ABSTRACT
Silage is an excellent method of feed preservation; however, carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide produced during fermentation are significant sources of agricultural greenhouse gases. Therefore, determining a specific production method is crucial for reducing global warming. The effects of four temperatures (10 °C, 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C) on silage quality, greenhouse gas yield and microbial community composition of forage sorghum were investigated. At 20 °C and 30 °C, the silage has a lower pH value and a higher lactic acid content, resulting in higher silage quality and higher total gas production. In the first five days of ensiling, there was a significant increase in the production of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. After that, the output remained relatively stable, and their production at 20 °C and 30 °C was significantly higher than that at 10 °C and 40 °C. Firmicutes and Proteobacteria were the predominant silage microorganisms at the phylum level. Under the treatment of 20 °C, 30 °C, and 40 °C, Lactobacillus had already dominated on the second day of silage. However, low temperatures under 10 °C slowed down the microbial community succession, allowing, bad microorganisms such as Chryseobacterium, Pantoea and Pseudomonas dominate the fermentation, in the early stage of ensiling, which also resulted in the highest bacterial network complexity. According to random forest and structural equation model analysis, the production of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide is mainly affected by microorganisms such as Lactobacillus, Klebsiella and Enterobacter, and temperature influences the activity of these microorganisms to mediate gas production in silage. This study helps reveal the relationship between temperature, microbial community and greenhouse gas production during silage fermentation, providing a reference for clean silage fermentation.
ABSTRACT
Enhancing the aerobic stability of whole-plant corn silage is essential for producing high-quality silage. Our research assessed the effect of inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri or Bacillus licheniformis and its modulation of the bacterial and fungal microbial community structure in an aerobic stage of whole-plant corn silage. Following treatment with a distilled sterile water control, Lactobacillus buchneri, and Bacillus licheniformis (2 × 105 cfu/g), whole-plant corn was ensiled for 60 days. Samples were taken on days 0, 3, and 7 of aerobic exposure, and the results showed that inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri or Bacillus licheniformis improved the aerobic stability of silage when compared to the effect of the control (p < 0.05). Inoculation with Bacillus licheniformis attenuated the increase in pH value and the decrease in lactic acid in the aerobic stage (p < 0.05), reducing the filamentous fungal counts. On the other hand, inoculation with Lactobacillus buchneri or Bacillus licheniformis increased the diversity of the fungal communities (p < 0.05), complicating the correlation between bacteria or fungi, reducing the relative abundance of Acetobacter and Paenibacillus in bacterial communities, and inhibiting the tendency of Monascus to replace Issatchenkia in fungal communities, thus delaying the aerobic spoilage process. Due to the prevention of the development of aerobic spoilage microorganisms, the silage injected with Lactobacillus buchneri or Bacillus licheniformis exhibited improved aerobic stability.
ABSTRACT
Inspired by nature, superhydrophobic surfaces have been widely studied. Usually the wettability of a superhydrophobic surface is quantified by the macroscopic contact angle. However, this method has various limitations, especially for precision micro devices with superhydrophobic surfaces, such as biomimetic artificial compound eyes and biomimetic water strider robots. These precision micro devices with superhydrophobic surfaces proposed a higher demand for the quantification of contact angles, requiring contact angle quantification technology to have micrometer-scale measurement capabilities. In this review, it is proposed to achieve micrometer-scale quantification of superhydrophobic surface contact angles through droplet adhesion characteristics (adhesion force and contact radius). Existing contact angle quantification techniques and droplet characteristics' measurement methods were described in detail. The advancement of micrometer-scale quantification technology for the contact angle of superhydrophobic surfaces will enhance our understanding of superhydrophobic surfaces.
ABSTRACT
As an important psychoactive substance, cotinine is ubiquitous in aquatic environment and poses a threat to aquatic organisms. However, the mechanism of its adverse health impacts remains unclear. We evaluated the effects of cotinine exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations on the development and locomotor behavior of zebrafish (Danio rerio) larvae using neurotransmitters and whole endogenous metabolism. Mild developmental toxicity and significant neurobehavior disorder, such as spontaneous movement (1-1000 µg/L), 48 hpf tactile response (50, 100, and 1000 µg/L), and 144 hpf swimming speed (1, 10, 100, 500, and 1000 µg/L), were observed in zebrafish. Exposure to cotinine led to significant alterations in 11 neurotransmitters, including homogentisic acid, serotonin, glutamic acid and aspartic acid, etc. 298 metabolites were identified and two pathways - linoleic acid metabolism and taurine and hypotaurine metabolism - were delineated. In addition, amino acid neurotransmitters were significantly correlated with metabolites such as arachidonic acid as well as its derivatives, steroidal compounds, and amino acids. Serotonin demonstrates a noteworthy correlation with 31 out of 40 differentially expressed neurotransmitters, encompassing lipids, amino acids, and other compounds. These novel findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the ecological risks associated with cotinine contamination in surface waters.
Subject(s)
Water Pollutants, Chemical , Zebrafish , Animals , Zebrafish/metabolism , Cotinine , Serotonin , Larva , Amino Acids/metabolism , Neurotransmitter Agents/metabolism , Water Pollutants, Chemical/metabolism , Embryo, NonmammalianABSTRACT
Neonicotinoids, widely used on farmland, are ubiquitous in food; however, their distribution among various crops and associated exposure risks at the provincial level in China remain unclear. We collected 19 types of crop samples (fruits, vegetables, and tea) from farmland in nine prefectural cities in Zhejiang Province, China. We analyzed nine commonly used neonicotinoids in the edible portions of these crops. A notable detection rate (42.1 %-82.9 %) and high residual neonicotinoid concentrations (278 ± 357 ng/g) were observed. Tea exhibited the highest residue, followed by fruits, and vegetables showed the lowest (P < 0.05). Neonicotinoid ratios in crops to soil (R_C/S) and soil to water (R_S/W) were defined to discern insecticide distribution across different environments. Increased water solubility leads to increased migration of neonicotinoids (R_S/W) from agricultural soils to water through runoff, thereby increasing the relative contribution of nitenpyram and dinotefuran in water. In comparison with other studied compounds, all crops demonstrated the strongest soil uptake of thiamethoxam, denoted by the highest R_C/S value. Elevated R_C/S values in tea, pickled cabbage, and celery suggest increased susceptibility of these crops to neonicotinoid absorption from the soil (P < 0.05). Estimated dietary intake for teenagers, adults and elders was 8.9 ± 0.5, 8.9 ± 0.6, and 8.8 ± 0.3 µg/kg/d, respectively, below the reference dose (57 µg/kg/d). Teenagers, compared to adults and elders, exhibited significantly higher neonicotinoid exposure through fruit consumption, emphasizing the need for increased attention to neonicotinoid exposure among vulnerable populations.
Subject(s)
Dietary Exposure , Insecticides , Neonicotinoids/analysis , Insecticides/analysis , Nitro Compounds , Vegetables/chemistry , Water , Soil/chemistry , TeaABSTRACT
Thyroid nodules are common, and patients with potential malignant lesions are usually diagnosed using ultrasound imaging to determine further treatment options. This study aims to propose a computer-aided diagnosis method for benign and malignant classification of thyroid nodules in ultrasound images. We propose a novel multi-task framework that combines the advantages of dense connectivity, Squeeze-and-Excitation (SE) connectivity, and Atrous Spatial Pyramid Pooling (ASPP) layer to enhance feature extraction. The Dense connectivity is used to optimize feature reuse, the SE connectivity to optimize feature weights, the ASPP layer to fuse feature information, and a multi-task learning framework to adjust the attention of the network. We evaluate our model using a 10-fold cross-validation approach based on our established Thyroid dataset. We assess the performance of our method using six average metrics: accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and AUC, which are 93.49, 95.54, 91.52, 91.63, 95.47, and 96.84%, respectively. Our proposed method outperforms other classification networks in all metrics, achieving optimal performance. We propose a multi-task model, DSMA-Net, for distinguishing thyroid nodules in ultrasound images. This method can further enhance the diagnostic ability of doctors for suspected cancer patients and holds promise for clinical applications.
ABSTRACT
Exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) has been linked to various immune deficiency disorders, including autoimmune diseases like Sjögren Syndrome (SjS). However, the detrimental effects of exposure to EDCs, including bisphenols, parabens, and triclosan (TCS), on SjS have been inadequately documented. Thus, we conducted a cross-sectional study that included both healthy individuals (controls) and patients with SjS (cases). We assessed serum concentrations of bisphenol A (BPA), bisphenol S (BPS), methyl parabens (MeP), ethyl parabens (EtP), and TCS. The relationship between the five EDCs levels and the risk of SjS was also explored. Additionally, we conducted an in-depth analysis of the collective influence of these EDCs mixtures on SjS, employing a weighted quantile sum regression model. Out of the five EDCs analyzed, EtP displayed the highest mean concentration (2.80 ng/mL), followed by BPA (2.66 ng/mL) and MeP (1.99 ng/mL), with TCS registering the lowest level (0.36 ng/mL). Notably, BPS exposure was significantly positively associated with the risk of being diagnosed with SjS (with an odds ratio [OR] of 1.17, p = 0.042). No statistically significant associations with SjS were observed for BPA, MeP, EtP, and TCS (p > 0.05). And we did not observe any significant effects of the EDCs mixture on SjS. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to suggest that BPS may potentially increase the risk of SjS. Although no significant effects were observed between other EDCs and SjS risk, we cannot disregard the potential harm of EDCs due to their non-monotonic dose response.
Subject(s)
Endocrine Disruptors , Phenols , Sjogren's Syndrome , Sulfones , Triclosan , Humans , Triclosan/analysis , Parabens/analysis , Cross-Sectional Studies , Benzhydryl Compounds/analysis , China , Endocrine Disruptors/analysisABSTRACT
Microbial proteins are promising substitutes for animal- and plant-based proteins. S. cerevisiae, a generally recognized as safe (GRAS) microorganism, has been frequently employed to generate heterologous proteins. However, constructing a universal yeast chassis for efficient protein production is still a challenge due to the varying properties of different proteins. With progress in synthetic biology, a multitude of molecular biology tools and metabolic engineering strategies have been employed to alleviate these issues. This review first analyses the advantages of protein production by S. cerevisiae. The most recent advances in improving heterologous protein yield are summarized and discussed in terms of protein hyperexpression systems, protein secretion engineering, glycosylation pathway engineering and systems metabolic engineering. Furthermore, the prospects for efficient and sustainable heterologous protein production by S. cerevisiae are also provided.
Subject(s)
Plant Proteins , Saccharomyces cerevisiae , Animals , Saccharomyces cerevisiae/genetics , Glycosylation , Metabolic Engineering , Protein EngineeringABSTRACT
The sweeping effect of merged droplets plays a key role in enhancing application performance due to the continuing coalescence caused by the horizontal jumping velocity. Most studies focused on static droplet coalescence jumping, while moving droplet coalescence is poorly understood. In this work, we experimentally and numerically study the coalescence of a rolling droplet and a static one. When the droplet radius ratio is larger than 0.8, as the dimensionless initial velocity increases and the vertical jumping velocity first decreases and then increases. The critical dimensionless initial velocity Vc* corresponding to the minimum vertical jumping velocity could be estimated as 0.9(rs2rm2). When the droplet radius ratio is smaller than 0.8, the dimensionless initial velocity has a positive effect on the vertical jumping velocity. The mechanism of the vertical jumping velocity can be attributed to two parts: liquid bridge impact and retraction of the merged droplet. The squeezing effect generated by the initial velocity between the two droplets promotes the growth of the liquid bridge and enhances the impact effect of the liquid bridge but weakens the upward velocity accumulation caused by the retraction of the merged droplets. However, different from the vertical jumping velocity, the horizontal jumping velocity is approximately proportional to the dimensionless initial velocity. The outcome of our work elucidates a fundamental understanding of a rolling droplet coalescing with a static one.
ABSTRACT
The safety of drinking water has always been a concern for people all over the world. N-nitrosamines (NAs), a kind of nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs), are generally detected as a mixture in drinking water at home and abroad. Studies have shown that individual NAs posed strong carcinogenicity at high concentrations. However, health risks of NAs at environmental levels (concentrations in drinking water) are still unclear. Therefore, the potential health risks of environmentally relevant NAs exposure in drinking water needs to be conducted. In this study, blood biochemical analysis and metabolomics based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) were performed to comprehensively investigate NAs induced metabolic disturbance in infant rats at environmental levels. Results of blood biochemical indices analysis indicated that AST in the serum of male rats in NAs-treated group exhibited a significant gender-specific difference. Multivariate statistics showed that two and eight significantly disturbed metabolic pathways were identified in the serum samples of NAs-treated male and female rats, respectively. In the urine samples of NAs-treated female rats, glycine, serine, and threonine metabolism pathway was significantly disturbed; while three significantly disturbed metabolic pathways were found in the urine of NAs-treated male rats. Finally, results of spearman correlation coefficients suggested that the disturbances of metabolism profile in serum and urine were correlated with changes in the gut microbiota (data derived from our published paper). Data presented here aimed to generate new health risk data of NAs mixture exposure at environmental levels and provide theoretical support for drinking water safety management. ENVIRONMENTAL IMPLICATION: N-nitrosamines (NAs) are a kind of nitrogenous disinfection by-products (N-DBPs) generated during drinking water disinfection processes. Herein, health risks of NAs at environmental levels (concentrations in drinking water) are investigated using blood biochemical analysis and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)-based metabolomics. Results confirmed NAs induced gender-specific on the metabolism in rat and the disturbances of metabolism profile in serum and urine were correlated with changes in the gut microbiota. Data presented here aimed to generate new health risk data of NAs mixture exposure at environmental levels and provide theoretical support for drinking water safety management.
Subject(s)
Disinfectants , Drinking Water , Nitrosamines , Water Pollutants, Chemical , Water Purification , Humans , Infant , Rats , Male , Female , Animals , Nitrosamines/toxicity , Nitrosamines/analysis , Drinking Water/chemistry , Water Purification/methods , Disinfection/methods , Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy , Water Pollutants, Chemical/analysis , Disinfectants/analysisABSTRACT
Liquid marbles (LMs) are nonwetting droplets manufactured by encapsulating droplets with micro- or nanoscale particles. These marbles are widely used as transport carriers for digital microfluidics due to their rapid displacement velocity and leak-free transport. An improved understanding of the resistance mechanism of rolling LMs is crucial for their transport and manipulation. In this study, we investigated the rolling resistance of LMs obtained with different powders and volumes using a high-speed camera. Our findings suggest that the deformation of liquid marbles would hinder their rolling by a resistance torque. To depict this resistance effect, we propose a theoretical model (fâ¼λ(ε-12Bo1/2ε2+14Boε3)), where f is the rolling resistance of marbles, λ is the deflection coefficient, Bo is the Bond number, and (ε is the contact surface deformation) that accurately predicts the relationship between deformation and rolling resistance, which is supported by our experimental results. To further validate our theoretical model, we conducted three independent experiments: shape detection of prepared LMs, measuring the elastic force of LMs, and detecting the diffusive motion of the encapsulating particles. Furthermore, we discuss three factors that affect the rolling resistance: the volume of the marbles, the type and size of the encapsulating particles, and the substrate roughness. This comprehensive study not only generalizes the mechanism of deformation hindering the rolling of liquid marbles but also provides a theoretical framework to predict the relationship between the deformation and rolling resistance. These findings have practical implications for improving the manipulation efficiency and advancing the use of LMs as microfluidic carriers.
ABSTRACT
Atmospheric particulate matter (PM) poses great adverse effects through the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Various components in PM are acknowledged to induce ROS formation, while the interactions among chemicals remain to be elucidated. Here, we systematically investigate the influence of Brown carbon (BrC) surrogates (e.g., imidazoles, nitrocatechols and humic acid) on hydroxyl radical (OH) generation from transition metals (TMs) in simulated lung fluid. Present results show that BrC has an antagonism (interaction factor: 20-90 %) with Cu2+ in OH generation upon the interaction with glutathione, in which the concentrations of BrC and TMs influence the extent of antagonism. Rapid OH generation in glutathione is observed for Fe2+, while OH formation is very little for Fe3+. The compositions of antioxidants (e.g., glutathione, ascorbate, urate), resembling the upper and lower respiratory tract, respond differently to BrC and TMs (Cu2+, Fe2+ and Fe3+) in OH generation and the degree of antagonism. The complexation equilibrium constants and site numbers between Cu2+ and humic acid were further analyzed using fluorescence quenching experiments. Possible complexation products among TMs, 4-nitrocatechol and glutathione were also identified using quadropule-time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The results suggest atmospheric BrC widely participate in complexation with TMs which influence OH formation in the human lung fluid, and complexation should be considered in evaluating ROS formation mediated by ambient PM.
Subject(s)
Air Pollutants , Hydroxyl Radical , Humans , Hydroxyl Radical/analysis , Hydroxyl Radical/chemistry , Reactive Oxygen Species/analysis , Humic Substances/analysis , Particulate Matter/analysis , Lung/chemistry , Glutathione , Carbon/analysis , Air Pollutants/analysisABSTRACT
As the mitochondrial DNA copy number (mtDNAcn) has been reported to be a biomarker for mtDNA damage in honeybees when exposed to sublethal neonicotinoids, the feasibility of using human mitochondria as a predictor upon neonicotinoid exposure remains elusive. This study investigated the association between the urinary neonicotinoid and the relative mtDNAcn (RmtDNAcn) of oral epithelial cells collected in a cross-sectional study with repeated measurements over 6 weeks. The molecular mechanism underlying neonicotinoid-caused mitochondrial damage was also examined by in vitro assay. Herein, the average integrated urinary neonicotinoid (IMIRPF) concentration ranged from 8.01 to 13.70 µg/L (specific gravity-adjusted) during the sampling period. Concomitantly, with an increase in the urinary IMIRPF, the RmtDNAcn significantly increased from 1.20 (low group) to 1.93 (high group), indicating potential dose-dependent mitochondrial damage. Furthermore, the linear regression analysis confirmed the significant correlation between the IMIRPF and RmtDNAcn. Results from in vitro assays demonstrated that neonicotinoid exposure led to the inhibition of the genes encoding mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complexes I and III (e.g., ND2, ND6, CytB, and CYC1), accompanied by increased reactive oxygen species production in SH-SY5Y cells. Conjointly, neonicotinoid exposure led to mitochondrial dysfunction and a resulting increase in the RmtDNAcn, which may serve as a plausible biomarker in humans.
Subject(s)
DNA, Mitochondrial , Neuroblastoma , Humans , Animals , DNA, Mitochondrial/genetics , Cross-Sectional Studies , Neonicotinoids/toxicity , DNA Copy Number Variations , Mitochondria/genetics , Biomarkers , Epithelial CellsABSTRACT
Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is one of the deadliest cancers because of its robust aggressive phenotype and chemoresistance. TAO kinase belongs to mitogen-activated protein kinases, which mediate drug resistance in multiple cancers. However, the role of TAO kinase in ESCC progression and chemoresistance has never been explored. Here, it is reported that TAOK3 augments cell autophagy and further promotes ESCC progression and chemoresistance. Mechanistically, TAOK3 phosphorylates KMT2C at S4588 and strengthens the interaction between KMT2C and ETV5. Consequently, the nuclear translocation of KMT2C is increased, and the transcription of autophagy-relevant gene IRGM is further upregulated. Additionally, the inhibitor SBI-581 can significantly suppress cell autophagy mediated by TAOK3 and synergizes with cisplatin to treat ESCC in vitro and in vivo.
Subject(s)
Carcinoma, Squamous Cell , Esophageal Neoplasms , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma , Humans , Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma/genetics , Cisplatin/pharmacology , Cisplatin/therapeutic use , Esophageal Neoplasms/genetics , Carcinoma, Squamous Cell/genetics , Drug Resistance, Neoplasm , Autophagy/physiology , GTP-Binding Proteins/metabolism , GTP-Binding Proteins/therapeutic useABSTRACT
The emergence of resistance to existing succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor fungicides (SDHIs) calls for the urgent innovation of novel formulations, but also results in an increase information gap on the ecological risks of novel SDHIs especially to non-target organisms. Herein, the environmental behavior and toxicological effects of a novel SDHI, fluindapyr (FIP), were evaluated using earthworm as model non-target organism. Results showed that FIP had a relatively shorter half-live (about 28 days) in artificial soil compared with traditional SDHIs. Besides, FIP exhibited a rapid uptake and bioaccumulation trend in earthworms. For the toxicological effects, FIP suppressed earthworm growth (≥ 5 mg/kg) and reproduction (≥ 1 mg/kg) whereas no lethal effects were observed up to the highest tested concentration of 25 mg/mg. FIP of high exposure concentrations also induced serious epidermis and intestines damage as well as oxidative stress to earthworms after 28-day exposure. In addition, expression of oxidative damage related genes (CAT, CRT, GST, HSP70, SOD) was further verified after FIP exposure. The earthworm Tier 1 RQ also indicated a potential risk for earthworm reproduction. Data presented here may be useful for the risk assessments of FIP in soil ecosystems and help to set appropriate precautions to ensure protection against novel SDHIs.
Subject(s)
Fungicides, Industrial , Oligochaeta , Soil Pollutants , Animals , Fungicides, Industrial/metabolism , Oligochaeta/metabolism , Ecosystem , Soil Pollutants/analysis , Oxidative Stress , SoilABSTRACT
In previous studies, 6:2 chlorinated polyfluorinated ether sulfonic acid (6:2 Cl-PFESA), a perfluorooctanesulfonate alternative, has been demonstrated to be toxic to mammals. However, the toxic mechanism of 6:2 Cl-PFESA in mammals is unknown. Herein, adolescent male rats were administered 50 µg/kg/Day 6:2 Cl-PFESA for 28 days (oral gavage) to estimate the toxicity of 6:2 Cl-PFESA and investigate its toxic mechanism. Significant changes in some hematological indicators (e.g., aspartate transaminase and neutrophils) and liver sections (inflammatory cell infiltration) indicated that 6:2 Cl-PFESA exposure caused rat hepatotoxicity. Six steroid hormones (e.g., testosterone, progesterone, and cortisol) in serum and thirteen genes in testicles (related to the pathway of steroid hormone biosynthesis) were significantly regulated in 6:2 Cl-PFESA-treated rats. This suggested that 6:2 Cl-PFESA induced rat endocrine disorders. Compared to the controls, the mean relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae, Pasteurellaceae, Micrococcaceae, and Desulfovibrionaceae was significantly regulated by 1.3-, 0.40-, 0.32-, and 3.2-fold in the 6:2 Cl-PFESA rats, respectively. The 6:2 Cl-PFESA treatment also significantly disturbed 47 gut metabolites (29 upregulated and 18 downregulated), mainly bile acids, short-chain fatty acids, and amino acids. In summary, 6:2 Cl-PFESA induced endocrine disorders and liver inflammation in rats by altering the gut microbiota-gut-testis/liver axis. This study first reveals the toxic mechanism of 6:2 Cl-PFESA in mammals through a multiomics approach and provides comprehensive insight into the toxic mechanism of 6:2 Cl-PFESA.
Subject(s)
Alkanesulfonic Acids , Fluorocarbons , Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Male , Rats , Animals , Testis , Sulfonic Acids , Liver/chemistry , Fluorocarbons/analysis , Inflammation/chemically induced , MammalsABSTRACT
Bacterial adhesion and subsequent biofilm formation on catheter can cause inevitably infection. The development of multifunctional antibacterial coating is a promising strategy to resist the bacteria adhesion and biofilm formation. Herein, a mussel-inspired chimeric protein MZAgP is prepared and employed to modify a variety of polymeric catheters. The MZAgP is composed of mussel-adhesive peptide, zwitterionic peptide, and silver-binding peptide, which can endow catheters with antifouling, bactericidal and biocompatibility performances. Expectedly, negligible biofilm is observed on the MZAgP coated catheters after incubating with bacteria for 120 h. And ignorable hemolysis and cytotoxicity are obtained on coated catheters. In addition, the modified catheters also display persistent antifouling and bacteriostatic properties throughout 168 h under hydrodynamic conditions. Moreover, the coated catheters can still remain excellent antifouling and antibacterial properties even after 2 months of storage. This multifunctional coating may be promising as antibacterial and antibiofilm biomaterial, and the coated catheters are potential in clinical application.
ABSTRACT
Electroencephalography (EEG)-based brain-computer interfaces (BCIs) pose a challenge for decoding due to their low spatial resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Typically, EEG-based recognition of activities and states involves the use of prior neuroscience knowledge to generate quantitative EEG features, which may limit BCI performance. Although neural network-based methods can effectively extract features, they often encounter issues such as poor generalization across datasets, high predicting volatility, and low model interpretability. To address these limitations, we propose a novel lightweight multi-dimensional attention network, called LMDA-Net. By incorporating two novel attention modules designed specifically for EEG signals, the channel attention module and the depth attention module, LMDA-Net is able to effectively integrate features from multiple dimensions, resulting in improved classification performance across various BCI tasks. LMDA-Net was evaluated on four high-impact public datasets, including motor imagery (MI) and P300-Speller, and was compared with other representative models. The experimental results demonstrate that LMDA-Net outperforms other representative methods in terms of classification accuracy and predicting volatility, achieving the highest accuracy in all datasets within 300 training epochs. Ablation experiments further confirm the effectiveness of the channel attention module and the depth attention module. To facilitate an in-depth understanding of the features extracted by LMDA-Net, we propose class-specific neural network feature interpretability algorithms that are suitable for evoked responses and endogenous activities. By mapping the output of the specific layer of LMDA-Net to the time or spatial domain through class activation maps, the resulting feature visualizations can provide interpretable analysis and establish connections with EEG time-spatial analysis in neuroscience. In summary, LMDA-Net shows great potential as a general decoding model for various EEG tasks.
Subject(s)
Brain-Computer Interfaces , Humans , Neural Networks, Computer , Algorithms , Electroencephalography/methods , Generalization, Psychological , Imagination/physiologyABSTRACT
Cypermethrin (CP), widely used as a broad-spectrum pesticide, has raised concerns over its frequent presence in the environment and potential health risks. The present study focused on incorporating the gut-organ axis theory to reinterpret the toxicological effects and mechanisms following CP exposure at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.1 mg/kg/d and 0.5 mg/kg/d) in pubertal male rats. The results showed alterations in histopathological and organosomatic indices in the liver, brain, and epididymis. Through multiomics network analysis, it was found that Lachnospiraceae and Ruminococcaceae may contribute to the alteration in serum L-carnitine and trigonelline, leading to hepatic lipid accumulation following CP exposure. Additionally, Ruminococcaceae, Lachnospiraceae, and Porphyromonadaceae were associated with CP-induced glutamatergic hypofunction and overproduction of TNF-α, potentially contributing to the brain neurotoxicity. Overall, the study provides important insights into the potential mechanisms underlying CP-induced toxicity and highlights the need for continued research to fully understand the implications for CP-induced health risks. The incorporation of the gut-organ axis theory in the study provides a promising avenue for future research into the potential interactions between gut microbiota and organ toxicity, and the potential for targeted interventions to mitigate the adverse effects of environmental toxins.
Subject(s)
Gastrointestinal Microbiome , Pyrethrins , Rats , Male , Animals , Multiomics , Pyrethrins/toxicity , LiverABSTRACT
Glufosinate (Glu), a broad-spectrum and highly effective non-selective herbicide, behaves in typical chiral features to target organisms. However, the information on the enantioselective toxicity of DL-Glu and L-Glu against non-target organisms is still limited especially at environmental concentrations. In this study, we investigated the potential mechanism accounting for the enantioselective cytotoxicity of Glu based on cell cycle and apoptosis. Results showed that DL-Glu and L-Glu had no suppression on cell viability at 10-5 M, however, SH-SY5Y cells were significantly arrested at G1/G0 phase after L-Glu exposure compared with DL-Glu. The apoptosis assay exhibited an increase in late apoptosis cells and a decrease in viable cells for DL-Glu and L-Glu treatment. The bioinformatics analysis demonstrated that alterations in transcription translation and signal transduction including "calcium signaling pathway", "Wnt signaling pathway", "FoxO signaling pathway" were the possible pathways responsible for Glu-induced enantioselectivity in cell cycle and apoptosis. Interestingly, the Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) also revealed the probable association between DL-Glu exposure and degenerative diseases. These findings serve as a reminder that caution should be exercised not only when using pesticide racemates but also when promoting or applying single- or enriched-isomer pesticides.