Genome-Wide Identification and Role of the bHLH Gene Family in Dendrocalamus latiflorus Flowering Regulation.

The basic helix-loop-helix (bHLH) gene family is a crucial regulator in plants, orchestrating various developmental processes, particularly flower formation, and mediating responses to hormonal signals. The molecular mechanism of bamboo flowering regulation remains unresolved, limiting bamboo breeding efforts. In this study, we identified 309 bHLH genes and divided them into 23 subfamilies. Structural analysis revealed that proteins in specific DlbHLH subfamilies are highly conserved. Collinearity analysis indicates that the amplification of the DlbHLH gene family primarily occurs through segmental duplications. The structural diversity of these duplicated genes may account for their functional variability. Many DlbHLHs are expressed during flower development, indicating the bHLH gene's significant role in this process. In the promoter region of DlbHLHs, different homeopathic elements involved in light response and hormone response co-exist, indicating that DlbHLHs are related to the regulation of the flower development of D. latiflorus.

Surgical outcomes of inverted internal limiting membrane flap technique for primary rhegmatogenous retinal detachment coexisting with a macular hole.

This retrospective study aimed to evaluate the visual outcomes and foveal restoration in eyes with rhegmatogenous retinal detachment (RRD) and macular hole (MH) following surgery using the inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique. We collected data on eyes with coexisting RRD and MH that underwent surgery using the inverted ILM flap technique between January 2016 and December 2018. The primary outcome measures were visual acuity (VA) and optical coherence tomography findings. Of 308 eyes with MH originating from various causes, 8 (2.6%) eyes diagnosed with coexisting RRD and MH treated using the inverted ILM flap technique were included. The average patient age and axial length were 65.00 ±â€…12.01 years and 23.66 ±â€…0.77 mm, respectively. The mean preoperative best-corrected VA (BCVA) was 1.84 (spherical equivalent [SE], counting finger) ±â€…0.32 logMAR and the mean final BCVA had improved significantly to 1.05 (SE, 20/223) ±â€…0.67 logMAR (P = .017). The primary retinal reattachment, MH closure, and secondary retinal attachment rates were 75% (6/8), 87.5% (7/8), and 100% (7/7), respectively. The inverted ILM flap technique led to significant improvements in anatomical and visual outcomes in patients with coexisting RRD and MH.

Nanopore sequencing: flourishing in its teenage years.

Over the past decade, nanopore sequencing has experienced significant advancements and changes, transitioning from an initially emerging technology to a significant instrument in the field of genomic sequencing. However, as advancements in next-generation sequencing technology persist, nanopore sequencing also improves. This paper reviews the developments, applications, and outlook on nanopore sequencing technology. Currently, nanopore sequencing supports both DNA and RNA sequencing, making it widely applicable in areas such as telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome assembly, direct RNA sequencing (DRS), and metagenomics. The openness and versatility of nanopore sequencing have established it as a preferred option for an increasing number of research teams, signaling a transformative influence on life science research. As nanopore sequencing technology advances, it provides a faster, more cost-effective approach with extended read lengths, demonstrating the significant potential for complex genome assembly, pathogen detection, environmental monitoring, and human disease research, offering a fresh perspective in sequencing technologies.

Pan-cancer analysis suggests that LY6H is a potential biomarker of diagnosis, immunoinfiltration, and prognosis.

LY6H, a member of the lymphocyte antigen-6(LY6) gene family, is located on human chromosomes 6, 8, 11 and 19. This superfamily is characterized by the presence of LU domains. It has demonstrated its emerging significance in various cancers including adenocarcinoma, bladder cancer, ovarian cancer and skin cancer. However, comprehensive pan-cancer analyses have not been conducted to investigate its role in diagnosis, prognosis and immunological prediction. By conducting comprehensive analysis of patient data obtained from publicly available databases, including The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx), University of Alabama at Birmingham (UALCAN), The Comparative Toxicological Genomics Database (CTD), cBioportal, cancerSEA, and UCSC, we systematically investigated the differential expression of LY6H in 33 different types of human tumors. Additionally, we thoroughly analyzed the diagnostic, prognostic, and immunoinfiltration value of LY6H. Simultaneously, we examined the correlation between LY6H and tumor stemness, methylation patterns, drug sensitivity, gene alterations as well as single cell functions. Furthermore, protein-protein interaction networks and gene-gene interaction networks for LY6H were constructed. Moreover, we also explored the network relationship between LY6H and chemical compounds or genes. The results revealed that LY6H exhibited high expression levels in most cancers which were further validated through Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) and Immunohistochemistry (IHC) analysis using Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) samples. Moreover, LY6H displayed early diagnostic potential in 12 tumors while also showing positive or negative correlations with prognosis across different tumor types. Additionally, it was found that LY6H played a pivotal role in regulating immune-infiltrating cells across multiple cancers whereas the correlation between LY6H expression and immune-related genes varied depending on their specific types. Furthermore, the expression of LY6H was significantly associated with DNA methylation patterns in 21 cancers. Therefore, LY6H could serve as an adjunctive biomarker for early tumor detection as well as a prognostic indicator for diverse malignancies.

[Effect of anterior cruciate ligament integrity on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty].

Objective: To investigate the effect of anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) integrity on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA). Methods: The clinical data of 128 patients with anteromedial osteoarthritis who underwent mobile-bearing medial UKA between June 2019 and June 2021 was retrospectively analyzed. According to the integrity of ACL structure under direct vision during operation, the patients were divided into normal group (30 cases), synovial defect group (53 cases), and longitudinal split group (45 cases). There was no significant difference in gender, age, body mass index, preoperative knee range of motion (ROM), hip-knee-ankle angle (HKA), Knee Society Score (KSS), Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC), and other baseline data among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). The knee ROM, KSS score (including clinical and functional scores), WOMAC score (including pain, stiffness, and function scores) before operation and at last follow-up, the Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, and Forgetting Joint Score (FJS-12) at last follow-up were recorded and compared among the 3 groups. Imaging examination was performed to evaluate the wear of cartilage in the lateral tibiofemoral compartment and patellofemoral compartment of the knee joint. HKA and posterior tibial slope (PTS) were measured at last follow-up. Results: All the patients of 3 groups were followed up 22-56 months (mean, 40.4 months). There was no significant difference in follow-up time among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). At last follow-up, imaging examination showed no obvious cartilage wear progression of the lateral tibiofemoral compartment and patellofemoral compartment, and no adverse events such as aseptic loosening of the prosthesis, dislocation of the removable pad, or infection occurred during the follow-up. At last follow-up, knee ROM, HKA, KSS scores, and WOMAC scores of the 3 groups significantly improved when compared with preoperative ones ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in the changes of the above indicators before and after operation, and also the Lysholm score, IKDC score, FJS-12 score, and PTS among the 3 groups ( P>0.05). Conclusion: The integrity of ACL has no significant effect on the short- and mid-term effectiveness of mobile-bearing medial UKA.

Tumor immune microenvironment of NSCLC with EGFR exon 20 insertions may predict efficacy of first-line ICI-combined regimen.

OBJECTIVES: Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with exon 20 insertion mutations (ex20ins) of the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) were resistant to monotherapy of immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI). However, recent reports have shown that the combination of ICI and chemotherapy (ICI-combined regimen) exhibited certain efficacy for NSCLC with EGFR ex20ins. The mechanisms behind this phenomenon have not been thoroughly clarified. Hence, we conducted this study tofind correlations between the tumor immune microenvironment of EGFR ex20ins and the efficacy of ICI-combined regimen. METHODS: We performed single-cell transcriptome sequencing and multiplex immunofluorescence staining (mIF) to investigate the immune microenvironment of NSCLC patients with EGFR ex20ins, L858R, and EGFR wild-type. We analyzed 15 treatment-naïve NSCLC samples utilizing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq). Another 30 cases of EGFR L858R and 4 cases of wild-type were recruited to compare the immune microenvironment with that of EGFR ex20ins (28 cases) by mIF. RESULTS: We observed that cell components, function and interactions varied between EGFR ex20ins, L858R, and wild-type NSCLC.We discovered similar T cell and CD8+ T cell distributions among groups but found noninferior or even better T cell activation in ex20ins patients. Infiltrating CD8+ FOXP3- T cells were significantly lower in the tumor region of EGFR ex20ins compared to wild-type. T cells from the ex20ins group had a greater tendency to promote cancer cell inflammation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) compared to wild-type group. For macrophages, there were more M2-like macrophages in ex20ins patients. M1-like macrophages in ex20ins group produced fewer antitumor cytokines than in other groups. CONCLUSIONS: The immune microenvironment of EGFR ex20ins is more suppressive than that of L858R and wild-type, suggesting that ICI monotherapy may not be sufficient for these patients. ICI-combined regimen might be a treatment option for EGFR ex20ins due to tumor-promoting inflammation and noninferior T cell functions in the immune microenvironment.

A Tutorial Review of Labeling Methods in Mass Spectrometry-Based Quantitative Proteomics.

Recent advancements in mass spectrometry (MS) have revolutionized quantitative proteomics, with multiplex isotope labeling emerging as a key strategy for enhancing accuracy, precision, and throughput. This tutorial review offers a comprehensive overview of multiplex isotope labeling techniques, including precursor-based, mass defect-based, reporter ion-based, and hybrid labeling methods. It details their fundamental principles, advantages, and inherent limitations along with strategies to mitigate the limitation of ratio-distortion. This review will also cover the applications and latest progress in these labeling techniques across various domains, including cancer biomarker discovery, neuroproteomics, post-translational modification analysis, cross-linking MS, and single-cell proteomics. This Review aims to provide guidance for researchers on selecting appropriate methods for their specific goals while also highlighting the potential future directions in this rapidly evolving field.

Limited Impacts of Water Diversion on Micro-eukaryotic Community along the Eastern Route of China's South-to-North Water Diversion Project.

The Eastern Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project (ER-SNWDP) represents a crucial initiative aimed at alleviating water scarcity in China's northern region. Understanding the dynamics governing the composition and assembly processes of micro-eukaryotic communities within the canal during different water diversion periods holds paramount significance for the effective management of the ER-SNWDP. Our study systematically tracks the dynamics of the micro-eukaryotic community and its assembly processes along the 1045.4 km of canals and four impounded lakes, totaling 3455 km2, constituting the ER-SNWDP during a complete water diversion cycle, utilizing high-throughput sequencing, bioinformatics tools, and null modeling algorithms. The primary objectives of this study are to elucidate the spatial-temporal succession of micro-eukaryotic communities as the water diversion progresses, to delineate the relative importance of deterministic and stochastic processes in community assembly, and to identify the pivotal factors driving changes in micro-eukaryotic communities. Our findings indicate notable variations in the composition and diversity of micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP across different water diversion periods and geographic locations (P < 0.05). This variation is influenced by a confluence of temporal and environmental factors, with limited impacts from water diversion. In essence, the assembly of micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP primarily stemmed from heterogeneous selection driven by deterministic processes. Water diversion exhibited a tendency to decrease community beta diversity while augmenting the influence of stochastic processes in community assembly, albeit this effect attenuated over time. Furthermore, our analysis identified several pivotal environmental parameters, notably including nitrite-nitrogen, nitrate-nitrogen, orthophosphate, and water temperature, as exerting significant effects on micro-eukaryotic communities across different water diversion periods. Collectively, our study furnishes the inaugural comprehensive exploration of the dynamics, assembly processes, and influencing factors governing micro-eukaryotic communities within the ER-SNWDP, thus furnishing indispensable insights to inform the water quality management of this important project.

Orthogonal experimental method to investigate the effect of process parameters on the mechanical properties of thin-walled parts by PBF-LB/M.

Lightweight thin-walled parts are widely used in the aviation and aerospace industries, and with the further increase in the complexity of their features, the traditional manufacturing process can no longer fully meet the high requirements of industrial component manufacturing. In this work, thin-walled parts are processed by Laser based powder bed fusion of metals (PBF-LB/M), and the effects of process parameters on residual stress, hardness, mechanical properties and microstructure of thin-walled parts are systematically investigated. The simulation results show that the maximum equivalent residual stresses are distributed in the combination of the solid and the substrate, and the minimum equivalent residual stresses are mainly distributed in the top two ends and the middle part of the solid, and the stress distribution is symmetrical. In addition, the maximum equivalent residual stress increases with the increase of laser power, and decreases with the increase of scanning spacing or scanning speed. The experimental results show that with the increase of laser energy density, the tensile strength and yield strength of thin-walled parts show a tendency of increasing first and then decreasing. Finally, high-quality thin-walled parts were successfully fabricated by the optimized process parameters, and their tensile and yield strengths were increased by 6.1% and 15.9%, respectively.

Expression of Iron Metabolism Genes Is Potentially Regulated by DOF Transcription Factors in Dendrocalamus latiflorus Leaves.

Transcription factors (TFs) are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of TFs with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated that iron content varies among bamboo leaves of different colors. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the TFs that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF TFs in D. latiflorus.

Ex vivo MFG-E8 treatment improves the function of lungs procured from cardiac death donors in preclinical porcine model.

Ex vivo lung perfusion (EVLP) is a promising technology that allows the re-evaluation of donor lungs and has the potential to improve marginal lung reconditioning. The present study focused on the effects of milk fat globule epidermal growth factor 8 (MFG-E8) on the function of donation after circulatory death (DCD) lungs during EVLP and transplant reperfusion. Domestic swine were assigned to 4 groups. In the control group, the donor lungs lacking warm ischemia were preserved in Perfadex for 4 h. The swine in the other three groups underwent hypoxic arrest, followed by 1 h of warm ischemia. The DCD lungs were procured and randomly divided into three groups: cold static preservation (DCD-CSP) group, DCD-EVLP group, and DCD-MFG-E8 group. The left lung of all groups was transplanted and reperfused. During EVLP and reperfusion, lung functions and pathological evaluations were performed. Treatment with MFG-E8 resulted in significantly improved blood oxygenation. The mean pulmonary artery pressure, peak airway pressure, and expression of IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-12 were significantly lower but IL-10 was higher in the DCD -MFG-E8 group. Furthermore, the lung injury severity score, pulmonary edema, and wet-to-dry weight ratio were also reduced in MFG-E8-treated lungs. However, the pulmonary vascular resistance and expression of TNF-α did not differ from the DCD -EVLP group but were significantly lower than in the DCD -CSP group. Adding MFG-E8 into the perfusate during EVLP obtains optimal graft function of lungs from DCD. This finding, if confirmed clinically, can be applied to recondition grafts and expanded use of DCD lungs.

Hydrometeorological conditions drive long-term changes in the spatial distribution of Potamogeton crispus in a subtropical lake.

Globally, anthropogenic disturbance and climate change caused a rapid decline of submerged macrophytes in lake ecosystems. Potamogeton crispus (P. crispus), a species that germinates in winter, explosively expanded throughout many Chinese lakes, yet the underlying mechanism remained unclear. Here, this study examined the long-term changes in the distribution patterns of P. crispus in Lake Gaoyou by combining remote sensing images and hydrometeorological data from 1984 to 2022 and water quality data from 2009 to 2022. It aims to unravel the relationships between the distribution patterns of P. crispus and hydrometeorological and water quality factors. The results showed that the area of P. crispus in Lake Gaoyou showed a slight increase from 1984 to 2009, a marked increase from 2010 to 2019, followed by a decline after 2020. Spatially, P. crispus was primarily distributed in the western and northern parts of Lake Gaoyou, with less distribution in the central and southeastern parts of the lake. Wind speed (WS), temperature (Temp), water level (WL), ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N), and Secchi depth (SD) were identified as the key factors regulating the variation in the P. crispus area in Lake Gaoyou. We found that the P. crispus area showed an increasing trend with increasing Temp, WL, and SD and decreasing WS and NH3-N. The influence of environmental factors on the area of P. crispus in Lake Gaoyou varied among seasons. The results indicated that hydrometeorology (WS, Temp, and WL) may override water quality (NH3-N and SD) in driving the succession of P. crispus distribution. The findings of this study offer valuable insights into the recent widespread expansion of P. crispus in shallow lakes across Eastern China.

Inverted flap technique versus internal limiting membrane insertion for macular hole in eyes with extremely high myopia.

BACKGROUND: To compare the surgical outcomes of the inverted internal limiting membrane (ILM) flap technique and ILM insertion for macular hole (MH) without retinal detachment in eyes with extremely high myopia. METHODS: In this retrospective study, we analyzed 22 eyes with an axial length ≥ 30.0 mm that had underwent MH surgery between April 2015 and August 2021. The surgical procedures involved either an inverted ILM flap or ILM insertion. The outcomes were compared between the two techniques. Closure of the MH was confirmed by optical coherence tomography (OCT). The best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) was measured before and after surgery. Associated complications were documented. RESULTS: The median of axial length was 30.64 mm (range, 30.0-34.42). The MH closed in 100% (22/22) eyes and did not recur with a median follow-up of 12.5 months. For the inverted ILM flap technique, the median BCVA improved significantly from 0.80 logarithm of the minimum angle of resolution (logMAR) (range, 0.40-2.00) before surgery to 0.70 logMAR (range, 0.09-1.52) after surgery (p = 0.002). In addition, the median of final BCVA was better for the inverted ILM flap than ILM insertion (0.7 logMAR V.S. 1.00 logMAR; p = 0.016). CONCLUSIONS: In eyes with extremely high myopia, despite comparable effects on MH closure for both ILM insertion and the inverted ILM flap, the later technique achieved significantly better visual outcomes.

The Microbiome Protocols eBook initiative: Building a bridge to microbiome research.

The Microbiome Protocols eBook (MPB) serves as a crucial bridge, filling gaps in microbiome protocols for both wet experiments and data analysis. The first edition, launched in 2020, featured 152 meticulously curated protocols, garnering widespread acclaim. We now extend a sincere invitation to researchers to participate in the upcoming 2nd version of MPB, contributing their valuable protocols to advance microbiome research.

Topological valley Hall polariton condensation.

A photonic topological insulator features robust directional propagation and immunity to defect perturbations of the edge/surface state. Exciton-polaritons, that is, the hybrid quasiparticles of excitons and photons in semiconductor microcavities, have been proposed as a tunable nonlinear platform for emulating topological phenomena. However, mainly due to excitonic material limitations, experimental observations so far have not been able to enter the nonlinear condensation regime or only show localized condensation in one dimension. Here we show a topological propagating edge state with polariton condensation at room temperature and without any external magnetic field. We overcome material limitations by using excitonic CsPbCl3 halide perovskites with a valley Hall lattice design. The polariton lattice features a large bandgap of 18.8 meV and exhibits strong nonlinear polariton condensation with clear long-range spatial coherence across the critical pumping density. The geometric parameters and material composition of our nonlinear many-body photonic system platform can in principle be tailored to study topological phenomena of other interquasiparticle interactions.

Large-scale bacterial genomic and metagenomic analysis reveals Pseudomonas aeruginosa as potential ancestral source of tigecycline resistance gene cluster tmexCD-toprJ.

BACKGROUND: The global dissemination of the multidrug resistance efflux pump gene cluster tmexCD-toprJ has greatly weakened the effects of multiple antibiotics, including tigecycline. However, the potential origin and transmission mechanisms of the gene cluster remain unclear. METHODS: Here, we concluded a comprehensive bioinformatics analysis on integrated 73,498 bacterial genomes, including Pseudomonas spp., Klebsiella spp., Aeromonas spp., Proteus spp., and Citrobacter spp., along with 1,152 long-read metagenomic datasets to trace the origin and propagation of tmexCD-toprJ. RESULTS: Our results demonstrated that tmexCD-toprJ was predominantly found in Pseudomonas aeruginosa sourced from human hosts in Asian countries and North American countries. Phylogenetic and genomic feature analyses showed that tmexCD-toprJ was likely evolved from mexCD-oprJ of some special clones of P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, metagenomic analysis confirmed that P. aeruginosa is the only potential ancestral bacterium for tmexCD-toprJ. A putative mobile genetic structure harboring tmexCD-toprJ, int-int-hp-hp-tnfxB-tmexCD-toprJ, was the predominant genetic context of tmexCD-toprJ across various bacterial genera, suggesting that the two integrase genes play a pivotal role in the horizontal transmission of tmexCD-toprJ. CONCLUSIONS: Based on these findings, it is almost certain that the tmexCD-toprJ gene cluster was derived from P. aeruginosa and further spread to other bacteria.

Alpha-tocopherol inhibits ferroptosis and promotes neural function recovery in rats with spinal cord injury via downregulating Alox15.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a type of central nervous system (CNS) injury in which ferroptosis is becoming a promising target for treatment. Alpha-tocopherol (Vitamin E, Vit E) is a compound with anti-ferroptosis activity. The mechanism of alpha-tocopherol in regulating ferroptosis after SCI has not been deeply studied. In this study, rats with SCI were treated by Alpha-tocopherol based on bioinformatic analysis and molecular docking prediction. Behavioral tests and histological findings showed that Alpha-tocopherol promoted neural function recovery and tissue repairment in rats with SCI. Subsequently, regulatory effects of Alpha-tocopherol on Alox15 and ferroptosis were detected and then localized by immunofluorescence. In vitro, alpha-tocopherol improved the ROS accumulation, iron overload, lipid peroxidation and mitochondrial dysfunction. The effects of Alpha-tocopherol on the expression of Alox15, Ptgs2 and 4Hne were validated in vitro. Finally, the inhibitory effects of Alpha-tocopherol on Alox15 and ferroptosis were weakened by the mutation of 87th residue of Alox15. In summary, alpha-tocopherol could alleviate SCI-induced ferroptosis by downregulating Alox15 to promote neural function recovery in rats with SCI. Findings in this study could help further our understanding on SCI-induced ferroptosis and provide a novel insight for treating SCI.

Restore polder and aquaculture enclosure to the lake: Balancing environmental protection and economic growth for sustainable development.

The restoration of lakes and their buffer zones is crucial for understanding the intricate interplay between human activities and natural ecosystems resulting from the implementation of environmental policies. In this study, we investigated the ecological restoration of shallow lakes and buffer zones in the Yangtze-Huaihe River Basin, specifically focusing on the removal of polder and aquaculture enclosure areas within the lakes. By examining data from eight shallow lakes and their corresponding buffer zones, encompassing lake morphology, water quality parameters, and land use/land cover (LULC) data spanning from 2008 to 2022, which shed light on the complex relationships involved. During the process of restoring polder and aquaculture enclosure areas, we observed a general decrease in the extent of polders and aquaculture enclosures within the lakes. Notably, the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a more pronounced effect (reduction rate of 83.37 %) compared to the withdrawal of polders (reduction rate of 48.76 %). Linear regression analysis revealed a significant decrease in the concentrations of seven water quality parameters, including COD, CODMn, TN, TP, NH3-N, Chl-a, and F, while pH and DO factors exhibit a distinct increasing trend. The results of redundancy analysis and Pearson correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between the area of polders and aquaculture enclosures and the changes in lake water quality. Encouragingly, the withdrawal of polders and the removal of aquaculture enclosures had a positive impact on the lake water quality improvement. In contrast, the LULC in the buffer zones of the lakes experienced a gradual decline owing to land degradation, resulting in a reduction in ecosystem service value (ESV). These results offer valuable support for policymakers in their endeavors to restore lake water quality, mitigate the degradation of buffer zones land, and promote the sustainable development of land and water resources.

Plant polysaccharide-derived edible film packaging for instant food: Rapid dissolution in hot water coupled with exceptional mechanical and barrier characteristics.

A comprehensive multiscale analysis was conducted to explore the effects of different ratios of these materials on its properties. The results show that KC played a crucial role in controlling solution viscosity and gel and sol temperatures. The dissolution time at high water temperatures primarily decreased with an increase in SA content. Higher KC and CS content increased tensile strength (TS) and elongation at break (ε), while also exhibiting better thermal stability. Water vapor transmission (WVT) and permeability (PV) initially decreased, then increased with the increase of SA and CS contents. Finally, an SA:KC:CS ratio of 1:3:2 showed optimal comprehensive properties, with a dissolution time of about 60.0 ± 3.8 s, TS of 23.80 ± 0.29 MPa, ε of 18.61 ± 0.34 %, WVT of 21.74 ± 0.62 g/m2·24h, and PV of 5.39 ± 0.17 meq/kg. Meanwhile, the SA:KC:CS edible food packaging only introduced minimal effects on food after dissolution, and the total bacterial count met regulatory standards.

Shotgun metagenomics reveals the gut microbial diversity and functions in Vespa mandarinia (Hymenoptera: Vespidae) at multiple life stages.

Wasps play important roles as predators and pollinators in the ecosystem. The Jingpo minority residing in Yunnan Province, China, has a traditional practice of using wine infused with mature wasps as a customary remedy for managing rheumatoid arthritis. The larva of the wasp is also a tasteful folk dish that has created a tremendous market. There is a paucity of survival knowledge, which has greatly restricted their potential applications in food and healthcare. Recent research has highlighted the importance of gut microbiota in insect growth. Nevertheless, there is still a lack of understanding regarding the composition, changes, and functions of the gut microbiota in Vespa mandarinia during development. In this research, the gut microbiota were investigated across three growth stages of Vespa mandarinia using a metagenomic technology. The result revealed that there are significant variations in the proportion of main gut microbes during the metamorphosis of Vespa mandarinia. Tenericutes were found to dominate during the larval stage, while Proteobacteria emerged as the dominant group post-pupation. Through a comprehensive analysis of the gut microbiota metagenome, this study revealed functional differences in the wasp gut microbiota at various growth stages. During the larval stage, the gut microbiota plays a central role in promoting metabolism. Following pupation, the gut microbiota exhibited diversified functions, likely due to the complex environments and diverse food sources encountered after metamorphosis. These functions included amino acid metabolism, compound degradation, and defense mechanisms. This research provides an extensive dataset on the gut microbiota during the metamorphosis of Vespa mandarinia, contributing to a deeper understanding of the influence of gut microbiota on wasp growth. Furthermore, this study uncovers a unique microbial treasure within insect guts, which is important for advancing the application of wasps in the fields of food and medicine.