Enshi Tujia and Miao Autonomous Prefecture Academy of Agricultural Sciences

The Schwinger effect, a non-perturbative mechanism for particle production in strong fields, plays a crucial role in understanding quantum vacuum decay and high-energy phenomena, including heavy-ion collisions (HIC). Although holographic quantum chromodynamics (QCD) models have been widely used to study this effect, most treatments assume isotropy or consider only a single type of anisotropy, neglecting the interplay between spatial and magnetic anisotropies that arise in realistic HIC scenarios. A unified framework accounting for both anisotropies is needed to accurately model particle production. We investigate the Schwinger effect in a twice anisotropic holographic QCD model incorporating both spatial and magnetic anisotropies. Using the anti-de Sitter/conformal field theory correspondence, we compute the total potential of a particle-antiparticle pair to quantify how these anisotropies influence pair production. Our results show that the magnetic field (parameterized by and ) enhances the Schwinger effect by lowering and narrowing the potential barrier, while increasing spatial anisotropy (controlled by ) suppresses the process by raising and widening the barrier. These findings demonstrate that magnetic and spatial anisotropies exert competing effects on particle production, emphasizing the necessity of treating both concurrently in holographic models. This work advances the theoretical description of the Schwinger effect in anisotropic environments, with implications for understanding non-equilibrium dynamics in HIC and other strongly coupled systems.

Study design Network Meta-Analysis. Objective To comprehensively compare the clinical efficacy and safety of anterior controllable antedisplacement and fusion (ACAF), anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and laminoplasty (LP) for treating multilevel cervical ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Methods PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Web of Science were systematically searched (inception to April 1, 2025) for clinical studies comparing at least two of ACAF, ACCF, or LP for multilevel (≥2 segments) cervical OPLL. Data on surgical parameters, neurological function (Japanese Orthopaedic Association [JOA] score, JOA recovery rate, Visual Analog Scale [VAS]), biomechanics (cervical curvature, Cobb angle, Range of Motion [ROM], Neck Disability Index [NDI]), and complications were extracted. A frequentist network meta-analysis using a multivariate random-effects model was performed. Treatments were ranked using the surface under the cumulative ranking curve (SUCRA). Results Thirty-one non-randomized studies involving 2616 patients were included (ACAF: 585; ACCF: 875; LP: 1156). NMA showed ACAF and ACCF achieved significantly better postoperative JOA scores and recovery rates than LP ( p < 0.05). ACAF showed the highest probability of being the most effective treatment for postoperative VAS score (vs ACCF & LP, p < 0.05) and maintenance of cervical curvature/Cobb angle (vs ACCF & LP, p < 0.05). LP had the shortest operative time ( p < 0.05). Regarding safety, ACAF was associated with the lowest probability of total complications (SUCRA 99.7%), with significantly lower risks of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage versus ACCF ( p < 0.05), and C5 palsy and axial pain versus LP ( p < 0.05). LP had the lowest risk of dysphagia ( p < 0.05). Subgroup analysis suggested ACAF’s benefits, particularly in neurological outcome, are more pronounced in patients with severe stenosis (occupying ratio ≥60%). Conclusion Based on current observational evidence, ACAF appears to be a promising option for multilevel cervical OPLL, particularly for patients with severe stenosis. ACCF provides effective neurological decompression but carries a higher CSF leak risk than ACAF. LP, while having shorter operative times, results in inferior neurological and biomechanical outcomes compared to anterior approaches. Surgical decisions require individualized assessment based on patient and OPLL characteristics.However, these findings should be interpreted with caution due to the predominance of non-randomized studies and potential selection bias.

Heracleum hemsleyanum, a perennial flowering herb belonging to the Apioideae family, is primarily distributed in Southwestern China, including Hubei and Sichuan Provinces (She et al., 2005). Its roots have been traditionally used to treat rheumatism, limb cramps, and vitiligo (Fang et al., 2004). In September 2024, approximately 35% of H. hemsleyanum plants in the plant base of Enshi, Hubei Province (30°32′25.67″N, 109°48′48.46″E), exhibited stunted growth, reduced leaf size, and conspicuous root galls, suggesting severe root-knot nematode infection. Affected roots were collected, dissected, and nematodes were extracted for morphological and molecular identification. The morphological diagnosis of the nematode species was measured as follows. Measurements of adult females (n = 20): body length (L) = 828.15 ± 73.69 μm, body width (BW) = 556.77 ± 36.72 μm, stylet length (ST) = 15.58 ±0.93 μm, dorsal pharyngeal gland orifice to stylet base (DGO) = 4.46 ± 0.38 μm, vulval slit length = 17.98 ± 2.03 μm, and vulval slit to anus distance = 13.25 ± 1.48 μm. Males (n = 10): L = 1,302.68 ± 96.48 μm, BW = 28.56 ± 2.57 μm, ST = 19.86 ± 0.97 μm, DGO = 4.92 ± 0.56 μm, and spicule length = 29.02 ± 1.72 μm. Second-stage juveniles (J2s) (n=20): L = 368.59 ± 17.26 μm, BW = 16.02 ± 1.38 μm, ST = 13.56 ± 0.98 μm, DGO = 2.69 ± 0.54 μm, tail length = 41.85 ± 4.76 μm, hyaline tail terminus = 12.02 ± 2.04 μm. Eggs (n=20): L = 78.68 ± 3.64 μm, and width = 38.94 ± 3.02 μm. All the morphological characteristics of the identified species were consistent with the descriptions of Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood, 1949 (Whitehead, 1968). Species identification was further confirmed by PCR with 28S rDNA D2/D3 region primers MF/MR (5′-GGGGATGTTTGAGGCAGATTTG-3′, 5′-AACCGCTTCGGACTTCCACCAG-3′) (Hu et al., 2011) and the variable V3 and V5 regions of the 18S rDNA primers 18sf1/18sr1 (5´-CGCAAATTACCCACTCTC-3´/5´AGTCAAATTAAGCCGCAG-3´) (Waite et al., 2003). The 478 bp and 750 bp sequences (GenBank accession no. PX022967 and PV931984, respectively) were 99.57% and 100% identical to the PV911583 and PV911573 sequences, respectively. To confirm the pathogenicity of the nematode population, fifteen healthy three-month H. hemsleyanum seedlings cultured in sterilized sand were each inoculated with 2,000 J2s from the egg masses of nematode population. Fifteen non-inoculated seedlings served as negative controls. After three months in a growth chamber maintained at 22°C, galls and egg masses appeared on the roots of inoculated plants consistent with the symptoms observed in the field, whereas the controls showed no symptoms. Females collected from inoculated plants were identified as M. hapla with the species-specific primer MH-F/MH-R (5´-GAATAGTCTCAACGTTTATC-3´/5´-ATGTGACAGCGAAAAGAATT-3´) (Feng et al., 2008), which amplified a fragment of 447 bp (PV931994). To our knowledge, this is the first report of M. hapla infecting H. hemsleyanum. Given its medicinal importance, this finding is critical for developing effective management strategies to prevent further spread.

ABSTRACT Vacuoles are essential organelles in eukaryotic cells, playing key roles in cellular homeostasis through nutrient sensing, osmoregulation, and autophagy. In filamentous fungi, vacuole dynamics are crucial for mycelial growth, stress response, and pathogenicity. The vacuolar functions and their regulation in nematode-trapping (NT) fungi remain poorly understood. Here, we characterized a vacuolar protein sorting (Vps) protein Vps18 (AoVps18) in a typical NT fungus Arthrobotrys oligospora, which is required for the proper regulation of mycelial growth, trap formation, and sporulation. Through integrated phenotypic and molecular analyses, we established that AoVps18 physically interacts with core mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling components (AoSte12 and AoFus3) to coordinate predation-related cellular processes, including vacuole assembly, mitochondrial dynamics, and lipid droplet accumulation. Notably, we identified a TGAAAC regulatory motif in the Aovps18 promoter, suggesting direct transcriptional control by the MAPK effector, AoSte12. RNA sequencing and metabolomics further revealed that AoVps18 is involved in regulating multiple cellular processes and synthesizing compounds critical for the chemotaxis of nematodes toward A. oligospora. Overall, these findings elucidate the regulatory mechanisms by which AoVps18 coordinates vacuolar function with trap morphogenesis and mycelial growth in NT fungi, advancing both the fundamental understanding of Vps proteins regulation and potential biocontrol applications against plant-parasitic nematodes.

Cardamine violifolia, also known as Cardamine hupingshanensis, is a perennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae family with wide distribution in several provinces in China, including Hubei, Gansu, Hunan, Sichuan, Yunan, Guangxi, and Guangdong. As a newly discovered selenium (Se)-enriched plant, C. violifolia is rich in MeSeCys and SeCys, contributing to its potential antioxidant properties (Wei et al. 2022). Se is an essential trace element for humans as a vital component of at least 25 selenoproteins involved in various physiological processes, including immune function and maintenance of antioxidant defense to avoid tissue damage (Gao et al. 2011). In April 2024, we observed an outbreak of gray mold disease on C. violifolia plants in Enshi (30°19'20.15''N; 109°28'20.25''E), Hubei Province, China, with an infection rate of 75%. The disease manifested initially as small, water-soaked spots on the leaves, which progressed to grayish-brown lesions, often forming a V-shaped pattern. Accompanied by developing a gray fungal coating, this disease leads to leaf withering and loss, significantly impacting plant health. Diseased leaves were collected from a plantation in Enshi, Hubei province to identify the causal agent. Tissues at the junction between healthy and diseased areas were excised, disinfected with 75% ethanol for 30 seconds, followed by a 60-second immersion in a 0.1% mercuric chloride solution, and subsequently rinsed three times with sterile water for one minute each. Excess water was blotted away using sterilized filter paper before inoculating the samples onto the PDA medium and incubating them at 25°C. After three days, the edge hyphae of the growing fungal colonies were transferred to fresh PDA plates. This procedure was repeated every five days, transferring the mycelium from the growth edge to a fresh PDA medium until a pure strain was obtained. Three pathogenic bacteria strains were isolated by the tissue separation method, all displaying consistent morphological traits. One representative strain, designated CVES1-8, was chosen for further characterization. This strain was grown on a PDA solid medium at 28°C for six days. Initially, the mycelium was white and fluffy, gradually turning grayish-brown. Under microscopic examination, the mycelium was septate and branching irregularly. Conidiophores were observed at the apex, bearing clusters of conidia reminiscent of grapes. The conidia (n = 40) were colorless, monosporous, and ellipsoidal or oval, measuring 8-14 μm × 5-10 μm. For molecular identification, genomic DNA was extracted from CVES1-8. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification targeted the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), heat shock protein (HSP60), DNA-dependent RNA polymerase subunit (RPB2), and glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (G3PDH) genes using specific primers, the primers ITS1/4 (White et al. 1990), HSP60-F/HSP60-R, RPB2-F/RPB2-R, and G3PDH-F/G3PDH-R (Staats et al. 2005), respectively. BLAST search of the NCBI GenBank showed CVES1-8 (GenBank nos. PQ220130, PQ201101, PQ201100, and PQ201102 for ITS, G3PDH, HSP60, and RPB2, respectively) shared 99 to 100% identity with B. cinerea (OQ789962.1, ON009466.1, PP731566.1, and MH732872.1, respectively). Based on combined DNA sequence data of G3PDH, HSP60, and RPB2, phylogenetic analysis was constructed， and the result showed that the isolate CVES1-8 belongs to B. cinerea. Based on morphological and molecular evidence, strain CVES1-8 was identified as B. cinerea. To fulfill Koch's postulates, spore suspension (approximately 106 CFU/ml) of CVES1-8 was sprayed onto the leaves of four-week-old C. violifolia seedlings (n = 15) with sterile water as a negative control. After seven days of incubation under controlled conditions (28°C, 80% humidity), symptoms were observed that were previously described, while control plants were asymptomatic. The causal pathogen was then reisolated frm the lesions, and the reisolated pathogen showed the same colony and spore morphology as CVES1-8, confirming Koch's postulates. To our knowledge, this is the first report of B. cinerea causing gray mold on C. violifolia in China, providing essential insights for growers and agricultural technicians to diagnose and manage this disease.