Predicting alfalfa leaf area index by non-linear models and deep learning models.

Leaf area index (LAI) of alfalfa is a crucial indicator of its growth status and a predictor of yield. The LAI of alfalfa is influenced by environmental factors, and the limitations of non-linear models in integrating these factors affect the accuracy of LAI predictions. This study explores the potential of classical non-linear models and deep learning for predicting alfalfa LAI.

Advancing carbon-neutral iron production: Non-equimolar diffusion kinetics of coke with HO in hydrogen-rich blast furnaces.

This study presents a non-equimolar diffusion model to enhance the predictive accuracy of coke degradation kinetics in hydrogen-rich blast furnaces, where elevated water vapor (HO) levels are present. The model integrates the unreacted core shrink model with the Maxwell-Stefan equation to delineate the 3D curved surface distribution of HO concentration and the effective diffusion coefficient within the coke ash layer. Validated against experimental data, the model demonstrated a significant improvement in accuracy, with a deviation range of 0.

Variable Activation Energy Models for the Shrinkage and Softening Melting Behavior of Iron Ore in Blast Furnace Conditions.

Understanding the shrinkage behavior of iron ore is crucial for achieving blast furnace (BF) operating efficiency and reducing fuel ratio. This study presents high-temperature reduction load experiments on iron ore, simulating BF conditions. Two new shrinkage behavior models (SAEM-PC and SAEM-S&M) were established by combining the effects of temperature and reduction.

Small Intestinal Endocrine Cell Derived Exosomal ACE2 Protects Islet β-Cell Function by Inhibiting the Activation of NLRP3 Inflammasome and Reducing β-Cell Pyroptosis.

Background: The "gut-islets axis" is an important endocrine signaling axis that regulates islets function by modulating the gut microbiota and endocrine metabolism within the gut. However, the specific mechanisms and roles of the intestine in islets regulation remain unclear. Recent studies investigated that exosomes derived from gut microbiota can transport signals to remotely regulate islets β-cell function, suggesting the possibility of novel signaling pathways mediated by gut exosomes in the regulation of the "gut-islet axis.

Sulfite-Assisted Acetate Conversion from CO Electroreduction.

The efficient acetate conversion from CO electroreduction is challenging due to the poor selectivity at high reaction rate, which requires the competition with H and other C (i. e., ethylene, ethanol, n-propanol) reduction products.

A live attenuated influenza B virus vaccine expressing RBD elicits protective immunity against SARS-CoV-2 in mice.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a significant threat to human health globally. It is crucial to develop a vaccine to reduce the effect of the virus on public health, economy, and society and regulate the transmission of SARS-CoV-2. Influenza B virus (IBV) can be used as a vector that does not rely on the current circulating influenza A strains.

The Regulation Role of the Gut-Islets Axis in Diabetes.

The gut-islets axis is an important endocrine signaling axis that regulates the function of islets by modulating the gut micro-environment and its endocrine metabolism. The discovery of intestinal hormones, such as GLP-1 and GIP, has established a preliminary link between the gut and the islet, paving the way for the development of GLP-1 receptor agonists based on the regulation theory of the gut-islets axis for diabetes treatment. This discovery has created a new paradigm for diabetes management and rapidly made the regulation theory of the gut-islets axis a focal point of research attention.

Identification of claudin-2 as a promising biomarker for early diagnosis of pre-diabetes.

Pre-diabetes, a high-risk metabolic state, is situated between normal glucose homeostasis and diabetes. Early identification of pre-diabetes offers opportunities for intervention and diabetes reversal, highlighting the crucial need to investigate reliable biomarkers for this condition. We conducted an in-depth bioinformatics analysis of clinical samples from non-diabetic (ND), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) categories within the GSE164416 dataset.

Hematuria after nocturnal exercise of a man: A case report.

Background: A man experienced multiple episodes of macroscopic hematuria following nocturnal exercise. Urinary stones and tumors were considered the two most likely causes. The patient had two hobbies: Consuming health care products in large quantities and engaging in late-night running.

Inactivated Recombinant Rabies Virus Displaying the Nipah Virus Envelope Glycoproteins Induces Systemic Immune Responses in Mice.

Nipah virus (NiV) causes severe, lethal encephalitis in humans and pigs. However, there is no licensed vaccine available to prevent NiV infection. In this study, we used the reverse genetic system based on the attenuated rabies virus strain SRV9 to construct two recombinant viruses, rSRV9-NiV-F and rSRV9-NiV-G, which displayed the NiV envelope glycoproteins F and G, respectively.

The Effects of MgO and AlO Content in Sinter on the Softening-Melting Properties of Mixed Ferrous Burden.

The softening-melting properties of mixed ferrous burden made from high-basicity sinter with increased MgO and AlO content and acid pellets was investigated for optimization. The influences of MgO and AlO are discussed with the aid of phase analysis. The results showed that, with decreasing MgO mass%/AlO mass% in mixed burden, all the softening-melting characteristic temperatures decreased, which can be attributed to the low melting temperature and viscosity of the slag caused by MgO and AlO.

High hemodynamic stresses induce aneurysms at internal carotid artery bends.

To investigate the role of hemodynamic stresses in initiating cerebral aneurysms at bends of internal carotid artery (ICA). Sixty-one patients with 68 aneurysms at ICA bends were retrospectively enrolled as the experiment group. Among the 61 patients, 30 normal ICAs without aneurysms were chosen as the control.

Role of Circulating Exosomal miRNA-3976 in Early Diabetic Retinopathy.

Background: Diabetic retinopathy (DR) remains as the most frequent complication of diabetes, and is the major cause of vision loss for middle-aged to elderly people. With longer life expectancies for people with diabetes, there is a significant rise in diabetic retinopathy worldwide. The treatment of DR is limited; and therefore, our study aimed to investigate the possibilities of circulating exosomal miRNAs in the early screening and prevention of DR; and to explore the function of the exosomal miRNAs in DR.

Influence of TiO, AlO, and Basicity on Viscosity and Structure of High Titanium-Bearing Blast Furnace Slag.

The viscosity of high-titanium blast furnace slag with different TiO content, AlO content, and basicity was measured at 1653-1773 K using the rotational cylinder method. The phase composition of the slag is measured by XRD. Phase diagram of the slags is calculated by FactSage software.

Viral vectored vaccines: design, development, preventive and therapeutic applications in human diseases.

Human diseases, particularly infectious diseases and cancers, pose unprecedented challenges to public health security and the global economy. The development and distribution of novel prophylactic and therapeutic vaccines are the prioritized countermeasures of human disease. Among all vaccine platforms, viral vector vaccines offer distinguished advantages and represent prominent choices for pathogens that have hampered control efforts based on conventional vaccine approaches.

Bif-1c Attenuates Viral Proliferation by Regulating Autophagic Flux Blockade Induced by the Rabies Virus CVS-11 Strain in N2a Cells.

Bax-interacting factor-1 (Bif-1) is a multifunctional protein involved in apoptosis, autophagy, and mitochondrial morphology. However, the associations between Bif-1 and viruses are poorly understood. As discrete Bif-1 isoforms are selectively expressed and exert corresponding effects, we evaluated the effects of neuron-specific/ubiquitous Bif-1 isoforms on rabies virus (RABV) proliferation.

Intestinal ACE2 regulates glucose metabolism in diet-induced obese mice through a novel gut-islet axis mediated by tryptophan.

Objective: Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) plays a vital role in regulating intestinal tryptophan (Trp) transport and maintaining Trp homeostasis. This study aimed to investigate the functional relationship between intestinal ACE2 and Trp in the regulation of glucose metabolism under metabolic stress.

Methods: ACE2-knockout mice and mice with adeno-associated virus-mediated overexpression of ACE2 were fed with a high-fat diet for 12 weeks to establish a high-fat-induced metabolic stress model.

Over 2 A cm CO -to-Ethanol Conversion by Alkali-Metal Cation Induced Copper With Dominant (200) Facets.

The high-rate ethanol electrosynthesis from CO is challenging due to the low selectivity and poor activity, which requires the competition with other reduction products and H . Here, the electrochemical reconstruction of Cs Cu Cl perovskite to form surface Cl-bonded, low-coordinated Cs modified Cu(200) nanocubes (CuClCs), is demonstrated. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the CuClCs structure possesses low Bader charges and a large coordination capacity; and thus, can promote the CO -to-ethanol pathway via stabilizing C-O bond in oxygenate intermediates.

Cross-species infection potential of avian influenza H13 viruses isolated from wild aquatic birds to poultry and mammals.

Wild aquatic birds are the primary hosts of H13 avian influenza viruses (AIVs). Herein, we performed a genetic analysis of two H13 AIVs isolated from wild birds in China and evaluated their infection potential in poultry to further explore the potential for transmission from wild aquatic birds to poultry. Our results showed that the two strains belong to different groups, one strain (A/mallard/Dalian/DZ-137/2013; abbreviated as DZ137) belongs to Group I, whereas the other strain (A/Eurasian Curlew/Liaoning/ZH-385/2014; abbreviated as ZH385) belongs to Group III.

SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 Protein Induces Endoplasmic Reticulum Stress-like Responses and Facilitates Virus Replication by Triggering Calnexin: an Unbiased Study.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is the viral pathogen responsible for the worldwide coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. The novel SARS-CoV-2 ORF8 protein is not highly homologous with known proteins, including accessory proteins of other coronaviruses. ORF8 contains a 15-amino-acid signal peptide in the N terminus that localizes the mature protein to the endoplasmic reticulum.

Therapeutic equine hyperimmune antibodies with high and broad-spectrum neutralizing activity protect rodents against SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants stresses the continued need for broad-spectrum therapeutic antibodies. Several therapeutic monoclonal antibodies or cocktails have been introduced for clinical use. However, unremitting emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants showed reduced neutralizing efficacy by vaccine induced polyclonal antibodies or therapeutic monoclonal antibodies.

vector based oral rabies vaccines induced potent immune response and protective efficacy in mice.

Introduction: Rabies is a worldwide epidemic that poses a serious threat to global public health. At present, rabies in domestic dogs, cats, and some pets can be effectively prevented and controlled by intramuscular injection of rabies vaccine. But for some inaccessible animals, especially stray dogs, and wild animals, it is difficult to prevent with intramuscular injection.