Analyzing Spatio-Temporal Dynamics of Grassland Resilience and Influencing Factors in the West Songnen Plain, China, for Eco-Restoration.

Grassland plays an indispensable role in the stability and development of terrestrial ecosystems. Quantitatively assessing grassland resilience is of great significance for conducting research on grassland ecosystems. However, the quantitative measurement of resilience is difficult, and research on the spatio-temporal variation of grassland resilience remains incomplete. Utilizing the Global Land Surface Satellite (GLASS) leaf area index (LAI) product derived from MODIS remote sensing data, along with land cover and meteorological data, this paper constructed the grassland resilience index (GRI) in the west Songnen Plain, China, a typical region with salt and alkali soils. This paper analyzed the spatio-temporal changes of the GRI and explored the contribution of climate factors, human activities, and geographical factors to the GRI. The results revealed that from 2000 to 2021, the GRI in the study area ranged from 0.1 to 0.22, with a multi-year average of 0.14. The average GRI exhibited a pattern of high-value aggregations in the north and low-value distributions in the south. Trend analysis indicated that areas with an improved GRI accounted for 59.09% of the total grassland area, but there were still some areas with serious degradation. From 2000 to 2015, the latitude and mean annual temperature (MAT) were principal factors to control the distribution of the GRI. In 2020, the mean annual precipitation (MAP) and MAT played important roles in the distribution of the GRI. From 2000 to 2021, the influence of human activities was consistently less significant compared to geographical location and climate variables.

Effects of hydroxyproline supplementation in low fish meal diets on collagen synthesis, myofiber development and muscular texture of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei).

This experiment aimed to evaluate the impact of dietary hydroxyproline (Hyp) supplementation on the muscle quality of juvenile Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) fed a low fishmeal diet. Six formulated diets included one high fishmeal (HF; 25% fishmeal content) and five low fishmeal diets (10% fishmeal content) with 0%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6% and 0.8% Hyp (LF0, LF2, LF4, LF6 and LF8, respectively). Each diet was assigned to four replicates, and 40 shrimp (0.32 ± 0.00 g) per replicate were fed four times a day for 8 weeks. Dietary Hyp supplementation had little effects on growth performance, but increased the contents of Hyp, prolyl 4-hydroxylases (P4Hs), and collagen. The meat yield, springiness, hardness, chewiness, and cohesiveness of muscle were the highest in the LF4 group among the low fishmeal groups (P < 0.05). Cooking loss and freezing loss of muscle were the lowest in the LF4 group (P < 0.05). Dietary supplementation with 0.4% Hyp increased the myofiber density and decreased the myofiber diameter of muscle (P < 0.05). Supplementation of Hyp in the diet up-regulated the mRNA expression of smyhc5, smyhc15, col1a1, col1a2, igf-1f, tgf-ß and tor and down-regulated the mRNA expression of smyhc 1, smyhc 2, smyhc 6a (P < 0.05). Supplementation of Hyp in the diet up-regulated the protein expression of P-4E-BP1, P-AKT, AKT and P-AKT/AKT (P < 0.05). These results suggested that the addition of 0.4% Hyp to low fishmeal diets improved the muscle quality of L. vannamei.

Association between plant-based dietary index and gallstone disease: A cross sectional study from NHANES.

BACKGROUND: The relationship between plant-based diets and gallstone disease has been debated. This study aimed to shed light on the association between plant-based dietary index and the risk of developing gallstone disease. METHODS: Eligible participants were selected from National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2017-2020. Three plant-based diet indexes (PDI, healthy PDI, unhealthy PDI) were calculated using data from two NHANES 24-h dietary recall interviews. Restricted Cubic Spline and multivariate logistic regression were used to analyze the associations. Subgroup analysis was adopted to make the results more robust. RESULTS: A total of 5673 eligible participants were analyzed. After adjusting for various confounding variables, uPDI was positively associated with gallstone disease (OR = 1.53, 95%CI: 1.02-2.29). No association was found between PDI/hPDI and gallstone disease (p > 0.05). The results of subgroup analysis did not show any positive association between uPDI and gallstones in specific groups. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that the elevated uPDI are linked to a higher risk of gallstone disease.

Beyond monetary value: how reward type drives cheating in a gender-judgment task.

Background: Investigating the effects of monetary incentives on dishonest behavior provides valuable insights into human integrity and ethical decision-making processes. This study is conducted through the lens of self-concept maintenance theory. Aim: The aim of this study is to examine the influence of different types of rewards (score-based vs. monetary) and their magnitude on dishonest behavior within a gender judgment task. Method: Using a quantitative experimental design, this study involved 116 participants who were randomly assigned to conditions that differed in reward type (score or money) and magnitude (10 yuan vs. 50 yuan). Dishonest behavior was assessed using a gender judgment task with mechanisms to simulate conditions conducive to planned cheating. Results: Results revealed significant differences in dishonesty rates between score and money conditions, with a higher proportion of dishonest participants observed in the score condition compared to the money condition. The timing of initial cheating was earlier in the score condition compared to the money condition. No significant differences were found in the proportion of dishonest participants, the cheating rate, or the timing of initial cheating across reward levels within either condition. The rate of cheating increased over time, suggesting a temporal dynamic in unethical decision making. Conclusion: The study demonstrates that the nature of rewards significantly influences the likelihood of dishonest behavior, with intangible score-based rewards facilitating rationalizations for dishonesty more readily than tangible financial incentives. These findings enrich the understanding of moral psychology by highlighting the complex interplay between reward types, ethical rationalization, and the dynamics of dishonest behavior.

Mitochondria-Targeting Metallodrugs for Cancer Therapy: Perspectives from Cell Death Modes.

Mitochondria, recognized as the cellular powerhouses, are indispensable organelles responsible for crucial cellular processes, such as energy metabolism, material synthesis, and signaling transduction. Their intricate involvement in a broad spectrum of diseases, particularly cancer, has propelled the exploration of mitochondria-targeting treatment as a promising strategy for cancer therapy. Since the groundbreaking discovery of cisplatin, the trajectory of research on the development of metal complexes have been marked by continuous advancement, giving rise to a diverse array of metallodrugs characterized by variations in ligand types, metal center properties, and oxidation states. By specifically targeting mitochondria, these metallodrugs exhibit the remarkable ability to elicit various programmed cell death pathways, encompassing apoptosis, autophagy, and ferroptosis. This review primarily focuses on recent developments in transition metal-based mitochondria-targeting agents, offering a comprehensive exploration of their capacity to induce distinct cell death modes. The aim is not only to disseminate knowledge but also to stimulate an active field of research toward new clinical applications and novel anticancer mechanisms.

The risk of viable but non-culturable (VBNC) enterococci and antibiotic resistance transmission during simulated municipal sludge composting.

Sludge composting is a sludge resource utilization method that can reduce pollutants, such as pathogens. Enterococci are regarded as more reliable and conservative indicators of pathogen inactivation than fecal coliforms, which are typically used as indicators of fecal pollution. Non-spore pathogenic bacteria may enter a viable but non-culturable (VBNC) state during composting, leading to residual risk. The VBNC status of bacteria is related to their survival during composting. However, the survival mechanisms of enterococci during sludge composting remain unclear. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the VBNC state of enterococci in different phases of simulated sludge composting and the fate of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) and mobile genetic elements (MGEs) during the composting process. This study is expected to provide a basis for subsequent exploration of possible methods to completely inactivate enterococci and reduce ARGs during sludge composting. Culturable enterococci were reduced in the thermophilic phase of sludge composting, but the proportion of VBNC subpopulation increased. It was reported for the first time that most VBNC enterococci were killed by extending the cooling phase of sludge compost, and by prolonging the cooling phase the types of ARG were reduced. However, there was a certain quantity (approximately 104/g dry weight) of culturable and VBNC enterococci in the compost products. In addition, MGEs and ARGs exist in both bacteria and compost products, leading to the risk of spreading antibiotic-resistant bacteria and antibiotic resistance when sludge compost products are used.

Research on Assimilation of Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Remote Sensing Data and AquaCrop Model.

Taking the AquaCrop crop model as the research object, considering the complexity and uncertainty of the crop growth process, the crop model can only achieve more accurate simulation on a single point scale. In order to improve the application scale of the crop model, this study inverted the canopy coverage of a tea garden based on UAV multispectral technology, adopted the particle swarm optimization algorithm to assimilate the canopy coverage and crop model, constructed the AquaCrop-PSO assimilation model, and compared the canopy coverage and yield simulation results with the localized model simulation results. It is found that there is a significant regression relationship between all vegetation indices and canopy coverage. Among the single vegetation index regression models, the logarithmic model constructed by OSAVI has the highest inversion accuracy, with an R2 of 0.855 and RMSE of 5.75. The tea yield was simulated by the AquaCrop-PSO model and the measured values of R2 and RMSE were 0.927 and 0.12, respectively. The canopy coverage R2 of each simulated growth period basically exceeded 0.9, and the accuracy of the simulation results was improved by about 19.8% compared with that of the localized model. The results show that the accuracy of crop model simulation can be improved effectively by retrieving crop parameters and assimilating crop models through UAV remote sensing.

Enhancing Extracellular Electron Transfer of a 3D-Printed Shewanella Bioanode with Riboflavin-Modified Carbon Black Bioink.

3D printing of a living bioanode holds the potential for the rapid and efficient production of bioelectrochemistry systems. However, the ink (such as sodium alginate, SA) that formed the matrix of the 3D-printed bioanode may hinder extracellular electron transfer (EET) between the microorganism and conductive materials. Here, we proposed a biomimetic design of a 3D-printed Shewanella bioanode, wherein riboflavin (RF) was modified on carbon black (CB) to serve as a redox substance for microbial EET. By introducing the medicated EET pathways, the 3D-printed bioanode obtained a maximum power density of 252 ± 12 mW/m2, which was 1.7 and 60.5 times higher than those of SA-CB (92 ± 10 mW/m2) and a bare carbon cloth anode (3.8 ± 0.4 mW/m2). Adding RF reduced the charge-transfer resistance of a 3D-printed bioanode by 75% (189.5 ± 18.7 vs 47.3 ± 7.8 Ω), indicating a significant acceleration in the EET efficiency within the bioanode. This work provided a fundamental and instrumental concept for constructing a 3D-printed bioanode.

A Comparative Study of Removal of Acid Red 27 by Adsorption on Four Different Chitosan Morphologies.

To investigate the relationship between structures and adsorption properties, four different morphologies of chitosan, with hydrogel (CSH), aerogel (CSA), powder (CSP), and electrospinning nanofiber (CSEN) characteristics, were employed as adsorbents for the removal of Acid Red 27. The structures and morphologies of the four chitosan adsorbents were characterized with SEM, XRD, ATR-FTIR, and BET methods. The adsorption behaviors and mechanisms of the four chitosan adsorbents were comparatively studied. All adsorption behaviors exhibited a good fit with the pseudo-second-order kinetic model (R2 > 0.99) and Langmuir isotherm model (R2 > 0.99). Comparing the adsorption rates and the maximum adsorption capacities, the order was CSH > CSA > CSP > CSEN. The maximum adsorption capacities of CSH, CSA, CSP, and CSEN were 2732.2 (4.523), 676.7 (1.119), 534.8 (0.885), and 215.5 (0.357) mg/g (mmol/g) at 20 °C, respectively. The crystallinities of CSH, CSA, CSP, and CSEN were calculated as 0.41%, 6.97%, 8.76%, and 39.77%, respectively. The crystallinity of the four chitosan adsorbents was the main factor impacting the adsorption rates and adsorption capacities, compared with the specific surface area. With the decrease in crystallinity, the adsorption rates and capacities of the four chitosan adsorbents increased gradually under the same experimental conditions. CSH with a low crystallinity and large specific surface area resulted in the highest adsorption rate and capacity.

Cognitive control in honesty and dishonesty under different conflict scenarios: insights from reaction time.

This study investigated the role of cognitive control in moral decision-making, focusing on conflicts between financial temptations and the integrity of honesty. We employed a perceptual task by asking participants to identify which side of the diagonal contained more red dots within a square to provoke both honest and dishonest behaviors, tracking their reaction times (RTs). Participants encountered situations with no conflict, ambiguous conflict, and clear conflict. Their behaviors in the clear conflict condition categorized them as either "honest" or "dishonest." Our findings suggested that, in ambiguous conflict situations, honest individuals had significantly longer RTs and fewer self-interest responses than their dishonest counterparts, suggesting a greater need for cognitive control to resolve conflicts and a lesser tendency toward self-interest. Moreover, a negative correlation was found between participants' number of self-interest responses and RTs in ambiguous conflict situations (r = -0.27 in study 1 and r = -0.66 in study 2), and a positive correlation with cheating numbers in clear conflict situations (r = 0.36 in study 1 and r = 0.82 in study 2). This suggests less cognitive control was required for self-interest and cheating responses, bolstering the "Will" hypothesis. We also found that a person's self-interest tendency could predict their dishonest behavior. These insights extend our understanding of the role of cognitive control plays in honesty and dishonesty, with potential applications in education, policy-making, and business ethics.

Three-Way k-Means Model: Dynamic Optimal Sensor Placement for Efficient Environment Monitoring in Pig House.

Sensors were of paramount importance in the context of poultry and livestock farming, serving as essential tools for monitoring a variety of production management parameters. The effective surveillance and optimal control of the swine facility environment critically depend on the implementation of a robust strategy for situating the optimal number of sensors in precisely the right locations. This study presents a dynamic sensor placement approach for pigsties using the three-way k-means algorithm. The method involves determining candidate sensor combinations through the application of the k-means algorithm and a re-clustering strategy. The optimal sensor locations were then identified using the Joint Entropy-Based Method (JEBM). This approach adjusts sensor positions based on different seasons (summer and winter) to effectively monitor the overall environment of the pigsty. We employ two clustering models, one based on particle swarm optimization and the other on genetic algorithms, along with a re-clustering strategy to identify candidate sensor combinations. The joint entropy-based method (JEBM) helps select the optimal sensor placement. Fused data from the optimal sensor layout undergo a fuzzy fusion process, reducing errors compared to direct averaging. The results show varying sensor needs across seasons, and dynamic placement enhances pigsty environment monitoring. Our approach reduced the number of sensors from 30 to 5 (in summer) and 6 (in winter). The optimal sensor positions for both seasons were integrated. Comparing the selected sensor layout to the average of all sensor readings representing the overall pigsty environment, the RMSE were 0.227-0.294 and the MAPE were 0.172-0.228, respectively, demonstrating the effectiveness of the sensor layout.

Causality between rheumatoid arthritis and the risk of cognitive impairment: a Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: There is mounting proof that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and cognitive decline are related. These studies, however, have not all been uniform, and others have not discovered such a correlation. It is essential to investigate the link between RA and cognitive decline. METHOD: We conducted a Mendelian randomization analysis utilizing three different publicly accessible RA GWAS summary datasets and a variety of meticulously verified instrumental variables. We mostly used inverse variance weighting (IVW), as well as MR-Egger, weighted median, MR-PRESSO, and several sensitivity analyses, to figure out the link between RA and cognitive impairment (CI). RESULTS: Our MR study identified the causality between RA and declining cognitive performance (ß = - 0.010, 95% CI of - 0.017 to - 0.003, P = 4.33E-03) and cognitive function (ß = - 0.029, 95% CI of - 0.053 to - 0.005, P = 1.93E-02). The consistent direction of the connection is revealed by sensitivity analysis utilizing the weighted median and the MR-Egger method. Furthermore, we reproduced our findings across two additional RA datasets and found identical outcomes, strengthening the validity of our findings. CONCLUSION: This study offers proof of causality between RA and an increased risk of CI. Our findings highlight the importance of examining RA patients for cognitive ability, which may open up fresh ideas for the prevention of CI.

Mechanism of Intestinal Epithelial Absorption and Electrophysiological Regulation of the Shrimp Peptide QMDDQ.

We investigated the absorption mechanism of the shrimp peptide QMDDQ in small intestines, explored its physiological function in inhibiting neuronal hyperactivity, and verified its entry into the brain in vivo to display functional activity. The everted rat sac model and a Caco-2 paracellular absorption monolayer model were used, indicating that QMDDQ has a good absorption capacity with an apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) > 1 × 10-6 cm/s and the absorption of QMDDQ was concentration-dependent. When the concentration of QMDDQ was 1 mM and the transport time was 180 min, the highest absorption concentration of QMDDQ was 41.17 ± 3.48 µM (P < 0.05). The myosin light-chain kinase (MLCK)-specific inhibitor ML-7 and activator MPA, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence results showed that QMDDQ absorption takes place by mediating the MLCK-p-MLCK-MLC signaling pathway, reversibly opening the zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), occludin in tight junctions (TJs), upregulating claudin-2 expression, and reaching targets through blood to inhibit neuronal overactivity. Results of fluorescence imaging in vivo verified that QMDDQ could enter the brain 4 h after oral administration. The results provide a theoretical foundation for the mechanism of paracellular absorption of active peptides and a starting point for the development of functional foods for Alzheimer's disease intervention.

Paget's disease of the nipple with underlying occult invasive carcinoma detected by magnetic resonance imaging and second-look ultrasound: Case report.

INTRODUCTION: Paget's disease of the nipple (PDN) is a rare and often misdiagnosed condition characterized by the infiltration of adenocarcinoma cells into the nipple epidermis. It poses substantial diagnostic and therapeutic challenges due to its similarity to benign dermatological conditions and its association with in situ or invasive carcinoma. CASE PRESENTATION: This report details the case of a 47-year-old woman with persistent nipple itching, rash, and occasional bloody discharge. No abnormalities were seen on the mammogram and ultrasound scans; punch biopsy was performed to confirm PDN. A small lesion missed by other imaging methods was detected via breast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). A second-look ultrasound with needle localization enabled precise surgery. The pathology report after breast-conserving surgery (BCS) revealed invasive ductal carcinoma with no metastasis in the sentinel lymph node biopsy. DISCUSSION: PDN often mimics benign skin conditions, leading to delayed diagnosis. Furthermore, timely identification is crucial as PDN is frequently associated with underlying breast malignancies. Additional imaging, such as breast MRI, is essential for comprehensive evaluation, as it can reveal hidden lesions previously undetected by conventional mammography and ultrasound. A second-look ultrasound guided needle placement for tumor localization, enhancing surgical precision, aesthetics, and reducing patient harm. Surgical management, including mastectomy, BCS with radiotherapy, and oncoplastic surgery, offers suitable options without affecting recurrence or survival in selected patients. CONCLUSION: This case emphasizes the importance of employing additional imaging tools, such as breast MRI and second-look ultrasound for the early detection and surgical management of PDN.

The influence of α and α' subunits on SPI Pickering emulsions based on natural hybrid breeding varieties.

In this study, food-grade protein nanoparticles (Wild-NPs, α-lack-NPs, α'-lack-NPs, and (α + α')-lack-NPs) were organized as emulsion stabilizers via thermal induction. The effects of α and α' subunits in soybean protein isolate (SPI) on Wild nanoparticle Pickering emulsion (Wild-NPPEs), α-lack nanoparticle Pickering emulsion (α-lack-NPPEs), α'-lack nanoparticle Pickering emulsion (α'-lack-NPPEs) and (α + α')-lack nanoparticle Pickering emulsion ((α + α')-lack-NPPEs) were investigated. The Pickering emulsion stabilization mechanism indicated that the α'-lack-NPs particle size, surface hydrophobicity, and contact angle were mostly comparatively large. Therefore, the absence of the α' subunit made the desorption of protein nanoparticles at the oil and water interface require higher energy. Through the hydrophobic interaction between molecules, the structure and properties of the emulsion were improved, showing good stability. The existence of α'-lack-NPPEs leads to the formation of a gel-like network in the emulsion, which increases the viscosity of the emulsion and makes the network structure of the emulsion more uniform and denser.

Uqcr11 alleviates oxidative stress and apoptosis after traumatic brain injury.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a major cause of death and disability that involves brain dysfunction due to external forces. Here, we found lower levels of Ubiquinol-cytochrome c reductase, complex III subunit XI (Uqcr11) expression in the cerebral cortex of TBI mice. A neuronal damage model was constructed using H2O2 or hypoxia reoxygenation (H/R) in vitro. We found that Uqcr11 overexpression attenuated the H2O2-or H/R-induced damage by preventing oxidative stress and neuronal apoptosis in HT22 cells. Moreover, up-regulated Uqcr11 contributed to the restoration of motor, learning, and memory in C57BL/6 mice after TBI, and its underlying mechanism may be associated with promoting neuron survival and inhibited oxidative stress. Collectively, our findings demonstrated that oxidative stress as well as neuronal apoptosis can be ameliorated post-TBI by Uqcr11 overexpression, which provides a potential therapeutic target for TBI.

miR-6076 targets BCL6 in SH-SY5Y cells to regulate amyloid-ß-induced neuronal damage.

Amyloid-ß1-42 (Aß1-42 ) is strongly associated with Alzheimer's disease (AD). The aim of this study is to elucidate whether and how miR-6076 participates in the modulation of amyloid-ß (Aß)-induced neuronal damage. To construct the neuronal damage model, SH-SY5Y cells were treated with Aß1-42 . By qRT-PCR, we found that miR-6076 is significantly upregulated in Aß1-42 -treated SH-SY5Y cells. After miR-6076 inhibition, p-Tau and apoptosis levels were downregulated, and cell viability was increased. Through online bioinformatics analysis, we found that B-cell lymphoma 6 (BCL6) was a directly target of miR-6076 via dual-luciferase reporter assay. BCL6 overexpression mediated the decrease in elevated p-Tau levels and increased viability in SH-SY5Y cells following Aß1-42 treatment. Our results suggest that down-regulation of miR-6076 could attenuate Aß1-42 -induced neuronal damage by targeting BCL6, which provided a possible target to pursue for prevention and treatment of Aß-induced neuronal damage in AD.

Elucidating the clinical and immunological value of m6A regulator-mediated methylation modification patterns in adrenocortical carcinoma.

N6-methyladenosine methylation (m6A) is a common type of epigenetic alteration that prominently affects the prognosis of tumor patients. However, it is unknown how the m6A regulator affects the tumor microenvironment (TME) cell infiltration in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) and how it affects the prognosis of ACC patients yet. The m6A alteration patterns of 112 ACC patients were evaluated, furthermore, the association with immune infiltration cell features was investigated. The unsupervised clustering method was applied to typify the m6A alteration patterns of ACC patients. The principal component analysis (PCA) technique was taken to create the m6A score to assess the alteration pattern in specific malignancies. We found two independent patterns of m6A alteration in ACC patients. The TME cell infiltration features were significantly in accordance with phenotypes of tumor immune-inflamed and immune desert in both patterns. The m6Ascore also served as an independent predictive factor in ACC patients. The somatic copy number variation (CNV) and patients prognosis can be predicted by m6A alteration patterns. Moreover, the ACC patients with high m6A scores had better overall survival (OS) and higher efficiency in immune checkpoint blockade therapy. Our work demonstrated the significance of m6A alteration to the ACC patients immunotherapy. The individual m6A alteration patterns analysis might contribute to ACC patients prognosis prediction and immunotherapy choice.

Smart, degradable, and eco-friendly carboxymethyl cellulose-CaII hydrogel-like networks gated MIL-101(FeIII) nanoherbicides for paraquat delivery.

Nanopesticides have been selected as one of the top 10 chemical innovations for enhancing the efficacy and safety of agrochemicals. Herein, smart, degradable, and eco-friendly metal-organic framework MIL-101(FeIII) nanoherbicides coated with carboxymethyl cellulose-CaII (CMC-CaII) cross-linking hydrogel-like networks are synthesized via a simple strategy. The coating of the CMC-CaII hydrogel-like gatekeepers is oriented by the coordination unsaturated FeIII clusters on the surfaces of the MIL-101(FeIII) nanocarriers to form a dense film network to prevent paraquat (PQ) leakage. Based on the stimuli factors (acid/basic pH, GSH, phosphates, and EDTA) of physiological and natural environments of target plants, the nanoherbicides are combined with five stimuli-responsive properties to attain the various controlled release of packaged PQ by the disassembly of the gatekeepers and/or the degradation of the MOF skeleton structure. More importantly, based on the stimuli-responsive controlled release mechanisms, the eco-friendly nanocarriers are ultimately degraded against bioaccumulation in plants or soil. The coating of natural CMC could promote the spreading of PQ owing to improvement of wettability for aqueous droplets of nanoherbicides on hydrophobic foliage. The PQ trapped in nanocarriers can effectively prevent PQ degradation, which showed that cumulative degradation rate is ca. 2.6 times lower than that of technical PQ under UV irradiation. The prepared nanoherbicides loaded with PQ show good control efficacy against weeds by controlling the release of PQ; good safety on seed germination (germination rate 97.32-99.67 %), seedling emergence (emergence rate 95.53-99.67 %), and are beneficial for the growth of wheat seedling (increase rate of plant height 1.89-6.97 % and 0.54-5.67 % after 7 and 15 days of seedling emergence, respectively) in the greenhouse; good biosafety for honeybees (Apis mellifera L.), which shows that lethal rates were 2.04 and 2.55 times lower than technical PQ for incubation 24 and 48 h, respectively. The nanoherbicides have potential applications in the field for PQ green agriculture.

Strategies to prolong drug retention in solid tumors by aggregating Endo-CMC nanoparticles.

Developing a highly effective nano-drug delivery system with sufficient drug permeability and retention in tumors is still a major challenge for oncotherapy. Herein, a tumor microenvironment responsive, aggregable nanocarriers embedded hydrogel (Endo-CMC@hydrogel) was developed to inhibit the tumoral angiogenesis and hypoxia for enhanced radiotherapy. The antiangiogenic drug (recombinant human endostatin, Endo) loaded carboxymethyl chitosan nanoparticles (Endo-CMC NPs) was wrapped by 3D hydrogel to comprise the Endo-CMC@hydrogel. After peritumoral injection, the Endo-CMC NPs were released, invaded deeply into the solid tumor, and cross-linked with intratumoral calcium ions. The cross-linking process enabled these Endo-CMC NPs to form larger particles, leading to long retention in tumor tissue to minimize premature clearance. This Endo-CMC@hydrogel, integrating the abilities of good tumoral penetration, long retention of anti-drug, and alleviation of hypoxia in tumor tissue, greatly improved the therapeutic effect of radiotherapy. This work provides a proof-of-concept of tumor microenvironment-responding and an aggregable nano-drug delivery system as promising antitumor drug carriers for effective tumor therapy.