Unraveling the metabolic potential of biocontrol fungi through omics data: a key to enhancing large-scaleapplication strategies.

Biological control of pests and pathogens has attracted much attention due to its green, safe and effective characteristics. However, it faces the dilemma of insignificant effects in large-scale applications. Therefore, an in-depth exploration of the metabolic potential of biocontrol fungi based on big omics data is crucial for a comprehensive and systematic understanding of the specific modes of action operated by various biocontrol fungi. This article analyzes the preferences for extracellular carbon and nitrogen source degradation, secondary metabolites (nonribosomal peptides, polyketide synthases) and their product characteristics and the conversion relationship between extracellular primary metabolism and intracellular secondary metabolism for eight different filamentous fungi with characteristics appropriate for the biological control of bacterial pathogens and phytopathogenic nematodes. Further clarification is provided that Paecilomyces lilacinus, encoding a large number of hydrolase enzymes capable of degrading pathogen protection barrier, can be directly applied in the field as a predatory biocontrol fungus, whereas Trichoderma, as an antibiosis-active biocontrol control fungus, can form dominant strains on preferred substrates and produce a large number of secondary metabolites to achieve antibacterial effects. By clarifying the levels of biological control achievable by different biocontrol fungi, we provide a theoretical foundation for their application to cropping habitats.

Silver nanostars arrayed on GO/MWCNT composite membranes for enrichment and SERS detection of polystyrene nanoplastics in water.

Nanoplastic water contamination has become a critical environmental issue, highlighting the need for rapid and sensitive detection of nanoplastics. In this study, we aimed to prepare a graphene oxide (GO)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)-silver nanostar (AgNS) multifunctional membrane using a simple vacuum filtration method for the enrichment and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) detection of polystyrene (PS) nanoplastics in water. AgNSs, selected for the size and shape of nanoplastics, have numerous exposed Raman hotspots on their surface, which exert a strong electromagnetic enhancement effect. AgNSs were filter-arrayed on GO/MWCNT composite membranes with excellent enrichment ability and chemical enhancement effects, resulting in the high sensitivity of GO/MWCNT-AgNS membranes. When the water samples flowed through the portable filtration device with GO/MWCNT-AgNS membranes, PS nanoplastics could be effectively enriched, and the retention rate for 50 nm PS nanoplastics was 97.1 %. Utilizing the strong SERS effect of the GO/MWCNT-AgNS membrane, we successfully detected PS nanoparticles with particle size in the range of 50-1000 nm and a minimum detection concentration of 5 × 10-5 mg/mL. In addition, we detected 50, 100, and 200 nm PS nanoplastics at concentrations as low as 5 × 10-5 mg/mL in real water samples using spiking experiments. These results indicate that the GO/MWCNT-AgNS membranes paired with a portable filtration device and Raman spectrometer can effectively enrich and rapidly detect PS nanoplastics in water, which has great potential for on-site sensitive water quality safety evaluation.

Zuogui pill disrupt the malignant cycle in breast cancer bone metastasis through the Piezo1-Notch-1-GPX4 pathway and active molecules fishing.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer bone metastasis is closely associated with the bone microenvironment. Zuogui Pill (ZGP), a clinically approved formulation in China, effectively regulates the bone microenvironment for the prevention and treatment of osteoporosis. PURPOSE: Few reports have utilized the ZGP for bone metastasis models. This study investigated the intervention and bone-protective properties of ZGP against breast cancer bone metastasis, explored the potential mechanism, and screened for its active compositions by molecules fishing. METHODS: To investigate the intervention efficacy of ZGP and its protein-level mechanism of action, the mouse bone metastasis model and in vitro cell co-culture model were constructed. Affinity ultrafiltration, molecular docking, cellular thermal shift assay and physical scale detection were used to investigate the affinity components of the RANKL protein in ZGP. RESULTS: The administration of ZGP combined with zoledronic acid inhibited the development of tumors and secondary lung metastasis in mice. This translated to a prolonged survival period and enhanced quality of life. ZGP could disrupt the malignant cycle by modulating the Piezo1-Notch-1-GPX4 signaling pathway in the "bone-cancer" communication in the cell co-culture model. Furthermore, 25 chemical components of ZGP were identified, with 10 active compounds exhibiting significant affinity for the RANKL protein. CONCLUSION: The findings of this work highlighted ZGP's potential for intervening in the progression of breast cancer bone metastasis. Thus, this investigation served as an experimental foundation for expanding the application scope of ZGP and for advancing drug development efforts in bone metastasis treatment.

A Flexible Pressure Sensor Based on Graphene/Epoxy Resin Composite Film and Screen Printing Process.

At present, flexible pressure-sensitive materials generally have problems with weak adhesion and poor wear resistance, which easily result in friction failure when used for plantar pressure detection. In this study, a flexible pressure sensor with the advantages of a wide detection range, fast recovery, and good abrasive resistance was designed and prepared based on the screen printing process. The pressure-sensitive unit with a structural size of 5 mm× 8 mm was a functional material system due to the use of graphene and epoxy resin. The influence of the different mass ratios of the graphene and epoxy resin on the sensing properties was also studied. The test results showed that when the mass ratio of graphene to epoxy resin was 1:4, the response time and recovery time of the sensing unit were 40.8 ms and 3.7 ms, respectively, and the pressure detection range was 2.5-500 kPa. The sensor can detect dynamic pressure at 0.5 Hz, 1 Hz, 2 Hz, 10 Hz, and 20 Hz and can withstand 11,000 cycles of bending. In addition, adhesion tests showed that the high viscosity of the epoxy helped to improve the interlayer bond between the pressure-sensitive materials and the flexible substrate, which makes it more suitable for plantar pressure detection environments, where friction is common.

Miniature Ultrasonic Spatial Localization Module in the Lightweight Interactive.

The advancement of spatial interaction technology has greatly enriched the domain of consumer electronics. Traditional solutions based on optical technologies suffers high power consumption and significant costs, making them less ideal in lightweight implementations. In contrast, ultrasonic solutions stand out due to their lower power consumption and cost-effectiveness, capturing widespread attention and interest. This paper addresses the challenges associated with the application of ultrasound sensors in spatial localization. Traditional ultrasound systems are hindered by blind spots, large physical dimensions, and constrained measurement ranges, limiting their practical applicability. To overcome these limitations, this paper proposes a miniature ultrasonic spatial localization module employing piezoelectric micromechanical ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs). The module is comprised of three devices each with dimension of 1.2 mm × 1.2 mm × 0.5 mm, operating at a frequency of around 180 kHz. This configuration facilitates a comprehensive distance detection range of 0-800 mm within 80° directivity, devoid of blind spot. The error rate and failure range of measurement as well as their relationship with the SNR (signal-to-noise ratio) are also thoroughly investigated. This work heralds a significant enhancement in hand spatial localization capabilities, propelling advancements in acoustic sensor applications of the meta-universe.

Bimorph Dual-Electrode ScAlN PMUT with Two Terminal Connections.

This paper presents a novel bimorph Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) fabricated with 8-inch standard CMOS-compatible processes. The bimorph structure consists of two layers of 20% scandium-doped aluminum nitride (Sc0.2Al0.8N) thin films, which are sandwiched among three molybdenum (Mo) layers. All three Mo layers are segmented to form the outer ring and inner plate electrodes. Both top and bottom electrodes on the outer ring are electrically linked to the center inner plate electrodes. Likewise, the top and bottom center plate electrodes are electrically connected to the outer ring in the same fashion. This electrical configuration maximizes the effective area of the given PMUT design and improves efficiency during the electromechanical coupling process. In addition, the proposed bimorph structure further simplifies the device's electrical layout with only two-terminal connections as reported in many conventional unimorph PMUTs. The mechanical and acoustic measurements are conducted to verify the device's performance improvement. The dynamic mechanical displacement and acoustic output under a low driving voltage (1 Vpp) are more than twice that reported from conventional unimorph devices with a similar resonant frequency. Moreover, the pulse-echo experiments indicate an improved receiving voltage of 10 mV in comparison with the unimorph counterpart (4.8 mV). The validation of device advancement in the electromechanical coupling effect by using highly doped ScAlN thin film, the realization of the proposed bimorph PMUT on an 8-inch wafer paves the path to production of next generation, high-performance piezoelectric MEMS.

1.7 µm - 1.73 µm tunable ultrafast Raman fiber laser pumped by 1.6 µm dissipative soliton pulses.

Here, we report an all-fiber tunable ultrafast Raman laser synchronously pumped by a home-made 1.6 µm dissipative soliton (DS) picosecond (ps) laser, which produces Stokes light beyond 1.7 µm. The Raman gain medium is a segment of highly germanium-doped (Ge-doped) fiber offering a high Raman gain coefficient at the target wavelength. Once the Raman conversion cavity is synchronized with the pump light, a stable 1.7 µm Raman laser (the first Stokes light) can be obtained at a low pump threshold. The maximum output power of the 1.7 µm Raman laser can reach ∼ 22.62 mW. The wavelength tuning operation is independent of tunable pump source and intra-cavity filter. By adjusting the intra-cavity delay line simply, the different spectral component within the broad Raman gain bandwidth can be selectively synchronized with the pump light so that the Raman laser wavelength can be tuned continuously from 1702.6 nm ∼ 1728.84 nm. This tunable 1.7 µm waveband ultrafast laser will have potential applications in multiphoton microscopy for e.g. deep bio-imaging.

Development of MEMS Airflow Volumetric Flow Sensing System with Single Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer (PMUT) Array.

Compared to conventional ultrasonic flowmeters using multiple transducers, this paper reports, for the first time, an airflow volumetric flowmeter using a signal PMUT array to measure the flow rate in a rectangular pipe. The PMUT around 200 kHz is selected to fit the system requirements. All PMUT elements on this single array are then electrically grouped into transmitter and receiver. In order to minimize the crosstalk signal between transmitter and receiver, a phase shift signal is applied at the transmitter to reduce the amplitude of the crosstalk signal by 87.8%, hence, the resultant high sensing resolution. Based on the analog signal extracted from the single PMUT array, a complete flow sensing system is built by using the cross-correlation method and cosine interpolation, whereby the change in flow rate is reflected by the time of flight difference (dTof) recorded at the receiver. Meanwhile, the acoustic path self-calibration is realized by using multiple echoes. Compared with the previously reported MEMS flowmeters with dual or multiple PMUT devices, this paper proposes a single PMUT array flow sensing system, which is able to measure the flow rate changes up to 4 m3/h. With the implementation of a single device, the problem of ultrasound device/reflector misalignment during system setup is completely eradicated.

AlScN Film Based Piezoelectric Micromechanical Ultrasonic Transducer for an Extended Long-Range Detection.

Piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) have been widely applied in distance sensing. However, the sensing distance of currently reported miniaturized ultrasonic sensors (e.g., PMUTs or CMUT) is still limited up to a certain range (e.g., ≤5 m) compared to conventional bulk ultrasonic devices. This paper reports a PMUT array design using scandium-doped aluminum nitride (AlScN) as its piezoelectric layer for an extended long-range detection purpose. To minimize air attenuation, our device is resonating at 66 kHz for a high receive sensitivity of 5.7 mV/Pa. The proposed PMUT array can generate a sound pressure level (SPL) as high as 120 dB at a distance of 10 cm without beam forming. This PMUT design is catered for a pin-to-pin replacement of the current commercial bulk ultrasonic ranging sensor and works directly with the conventional range finding system (e.g., TI PGA460). In comparison with the common bulk transducer, the size of our device is 80% smaller. With the identical ranging detection setup, the proposed PMUT array improves the system SNR by more than 5 dB even at a distance as far as 6.8 m. The result of extended sensing distance validates our miniaturized PMUT array as the optimized candidate for most ultrasonic ranging applications. With the progressive development of piezoelectric MEMS, we believe that the PMUT technology could be a game changer in future long-range sensing applications.

Water Content Variations and Pepper Water-Use Efficiency of Yunnan Laterite Under Root-Zone Micro-Irrigation.

Understanding the water content variations in Yunnan laterite (red loam soil, SR) in small-scale environments and exploring the potential for crop water-use efficiency (WUE) improvement are crucial for improving water-saving irrigation technologies used in greenhouse agriculture in Yunnan, China. In this study, a closed-loop model for calculating soil water in greenhouse potted cultivation was established based on water conservation. A Yunnan SR, yellow sand soil (SY), and a 1:1 SR-SY mixture (SM) subjected to root-zone micro-irrigation or surface-drip irrigation were experimentally examined to compare their water content variations and pepper WUEs. The results showed that the soil type and soil type-irrigation mode interaction had significant effects on both soil evaporation and pepper WUE, and that the variations in soil evaporation with respect to time can be expressed using a cubic polynomial function. In small-scale greenhouse cultivation, IG has good water-saving potential and is suitable for the SR (which has a better water-retention capacity), whereas IM is more suitable for the SY (which has a better water-penetration capacity). Mixing certain proportions of the SY into the SR will effectively impact the water content variations and crop WUE and provide opportunities for further improving the water-saving efficiency.

SERS Determination of Trace Phosphate in Aquaculture Water Based on a Rhodamine 6G Molecular Probe Association Reaction.

Although phosphate (Pi) is a necessary nutrient for the growth of aquatic organisms, the presence of excess Pi leads to water eutrophication; thus, it is necessary to accurately determine the content of Pi in water. A method for the determination of trace Pi in aquaculture water was developed based on surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) combined with rhodamine 6G (R6G)-modified silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as the active substrate. The adsorption of R6G on the AgNP surfaces led to a strong SERS signal. However, in the presence of Pi and ammonium molybdate, phosphomolybdic acid formed, which further associated with R6G to form a stable R6G-PMo12O403- association complex, thereby hindering the adsorption of R6G on the AgNPs, and reducing the SERS intensity; this sequence formed the basis of Pi detection. The decrease in the SERS intensity was linear with respect to the Pi concentration (0.2-20 µM), and the limit of detection was 29.3 nM. Upon the application of this method to the determination of Pi in aquaculture water, a recovery of 94.4-107.2% was obtained (RSD 1.77-6.18%). This study provides an accurate, rapid, and sensitive method for the trace determination of Pi in aquaculture water, which is suitable for on-site detection.

Investigation of a highly compact intracavity actively Q-switched cascade diamond Raman laser.

A laser diode (LD) pumped intracavity chemical vapor deposition (CVD) diamond cascade Raman laser is reported here. By rotating a Brewster plate (BP) in the laser resonator, the Raman laser with tunable output coupling rate is achieved. The highly compact diamond laser emitted 1240 nm and 1485 nm Stokes light simultaneously via optimization of the pumping direction. The slope efficiency of the intracavity diamond laser is improved by optimizing the output coupling rate and adjusting the repetition rate of the 1064 nm fundamental laser. Ultimately, the maximum slope efficiency of the first Stokes light (1240 nm) is 16.8%, and the corresponding output power is about 0.6 W. The maximum peak power is 2.5 kW when the power of 808 nm LD is 34.7 W.

The effect of Baduanjin exercise on the quality of life in patients recovering from COVID-19: A protocol for systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Since the outbreak of COVID-19, the number of COVID-19 patients has been on the rise. With the improvement of diagnosis and treatment level in various countries, more and more patients have recovered. Baduanjin exercise is a traditional Chinese health care method with a long history, easy-to-learn, and remarkable effect. It is not subject to the constraints of the field and can be practiced at any time. It can be used as an alternative therapy for COVID-19 rehabilitation patients. At present, there are no relevant articles for systematic review. METHODS: We will retrieve a randomized controlled trial of Baduanjin exercise for COVID-19 from the beginning to July 2020. The following databases are areas of concern: Published randomized Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (Central), PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, and Wan-fang Database-controlled trials in Chinese and English related to Baduanjin exercise and COVID-19 were included. The main result was the effect of Baduanjin exercise on the quality of life in patients recovering from COVID-19. Secondary results to accompany symptoms (such as muscle pain, cough, sputum, runny nose, sore throat, chest tightness, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, headache, nausea, vomiting, anorexia, diarrhea), disappearance rate, 2 consecutive (not on the same day) COVID-19 negative rate of nucleic acid test results, the quality of life improved, improve CT images, the average hospitalization time, severe form of common clinical cure rate and mortality. RESULTS: The results of this study will provide researchers in the field of COVID-19 with a current synthesis of high-quality evidence. CONCLUSION: The conclusion of this study will provide evidence for judging whether Baduanjin exercise is an effective intervention for the quality of life of rehabilitative patients. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42020199443.

Reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification for rapid and quantitative assay of covert mortality nodavirus in shrimp.

A disease known as covert mortality disease has become an increasing problem in the shrimp farming industry in recent years in China and several countries of Southeast Asia, leading to serious losses in production. Litopenaeus vannamei (also known as Pacific white shrimp) is affected by this disease that leads to a range of clinical symptoms including hepatopancreas atrophy and necrosis, soft shell, slow growth, and abdominal muscle whitening and necrosis in the acute stage of disease. A new nodavirus, termed covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV), has been shown to be the etiological agent. In this study, we report a sensitive and specific real-time reverse transcription loop-mediated isothermal amplification (RT-LAMP) assay for the rapid and quantitative detection of CMNV. The optimal conditions for this newly developed RT-LAMP reaction were found to be 6mM MgCl2 and 1.6mM dNTPs, an incubation temperature of 65°C and a reaction time of 50min. The analytical sensitivity of the RT-LAMP assay was estimated to be 6.3pg total RNA of CMNV-infected shrimp and 27 copies of the target plasmid. The diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the newly developed assay versus the standard nested reverse transcription PCR (RT-PCR) assay was 96.4% and 94.4%, respectively. The reaction products were detected by visual inspection after staining with an in-tube DNA fluorescent dye, a measure taken to eliminate the risk of contamination. The quantitative RT-LAMP assay for CMNV showed high correlation coefficient (r2=0.9953) when the initial templates were above 1000 copies, however the correlation coefficient decreased when the initial templates were lower than 1000 copies. Test of viral load in shrimp indicated that the viral loads varied from 1.5×102 to 6.7×106 copies per mg of cephalothorax tissue. Thus, the CMNV RT-LAMP assay is a sensitive and specific new tool for the field detection and quantification of CMNV in the diagnosis and surveillance of covert mortality disease.

A new nodavirus is associated with covert mortality disease of shrimp.

A new nodavirus, named covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV), is associated with covert mortality disease of shrimp which has caused serious loss in China since 2009. Histopathological examination of shrimp suffering the disease revealed coagulative necrosis of striated muscle similar to typical histopathology features of infectious myonecrosis virus (IMNV), Penaeus vannamei nodavirus (PvNV) and Macrobrachium rosenbergii nodavirus (MrNV). However, shrimp suffering this disease tested negative for IMNV, MrNV and PvNV by reverse transcription (RT)-PCR. Additionally, eosinophilic inclusions were found in epithelium of the tubules in the hepatopancreas and lymphoid organ, and mass karyopyknotic nuclei existed in the muscle and lymphoid organ. The tubular epithelium of the hepatopancreas showed significant atrophy. A cDNA library was constructed from total RNA of infected shrimp. Sequencing and alignment analysis showed that one clone with an 1185 bp insert (designated CMNV-7) shared 54, 53 and 39% identity with the amino acid sequences of RNA-dependent RNA polymerase from Flock House virus, black beetle virus and MrNV. The results of fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that the hepatopancreas, striated muscle and lymphoid organ were positively reacting tissues. The mean size of negative-stained virus particles was 32 nm. In addition, a nested RT-PCR assay was developed for CMNV, and the RT-PCR detection results revealed that Fenneropenaeus chinensis, Litopenaeus vannamei and Marsupenaeus japonicus suffering from this disease were CMNV-positive.