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Improving cultivated land use efficiency is widely regarded as a core issue in ensuring national food security. As one of the key policy instruments supporting agricultural development, agricultural subsidies are considered to play an important role in promoting cultivated land use efficiency. Using micro-survey data from 449 farm households in a typical black soil region of Heilongjiang Province, this study employs the stochastic frontier analysis (SFA) model, the fractional logit model, and the mediation effect model to explore the potential impact of agricultural subsidies on black soil cultivated land use efficiency, as well as the potential mediating pathway at farm scale. The results suggest the following conclusions: (1) Different types of agricultural subsidies appear to have heterogeneous effects on black soil cultivated land use efficiency. Specifically, producer subsidies and total agricultural subsidies appear to exhibit nonlinear relationships with black soil cultivated land use efficiency; however, within the sample range, the overall effects tend to be negative, whereas cultivated land fertility protection subsidies are also associated with lower black soil cultivated land use efficiency. (2) Farm scale appears to serve as a potential mediating pathway linking producer subsidies and total agricultural subsidies to cultivated land use efficiency. (3) Under different conditions of land fragmentation and farm scale, the mediating pathway at farm scale appears to vary. A mediating pathway is observed among highly fragmented landholdings and small-scale farmers, whereas it is not evident among low fragmentation landholdings and large-scale farmers. Based on these findings, this study suggests that the study area may consider optimizing the structure of agricultural subsidies to promote moderate-scale farming and to improve the coordination mechanism between agricultural technical training and regulatory supervision in order to enhance black soil cultivated land use efficiency.

Single-well imaging makes use of reflected waves to image geological structures outside a borehole, with a detection distance expected to reach tens of meters. However, in the received full wave signal, reflected waves have much smaller amplitudes than borehole-guided waves, which travel directly through the borehole. To obtain clear reflected waves, we use a deep neural network, the multi-channel convolutional time-domain audio separation network (MC-ConvTasNet), to extract reflected waves. In the signal channels of the common-source gather, there exists a notable arrival time difference between direct waves and reflected waves. Leveraging this characteristic, we train MC-ConvTasNet on the common-source gathers, ultimately achieving satisfactory results in wave separation. For the hard-to-hard single-interface, soft-to-hard single-interface and double-interface models, the reflected waves extracted by MC-ConvTasNet are closer to the theoretical reflected waves in both phase and shape (the average scale-invariant signal-to-distortion ratio exceeds 32 dB) than those extracted by parameter estimation, a median filter and an F-K filter. Meanwhile, MC-ConvTasNet naturally fits in the scenarios of various inclined interfaces and interfaces parallel to the borehole axis. As an application, our method is employed on field logging data and its ability to separate waves is verified.

Purpose Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is recognized as one of the most aggressive cancers worldwide. This study aims to discover novel biomarkers that can effectively stratify patients at high risk for HCC and facilitate personalized management. Methods Differentially expressed genes analysis was conducted to identify marker genes associated with HCC based on transcriptomic profiles from the TCGA-LIHC database. And then, we utilized the weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) to explore the correlation between various gene expression clustering modules based on the the identified differentially expressed genes above and clinical phenotypes. Subsequently, we integrated 10 machine learning algorithms into 117 combinations to establish the optimal model for predicting survival in HCC patients. Then, immune landscape was evaluated. Additionally, single-cell RNA sequencing analysis revealed the expression patterns of genes involved in model at single-cell resolution. Furthermore, the role of DTYMK was examined in vitro in two liver cancer cell lines. Results Forty-eight G2/M checkpoint-related genes were identified as marker genes for HCC. Among these, STMN1, DTYMK, EZH2, PBK, and UCK2 were incorporated into a prognostic model (G2/MR), which demonstrated robust and reliable performance in predicting the survival rates of HCC patients. Individuals with high G2/MR scores exhibited shorter survival and higher regulatory T cells infiltration compared to those with low G2/MR scores. Silencing DTYMK arrested cell cycle and inhibited proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony formation in Huh-7 and PLC/PRF/5 cells. Conclusion Our study developed a five-gene risk score model that may serve as a valuable tool for prognostic assessment and personalized HCC management.

As a sister genus to Taxus , Pseudotaxus holds significant importance for studying the origin and evolution of the taxane biosynthesis pathway. However, the reference genome of Pseudotaxus chienii is yet unavailable. Here, we report a chromosome-level genome assembly of P. chienii (15.6 Gb). We show that P. chienii only possesses a partial taxane pathway, which terminates before taxane 2α- O -benzoyl transferase (TBT), a crucial enzyme responsible for the production of 10-deacetylbaccatin III. With the emergence of the Taxus genus, the limitation posed by the lacking of functional TBT is overcome, allowing for the extension of the existing taxane biosynthesis pathway into a complete Taxol biosynthesis. The protein structure of metal ion catalysis sites in taxadiene synthase (TS) is conserved across the Pseudotaxus and Taxus genera, providing potential sites for enhancing TS activity through enzyme engineering. This comparative genomic analysis contributes to our understanding of the origin and evolution of taxane biosynthesis within the Taxaceae family. Pseudotaxus is a sister genus to Taxus but lacks a complete taxane biosynthetic pathway. Here, the authors assemble the genome of P. chienii and reveal that the presence of a functional taxane 2α- O -benzoyl transferase in Taxus genus extends the existing taxane biosynthesis pathway into a complete Taxol biosynthesis pathway.

Background Taxol, derived from Taxus trees, is a valuable natural resource for the development of anticancer drugs. Endophytic fungi from Taxus trees are a promising alternative source of Taxol. However, the impact of plant-endophytic microbial interaction on the host’s Taxol biosynthesis is largely unknown. Results In the current study, the diversity of endophytic fungi in three different Taxus species was analyzed using Internal Transcribed Spacer sequencing. A total of 271 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) were identified, grouping into 2 phyla, 8 classes, 16 orders, 19 families, and 19 genera. Alpha and beta diversity analysis indicated significant differences in endophytic fungal communities among the various Taxus trees. At the genus level, Alternaria and Davidiella were predominantly found in T. mairei and T. media , respectively. By utilizing a previously published dataset, a Pearson correlation analysis was conducted to predict the taxol biosynthesis-related fungal genera. Following screening, two isolates of Alternaria (L7 and M14) were obtained. Effect of inoculation with Alternaria isolates on the gene expression and metabolite accumulation of T. mairei was determined by transcriptomic and untargeted metabolomic studies. The co-inoculation assay suggests that the two Alternaria isolates may have a negative regulatory effect on taxol biosynthesis by influencing hormone signaling pathways. Conclusion Our findings will serve as a foundation for advancing the production and utilization of Taxus and will also aid in screening endophytic fungi related to taxol production.

Background The equivalence of transfusion-related outcomes between restrictive and liberal red blood cell (RBC) transfusion strategies after cardiac surgery remains to be determined. This review provides an overview of the impact of restrictive RBC transfusion strategies compared with liberal transfusion strategies on the transfusion-related outcomes of postcardiac surgery patients. Methods Studies in MEDLINE, Elsevier, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials and Web of Science databases until March 2025 were searched. Studies compared the effects of restrictive RBC transfusion strategies with liberal transfusion strategies in postcardiac surgery patients were eligible. Two reviewers extracted data independently. Data including sample size, characteristics of patients, intervention and outcomes were extracted. Primary outcome was respiratory complications. Subgroup analyses were conducted by time of follow-up and Euroscore I. Review Manager 5.4 was used to evaluate the risk of bias and data. Random errors were evaluated by trial sequential analysis (TSA). Results Of the 4293 records identified, 13 studies compared restrictive versus liberal transfusion strategies, including 9,267 patients receiving restrictive transfusion (49.98%) and 9,275 receiving liberal transfusion (50.02%). There was no significant difference in respiratory complications between the restrictive transfusion group and the liberal transfusion group (risk ratio [RR] 1.07; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.90–1.26; P  = 0.44), but we found a statistically significant for gastrointestinal complications (RR 1.99; 95% CI 1.05–3.77; P  = 0.04) and units of RBC transfusions (mean deviation [MD] -0.70; 95% CI -0.96–-0.43, P  < 0.00001). Different transfusion strategies had no statistically significant effect on other transfusion-related outcomes. Subgroup analyses for mortality indicated that patients with low Euroscore I risk preferred restrictive transfusion (RR 1.72; 95% CI 1.16–2.57; P  = 0.007). The TSA indicated insufficient number of trials and evidence to support firm conclusions. Conclusions There are no significant differences in the risk of respiratory complications between restrictive and liberal transfusion strategies. However, the restrictive transfusion strategy is associated with an increased risk of gastrointestinal complications and a lower number of RBC transfusion units in patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Additionally, restrictive transfusion may reduce mortality in patients with low Euroscore I risk. Clinically, these findings support an individualized transfusion approach, in which restrictive strategies may be appropriate for selected low-risk patients, while transfusion decisions in higher-risk patients should carefully balance potential gastrointestinal risks against the benefits of blood conservation.

Background To adapt to constantly changing environments, ancient gymnosperms have coevolved with diverse endophytic fungi that are essential for the fitness and adaptability of the plant host. However, the effect of sex on plant-endophyte interactions in response to environmental stressors remains unknown. RNA-seq integrated with ITS analysis was applied to reveal the potential mechanisms underlying the sex-specific responses of Taxus mairei to ultraviolet (UV)-B radiation. Results Enrichment analysis suggested that sex influenced the expression of several genes related to the oxidation–reduction system, which might play potential roles in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiations. ITS-seq analysis clarified the effects of UV-B radiation and sex on the composition of endophytic fungal communities. Sex influenced various secondary metabolic pathways, thereby providing chemicals for T. mairei host to produce attractants and/or inhibitors to filter microbial taxa. Analysis of fungal biomarkers suggested that UV-B radiation reduced the effect of sex on fungal communities. Moreover, Guignardia isolate #1 was purified to investigate the role of endophytic fungi in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiation. Inoculation with spores produced by isolate #1 significantly altered various oxidation–reduction systems of the host by regulating the expression of APX2 , GST7 NCED1 , ZE1 , CS1 , and CM1 . Conclusion These results revealed the roles of endophytic fungi in sex-mediated responses to UV-B radiation and provided novel insights into the sex-specific responses of Taxus trees to environmental stressors. 3pQjBcj-im_YZSujzFCGpb Video Abstract

The objective of this study was to compare the in vitro Fick's first law, in vitro lipolysis, and in vivo rat assays for oral absorption of Biopharmaceutical Classification Systems Class II (BCS II) drugs in self-nanoemulsifying drug delivery system (SNEDDS), and studied drugs and oils properties effects on the absorption. The transport abilities of griseofulvin (GRI), phenytoin (PHE), indomethacin (IND), and ketoprofen (KET) in saturated water solutions and SNEDDS were investigated using the in vitro Madin-Darby canine kidney cell model. GRI and cinnarizine (CIN) in medium-chain triglycerides (MCT)-SNEDDS and long-chain triglycerides (LCT)-SNEDDS were administered in the in vivo SD rat and in vitro lipolysis models to compare the oral absorption and the distribution behaviors in GIT and build an in vitro-in vivo correlation (IVIVC). In the cell model, the solubility of GRI, PHE, IND, and KET increased 6-8 fold by SNEDDS, but their permeability were only 18%, 4%, 8%, and 33% of those of their saturated water solutions, respectively. However, in vivo absorption of GRI-SNEDDS was twice that of the GRI suspension and those of CIN-SNEDDS were 15-21 fold those of the CIN suspension. In the lipolysis model, the GRI% in aqueous and pellet phases of MCT were similar to that in LCT. In contrast, the CIN% in the aqueous and pellet phases were decreased but that of the lipid phase increased. In addition, an IVIVC was found between the CIN% in the lipid phase and in vivo relative oral bioavailability ( ). The in vitro cell model was still a suitable tool to study drug properties effects on biofilm transport and SNEDDS absorption mechanisms. The in vitro lipolysis model provided superior oral absorption simulation of SNEDDS and helped to build correlation with in vivo rats. The oral drug absorption was affected by drug and oil properties in SNEDDS.

Key message Metabolomic and transcriptomic analyses revealed an intensification of energy metabolism in rice grains under DMA stress, possibly causing the consumption of sugars or non-sugars and the development of unfilled grains Excessive dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) causes rice straighthead disease, a physiological disorder typically with erect panicle due to empty grain at maturity. Although the toxicity of DMA and its uptake and transport in rice are well recognized, the underlying mechanism of unfilled grains remains unclear. Therefore, a pot experiment was conducted using a susceptible variety (Ruanhuayou1179, RHY) and a resistant one (Nanjingxiangzhan, NJXZ) via the metabolomic and transcriptomic approaches to explore the mechanisms of empty grains in diseased rice under DMA stress. The results demonstrate an increase in total and methylated As in grains of RHY and NJXZ under DMA addition, with RHY containing higher levels of DMA. DMA addition increased the soluble sugar content in grains of RHY and NJXZ by 17.1% and 14.3% compared to the control, respectively, but significantly reduced the levels of amino acid, soluble protein, and starch. The decrease of grain Zn and B contents was also observed, and inadequate Zn might be a key factor limiting rice grain yield under DMA stress. Notably, DMA addition altered the expression levels of genes involved in the transport of sugar, amino acids, nitrates/peptides, and mineral ions. In sugar and amino acid metabolism, the reduction of metabolites and the upregulated expression of genes reflect positive regulation at the level of energy metabolism, implying that the reduction of grain starch and proteins might be ascribed to generate sufficient energy to resist the stress. This study provides a useful reference for understanding the molecular mechanism of grain emptying under DMA stress.

As the typical application of computational intelligence in software engineering, cross-project defect prediction (CPDP) uses labeled data from other projects (source projects) for building models to predict the defects in the current projects (target projects), helping testers quickly locate the defective modules. But class imbalance and different data distribution among projects make CPDP a challenging topic. To address the above two problems, we propose a two-phase feature importance amplification (TFIA) CPDP model in this paper which can solve these two problems from domain adaptation phase and classification phase. In the domain adaptation phase, the differences in data distribution among projects are reduced by filtering both source and target projects, and the correlation-based feature selection with greedy best-first search amplifies the importance of features with strong feature-class correlation. In the classification phase, Random Forest works as the classifier to further amplify the importance of highly correlated features and establish a model which is sensitive to highly correlated features. We conducted both ablation experiments and comparison experiments on the widely used AEEEM database. Experimental results show that TFIA can yield significant improvement on CPDP. And the performance of TFIA CPDP model in all experiments is stable and efficient, which lays a solid foundation for its further application in practical engineering.