Search Results (385)

Returning corn straw to the field is beneficial for improving soil fertility, but the fermentation phase significantly affects the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content. However, there is limited research on the effects of straw at different fermentation phases on soil microorganisms and soil nutrients. This study examined the effects of high-temperature fermentation phase straw (HF) and completely fermentation phase straw (CF) on soil nutrient activation and microorganism activity through pot experiments. The pot experiment results indicated a significant increase in soil DOC content following the application of corn straw, among which the high-temperature fermentation phase straw treatment (T_HF) exhibited the highest DOC content, which was 14% higher than the completely fermentation phase straw treatment (T_CF). T_HF also significantly increased soil alkaline hydrolyzed nitrogen and available phosphorus content as well as urease and phosphatase, and promoted the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus from soil by Brassica chinensis. T_HF significantly enhanced bacterial diversity and reduced the presence of pathogenic fungi. Compared to the TCF, the relative proportion of Fusarium under the T_HF decreased by 32.24%, effectively mitigating the impact of pathogenic fungi. T_HF also increased soil DOC content, enriched beneficial microbial community structure, increased soil enzyme activity, activated soil nutrients, thereby promoting the uptake of nitrogen and phosphorus by crops. Taken together, the results reveal that the application of high-temperature fermentation phase straw is conducive to soil fertilization and crop growth. Full article

This study offers a comprehensive summary of the current states as well as potential future directions of transparent conducting oxides (TCOs), particularly tin-doped indium oxide (ITO), the most readily accessible TCO on the market. Solar cells, flat panel displays (FPDs), liquid crystal displays (LCDs), antireflection (AR) coatings for airbus windows, photovoltaic and optoelectronic devices, transparent p–n junction diodes, etc. are a few of the best uses for this material. Other conductive metals that show a lot of promise as substitutes for traditional conductive materials include copper, zinc oxide, aluminum, silver, gold, and tin. These metals are also utilized in AR coatings. The optimal deposition techniques for creating ITO films under the current conditions have been determined to be DC (direct current) and RF (radio frequency) MS (magnetron sputtering) deposition, both with and without the introduction of Ar gas. When producing most types of AR coatings, it is necessary to obtain thicknesses of at least 100 nm and minimum resistivities on the order of 10⁻⁴ Ω cm. For AR coatings, issues related to less-conductive materials than ITO have been considered. Full article

Metastasis is a well-known factor worsening colorectal cancer (CRC) prognosis, but mortality mechanisms in non-metastatic patients with poor outcomes are less understood. TCF12 is a transcription factor that can be physically associated with the long non-coding RNA MALAT1, creating an alliance with correlated expression levels in CRC patients. This TCF12–MALAT1 alliance is linked to poorer prognosis independently of age and metastasis. To identify the downstream effects responsible for this outcome, we analyzed 2312 common target genes of TCF12 and MALAT1, finding involvement in pathways like Aurora B, ATM, PLK1, and non-canonical WNT. We investigated the impact of WNT downstream genes CTNNB1 and CCND1, encoding β-catenin and cyclin D1, respectively, on survival in CRC patients with this alliance. Tumors with higher TCF12 and MALAT1 gene expressions alongside increased β-catenin gene expressions were classified as having a “Pan-CMS-2 pattern”, showing relatively better prognoses. Conversely, tumors with high TCF12, MALAT1, and cyclin D1 gene expressions but low β-catenin expression were categorized as “TMBC pattern”, associated with poor survival, with survival rates dropping sharply from 60% at one year to 30% at three years. This suggests that targeting cyclin D1-associated CDK4/6 could potentially reduce early mortality risks in TMBC patients, supporting personalized medicine approaches. Full article

Background: This study aims to investigate the genetic contribution of polymorphic variants of the TCF7L2 (rs7903146) and PPARG (rs1801282) genes to the risk of developing prediabetes in individuals of Kazakh ethnicity. Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study involving 200 cases with prediabetes and 200 prediabetes-free controls, aged 16–60 years (n = 400). Real-time polymerase chain reaction on a StepOnePlus instrument (Applied Biosystems, USA), employing the TaqMan method for site-specific amplification and genotyping of the TCF7L2 (rs7903146) and PPARG (rs1801282) genes was used. Results: Patients with prediabetes had a higher birth weight, increased BMI, larger waist and hip circumferences, and a higher waist-to-hip ratio compared to healthy patients in the control group. There was a significant increase in the risk of developing prediabetes for both the rs1801282 polymorphism of the PPARG gene and the rs7903146 polymorphism of the TCF7L2 gene. The risk was 9.8 times higher in carriers of the GG genotype of PPARG (rs1801282) (OR = 9.769, 95% CI: 2.124–44.922, p = 0.003) and 10.7 times higher for carriers of the TT genotype of TCF7L2 (rs7903146) (OR = 10.731, 95% CI: 1.309–87.939, p < 0.001). Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for tailored early screening and preventive strategies for prediabetes in the Kazakh population, focusing on individuals with high-risk genotypes. Such efforts could improve targeted interventions and reduce the burden of prediabetes. Future research should adopt a longitudinal design, include diverse ethnic groups, and investigate additional genetic markers to provide a more comprehensive understanding of the genetic underpinnings of prediabetes. Full article

The Chinese Tan sheep is a unique breed of sheep that is typical throughout China, mainly used for fur and meat production. They are widely distributed in northwestern China and are famous for their lambskin and shiny white curly wool. In this study, the phenotypic traits of wool length, birth weight, and head coat color were evaluated in 256 Chinese Tan sheep breeds. Whole genome sequencing generated 23.67 million high-quality SNPs for genome-wide association studies (GWAS). We identified 208 significant SNPs associated with birth wool length, implicating RAD50, MACROD2, SAMD5, SASH1, and SPTLC3 as potential candidate genes for this trait. For birth weight, 1056 significant SNPs, with 76.89% of them located on chromosome 2, were identified by GWAS, and XPA, INVS, LOC121818504, GABBR2, LOC101114941, and LOC106990096 were identified as potential candidate genes for birth weight. The GWAS for head coat color identified 1424 significant SNPs across three chromosomes, with 99.65% on chromosome 14, and SPIRE2, TCF25, and MC1R as candidate genes were found to be possibly involved in the development of the black-headed coat color in sheep. Furthermore, we selected head coat color as a representative trait and performed an independent test of our GWAS findings through multiplex PCR SNP genotyping. The findings validated five mutation sites in chromosome 14 (14,251,947 T>A, 14,252,090 G>A, 14,252,158 C>T, 14,252,329 T>G, and 14,252,464 C>T) within the exon1 of the MC1R gene (517 bp), as identified by GWAS in an additional 102 Tan sheep individuals, and revealed that black-headed sheep predominantly exhibited heterozygous genotypes, possibly contributing to their color change. Our results provide a valuable foundation for further study of these three economically important traits, and enhance our understanding of genetic structure and variation in Chinese Tan sheep. Full article

High-performance acoustic resonators based on single-crystalline piezoelectric thin films have great potential in wireless communication applications. This paper presents the modeling, fabrication, and characterization of laterally excited bulk resonators (XBARs) utilizing the suspended ultra-thin (~420 nm) LiTaO₃ (LT, with 42° YX-cut) film. The finite element analysis (FEA) was performed to model the LT-based XBARs precisely and to gain further insight into the physical behaviors of the acoustic waves and the loss mechanisms. In addition, the temperature response of the devices was numerically calculated, showing relatively low temperature coefficients of frequency (TCF) of ~−38 ppm/K for the primary resonant mode. The LT-based XBARs were fabricated and characterized, which presents a multi-resonant mode over a wide frequency range (0.1~10 GHz). For the primary resonance around 4.1 GHz, the fabricated devices exhibited a high-quality factor (Bode-Q) ~ 600 and piezoelectric coupling (k_t²) ~ 2.84%, while the higher-harmonic showed a greater value of k_t² ~ 3.49%. To lower the resonant frequency of the resonator, the thin SiO₂ film (~20 nm) was sputtered on the suspended device, which created a frequency offset between the series and shunt resonators. Finally, a ladder-type narrow band filter employing five XBARs was developed and characterized. This work effectively demonstrates the performance and application potential of micro-acoustic resonators employing high-quality LT films. Full article

Depression is a complex psychiatric disorder that has substantial implications for public health. The lateral habenula (LHb), a vital brain structure involved in mood regulation, and the N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) within this structure are known to be associated with depressive behaviors. Recent research has identified transcription factor 7-like 2 (TCF7L2) as a crucial transcription factor in the Wnt signaling pathway, influencing diverse neuropsychiatric processes. In this study, we explore the role of TCF7L2 in the LHb and its effect on depressive-like behaviors in mice. By using behavioral tests, AAV-mediated gene knockdown or overexpression, and pharmacological interventions, we investigated the effects of alterations in TCF7L2 expression in the LHb. Our results indicate that TCF7L2 expression is reduced in neurons within the LHb of male ICR mice exposed to chronic mild stress (CMS), and neuron-specific knockdown of TCF7L2 in LHb neurons leads to notable antidepressant activity, as evidenced by reduced immobility time in the tail suspension test (TST) and forced swimming test (FST). Conversely, the overexpression of TCF7L2 in LHb neurons induces depressive behaviors. Furthermore, the administration of the NMDAR agonist NMDA reversed the antidepressant activity of TCF7L2 knockdown, and the NMDAR antagonist memantine alleviated the depressive behaviors induced by TCF7L2 overexpression, indicating the involvement of NMDAR. These findings offer novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of depression, highlighting the potential of TCF7L2 as both a biomarker and a therapeutic target for depression. Exploring the relationship between TCF7L2 signaling and LHb function may lead to innovative therapeutic approaches for alleviating depressive symptoms. Full article

Background: Monoallelic damaging variants in PHIP (MIM*612870), encoding the Pleckstrin Homology Domain Interacting Protein, have been associated with a novel neurodevelopmental disorder, also termed Chung–Jansen syndrome (CHUJANS, MIM#617991). Most of the described individuals show developmental delay (DD)/intellectual disability (ID), obesity/overweight, and variable congenital anomalies, so the condition can be considered as an ID–overweight syndrome. Case Description: We evaluated a child presenting with DD/ID and a craniofacial phenotype reminiscent of a Pitt–Hopkins syndrome (PTHS)-like condition. We performed a clinical exome analysis on his biological sample, as well as an in silico prediction of the obtained data. At the same time, we interrogated the DeepGestalt technology powered by Face2Gene (F2G), using a frontal image of the proband, and clinically reviewed the earlier CHUJANS patients. In this child, we found a novel PHIP pathogenetic variant, which we corroborated through a protein modeling approach. The F2G platform supported the initial clinical hypothesis of a PTHS-like condition, while the clinical review highlighted the lack of the main frequent CHUJANS clinical features in this child. Conclusions: The unusual clinical presentation of this novel patient resembles a PTHS-like condition. However, a novel variant in PHIP has been unexpectedly detected, expanding the phenotypic spectrum of CHUJANS. Notably, PTHS (MIM#610954), which is a different ID syndrome caused by heterozygous variants in TCF4 (MIM*610954), is not classically considered in the differential diagnosis of CHUJANS nor has been cited in the previous studies. This could support other complex diagnoses and invite further patients’ descriptions. Full article

This study investigates the effectiveness of combining magnets with parabolic and truncated fins in enhancing the distillation process of solar stills. The integration of magnets accelerated evaporation rates, while the fins increased the heat absorption area, resulting in improved output, vis-à-vis traditional solar stills. A comparative assessment revealed that the parabolic fin solar still (PFS) with magnets outperformed the truncated fin solar still (TCFS), producing 20%, 15%, and 16% more distillate at three different depths (1, 2, and 3 cm). The superior performance of the PFS is attributed to the magnetism of the water and the fins’ more extensive surface area for heat absorption. Efficiency measurements at a water depth of 1 cm showed that the PFS achieved the maximum energy and exergy efficiencies at 30.49% and 8.85%, respectively, compared with TCFS’s 25.23% and 6.22%. Economically, the PFS setup proved more feasible, with a 20.9% lower cost per liter of distilled water than TCFS. Additionally, the environmental impact assessment indicated a significant reduction in CO₂ emissions, potentially generating revenues of approximately USD 1242.32 through carbon credits. These results reflect a considerable margin to enhance the efficiency of solar desalination through well-planned adjustments, which bodes well for the future of optimized solar distillation systems from an economic and environmental perspective. Full article

Managing chemical reactivity is crucial for sustainable chemistry and industry, fostering efficiency, reducing chemical waste, saving energy, and protecting the environment. Emulsification is used for different purposes, among them controlling the reactivity of highly reactive chemicals. Thermochemical fluids (TCFs), such as NH₄Cl and NaNO₂ salts, have been utilized in various applications, including the oil and gas industry. However, the excessive reactivity of TCFs limits their applications and consequently negatively impacts the potential success rates. In this study, an emulsification technique was employed to control the high reactivity of TCFs explored at 50% and 70% in diesel, using three distinct emulsifier systems at concentrations of 1%, 3%, and 5% to form water-in-oil emulsions. The reactivity of 4M neat TCFs and emulsified solutions was examined in an autoclave reactor as a function of triggering temperatures of 65–95 °C, volume fraction, and emulsifier type and concentration. Additionally, this study explores an alternative method for controlling TCF reactivity through pH adjustment. It investigates the impact of TCFs at pH values ranging from 6 to 10 and the initial pressure on the resulting pressure, temperature, and time needed to initiate the TCF’s reaction. The results revealed that both emulsification and pH adjustment have the potential to promote sustainability by controlling the reactivity of TCF reactions. The findings from this study can be utilized to optimize various downhole applications of TCFs, enhancing the efficiency of TCF reactions and success rates. This paper presents in detail the results obtained, and discusses the potential contributions of the examined TCFs’ reactivity control techniques to sustainability. Full article

Background: The current murine models of peri-implant osseointegration failure are associated with wear particles. However, the current clinical osseointegration failure is not associated with wear particles. Here, we develop a murine model of osseointegration failure not associated with wear particles and validate it by comparing the cellular composition of interfacial tissues with human samples collected during total joint arthroplasty revision for aseptic loosening. Materials and Methods: Thirty-two 16-week-old female C57BL/6 mice underwent implantation with a press-fitted roughened titanium implant (Control, n = 11) to induce normal osseointegration and a press-fitted smooth polymethylmethacrylate implant (PMMA, n = 11), a loosely fitted smooth titanium implant (Smooth-Ti, n = 5) or a loosely fitted roughened titanium implant (Overdrill, n = 5) to induce osseointegration failure. Pullout testing was used to determine the strength of the bone–implant interface (n = 6 of each for Control and PMMA groups) at 2 weeks after implantation. Histology (n = 2/group) and immunofluorescence (n = 3/group) were used to determine the cellular composition of bone–implant interfacial tissue, and this was compared with two human samples. Results: Osseointegration failure was confirmed with grossly loosening implants and the presence of fibrous tissue identified via histology. The maximum pullout load in the PMMA group was 87% lower than in the Control group (2.8 ± 0.6 N vs. 21 ± 1.5 N, p < 0.001). With immunofluorescence, abundant fibroblasts (PDGFRα+ TCF4+ and PDGFRα+ Pu1+) were observed in osseointegration failure groups and the human samples, but not in controls. Interestingly, CD146+PDGFRα+ and LepR+PDGFRα+ mesenchymal progenitors, osteoblasts (OPN+), vascular endothelium (EMCN+) cells were observed in all groups, indicating dynamic osteogenic activity. Macrophages, only M2, were observed in conditions producing fibrous tissue. Conclusions: In this newly developed non-wear-particle-related murine osseointegration failure model, the cellular composition of human and murine interfacial tissue implicates specific populations of fibroblasts in fibrous tissue formation and implies that these cells may derive from mesenchymal stem cells. Full article

The annual increase in the world’s population significantly contributes to recent climate change and variability. Therefore, researchers, engineers, and professionals in all fields must integrate sustainability criteria into their decision-making. These criteria aim to minimize the environmental, social, economic, and energy impacts of human activities and industrial processes, helping mitigate climate change. This research focuses on developing scalable technology for the comprehensive use of avocados, adhering to sustainability principles. This work presents the modeling, simulation, and the WEP (Water-Energy-Product) technical evaluation of the process for obtaining bio-oil, chlorophyll, and biopesticide from the Creole-Antillean avocado. For this, the extractive-based biorefinery data related to water, energy, and products are taken from the material balance based on experimental results and process simulation. Then, eight process parameters are calculated, and eleven technical indicators are determined. Later, the extreme technical limitations for every indicator are demarcated, and an evaluation of the performance of the indicators is carried out. Results showed that the process has a high execution in aspects such as fractional water cost (TCF) and energy cost (TCE), as well as solvent reuse during extraction processes (SRI) and production yield, noting that the mentioned indicators are above 80%. In contrast, the metrics related to water management (FWC) and specific energy (ESI) showed the lowest performance. These discoveries support the use of optimization techniques like mass process integration. The energy-related indicators reveal that the process presents both benefits and drawbacks. One of the drawbacks is the energy source due to the high demand for electrical energy in the process, compared to natural gas. The specific energy intensity indicator (ESI) showed an intermediate performance (74%), indicating that the process consumes high energy. This indicator enables us to highlight that we can find energy aspects that require further study; for this reason, it is suitable to say that there is potential to enhance the energy efficiency of the process by applying energy integration methods. Full article

Background: Analysis of T-cell receptor (TCR) clonality is a major diagnostic tool for lymphomas, particularly for cutaneous T-cell lymphomas (CTCL) like Mycosis fungoides and Sézary syndrome. However, a fast and cost-effective workflow is needed to enable widespread use of this method. Methods: We established a procedure for TCR rearrangement analysis via Oxford Nanopore Technology (ONT) sequencing. TCR receptor rearrangements (TCR-gamma and TCR-beta chains) were analyzed in samples from 45 patients with various diagnoses: Mycosis fungoides (37/45), Sézary Syndrome (2/45), folliculotropic CTCL (1/45), and non-CTCL diagnoses as polyclonal controls (5/45). Sample types included formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded (FFPE) samples (27/45), fresh frozen samples (9/45), and CD3-isolated cells (9/45). In addition, DNA of a Jurkat cell line was used as a monoclonal control. TCR amplicons were generated employing an optimized version of the protocol from the Euro Clonality consortium. Sequencing was conducted on the ONT GridION and Illumina MiSeq platforms, followed by similar bioinformatic analysis protocols. The tumor clone frequency (TCF), a crucial prognostic factor for CTCL patients, was used for method comparison. Results: The use of an optimized amplicon protocol and adapted bioinformatic tools demonstrated a strong correlation in TCF values between both sequencing methods across all sample types (range R: 0.992–0.996; range r²: 0.984–0.991). Conclusions: In summary, ONT sequencing was able to detect TCR clonality comparable to NGS, indicating its potential as a faster and more cost-effective option for routine diagnostic use. Full article

In this work, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) temperature sensor based on a quartz substrate was designed and investigated. Employing the Coupling-of-Modes (COM) model, a detailed analysis was conducted on the effects of the number of interdigital transducers (IDTs), the number of reflectors, and their spacing on the performance of the SAW device. The impact of the transversal mode of quartz SAWs on the device was subsequently examined using the finite element method (FEM). The simulation results indicate that optimizing these structural parameters significantly enhances the sensor’s sensitivity and frequency stability. SAW devices with optimal structural parameters were fabricated, and their resonant frequencies were tested across a temperature range of 25–150 °C. Experimental results demonstrate that the SAW temperature sensor maintains high performance stability and data reliability throughout the entire temperature range, achieving a Bode-Q of 7700. Furthermore, the sensor exhibits excellent linearity and repeatability. An analysis of the sensor’s response under varying temperature conditions reveals a significant temperature dependency on its Temperature Coefficient of Frequency (TCF). This feature suggests that the sensor possesses potential advantages for applications in industrial process control and environmental monitoring. Full article

Friedreich ataxia (FRDA) is the most common inherited ataxia, primarily impacting the nervous system and the heart. It is characterized by GAA repeat expansion in the FXN gene, leading to reduced mitochondrial frataxin levels. Previously, we described a family displaying two expanded GAA alleles, not only in the proband affected by late-onset FRDA but also in the younger asymptomatic sister. The molecular characterization of the expanded repeats showed that the affected sister carried two canonical uninterrupted GAA expended repeats, whereas the asymptomatic sister had a compound heterozygous for a canonical GAA repeat and an expanded GAAGGA motif. Therefore, we decided to perform RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on fibroblasts from both sisters in order to understand whether some genes and/or pathways might be differently involved in the occurrence of FRDA clinical manifestation. The transcriptomic analysis revealed 398 differentially expressed genes. Notably, TLR4, IL20RB, and SLITRK5 were up-regulated, while TCF21 and GRIN2A were down-regulated, as validated by qRT-PCR. Gene ontology (GO) enrichment and network analysis highlighted significant involvement in immune response and neuronal functions. Our results, in particular, suggest that TLR4 may contribute to inflammation in FRDA, while IL20RB, SLITRK5, TCF21, and GRIN2A dysregulation may play roles in the disease pathogenesis. This study introduces new perspectives on the inflammatory and developmental aspects in FRDA, offering potential targets for therapeutic intervention. Full article