A method for evaluating ecological quality levels and trends using natural evolution time series.

Ecological quality assessment serves as a valuable tool for impartially measuring the effects of development and utilization activities on ecosystems, forming the bedrock of ecological governance. The ecological quality evaluation method, relying on a reference frame, takes into consideration the comparability of ecological quality, thus guaranteeing the presence of external benchmarks for the assessment results. However, present research on absolute assessment of ecological quality is limited, as the majority of existing studies focus on large-scale regions, and overlooking regional differences in smaller-scale regions to a certain extent.

Cloud platform to improve efficiency and coverage of asynchronous multidisciplinary team meetings for patients with digestive tract cancer.

Background: Multidisciplinary team (MDT) meetings are the gold standard of cancer treatment. However, the limited participation of multiple medical experts and the low frequency of MDT meetings reduce the efficiency and coverage rate of MDTs. Herein, we retrospectively report the results of an asynchronous MDT based on a cloud platform (cMDT) to improve the efficiency and coverage rate of MDT meetings for digestive tract cancer.

Will the Construction of Sports Facilities Nudge People to Participate in Physical Exercises in China? The Moderating Role of Mental Health.

This study aims to examine the nudging effect of the sports facility construction on physical exercise (PE) participation with consideration of the moderating role of mental health in China. Multiple linear regression models are used in this study. The subjects are 4634 from the 2014 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) data, which is a nationally representative longitudinal survey of Chinese individuals.

3D nanocrystalline metal-organic framework materials for the improved output performance of triboelectric nanogenerators.

Triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs) based on contact electrification and electrostatic induction can effectively convert low-frequency mechanical energy into electrical energy and has attracted considerable attention. However, the low current output performance seriously hinders the wide application of TENGs. Herein, a 3D nanocrystalline metal-organic framework (Cd-MOF) with a specific structure and morphology was reasonably designed as a high-performance triboelectric positive electrode material.

A Double-Helix Metal-Chain Metal-Organic Framework as a High-Output Triboelectric Nanogenerator Material for Self-Powered Anticorrosion.

The development of novel metal organic framework (MOF) friction power generation materials with high stability is important. This paper reports the first example of a double-helix metal chain organic framework with a network structure (ZUT-8). ZUT-8 shows high chemical stability, functional adjustability, and excellent output performance of friction power generation, which is superior to traditional coordination polymer materials.

Effect of gigantol on the proliferation of hepatocellular carcinoma cells tested by a network-based pharmacological approach and experiments.

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common clinical malignant disease and the second leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. Dendrobium is a commonly applied nourishing drug in traditional Chinese medicine. Gigantol is a phenolic compound extracted from Dendrobium.

Metal-Ion Coupling in Metal-Organic Framework Materials Regulating the Output Performance of a Triboelectric Nanogenerator.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) as friction nanopower generation materials have attracted more and more research and attention because of the inherent three-dimensional framework structure and large aperture. In this work, the ZUT-75(Mn) with a one-dimensional pore structure was synthesized by using electron-rich benzimidazole carboxylic acid ligands, and isomorphic offspring MOF materials were obtained by single crystal-single crystal solvent-assisted metal-ion exchange. The exchange process was monitored by liquid UV-vis spectroscopy, atomic absorption spectrometry, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy.

Foliar Application of Silicon Enhances Resistance Against Through the ET/JA- and NPR1- Dependent Signaling Pathways in Potato.

Late blight (LB), caused by the oomycete pathogen , is a devastating disease of potato that is necessary to control by regularly treatment with fungicides. Silicon (Si) has been used to enhance plant resistance against a broad range of bacterial and fungal pathogens; however, the enhanced LB resistance and the molecular mechanisms involving the plant hormone pathways remain unclear. In this study, Si treatment of potato plants was found to enhance LB resistance in both detached leaves and living plants accompanied by induction of reactive oxygen species (ROS) production and pathogenesis-related genes expression.

Copper ions suppress abscisic acid biosynthesis to enhance defence against Phytophthora infestans in potato.

Copper-based antimicrobial compounds are widely and historically used to control plant diseases, such as late blight caused by Phytophthora infestans, which seriously affects the yield and quality of potato. We previously identified that copper ion (Cu ) acts as an extremely sensitive elicitor to induce ethylene (ET)-dependent immunity in Arabidopsis. Here, we found that Cu induces the defence response to P.

Facile synthesis of FeO@Au core-shell nanocomposite as a recyclable magnetic surface enhanced Raman scattering substrate for thiram detection.

The FeO@Au core-shell nanocomposites, as the multifunctional magnetic surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrates, were fabricated successfully by the seeds growth method based on the FeO-Au core-satellite nanocomposites. The SERS properties of the FeO-Au core-satellite nanocomposites and the FeO@Au core-shell nanocomposites were compared using 4-aminothiophenol (4-ATP) as the probe molecule. It was found that FeO@Au core-shell nanocomposites showed better SERS performance than FeO-Au core-satellite nanocomposites.

A maize ADP-ribosylation factor ZmArf2 increases organ and seed size by promoting cell expansion in Arabidopsis.

ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) are small GTP-binding proteins that regulate a wide variety of cell functions. Previously, we isolated a new ARF, ZmArf2, from maize (Zea mays). Sequence and expression characteristics indicated that ZmArf2 might play a critical role in the early stages of endosperm development.

Nestin is essential for mitogen-stimulated proliferation of neural progenitor cells.

The intermediate filament (IF) protein nestin is a widely accepted molecular marker for neural progenitor cells (NPCs), but its function during neurogenesis remains largely unknown. We found that in embryonic cortical NPCs down-regulation of the expression of nestin, but not its co-polymer IF protein vimentin, resulted in a G1 cell-cycle arrest and a severe reduction in the generation of neurons. Furthermore, down-regulating nestin expression in cultured cortical NPCs markedly suppressed their colony-formation ability and blocked the elevation of the cyclin D1/E protein level in response to the treatment with bFGF.

[Identification and phylogenetic analysis on the aroA gene of Haemophilus parasuis].

Objective: We clarified the genetic structure and phylogenetic relationship of the aroA gene in Haemophilus parasuis, a gene encoding 5'-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthetase.

Methods: We used PCR and bacterial genome walking techniques to determine the aroA gene locus in the genome of H. parasuis serovar 5.

Semaphorin-3A guides radial migration of cortical neurons during development.

Postmitotic neurons in the developing cortex migrate along radial glial fibers to their proper location in the cortical plate and form the layered structure. Here we report that the radial migration of rat layer II/III cortical neurons requires guidance by the extracellular diffusible factor Semaphorin-3A (Sema3A). This factor is expressed in a descending gradient across the cortical layers, whereas its receptor neuropilin-1 (NP1) is highly expressed in migrating neurons.

Mutation on N-terminus of polyhydroxybutyrate synthase of Ralstonia eutropha enhanced PHB accumulation.

Polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthase is the central enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of PHA, a family of bacterial biodegradable polyesters. Due to its high variability, the N-terminal fragment of this enzyme was previously considered as unnecessary for a functionally active enzyme. In this study, polyhydroxybutyrate synthase from Ralstonia eutropha (PhbC(Re)) with a deletion on N-terminal 88 amino acid residues showed a significant reduced activity, as reflected by only 1.