Linyi University

About: Linyi University is a education organization based out in Linyi, China. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Nonlinear system & Synchronization (computer science). The organization has 3177 authors who have published 3463 publications receiving 36062 citations. The organization is also known as: Línyí Dàxué & Linyi Normal University.

Crop Production under Drought and Heat Stress: Plant Responses and Management Options

Abstract: Abiotic stresses are one of the major constraints to crop production and food security worldwide. The situation has aggravated due to the drastic and rapid changes in global climate. Heat and drought stress are undoubtedly the two most important stresses having huge impact on growth and productivity of the crops. It is very important to understand the physiological, biochemical and ecological interventions related to these stresses for better management. A wide range of plant responses to these stresses could be generalized into morphological, physiological and biochemical responses. Interestingly, this review provides a detailed account of plant responses to heat and drought stresses with special focus on highlighting the commonalities and differences. Crop growth and yields are negatively affected by sub-optimal water supply and abnormal temperatures due to physical damages, physiological disruptions and biochemical changes. Both these stresses have multi-lateral impacts and therefore, complex in mechanistic action. A better understanding of plant responses to these stresses has pragmatic implication for remedies and management. A comprehensive account of conventional as well as modern approaches to deal with heat and drought stresses have also been presented here. A side-by-side critical discussion on salient responses and management strategies for these two important abiotic stresses provides a unique insight into the phenomena. A holistic approach taking into account the different management options to deal with heat and drought stress simultaneously could be a win-win approach in future.

Using the Facebook group as a learning management system: An exploratory study

Abstract: Facebook is a popular social networking site. It, like many other new technologies, has potential for teaching and learning because of its unique built-in functions that offer pedagogical, social and technological affordances. In this study, the Facebook group was used as a learning management system (LMS) in two courses for putting up announcements, sharing resources, organizing weekly tutorials and conducting online discussions at a teacher education institute in Singapore. This study explores using the Facebook group as an LMS and the students’ perceptions of using it in their courses. Results showed that students were basically satisfied with the affordances of Facebook as the fundamental functions of an LMS could be easily implemented in the Facebook group. However, using the Facebook group as an LMS has certain limitations. It did not support other format files to be uploaded directly, and the discussion was not organized in a threaded structure. Also, the students did not feel safe and comfortable as their privacy might be revealed. Constraints of using the Facebook group as an LMS, implications for practice and limitations of this study are discussed.

Recent progresses in small-molecule enzymatic fluorescent probes for cancer imaging

Abstract: Abnormal enzymatic activities are directly related to the development of cancers. Identifying the location and expression levels of these enzymes in live cancer cells have considerable importance in early-stage cancer diagnoses and monitoring the efficacy of therapies. Small-molecule fluorescent probes have become a powerful tool for the detection and imaging of enzymatic activities in biological systems by virtue of their higher sensitivity, nondestructive fast analysis, and real-time detection abilities. Moreover, due to their structural tailorability, numerous small-molecule enzymatic fluorescent probes have been developed to meet various demands involving real-time tracking and visualizing different enzymes in live cancer cells or in vivo. In this review, we provide an overview of recent advances in small-molecule enzymatic fluorescent probes mainly during the past decade, including the design strategies and applications for various enzymes in live cancer cells. We also highlight the challenges and opportunities in this rapidly developing field of small-molecule fluorescent probes for interventional surgical imaging, as well as cancer diagnosis and therapy.

The role of pyroptosis in cancer: pro-cancer or pro-"host"?

Abstract: Programmed cell death (PCD) refers to the way in which cells die depending on specific genes encoding signals or activities. Apoptosis, autophagy, and pyroptosis are all mechanisms of PCD. Among these mechanisms, pyroptosis is mediated by the gasdermin family, accompanied by inflammatory and immune responses. The relationship between pyroptosis and cancer is complex, and the effects of pyroptosis on cancer vary in different tissues and genetic backgrounds. On one hand, pyroptosis can inhibit the occurrence and development of tumors; on the other hand, as a type of proinflammatory death, pyroptosis can form a suitable microenvironment for tumor cell growth and thus promote tumor growth. In addition, the induction of tumor pyroptosis is also considered a potential cancer treatment strategy. Studies have shown that DFNA5 (nonsyndromic hearing impairment protein 5)/GSDME (Gasdermin-E) mRNA methylation results in lower expression levels of DFNA5/GSDME in most tumor cells than in normal cells, making it difficult to activate the pyroptosis in most tumor cells. During the treatment of malignant tumors, appropriate chemotherapeutic drugs can be selected according to the expression levels of DFNA5/GSDME, which can be upregulated in tumor cells, thereby increasing the sensitivity to chemotherapeutic drugs and reducing drug resistance. Therefore, induced pyroptosis may play a predominant role in the treatment of cancer. Here, we review the latest research on the anti- and protumor effects of pyroptosis and its potential applications in cancer treatment.

Hybridization chain reaction: a versatile molecular tool for biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine

Abstract: Developing powerful, simple and low-cost DNA amplification techniques is of great significance to bioanalysis and biomedical research Thus far, many signal amplification strategies have been developed, such as polymerase chain reaction (PCR), rolling circle amplification (RCA), and DNA strand displacement amplification (SDA) In particular, hybridization chain reaction (HCR), a type of toehold-mediated strand displacement (TMSD) reaction, has attracted great interest because of its enzyme-free nature, isothermal conditions, simple protocols, and excellent amplification efficiency In a typical HCR, an analyte initiates the cross-opening of two DNA hairpins, yielding nicked double helices that are analogous to alternating copolymers As an efficient amplification platform, HCR has been utilized for the sensitive detection of a wide variety of analytes, including nucleic acids, proteins, small molecules, and cells In recent years, more complicated sets of monomers have been designed to develop nonlinear HCR, such as branched HCR and even dendritic systems, achieving quadratic and exponential growth mechanisms In addition, HCR has attracted enormous attention in the fields of bioimaging and biomedicine, including applications in fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) imaging, live cell imaging, and targeted drug delivery In this review, we introduce the fundamentals of HCR and examine the visualization and analysis techniques for HCR products in detail The most recent HCR developments in biosensing, bioimaging, and biomedicine are subsequently discussed with selected examples Finally, the review provides insight into the challenges and future perspectives of HCR