Lipids signaling and unsaturation of fatty acids participate in ramie response to submergence stress and hypoxia-responsive gene regulation.

Ramie is a valuable crop that produces high-quality fibers and holds promise in ecological management and potential therapeutic properties. The damage of submergence during the fertile period seriously affects the growth of ramie. This study used transcriptomics and UPLC-QTOF/MS-based lipidomics analysis to reveal the lipids remodeling and stress adaptation mechanism in ramie response to submergence. The results of subcellular distribution showed that lipids in ramie leaf cells mostly aggregate in the inter-chloroplast cytoplasm to form lipid droplets under submergence stress. High-performance thin-layer chromatography (HPTLC) and lipidomics analysis showed that the composition and content of lipids in ramie leaves significantly changed under submergence stress, and the content of fatty acids (FAs) gradually accumulated with the extension of the submergence treatment time. Further analysis revealed that the content of 18:3 (n3) Coenzyme A (C18:3-CoA) increased significantly with the prolongation of submergence stress, and the exogenous addition of C18:3-CoA activated the expression of hypoxia-responsive marker genes such as BnADH1, BnPCO2, BnADH1, and BnPDC1. These results suggest that the ramie lipid metabolism pathways were significantly affected under submergence, and the C18:3-CoA may act directly or indirectly on the hypoxia-responsive genes to activate their transcriptional activities, thereby enhancing the tolerance of ramie to submergence stress.

Comprehensive Analysis of WUSCEL-Related Homeobox Gene Family in Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) Indicates Its Potential Role in Adventitious Root Development.

A WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family has been implicated in promoting vegetative organs to embryonic transition and maintaining plant embryonic stem cell identity. Using genome-wide analysis, we identified 17 candidates, WOX genes in ramie (Boehmeria nivea). The genes (BnWOX) showed highly conserved homeodomain regions typical of WOX. Based on phylogenetic analysis, they were classified into three distinct groups: modern, intermediate, and ancient clades. The genes displayed 65% and 35% collinearities with their Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa ortholog, respectively, and exhibited similar motifs, suggesting similar functions. Furthermore, four segmental duplications (BnWOX10/14, BnWOX13A/13B, BnWOX9A/9B, and BnWOX6A/Maker00021031) and a tandem-duplicated pair (BnWOX5/7) among the putative ramie WOX genes were obtained, suggesting that whole-genome duplication (WGD) played a role in WOX gene expansion. Expression profiling analysis of the genes in the bud, leaf, stem, and root of the stem cuttings revealed higher expression levels of BnWOX10 and BnWOX14 in the stem and root and lower in the leaf consistent with the qRT-PCR analysis, suggesting their direct roles in ramie root formation. Analysis of the rooting characteristics and expression in the stem cuttings of sixty-seven different ramie genetic resources showed a possible involvement of BnWOX14 in the adventitious rooting of ramie. Thus, this study provides valuable information on ramie WOX genes and lays the foundation for further research.

Associations between teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors among Chinese rural adolescent.

The primary objective of this study is to present a fresh perspective on the correlation between teacher-student relationships and externalizing problem behaviors among adolescents. While previous research has examined this connection, there is still an insufficient understanding of the underlying mechanisms. Moreover, the crucial role of peer relationships, mental health, and parental knowledge has been overlooked. In this study, a total of 6,919 Chinese rural adolescents aged 13-19 years participated by completing an anonymous self-report questionnaire. The results show that: (1) teacher-student relationship has a protective effect against the development of externalizing problem behaviors; (2) peer relationship and mental health both have a mediating role in the relationship between teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors; (3) teacher-student relationship can indirectly affect externalizing problem behaviors through the chain mediation of peer relationship and mental health; (4) parental knowledge plays a moderating role between the teacher-student relationship and externalizing problem behaviors. As the level of parental knowledge increases among rural adolescents, the impact of the teacher-student relationship on externalizing problem behaviors becomes more pronounced; and (5) the impact of teacher-student relationship on externalizing problem behaviors has no significant gender differences. Given the study's empirical outcomes, we discuss potential explanations and advocate for a comprehensive pedagogical approach to mitigate rural adolescent externalizing behaviors. This entails nurturing teacher-student relations, fostering inclusive peer environments, emphasizing mental health literacy, and synergizing with caregivers for a holistic home-school intervention.

Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Analysis of BnPP2C Gene Family in Response to Multiple Stresses in Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.).

The protein phosphatase 2C (PP2C), a key regulator of the ABA signaling pathway, plays important roles in plant growth and development, hormone signaling, and abiotic stress response. Although the PP2C gene family has been identified in many species, systematic analysis was still relatively lacking in ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.). In the present study, we identified 63 BnPP2C genes from the ramie genome, using bioinformatics analysis, and classified them into 12 subfamilies, and this classification was consistently supported by their gene structures and conserved motifs. In addition, we observed that the functional differentiation of the BnPP2C family of genes was restricted and that fragment replication played a major role in the amplification of the BnPP2C gene family. The promoter cis-regulatory elements of BnPP2C genes were mainly involved in light response regulation, phytohormone synthesis, transport and signaling, environmental stress response and plant growth and development regulation. We identified BnPP2C genes with tissue specificity, using ramie transcriptome data from different tissues, in rhizome leaves and bast fibers. The qRT-PCR results showed that the BnPP2C1, BnPP2C26 and BnPP2C27 genes had a strong response to drought, high salt and ABA, and there were a large number of stress-responsive elements in the promoter region of BnPP2C1 and BnPP2C26. The results suggested that BnPP2C1 and BnPP2C26 could be used as the candidate genes for drought and salt tolerance in ramie. These results provide a reference for further studies on the function of the PP2C gene and advance the development of the mechanism of ramie stress response, with a view to providing candidate genes for the molecular breeding of ramie for drought and salt tolerance.

Effects of incineration and pyrolysis on removal of organics and liberation of cathode active materials derived from spent ternary lithium-ion batteries.

Removing organics via thermal treatment to liberate active materials from spent cathode sheets is essential for recovering lithium-ion batteries. In this study, the effects of incineration, N2 pyrolysis, and CO2 pyrolysis on the removal of organics and liberation of ternary cathode active materials (CAMs) were compared. The results indicated that the organics in the spent ternary cathode sheets comprised a residual electrolyte and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder. Moreover, the organics could be removed to promote the liberation of CAMs via incineration, N2 pyrolysis, and CO2 pyrolysis. When the temperature was <200 °C, the chemical properties of the volatilized ester electrolyte remained unchanged during both N2 and CO2 pyrolysis, indicating that the electrolyte can be collected by controlling the pyrolysis temperature and condensation. Furthermore, PVDF binder decomposition occurred at 200-600 °C. The optimal temperatures of incineration, N2 pyrolysis, and CO2 pyrolysis were 550, 500, and 450 °C, respectively, and these treatments increased the liberation efficiency of CAMs from 81.49 % to 98.75 %, 99.26 %, and 97.98 %, respectively. In addition, heat-treated CAMs required less time to achieve adequate liberation. Following three thermal treatment processes, the sizes of the CAM particles were mainly concentrated in the ranges of 0.075-0.1 mm and <0.075 mm. Furthermore, for all types of CAMs examined, the Al concentration decreased from 1.09 % to <0.35 %, which increased the separation efficiency and improved the chemical metallurgical performance.

Genome-Wide Analysis of AP2/ERF Gene Superfamily in Ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) Revealed Their Synergistic Roles in Regulating Abiotic Stress Resistance and Ramet Development.

AP2/ERF transcription factors (TFs) are one of the largest superfamilies in plants, and play vital roles in growth and response to biotic/abiotic stresses. Although the AP2/ERF family has been extensively characterized in many species, very little is known about this family in ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.). In this study, 138 AP2/ERF TFs were identified from the ramie genome and were grouped into five subfamilies, including the AP2 (19), RAV (5), Soloist (1), ERF (77), and DREB (36). Unique motifs were found in the DREB/ERF subfamily members, implying significance to the AP2/ERF TF functions in these evolutionary branches. Segmental duplication events were found to play predominant roles in the BnAP2/ERF TF family expansion. Light-, stress-, and phytohormone-responsive elements were identified in the promoter region of BnAP2/ERF genes, with abscisic acid response elements (ABRE), methyl jasmonate response elements, and the dehydration response element (DRE) being dominant. The integrated transcriptome and quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) revealed 12 key BnAP2/ERF genes positively responding to waterlogging. Five of the genes are also involved in ramet development, with two (BnERF-30 and BnERF-32) further showing multifunctional roles. The protein interaction prediction analysis further verified their crosstalk mechanism in coordinating waterlogging resistance and ramet development. Our study provides new insights into the presence of AP2/ERF TFs in ramie, and provides candidate AP2/ERF TFs for further studies on breeding varieties with coupling between water stress tolerance and high yield.

Effect of Ramie on the Production Performance of Laying Hens, and the Quality, Nutrient Composition, Antioxidation of the Eggs.

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea), which is rich in protein, fatty acid, vitamins and minerals, has become a potential alternative feed resource for poultry, and has attracted more and more attentions in nutrition research. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of dietary ramie at different concentrations on the production performance of the hens, and the quality, nutrient composition, and antioxidation of the eggs. A total of 432 34-week-old Lohmann commercial laying hens were divided into four groups, that were fed with corn-soybean meal-based control diet, control mixed with ramie at concentrations of 3, 6, or 9% separately for 8 weeks. Results showed that dietary ramie did not affect production performance. And egg yolk color gradually deepened as the inclusion levels of ramie increased. Ramie at tested concentration could significantly reduce the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) (p = 0.002) and 3% ramie supplementation significantly increased total antioxidative capacity (T-AOC) concentrations in egg yolk compared to the control group (p = 0.033). In addition, dietary supplementation with 6% ramie significantly reduced total cholesterol (T-CHO) content (p < 0.05) compared with controls. For egg nutrient composition, compared with the control group, the addition of 6% ramie significantly increased (p < 0.05) total omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3PUFA) and phenylalanine (Phe) in yolk. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of 6% ramie was most effective in improving the color, antioxidative capability, and reducing T-CHO contents of the egg yolks without any negative impacts on the production performance of the hens.

The Memory Benefit to Aged APP/PS1 Mice from Long-Term Intranasal Treatment of Low-Dose THC.

THC has been used as a promising treatment approach for neurological disorders, but the highly psychoactive effects have largely warned off many scientists from pursuing it further. We conducted an intranasal treatment using low-dose THC on 12-month-old APP/PS1 mice daily for 3 months to overcome any potential psychoactive response induced by the systemic delivery. Our results demonstrate that the THC nasal treatment at 0.002 and 0.02 mg/kg significantly slowed the memory decline compared to that in the vehicle-treated transgenic mouse control group. An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay showed that the Aß1-40 and 1-42 peptides decreased in the THC-treated groups. The Western blot data indicate that long-term low-dose THC intranasal administration promoted p-tau level reduction and mitochondrial function marker redistribution. The blood biochemical parameter data demonstrate some insignificant changes in cytokine, immunoglobulin, and immune cell profiles during intranasal THC treatment. Intranasal delivery is a non-invasive and convenient method that rapidly targets therapeutics to the brain, minimizing systemic exposure to avoid unwanted adverse effects. Our study provides new insights into the role of low-dose THC intranasal treatment as a pharmacological strategy to counteract alterations in Alzheimer's disease-related cognitive performance.

Effects of a mixture of mono-glycerides of butyric-, capric-, and caprylic acid with chlortetracycline on the growth performance, intestine morphology, and cecal microflora of broiler birds.

This study aimed to investigate the effects of a mixture of mono-glycerides of butyric-, capric-, and caprylic acid (MMG) on the growth performance, intestinal morphology, and cecal microflora of broilers. A total of 960 male Arbor Acre broilers were offered basal diets with or without Chlortetracycline additive (CA) at 500 g/t, and MMG at 3,000, 1,000, or 650 g/t, with 8 replicates of 20 birds per treatment. The results confirmed 500 g/t CA with/without 1,000 g/t MMG increased the average daily weight gain (ADG) of birds compared to the control group 1 during the 42-d experimental period (P < 0.05). Comparing to the control group 1, 500 g/t CA with either 650 g or 1,000 g/t MMG or 1,000 g MMG alone increased the ADG of birds during the late growth stage (22-42 d) (P < 0.05). On d 42, the serum triglyceride levels were higher (P < 0.05) in groups supplemented with CA and CA + 1,000 g/t MMG comparing to the control group; while urea nitrogen level was higher in the control group comparing to the rest of treatment groups Compared to the control group 1, 1,000 g/t MMG alone without CA decreased the abundance of Faecalibacterium and Bacteroides but increased the abundance of Escherichia/Shiegella. About 500 g/t CA alone treatment group had higher abundance of Lactobacillus comparing to the rest of groups. In conclusion, dietary supplement with MMG showed beneficial efficacy on the growth and intestinal function of broilers, demonstrating the potential value of MMG to poultry industry. In terms of dosage, the current trial shows that 3,000 g/t (1-21 d) and 1,000 g/t (22-42 d) MMG without CA was the appropriate dietary supplemented rate for broilers. And the mixed use of 500 g/t CA and 1,000 g/t MMG was benefit for broilers at 22 to 42 d.

Effects of Dietary Bacillus and Non-starch Polysaccharase on the Intestinal Microbiota and the Associated Changes on the Growth Performance, Intestinal Morphology, and Serum Antioxidant Profiles in Ducks.

Given the desirable results of using probiotics and enzyme preparations as feed supplements in poultry health, here, the effects of Bacillus and Non-starch Polysaccharase (NSPase) on the growth performance, serum antioxidant profiles, and gut microbial communities of early stage ducks is investigated. A total of 400 Zhijiang ducks (of similar body weight and 1 day age) was selected and randomly divided into four groups. The feeding period was 28 days. Each group contained 10 replicates of 10 birds. Control group (I) was fed with basal diet, while treatment groups II to IV were fed, respectively, with 150 mg/kg NSPases, 25 mg/kg Bacillus probiotics, and 150 mg/kg NSPases + 25 mg/kg Bacillus probiotics in their basal diet. The results demonstrated that dietary Bacillus (25 mg/kg) increased average final weight, average daily gain (ADG), and decreased the malonaldehyde (MDA) in birds (P < 0.05). Dietary Bacillus (25 mg/kg) and NSPases + Bacillus (150 mg/kg + 25 mg/kg) presented much higher glutathione (GSH) and activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) in birds (P < 0.05). Additionally, as revealed by ß-diversity indices and analysis of similarities, dietary NSPases + Bacillus could affect the ileum microbial abundances and diversities at the genera level (P < 0.05), but it had no effect on the caecal microbiota. Also, 16S rRNA sequencing revealed that dietary Bacillus and NSPases + Bacillus increased the populations of Ruminococcaceae genera in the cecum (P < 0.05), and S24-7_group and Lactobacillus genera in the ileum (P < 0.05). However, dietary NSPases and Bacillus alone and in combination could significantly decrease the content of Bacteroides in the ileum (P < 0.05). According to Spearman correlation analysis, 7 ilea bacterial microbiomes (S24-7 group, Lactobacillus, Subgroup 2, Subgroup 1, Kitasatospora, Candidatus Solibacter, and Akkermansia) were positively correlated with SOD (P < 0.05). In conclusion, Bacillus (25 mg/kg) and NSPases (150 mg/kg) included in the diet could efficiently enhance the growth performance by altered gut microbiota composition at the genera level and antioxidant indices of ducks.

Olive Oil: Nutritional Applications, Beneficial Health Aspects and its Prospective Application in Poultry Production.

Plant polyphenols have promoting health features, including anti-mutagenic, anti-inflammatory, anti-thrombotic, anti-atherogenic, and anti-allergic effects. These polyphenols improve the immune system by affecting the white blood cell proliferation, as well as by the synthesis of cytokines and other factors, which contribute to immunological resistance. Olive trees are one of the most famous trees in the world. Whereas, olive olive oil and derivatives represent a large group of feeding resource for farm animals. In recent years, remarkable studies have been carried out to show the possible use of olive oil and derivatives for improvement of both animal performance and product quality. In vivo application of olive oil and its derived products has shown to maintain oxidative balance owing to its polyphenolic content. Consumption of extra virgin olive oil reduces the inflammation, limits the risk of liver damage, and prevents the progression of steatohepatitis through its potent antioxidant activities. Also, the monounsaturated fatty acids content of olive oil (particularly oleic acid), might have positive impacts on lipid peroxidation and hepatic protection. Therefore, this review article aims to highlight the nutritional applications and beneficial health aspects of olive oil and its effect on poultry production.

Effects of Dietary Ramie Powder at Various Levels on the Production Performance, Serum Biochemical Indices, Antioxidative Capacity, and Intestinal Development of Laying Hens.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of ramie (0, 3, 6, and 9%) included in diets on production performance, antioxidative capacity, serum biochemical indices, and intestinal development of laying hens. A total of 432 Lohmann commercial laying hens were randomly allotted to one of four dietary treatments and fed for 6 weeks. The results showed that the inclusion of ramie had no negative effects on laying performance, and increased (quadratic, P < 0.05) the laying rate with the highest value in the 6% ramie group. However, ramie content in the diet up to 9% reduced the apparent metabolic energy, dry matter, and organic matter apparent digestibility of laying hens compared with those in the 3% ramie group. The content of high-density lipoprotein (HDL-C) in serum was increased (P < 0.05), but the activity of aspartate aminotransferase (AST) was decreased (P < 0.05) by dietary ramie supplementation. As the dietary ramie level increased, the activity of serum glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) was increased quadratically (P < 0.05). Compared with control, 3% ramie group significantly increased (P < 0.01) liver total superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity. Meanwhile, the addition of 3∼6% ramie powder increased (P < 0.05) villus height of jejunum and villus height/crypt depth (V/C) of ileum, which reflected the intestinal promotional effect of ramie powder. In conclusion, ramie in a diet of less than 9% might protect the liver and improve the antioxidative capacity with no detrimental impacts on the laying hens. Moreover, it could promote the intestinal mucosal structure and have a positive impact on the intestine health of the laying hens.

Nicking enzyme-assisted signal-amplifiable Hg2+ detection using upconversion nanoparticles.

A highly specific and sensitive isothermal method for mercury detection using DNA-conjugated upconversion nanoparticles is reported. A single-stranded DNA containing thymine bases, used as the Hg2+-capturing element through the formation of thymine-Hg2+-thymine complex, is covalently attached to the NaYF4: Yb3+, Tm3+ nanoparticles. Luminescence resonance energy transfer takes place between the NaYF4: Yb3+, Tm3+ nanoparticles as donor and DNA-intercalating SYBR Green I as the acceptor upon excitation of 980 nm. The sensitivity and selectivity toward Hg2+ are enhanced using the nicking enzyme, Nt. Alwl, which leads to signal amplification. By monitoring the ratio of acceptor emission to a reference peak, the presence of Hg2+ ions are quantitatively determined with a lower detection limit of 0.14 nM, which is much lower than the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) limit of Hg2+ in drinking water.

Magnetic relaxation-based sensing of phosphate ion.

We report a novel magnetic relaxation-based sensing method for sensitive and selective detection of phosphate ions in aqueous media using paramagnetic nanoparticles. The method can detect phosphate ions at physiological pH quantitatively with high selectivity, even in a commercial fertilizer without separation.