Gut symbiont-derived sphingosine modulates vector competence in Aedes mosquitoes.

The main vectors of Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus (DENV) are Aedes aegypti and Ae. albopictus, with Ae. aegypti being more competent. However, the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we find Ae. albopictus shows comparable vector competence to ZIKV/DENV with Ae. aegypti by blood-feeding after antibiotic treatment or intrathoracic injection. This suggests that midgut microbiota can influence vector competence. Enterobacter hormaechei_B17 (Eh_B17) is isolated from field-collected Ae. albopictus and conferred resistance to ZIKV/DENV infection in Ae. aegypti after gut-transplantation. Sphingosine, a metabolite secreted by Eh_B17, effectively suppresses ZIKV infection in both Ae. aegypti and cell cultures by blocking viral entry during the fusion step, with an IC50 of approximately 10 µM. A field survey reveals that Eh_B17 preferentially colonizes Ae. albopictus compared to Ae. aegypti. And field Ae. albopictus positive for Eh_B17 are more resistant to ZIKV infection. These findings underscore the potential of gut symbiotic bacteria, such as Eh_B17, to modulate the arbovirus vector competence of Aedes mosquitoes. As a natural antiviral agent, Eh_B17 holds promise as a potential candidate for blocking ZIKV/DENV transmission.

Combination of contact ultrasound and infrared radiation for improving the quality and flavor of air-dried beef during hot air drying.

Air-dried beef, a traditional dry fermented meat product in China, whose quality is largely influenced by processing conditions. In this study, contact ultrasound (CU) and infrared radiation (IR) were employed to enhance hot air drying (HAD), with an investigation into the mechanisms underlying improvements in quality and flavor. Samples subjected to CU and IR treatments during HAD (CU-IRD) demonstrated superior color (L* = 42.68, a* = 5.05, b* = -3.86) and tenderness (140.59 N) than HAD group, primarily attributed to reduced drying times and alterations in ultrastructure. Analyses utilizing SDS-PAGE and total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) revealed that HAD and CU-HAD resulted in significant protein oxidation (197.85 mg TVB-N/kg and 202.23 mg TVB-N/kg, respectively), while IR treatments were associated with increased thermal degradation of proteins, producing lower molecular weight peptides. Compared with HAD group, the activities of certain lipases and proteases were enhanced by ultrasound and infrared treatments, leading to the release of greater amounts of free fatty acids and flavor amino acids. Furthermore, the thermal effects of infrared and the cavitation effects of ultrasound contributed to increased fat oxidation, amino acid Strecker degradation, and esterification reactions, thereby augmenting the diversity and concentration of volatile flavor compounds, including alkanes, ketones, aldehydes, and esters. These findings indicate that the synergistic application of CU and IR represents a promising strategy for enhancing the quality of air-dried beef.

Early identification and conservative treatment of postpartum hemorrhage in the lower uterine segment after vaginal delivery.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined the efficacy of pulling down the cervix and packing it in the vaginal fornix (PC-PVF) on postpartum hemorrhage in the lower uterine segment (PPH-LUS). METHODS: All cases of PPH-LUS after vaginal delivery at two tertiary hospitals between January 2019 and December 2022 were retrospectively investigated. Patients treated successfully with conservative measures were divided into routine treatment only (40 patients), routine treatment + early PC-PVF (33 patients), and routine treatment + late PC-PVF (51 patients) groups. Routine treatment consisted of uterine massage, uterotonics, and tranexamic acid administration. The therapeutic effect was evaluated by comparing the volume and rate of bleeding within 24 h after delivery. RESULTS: A total of 124 patients were treated conservatively, except for three patients who underwent laparotomy for hemostasis after PC-PVF failed for incomplete rupture of the lower uterine segment. The efficacy of treatment was 44% (40/91) for routine treatment only and 100% when combined with PC-PVF for PPH-LUS. There was no significant difference in maternal age, gestational week, neonatal weight, and Apgar score. But the total blood loss in the conventional treatment + early PC-PVF group (657.27 ml ± 131.61 ml) was significantly lower than that in the other two groups, which was 847.13 ml ± 250.37 ml(p < .01) and 1040.78 ml ± 242.70 ml (p < .01), respectively. The bleeding rate in the routine treatment + early PC-PVF group decreased significantly after tamponade. CONCLUSIONS: PC-PVF is a safe and effective treatment for PPH-LUS. Early identification of PPH-LUS and prompt application of PC-PVF can effectively reduce blood loss after vaginal delivery.

Postpartum hemorrhage is a serious threat to maternal safety and remains to be the leading cause of maternal death. At present, there is a lack of early identification and targeted conservative treatment of PPH-LUS after vaginal delivery. Innovations for the treatment of PPH-LUS are still greatly needed because, with currently available management strategies, there is still inconsistency in outcomes, increased risk of complications, and limited access in primary hospitals. Based on clinical data statistics and comparison, it is proved that PC-PVF is a simple, rapid, and noninvasive method for the treatment of PPH-LUS after vaginal delivery in this study. Because of its simple technical requirements, easily accessible materials, and low cost, PC-PVF is suitable for hospitals at all levels.

Assessing the influence of tourism development, via renewable energy and green finance in achieving high-quality economic development.

This study empirically examines the influence of tourism development, renewable energy and green finance (GF) on high-quality economic development. Using data from 33 years of data in China from 1990 to 2022, this study applies Gregory Hansen analysis to investigate the relationships between tourism development (TD), renewable energy (RE), green finance, and high-quality economic development (HQED), and accepts a Spatial auto regressive. This study demonstrates that tourism development plays a crucial role in promoting high-quality economic growth by positively impacting all three of its components. Moreover, the utilization of renewable energy further enhances the beneficial influence of green finance on the promotion of superior economic growth (EG), while also impacting the correlation between foreign direct investment (FDI) and superior economic growth. Our study suggests three policy recommendations for policymakers based on these findings. These recommendations include strengthening the integration of tourism development with GF, establishing an environmental disclosure framework to oversee local governments in enhancing the effectiveness of GF, and implementing medium- and long-term favorable policies as an external intervention strategy to encourage green finance in the private sector.

Inhibition of RAN attenuates influenza a virus replication and nucleoprotein nuclear export.

Nuclear export of the viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) is a critical step in the influenza A virus (IAV) life cycle and may be an effective target for the development of anti-IAV drugs. The host factor ras-related nuclear protein (RAN) is known to participate in the life cycle of several viruses, but its role in influenza virus replication remains unknown. In the present study, we aimed to determine the function of RAN in influenza virus replication using different cell lines and subtype strains. We found that RAN is essential for the nuclear export of vRNP, as it enhances the binding affinity of XPO1 toward the viral nuclear export protein NS2. Depletion of RAN constrained the vRNP complex in the nucleus and attenuated the replication of various subtypes of influenza virus. Using in silico compound screening, we identified that bepotastine could dissociate the RAN-XPO1-vRNP trimeric complex and exhibit potent antiviral activity against influenza virus both in vitro and in vivo. This study demonstrates the important role of RAN in IAV replication and suggests its potential use as an antiviral target.

Topological change of soil microbiota networks for forest resilience under global warming.

Forest management by thinning can mitigate the detrimental impact of increasing drought caused by global warming. Growing evidence shows that the soil microbiota can coordinate the dynamic relationship between forest functions and drought intensity, but how they function as a cohesive whole remains elusive. We outline a statistical topology model to chart the roadmap of how each microbe acts and interacts with every other microbe to shape the dynamic changes of microbial communities under forest management. To demonstrate its utility, we analyze a soil microbiota data collected from a two-way longitudinal factorial experiment involving three stand densities and three levels of rainfall over a growing season in artificial plantations of a forest tree - larix (Larix kaempferi). We reconstruct the most sophisticated soil microbiota networks that code maximally informative microbial interactions and trace their dynamic trajectories across time, space, and environmental signals. By integrating GLMY homology theory, we dissect the topological architecture of these so-called omnidirectional networks and identify key microbial interaction pathways that play a pivotal role in mediating the structure and function of soil microbial communities. The statistical topological model described provides a systems tool for studying how microbial community assembly alters its structure, function and evolution under climate change.

Effects of contact ultrasound coupled with infrared radiation on drying kinetics, water migration and physical properties of beef during hot air drying.

Drying, as a critical step in the production of air-dried beef, has a direct impact on the quality of the final product. Innovatively, a composite system incorporating contact ultrasound (CU) and infrared radiation (IR) as auxiliary measures within a hot air drying (HAD) framework was built in this research, and the effects of these techniques on the drying kinetics, protein denaturation, and moisture transformation of air-dried beef were investigated. In comparison to HAD treatment, the integrated CU and IR (CU-IRD) system displayed marked enhancements in heat and moisture transport efficiency, thereby saving 36.84% of time expenditure and contributing favorably to the improved moisture distribution of the end-product. This was mainly ascribed to the denaturation of myosin induced by IR thermal effect and the micro-channel produced by CU sponge effect, thus increasing T2 relaxation time and the proportion of free water. In conclusion, the composite system solved the problem of surface hardening and reduces hardness and chewiness of air-dried beef by 40.42% and 45.25% respectively, but inevitably increased the energy burden by 41.60%.

Comparative study on chemical constituents of different medicinal parts of Lonicera japonica Thunb. Based on LC-MS combined with multivariate statistical analysis.

Lonicerae japonicae flos (LJF), Lonicerae japonicae caulis (LJC), Lonicerae folium (LF) and Lonicerae fructus (LFR) are derived from Lonicera japonica Thunb., which are formed due to different medicinal parts. The efficacy of the 4 medicinal materials has similarities and differences. However, little attention has been paid to illustrate the differences in efficacy from the perspective of phytochemistry. In this study, ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled with hybrid quadrupole-orbitrap mass spectrometry (UPLC-Q-Exactive-Orbitrap-MS) was used to qualitatively analyze the ingredients in 4 herbs. A total of 86 compounds were plausibly or unambiguously identified, there were 54 common components among the 4 medicinal materials, and each kind of medicinal materials had its own unique components. On the basis of qualitative analysis, ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-QQQ-MS/MS) was used to quantitatively analyze 31 components contained in 4 medicinal materials, and principal component analysis (PCA), orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and other multivariate statistical analysis were furtherly performed for comparing the component contents. The results showed that the samples from the same parts were clustered into one group, and the samples from different medicinal parts were significantly different. The analysis of variable importance projection (VIP) value of the OPLS-DA model showed that 10 components including chlorogenic acid, secologanic acid, isochlorogenic acid A, loganin, lonicerin, loganic acid, secoxyloganin, sweroside, luteolin and rhoifolin were the main difference components among the 4 medicinal materials. The study not only lays a solid foundation for the intrinsic quality control of 4 medicinal materials and the study of different effects of the 4 medicinal materials at the phytochemical level, but also provides a basis for more rational utilization of various parts of L. japonica and expansion of medicinal resources.

Freezing Hu ram semen: influence of different penetrating cryoprotectants and egg yolk level on the post-thaw quality of sperm.

OBJECTIVE: The Hu sheep is a renowned breed known for its high reproductive rate. It is in estrus all year round, and its breeding population is gradually expanding. However, the current techniques for cryopreserving semen have limited effectiveness, which hinders the continuous development of this species. The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of different penetrating cryoprotectants (CPAs) and egg yolk (EY) concentrations on the cryopreservation of Hu ram semen to determine the most effective combination. METHODS: In this study, the effects of glycerol (GLY), ethylene glycol (EG), dimethylacetamide, dimethyl sulfoxide, different proportions of GLY and EG, EY on sperm quality after thawing were investigated by detecting sperm total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM), straight-line velocity, curvilinear velocity, average path velocity, amplitude of lateral head displacement, wobble movement coefficient, average motion degree, functional integrity (plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity) and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level. RESULTS: When GLY and EG were added together, compared to other concentration groups, 6% GLY significantly (p<0.05) increased TM, PM, plasma membrane integrity, and acrosome integrity of thawed sperm. Additionally, it significantly (p<0.05) decreased the ROS level of sperm. In this study, the TM, PM, and membrane integrity of the 6% EG were significantly (p<0.05) higher than those of the control, 1% GLY+5% EG and 6% GLY+6% EG groups. Compared to other concentration groups, 20% EY significantly (p<0.05) improved the TM, PM, and plasma membrane integrity of thawed sperm. However, the integrity of the acrosome increased with the higher concentration of EY. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, the post-thawed Hu ram semen diluted with a diluent containing 6% GLY and 20% EY exhibited higher quality compared to the other groups.

Effects of Different Diluents and Freezing Methods on Cryopreservation of Hu Ram Semen.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of different diluents and freezing methods on the quality of thawed sperm after cryopreservation and find an inexpensive and practical method for freezing Hu ram semen for use in inseminations under farm conditions. Ejaculates were collected from five Hu rams. In experiment I, ejaculates were diluted with eight different freezing diluents (basic diluents A, B, C, D, E, F, G, and H). After dilution and cooling, the samples were loaded into 0.25 mL straws and frozen using the liquid nitrogen fumigation method. In experiment II, diluent C was used as the basic diluent and the semen was frozen using liquid nitrogen fumigation and two program-controlled cooling methods. For analysis, frozen samples were evaluated in terms of motility parameters (total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM)), biokinetic characteristics (straight-line velocity (VSL), average path velocity (VAP), curvilinear velocity (VCL), amplitude of lateral head displacement (ALH), wobble movement coefficient (WOB), average motion degree (MAD)), reactive oxygen species (ROS) level, and membrane and acrosome integrity. In experiment I, diluent C had higher TM, PM, and acrosome and membrane integrity and lower ROS compared to other extenders (p < 0.05) except diluent A. Diluent C exhibited higher (p < 0.05) VCL, VAP, ALH, WOB, and MAD compared to diluents B, D, E, and F. In experiment II, TM and all biokinetic characteristics did not show significant differences (p > 0.05) amongst the three freezing methods. Liquid nitrogen fumigation resulted in higher (p < 0.05) PM, membrane integrity, acrosome integrity, and lower ROS level compared to the program. In conclusion, the thawed semen diluted with diluent C had higher quality compared to other diluents. The liquid nitrogen fumigation demonstrated superior semen cryopreservation effects compared to the program-controlled cooling method using diluent C.

The Artist's Conk Medicinal Mushroom Ganoderma applanatum (Agaricomycetes): Mycological, Mycochemical, and Pharmacological Properties: A Review.

As a commonly used Chinese herbal medicine, Ganoderma applanatum (Pers.) Pat., also known as flat-ling Ganoderma (Chinese name bianlingzhi), old mother fungus (laomujun), and old ox liver (laoniugan), has high medicinal value. It is used as an anti-cancer drug in China and Japan. Besides, it can treat rheumatic tuberculosis and has the effect of relieving pain, clearing away heat, eliminating accumulation, stopping bleeding and eliminating phlegm. The purpose of this review is to analyze the research progress systematically and comprehensively in mycology, mycochemistry and pharmacological activities of G. applanatum, and discuss the prospect of prospective research and implementation of this medicinal material. A comprehensive literature search was performed on G. applanatum using scientific databases including Web of Science, PubMed, Google Scholar, CNKI, Elsevier. Collected data from different sources was comprehensively summarized for mycology, mycochemistry and pharmacology of G. applanatum. A total of 324 compounds were recorded, the main components of which were triterpenoids, meroterpenoids, steroids, and polysaccharides. G. applanatum and its active ingredients have a variety of pharmacological effects, including anti-tumor, liver protection, hypoglycemic, anti-fat, anti-oxidation, antibacterial and other activities. Although G. applanatum is widely used in traditional medicine and has diverse chemical constituents, more studies should be carried out in animals and humans to evaluate the cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in its biological activity.

Weighted gene co-expression network analysis reveals genes related to growth performance in Hu sheep.

Hu sheep are a unique breed in our country with great reproductive potential, the extent of whose breeding has been steadily rising in recent years. The study subjects in this experiment were 8-month-old Hu sheep (n = 112). First of all, the growth performance, slaughter performance and meat quality of their eye muscle quality were assessed, meanwhile their live weight, carcass weight, body length, body height, chest circumference, chest depth and tube circumference were respectively 33.81 ± 5.47 kg, 17.43 ± 3.21 kg, 60.36 ± 4.41 cm, 63.25 ± 3.88 cm, 72.03 ± 5.02 cm, 30.70 ± 2.32 cm and 7.36 ± 0.56 cm, with a significant difference between rams and ewes (P < 0.01). Following that, transcriptome sequencing was done, and candidate genes related to growth performance were identified using the weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) approach, which was used to identified 15 modules, with the turquoise and blue modules having the strongest association with growth and slaughter performance, respectively. We discovered hub genes such as ARHGAP31, EPS8, AKT3, EPN1, PACS2, KIF1C, C12H1orf115, FSTL1, PTGFRN and IFIH1 in the gene modules connected with growth and slaughter performance. Our research identifies the hub genes associated with the growth and slaughter performance of Hu sheep, which play an important role in their muscle growth, organ and cartilage development, blood vessel development and energy metabolic pathways. Our findings might lead to the development of potentially-useful biomarkers for the selection of growth and slaughterer performance-related attributes of sheep and other livestock.

Regulation of Fuzheng Huayu capsule on inhibiting the fibrosis-associated hepatocellular carcinogenesis.

In the current study, bioinformatics analysis of the hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) dataset was conducted with the hepatoprotective effect of the Fuzheng Huayu (FZHY) capsule against the diethylnitrosamine-induced HCC progression analyzed. Eight cell clusters were defined and tanshinone IIA, arachidonic acid, and quercetin, compounds of the FZHY capsule, inhibit HCC progression-related fibrosis by regulating the expression of PLAU and IGFBP3. Combined with the ameliorative effect of the FZHY capsule against liver dysfunctions and expression of PLAU and IGFBP3, our study confirmed the effect of the FZHY capsule on inhibiting the fibrosis-associated HCC progression via regulating the expression of PLAU and IGFBP3.

Seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) enhances seed germination and seedling physiological traits of Coronilla varia L. under water stress.

Water stress can adversely affect seed germination and plant growth. Seed osmopriming is a pre-sowing treatment in which seeds are soaked in osmotic solutions to undergo the first stage of germination prior to radicle protrusion. Seed osmopriming enhances germination performance under stressful environmental conditions, making it an effective method to improve plant resistance and yield. This study analyzed the effect of seed osmopriming with polyethylene glycol (PEG) on seed germination and physiological parameters of Coronilla varia L. Priming treatments using 10% to 30% PEG enhanced germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and seedling mass and reduced the time to reach 50% germination (T50). The PEG concentration that led to better results was 10%. The content of soluble proteins (SP), proline (Pro), soluble sugars (SS), and malondialdehyde (MDA) in Coronilla varia L. seedlings increased with the severity of water stress. In addition, under water stress, electrolyte leakage rose, and peroxidase (POD) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities intensified, while catalase (CAT) activity increased at mild-to-moderate water stress but declined with more severe deficiency. The 10% PEG priming significantly improved germination percentage, germination vigor, germination index, vitality index, and time to 50% germination (T50) under water stress. Across the water stress gradient here tested (8 to 12% PEG), seed priming enhanced SP content, Pro content, and SOD activity in Coronilla varia L. seedlings compared to the unprimed treatments. Under 10% PEG-induced water stress, primed seedlings displayed a significantly lower MDA content and electrolyte leakage than their unprimed counterparts and exhibited significantly higher CAT and POD activities. However, under 12% PEG-induced water stress, differences in electrolyte leakage, CAT activity, and POD activity between primed and unprimed treatments were not significant. These findings suggest that PEG priming enhances the osmotic regulation and antioxidant capacity of Coronilla varia seedlings, facilitating seed germination and seedling growth and alleviating drought stress damage, albeit with reduced efficacy under severe water deficiency.

In vitro digestion mimicking conditions in adults and elderly reveals digestive characteristics of pork from different cooking ways.

This study aimed to investigate the impact of three cooking ways (sous vide (SV), frying (FR) and roasting (RO)) on pork protein digestion characteristics under conditions simulating healthy adult (control, C) and elderly individuals with achlorhydria (EA). Changes in degree of hydrolysis (DH), SDS-PAGE profiles, zeta potential, particle size and secondary structure during digestion were evaluated. Our results revealed the EA condition markedly affected the protein digestion process of pork with different cooking ways. The DH values of SV (25.62%), FR (21.38%) and RO (19.40%) under the EA condition were significantly lower than those of under the control condition (38.32%, 33.00% and 30.86%, respectively). Moreover, differences were also observed among three cooking ways under the EA condition. For a given cooking way, the differences between control and EA conditions gradually diminished from the gastric to the intestinal phase. Under a certain digestion condition, SV maintained the highest degree of digestion throughout the process, particularly under the EA condition. Therefore, we conclude that pork cooked by sous vide is more recommendable for the elderly considering protein digestibility.

Effect of fumigation height and time on cryopreservation of ram semen.

The cooling rate is a crucial factor in the process of freezing semen, influencing the overall freezing effectiveness. The height and time of fumigation can significantly impact the rate of cooling. Appropriate cooling rates can help minimize the formation of ice crystals in spermatozoa and reduce potential damage to them. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of different fumigation heights and time for the cryopreservation of Hu ram semen. Experiments I-IV assessed the effect of semen cryopreservation by testing the post-thawed spermatozoa total motility (TM), progressive motility (PM) and kinetic parameters fumigated at distances of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm for durations of 5, 10, 15 and 20 min, respectively. Based on the results of experiments I to IV, experiment V evaluated the effect of semen cryopreservation by testing the post-thawed spermatozoa TM, PM, kinetic parameters, plasma membrane integrity, acrosome integrity and reactive oxygen species (ROS) level fumigated at distances of 2, 4, 6 and 8 cm for duration of 20 min. The results indicated that fumigation at 2 cm for 20 min significantly (P < 0.05) improved spermatozoa TM, PM, mean angular displacement (MAD), plasma membrane integrity and acrosome integrity compared to other groups. Additionally, it significantly (P < 0.05) reduced spermatozoa ROS level compared to the 6 and 8 cm groups. In conclusion, fumigation for 20 min at a distance of 2 cm from the liquid nitrogen surface is the most suitable cooling method for the cryopreservation of Hu ram semen.

Strategies to Increase the Production of Triterpene Acids in Ligzhi or Reishi Medicinal Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum, Agaricomycetes): A Review.

Ganoderic acids (GAs) are the main active ingredient of Ganoderma lucidum, which has been widely accepted as a medicinal mushroom. Due to the low yield of GAs produced by liquid cultured Ganoderma mycelium and solid cultured fruiting bodies, the commercial production and clinical application of GAs are limited. Therefore, it is important to increase the yield of GA in G. lucidum. A comprehensive literature search was performed with no set data range using the following keywords such as "triterpene," "ganoderic acids," "Ganoderma lucidum," and "Lingzhi" within the main databases including Web of Science, PubMed, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI). The data were screened using titles and abstracts and those relevant to the topic were included in the paper and was not limited to studies published in English. Present review focuses on the four aspects: fermentation conditions and substrate, extrinsic elicitor, genetic engineering, and mutagenesis, which play significant roles in increasing triterpene acids production, thus providing an available reference for further research on G. lucidum fermentation.

Local polarization redistribution in ZnmIn2S3+m for the enhancing synergetic piezo-photocatalytic overall water splitting.

Piezo-photocatalytic water (deuterium oxide) decomposition is a promising strategy for realizing renewable energy, but the manipulation of the polar center remains a big challenge. This study uses a simple low-temperature hydrothermal process to successfully manufacture ZnmIn2Sm+3 (m = 1-3) (ZnIn2S4, Zn2In2S5 and Zn3In2S6). Incorporating both experimental and theoretical analyses, the structural contraction and local polarization of the Zn-S bond in Zn2In2S5 enhance the piezoelectric response and surface charge accumulation, which facilitate charge transfer and reduce the activation energy of water. Remarkably, Zn2In2S5 exhibits excellent piezoelectric photocatalytic total water splitting performance (H2/O2: 4284.72/1967.00 µmol g-1h-1), which is 1.77 times that of photocatalytic performance. Moreover, a significant enhancement in D2O splitting performance can be obtained for the optimized Zn2In2S5. Our work offers valuable insights into the disclosure of local polarization in catalysts for enhancing piezo-photocatalytic overall water splitting.

Unraveling the role of PlARF2 in regulating deed formancy in Paeonia lactiflora.

MAIN CONCLUSION: PlARF2 can positively regulate the seed dormancy in Paeonia lactiflora Pall. and bind the RY cis-element. Auxin, a significant phytohormone influencing seed dormancy, has been demonstrated to be regulated by auxin response factors (ARFs), key transcriptional modulators in the auxin signaling pathway. However, the role of this class of transcription factors (TFs) in perennials with complex seed dormancy mechanisms remains largely unexplored. Here, we cloned and characterized an ARF gene from Paeonia lactiflora, named PlARF2, which exhibited differential expression levels in the seeds during the process of seed dormancy release. The deduced amino acid sequence of PlARF2 had high homology with those of other plants and contained typical conserved Auxin_resp domain of the ARF family. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that PlARF2 was closely related to VvARF3 in Vitis vinifera. The subcellular localization and transcriptional activation assay showed that PlARF2 is a nuclear protein possessing transcriptional activation activity. The expression levels of dormancy-related genes in transgenic callus indicated that PlARF2 was positively correlated with the contents of PlABI3 and PlDOG1. The germination assay showed that PlARF2 promoted seed dormancy. Moreover, TF Centered Yeast one-hybrid assay (TF-Centered Y1H), electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) and dual-luciferase reporter assay analysis (Dual-Luciferase) provided evidence that PlARF2 can bind to the 'CATGCATG' motif. Collectively, our findings suggest that PlARF2, as TF, could be involved in the regulation of seed dormancy and may act as a repressor of germination.