as explosively as possible, while a linear position transducer monitored the mean velocity of the barbell. Participants then completed 3 sets × repetitions to failure (RTFs) at 60% of a 1-repetition maximum (1-RM) separated by 2 min of rest. Motivation to exercise, psychological arousal, and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured post-exercise. Total RTFs, mean velocity, motivation, psychological arousal, and RPE were compared between music conditions. Results: Findings show that total RTFs (p = 0.012) was significantly lower with CM versus EM, while mean velocity (p = 0.844) was not different between conditions. Psychological arousal (p = 0.005) and motivation (p = 0.002) were lower with CM versus EM. CM also resulted in a higher RPE (p = 0.011) compared to EM. Conclusions: Findings suggest that CM results in worse repetition volume compared to EM during resistance exercise but does not influence explosive ability. Changes in performance may be due to underlying decreases in motivation and psychological arousal. CM may also cause less dissociation, as evidenced by a higher RPE. Future research investigating the effects of lyrical content on exercise performance is warranted to further support current findings. Full article

In chemical vapor deposition (CVD)-mediated graphene growth, copper foil serves as both a catalyst for methane decomposition and as a substrate for graphene nucleation and growth. Due to the low solubility of carbon in copper and the ease of transferring graphene from its surface, copper—particularly the Cu(111) facet—is widely favored for high-quality, monolayer graphene synthesis. In this article, the thermodynamic processes involved in methane dissociation and graphene nucleation on the Cu(111) surface were investigated using density functional theory (DFT). Molecular dynamics simulations were performed for structural optimization and to evaluate the reaction energies. Additionally, the average adsorption energies (ΔEad) of carbon clusters with varying atomic numbers on the Cu(111) surface were calculated. The graphene growth process was further modeled using the kinetic Monte Carlo (KMC) method to simulate carbon atom migration and nucleation dynamics. Thermodynamic analysis based on equilibrium component data was conducted to examine the influence of key operational parameters—temperature, pressure, and the CH₄/H₂ partial pressure ratio—on the graphene deposition rate. Full article