Identifying environmental impacts on planktonic algal proliferation and associated risks: a five-year observation study in Danjiangkou Reservoir, China.

Understanding the risks of planktonic algal proliferation and its environmental causes is crucial for protecting water quality and controlling ecological risks. Reservoirs, due to the characteristics of slow flow rates and long hydraulic retention times, are more prone to eutrophication and algal proliferation. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) serves as an indicator of planktonic algal biomass. Exploring the intricate interactions and driving mechanisms between Chl-a and the water environment, and the potential risks of algal blooms, is crucial for ensuring the ecological safety of reservoirs and the health of water users. This study focused on the Danjiangkou Reservoir (DJKR), the core water source of the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China (MRSNWDPC). The multivariate statistical methods and structural equation modeling were used to explore the relationships between chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) contents and water quality factors and understand the driving mechanisms affecting Chl-a variations. The Copula function and Bayesian theory were combined to analyze the risk of changes in Chl-a concentrations at Taocha (TC) station, which is the core water source intake point of the MRSNWDPC. The results showed that the factors driving planktonic algal proliferation were spatially heterogeneous. The main factors affecting Chl-a concentrations in Dan Reservoir (DR) were water physicochemical factors (water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH value, and turbidity) with a total contribution rate of 60.18%, whereas those in Han Reservoir (HR) were nutrient factors (total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and ammonia nitrogen) with a total contribution rate of 73.58%. In TC, the main factors were water physicochemical factors (turbidity, pH, and water temperature) and nutrient factors (total phosphorus) with total contribution rates of 39.76% and 45.78%, respectively. When Chl-a concentrations in other areas of the DJKR ranged from the minimum to the uppermost quartile, the probabilities that Chl-a concentrations at the TC station exceeded 3.4 µg/L (the benchmark value of Chl-a for lakes in the central-eastern lake area of China) owing to the influence of these areas were all less than 10%. Thus, the risk of planktonic algal proliferation at the MRSNWDPC intake point is low. This study developed an integrated framework to investigate spatiotemporal changes in algal proliferation and their driving factors in reservoirs, which can be used to support water quality management in mega hydro projects.

Practical Performance Analysis of MDI-QKD with Orbital Angular Momentum on UAV Relay Platform.

The integration of terrestrial- and satellite-based quantum key distribution (QKD) experiments has markedly advanced global-scale quantum networks, showcasing the growing maturity of quantum technologies. Notably, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as relay nodes has emerged as a promising method to overcome the inherent limitations of fiber-based and low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite connections. This paper introduces a protocol for measurement-device-independent QKD (MDI-QKD) using photon orbital angular momentum (OAM) encoding, with UAVs as relay platforms. Leveraging UAV mobility, the protocol establishes a secure and efficient link, mitigating threats from untrusted UAVs. Photon OAM encoding addresses reference frame alignment issues exacerbated by UAV jitter. A comprehensive analysis of atmospheric turbulence, state-dependent diffraction (SDD), weather visibility, and pointing errors on free-space OAM-state transmission systems was conducted. This analysis elucidates the relationship between the key generation rate and propagation distance for the proposed protocol. Results indicate that considering SDD significantly decreases the key rate, halving previous data results. Furthermore, the study identifies a maximum channel loss capacity of 26 dB for the UAV relay platform. This result is pivotal in setting realistic parameters for the deployment of UAV-based quantum communications and lays the foundation for practical implementation strategies in the field.

A novel coupling interpretable machine learning framework for water quality prediction and environmental effect understanding in different flow discharge regulations of hydro-projects.

Machine learning models (MLMs) have been increasingly used to forecast water pollution. However, the "black box" characteristic for understanding mechanism processes still limits the applicability of MLMs for water quality management in hydro-projects under complex and frequently artificial regulation. This study proposes an interpretable machine learning framework for water quality prediction coupled with a hydrodynamic (flow discharge) scenario-based Random Forest (RF) model with multiple model-agnostic techniques and quantifies global, local, and joint interpretations (i.e., partial dependence, individual conditional expectation, and accumulated local effects) of environmental factor implications. The framework was applied and verified to predict the permanganate index (CODMn) under different flow discharge regulation scenarios in the Middle Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project of China (MRSNWDPC). A total of 4664 sampling cases data matrices, including water quality, meteorological, and hydrological indicators from eight national stations along the main canal of the MRSNWDPC, were collected from May 2019 to December 2020. The results showed that the RF models were effective in forecasting CODMn in all flow discharge scenarios, with a mean square error, coefficient of determination, and mean absolute error of 0.006-0.026, 0.481-0.792, and 0.069-0.104, respectively, in the testing dataset. A global interpretation indicated that dissolved oxygen, flow discharge, and surface pressure are the three most important variables of CODMn. Local and joint interpretations indicated that the RF-based prediction model provides a basic understanding of the physical mechanisms of environmental systems. The proposed framework can effectively learn the fundamental environmental implications of water quality variations and provide reliable prediction performance, highlighting the importance of model interpretability for trustworthy machine learning applications in water management projects. This study provides scientific references for applying advanced data-driven MLMs to water quality forecasting and a reliable methodological framework for water quality management and similar hydro-projects.

Pramel15 facilitates zygotic nuclear DNMT1 degradation and DNA demethylation.

In mammals, global passive demethylation contributes to epigenetic reprogramming during early embryonic development. At this stage, the majority of DNA-methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) protein is excluded from nucleus, which is considered the primary cause. However, whether the remaining nuclear activity of DNMT1 is regulated by additional mechanisms is unclear. Here, we report that nuclear DNMT1 abundance is finetuned through proteasomal degradation in mouse zygotes. We identify a maternal factor, Pramel15, which targets DNMT1 for degradation via Cullin-RING E3 ligases. Loss of Pramel15 elevates DNMT1 levels in the zygote pronuclei, impairs zygotic DNA demethylation, and causes a stochastic gain of DNA methylation in early embryos. Thus, Pramel15 can modulate the residual level of DNMT1 in the nucleus during zygotic DNA replication, thereby ensuring efficient DNA methylation reprogramming in early embryos.

Mitochondrial regulation of diabetic endothelial dysfunction: Pathophysiological links.

Micro- and macrovascular complications frequently occur in patients with diabetes, with endothelial dysfunction playing a key role in the development and progression of the complications. For the early diagnosis and optimal treatment of vascular complications associated with diabetes, it is imperative to comprehend the cellular and molecular mechanisms governing the function of diabetic endothelial cells. Mitochondria function as crucial sensors of environmental and cellular stress regulating endothelial cell viability, structural integrity and function. Impaired mitochondrial quality control mechanisms and mitochondrial dysfunction are the main features of endothelial damage. Hence, targeted mitochondrial therapy is considered promising novel therapeutic options in vascular complications of diabetes. In this review, we focus on the mitochondrial functions in the vascular endothelial cells and the pathophysiological role of mitochondria in diabetic endothelial dysfunction, aiming to provide a reference for related drug development and clinical diagnosis and treatment.

A study on the purchase intention of luxury goods from the perspective of face perception and expected regret.

The study on the impact of consumer purchase intention on luxury goods has received widespread attention from the academic community. This study collected research data in Guilin, China, through questionnaire survey, and conducted an empirical study on the influencing factors of luxury consumers' purchase intention. The results show: The price level of luxury goods has a positive impact on consumers' face perception, while the positive impact of price level on expected regret has not been verified. Consumer's face perception has positive and negative effects on consumers' expected regret and consumers' purchase intention respectively. Consumer's downward expected regret and consumer's upward expected regret have different effects on consumers' purchase intention. Consumers' face perception and expected regret play a mediating effect in the research of influence relationship. This study is conducive to a better analysis of the psychology and behavior of Chinese luxury consumers, enriching the theoretical connotation of consumer psychology, and promoting the healthy development of the luxury goods industry.

A study on the impact of tourism destination image and local attachment on the revisit intention: The moderating effect of perceived risk.

The revisit intention of tourists is an important guarantee for the sustainable and healthy development of tourism destination, and has also received attention from the current academic community. However, there is still insufficient research on the antecedents of revisit intention from the perspectives of tourism destination, image and nostalgia emotion. This study takes China's ecological tourism scenic area (Guilin Lijiang Scenic Area) as a case study, and uses questionnaire survey method to obtain research data for empirical research. The results of this study confirm that tourism destination image has a positive impact on nostalgia emotions and local attachment, nostalgia emotion has a positive impact on local attachment, and local attachment has a positive impact on revisit intention. Perceived risk plays a negative moderating effect between local attachment and revisit intention. In addition, this study also examined the mediating effect of nostalgia emotion and local attachment. This study is beneficial for enriching the theory of the influence mechanism of revisit intention from the perspective of consumer psychology. It is an interdisciplinary research result of management and psychology, providing theoretical reference for improving revisit intention in tourism destinations and promoting their healthy development.

Effects and Mechanistic Role of Mulberry Leaves in Treating Diabetes and its Complications.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) has become a surge burden worldwide owing to its high prevalence and range of associated complications such as coronary artery disease, blindness, stroke, and renal failure. Accordingly, the treatment and management of DM have become a research hotspot. Mulberry leaves (Morus alba L.) have been used in Traditional Chinese Medicine for a long time, with the first record of its use published in Shennong Bencao Jing (Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica). Mulberry leaves (MLs) are considered highly valuable medicinal food homologs that contain polysaccharides, flavonoids, alkaloids, and other bioactive substances. Modern pharmacological studies have shown that MLs have multiple bioactive effects, including hypolipidemic, hypoglycemic, antioxidation, and anti-inflammatory properties, with the ability to protect islet [Formula: see text]-cells, alleviate insulin resistance, and regulate intestinal flora. However, the pharmacological mechanisms of MLs in DM have not been fully elucidated. In this review, we summarize the botanical characterization, traditional use, chemical constituents, pharmacokinetics, and toxicology of MLs, and highlight the mechanisms involved in treating DM and its complications. This review can provide a valuable reference for the further development and utilization of MLs in the prevention and treatment of DM.

Effectiveness and safety of traditional Chinese medicine decoction for diabetic gastroparesis: A network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Diabetic gastroparesis (DGP) is a prevalent complication of diabetes that impairs people's quality of life and places a significant financial burden on them. The gastrointestinal symptoms of DGP patients can be improved by several Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) decoctions that have been shown to be effective in treating the disease. There are still many unanswered questions regarding the identification of appropriate therapeutic agents for the treatment of DGP in clinical practice. AIM: To analyze the efficacy of several TCM decoctions in the treatment of DGP using Bayesian network meta-analysis for reference. METHODS: PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, China National Kno-wledge Infrastructure, The China Biology Medicine DVD, Wanfang, and CQVIP were searched from inception to September 17, 2022, to collect randomized controlled trials (RCTs) about TCM decoctions for DGP. Clinical effects and symptom scores were the primary outcomes. Additionally, we assessed motilin (MOT), somatostatin (SS), gastrin (GAS), gastric emptying rate, gastric emptying time, and adverse drug events as secondary outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 67 eligible RCTs involving 4790 DGP patients and 7 TCM decoctions were included. The results of network meta-analysis (NMA) and surface under the cumulative ranking curve showed that with western medicine (WM) as a common control, the Banxia Xiexin Decoction (BXXD) + WM was most effective in clinical effects and enhancing early satiety scores; the Simo decoction (SMD) + WM was most effective in improving nausea and vomiting scores and anorexia scores, bloating scores; the Chaishao Liujunzi Decoction (CSLJD) was most effective in MOT, the Zhishi Xiaopi Decoction (ZSXPD) was most effective in SS and upgrading emptying rate; the Jianpi Xiaozhi Decoction was most effective in GAS; the CSLJD + WM was most effective in improving gastric emptying time. CONCLUSION: These NMA results suggest that the BXXD + WM and SMD + WM may be one of the potential optimal treatments. Due to various limitations, further large-sample, double-blind, multi-center randomized RCTs are needed.

Iron metabolism and ferroptosis in type 2 diabetes mellitus and complications: mechanisms and therapeutic opportunities.

The maintenance of iron homeostasis is essential for proper endocrine function. A growing body of evidence suggests that iron imbalance is a key factor in the development of several endocrine diseases. Nowadays, ferroptosis, an iron-dependent form of regulated cell death, has become increasingly recognized as an important process to mediate the pathogenesis and progression of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). It has been shown that ferroptosis in pancreas ß cells leads to decreased insulin secretion; and ferroptosis in the liver, fat, and muscle induces insulin resistance. Understanding the mechanisms concerning the regulation of iron metabolism and ferroptosis in T2DM may lead to improved disease management. In this review, we summarized the connection between the metabolic pathways and molecular mechanisms of iron metabolism and ferroptosis in T2DM. Additionally, we discuss the potential targets and pathways concerning ferroptosis in treating T2DM and analysis the current limitations and future directions concerning these novel T2DM treatment targets.

The impact of negative emotions and relationship quality on consumers' repurchase intention: An empirical study based on service recovery in China's online travel agencies.

Service failures of online travel agencies (OTAs) occur frequently, which makes the OTA business operation model face huge risks. However, the current academic circles still pay insufficient attention to OTA service recovery. This study obtained research data through scenario experiment method, and analyzed data through SPSS25.0, HLM6.08 and other statistical software to explore the impact mechanism of consumers' repurchase intention in OTA service recovery. The empirical results of this study are as follows: Consumers' negative emotions weaken their relationship with tourism suppliers and OTAs. If the relationship quality between consumers and tourism suppliers is improved, the relationship quality between consumers and OTAs will also be improved. The relationship quality between consumers and OTAs has a positive impact on consumers' repurchase intention, and consumer forgiveness has a positive moderating effect between them. This study provides a consumer psychology perspective for discussing OTA's service recovery, which is conducive to promoting the healthy development of OTA's business operation model and benefiting consumers.

PDX-1: A Promising Therapeutic Target to Reverse Diabetes.

The pancreatic duodenum homeobox-1 (PDX-1) is a transcription factor encoded by a Hox-like homeodomain gene that plays a crucial role in pancreatic development, ß-cell differentiation, and the maintenance of mature ß-cell functions. Research on the relationship between PDX-1 and diabetes has gained much attention because of the increasing prevalence of diabetes melitus (DM). Recent studies have shown that the overexpression of PDX-1 regulates pancreatic development and promotes ß-cell differentiation and insulin secretion. It also plays a vital role in cell remodeling, gene editing, and drug development. Conversely, the absence of PDX-1 increases susceptibility to DM. Therefore, in this review, we summarized the role of PDX-1 in pancreatic development and the pathogenesis of DM. A better understanding of PDX-1 will deepen our knowledge of the pathophysiology of DM and provide a scientific basis for exploring PDX-1 as a potential target for treating diabetes.

Advances in multi-omics study of biomarkers of glycolipid metabolism disorder.

Glycolipid metabolism disorder are major threats to human health and life. Genetic, environmental, psychological, cellular, and molecular factors contribute to their pathogenesis. Several studies demonstrated that neuroendocrine axis dysfunction, insulin resistance, oxidative stress, chronic inflammatory response, and gut microbiota dysbiosis are core pathological links associated with it. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms and therapeutic targets of glycolipid metabolism disorder remain to be elucidated. Progress in high-throughput technologies has helped clarify the pathophysiology of glycolipid metabolism disorder. In the present review, we explored the ways and means by which genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and gut microbiomics could help identify novel candidate biomarkers for the clinical management of glycolipid metabolism disorder. We also discuss the limitations and recommended future research directions of multi-omics studies on these diseases.

Estimation of positioning sparsity for Sagnac correction in fiber-optic time transfer.

The Sagnac effect is an important factor that leads to nonreciprocity in long-haul fiber-optic time and a frequency transfer system. For high-precision time transfer, correction must be performed to eliminate the time difference based on the trajectory of the path. However, the routing information may be not detailed enough to guarantee sufficient precision for Sagnac correction. Thus, nodes along the path must be surveyed with a certain sparsity. We provide a practical method for estimating the average distance of these nodes. Six simulated paths are generated to validate the method for different uncertainties.

The impact of consumer confusion on the service recovery effect of Online Travel Agency (OTA).

This study carried out a scenario experiment in Guangxi, China, and used a questionnaire to obtain the research data of the subjects to explore the service recovery effect of local online travel agencies (OTAs) from the perspective of consumer psychology. The empirical results show that consumer confusion will significantly worsen negative word-of-mouth, and negative word-of-mouth will reduce their repurchase intention. In the above empirical impact relationship research, it shows that negative word-of-mouth and consumer forgiveness play a mediating effect and a moderating effect respectively. Because this study is conducive to responding to and solving the new scenario and problems in the practice of OTA services. It will help to improve the risk resistance of OTA enterprises by providing effective service recovery strategies for these enterprises.

Research progress on the pharmacological effects of berberine targeting mitochondria.

Berberine is a natural active ingredient extracted from the rhizome of Rhizoma Coptidis, which interacts with multiple intracellular targets and exhibits a wide range of pharmacological activities. Previous studies have preliminarily confirmed that the regulation of mitochondrial activity is related to various pharmacological actions of berberine, such as regulating blood sugar and lipid and inhibiting tumor progression. However, the mechanism of berberine's regulation of mitochondrial activity remains to be further studied. This paper summarizes the molecular mechanism of the mitochondrial quality control system and briefly reviews the targets of berberine in regulating mitochondrial activity. It is proposed that berberine mainly regulates glycolipid metabolism by regulating mitochondrial respiratory chain function, promotes tumor cell apoptosis by regulating mitochondrial apoptosis pathway, and protects cardiac function by promoting mitophagy to alleviate mitochondrial dysfunction. It reveals the mechanism of berberine's pharmacological effects from the perspective of mitochondria and provides a scientific basis for the application of berberine in the clinical treatment of diseases.

Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Metabolites by Berberine in Treating Mice With Disturbances in Glucose and Lipid Metabolism.

Introduction: Glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances has become the third major disease after cancer and cardio-cerebrovascular diseases. Emerging evidence shows that berberine can effectively intervene glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances, but the underlying mechanisms of this remain unclear. To investigate this issue, we performed metagenomic and metabolomic analysis in a group of normal mice (the NC group), mice with disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism (the MC group) and mice with disturbances in glucose and lipid metabolism after berberine intervention (the BER group). Result: Firstly, analysis of the clinical indicators revealed that berberine significantly improved the blood glucose and blood lipid of the host. The fasting blood glucose level decreased by approximately 30% in the BER group after 8 weeks and the oral glucose tolerance test showed that the blood glucose level of the BER group was lower than that of the MC group at any time. Besides, berberine significantly reduced body weight, total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride. Secondly, compared to the NC group, we found dramatically decreased microbial richness and diversity in the MC group and BER group. Thirdly, LDA effect size suggested that berberine significantly altered the overall gut microbiota structure and enriched many bacteria, including Akkermansia (p < 0.01), Eubacterium (p < 0.01) and Ruminococcus (p < 0.01). Fourthly, the metabolomic analysis suggested that there were significant differences in the metabolomics signature of each group. For example, isoleucine (p < 0.01), phenylalanine (p < 0.05), and arbutin (p < 0.05) significantly increased in the MC group, and berberine intervention significantly reduced them. The arbutin content in the BER group was even lower than that in the NC group. Fifthly, by combined analysis of metagenomics and metabolomics, we observed that there were significantly negative correlations between the reduced faecal metabolites (e.g., arbutin) in the BER group and the enriched gut microbiota (e.g., Eubacterium and Ruminococcus) (p < 0.05). Finally, the correlation analysis between gut microbiota and clinical indices indicated that the bacteria (e.g., Eubacterium) enriched in the BER group were negatively associated with the above-mentioned clinical indices (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Overall, our results describe that the changes of gut microbiota and metabolites are associated with berberine improving glucose and lipid metabolism disturbances.

The Influence of Empathy and Consumer Forgiveness on the Service Recovery Effect of Online Shopping.

The service failure of online shopping has always plagued online stores, but the current academic circles still need to explore the service recovery of online shopping from the perspective of empathy and consumer forgiveness. Based on the service failure cases of real online shopping, this article uses the method of situational experiment to carry out empirical research, discusses the impact mechanism of service recovery effect from the perspective of empathy and consumer forgiveness, and tests the moderating role of online store reputation. The results show that in the online shopping service recovery scenario, empathy has a positive impact on consumer forgiveness, consumer forgiveness has a positive impact on consumer repurchase intention, and consumer forgiveness plays a mediating effect between empathy and consumer repurchase intention. Online store reputation plays a moderating role in the relationship between consumer forgiveness and consumer repurchase intention. The research conclusion of this article will help to expand the application of empathy and consumer forgiveness in the research of service recovery, enrich the theory of online shopping service recovery, improve the effect of online shopping service recovery, and promote the healthy development of online shopping business models.

Akt: A Potential Drug Target for Metabolic Syndrome.

The serine/threonine kinase Akt, also known as protein kinase B (PKB), is one of the key factors regulating glucose and lipid energy metabolism, and is the core focus of current research on diabetes and metabolic diseases. Akt is mostly expressed in key metabolism-related organs and it is activated in response to various stimuli, including cell stress, cell movement, and various hormones and drugs that affect cell metabolism. Genetic and pharmacological studies have shown that Akt is necessary to maintain the steady state of glucose and lipid metabolism and a variety of cellular responses. Existing evidence shows that metabolic syndrome is related to insulin resistance and lipid metabolism disorders. Based on a large number of studies on Akt-related pathways and reactions, we believe that Akt can be used as a potential drug target to effectively treat metabolic syndrome.

The Influence of Different Types of Diabetes on Vascular Complications.

The final outcome of diabetes is chronic complications, of which vascular complications are the most serious, which is the main cause of death for diabetic patients and the direct cause of the increase in the cost of diabetes. Type 1 and type 2 diabetes are the main types of diabetes, and their pathogenesis is completely different. Type 1 diabetes is caused by genetics and immunity to destroy a large number of ß cells, and insulin secretion is absolutely insufficient, which is more prone to microvascular complications. Type 2 diabetes is dominated by insulin resistance, leading to atherosclerosis, which is more likely to progress to macrovascular complications. This article explores the pathogenesis of two types of diabetes, analyzes the pathogenesis of different vascular complications, and tries to explain the different trends in the progression of different types of diabetes to vascular complications, in order to better prevent diabetes and its vascular complications.