Insurance policy and cropping structure adjustment toward staple grains in China: implications for food system resilience and security.

Introduction: The ongoing decline in staple crop acreage and the accelerating trend of "non-grain" cultivation pose structural risks to China's food security. Agricultural insurance, beyond its traditional role in risk mitigation, may serve as a structural policy tool to influence farmers' planting decisions and guide cropping structures toward staple grains. However, empirical evidence on this guiding function remains limited.

A new surgical method of vasoepididymostomy for epididymal obstructive azoospermia to improve the success rate in the rat.

Background: Two-suture longitudinal intussusception vasoepididymostomy (LIVE) surgery has been confirmed by many studies in the treatment of epididymal obstruction; however, the success rate and anastomotic patency rate are not high, which cannot meet the modern human demand for a cure rate for this disease. Based on our preliminary research, we have reason to speculate that the new 2-suture circular intussusception vasoepididymostomy (CIVE) surgery group can greatly improve the anastomosis rate and success rate of treating epididymal obstruction patients. LIVE has become the preferred technique for epididymal and vas deferens anastomosis in North America, Europe, and globally for 22 years.

Exploration of Non-Covalent Interactions of Peanut Allergen Ara h 2 With Tannic Acid: Insights Into Molecular Structure and In Vitro Allergenicity.

The molecular structure and surface properties of peanut proteins are altered by their non-covalent interactions with food polyphenols, which alter their allergenicity. In our research, the interactions between the critical peanut allergen (Ara h 2) and a model polyphenol (tannic acid [TA]) were studied utilizing experimental (spectroscopy and calorimetry) and molecular docking methods. Ultraviolet (UV) and circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy analysis indicated that the microenvironment polarity and secondary/tertiary structure of Ara h 2 were changed due to its interaction with TA.

Complete biosynthesis of salicylic acid from phenylalanine in plants.

Salicylic acid (SA) is a pivotal phytohormone for plant responses to biotic and abiotic stresses. Plants have evolved two pathways to produce SA: the isochorismate synthase and phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL) pathways. Whereas the isochorismate synthase pathway has been fully identified, the PAL pathway remains incomplete.

Feasibility Study of Triple-low CCTA for Coronary Artery Disease Screening Combining Contrast Enhancement Boost and Deep Learning Reconstruction.

Background: The aim of this study was to compare the image quality of coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) images obtained using contrast enhancement boost (CE-boost) technology combined with deep learning reconstruction technology at a low dose and low contrast agent flow rate/dosage with traditional CCTA images, while exploring the potential application of this technology in early screening of coronary artery disease.

Methods: From March 2024 to September 2024, 60 patients suspected of having coronary artery stenosis were enrolled in this study. Ultimately, 46 patients were included for analysis.

Impact of the Polyphenol Structure on the Allergenic Potential of the Peanut Allergen Ara h 2.

Interactions between food allergens and polyphenols can provide a method to alleviate food allergies. This study investigated the effect of differently structured polyphenols complexed with Ara h 2 based on high-throughput virtual screening, utilizing a spectroscopic, thermodynamic, bone marrow-derived dendritic cells (BMDCs) model, BMDCs-T cells coculture model, KU812 cells model, and molecular simulation analyses for the allergenicity evaluation. Hesperidin (HSD), neohesperidin (NH), and neohesperidin dihydrochalcone (NHDC) exhibited a high binding energy and interacted with Ara h 2 through hydrogen bonding, primarily at two additional binding sites.

Detecting Diffusion-Weighted Imaging-Negative Strokes in Rat Models of Acute Internal Carotid Artery Occlusion Using Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy.

Introduction: The aim of this study was to explore the potential of magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) for the early diagnosis of the ischemic brain tissue with negative diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) results in the model of acute internal carotid artery occlusion (AICAO) in rats.

Methods: Fifteen rats were randomly assigned to three groups: the sham group (SHAM, n = 5), the 2-h ischemia model group (CI2H, n = 5), and the 12-h ischemia model group (CI12H, n = 5). In the experimental group, the method of AICAO was adopted to establish a right cerebral ischemia model.

Interleukin-14 Prevents Cytarabine or Irradiation Induced Neutropenia via JAK/STAT3 Signaling.

Background: Severe neutropenia significantly increases the risk of bacterial infections. Recent studies have shown that the cytokine interleukin 14 (IL-14) plays an important role in immune cells, but its potential role in neutropenia induced by cytarabine (ara-c) or irradiation is unclear.

Objective: To investigate the role of IL-14 in ara-c or irradiation-induced neutropenia.

Purification of Prudu6 from Almond and Its Cross-Reactivity with Glym6 from Soybean.

Almond () is a tree nut with high nutritional value that is widely cultivated and consumed globally. Prudu6, an 11S globulin, is one of the main allergens in almond, which can trigger a series of severe allergic reactions. To our knowledge, its correlation with Glym6, another 11S globulin, in terms of allergenicity has not yet been studied.

Glutamine and Isoleucine as the Key Amino Acids in Major IgE Linear Epitopes of α-Lactalbumin Identified by the Immune Peptide Microarray Assay For Chinese Bovine Milk Allergy.

α-Lactalbumin (ALA) is the main allergen in bovine milk allergy. Due to differences in the principles of identification methods, variations in patient symptoms, and population characteristics, the identification of key amino acids in ALA epitopes is still incomplete. In this study, bioinformatics prediction was performed on key amino acids based on two potential IgE linear epitopes in ALA.

Synbiotic Combination of and Fructo-Oligosaccharide Alleviates Soy Protein-Induced Food Allergies in Mice by Modulating the Gut Microbiota and Its Metabolisms.

Oral administration of synbiotics is a highly effective approach to improve food allergies through the modulation of gut microbiota. Therefore, the effects of synbiotics composed of (Lp) and fructo-oligosaccharide (FOS) on soybean-sensitized mice were explored in this study focusing on the gut microbiota and metabolisms. The results indicated that Lp-FOS intervention significantly alleviated allergic symptoms, reduced the IgE, IgG1, and mMCP-1 levels, restored the balance of Th1/Th2 and Tregs/Th17, and enhanced intestinal barrier integrity.

Investigation of Co-Assembly of Peanut Protein and Rice Protein: Effects on Protein Conformation and Immunoglobulin E Binding Capacity.

Reducing the allergenicity of food components through processing is attracting great attention in the food industry. This study investigated the structure and allergenicity of complexes formed from peanut protein (PP) and rice protein (RP) using the pH-driven method. The properties of the PP-RP complexes were investigated using morphological analysis, multi-spectroscopic characterization, IgE binding capacity analysis, and in vitro digestibility studies.

Intercropping of short- and tall-stature maize decreases lodging risk without yield penalty at high planting density.

High planting density of maize usually results in higher grain yield but also raises the risk of lodging. Cultivar intercropping had been proved to improve yield and stress resistance. Thus, we aimed to coordinate grain yield and lodging resistance of maize under high planting density by intercropping short-stalked Zhengdan958 (ZD) with tall-stalked Xianyu335 (XY).

Research Progress of Genomics Applications in Secondary Metabolites of Medicinal Plants: A Case Study in Safflower.

Medicinal plants, recognized as significant natural resources, have gained prominence in response to the increasing global demand for herbal medicines, necessitating the large-scale production of these plants and their derivatives. Medicinal plants are exposed to a variety of internal and external factors that interact to influence the biosynthesis and accumulation of secondary metabolites. With the rapid development of omics technologies such as genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics, multi-omics technologies have become important tools for revealing the complexity and functionality of organisms.

Cleavage specificity of the pitcher fluid proteases from Nepenthes × miranda and their reduction on allergenicity of cow's milk proteins.

In this study, the pitcher fluid proteases from Nepenthes × miranda were researched as a novel protease resource due to their cleavage specificity and ability to reduce the allergenicity of cow's milk proteins. We found that these proteases are particularly efficient at the P1 position with K, L, V, S, I, and R residues and exhibit similar preferences to amino acid residues at the P1' position. It is concluded that P1 is responsible for specificity of pitcher fluid proteases, while P1' tends to show their broadness when hydrolyzation happens.

In vitro screening of synbiotics composed of Lactobacillus and oligosaccharides and evaluating the potential anti-allergic ability.

Studies have demonstrated that the supplementation of oligosaccharides and Lactobacillus has the potential to alleviate food allergies. In this study, the gastrointestinal tolerance and adhesion properties of three anti-allergic Lactobacillus strains were evaluated in vitro. Subsequently, five oligosaccharides were incubated with each selected Lactobacillus strain to determine which combination could significantly promote Lactobacillus proliferation.

Biomechanical analysis of spinal range of motion and intervertebral disc loadings in normal and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis models.

Objective: While the Lenke classification enhances our structural understanding of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), the biomechanical implications for spinal range of motion (ROM) and intervertebral disc (IVD) loadings remain unclear. This study aims to quantitatively explore and compare these biomechanical responses in normal thoracolumbar spines and those with various curvatures of Lenke types under pure bending conditions.

Methods: The baseline thoracolumbar finite element (FE) model was derived from a comprehensive human body FE model, validated, and calibrated against spinal responses under dynamic compression and quasi-static bending conditions.

Identification and Validation of Key Amino Acids in IgE Linear Epitopes of β-Lactoglobulin: Comparison of Recognition Patterns of Chinese Bovine Milk-Allergic Sera with Different Symptoms.

β-lactoglobulin (BLG) is the primary allergen in bovine milk allergy. The identification of key amino acids in the BLG epitopes has not been comprehensive due to differences in identification methods, patient symptoms, and population characteristics. In this study, bioinformatics predictions were conducted for key amino acids based on two potential IgE linear epitopes in BLG.

Culture-dependent and -independent analyses reveal unique community structure and function in the external mycelial cortices of Ophiocordyceps sinensis.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, also known as DongChong XiaCao (DCXC) in China, is a complex of the parasitic fungus Hirsutella sinensis and its caterpillars host living in extreme alpine environments on the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. Wild resources of O. sinensis are threatened by over-harvesting due to its perceived high medicinal value.

Community structure and diversity of myxobacteria in soils from Inner Mongolia, China.

Myxobacteria are a special kind of Gram-negative bacteria that can slide and produce a variety of bioactive substances against bacteria, fungi, and viruses. It has great development and research value in medicine and agriculture. Although myxobacteria have become a research hotspot at home and abroad, there are few systematic studies on the relationship between its diversity, geographical location, and environment factors.

GWSF-EuSWAP70 gene expression to enhance gray mold resistance in Arabidopsis thaliana.

Background: Eucalyptus, a widely cultivated woody plant, is susceptible to a diverse array of pests and diseases, leading to reduced yields and economic losses. Traditional breeding methods are very time-consuming; therefore, plant genetic engineering has emerged as a promising approach for plant pathogen management. However, the genetic transformation system of eucalyptus is still in its early stages of development, while studies on transgenic eucalyptus and its disease resistance genes are limited.

The role of paraspinal muscle degeneration in cervical spondylosis.

Purpose: To explore the relationship between paraspinal muscle degeneration and cervical spondylosis through cervical spine MRI and lateral X-ray.

Methods: A retrospective study included 83 cervical spondylosis patients as the experimental group, consisting of 28 axial joint pain (Group A), 29 cervical radiculopathy (Group B), and 26 myelopathy (Group C), as well as 29 healthy individuals as the control group (Group D). The cross-sectional area (CSA) of paraspinal muscles at the C3-4, C4-5, and C5-6 segments was measured, including the deep extensor area (DEA), deep flexor area (DFA), and superficial extensor area (SEA).

Synergistic Synbiotic-Containing and Fructo-Oligosaccharide Alleviate the Allergenicity of Mice Induced by Soy Protein.

Prebiotics and probiotics have key roles in the intervention and treatment of food allergies. This study assesses the effect of synergistic fructo-oligosaccharide (Lp-FOS) intervention using an allergic mouse model induced by soy protein. The results showed that Lp synergistic FOS significantly decreased clinical allergy scores, inhibited specific antibodies (IgE, IgG, and IgG1), IL-4, IL-6, and IL-17A levels, and increased IFN-γ and IL-10 levels.

The Identification and Characterization of the Gene Family in Oliv. Heteromorphic Leaves Provide a Theoretical Basis for the Functional Study of .

Oliv. typically has four kinds of heteromorphic leaves: linear (Li), lanceolate (La), ovate (Ov) and broad ovate (Bo). Heteromorphic leaves help adapt to extreme desert environments and further contribute to protection against land desertification in Northwest China.