End-to-End Network Intrusion Detection Based on Contrastive Learning.

The network intrusion detection system (NIDS) plays a crucial role as a security measure in addressing the increasing number of network threats. The majority of current research relies on feature-ready datasets that heavily depend on feature engineering. Conversely, the increasing complexity of network traffic and the ongoing evolution of attack techniques lead to a diminishing distinction between benign and malicious network behaviors. In this paper, we propose a novel end-to-end intrusion detection framework based on a contrastive learning approach. We design a hierarchical Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU) model to facilitate the automated extraction of spatiotemporal features from raw traffic data. The integration of contrastive learning amplifies the distinction between benign and malicious network traffic in the representation space. The proposed method exhibits enhanced detection capabilities for unknown attacks in comparison to the approaches trained using the cross-entropy loss function. Experiments are carried out on the public datasets CIC-IDS2017 and CSE-CIC-IDS2018, demonstrating that our method can attain a detection accuracy of 99.9% for known attacks, thus achieving state-of-the-art performance. For unknown attacks, a weighted recall rate of 95% can be achieved.

ADHD and family life: A cross-sectional study of ADHD prevalence among pupils in China and factors associated with parental depression.

BACKGROUND: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is increasingly recognized as a major problem for children and their families in China. However, its influence on parental mental health has been seldom explored. OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder in a community sample of children aged 6-13 years, and the extent to which it impacts parental mental health. METHOD: Cross-sectional study of primary school pupils (number = 2497) in Deyang, Sichuan Province, South-West China. We used standardized instruments to identify children with ADHD symptoms and parent depression. RESULTS: The prevalence of ADHD was 9.8%. Factors associated with the likelihood of ADHD, included family environment(P = 0.003), time spent with children(P = 0.01), parenting style(P = 0.01), and parental relationship, pupils self-harm and lower academic ability (P = 0.001). After controlling for other factors, having a child with ADHD increased the likelihood of parents' depression (OR = 4.35, CI = 2.68~7.07), additional factors included parent relationship. CONCLUSIONS: ADHD may be a common disorder among Chinese children, the symptoms of which may increase the likelihood of parent depression. There is a need for greater detection of ADHD in schools, acknowledgement of the challenges the disorder creates for academic success and family wellbeing, and psychoeducational tools for supporting parents of children with ADHD.

Toward a remote sensing method based on commercial LiDAR sensors for the measurement of spray drift and potential drift reduction.

Spray drift is inevitable in chemical applications, drawing global attention because of its potential environmental pollution and the risk of exposing bystanders to pesticides. This issue has become more pronounced with a growing consensus on the need for enhanced environmental safeguards in agricultural practices. Traditionally, spray drift measurements, crucial for refining spray techniques, relied on intricate, time-consuming, and labor-intensive sampling methods utilizing passive collectors. In this study, we investigated the feasibility of using close-range remote sensing technology based on Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) point clouds to implement drift measurements and drift reduction classification. The results show that LiDAR-based point clouds vividly depict the spatial dispersion and movement of droplets within the vertical plane. The capability of LiDAR to accurately determine drift deposition was demonstrated, evident from the high R2 values of 0.847, 0.748 and 0.860 achieved for indoor, wind tunnel and field environments, respectively. Droplets smaller than 100 µm and with a density below 50 deposits·cm-2·s-1 posed challenges for LiDAR detection. To address these challenges, the use of multichannel LiDAR with higher wavelengths presents a potential solution, warranting further exploration. Furthermore, we found a satisfactory consistency when comparing the drift reduction classification calculated from LiDAR measurements with those obtained though passive collectors, both in indoor tests and the unmanned air-assisted sprayer (UAAS) field test. However, in environments with less dense clouds of larger droplets, a contradiction emerged between higher drift deposition and lower scanned droplet counts, potentially leading to deviations in the calculated drift potential reduction percentage (DPRP). This was exemplified in a field test using an unmanned aerial vehicle sprayer (UAVS). Our findings provide valuable insights into the monitoring and quantification of pesticide drift at close range using LiDAR technology, paving the way for more precise and efficient drift assessment methodologies.

G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 ameliorates nonalcoholic steatohepatitis through targeting AMPK-dependent signaling.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), especially nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), has emerged as a prevalent cause of liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma, posing severe public health challenges worldwide. The incidence of NASH is highly correlated with an increased prevalence of obesity, insulin resistance, diabetes, and other metabolic diseases. Currently, no approved drugs specifically targeted for the therapies of NASH partially due to the unclear pathophysiological mechanisms. G protein-coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1) is a membrane estrogen receptor involved in the development of metabolic diseases such as obesity and diabetes. However, the function of GPER1 in NAFLD/NASH progression remains unknown. Here, we show that GPER1 exerts a beneficial role in insulin resistance, hepatic lipid accumulation, oxidative stress, or inflammation in vivo and in vitro. In particular, we observed that the lipid accumulation, inflammatory response, fibrosis, or insulin resistance in mouse NAFLD/NASH models were exacerbated by hepatocyte-specific GPER1 knockout but obviously mitigated by hepatic GPER1 activation in female and male mice. Mechanistically, hepatic GPER1 activates AMP-activated protein kinase signaling by inducing cyclic AMP release, thereby exerting its protective effect. These data suggest that GPER1 may be a promising therapeutic target for NASH.

Genistein alleviates chronic heat stress-induced lipid metabolism disorder and mitochondrial energetic dysfunction by activating the GPR30-AMPK-PGC-1α signaling pathways in the livers of broiler chickens.

The objective of this study was to investigate the preventive effects and mechanisms of genistein (GEN) on production performance and metabolic disorders in broilers under chronic heat stress (HS). A total of 120 male 3-wk-old Ross broilers were randomly assigned to 5 groups: a thermoneutral zone (TN) group maintained at normal temperature (21°C ± 1°C daily), an HS group subjected to cyclic high temperature (32°C ± 1°C for 8 h daily), and 3 groups exposed to HS with varying doses of GEN (50, 100, or 150 mg/kg diet). The experimental period lasted for 3 wk. Here, HS led to a decline in growth performance parameters and hormone secretion disorders (P < 0.05), which were improved by 100 and 150 mg/kg GEN treatment (P < 0.05). Moreover, the HS-induced increases in the liver index (P < 0.01) and abdominal fat rate (P < 0.05) were attenuated by 150 mg/kg GEN (P < 0.05). The HS-induced excessive lipid accumulation in the liver and serum (P < 0.01) was ameliorated after 100 and 150 mg/kg GEN treatment (P < 0.05). Furthermore, the HS-induced decreases in lipolysis-related mRNA levels and increases in lipid synthesis-related mRNA levels in the liver (P < 0.01) were effectively blunted after 100 and 150 mg/kg GEN treatment (P < 0.05). Importantly, the HS-stimulated hepatic mitochondrial energetic dysfunction and decreases in the mRNA or protein levels of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-gamma coactivator 1α (PGC-1α), nuclear respiratory factor 1, and mitochondrial transcription factor A in the liver were ameliorated by 150 mg/kg GEN (P < 0.05). Moreover, 50 to 150 mg/kg GEN treatment resulted in a significant increase in the mRNA or protein levels of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPR30), AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) α1, phosphorylated AMPKα, and phosphorylated acetyl-CoA carboxylase α. Collectively, GEN alleviated metabolic disorders and hepatic mitochondrial energetic dysfunction under HS, possibly through the activation of GPR30-AMPM-PGC-1α pathways. These data provide a sufficient basis for GEN as an additive to alleviate HS in broilers.

Oculogyric crisis symptoms related to risperidone treatment: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Oculogyric crisis (OGC) is a rare focal dystonia of the ocular muscles that not only interferes with patients' medication adherence but also negatively affects the course and prognosis of the primary disease. Early detection and treatment of OGC can improve patients' medication adherence and quality of life. CASE PRESENTATION: This paper reports a case of a 19-year-old Asian female with a diagnosis of schizophrenia who was treated intermittently with atypical antipsychotics aripiprazole or risperidone for 2 years, with improvement of psychotic symptoms during the course of medication, and then developed double eye rolling and staring with irritability when treated with risperidone 4 mg/d or 6 mg/d. Then, we changed the medication to clozapine, and the patient's psychotic symptoms were controlled and stable. The symptoms of double eye rolling and gaze disappeared. CONCLUSION: Oculogyric crisis (OGC) is a rare focal dystonia of the oculogyric muscle. This case provides clinicians with a basis for the early recognition and management of oculogyric crisis during the use of atypical antipsychotics (risperidone).

Student Learning Behavior Recognition Incorporating Data Augmentation with Learning Feature Representation in Smart Classrooms.

A robust and scientifically grounded teaching evaluation system holds significant importance in modern education, serving as a crucial metric that reflects the quality of classroom instruction. However, current methodologies within smart classroom environments have distinct limitations. These include accommodating a substantial student population, grappling with object detection challenges due to obstructions, and encountering accuracy issues in recognition stemming from varying observation angles. To address these limitations, this paper proposes an innovative data augmentation approach designed to detect distinct student behaviors by leveraging focused behavioral attributes. The primary objective is to alleviate the pedagogical workload. The process begins with assembling a concise dataset tailored for discerning student learning behaviors, followed by the application of data augmentation techniques to significantly expand its size. Additionally, the architectural prowess of the Extended-efficient Layer Aggregation Networks (E-ELAN) is harnessed to effectively extract a diverse array of learning behavior features. Of particular note is the integration of the Channel-wise Attention Module (CBAM) focal mechanism into the feature detection network. This integration plays a pivotal role, enhancing the network's ability to detect key cues relevant to student learning behaviors and thereby heightening feature identification precision. The culmination of this methodological journey involves the classification of the extracted features through a dual-pronged conduit: the Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) and the Path Aggregation Network (PAN). Empirical evidence vividly demonstrates the potency of the proposed methodology, yielding a mean average precision (mAP) of 96.7%. This achievement surpasses comparable methodologies by a substantial margin of at least 11.9%, conclusively highlighting the method's superior recognition capabilities. This research has an important impact on the field of teaching evaluation system, which helps to reduce the burden of educators on the one hand, and makes teaching evaluation more objective and accurate on the other hand.

Protective effects of dietary dimethyl itaconate supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic heat stress.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary dimethyl itaconate (DI) supplementation on oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic heat stress (HS). Twenty-one-day-old male Ross 308 broilers (n = 120) were randomly allocated to 5 groups: a control group, HS group, HS + 50 mg/kg DI group, HS + 150 mg/kg DI group, and HS + 200 mg/kg DI group. The birds in the control group received the basal diets and were maintained at 21 ± 1 °C for 24 h daily. The birds in the HS group and HS + DI groups were raised at 32 ± 1 °C for 8 h daily and received basal diets containing DI at the indicated dose (0, 50, 150, or 200 mg/kg). The results showed that the contents of alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, and malondialdehyde (MDA) in serum were markedly elevated by exposure to chronic HS (P < 0.01), and this elevation was alleviated by 150 and 200 mg/kg DI supplementation (P < 0.05). Chronic HS-induced declines (P < 0.05) in total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) and activities of peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and catalase (CAT) in serum were markedly attenuated after 200 mg/kg DI treatment in broilers (P < 0.05). Moreover, broilers subjected to chronic HS exhibited higher contents of MDA, protein carbonyl, and hydrogen peroxide (P < 0.01), but lower T-AOC and activities of antioxidant enzymes (P < 0.05), as well as reduced inhibition of superoxide and hydroxyl free radicals (P < 0.01) in the liver compared to the control group; these changes were effectively mitigated by treatment with 200 mg/kg DI in broilers (P < 0.05). In addition, 50-200 mg/kg DI effectively ameliorated chronic HS-stimulated upregulation of the mRNA levels of pro-inflammatory mediators in the livers of broilers (P < 0.01). Dietary supplementation with 150 and 200 mg/kg DI significantly alleviated chronic HS challenge-induced upregulation of the mRNA levels of Bcl-2-associated X, caspase 3, and caspase 9 (P < 0.01), but downregulation of Bcl-2 mRNA levels (P < 0.01) in broilers (P < 0.05). Importantly, chronic HS-induced downregulation of the mRNA or protein levels of nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 (NRF-2), NADPH quinone acceptor oxidoreductase 1 (NQO1), heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), SOD2, or glutathione-S-transferases (GST) (P < 0.01) was markedly improved by 150 and 200 mg/kg DI (P < 0.05). The above results indicated that DI can ameliorate oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers under chronic HS.

Global warming has become increasingly severe in recent years, threatening all life forms on Earth. Poultry are particularly susceptible to heat stress (HS) due to their unique physiological features, such as the absence of sweat glands and a high metabolic rate, and HS thus leads to liver injury and high mortality in broilers. Numerous studies have shown that dimethyl itaconate (DI) exerts beneficial effects in the regulation of inflammation, oxidative stress, and nutrient metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether DI can be used as a dietary supplement to prevent oxidative stress, inflammation, and apoptosis in broilers exposed to chronic HS. Here, we found that DI markedly relieved chronic HS-induced liver injury and enhancement of active molecule contents in the livers of broilers. Simultaneously, DI significantly ameliorated chronic HS by enhancing the antioxidative capacity and reducing the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines and pro-apoptotic factors in broiler liver, which may be achieved through activation of the nuclear factor (erythroid-derived 2)-like 2 signaling pathway. These results may provide sufficient data to support DI as a dietary supplement for controlling diseases associated with chronic HS in broilers.

Challenges and opportunities of unmanned aerial vehicles as a new tool for crop pest control.

The application of pesticides is not simply delivering chemicals to the target area. It also involves considering the negative aspects and developing strategies to deal with them during the application process, to ensure the maximization of pesticides use efficiency and the maintenance of the ecosystem. Unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) sprayers demonstrate unique advantages compared to traditional ground sprayers, particularly in terms of maneuverability and labor intensity reduction, showed great potential for chemical application in pest control. It is undeniable that there exist challenges in the practice of UAV spraying, such as higher potential risks of pesticide drift or pathogen transmission, uncertainty canopy deposition for different crops, and unexpected leaf breakage induced by downwash flow. Maximizing the utilization of downwash flow while avoiding lateral air movement outside the intended target crop area is a major issue for chemical application with UAV sprayers, particularly in light of the increasingly apparent consensus on the need for enhanced environmental protection during the chemical application process. It must be considered that the operation strategy in different scenarios and for different crop targets is not the same, unique requirements should be given on nozzle atomization, flight parameters, adjuvants and aircraft types in specific working situations. In future, the implementation of spray drift prediction, technical procedures development, and other solutions aimed at reducing pesticide drift and improving deposition quality, is expected to promote the adoption of UAV sprayers by more farmers. © 2023 Society of Chemical Industry.

Protective effects of genistein on the production performance and lipid metabolism disorders in laying hens with fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome by activation of the GPER-AMPK signaling pathways.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the beneficial effects and potential mechanisms of genistein (GEN) on production performance impairments and lipid metabolism disorders in laying hens fed a high-energy and low-protein (HELP) diet. A total of 120 Hy-line Brown laying hens were fed with the standard diet and HELP diet supplemented with 0, 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg GEN for 80 d. The results showed that the declines in laying rate (P < 0.01), average egg weight (P < 0.01), and egg yield (P < 0.01), and the increase of the ratio of feed to egg (P < 0.01) induced by HELP diet were markedly improved by 100 and 200 mg/kg of GEN treatment in laying hens (P < 0.05). Moreover, the hepatic steatosis and increases of lipid contents (P < 0.01) in serum and liver caused by HELP diet were significantly alleviated by treatment with 100 and 200 mg/kg of GEN in laying hens (P < 0.05). The liver index and abdominal fat index of laying hens in the HELP group were higher than subjects in the control group (P < 0.01), which were evidently attenuated by dietary 50 to 200 mg/kg of GEN supplementation (P < 0.05). Dietary 100 and 200 mg/kg of GEN supplementation significantly reduced the upregulations of genes related to fatty acid transport and synthesis (P < 0.01) but enhanced the downregulations of genes associated with fatty acid oxidation (P < 0.01) caused by HELP in the liver of laying hens (P < 0.05). Importantly, 100 and 200 mg/kg of GEN supplementation markedly increased G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER) mRNA and protein expression levels and activated the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway in the liver of laying hens fed a HELP diet (P < 0.05). These data indicated that the protective effects of GEN against the decline of production performance and lipid metabolism disorders caused by HELP diet in laying hens may be related to the activation of the GPER-AMPK signaling pathways. These data not only provide compelling evidence for the protective effect of GEN against fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens but also provide the theoretical basis for GEN as an additive to alleviate metabolic disorders in poultry.

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) is a nutritional and metabolic disease that seriously threatens the health and performance of laying hens, which is characterized by hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism disorders. As an isoflavone phytoestrogen, genistein (GEN) exerts many beneficial functions, including alleviating lipid metabolism disorders and anti-inflammatory properties. However, further research is needed on the protective effect and potential mechanism of GEN on the FLHS in laying hens. Here, we found that GEN treatment improved liver injury and decline of production performance in laying hens with FLHS. Moreover, GEN treatment alleviated hepatic steatosis and lipid metabolism disorders through reducing the expression levels of mRNA related to fatty acid transport and synthesis and enhancing the mRNA expression levels of factors associated with fatty acid oxidation in FLHS layers, which may be achieved by activation of the G protein-coupled estrogen receptor­adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase signaling pathways. These data not only provide compelling evidence for the protective effects and mechanisms of GEN against FLHS in laying hens but also provide the theoretical basis for GEN to alleviate other metabolic disorders in poultry.

Acupuncture for postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction in cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Postoperative gastrointestinal dysfunction (PGD) in cancer is the commonest and most severe postoperative complication in patients with cancer. Acupuncture has been widely used for PGD in cancer. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for PGD in cancer. Methods: We comprehensively searched eight randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of acupuncture for PGD in cancer published until November 2022. Time to first flatus (TFF) and time to first defecation (TFD) were the primary outcomes, and time to bowel sound recovery (TBSR) and the length of hospital stay (LOS) were the secondary outcomes. The Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias Tool was used to assess the quality of the RCTs, and the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluations (GRADE) system was used to evaluate the certainty of the evidence. The meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.4, and a publication bias test was performed using Stata 15.1. Results: Sixteen RCTs involving 877 participants were included in this study. The meta-analysis indicated that acupuncture could effectively reduce the TFF, TFD, and TBSR compared with routine treatment (RT), sham acupuncture, and enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS). However, acupuncture did not shorten the LOS compared with RT and ERAS. The subgroup analysis revealed that acupuncture could significantly reduce the TFF and TFD. Acupuncture effectively reduced the TFF and TFD in all cancer types included in this review. Besides, local acupoints in combination with distal acupoints could reduce the TFF and TFD, and distal-proximal acupoints could significantly reduce the TFD. No trial reported adverse events of acupuncture. Conclusions: Acupuncture is an effective and relatively safe modality for treating PGD in cancer. We anticipate that there will be more high-quality RCTs involving more acupuncture techniques and cancer types, focusing on combining acupoints for PGD in cancer, further determining the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture for PGD in patients with cancer outside China. Systematic review registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero, identifier CRD42022371219.

Dietary supplementation of dimethyl itaconate protects against chronic heat stress-induced growth performance impairment and lipid metabolism disorder in broiler chickens.

This study aimed to investigate the protective effects of dietary supplementation of dimethyl itaconate (DI) on chronic heat stress (HS)-induced impairment of the growth performance and lipid metabolism in broiler chickens. 21 days old male Ross 308 broiler chickens (a total of 120, about 700 g body weight) were randomly divided into five treatment groups, including control group, HS group, HS + 50 mg/kg DI group, HS + 150 mg/kg DI group, and HS + 200 mg/kg DI group, and each group contains eight cages of twenty-four broilers. The broiler chickens in the control group were raised in the room (21 ± 1 °C) and fed with a finisher diet for 21 days. The broiler chickens of the HS group and the HS + DI groups were raised in the room (32 ± 1 °C for 8 h/day) and fed with a finisher diet containing DI at 0, 50, 150, and 200 mg/kg diet for 21 days. The results showed that HS-induced decreases in the final body weight (P < 0.01), average daily gain (P < 0.01), and average daily feed intake (P < 0.01) were alleviated by dietary supplementation of DI (P < 0.05). In addition, dietary supplementation of DI attenuated the increases in the liver index (P < 0.01) and abdominal fat rate (P < 0.01) caused by HS in broilers (P < 0.05). Treatment with DI ameliorated HS-induced lipid accumulation in the liver and serum of broiler chickens (P < 0.05). The upregulation of mRNA levels of fat synthesis factors (P < 0.01) and downregulation of mRNA levels of lipolysis-related factors (P < 0.01) caused by HS were markedly blunted after treatment with DI in the liver of broilers (P < 0.05). Broilers exposed to HS exhibited lower phosphorylated protein levels of AMP-activated protein kinase α and acetyl-CoA carboxylase α compared to the control group (P < 0.01), which were improved by treatment with DI (P < 0.01). Collectively, these results demonstrated that dietary supplementation of DI protects against chronic HS-induced growth performance impairment and lipid metabolism disorder in broiler chickens. These results not only provide a theoretical basis for DI to alleviate metabolic disorders but also provide a reference value for DI as a feed additive to improve heat stress in poultry caused by high temperature.

Heat stress (HS) caused by high temperatures can lead to metabolic disorders and decreased growth performance in broilers, which has become a global concern in broiler production. Dimethyl itaconate (DI), as a cell-permeable itaconate derivative, has many benefits in alleviating inflammatory response and antioxidant. However, the beneficial effect of DI on broilers exposed to HS are still unclear. Here, we found that DI treatment improved the decline of growth performance and hormone secretion disorder caused by HS in broiler chickens. Moreover, the treatment with DI alleviated the excessive accumulation of lipids caused by HS through reducing mRNA levels related to liposynthesis and enhancing mRNA levels associated with lipolysis in broiler chickens, which may be achieved by activation of the AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) signaling pathway. These data not only provide the potential mechanism for DI to alleviate metabolic disorders but also provide a sufficient theoretical basis for DI as an additive to alleviate HS in broiler chickens.

Isolation of dissolved organic matter from aqueous solution by precipitation with FeCl3: mechanisms and significance in environmental perspectives.

Ferric ions can bind strongly with dissolved organic matter (DOM), including humic acids (HA), fulvic acids (FA), and protein-like substances, whereas isolation of Fe-DOM precipitates (Fe-DOMP) and their biochemical characteristics remain unclear. In this work FeCl3 was used to isolate DOM components from various sources, including river, lake, soil, cow dung, and standard tryptophan and tyrosine, through precipitation at pH 7.5-8.5. The Fe-DOMP contribute to total DOM by approximately 38.6-93.8% of FA, 76.2% of HA and 25.0-30.4% of tryptophan and tyrosine, whilst fluorescence spectra allowed to monitor/discriminate the various DOM fractions in the samples. The relative intensity of the main infrared peaks such as 3406‒3383 cm-1 (aromatic OH), 1689‒1635 cm-1 (‒COOH), 1523-1504 cm-1 (amide) and 1176-1033 cm-1 (‒S=O) show either to decline or disappear in Fe‒DOMP. These results suggest the occurrence of Fe bonds with various functional groups of DOM, indicating the formation of π-d electron bonding systems of different strengths in Fe‒DOMP. The novel method used for isolation of Fe-DOMP shows promising in opening a new frontier both at laboratory and industrial purposes. Furthermore, results obtained may provide a better understanding of metal-organic complexes involved in the regulation of the long-term stabilization/sequestration of DOM in soils and waters.

Effect of flight velocity on droplet deposition and drift of combined pesticides sprayed using an unmanned aerial vehicle sprayer in a peach orchard.

Extensive research has been conducted on plant protection unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) chemical application technology in recent years owing to its importance as a means of pest and disease control. UAV spraying in orchards faces the drawback of drift risk and can be hazardous to non-targeted crops, humans, and the environment. A detailed and systematic analysis must be performed to determine the uniformity and drift risk of plant UAV sprays. In this study, a peach orchard is sprayed with a plant-protection UAV at three different flight velocities and we evaluate the combined pesticide deposition performance of the canopy, ground loss, downwind ground drift, and airborne drift. Additionally, the droplet size and coverage rate in the canopy are calculated by using water-sensitive paper. The results demonstrate that there is significant difference in the droplet size at flight velocities of 1-3 m/s. The droplet size in the lower canopy is slightly smaller than those in the middle and upper parts. Increasing the flight velocity helps the pesticide droplets to spread and penetrate the canopy. However, it also causes a non-uniform pesticide deposition, reduced effective coverage ratio and effective density ratio. Among the three pesticides used in the experiment, imidacloprid exhibits the best deposition efficiency. The deposition amount and normalized deposition amount in the canopy were the highest at a flight velocity of 2 m/s, accompanied by a lower ground loss under the canopy. The highest near-field ground drift is observed at a velocity of 1 m/s, and the far-field airborne drift is highest at 3 m/s. Lastly, this study provides a reference for the commercial application of plant-protection UAVs.

Activated AMP-activated protein kinase prevents hepatic steatosis, oxidative stress and inflammation in primary chicken hepatocytes.

Fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome (FLHS) in laying hens, a nutritional metabolic disorder disease, can lead to the decline of laying rate, shortening of laying peak period and increase of mortality, which seriously constrain the sustainable development of layer industry. Until now, there is no effective strategies can prevent and control the occurrence of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome in laying hens. The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a major sensor of cellular energy status, acts a crucial role in regulating lipid metabolism, oxidative stress and inflammatory responses in body. However, the potential molecular mechanisms about AMP-activated protein kinase signal in controlling the occurrence of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome are remain unclear. In present study, we found that the phosphorylated AMP-activated protein kinase (Thr172) protein level was markedly reduced in palmitic acid plus oleic acid (PO)-induced primary chicken hepatocytes. Moreover, blocked AMP-activated protein kinase signal by AMP-activated protein kinase inhibitor compound C obviously exacerbated lipid metabolism disorders, oxidative stress and inflammatory response triggered by palmitic acid plus oleic acid in primary chicken hepatocytes. Nevertheless, the lipid metabolism disorders, oxidative stress and inflammatory response challenged by palmitic acid plus oleic acid were obviously alleviated through activation of AMP-activated protein kinase signal with AMP-activated protein kinase activator AICAR in hepatocytes. In addition, we found that the beneficial effects of AMP-activated protein kinase signal in relieving lipid metabolism disorders, oxidative stress and inflammatory response are achieved by activating the nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (NRF-2)/kelch-like ECH-associated protein 1 (KEAP1) pathway and inhibiting the NF-κB pathway in PO-stimulated primary chicken hepatocytes. Collectively, our data demonstrated that AMP-activated protein kinase acts as a potential target for the prevention of fatty liver hemorrhagic syndrome occurrence in laying hens.

Ligand-Tuned Multi-Color Luminescence of Single Aluminum (III) Ion Atomic Centers and Their Selective Sensitivity to Different Metal Ions.

Achieving multi-color luminescence with a single atomic center in transition metal complexes is a challenge. In this work, luminescent materials with tunable emission properties were realized by complexation between aluminum (III) ions with the ligands 3-hydroxyflavone (3-HF) and 5,7-dichloro-8-hydroxyquinoline (DCHQ). Aluminum (III) complexes with a single ligand emitted blue from 3-HF and green from DCHQ. High quantum yields (QYs) of 29.42% and 37.00% were also obtained, respectively. DFT calculations revealed details of the photophysical properties of the complexes. Correspondingly, cyan light emission was obtained if these two complexes were mixed together, from which the emission wavelength was located at 470 nm and the QY was 20.52%, under 290 nm excitation. More importantly, the cyan light emitted by the mixtures had selective sensitivity to different metal ions, resulting in either quenching the fluorescence (in the case of Fe3+) or enhancing the fluorescence (in the case of In3+). The fluorescence enhancement effect of In3+ on metal complexes has not been previously reported, neither for transition metal nor lanthanide ions. The linear quenching behavior of Fe3+ functions in the 50-700 µM concentration range, and the linear enhancement behavior of In3+ is demonstrated in the 300-800 mM concentration range.

Spray drift evaluation with point clouds data of 3D LiDAR as a potential alternative to the sampling method.

Spray drift is an inescapable consequence of agricultural plant protection operation, which has always been one of the major concerns in the spray application industry. Spray drift evaluation is essential to provide a basis for the rational selection of spray technique and working surroundings. Nowadays, conventional sampling methods with passive collectors used in drift evaluation are complex, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. The aim of this paper is to present a method to evaluate spray drift based on 3D LiDAR sensor and to test the feasibility of alternatives to passive collectors. Firstly, a drift measurement algorithm was established based on point clouds data of 3D LiDAR. Wind tunnel tests included three types of agricultural nozzles, three pressure settings, and five wind speed settings were conducted. LiDAR sensor and passive collectors (polyethylene lines) were placed downwind from the nozzle to measure drift droplets in a vertical plane. Drift deposition volume on each line and the number of LiDAR droplet points in the corresponding height of the collecting line were calculated, and the influencing factors of this new method were analyzed. The results show that 3D LiDAR measurements provide a rich spatial information, such as the height and width of the drift droplet distribution, etc. High coefficients of determination (R 2 > 0.75) were observed for drift points measured by 3D LiDAR compared to the deposition volume captured by passive collectors, and the anti-drift IDK12002 nozzle at 0.2 MPa spray pressure has the largest R 2 value, which is 0.9583. Drift assessment with 3D LiDAR is sensitive to droplet density or drift mass in space and nozzle initial droplet spectrum; in general, larger droplet density or drift mass and smaller droplet size are not conducive to LiDAR detection, while the appropriate threshold range still needs further study. This study demonstrates that 3D LiDAR has the potential to be used as an alternative tool for rapid assessment of spray drift.