Numerical simulation of the transition flight aerodynamics of cross-shaped quad-tiltrotor UAV.

In order to enhance the stability of the tilt transition process, a new configuration of Quad-Tiltrotor UAV was presented in this paper. Firstly, numerical simulation was used to calculate and analyze the aerodynamic interaction between the front rotor/fuselage/rear rotor during the transition state mode. The calculation model of the isolated rotor, front-rear rotor, front rotor-fuselage, and front rotor-rear rotor-fuselage combination states are established. Besides, the effects of pitch, roll, and yaw moment on the fuselage at different tilt angles are analyzed. It is concluded that the front rotor is the leading factor in the aerodynamic interference of the whole UAV in the different combination states. The research results can provide a reference for the optimization design of the overall layout, structure, and flight control strategy of the cross-shaped quad-tiltrotor UAV, and can also provide solutions for the logistics application of urban air traffic.

Effects of opioid-free anaesthesia compared with balanced general anaesthesia on nausea and vomiting after video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery: a single-centre randomised controlled trial.

OBJECTIVES: Opioid-free anaesthesia (OFA) has emerged as a promising approach for mitigating the adverse effects associated with opioids. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of OFA on postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) following video-assisted thoracic surgery. DESIGN: Single-centre randomised controlled trial. SETTING: Tertiary hospital in Shanghai, China. PARTICIPANTS: Patients undergoing video-assisted thoracic surgery were recruited from September 2021 to June 2022. INTERVENTION: Patients were randomly allocated to OFA or traditional general anaesthesia with a 1:1 allocation ratio. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome measure was the incidence of PONV within 48 hours post-surgery, and the secondary outcomes included PONV severity, postoperative pain, haemodynamic changes during anaesthesia, and length of stay (LOS) in the recovery ward and hospital. RESULTS: A total of 86 and 88 patients were included in the OFA and control groups, respectively. Two patients were excluded because of severe adverse events including extreme bradycardia and epilepsy-like convulsion. The incidence and severity of PONV did not significantly differ between the two groups (29 patients (33.0%) in the control group and 22 patients (25.6%) in the OFA group; relative risk 0.78, 95% CI 0.49 to 1.23; p=0.285). Notably, the OFA approach used was associated with an increase in heart rate (89±17 vs 77±15 beats/min, t-test: p<0.001; U test: p<0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (87±17 vs 80±13 mm Hg, t-test: p=0.003; U test: p=0.004) after trachea intubation. Conversely, the control group exhibited more median hypotensive events per patient (mean 0.5±0.8 vs 1.0±2.0, t-test: p=0.02; median 0 (0-4) vs 0 (0-15), U test: p=0.02) during surgery. Postoperative pain scores, and LOS in the recovery ward and hospital did not significantly differ between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings suggest that the implementation of OFA does not effectively reduce the incidence of PONV following thoracic surgery when compared with traditional total intravenous anaesthesia. The opioid-free strategy used in our study may be associated with severe adverse cardiovascular events. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: ChiCTR2100050738.

Analysis of coexisting pathogens in nasopharyngeal swabs from COVID-19.

Background: The impact of COVID-19 on the world is still ongoing, and it is currently under regular management. Although most infected people have flu-like symptoms and can cure themselves, coexisting pathogens in COVID-19 patients should not be taken lightly. The present study sought to investigate the coexisting pathogens in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients and identify the variety and abundance of dangerous microbes to guide treatment strategies with a better understanding of the untested factors. Methods: We extracted total DNA and RNA in COVID-19 patient specimens from nasopharyngeal swabs to construct a metagenomic library and utilize Next Generation Sequencing (NGS) to discover chief bacteria, fungi, and viruses in the body of patients. High-throughput sequencing data from Illumina Hiseq 4000 were analyzed using Krona taxonomic methodology for species diversity. Results: We studied 56 samples to detect SARS-CoV-2 and other pathogens and analyzed the species diversity and community composition of these samples after sequencing. Our results showed some threatening pathogens such as Mycoplasma pneumoniae, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, and some previously reported pathogens. SARS-CoV-2 combined with bacterial infection is more common. The results of heat map analysis showed that the abundance of bacteria was mostly more than 1000 and that of viruses was generally less than 500. The pathogens most likely to cause SARS-CoV-2 coinfection or superinfection include Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Staphylococcus aureus, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Human gammaherpesvirus 4. Conclusions: The current coinfection and superinfection status is not optimistic. Bacteria are the major threat group that increases the risk of complications and death in COVID-19 patients and attention should be paid to the use and control of antibiotics. Our study investigated the main types of respiratory pathogens prone to coexisting or superinfection in COVID-19 patients, which is valuable for identifying and treating SARS-CoV-2.

Relationship between eczema and indoor environmental factors among preschool children in Haikou / 中国学校卫生

Objective@#To investigate the influencing factors of home environment on eczema in preschool children, so as to provide theoretical basis for taking effective regional prevention for preschool children.@*Methods@#From December 2020 to January 2021, a cross sectional survey of 3 049 preschool children was randomly carried out by stratified cluster sampling in Haikou kindergartens, and the impact of indoor environmental factors on preschool children s eczema was analyzed. Chi squared test and binary Logistic regressive were used to analyze the related factors.@*Results@#The prevalence of eczema in preschool children was 13.6%. Multivariate Logistic regression showed that the positive correlation factors of eczema included the new decoration in the mother s residence one year before pregnancy ( OR=1.71, 95%CI =1.09-2.68), the addition of new furniture in the child s residence when the child was 0-1 years old ( OR=1.53, 95%CI =1.03-2.27), cockroaches in the house ( OR=1.35, 95%CI =1.02-1.81) and cleaning of less than once per week ( OR=1.30, 95%CI =1.01-1.66). The starting age of children s collective life since 3 years old ( OR=0.76, 95%CI =0.60-0.96) had a negative correlation with eczema ( P <0.05).@*Conclusion@#There are multiple indoor environmental factors related to eczema among preschool children in Haikou city. Parents should take measures to prevent eczema in preschool children by paying attention to home environment and the starting age of children s collective life.

Protection of Human Lens Epithelial Cells from Oxidative Stress Damage and Cell Apoptosis by KGF-2 through the Akt/Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.

Oxidative stress exerts a significant influence on the pathogenesis of various cataracts by inducing degradation and aggregation of lens proteins and apoptosis of lens epithelial cells. Keratinocyte growth factor-2 (KGF-2) exerts a favorable cytoprotective effect against oxidative stress in vivo and in vitro. In this work, we investigated the molecular mechanisms of KGF-2 against hydrogen peroxide- (H2O2-) induced oxidative stress and apoptosis in human lens epithelial cells (HLECs) and rat lenses. KGF-2 pretreatment could reduce H2O2-induced cytotoxicity as well as reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation. KGF-2 also increases B-cell lymphoma-2 (Bcl-2), quinine oxidoreductase-1 (NQO-1), superoxide dismutase (SOD2), and catalase (CAT) levels while decreasing the expression level of Bcl2-associated X (Bax) and cleaved caspase-3 in H2O2-stimulated HLECs. LY294002, the phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt inhibitor, abolished KGF-2's effect to some extent, demonstrating that KGF-2 protected HLECs via the PI3K/Akt pathway. On the other hand, KGF-2 activated the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway by regulating the PI3K/Akt pathway. Silencing nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) by targeted-siRNA and inhibiting heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) through zinc protoporphyrin IX (ZnPP) significantly decreased cytoprotection of KGF-2. Furthermore, as revealed by lens organ culture assays, KGF-2 treatment decreased H2O2-induced lens opacity in a concentration-dependent manner. As demonstrated by these data, KGF-2 resisted H2O2-mediated apoptosis and oxidative stress in HLECs through Nrf2/HO-1 and PI3K/Akt pathways, suggesting a potential protective effect against the formation of cataracts.

Senkyunolide I protect against lung injury via inhibiting formation of neutrophil extracellular trap in a murine model of cecal ligation and puncture.

BACKGROUND: Senkyunolide I (SEI), a component of a Chinese herb named Ligusticum Chuanxiong hort, which is included in the formulation of Xuebijing Injection, a medication used to treat sepsis in China. Our previous study showed that SEI was protective against sepsis-associated encephalopathy and the present study was performed to investigate the role of SEI in sepsis-induced lung injury in a murine model of cecal ligation and puncture (CLP). METHODS: SEI (36 mg/kg in 200 µl) or vehicle was administered immediately after CLP surgery. The lung injury was assessed 24 h later by histopathological tests, protein concentration in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF), neutrophil recruitment in the lung tissue (myeloperoxidase fluorescence, MPO), pro-inflammatory cytokines and oxidative responses. Platelet activation was detected by CD42d/GP5 immunofluorescence and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) were determined by immunofluorescence assays and enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) of MPO-DNA. In vitro experiments were performed to detect the level of MPO-DNA complex released by SEI-treated neutrophils stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) or co-cultured with platelets from CLP mice. RESULTS: SEI administration relieved the injury degree in CLP mice according to the histopathological tests (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO + CLP group). Protein level in the BALF and neutrophil infiltration were remarkably reduced by SEI after CLP surgery (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO + CLP group). TNF-α, IL-1ß and IL-6 were decreased in the plasma and lung tissues from CLP mice treated with SEI (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO + CLP group). The phosphorylation of JNK, ERK, p38 and p65 were all inhibited by SEI (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO + CLP group). Immunofluorescence of MPO showed that neutrophil number was significantly lower in SEI treated CLP mice than in vehicle treated CLP mice (P < 0.05). The CD42d/GP5 staining suggested that platelet activation was significantly reduced and the NET level in the lung tissue and plasma was greatly attenuated by SEI treatment (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO + CLP group). In vitro experiments showed that the MPO-DNA level stimulated by PMA was significantly reduced by SEI treatment (P < 0.05 compared with DMSO treatment). Co-culture neutrophils with platelets from CLP mice resulted in higher level of MPO-DNA complex, while SEI partly reversed such effects of platelet on NET formation. CONCLUSIONS: SEI was protective against lung injury induced by CLP in mice. The NET formation was significantly reduced by SEI treatment, which might be involved in the mechanism of the protective effect.

Evaluation of choroidal thickness in amblyopia using optical coherence tomography.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the choroidal thickness in children with amblyopia through spectral-domain optical coherence tomography. METHODS: A total of 31 children with unilateral amblyopia and 31 right eyes of controls with normal vision were enrolled in the study. The choroidal thickness was measured directly below the fovea and at 12 other locations: 1, 2 and 3 mm superior, temporal, inferior, and nasal to the fovea. All the parameters were compared between amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes, and control eyes. RESULTS: The mean subfoveal choroidal thickness was 398.03 ± 74.60, 354.13 ± 81.78, and 328.12 ± 65.93 µm in amblyopic eyes, fellow eyes, and control eyes, respectively. Significant difference was found in choroidal thickness among three groups at subfoveal choroidal thickness, N1, and S1 using multivariate analysis of covariance after adjusting for axial length. Significant negative correlation was found only between subfoveal choroidal thickness and axial length in amblyopic eyes (r = -0.463, p = 0.01). CONCLUSION: The subfoveal choroid is significantly thicker in amblyopic eyes than control eyes only at subfoveal choroidal thickness, N1, and S1. The choroidal thickness was thickest in the subfoveal region and thinnest in the nasal region. There are other changes in choroidal structure associated with amblyopia.

Vessel Density and Structural Measurements in Primary Angle-Closure Suspect Glaucoma Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

PURPOSE: To measure the macular retinal vessel density (VD) and peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) in primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) by Angio-OCT to be compared with normal subjects. METHODS: Primary angle-closure suspect patients and normal subjects were enrolled in this study. The demographic and clinical characteristics of all subjects, such as RNFL thickness, retinal vessel density, and ocular perfusion pressure, were compared. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in both groups on age, sex distribution, intraocular pressure (IOP), and retinal vessel density. The PACS group exhibited significantly thicker RNFL thickness compared with the control group. The deep vessel density was negatively associated with age (P = -0.034), while IOP had negative association with ACD (P = -0.019). OPP was independently associated with RNFL (B = 0.334, P = 0.038) in the PACS group. CONCLUSIONS: OCTA showed significant thicker change on RNFL in the PACS group. Only OPP was independently associated with RNFL in the PACS group.

[Determination and risk assessment of heavy metals and harmful elements residues in Niuhuang Qingwei Pills based on ICP-MS].

To achieve a comprehensive understanding of heavy metals and harmful elements residues in Niuhuang Qingwei Pills,49 samples from 18 manufactures were collected from 31 provinces in China.Risk assessment and control preparations were applied innovatively in evaluation of exogenous pollution in traditional Chinese Medicine.Determination methods for Pb,Cd,As,Hg and Cu were established by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry(ICP-MS).Based on the procedures including hazard identification,hazard characterization,exposure assessment and risk characterization,risk assessment was performed and residual limits for Pb,Cd,As,Hg and Cu in the drug were formulated.The results showed that the hazardous quotients(HQ) of the elements were decreased in the following order:Pb>As>Cu>Hg>Cd,and the total hazardous index(HI) of heavy metals and harmful elements in Niuhuang Qingwei Pills was above 1,implying health risk of the drug.Under the proposed limits,5 elements in the control preparation as well as Cd and Cu in the samples were within the limits range,but the excess rates of Pb,As and Hg in the samples were 12%,12% and 14%,respectively.For the first time,basic steps for risk assessment of Chinese patent medicine were established,which provided model and reference for risk assessment and limit formulation of other drugs.

Posterior pole asymmetry analysis and retinal nerve fibre layer thickness measurements in primary angle-closure suspect patients.

PURPOSE: To measure peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness and posterior pole retinal thickness in primary angle-closure suspects (PACS) by Spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT) and to be compared with normal subjects. METHODS: Thirty five primary angle-closure suspect patients and thirty normal subjects were enrolled in this study. Peripapillary RNFL and posterior pole retinal thickness by posterior pole asymmetry analysis (PPAA) in SD-OCT were measured. RESULTS: No significant difference was found in both groups on age, sex distribution, refractive error, intraocular pressure (IOP) and axial length. The PACS group exhibited significantly thinner macular retinal thickness and larger asymmetry on posterior pole region compared with the control group. Yet no significant difference of peripapillary RNFL parameters was found between PACS group and normal control group. A negative correlation was observed between the total retinal thickness on posterior pole region and age when all the PACS participants were analyzed. CONCLUSIONS: Posterior pole retinal thickness measurements obtained by Heidelberg Spectralis SD-OCT using PPAA showed significant thinner change in PACS group than healthy controls. Only age seemed to be an indicator in the occurrence of glaucomatous damage in PACS patients.

Evaluation of peripapillary choroidal distribution in children by enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate the peripapillary choroidal thickness (PPCT) in Chinese children aged 6 to 12 years old and to analyze correlative factors. METHODS: PPCT was measured with enhanced depth imaging optical coherence tomography (EDI-OCT) in 154 children (76 myopes and 78 emmetropia) aged 6 to 12 years, with spherical equivalent refractive errors between + 0.50 and - 5.50 diopters(D). Peripapillary choroidal imaging was performed using circular scans of a diameter of 3.4 mm around the optic disc. PPCT and the corresponding peripapillary retinal thickness (PPRT) were measured by EDI-OCT at nine positions: I, inferior; IN, inferonasal; IT, inferotemporal; N, nasal; T, temporal; S, superior; SN, superonasal; ST, superotemporal, and the Fovea Centralis. RESULTS: The mean global PPCT was 165.80 ± 39.86 µm.The mean global PPRT was 101.47 ± 10.74 µm. The Inferior had the thinnest PPCT but the thickest PPRT (p < 0.001), while the Nasal had thickest PPCT but the thinnest PPRT (p < 0.001). Significant differences in RT between the myopic group and the emmetropic group were found at all positions except T, TS, S and the fovea. Myopic group had thinner choroidal thickness (CT) than that of emmetropic group at all measured positions. Choroidal thickness had negative relation with the corresponding retinal thickness, age and axial length. CONCLUSION: The peripapillary choroid was thicker nasally and thinner inferiorly, while the peripapillary retina was thickest inferiorly and thinnest nasally. Myopic group had thinner PPCT. The axial length was found to be negatively correlated to PPCT.

Descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty versus descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of descemet stripping automated endothelial keratoplasty (DSAEK) compared with descemet membrane endothelial keratoplasty (DMEK). METHODS: Databases including PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched to find studies that compared DSAEK and DMEK outcomes. Efficacy parameters were the postoperative best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and spherical equivalent (SE). Safety parameters were postoperative endothelial cell loss (ECL), air injection (rebubbling), graft failure, graft rejection, and high intraocular pressure (IOP). Results from last visit were pooled for the analyses because the follow-up ranged from 3 to 24 months. RESULTS: A total of 7 trials including 433 eyes were selected for this meta-analysis. BCVA was reported in all 7 studies, ECL% and rebubbling rate were reported in 6, and the remaining outcomes were reported in only 3 or 2 studies. Postoperative logMAR BCVA was significantly better for DMEK than that for DSAEK (P < 0.00001). More patients achieved the postoperative BCVA ≥ 20/25 and 20/20 in DMEK group than that in DSAEK (P > 0.001), whereas the proportion of patients whose postoperative BCVA ≥ 20/40 and the amount of SE did not differ statistically (P = 0.32 and P = 0.50, respectively). The DSAEK group has a significantly lower frequency of rebubbling than the DMEK group (P < 0.0001). The postoperative ECL%, graft failure, graft rejection, and high IOP were comparable between the 2 groups (all P values >0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis suggests that DMEK provided better visual outcomes with similar safety when compared to DSAEK. Given the limited sample size, further investigations are needed to validate these findings.

Axial Length and Ocular Development of Premature Infants without ROP.

PURPOSE: To investigate the ocular parameters of premature infants without ROP at gestational age (GA) more than 28 weeks and their relationship with growth parameters. METHODS: 76 preterm infants without ROP and 65 term infants were involved to undergo portable slit lamp, RetCam3, ultrasonic A-scan biometry, and cycloplegic streak examination at their 40 weeks' postconceptional ages (PCA). Ocular parameters of infants' right eye and growth parameters were used for analysis. RESULTS: All the infants were examined at 40 weeks' PCA. No significant difference was found between male and female in axial length of preterm infants (p = 0.993) and term infants (p = 0.591). Significant differences were found in axial length (AL), anterior chamber depth (ACD), lens thickness (LT), and vitreous depth (VD) between preterm and term infants. No significant correlation was found between AL and spherical equivalent in preterm infants' group. In preterm group, AL was significantly correlated with gestational age (GA), birth weight (BW), and head circumference (HC). CONCLUSIONS: Preterm infants had shorter AL, shallow ACD, thicker LT, and thinner VD compared to term infants. Refractive error in preterm infants at GA between 28 to 37 weeks was not related to axial length. Among all the growth parameters of preterm infants, GA, BW, and HC had effect on axial length.

Evaluation of myopia on retinal nerve fiber layer thickness measured by Spectralis optical coherence tomography.

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness of myopic subjects using Spectralis optical coherence tomography (OCT) and to determine variations with age and sex. A total of 271 Chinese participants with a spherical equivalent <+0.50 diopters were enrolled in the research. All subjects underwent a full ophthalmic examination. RNFL thickness was measured and compared according to sex, age and spherical equivalent. No significant difference was demonstrated between RNFL thickness in males and females. No significant difference was observed between RNFL thickness of the two age groups (≤12 years old and >12 years old). Significant differences were observed in all subfields of RNFL thickness among different spherical equivalent groups (P<0.05). In conclusion, myopia did have special influence on RNFL thickness, which was not related to sex or age.

Comprehensive Evaluation of Anterior Corneal Change in Asphericity Calculated by the Tangential Radius of Curvature after LASIK.

To evaluate the change in the anterior corneal asphericity (ΔQ) comprehensively calculated using the tangential radius (rt ) after LASIK. Forty-two right eyes were evaluated using the Orbscan II corneal topographer. The pre- and postoperative Q-values of the flat principal semimeridians calculated by the sagittal radius were compared to those by the tangential radius. The Q-value of each semimeridian in the horizontal region was calculated by rt . Fourier fitting was used to model the 360-semimeridional variation of Q-values and to fit the Q-values in the vertical region before and after surgery. There were significant differences in Q-values between the two methods before (P < 0.001) and after surgery (P = 0.003). A significant increase in postoperative Q-value was detected compared to preoperative Q-value (P < 0.001) calculated by rt . The 360-semimeridional variation of the Q-values was well fitted with a third- and fourth-degree Fourier function before and after surgery. The ΔQ-value distribution presented double valley variation, with the amount of ΔQ being lowest in the near-vertical regions and highest in the near-horizontal regions. Calculating the Q-value with rt combined with Fourier fitting, we evaluated 360 ΔQ-values' variation of semimeridians of the entire anterior corneal surface and then displayed true and complete anterior corneal shape after LASIK.

TGFBI Gene Mutation Analysis in Chinese Families with Corneal Dystrophies.

AIMS: To identify transforming growth factor beta-induced (TGFBI) gene mutations in four Chinese families affected by corneal dystrophies. METHODS: In this study, three families (21 patients and 18 normal relatives), respectively, with Reis-Bücklers corneal dystrophy (RBCD), classic lattice corneal dystrophy (LCDI), and variant LCD (LCDI/IIIA) were assessed. All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmological evaluation, including biomicroscopic inspection and dilated fundus examination. As a control, 100 individuals without corneal disease were selected from the general population. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and direct sequencing were used to screen for mutations in TGFBI. RESULTS: For the three families, a single heterozygous c.371G>T (R124L) point mutation was found in exon 4 of TGFBI in 14 affected members with RBCD, a single heterozygous c.370C>T (R124C) point mutation was found in exon 4 of TGFBI in four affected members with LCDI, and a single heterozygous c.1877A>G (H626R) point mutation was found in exon 14 of TGFBI in four affected members with LCDI/IIIA. TGFBI gene mutation had not been detected in the unaffected members and 100 normal controls. CONCLUSIONS: TGFBI gene mutations were present in all three Chinese families with corneal dystrophy, and our study further verified the relationship between phenotype and genotype of corneal dystrophy.

A pqr2 mutant encodes a defective polyamine transporter and is negatively affected by ABA for paraquat resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Despite the paraquat-resistant mutants that have been reported in plants, this study identified a novel A. thaliana mutant (pqr2) from an XVE inducible activation library based on its resistance to 2 µM paraquat. The pqr2 mutant exhibited a termination mutation in the exon of AT1G31830/PAR1/PQR2, encoded a polyamine uptake transporter AtPUT2/PAR1/PQR2. The PQR2 mutation could largely reduce superoxide accumulation and cell death in the pqr2 plants under paraquat treatment. Moreover, compared with wild type, the pqr2 mutant exhibited much reduced tolerance to putrescine, a classic polyamine compound, which confirmed that PQR2 encoded a defective polyamine transporter. Notably, co-treated with ABA and paraquat, both pqr2 mutant and wild type exhibited a lethal phenotype from seed germination, but the wild type like pqr2 mutant, could remain paraquat-resistance while co-treated with high dosage of Na2WO4, an ABA synthesis inhibitor. Gene expression analysis suggested that ABA signaling should widely regulate paraquat-responsive genes distinctively in wild type and pqr2 mutant. Hence, this study has for the first time reported about ABA negative effect on paraquat-resistance in A. thaliana, providing insight into the ABA signaling involved in the oxidative stress responses induced by paraquat in plants.

Mild alkali-pretreatment effectively extracts guaiacyl-rich lignin for high lignocellulose digestibility coupled with largely diminishing yeast fermentation inhibitors in Miscanthus.

In this study, various alkali-pretreated lignocellulose enzymatic hydrolyses were evaluated by using three standard pairs of Miscanthus accessions that showed three distinct monolignol (G, S, H) compositions. Mfl26 samples with elevated G-levels exhibited significantly increased hexose yields of up to 1.61-fold compared to paired samples derived from enzymatic hydrolysis, whereas Msa29 samples with high H-levels displayed increased hexose yields of only up to 1.32-fold. In contrast, Mfl30 samples with elevated S-levels showed reduced hexose yields compared to the paired sample of 0.89-0.98 folds at p<0.01. Notably, only the G-rich biomass samples exhibited complete enzymatic hydrolysis under 4% NaOH pretreatment. Furthermore, the G-rich samples showed more effective extraction of lignin-hemicellulose complexes than the S- and H-rich samples upon NaOH pretreatment, resulting in large removal of lignin inhibitors to yeast fermentation. Therefore, this study proposes an optimal approach for minor genetic lignin modification towards cost-effective biomass process in Miscanthus.