How does digital technology innovation drive agricultural sustainability? A mechanism study based on green total factor productivity

Facing environmental pollution challenges in agricultural production, digital technology innovation—serving as the core driver of China’s “Digital China” strategy—emerges as a promising new force for promoting agricultural green development. This study utilises panel data from 30 Chinese provinces (excluding Hong Kong, Macao, Taiwan, and Tibet) covering 2009–2022, employing the SBM-BML model to measure agricultural green total factor productivity (AGTFP) and applying a two-way fixed effects model to examine the impact of digital technology innovation on AGTFP and its underlying mechanisms. The findings demonstrate a significant positive relationship between digital technology innovation and AGTFP. Digital technology innovation enhances AGTFP primarily through optimising resource allocation. Moderating effect analysis reveals that appropriate environmental regulations can strengthen this positive impact. Heterogeneity analysis further indicates that the enhancing effect of digital technology innovation is more substantial in coastal regions and areas with higher financial development levels. Additionally, the study finds that digital technology innovation can promote local high-quality economic development and help address wastewater discharge issues by improving AGTFP. These research findings provide both theoretical foundations and practical guidance for China to better advance agricultural green development in the era of digital intelligence

The haplotype-resolved T2T genome for Bauhinia × blakeana sheds light on the genetic basis of flower heterosis

Background: The Hong Kong orchid tree Bauhinia × blakeana Dunn has long been proposed to be a sterile interspecific hybrid exhibiting flower heterosis when compared to its likely parental species, Bauhinia purpurea L. and Bauhinia variegata L. Here, we report comparative genomic and transcriptomic analyses of the 3 Bauhinia species. Findings: We generated chromosome-level assemblies for the parental species and applied a trio-binning approach to construct a haplotype-resolved telomere-to-telomere (T2T) genome for B. blakeana. Comparative chloroplast genome analysis confirmed B. purpurea as the maternal parent. Transcriptome profiling of flower tissues highlighted a closer resemblance of B. blakeana to its maternal parent. Differential gene expression analyses revealed distinct expression patterns among the 3 species, particularly in biosynthetic and metabolic processes. To investigate the genetic basis of flower heterosis observed in B. blakeana, we focused on gene expression patterns within pigment biosynthesis-related pathways. High-parent dominance and overdominance expression patterns were observed, particularly in genes associated with carotenoid biosynthesis. Additionally, allele-specific expression analysis revealed a balanced contribution of maternal and paternal alleles in shaping the gene expression patterns in B. blakeana. Conclusions: Our study offers valuable insights into the genome architecture of hybrid B. blakeana, establishing a comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic resource for future functional genetics research within the Bauhinia genus. It also serves as a model for exploring the characteristics of hybrid species using T2T haplotype-resolved genomes, providing a novel approach to understanding genetic interactions and evolutionary mechanisms in complex genomes with high heterozygosity

Elasticity, Stability and Ideal Strength of β\beta -SiC in plane-wave-based ab initio calculations

On the basis of the pseudopotential plane-wave(PP-PW) method and the local-density-functional theory(LDFT), this paper studies energetics, stress-strain relation, stability and ideal strength of $\beta$-SiC under various loading modes, where uniform uniaxial extension and tension, biaxial proportional extension are considered along directions [001] and [111]. The lattice constant, elastic constants and moduli of equilibrium state are calculated, and the results agree well with the experimental data. As the four Si-C bonds along directions [111], [$\bar{1}$11], [11$\bar{1}$] and [1$\bar{1}$1] are not the same under the loading along [111], internal relaxation and the corresponding internal displacements must be considered. We find that, at the beginning of loading, the effect of internal displacement through shuffle and glide plane diminishes the difference among the four Si-C bonds length, but will increase the difference at the subsequent loading, which will result in a crack nucleated on \{111\} shuffle plane and a subsequently cleavage fracture. Thus the corresponding theoretical strength is 50.8 GPa, which agrees well with the recent experiment value, 53.4 GPa. However, with the loading along [001], internal relaxation is not important for tetragonal symmetry. Elastic constants during the uniaxial tension along [001] are calculated. Based on the stability analysis with stiffness coefficients, we find that the spinodal and Born instabilities are triggered almost at the same strain, which agrees with the previous molecular dynamics simulation. During biaxial proportional extension, stress and strength vary proportionally with the biaxial loading ratio at the same longitudinal strain.Comment: 9 pages, 10 figure

The Effects of rhBMP-2 and Treg/Th17 Functional Disequilibrium in Uremic Patients with Cardiovascular Complication after Maintenance Hemodialysis

Objectives We compared the correlation of regulatory T cell (Treg) and Th17 cell function disequilibrium with calcification in uremic patients on maintenance hemodialysis (MHD) with healthy controls, and investigated if their influence possibly increased the development and outcome of cardiovascular complications in uremic patients after MHD. Methods The extent of coronary artery calcification was assessed by coronary artery calcification scoring (CACS) in uremic patients with and without adverse cardiovascular events after MHD (MHD group 1 vs. MHD group 2, respectively). Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were incubated with rhBMP-2 as positive control. The Treg/Th17 cell frequencies, Foxp3 ROR-γt mRNA expressions, and MIP 3α/CCL20 concentrations were measured. Results The CACS score was significantly higher in MHD group 1 as compared group 2. In comparison with controls, rhBMP-2 upregulates Treg/Th17 functional disequilibrium in uremic patients, displayed higher Treg and Th17 frequencies, Foxp3 and ROR-γt expressions, and MIP3α/CCL20 concentrations. However, the up-regulations of Treg frequencies and Foxp3 expressions were significant in controls but not in MHD patients. It was also observed that Treg/Th17 functional disequilibrium was not only correlated with rhBMP-2 state but also consistent with the cardiovascular complications. Moreover, the CACS was negatively correlated with Treg cell frequencies but positively correlated with Th17 cell frequencies and MIP3α/CCL20 concentrations. Conclusions Function disequilibrium of Treg/Th17 was related to the degree of the rhBMP-2 state. Function disequilibrium of the Treg/Th17 might act synergistically with rhBMP-2 in the high incidence of immune-mediated cardiovascular complications after MHD. </jats:sec