Effect of β-Glucan (Angel Yeast) Compared to a Placebo on Cold and Flu Incidence and Symptoms in an Adult Population—A Double Blind, Randomised Controlled Trial

Background: 1-3, 1-6 β-glucan derived from Baker’s yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) has been widely studied for its immune stimulatory capabilities and safety. Previous studies found β-glucan to have efficacy at reducing incidence of URTIs as well as being a low risk for negative side effects. The current study aimed to examine the effects of yeast β-glucan (Angel Yeast) on cold and flu incidences and symptoms in healthy adults. Methods: Two hundred and thirty-one males and females aged 18 to 65 years old supplemented with either β-glucan or a placebo for 3-months. Participants completed a general health questionnaire every 4 weeks and in addition, if participants experienced any cold or flu symptoms, these were recorded daily (along with severity) until resolved or up to 2 weeks. Results: Supplementation with β-glucan reduced the self-reported severity of sore throats and improved sleep quality compared to the placebo group. Conclusions: Yeast β-glucan supplementation appears to be able to help reduce certain symptoms experienced during a cold or flu episode and is safe and well tolerated.

Frontogenesis and Frontolysis of a Cold Filament Driven by the Cross-Filament Wind and Wave Fields Simulated by a Large Eddy Simulation

The variations of the frontogenetic trend of a cold filament induced by the cross-filament wind and wave fields are studied by a non-hydrostatic large eddy simulation. Five cases with different strengths of wind and wave fields are studied.The results show that the intense wind and wave fields further break the symmetries of submesoscale flow fields and suppress the levels of filament frontogenesis. The changes of secondary circulation directions—that is, the conversion between the convergence and divergence of the surface cross-filament currents with the downwelling and upwelling jets in the filament center—are associated with the inertial oscillation. The filament frontogenesis and frontolysis caused by the changes of secondary circulation directions may periodically sharpen and smooth the gradient of submesoscale flow fields.The lifecycle of the cold filament may include multiple stages of filament frontogenesis and frontolysis.

The UDP-glycosyltransferase OsUGT706D2 positively regulates cold and submergence stress tolerance in rice

In a genome-wide association study,we identified a rice UDP-glycosyltransferase gene,OsUGT706D2,whose transcription was activated in response to cold and submergence stress and to exogenous abscisic acid(ABA).OsUGT706D2 positively regulated the biosynthesis of tricin-4’-O-(syringyl alcohol)ether-7-O-glucoside at both the transcriptional and metabolic levels.OsUGT706D2 mediated cold and submergence tolerance by modulating the expression of stress-responsive genes as well as the abscisic acid(ABA)signaling pathway.Gain of function of OsUGT706D2 increased cold and submergence tolerance and loss of function of OsUGT706D2 reduced cold tolerance.ABA positively regulated OsUGT706D2-mediated cold tolerance but reduced submergence tolerance.These findings suggest the potential use of OsUGT706D2 for improving abiotic stress tolerance in rice.

Transcription factor CabHLH035 promotes cold resistance and homeostasis of reactive oxygen species in pepper

Plant basic helix-loop-helix(bHLH)transcription factors(TFs)play central roles in various abiotic stresses.However,its role in plant cold resistance is largely unknown.Previously,we characterised CaNAC035 in pepper,which positively regulates tolerance to cold,salt and drought stresses tolerance.Here,we identified CabHLH035,a CaNAC035-interacting protein in pepper.To explore its functions in cold stress tolerance,we silenced the gene in pepper via virus-induced gene silencing(VIGS)and overexpressed the gene in Arabidopsis.The results showed that CabHLH035 expression was induced by cold treatment,and silencing of CabHLH035 decreased cold stress tolerance.Conversely,overexpression of CabHLH035 in Arabidopsis increased cold stress tolerance.To investigate homologs genes of C-repeat binding factor(CBF)pathway proteins and reactive oxygen species(ROS)marker gene expression blocking by CabHLH035,we performed yeast one-hybrid(Y1H),dual luciferase and electrophoretic mobility shift assay experiments.The results showed that CabHLH035 bound to the region upstream of the CaCBF1A and CaAPX promoters.Additionally,CaCBF1A bound to the CaDHN4 promoter.Taken together,our results showed that CabHLH035 plays a crucial role in cold stress tolerance and its potential as a target for breeding cold-resistant crops.The findings provide a basis for studying the functions and regulatory network of cold stress tolerance in pepper.

MIR1868 negatively regulates rice cold tolerance at both the seedling and booting stages

Low temperature causes rice yield losses of up to 30%–40%,therefore increasing its cold tolerance is a breeding target.Few genes in rice are reported to confer cold tolerance at both the vegetative and reproductive stages.This study revealed a rice-specific 24-nt miRNA,miR1868,whose accumulation was suppressed by cold stress.Knockdown of MIR1868 increased seedling survival,pollen fertility,seed setting,and grain yield under cold stress,whereas its overexpression conferred the opposite phenotype.Knockdown of MIR1868 increased reactive oxygen species(ROS)scavenging and soluble sugar content under cold stress by increasing the expression of peroxidase genes and sugar metabolism genes,and its overexpression produced the opposite effect.Thus,MIR1868 negatively regulated rice cold tolerance via ROS scavenging and sugar accumulation.

Melatonin mitigates cold-induced damage to pepper seedlings by promoting redox homeostasis and regulating antioxidant profiling

This study assessed the influence of exogenous ME in the mitigation of cold damage in pepper seedlings. Melatonin(ME) is a dynamic molecule that helps plants cope with stress in several ways. Cold stress(CS) is one of the most important environmental factors that restrict plant growth and yield. Pepper(Capsicum annuum L.) is a valuable commercial crop, highly sensitive to CS. Thus, identifying an efficient strategy to mitigate cold damage is critical for long-term pepper production. For this purpose, the roots of pepper seedlings were pretreated with ME(5 μmol · L^(-1)) and exposed to CS for 7 d. The results indicated that CS suppressed pepper growth, hampered photosynthetic capacity, and damaged root architecture in pepper plants. In contrast, the production of reactive oxygen species(ROS), malondialdehyde(MDA), electrolyte leakage(EL), proline, and soluble sugars were enhanced in plants under CS. ME(5 μmol · L^(-1)) pretreatment reduced the negative effects of CS by recovering plant growth, root traits, gas exchange elements, and pigment molecules compared to CS control treatment. Furthermore, ME application efficiently reduced oxidative stress markers [hydrogen peroxide(H_(2)O_(2)), superoxide ion(O_(2)^(·-)), EL, and MDA] while increasing proline and soluble sugar content in pepper leaves. ME application combined with CS further increased antioxidant enzymes and related gene expression. Collectively, our results confirmed the mitigating potential of ME supplementation for CS by maintaining pepper seedling growth,improving the photosynthesis apparatus, regulating pigments, and osmolyte content.

Dietary fat supplementation relieves cold temperature-induced energy stress through AMPK-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis in pigs

Background Cold stress has negative effects on the growth and health of mammals, and has become a factor restricting livestock development at high latitudes and on plateaus. The gut-liver axis is central to energy metabolism, and the mechanisms by which it regulates host energy metabolism at cold temperatures have rarely been illustrated. In this study, we evaluated the status of glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress in pigs based on the gut-liver axis and propose that AMP-activated protein kinase(AMPK) is a key target for alleviating energy stress at cold temperatures by dietary fat supplementation.Results Dietary fat supplementation alleviated the negative effects of cold temperatures on growth performance and digestive enzymes, while hormonal homeostasis was also restored. Moreover, cold temperature exposure increased glucose transport in the jejunum. In contrast, we observed abnormalities in lipid metabolism, which was characterized by the accumulation of bile acids in the ileum and plasma. In addition, the results of the ileal metabolomic analysis were consistent with the energy metabolism measurements in the jejunum, and dietary fat supplementation increased the activity of the mitochondrial respiratory chain and lipid metabolism. As the central nexus of energy metabolism, the state of glycolipid metabolism and oxidative stress in the liver are inconsistent with that in the small intestine. Specifically, we found that cold temperature exposure increased glucose transport in the liver, which fully validates the idea that hormones can act on the liver to regulate glucose output. Additionally, dietary fat supplementation inhibited glucose transport and glycolysis, but increased gluconeogenesis, bile acid cycling, and lipid metabolism. Sustained activation of AMPK, which an energy receptor and regulator, leads to oxidative stress and apoptosis in the liver;dietary fat supplementation alleviates energy stress by reducing AMPK phosphorylation.Conclusions Cold stress reduced the growth performance and aggravated glycolipid metabolism disorders and oxidative stress damage in pigs. Dietary fat supplementation improved growth performance and alleviated cold temperature-induced energy stress through AMPK-mediated mitochondrial homeostasis. In this study, we high-light the importance of AMPK in dietary fat supplementation-mediated alleviation of host energy stress in response to environmental changes.

Heterogeneous expression of stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase genes SAD1 and SAD2 from Linum usitatissimum enhances seed oleic acid accumulation and seedling cold and drought tolerance in Brassica napus

Flax(Linum usitatissimum L.)is a versatile crop and its seeds are a major source of unsaturated fatty acids.Stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturase(SAD)is a dehydrogenase enzyme that plays a key role in oleic acid biosynthesis as well as responses to biotic and abiotic stresses.However,the function of SAD orthologs from L.usitatissimum has not been assessed.Here,we found that two LuSAD genes,LuSAD1 and LuSAD2,are present in the genome of L.usitatissimum cultivar‘Longya 10’.Heterogeneous expression of either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 in Arabidopsis thaliana resulted in higher contents of total fatty acids and oleic acid in the seeds.Interestingly,ectopic expression of LuSAD2 in A.thaliana caused altered plant architecture.Similarly,the overexpression of either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 in Brassica napus also resulted in increased contents of total fatty acids and oleic acid in the seeds.Furthermore,we demonstrated that either LuSAD1 or LuSAD2 enhances seedling resistance to cold and drought stresses by improving antioxidant enzyme activity and nonenzymatic antioxidant levels,as well as reducing membrane damage.These findings not only broaden our knowledge of the LuSAD functions in plants,but also offer promising targets for improving the quantity and quality of oil,and the abiotic stress tolerance of oil-producing crops,through molecular manipulation.

Solvent-Free Manufacturing of Lithium-Ion Battery Electrodes via Cold Plasma

Slurry casting has been used to fabricate lithium-ion battery electrodes for decades,which involves toxic and expensive organic solvents followed by high-cost vacuum drying and electrode calendering.This work presents a new manufacturing method using a nonthermal plasma to create inter-particle binding without using any polymeric binding materials,enabling solvent-free manufacturing electrodes with any electrochemistry of choice.The cold-plasma-coating technique enables fabricating electrodes with thickness(>200 pm),high mass loading(>30 mg cm^(-2)),high peel strength,and the ability to print lithium-ion batteries in an arbitrary geometry.This crosscutting,chemistry agnostic,platform technology would increase energy density,eliminate the use of solvents,vacuum drying,and calendering processes during production,and reduce manufacturing cost for current and future cell designs.Here,lithium iron phosphate and lithium cobalt oxide were used as examples to demonstrate the efficacy of the cold-plasma-coating technique.It is found that the mechanical peel strength of cold-plasma-coating-manufactured lithium iron phosphate is over an order of magnitude higher than that of slurry-casted lithium iron phosphate electrodes.Full cells assembled with a graphite anode and the cold-plasma-coating-lithium iron phosphate cathode offer highly reversible cycling performance with a capacity retention of 81.6%over 500 cycles.For the highly conductive cathode material lithium cobalt oxide,an areal capacity of 4.2 mAh cm^(-2)at 0.2 C is attained.We anticipate that this new,highly scalable manufacturing technique will redefine global lithium-ion battery manufacturing providing significantly reduced plant footprints and material costs.

Design and implementation of the monochromator shielding for the cold neutron spectrometers XINGZHI and BOYA

An innovative monochromator shielding is designed and implemented for the cold neutron spectrometers XINGZHI and BOYA operated by Renmin University of China at China Advanced Research Reactor.Via Monte Carlo simulations and careful mechanical designs,a shielding configuration has been successfully developed to satisfy safety requirements of below 3μSv/h dose rate at its exterior,meanwhile fulfilling space,floor load and nonmagnetic requirements.Composite materials are utilized to form the sandwich-type shielding walls:the inner layer of boron carbide rubber,the middle layer of steel-encased lead and the outer layer of borated polyethylene.Special-shaped liftable shielding blocks are incorporated to facilitate a continuous adjustment of the neutron energy while preventing radiation leakage.Our work has demonstrated that by utilizing composite shielding materials,along with the sandwich structure and liftable shielding blocks,a compact and lightweight shielding solution can be achieved.This enables the realization of advanced neutron scattering instruments that provide expanded space of measurement,larger energy and momentum coverage,and higher flux on the sample.This shielding represents the first of its kind in neutron scattering instruments in China.Following its successful operation,it has been subsequently employed by other neutron instruments across the country.

Artificial ground freezing of underground mines in cold regions using thermosyphons with air insulation

Current practice of underground artificial ground freezing(AGF)typically involves huge refrigeration systems of large economic and environmental costs.In this study,a novel AGF technique is proposed deploying available cold wind in cold regions.This is achieved by a static heat transfer device called thermosyphon equipped with an air insulation layer.A refrigeration unit can be optionally integrated to meet additional cooling requirements.The introduction of air insulation isolates the thermosyphon from ground zones where freezing is not needed,resulting in:(1)steering the cooling resources(cold wind or refrigeration)towards zones of interest;and(2)minimizing refrigeration load.This design is demonstrated using well-validated mathematical models from our previous work based on two-phase enthalpy method of the ground coupled with a thermal resistance network for the thermosyphon.Two Canadian mines are considered:the Cigar Lake Mine and the Giant Mine.The results show that our proposed design can speed the freezing time by 30%at the Giant Mine and by two months at the Cigar Lake Mine.Further,a cooling load of 2.4 GWh can be saved at the Cigar Lake Mine.Overall,this study provides mining practitioners with sustainable solutions of underground AGF.

Incubation temperature induced developmental plasticity of cold responsive physiological phenotypes in Japanese Quails

Embryonic development is a critical period for phenotype formation.Environmental variation during embryonic development can induce changes in postnatal phenotypes of animals.The thyroxine secretion and aerobic metabolic activity of small birds are important phenotypes closely related to their winter survival.In the context of climate change,it is necessary to determine whether temperature variation during incubation in birds leads to developmental plasticity of these cold responsive phenotypes.We incubated Japanese Quail(Coturnix japonica)eggs at 36.8℃,37.8℃,and 38.8℃,and raised the chicks to 35-day old at 22℃with same raising conditions,then all the quails were exposed to gradually temperature dropping environment(from 15℃to 0℃).After cold treatment,serum T3 level,resting metabolic rate,skeletal muscle and liver metabolomes of the birds were measured.The serum T3 levels were significantly lower in the 38.8℃group and significantly higher in the 36.8℃group compared to the 37.8℃group.The metabolic rate in the 38.8℃group was significantly lower compared to the 37.8℃group.Compared with the 37.8℃group,metabolites involved in the tricarboxylic acid cycle in the liver were significantly lower in the 38.8℃group,and metabolites related to lipid oxidation metabolism and fatty acid biosynthesis were significantly lower in the skeletal muscles in the 38.8℃group but significantly higher in the 36.8℃group.These results indicate that incubation temperature variation can lead to developmental plasticity in cold responsive physiological phenotypes.Higher incubation temperature may impair the capacity of birds coping with cold challenge.

Characteristics and Mechanisms of Persistent Wet–Cold Events with Different Cold-air Paths in South China

We investigate the characteristics and mechanisms of persistent wet–cold events(PWCEs)with different types of coldair paths.Results show that the cumulative single-station frequency of the PWCEs in the western part of South China is higher than that in the eastern part.The pattern of single-station frequency of the PWCEs are“Yangtze River(YR)uniform”and“east–west inverse”.The YR uniform pattern is the dominant mode,so we focus on this pattern.The cold-air paths for PWCEs of the YR uniform pattern are divided into three types—namely,the west,northwest and north types—among which the west type accounts for the largest proportion.The differences in atmospheric circulation of the PWCEs under the three types of paths are obvious.The thermal inversion layer in the lower troposphere is favorable for precipitation during the PWCEs.The positive water vapor budget for the three types of PWCEs mainly appears at the southern boundary.

Future Changes in Various Cold Surges over China in CMIP6 Projections

Cold surges(CSs)often occur in the mid-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere and have enormous effects on socioeconomic development.We report that the occurrences of CSs and persistent CSs(PCSs)have rebounded since the 1990s,but the trends related to the frequencies of strong CSs(SCSs)and extreme CSs(ECSs)changed from increasing to decreasing after 2000.The highest-ranked model ensemble approach was used to project the occurrences of various CSs under the SSP1-2.6,SSP2-4.5,and SSP5-8.5 scenarios.The frequencies of the total CSs show overall decreasing trends.However,under the SSP1-2.6 scenario,slight increasing trends are noted for SCSs and ECSs in China.Atmospheric circulations that are characterized by an anomalous anticyclonic circulation with a significantly positive 500-hPa geopotential height(Z500)anomaly at high latitudes along with significant negative anomalies in China were favorable for cold air intrusions into China.In addition,the frequencies of all CS types under the SPP5-8.5 scenario greatly decreased in the long term(2071-2100),a finding which is thought to be related to negative SST anomalies in the central and western North Pacific,differences in sea level pressure(SLP)between high-and mid-latitude regions,and a weaker East Asian trough.In terms of ECSs,the decreasing trends observed during the historical period were maintained until 2024 under the SSP1-2.6 scenario.Compared to the SSP1-2.6 scenario,the Z500 pattern showed a trend of strengthened ridges over the Ural region and northern East Asia and weakened troughs over Siberia(60°-90°E)under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios,contributing to the shift to increasing trends of ECSs after 2014.

Acute paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria upon dengue fever:A case report

Rationale:Dengue fever is capable of inciting the formation of transient polyclonal antibodies directed at red blood cell antigens,resulting in complement-mediated hemolysis,leading to intravascular hemolysis and hemoglobinuria.Patient’s concern:A 12-year-old male patient who recovered from dengue fever a week ago had red blood cell agglutination,spherocytes,and engulfment of red blood cells(erythrophagocytosis)by monocytes and neutrophils on routine hematological peripheral blood smear.The unexpected blood smear results prompted the lab physicians to investigate autoimmune hemolytic anemia,which revealed a monospecific positive direct antiglobulin test for complement(C3d,C3b)and the presence of Donath-Landsteiner antibody.Diagnosis:Paroxysmal cold hemoglobinuria(PCH),secondary to dengue fever.Interventions:Oxygen supplements,antibiotics,intravenous immunoglobulins,steroid therapy,and packed cell transfusions were administered.Outcomes:The patient’s condition was improved following the therapy.Lessons:Post-dengue PCH is a rare complication that requires a thorough peripheral smear examination for erythrophagocytosis,as advanced hematology analyzers fail to detect such findings.

Mitigation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons(PAHs)in roasted beef patties by cold plasma treatment and products quality evaluation

The cold plasma(CP)technique was applied to alleviate the contamination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon(PAH)in this investigation.Two different CP treatments methods were implemented in the production of beef patties,to investigate their inhibition and degradation capacity on PAHs.With 5 different cooking oils and fats addition,the inhibition mechanism of in-package cold plasma(ICP)pretreatment was explored from the aspect of raw patties fatty acids composition variation.The results of principal component analysis showed that the first two principal components accounted for more than 80%of the total variation in the original data,indicating that the content of saturated fatty acids was significantly positively correlated with the formation of PAHs.ICP pretreatment inhibited the formation of PAHs by changing the composition of fatty acids,which showed that the total amount of polyunsaturated fatty acids decreased and the total amount of monounsaturated fatty acids increased.Sensory discrimination tests demonstrated there were discernable differences between 2 CP treated samples and the controls,utilization of the ICP pretreatment in meat products processing was expected to achieve satisfying eating quality.In conclusion,CP treatment degraded PAHs through stepwise ring-opening oxidation in 2 reported pathways,the toxicity of PAHs contaminated products was alleviated after CP treatment.

Characteristic and optimization of ferrite-rich sulfoaluminate-based composite cement suitable for cold region tunnels

To develop suitable grouting materials for water conveyance tunnels in cold regions,firstly,this study investigated the performance evolution of ferrite-rich sulfoaluminate-based composite cement(FSAC grouting material)at 20 and 3℃.The results show that low temperature only delays the strength development of FSAC grouting material within the first 3 d.Then,the effect of four typical early strength synergists on the early properties of FSAC grouting material was evaluated to optimize the early(£1 d)strength at 3℃.The most effective synergist,Ca(HCOO)_(2),which enhances the low-temperature early strength without compromising fluidity was selected based on strength and fluidity tests.Its micro-mechanism was analyzed by XRD,TG,and SEM methods.The results reveal that the most suitable dosage range is 0.3 wt%−0.5 wt%.Proper addition of Ca(HCOO)_(2)changed the crystal morphology of the hydration products,decreased the pore size and formed more compact hydration products by interlocking and overlapping.However,excessive addition of Ca(HCOO)_(2)inhibited the hydration reaction,resulting in a simple and loose structure of the hydration products.The research results have reference value for controlling surrounding rock deformation and preventing water and mud inrushes during the excavation in cold region tunnels.

Effects ofγ-aminobutyric Acid on Nitrogen Metabolism in Roots and Leaves of Cold-stressed Rice(Oryza sativa L.)During Early Vegetative Growth

Cold stress adversely affects rice growth,particularly at the early vegetative growth stage.In higher plants,nitrogen metabolism plays a central role in amino acid metabolism,plant defense mechanisms and productivity.This report investigated the effects of cold stress and supplementalγ-aminobutyric acid(GABA)under cold stress on nitrogen metabolism in rice seedlings.Cold stress resulted in a greater increase in the transformation to NH_(4)^(+)by nitrate reductase(NR)in roots,it further resulted in lower levels of NO_(3)^(-)content in roots,weakened glutamine glutamate(GOGAT/GS)pathway and elevated glutamate dehydrogenase(GDH)pathway of rice seedlings.Whereas,compared with cold stress,supplementation of GABA(2.5 mmol·L^(-1))could increase relative water content(79.43%)and biomass(34.15%)of rice seedlings.GABA could act as an amplifier of stress signal conduction/transduction to increase NR activity and promote NO_(3)^(-)assimilation in leaves.In addition,GABA elicited the Ca^(2+)signaling pathway which could promote the GDH pathway and GABA shunt,increase the activities of GS and GDH,and the expression of OsGAD2 and OsGDH family.The GABA might increase the ratio of the Glu family and avoid NH4+toxicity in order to raise the concentration of organic compounds and alleviate the harmful consequences of cold stress.Based on these observations,this study proposed that GABA mediated cold tolerance in rice seedlings by activating Ca^(2+)burst and subsequent crosstalk among Ca^(2+)signaling,GDH pathway and GABA shunt.

Effects of Silicon Formulations on Cold Tolerance of Rice Seedlings

To investigate the effects of silicon formulations on the cold tolerance of rice seedlings,Song Japonica 16(not cold tolerant)and Dongnong 427(cold tolerant)rice varieties were used as test materials and four different types of silicon formulations,Si-50-G,Si-60-G,Si-T-G,and Si-E-G,were applied as foliar sprays at the seedling stage,and a control group CK(equal amount of distilled water)was set up.One week after the first silicon spray,two types of rice were subjected to low-temperature stress treatments at day/night temperatures of 12℃/10℃for 2,4,6,and 8 days.The effects of different silicon formulations on the chlorophyll,proline(Pro)and soluble sugar contents as well as superoxide dismutase(SOD),peroxidase(POD)and catalase(CAT)activities of rice seedlings under low-temperature stress were compared to find out the effects of silicon formulations on the cold tolerance of rice seedlings.The results showed that silicon formulations could significantly increase the chlorophyll content of rice seedling leaves,with Si-50-G being the most effective,with a significant increment of 40.17%compared to the CK at 2 days of low temperature.Four silicon formulations significantly increased the proline content and soluble sugar content of rice leaves at low temperature for 4-8 days.For Song Japonica 16,the most significant increment in leaf POD activity was observed in Si-E-G treatment at 2,4 and 8 days of temperature stress,with 73.58%,20.95%and 217.24%increases compared to the CK,respectively.For 4 and 6 days of temperature stress,the most significant increase in CAT activity was observed in Si-E-G treatment,with 25.70%and 75.78%increases compared to the CK,respectively.For Dongnong 427,the Si-60-G treatment showed the highest increase in leaf SOD activity for 4 and 8 days of temperature stress,with significant increases of 58.15%and 82.76%compared to the CK,respectively,and the Si-E-G treatment showed the highest increase in leaf POD activity for 2 and 8 days of temperature stress,with significant increases of 97.75%and 245.10%compared to the CK,respectively.It showed that the spraying of silicon formulations could significantly enhance the cold tolerance of rice.This study provided a scientific basis for the rational use of silicon formulations to enhance cold tolerance in rice and had important theoretical and practical significance for ensuring sustainable high and stable rice yields in Heilongjiang Province,as well as for the development of silicon fertilizers.

The link between dietary nutrients intake and cardiovascular diseases in cold regions

Background:The cold winter weather in northern China influences the dietary habits of its residents,contributing to a heightened risk of cardiovascular disorders,such as hypertension and coronary heart disease.Key factors include low vegetable consumption and high salt and fat intakes.This study aims to investigate the relationships between northern dietary nutrient intake in northern China and cardiovascular disorders during the winter season.Methods:A food frequency questionnaire tailored to the actual eating habits in northern China was designed.Retrospective data from 955 Chinese adults were collected from November to March between 2014 to 2023.Logistic regression was employed to analyze the relationship between dietary nutrients and cardiovascular diseases,with model performance assessed using receiver operating characteristic(ROC)curves.Results:Adjusted for gender,age,and body mass index(BMI),an inverse association was observed between vitamin A(OR=0.706,95%CI:0.550,0.907),nicotinic acid(OR=0.584,95%CI:0.447,0.762),phosphorus(OR=0.777,95%CI:0.608,0.994),selenium(OR=0.719,95%CI:0.560,0.923),zinc(OR=0.683,95%CI:0.531,0.880),methionine(OR=0.730,95%CI:0.569,0.936),arginine(OR=0.753,95%CI:0.588,0.964),lysine(OR=0.706,95%CI:0.550,0.907),aspartic acid(OR=0.730,95%CI:0.569,0.936)and hypertension.Additionally,a negative association was found between niacin(OR=0.752,95%CI:0.597,0.946)and coronary heart disease.Conversely,a positive association was identified between iodine and hypertension(OR=1.305,95%CI:1.020,1.669)and coronary heart disease(OR=1.301,95%CI:1.037,1.634).Conclusion:Our study suggests that maintaining a balanced dietary intake of vitamin A,niacin,phosphorus,selenium,zinc,methionine,arginine,lysine,and aspartic acid can be beneficial in preventing hypertension.Adequate niacin intake is associated with a lower risk of coronary heart disease.However,excessive iodine intake may contribute to hypertension and coronary heart disease.