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Agricultural development is vital to rural economies in developing countries. Rural e-commerce has emerged as an important instrument for promoting rural economic transformation, yet its impact on agricultural development remains underexplored. Using panel data for 1345 counties in China from 2010 to 2022, this study exploits a quasi-natural experiment created by the phased implementation of the Rural E-Commerce Demonstration County (REDC) program and applies a staggered difference-in-differences approach to identify its causal effects on agricultural development. The results show that the REDC program significantly promotes agricultural development, mainly through expanded consumer demand and greater social investment. Its effects are particularly evident in regions with balanced production and consumption and in economically developed counties. Moreover, the REDC program shows no evidence of a significant negative siphon effect within 50 km of pilot counties but generates strong positive spillovers in the 50–200 km surrounding range. Taken together, these findings provide empirical evidence supporting the advancement of rural e-commerce and agricultural scaling in China, while also offering policy implications for other developing countries seeking to promote rural e-commerce.

Pink-flowered Prunus sibirica , of the genus Prunus , is an exceptional germplasm resource with high ornamental value. Understanding the mechanism behind petal coloration is crucial for cultivating ornamental P. sibirica varieties. This study utilized pink-flowered and white-flowered P. sibirica petals at different stages of flowering to explore the relationship between various physiological indicators, anatomical structures of petals, and flower coloration during flowering. Results indicated that anthocyanins, key pigment indicators in pink-flowered P. sibirica , directly influenced the a* values (redness). Increased activity of phenylalanine deaminase (4.43–29.69 U/g), chalcone isomerase (9.80–46.67 U/g), and soluble sugar content (29.25–35.28 mg/g) promoted anthocyanin synthesis and accumulation. These substances indirectly affected flower color by influencing anthocyanin content through physiological processes related to petal coloration. Structural changes in epidermal cells of pink and white flower petals during flowering were similar, with differences in pigment content and distribution impacting petal light absorption. Correlation analysis revealed that a* values were significantly and positively correlated with five factors, one of which was anthocyanin content, and significant negative correlations with soluble protein content and cytosol pH. This study examined the factors influencing petal coloration in pink-flowered P. sibirica from both physiological and anatomical perspectives, providing a theoretical foundation for breeding new varieties of ornamental flowering plants.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a common pregnancy disorder. It is associated with impaired glucose tolerance and insulin resistance, increasing the potential risks for both maternal and fetal complications. GDM is associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes later in life. Management is a big issue in maternal health. New work has underscored the role of the gut microbiota in metabolism and immune function. This indicates that probiotics might exert their mode of action through modulating the microbiota and controlling metabolism. This study employs a multi-omics strategy to assess the impact of probiotic administration on gut microbiota composition, metabolomic profiles, and host gene expression in GDM women. Women with GDM received probiotics for 8 weeks. Metagenomic sequencing quantified alterations of gut microbiota composition and LC-MS provided untargeted metabolomics in serum and urine. Gene expression was analyzed by qRT-PCR in reference to other physiological factors such as insulin signaling, inflammation, oxidative stress, and gut barrier. Data integration was performed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis (PLS-DA), and network analysis, then pathway enrichment analysis was conducted with KEGG and MetaboAnalyst. The supplementation of probiotics resulted in a significant change of gut microbiota (Lactobacillus 7.6-fold; Bifidobacterium 6.4-fold). Escherichia/Shigella was reduced. The amounts of short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), especially butyrate and acetate, were increased 3.1 fold and 2.5 fold, respectively. In a gene expression assessment, the insulin receptor and AKT increased 2.5- and 1.9-fold higher, respectively, indicating greater insulin sensitivity. Levels of TNF-α and IL-6 decreased; however, genes related to gut barrier function (ZO-1, CLDN1) increased. The administration of probiotic has a great impact on gut microbiome, metabolic activity, and host gene expression in women with GDM. Our data indicate that probiotics may represent a non-invasive and safe treatment for gestational diabetes through enhancing insulin sensitivity, anti-inflammatory environment, and gut health status. Larger confirmatory studies are needed to corroborate these findings and augment future clinical application of probiotics in GDM patients.

Background Prunus sibirica L. is one of the most pivotal eco-economic tree species in China’s arid and semi-arid areas. The phenomenon of physiological fruit drop in P. sibirica L. is severe, and understanding fruit growth patterns and drop characteristics is crucial for high-quality cultivar production. However, there are few reports on P. sibirica fruit development and physiological fruit drop. Results In this study, we investigated the characteristics of fruit development, vegetative bud outgrowth, and fruit abscission, and explored the dynamic features of sugar metabolism in different tissues during physiological fruit drop and its relationship with fruit drop. The results showed that the fruit and vegetative bud outgrowth of the “Shanxing No. 1” variety exhibited an S-shaped growth pattern with three physiological stages. The flower and fruit drop of “Shanxing No. 1” lasted for about 70 days with an 89.73% total drop rate and three abscission peaks, which could be divided into the flower abscission stage mainly caused by pistil abortion, rapid fruitlet abscission stage, mainly caused by carbohydrate competition between the fruit and vegetative bud outgrowth; and slow fruit abscission stage mostly related to seed abortion. The perspective of the vegetative buds removal experiment further proved the competition between fruitlet and vegetative bud outgrowth simultaneously. During physiological fruit drop, the sugar contents and activities of sucrose metabolism enzymes in different tissues showed regular changes, corresponding to the dynamic law of fruit drop. Sucrose metabolism was mainly dominated by decomposition, and the enzymes involved in sucrose decomposition played a significant role. Acid invertase and sucrose synthase (decomposition direction) were the key enzymes regulating fruit abscission in P. sibirica L. Conclusions These results laid a foundation for revealing the physiological characteristics and physiological mechanism of P. sibirica L. fruit development, and also provided a theoretical basis for high-quality and high-yield cultivation of P. sibirica L.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) represents a significant public health challenge characterized by persistent social communication deficits and restricted, repetitive patterns of behavior. Current interventions show limited efficacy, particularly for core symptoms. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and auditory integration training (AIT) have independently demonstrated promise in addressing neurophysiological abnormalities associated with ASD. This study aims to evaluate the clinical efficacy of a combined rTMS and AIT intervention compared to rTMS alone and sham stimulation in children with ASD. This is a randomized, sham-controlled trial that will recruit 80 children aged 2 to 6 years with a confirmed ASD diagnosis. The randomization of the first 8 participants in this study used a 1:1:1 ratio. To more effectively test the core hypothesis (ie, the efficacy of the combined intervention), greater statistical power will be concentrated on the intervention group (rTMS+AIT), and the randomization ratio was ultimately adjusted to 2:1:1-specifically, (1) rTMS combined with AIT (n=40), (2) rTMS alone (n=20), or (3) sham rTMS (n=20). Primary outcome measures include the Autism Behavior Checklist and Childhood Autism Rating Scale. Secondary outcomes are the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire and Repetitive Behavior Scale-Revised. Assessments will be conducted at baseline, an interim time point, and immediately after the intervention. Data will be analyzed using SPSS (version 25.0; IBM Corp). This study has received funding, with data collection commencing in April 2024. Due to the small initial sample size of 8 participants (5 male and 3 female), no formal statistical comparisons of baseline characteristics between groups have been conducted at this time. It is anticipated that the rTMS combined with AIT intervention will exhibit superior efficacy compared to rTMS only. This will be the first sham-controlled trial to systematically investigate the potential synergistic effects of a combined rTMS and AIT intervention in children with ASD. The results will provide valuable insights into the neurotherapeutic potential of this combined approach and contribute to the development of evidence-based interventions for ASD.

Intratumoral microbiota, a critical component of the tumor microenvironment, notably impacts tumor progression through various complex mechanisms such as metabolic regulation, immune system remodeling and genotoxicity. The present review focuses on eight prevalent solid tumors (breast, colorectal, lung, pancreatic, gastric, ovarian, prostate cancers and melanoma), detailing the intratumoral microbial compositional heterogeneity within these malignancies. The present review analyzes the heterogeneous carcinogenic mechanisms mediated by these microorganisms, including gene instability, immune microenvironment remodeling and metabolic intervention. The diagnostic value of microbial markers in liquid biopsy and in situ tissue detection is explored, and the potential for synergistic strategies combining microbial-targeted therapy and immunotherapy is discussed. Finally, the review suggests future research directions, such as spatiotemporal dynamic analysis and organoid-microorganism co-culture, offering new insights for precise cancer treatment.

In a microwave tube the energy of electrons in an electron beam, which are usually generated by a thermionic cathode, is modulated such that it is transformed into electromagnetic wave energy. In this paper, we modulated the field emission using AC signals. A field emission current with AC components was attained by adding a small AC voltage to a high extracting DC voltage. We observed two phenomena related to the AC components of the field emission current. First, when the DC component of the extracting voltage was low, the current measured in the circuit was dominated by the displacement current. Second, besides the fundamental frequency component, higher order harmonics were also observed in the field emission current.

This paper focuses on interpreting the different spatial relationships between NDVI and Ts, a triangular or a trapezoid, and on analyzing transformation conditions, the physical and ecological meanings of the vegetation index-surface temperature space as well. Further, we use the Temperature-Vegetation Dryness Index (TVDI) to explain the existent meaning of a triangular space after NDVI reaches its saturated state by employing the relationships between NDVI, LAI and evapotranspiration.The specific relations between NDVI and Ts are useful for describing, validating and updating land surface models.

Sheep milk, while nutritionally dense due to high calcium and B vitamins, spoils rapidly due to its diverse microbiota. Contamination risks arise from environmental Listeria or biofilm-forming microbes during milking and handling. This study employed 16 S rRNA gene sequencing to characterize microbial dynamics in sheep milk treated with ultrasound, pasteurization, and ultrasound/pasteurization during refrigerated storage. Analysis of 71 samples yielded 3,301,066 high-quality reads, revealing significant shifts in microbial community composition and diversity. Results revealed that Lactococcus was the primary bacteria causing deterioration in untreated sheep milk stored at 4 °C. In treated samples, the significant growth of Lactococcus and Hafniella obesoides were identified as the main cause of spoilage during 4 °C storage. This research provides valuable insights into bacterial influences on sheep milk under different processing conditions, offering potential for reducing milk losses during transportation, processing, and lowering costs in the dairy industry.

Background Chemotherapy combined with angiogenesis inhibition holds great promise in improving the therapeutic efficacy in cancer treatment. The aim of this study was to explore the effect of exosome blockade on tumor angiogenesis and chemotherapy efficacy. Methods Exosomes were extracted by ultracentrifugation, and the effect of exosomes on angiogenesis was evaluated by 4T1 mouse breast cancer cell line and the syngeneic mouse tumor model and immunofluorescence. The endocytosis of exosomes from vascular endothelial cells was evaluated in vitro by co‐culture and immunofluorescence assays. Tube formation and CCK‐8 assays were used to evaluate the effect of exosomes on angiogenesis in vitro. The effect of exosome blockade on the efficacy of doxorubicin was evaluated by 4T1 mouse breast cancer model, cancer cell‐derived exosomes (Exo4T1), GW4869 and doxorubicin in vivo. Results Exo4T1 can be efficiently endocytosed by vascular endothelial cells both in vitro and in vivo. Within the recipient endothelial cells, Exo4T1 elicited angiogenesis at least partially via promoting cell proliferation, as the exosomes were carrying cargos with pro‐proliferation capacity. Blockade of exosome release through GW4869 significantly inhibited angiogenesis, increased the concentration of doxorubicin within the tumor, and sensitized the tumor to doxorubicin in the murine 4T1 syngeneic model, whereas the therapeutic effects were abrogated when Exo4T1 was additionally treated. Moreover, we found there was no synergy between GW4869 and pazopanib (PP, a traditional angiogenesis inhibitor). Conclusions Together, we here revealed that cancer‐derived exosomes promote angiogenesis during cancer progression and GW4869 treatment would sensitize the cancer cells to doxorubicin at least partially via inhibiting angiogenesis. We here revealed that cancer‐derived exosomes promote angiogenesis during cancer progression, and GW4869 treatment would sensitize the cancer cell to doxorubicin mainly by inhibiting angiogenesis.