Plant–soil interactions have bottom–up and top–down effects within a plant community. Heavy metal pollution can change plant–soil interactions, directly influence bottom–up effects and indirectly affect herbivores within the community. In turn, herbivores can affect plant–soil interactions through top–down effects. However, the combined effects of heavy metals and herbivores on soil enzymes, plants and herbivores have rarely been reported. Therefore, the effects of lead (Pb), Spodoptera litura and their combined effects on soil enzyme activities, pakchoi nutrition, defence compounds and S. litura fitness were examined here. Results showed that Pb, S. litura and their combined effects significantly affected soil enzymes, pakchoi and S. litura. Specifically, exposure to double stress (Pb and S. litura) decreased soil urease, phosphatase and sucrase activities compared with controls. Furthermore, the soluble protein and sugar contents of pakchoi decreased, and the trypsin inhibitor content and antioxidant enzyme activity increased. Finally, the S. litura development period was extended, and survival, emergence rates and body weight decreased after exposure to double stress. The combined stress of Pb and S. litura significantly decreased soil enzyme activities. Heavy metal accumulation in plants may create a superposition or synergistic effect with heavy metal-mediated plant chemical defence, further suppressing herbivore development. Pb, S. litura and their combined effects inhibited soil enzyme activities, improved pakchoi resistance and reduced S. litura development. The results reveal details of soil–plant–herbivore interactions and provide a reference for crop pest control management in the presence of heavy metal pollution.

Digitaria ciliaris var. chrysoblephara (Fig. & De Not.) R.R. Stewart is an annual xeromorphic weed that severely infests direct-seeded rice fields in China. Herbicide resistance is emerging in D. ciliaris var. chrysoblephara owing to extensive and recurrent use of the acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACCase)-inhibiting herbicide metamifop. In this study, a total of 53 D. ciliaris var. chrysoblephara populations randomly sampled from direct-seeded rice fields across Jiangsu Province were investigated for metamifop resistance and potential resistance-endowing mutations. Single-dose assays revealed that 17 (32.1%) populations evolved resistance to metamifop and 5 (9.4%) populations were in the process of developing resistance. The resistance index (RI) of metamifop-resistant populations ranged from 2.7 to 32.1. Amino acid substitutions (Ile-1781-Leu, Trp-2027-Cys/Ser, and Ile-2041-Asn) in ACCase genes were detected in resistant D. ciliaris var. chrysoblephara plants and caused various cross-resistance patterns to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides. All of four resistant populations (YC07, YZ09, SQ03, and HA06), with different ACCase mutations, exhibited cross-resistance to the aryloxyphenoxypropionate (APP) herbicides cyhalofop-butyl (RI values: 10.0 to 19.9), fenoxaprop-P-ethyl (RI values: 53.7 to 132.8), and haloxyfop-P-methyl (RI values: 6.2 to 62.6), and the phenylpyrazoline (DEN) pinoxaden (RI values: 2.3 to 5.4), but responded differently to the cyclohexanedione (CHD) herbicides clethodim and sethoxydim. It is noteworthy that four postemergence herbicides used for rice cropping, including bispyribac-sodium, pyraclonil, quinclorac, and anilofos, showed poor control effect against D. ciliaris var. chrysoblephara, suggesting few alternations for managing this weed in rice fields except ACCase inhibitors. In conclusion, this work demonstrated that the D. ciliaris var. chrysoblephara had developed resistance to ACCase-inhibiting herbicides in rice cultivation of China, and target-site amino acid substitutions in ACCase were primarily responsible for metamifop resistance.

This study investigates the impacts of the timing of an extreme cyclone that occurred in August 2012 on the sea-ice volume evolution based on the Arctic Ice Ocean Prediction System (ArcIOPS). By applying a novel cyclone removal algorithm to the atmospheric forcing during 4–12 August 2012, we superimpose the derived cyclone component onto the atmospheric forcing one month later or earlier. This study finds that although the extreme cyclone leads to strong sea-ice volume loss in all runs, large divergence occurs in sea-ice melting mechanism in response to various timing of the cyclone. The extreme cyclone occurred in August, when enhanced ice volume loss is attributed to ice bottom melt primarily and ice surface melt secondarily. If the cyclone occurs one month earlier, ice surface melt dominates ice volume loss, and earlier appearance of open water within the ice zone initiates positive ice-albedo feedback, leading to a long lasting of the cyclone-induced impacts for approximately one month, and eventually a lower September ice volume. In contrast, if the cyclone occurs one month later, ice bottom melt entirely dominates ice volume loss, and the air-open water heat flux in the ice zone tends to offset ice volume loss.

Organo-montmorillonite (OMnt) has wide applications in paints, clay-polymer nanocomposites, biomaterials, etc. In most cases, the dispersibility and swellability of OMnt dictate the performance of OMnt in the target products. Previous studies have revealed that the properties can be improved when multiple organic species are co-introduced into the interlayer space of montmorillonite (Mnt). In the present study, single surfactant erucylamide (EA), dual-surfactants cetyltrimethyl ammonium bromide (CTAB) and octadecyltrimethyl ammonium chloride (OTAC), and ternary-surfactants EA, CTAB, and OTAC were co-introduced into Mnt by solution intercalation. The resulting OMnts were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry-differential thermogravimetry (TG-DTG), water contact-angle tests, scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), laser particle-size analysis, and swelling indices. Mnt co-modified by ternary CTAB, OTAC, and EA led to a large d001 value (4.20 nm), surface hydrophobicity with a contact angle of 95.6°, swellability (50 mL/g) with small average particle sizes (2.1−2.8 μm) in xylene, and >99% of the OMnt particles were kept as <5 μm in deionized water. The formation of EA-modified-Mnt was proposed according to hydrophobic affinity, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces. The nanoplatelets of the CTA+, OTA+, and EA co-modified OMnts in xylene were assembled into a house-of-cards structure by face-to-edge and edge-to-edge associations. The electrostatic attractions, electrostatic and steric repulsions, and hydrophobic interactions were responsible for the good dispersibility of OMnt in xylene. The ternary surfactant co-modified OMnt with high dispersion and swellability will make OMnt better suited for real-world applications.

The effects of magnetic vortex acceleration (MVA) are investigated with two-dimensional particle-in-cell (PIC) simulations by laser interaction with near-critical density (NCD) plasma inside a hollow conical plasma. Energetic and collimated proton beams can be accelerated by a longitudinal charge-separation field. Energetic protons with a peak energy of 220 MeV are produced in PIC simulations. Compared with a uniform NCD plasma, both the cutoff energy and collimation of proton beams are improved remarkably. Furthermore, the influence of different gap sizes of cone tip is taken into account. For optimizing magnetic vortex acceleration, the gap size of the cone tip is suggested to match the focal spot size of laser pulse.

In vitro fertilization (IVF) and embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) have allowed millions of infertile couples to achieve pregnancy. As an essential part of IVF/ICSI enabling the retrieval of a high number of oocytes in one cycle, controlled ovarian stimulation (COS) treatment mainly composes of the standard long gonadotrophin-releasing hormone agonist (GnRH-a) protocol and the gonadotrophin-releasing hormone antagonist (GnRH-ant) protocol. However, the effectiveness of GnRH-ant protocol is still debated because of inconsistent conclusions and insufficient subgroup analyses. This systematic review and meta-analysis included a total of 52 studies, encompassing 5193 participants in the GnRH-ant group and 4757 in the GnRH-a group. The findings of this study revealed that the GnRH-ant protocol is comparable with the long GnRH-a protocol when considering live birth as the primary outcome, and it is a favourable protocol with evidence reducing the incidence of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome in women undergoing IVF/ICSI, especially in women with polycystic ovary syndrome. Further research is needed to compare the subsequent cumulative live birth rate between the two protocols among the general and poor ovarian response patients since those patients have a lower clinical pregnancy rate, fewer oocytes retrieved or fewer high-grade embryos in the GnRH-ant protocol.

Rodents and shrews are major reservoirs of various pathogens that are related to zoonotic infectious diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate co-infections of zoonotic pathogens in rodents and shrews trapped in four provinces of China. We sampled different rodent and shrew communities within and around human settlements in four provinces of China and characterised several important zoonotic viral, bacterial, and parasitic pathogens by PCR methods and phylogenetic analysis. A total of 864 rodents and shrews belonging to 24 and 13 species from RODENTIA and EULIPOTYPHLA orders were captured, respectively. For viral pathogens, two species of hantavirus (Hantaan orthohantavirus and Caobang orthohantavirus) were identified in 3.47% of rodents and shrews. The overall prevalence of Bartonella spp., Anaplasmataceae, Babesia spp., Leptospira spp., Spotted fever group Rickettsiae, Borrelia spp., and Coxiella burnetii were 31.25%, 8.91%, 4.17%, 3.94%, 3.59%, 3.47%, and 0.58%, respectively. Furthermore, the highest co-infection status of three pathogens was observed among Bartonella spp., Leptospira spp., and Anaplasmataceae with a co-infection rate of 0.46%. Our results suggested that species distribution and co-infections of zoonotic pathogens were prevalent in rodents and shrews, highlighting the necessity of active surveillance for zoonotic pathogens in wild mammals in wider regions.

As an effective drag reduction and thermal protection technology, the opposing jet can guarantee the flight safety of the hypersonic vehicle. In this paper, the jet mode transition is realised by controlling the total jet pressure ratio value (PR) with a function. The jet mode transition from the long penetration mode (LPM) to the short penetration mode (SPM) uses an increasing function. However, the jet mode transition from SPM to LPM uses a decreasing function. The flow field reconstruction process of a two-dimensional axisymmetric blunt body model in the hypersonic flow is studied when the jet mode transition between SPM and LPM changes into each other. The flow field structures and wall parameters of the LPM and SPM transition processes are obtained. The results indicate that the drag and Stanton number both decrease in the transition stage from LPM to SPM, and this is beneficial for the improvement of the drag reduction and thermal protection effect. The peak values of drag and Stanton number fall by 36.39% and 46.40%, respectively. When the jet mode transforms from SPM to LPM, the Stanton number increases, and the drag force first increases and then decreases. However, the final drag reduction effect is not obvious. With the increase in the change rate of the total pressure ratio of the two jet transformation modes, the jet mode transition time is advanced, and the flow field changes more violently.

The Viséan–Serpukhovian boundary is poorly defined in South China, hampering regional and global stratigraphical correlations. The foraminiferal and conodont distribution of the Baping Formation in the carbonate-slope Danlu section permits the recognition of an interval from the middle Viséan to the uppermost Serpukhovian in a continuous succession. The base of the Serpukhovian in Danlu is recognized by the first occurrences of Janischewskina delicata, Howchinia subplana and questionable ‘Millerella’ tortula. At a slightly younger level, the conodont Lochriea ziegleri is first recorded. A calibration on the first occurrence of L. ziegleri in different basins at a global scale has been revised compared to auxiliary markers within the ammonoids and foraminifers. The late occurrence of L. ziegleri in the Danlu section also supports a lack of synchronicity in the global first occurrence of this taxon. This study calls for the recognition of a new base for the Serpukhovian under a far better correlation between different zonal schemes and fossil groups.

In recent years, obesity is a growing pandemic in the world and has likely contributed to increasing the incidence of obesity-related diseases. Fat mass and obesity-associated gene (FTO) is the first gene discovered which has a close connection with fat. Recent studies suggested that FTO gene has played an important role in the molecular mechanisms of many diseases. Obesity is considered to be a hereditary disease and can evoke many kinds of diseases, including polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), cancer, etc., whose exact possible molecular mechanisms responsible for the effect of FTO on obesity and obesity-related diseases remain largely unknown. In this review, we comprehensively discuss the correlation between FTO gene and obesity, cancer, PCOS, T2DM, as well as the molecular mechanism involved in these diseases.

Fat deposition and lipid metabolism are closely related to the morphology, structure and function of mitochondria. The morphology of mitochondria between fusion and fission processes is mainly regulated by protein posttranslational modification. Intermittent fasting (IF) promotes high expression of Sirtuin 3 (Sirt3) and induces mitochondrial fusion in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed mice. However, the mechanism by which Sirt3 participates in mitochondrial protein acetylation during IF to regulate mitochondrial fusion and fission dynamics remains unclear. This article demonstrates that IF promotes mitochondrial fusion and improves mitochondrial function in HFD mouse inguinal white adipose tissue. Proteomic sequencing revealed that IF increased protein deacetylation levels in HFD mice and significantly increased Sirt3 mRNA and protein expression. After transfecting with Sirt3 overexpression or interference vectors into adipocytes, we found that Sirt3 promoted adipocyte mitochondrial fusion and improved mitochondrial function. Furthermore, Sirt3 regulates the JNK-FIS1 pathway by deacetylating malate dehydrogenase 2 (MDH2) to promote mitochondrial fusion. In summary, our study indicates that IF promotes mitochondrial fusion and improves mitochondrial function by upregulating the high expression of Sirt3 in HFD mice, promoting deacetylation of MDH2 and inhibiting the JNK-FIS1 pathway. This research provides theoretical support for studies related to energy limitation and animal lipid metabolism.

Instrument delivery is critical part in vascular intervention surgery. Due to the soft-body structure of instruments, the relationship between manipulation commands and instrument motion is non-linear, making instrument delivery challenging and time-consuming. Reinforcement learning has the potential to learn manipulation skills and automate instrument delivery with enhanced success rates and reduced workload of physicians. However, due to the sample inefficiency when using high-dimensional images, existing reinforcement learning algorithms are limited on realistic vascular robotic systems. To alleviate this problem, this paper proposes discrete soft actor-critic with auto-encoder (DSAC-AE) that augments SAC-discrete with an auxiliary reconstruction task. The algorithm is applied with distributed sample collection and parameter update in a robot-assisted preclinical environment. Experimental results indicate that guidewire delivery can be automatically implemented after 50k sampling steps in less than 15 h, demonstrating the proposed algorithm has the great potential to learn manipulation skill for vascular robotic systems.

Somatic cell nuclear transfer (NT) is associated with aberrant changes in epigenetic reprogramming that impede the development of embryos, particularly during zygotic genome activation. Here, we characterized epigenetic patterns of H3K4me3, H3K9me3, and H3K27me3 in mouse NT embryos up to the second cell cycle (i.e. four-celled stage) during zygotic genome activation. In vivo fertilized and parthenogenetically activated (PA) embryos served as controls. In fertilized embryos, maternal and paternal pronuclei exhibited asymmetric H3K4me3, H3K9me3, and H3K27me3 modifications, with the paternal pronucleus showing delayed epigenetic modifications. Higher levels of H3K4me3 and H3K9me3 were observed in NT and PA embryos than in fertilized embryos. However, NT embryos exhibited a lower level of H3K27me3 than PA and fertilized embryos from pronuclear stage 3 to the four-celled stage. Our finding that NT embryos exhibited aberrant H3K4me3, H3K9me3, and H3K27me3 modifications in comparison with fertilized embryos during early zygotic genome activation help to unravel the epigenetic mechanisms of methylation changes in early NT reprogramming and provide an insight into the role of histone H3 in the regulation of cell plasticity during natural reproduction and somatic cell NT.

Steinernema populi n. sp. was recovered by baiting from beneath poplar trees in China. Morphological and molecular features provided evidence for placing the new species into the Kushidai clade. The new species is characterized by the following morphological features: third-stage infective juveniles (IJ) with a body length of 1095 (973–1172) μm, a distance from the anterior end to excretory pore of 77 (70–86) μm and a tail length of 64 (55–72) μm. The Body length/Tail length (c) ratio and Anterior end to Excretory pore/ Tail length × 100 (E%) of S. populi n. sp. are substantially greater than those of all other ‘Feltiae–Kushidai–Monticolum’ group members. The first-generation males can be recognized by a spicule length of 66 (57–77) μm and a gubernaculum length of 46 (38–60) μm. The new species is further characterized by sequences of the internal transcribed spacer and partial 28S regions of the ribosomal DNA. Phylogenetic analyses show that Steinernema akhursti and Steinernema kushidai are the closest relatives to S. populi n. sp.

Widely distributed Mid-Neoproterozoic mafic rocks of the Qilian – Qaidam – East Kunlun region record the tectonic evolution of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. This study presents whole-rock geochemistry, zircon U–Pb geochronology and Hf isotopes for the Xialanuoer gabbros of the central South Qilian Belt (SQB). Zircon laser ablation – inductively coupled plasma – mass spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) U–Pb dating indicates that the gabbros were emplaced at ca. 738 Ma, indicating they are contemporaneous with mafic magmatism elsewhere in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. The gabbros have low SiO2, Cr and Ni contents and Mg# values, are relatively enriched in light rare-earth elements (LREEs) and depleted in high-field-strength elements (HFSEs; e.g. Nb and Ta), have no positive Zr or Hf anomalies and have relatively high Nb/Ta but low Nb/La ratios. These data indicate that the Xialanuoer gabbros formed from calc-alkaline basaltic magmas that were originally generated by the partial melting of an enriched mantle of type-I (EMI-type) enriched region of the lithospheric mantle, underwent little to no crustal contamination prior to their emplacement, and have within-plate basalt geochemical affinities. Combining these data with the presence of widespread contemporaneous continental rift-related magmatism and sedimentation in the North Qilian, Central Qilian, South Qilian, Quanji, North Qaidam and East Kunlun regions suggests that the northeastern Tibetan Plateau underwent Mid-Neoproterozoic continental rifting, which also affected other Rodinian blocks (e.g. Tarim, South China, Australia, North America and Southern Africa).