Effect of Glycolipids Application Combined with Nitrogen Fertilizer Reduction on Maize Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Yield.

Microbial-driven N turnover is important in regulating N fertilizer use efficiency through the secretion of metabolites like glycolipids. Currently, our understanding of the potential of glycolipids to partially reduce N fertilizer use and the effects of glycolipids on crop yield and N use efficiency is still limited. Here, a three-year in situ field experiment was conducted with seven treatments: no fertilization (CK); chemical N, phosphorus and potassium (NPK); NPK plus glycolipids (N+PKT); and PK plus glycolipids with 10% (0.9 N+PKT), 20% (0.8 N+PKT), 30% (0.7 N+PKT), and 100% (PKT) N reduction. Compared with NPK, glycolipids with 0-20% N reduction did not significantly reduce maize yields, and also increased N uptake by 6.26-11.07%, but no significant changes in grain or straw N uptake. The N resorption efficiency under 0.9 N+PKT was significantly greater than that under NPK, while the apparent utilization rates of N fertilizer and partial factor productivity of N under 0.9 N+PKT were significantly greater than those under NPK. Although 0.9 N+PKT led to additional labor and input costs, compared with NPK, it had a greater net economic benefit. Our study demonstrates the potential for using glycolipids in agroecosystem management and provides theoretical support for optimizing fertilization strategies.

B-ultrasound-assisted gluteal fat grafting in Asians: A prospective study of quantitative results from three-dimensional imaging and B-ultrasound analysis.

BACKGROUND: The increasing number of fatalities caused by gluteal fat grafting is concerning; thus, there is a need to determine ways to obtain the ideal aesthetic effect while ensuring a safe operation. In this study, three-dimensional (3D) measurements combined with B-ultrasound were used to evaluate the effect of gluteal fat augmentation in Asians, whose safety and effectiveness were confirmed using quantitative data. METHODS: Thirty-five consecutive female patients were evaluated in this prospective clinical study. All patients underwent B-ultrasound-assisted gluteal fat augmentation on the subcutaneous plane alone. 3D imaging and B-ultrasound analysis of the adipose tissue thickness in the gluteal region were performed preoperatively and at 1 week, 3 months and 6 months post-operatively. RESULTS: The waist circumference of the patients decreased, gluteal circumference and length of the gluteal crease increased and average waist-to-hip ratio improved from 0.78 to 0.74. At 3 months and 6 months post-operatively, the adipose tissue thickness decreased by 5.1% and 15.1%, respectively. The fat retention rates calculated using 3D imaging measurements at 3 months and 6 months post-operatively were 77.9% and 64.7%, respectively. According to the BODY-Q scale scores, patients reported a high level of satisfaction post-operatively. CONCLUSIONS: B-ultrasound guidance can effectively prevent the occurrence of fatal fat embolism during gluteal fat grafting and maximise the augmentation effect. The quantitative data obtained using 3D measurements and B-ultrasound confirmed the safety and effectiveness of fat injections for gluteal augmentation under B-ultrasound guidance.

Preventive effect of Cleome spinosa against cucumber Fusarium wilt and improvement on cucumber growth and physiology.

Cucumber wilt is an important soil borne disease in cucumber production, which seriously affects the development of the cucumber industry. Cleome spinosa also has pharmacological effects such as antibacterial, analgesic, anti-inflammatory, and insect repellent. To study the control effect and mechanism of Cleome spinosa fumigation on cucumber wilt disease, different concentrations of Cleome spinosa fragments were applied on cucumber plants infected with Fusarium oxysporum. Cleome spinosa fumigation significantly reduced the incidence rate of cucumber Fusarium wilt. Under the fumigation treatment of 7.5 g kg-1 Cleome spinosa fragments, the preventive effects were 74.7%. Cleome spinosa fragments fumigation can promote cucumber growth and synthesis of photosynthetic pigments, thereby improving individual plant yield and fruit quality. At 7.5 g kg-1 Cleome spinosa fragments fumigation treatment, the plant height and individual plant yield of cucumber increased by 20.3% and 34.3%, respectively. Cleome spinosa fumigation can enhance the activity of antioxidant enzymes in cucumber, maintain a balance of reactive oxygen species metabolism, and enhance the plant disease resistance. Moreover, Cleome spinosa can also regulate the activities of Mg2+-ATPase and Ca2+-ATPase, enhancing its resistance to Fusarium oxysporum. Moreover, number of bacteria and fungi significantly decreased under Cleome spinosa fumigation. Those results suggested that Cleome spinosa could effectively restrain cucumber Fusarium wilt. This study will provide a new idea for the further use of biological fumigation to prevent soil-borne diseases.

PromptMagician: Interactive Prompt Engineering for Text-to-Image Creation.

Generative text-to-image models have gained great popularity among the public for their powerful capability to generate high-quality images based on natural language prompts. However, developing effective prompts for desired images can be challenging due to the complexity and ambiguity of natural language. This research proposes PromptMagician, a visual analysis system that helps users explore the image results and refine the input prompts. The backbone of our system is a prompt recommendation model that takes user prompts as input, retrieves similar prompt-image pairs from DiffusionDB, and identifies special (important and relevant) prompt keywords. To facilitate interactive prompt refinement, PromptMagician introduces a multi-level visualization for the cross-modal embedding of the retrieved images and recommended keywords, and supports users in specifying multiple criteria for personalized exploration. Two usage scenarios, a user study, and expert interviews demonstrate the effectiveness and usability of our system, suggesting it facilitates prompt engineering and improves the creativity support of the generative text-to-image model.

Physiological mechanism beneath the inhibition of Cleome spinosa against the morphology and reproduction of Fusarium oxysporum.

Fusarium oxysporum is a soil-borne plant pathogen that can cause various plant diseases including cucumber wilt. An experiment was conducted to explore the physiological mechanism underlying the inhibitory activity of Cleome spinosa against the morphology and reproduction of F. oxysporum. Different concentrations of C. spinosa extracts. -0 (Z0), 5 (Z5), 15 (Z15), 30 (Z30), 45 (Z45), and 60 (Z60) mg·mL-1 were applied to F. oxysporum. Cleome spinosa extract significantly reduced the colony diameter (89.7 %) and dry mass (78.9 %) of F. oxysporum under the Z45 treatment. Moreover, spore formation was also significantly inhibited by C. spinosa extract. The spore number and germination rate decreased by 73.5 % and 83.0 %, respectively, under the Z45 treatment. The number of mycelia in the unit field of view was significantly reduced, and the mycelia were wizened with rough surfaces and more bends under the Z45 treatment. Hence, C. spinosa extracts severely damaged the morphology of F. oxysporum mycelia. Additionally, F. oxysporum could not adjust to the osmotic changes caused by C. spinosa extract, leading to membrane injury and electrolyte leakage. Finally, they impaired the antioxidant system in F. oxysporum, resulting in cell membrane injury.

Exosomes from adipose-derived stem cells and application to skin wound healing.

Skin wound healing is an intractable problem that represents an urgent clinical need. To solve this problem, a large number of studies have focused on the use of exosomes (EXOs) derived from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs). This review describes the mechanisms whereby ADSCs-EXOs regulate wound healing and their clinical application. In the wound, ADSCs-EXOs modulate immune responses and inflammation. They also promote angiogenesis, accelerate proliferation and re-epithelization of skin cells, and regulate collagen remodelling which inhibits scar hyperplasia. Compared with ADSCs therapeutics, ADSCs-EXOs have highly stability and are easily stored. Additionally, they are not rejected by the immune system and have a homing effect and their dosage can be easily controlled. ADSCs-EXOs can improve fat grafting and promote wound healing in patients with diabetes mellitus. They can also act as a carrier and combined scaffold for treatment, leading to scarless cutaneous repair. Overall, ADSCs-EXOs have the potential to be used in the clinic to promote wound healing.

Suprapubic Liposuction With a Modified Devine's Technique for Buried Penis Release in Adults.

BACKGROUND: With the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity, adult-acquired buried penis is more common in recent years. Many surgical techniques have been reported. However, none is the gold standard. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of combining suprapubic liposuction and modified Devine's technique for penile lengthening in adult patients with buried penis due to obesity. METHODS: From September 2015 to June 2018, 26 consecutive suitable patients (mean age: 33 ± 5.7 years, mean body mass index: 29 ± 5.4 kg/m2) with a buried penis received suprapubic liposuction and modified Devine's technique for penis release in our medical centre. A retrospective study was conducted. Their penile length from tip to the skin (flaccid) was measured pre- and post-operatively. The amount of liposuction was also recorded accordingly. RESULTS: The mean length of the follow-up on the 26 patients is 18 ± 7.1 months (range 3-33 months). The average amount of liposuction is 450 ± 90.2 mL. The average penile length measured preoperatively, post-operatively (on table), and 3 months after the operation is 2.9 ± 1.3, 7.4 ± 2.1, and 5.3 ± 1.8 cm, respectively. The post-operative penile length had significantly increased by 4.5 ± 1.6 cm (on table) and 2.4 ± 0.7 cm (3 months post-operation) with a P value <.05. No patient had difficulties in sexual intercourse or urination post-operatively. None of the patients were dissatisfied with their surgical outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The combination of suprapubic liposuction and modified Devine's technique is a safe and effective method for releasing the buried penis of adults with satisfying outcomes.

CONTEXTE: Avec la prédominance croissante du surpoids et de l'obésité, le pénis enterré adulte-acquis est plus commun ces dernières années. Beaucoup de techniques chirurgicales ont été rapportées. Cependant, aucun n'est l'étalon-or. OBJECTIF: Évaluer l'innocuité et l'efficacité de la combinaison de la liposuccion suprapubique et de la technique modifiée de Devine pour l'allongement du pénis chez les patients adultes avec un pénis enterré en raison de l'obésité. MÉTHODES: De septembre 2015 à juin 2018, 26 patients appropriés consécutifs (âge moyen : 33 ± 5.7 ans, indice de masse corporelle moyen : 29 ± 5.4 kg/m2) avec un pénis enterré ont reçu une liposuccion suprapubique et modifié la technique de Devine pour la libération du pénis dans notre centre médical. Une étude rétrospective a été menée. Leur longueur pénienne de la pointe à la peau (flasque) a été mesurée avant et postopératoirement. La quantité de liposuccion a également été enregistrée en conséquence. RÉSULTATS: La durée moyenne du suivi sur les 26 patients est de 18 ± 7.1 mois (gamme 3-33 mois). La quantité moyenne de liposuccion est de 450 ± 90.2 ml. La longueur pénitenelle moyenne mesurée de façon préopératoire, postopératoire (sur la table) et de 3 mois après l'opération est de 2.9 ± 1.3, 7.4 ± 2.1 et 5.3 ± 1.8 cm, respectivement. La longueur du pénis postopératoire avait considérablement augmenté de 4.5 ± 1.6 cm (sur la table) et de 2.4 ± 0.7 cm (3 mois après l'opération) avec une valeur P < 0.05. Aucun patient n'a eu des difficultés dans les rapports sexuels ou la miction postopératoire. Aucun des patients n'était insatisfait de leurs résultats chirurgicaux. CONCLUSIONS: La combinaison de la liposuccion suprapubienne et de la technique modifiée de Devine est une méthode sûre et efficace pour libérer le pénis enterré des adultes avec des résultats satisfaisants.

Total Knee Arthroplasty for Fixed Valgus Deformity Correction Using a Modified Lateral Parapatellar Approach.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for patients with valgus deformity (> 10 degrees) is technically challenging and has produced variable clinical results in terms of deformity correction, instability, and overall outcomes. The lateral parapatellar approach (LPA) is an alternative to the traditional medial parapatellar approach with potential advantages of direct access for release of tight lateral ligamentous structures with preservation of the medial structures, optimized patellar tracking, preserved medial blood supply to the patella, and less use of constrained implants. We present a case series of a single institution's experience with use of a modified LPA using a Z-capsuloplasty for 35 primary TKA cases in 30 patients with osteoarthritis and Ranawat's type-II fixed valgus deformity with attenuation of medial soft tissues. The mean age of patients was 64.8 years (range: 42-78 years). Follow-up duration was a mean of 47.3 months (range: 3-130 months). The patients were assessed pre- and postoperatively using radiographic measurement of the anatomic femorotibial angle (FTA) and clinical measurement of range of motion (ROM) and the Chinese knee society score (KSS). Complications and reoperations were recorded. The mean coronal alignment was corrected from 20.4 degrees of valgus (range: 11.3-42 degrees) preoperatively to 7.0 degrees of valgus (range: 3.6-15.1 degrees) postoperatively. One case required use of a constrained condylar design implant. At a mean of 47.3 months, the mean Knee Society objective and functional scores improved to 91.8 ± 6.6 and 84.3 ± 18.2 points, respectively. Mean ROM was 94.9 degrees preoperatively and 105.7 degrees postoperatively. Three cases (8.6%) had postoperative complications, including transient common peroneal nerve palsy, hematoma, and deep infection. One patient underwent two-stage revision for infection. There were no cases of late instability. The modified LPA using a Z-capsuloplasty is a reproducible and effective surgical technique for performing TKA in the setting of osteoarthritis and severe valgus deformity.

Distinct Roles of Dopamine Receptors in the Lateral Thalamus in a Rat Model of Decisional Impulsivity.

The thalamus and central dopamine signaling have been shown to play important roles in high-level cognitive processes including impulsivity. However, little is known about the role of dopamine receptors in the thalamus in decisional impulsivity. In the present study, rats were tested using a delay discounting task and divided into three groups: high impulsivity (HI), medium impulsivity (MI), and low impulsivity (LI). Subsequent in vivo voxel-based magnetic resonance imaging revealed that the HI rats displayed a markedly reduced density of gray matter in the lateral thalamus compared with the LI rats. In the MI rats, the dopamine D1 receptor antagonist SCH23390 or the D2 receptor antagonist eticlopride was microinjected into the lateral thalamus. SCH23390 significantly decreased their choice of a large, delayed reward and increased their omission of lever presses. In contrast, eticlopride increased the choice of a large, delayed reward but had no effect on the omissions. Together, our results indicate that the lateral thalamus is involved in decisional impulsivity, and dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the lateral thalamus have distinct effects on decisional impulsive behaviors in rats. These results provide a new insight into the dopamine signaling in the lateral thalamus in decisional impulsivity.