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A four-stage oscillating feedback millireactor with splitters (S-OFM) was designed to improve the mixing performance based on chaotic advection. Three-dimensional CFD simulations were used to investigate its flow characteristics and mixing performance, and the generation mechanisms of secondary flows were examined. The results show that the mixing index (MI

To investigate the correlation between plasma glutathione peroxidase 4 (GPX4) and N-acetyl-neuraminic acid (Neu5Ac) with clinical risk stratification and outcomes of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients.Between October 2018 and July 2019, 413 patients that were scheduled for coronary angiography were enrolled in this prospective study at the First Affiliated Hospital of Bengbu Medical College, Bengbu, China. Patients were divided into control and ACS groups. Patients with ACS were divided into 3 risk levels based on their thrombolysis in myocardial infarction risk score. After discharge, ACS patients were followed for the incidence of major adverse cardiac events (MACEs). For the analysis of cumulative endpoint event occurrences, the Kaplan-Meier method was applied.The ACS group had lower plasma GPX4 but higher Neu5Ac levels than the control group. There was a greater increase in plasma Neu5Ac in the high-risk group when compared with the medium-risk and low-risk groups, while GPX4 levels were higher in the low-risk group. The MACEs group had higher plasma Neu5Ac but lower GPX4 levels than the non-MACEs group. The plasma Neu5Ac was an independent risk factor but GPX4 was a protective factor for MACEs.Glutathione peroxidase 4 and Neu5Ac levels in plasma can be used to diagnose, stratify risks, and predict long-term outcomes in patients with ACS.

Autophagy is an evolutionarily conserved degradation pathway in eukaryotes; it plays a critical role in nutritional stress tolerance. The circadian clock is an endogenous timekeeping system that generates biological rhythms to adapt to daily changes in the environment. Accumulating evidence indicates that the circadian clock and autophagy are intimately interwoven in animals. However, the role of the circadian clock in regulating autophagy has been poorly elucidated in plants. Here, we show that autophagy exhibits a robust circadian rhythm in both light/dark cycle (LD) and in constant light (LL) in Arabidopsis. However, autophagy rhythm showed a different pattern with a phase-advance shift and a lower amplitude in LL compared to LD. Moreover, mutation of the transcription factor LUX ARRHYTHMO (LUX) removed autophagy rhythm in LL and led to an enhanced amplitude in LD. LUX represses expression of the core autophagy genes ATG2, ATG8a, and ATG11 by directly binding to their promoters. Phenotypic analysis revealed that LUX is responsible for improved resistance of plants to carbon starvation, which is dependent on moderate autophagy activity. Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis revealed that the autophagy rhythm is ubiquitous in plants. Taken together, our findings demonstrate that the LUX-mediated circadian clock regulates plant autophagy rhythms.

In multicellular eukaryotes, autophagy is a conserved process that delivers cellular components to the vacuole or lysosome for recycling during development and stress responses. Induction of autophagy activates AUTOPHAGY-RELATED PROTEIN 1 (ATG1) and ATG13 to form a protein kinase complex that initiates autophagosome formation. However, the detailed molecular mechanism underlying the regulation of this protein complex in plants remains unclear. Here, we determined that in Arabidopsis thaliana, the regulatory proteins 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ redundantly modulate autophagy dynamics by facilitating SEVEN IN ABSENTIA OF ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA (SINAT)-mediated proteolysis of ATG13a and ATG13b. 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ directly interacted with SINATs and ATG13a/b in vitro and in vivo. Compared to wild-type (WT), the 14-3-3λ 14-3-3κ double mutant showed increased tolerance to nutrient starvation, delayed leaf senescence, and enhanced starvation-induced autophagic vesicles. Moreover, 14-3-3s were required for SINAT1-mediated ubiquitination and degradation of ATG13a. Consistent with their roles in ATG degradation, the 14-3-3λ 14-3-3κ double mutant accumulated higher levels of ATG1a/b/c and ATG13a/b than the WT upon nutrient deprivation. Furthermore, the specific association of 14-3-3s with phosphorylated ATG13a was crucial for ATG13a stability and formation of the ATG1–ATG13 complex. Thus, our findings demonstrate that 14-3-3λ and 14-3-3κ function as molecular adaptors to regulate autophagy by modulating the homeostasis of phosphorylated ATG13.

Gastrointestinal failure results in death in critically ill patients. This study aimed to explore the effect of dexmedetomidine (DEX) on intestinal barrier function and its mechanism in critically ill patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery.Patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery were randomized into the DEX group (n = 21) or midazolam (MID) group (n = 21). Sufentanil was used for analgesia in both groups. In the DEX group, DEX was loaded (1 μg/kg) before sedation and infused (0.7 μg/kg/h) during sedation. In the MID group, MID was loaded (0.05 mg/kg) before sedation and infused (0.1 mg/kg/h) during sedation. The mean arterial pressure , heart rate , borborygmus resumption time , first defecation time, length of intensive care unit stay, and length of hospital stay were observed. The diamine oxidase (DAO), D-lactate , TNF-α, IL-6, and α7nAChR levels in plasma or hemocytes were detected before the start of sedation (0 h) and after sedation (24 h).No significant differences in age, sex, body mass index, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II and Sequential Organ Failure Assessment scores were noted (P 0.05). The mean arterial pressure between 0 h and 24 h showed no significant difference between the groups (P 0.05), but the heart rate was significantly lower in the DEX group (P = 0.042). The borborygmus resumption time was significantly earlier in the DEX group (P = 0.034). The lengths of intensive care unit stay (P = 0.016) and hospital stay (P = 0.031) were significantly shorter in the DEX group. The TNF-α level in the DEX group was lower at 24 h than 0 h. The D-lactate level was significantly lower in the DEX group than the MID group at 24 h (P = 0.016). The expression of α7nAChR in the DEX group was significantly higher at 24 h than 0 h (P 0.05).DEX maintained intestinal barrier integrity in patients undergoing gastrointestinal surgery through the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.

Hydrogen-induced multi-spot corrosion on the surface of polycrystalline rare metals is a complex process, which involves the interactions between phases (metal, hydride and oxide), grain orientations, grain boundaries, and corrosion spots. To accurately simulate this process and comprehend the underlying physics, a theoretical method is required that includes the following mechanisms: i) hydrogen diffusion, ii) phase transformation, iii) elastic interactions between phases, especially, the interactions between the oxide film and the hydride, iv) elastic interactions between grains, and v) interactions between hydrogen solutes and grain boundaries. In this study, we report a multiphase-field model that incorporates all these requirements, and conduct a comprehensive study of hydrogen-induced spot corrosion on the uranium metal surface, including the investigation of the oxide film, multi-spot corrosion, grain orientation, and grain boundary in the monocrystal, bicrystal, and polycrystal systems. The results indicate that the oxide film can inhibit the growth of hydrides and plays a crucial role in determining the correct morphology of the hydride at the triple junction of phases. The elastic interaction between multiple corrosion spots causes the merging of corrosion spots and promotes the growth of hydrides. The introduction of grain orientations and grain boundaries results in a variety of intriguing intracrystalline and intergranular hydride morphologies. The model presented here is generally applicable to the hydrogen-induced multi-spot corrosion on any rare metal surface., 22 pages (text), 16 figures (text), 2 tables (text), 9 pages (SI), 13 figures (SI)

Ceramidases (CDases) are vital sphingolipid enzymes involved in organismal growth and development. They have been reported as key mediators of thermal stress response. However, whether and how CDase responds to heat stress in insects remain unclear. Herein, we identified two CDase genes, C. lividipennis alkaline ceramidase (ClAC) and neutral ceramidase (ClNC), by searching the transcriptome and genome databases of the mirid bug, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis, an important natural predator of planthoppers. Quantitative PCR (qPCR) analysis showed that both ClNC and ClAC were highly expressed in nymphs than in adults. ClAC was especially highly expressed in the head, thorax, and legs, while ClNC was widely expressed in the tested organs. Only the ClAC transcription was significantly affected by heat stress. Knocking down ClAC increased the C. lividipennis nymph survival rate under heat stress. The transcriptome and lipidomics data showed that the RNA interference-mediated suppression of ClAC significantly upregulated the transcription level of catalase (CAT) and the content of long-chain base ceramides, including C16-, C18-, C24-, and C31- ceramides. In C. lividipennis nymphs, ClAC played an important role in heat stress response, and the upregulation of nymph survival rate might be caused by variation in the ceramide levels and transcriptional changes in CDase downstream genes. This study improves our understanding of the physiological functions of insect CDase under heat stress and provides valuable insights into the nature enemy application.

A sensitivity study for the searching of the charged lepton flavor violating process $\tau \to \gamma\mu$ at the Super $\tau$-Charm Facility is performed with a fast simulation. With the expected performance of current detector design and the integrated luminosity of $1\text{ab}^{-1}$ in one year, the sensitivity on the branching fraction (BF) of $\tau \to \gamma\mu$ is estimated to be at the level of $10^{-8}$. The sensitivity under different detector performances are also studied. With ideal performance, the BF could be probed to be $1.8 \times 10^{-8}$ at 90% confidence level. The sensitivity is expected to scale with the square root of the luminosity, therefore with a total luminosity of $10\text{ab}^{-1}$ corresponding to ten-year of data taking, the sensitivity could reach $5.7 \times 10^{-9}$, which is about one order of magnitude improvement upon the current best upper limit.

Malaxis henanensis D.H.Peng & K.Yang, sp. nov. (Figs 1, 2) Type:— CHINA. Henan Province: Neixiang County, 1722 m, Baotianman National Nature Reserve, 26 Jul 2021, Peng M001 (FAFU). The new species differs from M. malipoensis in height, inflorescence structure, number of leaves and flowers, colour of flower bracts, long-ovate sepals, longer petals and ovoid, apically narrow lip (Table 1). Terrestrial, erect herbs, 9–25 cm. Leaves usually 2, one larger, base contracted into petiole, clasping, ovate to long ovoid, apex attenuate, 5.0–12.0 × 2.5–5.0 cm. Inflorescence arising from leaf axils, erect, 12–22 cm long, 3.0– 3.5 mm in diameter; racemes 10–15 cm long, 40–80 flowers; floral bracts lanceolate, 1.5–2.0 mm long, yellowish green; pedicel and ovary 3.0– 3.5 mm long, pedicels twisted in a right-handed spiral; fully open flowers 3 mm in diameter, yellowish green; sepals subequal, long-ovate, 1.5–1.8 × 0.7–1.0 mm; petals linear, 1.3–1.5 × 0.2–0.3 mm; lip uppermost (non-resupinate), ovoid, apically narrow, 1.3–1.5 × 0.9–1.2 mm; disk oblate, slightly concave in the middle, both margins hypertrophic and warty, with a short auricles on both sides of the base; column 0.6 mm long; pollinia 4, in 2 pairs, waxy. Phenology:— Flowering July and August. Distribution and ecology:— Known only from Neixiang County, Henan Province, growing in humus-rich soil. Etymology:— Named after Henan Province. Conservation:— Although we investigated areas in the southern and western hilly regions of Henan that would be suitable for this orchid, we did not find plants. The greatest threat to the survival of the new species in the area is human activity and being eaten by wild boars. Notes:— Most Malaxis species have small greenish flowers (Jermakowicz et al. 2022), which also applies to M. henanensis and M. moliponesis (Table 1)., Published as part of Shi, Xiao-Ling, Kang, Yang, Liu, Yu-Ying, Tu, Song, Peng, Hong-Jun, Liu, Zhong-Jian & Peng, Dong-Hui, 2023, Malaxis henanensis (Orchidaceae, Malaxideae), a new species from China, pp. 293-295 in Phytotaxa 589 (3) on pages 293-295, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.589.3.9, http://zenodo.org/record/7777032, {"references":["Jermakowicz, E., Le´sniewska, J., Stocki, M., Kostro-Ambroziak, A. & Pliszko, A. (2022) The floral signals of the inconspicuous orchid Malaxis monophyllos: how to lure small pollinators in an abundant environment. Biology 11: 640. https: // doi. org / 10.3390 / biology 11050640"]}

Insects are key pollinators to ecosystem function, but much work remains to determine the most cost-effective, reliable scheme to monitor them. Pan traps (PT) and flight interception traps (FIT) are two of the most popular insect sampling methods used. However, their relative sampling performance and cost is poorly known for agroecosystems in China. We conducted a study across 18 oilseed rape fields in smallholder farmland in Zhejiang, China using these two traps. Our results showed that a single FIT had a greater sampling efficiency (more individuals and higher species richness) than a single PT, but controlling for cost, four PTs (the cost for four PTs is close to one FIT) showed a greater sampling efficiency than FITs. PTs collected more small-bodied individuals while FITs and PTs did not significantly differ in terms of monitoring pollinator insects with large body size. When exploring whether semi-natural habitat embedded in the agricultural landscape affected these results, results from both trap types shows that semi-natural habitat had a significant positive impact on wild pollinator diversity and rarefied species richness. Future studies that examine the effects of agricultural landscape on the wild pollinator community should combine PTs with netting or other active methods for long-term wild pollinator monitoring strategies.

Ambient energy harvesting has great potential to contribute to sustainable development and address growing environmental challenges. Converting waste energy from energy-intensive processes and systems (e.g., combustion engines and furnaces) is crucial to reducing their environmental impact and achieving net-zero emissions. Compact energy harvesters will also be key to powering the exponentially growing smart devices ecosystem that is part of the Internet of Things, thus enabling futuristic applications that can improve our quality of life (e.g., smart homes, smart cities, smart manufacturing, and smart healthcare). To achieve these goals, innovative materials are needed to efficiently convert ambient energy into electricity through various physical mechanisms, such as the photovoltaic effect, thermoelectricity, piezoelectricity, triboelectricity, and electromagnetic power transfer. By bringing together the perspectives of experts in various types of energy harvesting materials, this Roadmap provides extensive insights into recent advances and present challenges in the field. Additionally, the Roadmap analyzes the key performance metrics of these technologies in relation to their ultimate energy conversion limits. Building on these insights, the Roadmap outlines promising directions for future research to fully harness the potential of energy harvesting materials for green energy anytime, anywhere.

Plants produce diverse secondary compounds as natural protection against microbial and insect attack. Most of these compounds, including bitters and acids, are sensed by insect gustatory receptors (Grs). Although some organic acids are attractive at low or moderate levels, most acidic compounds are potentially toxic to insects and repress food consumption at high concentrations. At present, the majority of the reported sour receptors function in appetitive behaviors rather than aversive taste responses. Here, using two different heterologous expression systems, the insect Sf9 cell line and the mammalian HEK293T cell line, we started from crude extracts of rice (Oryza sativa) and successfully identified oxalic acid (OA) as a ligand of NlGr23a, a Gr in the brown planthopper Nilaparvata lugens that feeds solely on rice. The antifeedant effect of OA on the brown planthopper was dose dependent, and NlGr23a mediated the repulsive responses to OA in both rice plants and artificial diets. To our knowledge, OA is the first identified ligand of Grs starting from plant crude extracts. These findings on rice–planthopper interactions will be of broad interest for pest control in agriculture and also for better understanding of how insects select host plants.

Tensor networks, which have been traditionally used to simulate many-body physics, have recently gained significant attention in the field of machine learning due to their powerful representation capabilities. In this work, we propose a density-based clustering algorithm inspired by tensor networks. We encode classical data into tensor network states on an extended Hilbert space and train the tensor network states to capture the features of the clusters. Here, we define density and related concepts in terms of fidelity, rather than using a classical distance measure. We evaluate the performance of our algorithm on six synthetic data sets, four real world data sets, and three commonly used computer vision data sets. The results demonstrate that our method provides state-of-the-art performance on several synthetic data sets and real world data sets, even when the number of clusters is unknown. Additionally, our algorithm performs competitively with state-of-the-art algorithms on the MNIST, USPS, and Fashion-MNIST image data sets. These findings reveal the great potential of tensor networks for machine learning applications.

A sensitivity study for the searching of the charged lepton flavor violating process $τ\to γμ$ at the Super $τ$-Charm Facility is performed with a fast simulation. With the expected performance of current detector design and the integrated luminosity of $1\text{ab}^{-1}$ in one year, the sensitivity on the branching fraction (BF) of $τ\to γμ$ is estimated to be at the level of $10^{-8}$. The sensitivity under different detector performances are also studied. With ideal performance, the BF could be probed to be $1.8 \times 10^{-8}$ at 90% confidence level. The sensitivity is expected to scale with the square root of the luminosity, therefore with a total luminosity of $10\text{ab}^{-1}$ corresponding to ten-year of data taking, the sensitivity could reach $5.7 \times 10^{-9}$, which is about one order of magnitude improvement upon the current best upper limit.

Glochidion (Phyllanthaceae; leafflower trees) is a genus of trees which is widely reported to be pollinated by leafflower moths (Gracillariidae: Epicephala) in temperate and subtropical Asia, Australia, and the Pacific islands. However, the pollination ecology of Glochidion is not well described from tropical Asia, the region where it is most species-rich at both local (≤9 spp.) and regional (~200 spp.) scales. Here we report investigations of pollination biology and species-specificity of five Glochidion species in tropical Southeast Asia (Cambodia). Through nocturnal observations and fruit dissections, we find that at least three and likely five Glochidion species in Cambodia are pollinated by seed-parasitic leafflower moths. We find no evidence that any of these leafflower moths are non-mutualistic parasites, despite known examples of such parasites of this mutualism elsewhere in Asia. While the presence of a single larva in a fruit results in only a fraction of seeds being consumed, the presence of more than one larva per fruit—a frequent occurrence in some species—can result in almost all seeds within the fruit being infested. Multilocus phylogenetic analysis indicates that there are five different minimally monophyletic leafflower moth clades, each of which pollinates a unique Glochidion host species. Our results indicate that in its center of diversity in tropical Asia this system is an obligate pollination mutualism as previously described at the global margins of its distribution. These findings provide insights into the processes that generate and maintain biodiversity and maintain mutualism stability in plant–insect interactions in this biodiversity hotspot.

Rice is a staple food crop worldwide, and its production is severely threatened by phloem-feeding insect herbivores, particularly the brown planthopper (BPH, Nilaparvata lugens), and destructive pathogens. Despite the identification of many BPH resistance genes, the molecular basis of rice resistance to BPH remains largely unclear. Here, we report that the plant elicitor peptide (Pep) signalling confers rice resistance to BPH. Both rice PEP RECEPTORs (PEPRs) and PRECURSORs of PEP (PROPEPs), particularly OsPROPEP3, were transcriptionally induced in leaf sheaths upon BPH infestation. Knockout of OsPEPRs impaired rice resistance to BPH, whereas exogenous application of OsPep3 improved the resistance. Hormone measurement and co-profiling of transcriptomics and metabolomics in OsPep3-treated rice leaf sheaths suggested potential contributions of jasmonic acid biosynthesis, lipid metabolism and phenylpropanoid metabolism to OsPep3-induced rice immunity. Moreover, OsPep3 elicitation also strengthened rice resistance to the fungal pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae and bacterial pathogen Xanthamonas oryzae pv. oryzae and provoked immune responses in wheat. Collectively, this work demonstrates a previously unappreciated importance of the Pep signalling in plants for combating piercing-sucking insect herbivores and promises exogenous application of OsPep3 as an eco-friendly immune stimulator in agriculture for crop protection against a broad spectrum of insect pests and pathogens.

Objective To compare the white matter fiber integrity of corpus callosum in schizophrenia patients with different treatment response with normal controls. And to explore the relationship between DTI index and the severity of the clinical symptoms in patients with schizophrenia. Methods Nineteen patients with treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia, 19 patients with treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia and 25 healthy controls were recruited from December 2012 to March 2016 of The Affiliated Brain Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Fractional anisotropy (FA), axial diffusivity (AD), radial diffusivity (RD) and mean diffusivity (MD) values of the genu, body and splenium of corpus callosum were obtained by DTI. One⁃way ANOVA was used to compare the differences in FA, AD, RD and MD values of the corpus callosum subregions among 3 groups of subjects, and Pearson correlation and partial correlation analyses were performed between FA, AD, RD, MD values and the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) total score, positive symptom score, negative symptom score and general psychopathology score. Results There were significant differences in FA value of genu (F=3.139, P=0.050), FA value of splenium (F=3.531, P=0.036), AD value of splenium (F=5.261, P=0.006), RD value of splenium (F=7.161, P=0.002) and MD value of splenium (F=8.229, P=0.001) of the corpus callosum among 3 groups. Pairwise comparison showed the FA value of the corpus callosum in the treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia patients was lower than that of the control group (t=⁃2.488, P=0.016), and the FA value of the corpus callosum splenium in the treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia patients was lower than that of the control group (t=⁃2.491, P=0.016). The AD value of the corpus callosum splenium in the treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia patients was higher than that of the treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia group (t=⁃2.078, P=0.042) and the control group (t=3.334, P=0.001); the RD value of the corpus callosum splenium in the treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia patients (t=2.361, P=0.022) and treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia patients (t=3.687, P=0.000) were higher than that of the control group; the MD value of corpus callosum splenium in the treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia patients (t=2.083, P=0.041) and treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia patients (t=4.039, P=0.000) were higher than that of the control group. Partial correlation analysis results showed that, in the genu of the corpus callosum in patients with treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia, FA value was positively correlated with general psychopathological score (r=0.651, P=0.016); AD value was negatively correlated with positive symptom score (r=⁃0.553, P=0.050); RD value was negatively correlated with PANSS total score (r=⁃0.645, P=0.017), positive symptom score (r=⁃0.568, P=0.043) and general psychopathology score (r=⁃0.647, P=0.011); MD value was negatively correlated with positive symptom score (r=⁃0.640, P=0.018). In splenium of corpus callosum in treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia patients, AD value was negatively correlated with positive symptom score (r=⁃0.639, P=0.019), and positively correlated with negative symptom score (r=0.686, P=0.010). There was no correlation between FA, AD, RD and MD values of genu, body and splenium of corpus callosum and PANSS total score, positive symptom score, negative symptom score and general psychopathology score in patients with treatment⁃responsive schizophrenia (P＞0.05, for all). Conclusions Patients with treatment⁃resistant schizophrenia have more severe clinical symptoms involving more neurobiological bases. The corpus callosum injury can be used as an imaging marker of treatment response in schizophrenia.

Requirements for the cockpit of military vehicles are constantly increasing as a result of escalating threats. The traditional transparent bulletproof armor based on glass have been unsatisfactory to relevant application requirements, and lighter and thinner transparent armor based on ceramics is becoming main option. Similar to other bulletproof armor, the main research fields of transparent bulletproof armor include:seek materials with higher performance for armor components; guide the structure design and ballistic test by experiment or computer simulation; understand the main performance of armor materials, the holistic performance of the armor system and the interaction between the components of the whole system more deeply. Based on this notion, the advantages and disadvantages, preparation technology, development, and application situation of the three kinds of ceramic materials commonly used in transparent armor were summarized. Among the three kinds of ceramics, sapphire has the best static parameters. As for the actual effect of bulletproof, the polycrystalline ceramics are better. The main reason for this phenomenon is that the different fragmentation modes of the two kinds of ceramics lead to the difference of projectile-target interaction effect. After that, the crack growth under high strain rate and bullet-proof property of single crystal, polycrystalline ceramics and glass were discussed. Under uniaxial, high strain rate compression, the crack propagation characteristics of materials are sensitive to impact energy/velocity. Polycrystalline ceramics has a composite failure mode of intergranular fracture and intragranular fracture. Under high energy impact, the damage zone of sapphire is similar to polycrystalline ceramics. Lower than critical energy, some sapphire plate orientations damage would be dominated. Finally, the material selection standards and structural design principles of each functional layer were summarized and prospected. Fine grain polycrystalline ceramic materials with high Young's modulus and high hardness are preferred for the strike-layer. Materials with good fracture toughness, high bending stiffness and the ability to localization of the damage within a narrow region should be selected for the intermediate layer. The materials of backing layer require ductility and low density. The bulletproof efficiency of the transparent-armor systems depends on the type and the degree of interaction/integration of different functional layers.

For many highly complex, ecological, physical and societal structures, the conventional hypotheses that underpin many theoretical and analytical frameworks are false. Complex systems research elucidates why and when such preconceptions are incorrect, as well as alternate paradigms for comprehending complex series characteristics. Complexity characteristics, the tradeoff between effectiveness and adaptation, the need of matching the complexities of networks to that of their surroundings, multiresolution assessment, and evolution are among the fundamental concepts of Complex Systems (CS) research introduced in this study. Instead of simulating particular dynamics, we concentrate on the general characteristics of systems. We didactically explain a theoretical and analytic strategy for comprehending and engaging with the complicated processes of our environment rather than giving a complete overview. This article requires just a middle school mathematics and science foundation in order to make it approachable to researchers from all disciplines, decision-makers from business, government, and charity, and anybody engaged in networks and civilization.

Abnormal expression of long interspersed element-1 (LINE-1) has been implicated in drug resistance, while our previous study showed that chemotherapy drug paclitaxel (PTX) increased LINE-1 level with unknown mechanism. Bioinformatics analysis suggested the regulation of LINE-1 mRNA by drug-induced stress granules (SGs). This study aimed to explore whether and how SGs are involved in drug-induced LINE-1 increase and thereby promotes drug resistance of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cells. We demonstrated that SGs increased LINE-1 expression by recruiting and stabilizing LINE-1 mRNA under drug stress, thereby adapting TNBC cells to chemotherapy drugs. Moreover, LINE-1 inhibitor efavirenz (EFV) could inhibit drug-induced SG to destabilize LINE-1. Our study provides the first evidence of the regulation of LINE-1 by SGs that could be an important survival mechanism for cancer cells exposed to chemotherapy drugs. The findings provide a useful clue for developing new chemotherapeutic strategies against TNBCs.

We present fast Rydberg-mediated entanglement involving nuclear spins of divalent atoms with $^{171}$Yb as an example. First, we show a nuclear-spin controlled phase gate of an arbitrary phase realizable either with two laser pulses when assisted by Stark shifts, or with three pulses. Second, we propose to create a state $(\lvert\text{cc}\rangle_{\text{e}} \otimes \lvert\Phi\rangle_{\text{n}} + \lvert\Phi\rangle_{\text{e}} \otimes \lvert\Psi\rangle_{\text{n}} )/\sqrt{2}$ entangled between the electrons~(e) and nuclear spins~(n) of two atoms, where $\lvert\Phi\rangle$ and $\lvert\Psi\rangle$ are two orthogonal Bell states and $\lvert \text{c}\rangle_{\text{e}}$ denotes the clock state. For want of a better term, it is called a Super Bell State for it mimics a ``large'' Bell state incorporating three ``smaller'' Bell states. Third, we show a protocol to create a three-atom state $(\sqrt{3}\lvert\text{ccc}\rangle_{\text{e}} \otimes \lvert\Lambda\rangle_{\text{n}} + \lvert \text{W}\rangle_{\text{e}} \otimes \lvert \text{GHZ}\rangle_{\text{n}} )/2$, where $\lvert\Lambda\rangle_{\text{n}}$ is a nuclear-spin state, $\lvert \text{W}\rangle_{\text{e}}$ is a W state in the ground-clock state space, and $\lvert \text{GHZ}\rangle_{\text{n}}$ is the Greenberger-Horne-Zeilinger~(GHZ) state in the nuclear-spin state space. The four protocols possess high intrinsic fidelities, do not require single-site Rydberg addressing, and can be executed with large $\Omega_{\text{m}}$ in a weak, Gauss-scale magnetic field for they involve Rydberg excitation of both nuclear-spin qubit states in each atom. The latter two protocols can enable measurement-based preparation of Bell, hyperentangled, and GHZ states., Comment: 19 pages, 11 figures

Lysimachia nutantiflora F.H.Chen & C.M.Hu (1979: 28) (Fig. 4) References: — Hu & Kelso (1996: 53). Habitat and phenology: —Evergreen forests; 800–1100 m. Flowering in May–June, fruiting unknown. Distribution: — China (SW Guangxi), Vietnam (Gia Lai: Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve). Studied specimens: — VIETNAM. Gia Lai province: K’Bang district, Son Lang municipality, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, 29 km ESE of Mang Den town, forest, near waterfall, N 14°31’05’’ E 108°32’50’’, 1000 m, 01 June 2016, M. S . Nuraliev 1624 (IBSC; MW: MW0754511). Notes. Lysimachia nutantiflora is described as having an elongate several- to many-flowered terminal raceme, which is an important character for identification of this species (Hu & Kelso 1996). However, the flower-subtending bracts of L. nutantiflora are leaf-like, with the lower bracts differing from the leaves only in being twice smaller (sometimes even insignificantly smaller, as seen in the Vietnamese specimen). Thus, L. nutantiflora shows an intermediate morphology between a terminal raceme and solitary flowers in axils of the upper leaves., Published as part of Nuraliev, Maxim S., Toyama, Hironori, Hu, Chi-Ming, Luo, Shi-Xiao, Lyskov, Dmitry F., Kuznetsov, Andrey N., Kuznetsova, Svetlana P., Quang, Bui Hong, Binh, Tran Duc & Hoan, Duong Thi, 2022, Three new national records from Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, Vietnam: Euphorbia bokorensis, Glochidion geoffrayi and Lysimachia nutantiflora, pp. 73-82 in Phytotaxa 574 (1) on pages 79-80, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.574.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/7359814, {"references":["Hu, C. M. & Kelso, S. (1996) Primulaceae. In: Wu, Z. Y., Raven, P. H. & Hong, D. Y. (Eds.) Flora of China. Vol. 15. Science Press and Missouri Botanical Garden, Beijing and St. Louis, pp. 39 - 189."]}

Glochidion geoffrayi Beille in Gagnepain & Beille (1927: 619) (Fig. 3) Habitat and phenology: —Evergreen forests; 900 m. Flowering and fruiting in December–April. Distribution: — Cambodia (Kampot), Vietnam (Gia Lai: Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve). Studied specimens: — VIETNAM. Gia Lai province: K’Bang district, Son Lang municipality, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, 32 km ESE of Mang Den town, disturbed forest, N 14°27’48’’ E 108°34’55’’, 930 m, 01 April 2018, M.S. Nuraliev, A.N. Kuznetsov, S.P. Kuznetsova 1962 (IBSC; L; MW: MW0758395). Notes. As follows from the key provided by Gagnepain & Beille (1927), Glochidion geoffrayi is distinct from its morphologically similar congeners mainly by the hairy stylar column (Fig. 3E–G). Glochidion geoffrayi differs from G. anamiticum (Kuntze 1891: 601) Kuntze ex Merrill (1936: 195) (including G. annamense Beille 1927: 627), which also possesses a hairy stylar column, by longer styles with respect to the stylar column: the style/stylar column ratio is more than 2 in G. geoffrayi (Gagnepain & Beille 1927: Fig. 74-14) and about 1.5–2 in G. anamiticum (Gagnepain & Beille 1927: Fig. 74-19, Yao et al. 2018: Fig. 2A)., Published as part of Nuraliev, Maxim S., Toyama, Hironori, Hu, Chi-Ming, Luo, Shi-Xiao, Lyskov, Dmitry F., Kuznetsov, Andrey N., Kuznetsova, Svetlana P., Quang, Bui Hong, Binh, Tran Duc & Hoan, Duong Thi, 2022, Three new national records from Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, Vietnam: Euphorbia bokorensis, Glochidion geoffrayi and Lysimachia nutantiflora, pp. 73-82 in Phytotaxa 574 (1) on pages 77-78, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.574.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/7359814, {"references":["Gagnepain, F. & Beille, L. (1927) Euphorbiacees. In: Lecomte, H. (Ed.) Flore Generale de L'Indo-Chine 5. Masson et Cie, Paris, pp. 15 - 673.","Kuntze, O. (1891) Revisio generum plantarum vascularium omnium atque cellularium multarum secundum leges nomenclaturae internationales cum enumeratione plantarum exoticarum in itinere mundi collectarum. Part 2. A. Felix, Leipzig, 1011 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 327","Merrill, E. D. (1936) Otto Kuntze's new genera and new species of Indo-China plants. Brittonia 2 (3): 189 - 200. https: // doi. org / 10.2307 / 2804861","Yao, G., Song, Z., Wu, Y., Thanh, N. T. K., Li, Y., Shi, S. & Luo, S. (2018) Taxonomic studies of Glochidion (Phyllanthaceae) from the Indo-China Peninsula (II): The identities of G. anamiticum and G. annamense. PhytoKeys 114: 1 - 9. https: // doi. org / 10.3897 / phytokeys. 114.30725"]}

Euphorbia bokorensis H. Toyama & Tagane in Toyama et al. (2016: 92) (Fig. 1) References: — Lim et al. (2021: 308). Habitat and phenology: —Humid evergreen broad-leaved forests, often near streams; 400–1300 m. Flowering and fruiting in October–July. Distribution: — Laos (Bolikhamsai: Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area), Cambodia (Kampot: Bokor National Park), Vietnam (Dak Nong: Ta Dung National Park, Gia Lai: Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, Lam Dong: Bao Loc). Distribution of E. bokorensis is presented in Fig. 2. Studied specimens: — CAMBODIA. Kampot province: Popokwil plateau, wet slopes near stream, 800 m, 14 January 1904, C. Geoffray 357 (P: P04462014). VIETNAM. Gia Lai province: K’Bang district, Son Lang municipality, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, N 14°30’42.3’’ E 108°34’23.2’’, 983 m, 26 July 2017, Bui Hong Quang, Do Van Hai, Tran Duc Binh, Duong Thi Hoan KCR 90 (HN; herbarium of Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve); Gia Lai province: K’Bang district, Son Lang municipality, Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, 32 km ESE of Mang Den town, mixed forest, N 14°30’34’’ E 108°34’15’’, 1020 m, 06 April 2018, M. S. Nuraliev 2029 (MW: MW0756573, MW0756574); Dak Nong province: Dak Glong district, Dak Plao municipality, Ta Dung National Park, 38 km ESE of Gia Nghia city, forest on slope, N 11°51’02’’ E 108°00’35’’, 1290 m, 27 January 2021, M. S. Nuraliev, D. F. Lyskov NUR 3262 (MW: MW0758118, MW0758119, MW0758120); Lam Dong province: Bao Lam district, Loc Bac municipality, 12 km WNW of Loc Thang town, in the forest, near river, N 11°44’18’’ E 107°43’22’’, 1000 m, 18 April 2013, M. S. Nuraliev NUR 836a (photo LE: LE01093252); Haut Donnaï [Lam Dong] province: near Blao [Bao Loc] agricultural station, Pnon Sapoum, forest, clay soil, 1100 m, 07 January 1935, E. Poilane 23682 (L: L.3795101, L.3795102; P: P05545135, P05545136). Notes. 1. Euphorbia bokorensis appears to occur throughout the Central Highlands of Vietnam. It is recorded from Kon Tum - Gia Lai and Langbian plateaus, and its occurence in Dak Lak plateau is highly probable. The findings are in line with the idea of Lim et al. (2021) that the species is widely distributed in the Eastern Indochina. 2. The Vietnamese material allows to describe certain morphological variation of E. bokorensis. The shape of leaf blade varies from oblanceolate to prominently obpandurate. Cyathophylls in some populations are significantly smaller than those in the type material: in Nuraliev, Lyskov NUR 3262, they are 1.5–3 mm long (vs. ca. 4 mm long in the protologue); in the photo record Nuraliev NUR 836a, they are scale-like, hardly exceed the involucre and do not provide showy appearance to the cyathium. Although the cyathophylls are stated to be basally fused in the protologue, they are free from each other in the specimens from Vietnam, and they are also likely to be free in the type material. Short hairs are present in the axils of cyathophylls, and sometimes also on the outer surface of the involucre. Involucre lobes are initially yellowish cream (similar to the glands), but in some cyathia they acquire red tint with age. The gynoecium also becomes reddish after anthesis in some cases. 3. It is evident that the species possesses male cyathia, which develop in the same inflorescences with the hermaphrodite cyathia (Fig. 1B, F, G).As far as the hermaphrodite cyathia of E. bokorensis (Fig. 1D, E) are protogynous (which is typical for the genus: Narbona et al. 2002), the absence of an externally visible pistillate flower at the phase of anthesis of the staminate flowers would indicate that the pistillate flower is non-functional or completely absent in a cyathium. The male cyathia are also visible in Fig. 5 C, D of the protologue (Toyama et al. 2016). The presence of male cyathia in E. bokorensis is consistent with the findings of Narbona et al. (2002) who demonstrated such functional andromonoecy to be common in Euphorbia Linnaeus (1753: 450) and especially in its perennial species. According to our preliminary observations, a vestigial pistillate flower is commonly present in male cyathia of E. bokorensis. 4. Re-examination of the type material allowed to conclude that Toyama et al. (2016) have only examined male cyathia of E. bokorensis. Here, we provide for the first time illustrations (Fig. 1B, C, D, E) and description of a functional (normally developed) pistillate flower of this species. Pistillate flower glabrous, perianthless, green and sometimes becoming reddish with age; pedicel ca. 1 mm long (ovary placed just above the involucre glands or partly hidden in the involucre during anthesis); pedicel apically broadened to form a tiny collar at base of gynoecium; ovary globose, ca. 1 mm long and in diameter, longitudinally slightly 6-ridged, 3-locular; stylar column ca. 0.3–0.5 mm long; styles 3, ca. 0.5–0.8 mm long, bilobed almost to base; each style branch bent on abaxial side (facing the involucre of cyathium), apically bearing nearly globose papillate stigma., Published as part of Nuraliev, Maxim S., Toyama, Hironori, Hu, Chi-Ming, Luo, Shi-Xiao, Lyskov, Dmitry F., Kuznetsov, Andrey N., Kuznetsova, Svetlana P., Quang, Bui Hong, Binh, Tran Duc & Hoan, Duong Thi, 2022, Three new national records from Kon Chu Rang Nature Reserve, Vietnam: Euphorbia bokorensis, Glochidion geoffrayi and Lysimachia nutantiflora, pp. 73-82 in Phytotaxa 574 (1) on pages 75-77, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.574.1.4, http://zenodo.org/record/7359814, {"references":["Toyama, H., Tagane, S., Chhang, P., Nagamasu, H. & Yahara, T. (2016) Flora of Bokor National Park, Cambodia IV: A new section and species of Euphorbia subgenus Euphorbia. Acta Phytotaxonomica et Geobotanica 67 (2): 83 - 96. https: // doi. org / 10.18942 / apg. 201518","Lim, C. K., Lee, K. E., Cho, H. S., Saysavanh, V. & Won, H. (2021) New records of flowering plants collected from the Phou Khao Khouay National Biodiversity Conservation Area for the flora of Laos. Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy 51 (3): 305 - 318. https: // doi. org / 10.11110 / kjpt. 2021.51.3.305","Narbona, E., Ortiz, P. L. & Arista, M. (2002) Functional andromonoecy in Euphorbia (Euphorbiaceae). Annals of Botany 89 (5): 571 - 577. https: // doi. org / 10.1093 / aob / mcf 099","Linnaeus, C. (1753) Species Plantarum 1. Imprensis Laurentii Salvii, Stockholm, 560 pp. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 669"]}

Considering the fact that the phenomenon of consumer behavior-based pricing (BBP) is becoming more prominent in global online sales, an international online channel decision-making model composed of an e-commerce firm and a manufacturer is established. The e-commerce firm is the leader, while the manufacturer is the follower. This study analyzes the decision-making problems in two cases. The first case happens when an international manufacturer establishes its own online-selling website. The second case uses the e-commerce firm’s online-selling platform. We make a horizontal and vertical comparison of equilibrium decision-making for these two participants, respectively. We examine how the manufacturer makes choices and how the e-commerce firm makes decisions about the referral fee rate and franchise fee under the BBP in the international environment. Whether the two players make different decisions between new customers and regular customers is verified. By constructing mathematical models under different channel structures and solving them, and finally, by comparing the equilibrium decisions under different structures and numerical analysis with the help of mathematical software, we have obtained some interesting conclusions. It is found that if the manufacturer establishes its own online-selling website, the e-commerce firm will provide new customers with lower prices than the price for regular customers. At this point, as direct competition forms between the e-commerce platform and the manufacturer, this allows the platform to offer lower prices to new customers in order to attract more new customers to shop on the platform. The manufacturer would differentiate new customers and regular customers according to the unit selling cost of its own website and consumers’ shopping costs. If the manufacturer uses the online-selling platform of the e-commerce firm, the manufacturer will provide a lower price to new customers; however, the e-commerce firm’s attitude to new and regular customers is affected by the referral fee rate. In addition, when the referral fee rate is reduced and the franchise fee is moderated, or the referral fee rate is moderate, and the franchise fee is reduced, the e-commerce firm will decide to attract manufacturers to sell products on its online platform. The manufacturer will give up establishing its own online-selling website and prefer to sell on the e-commerce firm’s online platform.

Sphingolipids have key functions in plant membrane structure and signaling. Perturbations of plant sphingolipid metabolism often induce cell death and salicylic acid (SA) accumulation; SA accumulation, in turn, promotes sphingolipid metabolism and further cell death. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we show that the Arabidopsis thaliana lipase-like protein ENHANCED DISEASE SUSCEPTIBILITY 1 (EDS1) and its partner PHYTOALEXIN DEFICIENT 4 (PAD4) participate in sphingolipid metabolism and associated cell death. The accelerated cell death 5 (acd5) mutants accumulate ceramides due to a defect in ceramide kinase and show spontaneous cell death. Loss of function of EDS1, PAD4 or SALICYLIC ACID INDUCTION DEFICIENT 2 (SID2) in the acd5 background suppressed the acd5 cell death phenotype and prevented ceramide accumulation. Treatment with the SA analogue benzothiadiazole partially restored sphingolipid accumulation in the acd5 pad4 and acd5 eds1 double mutants, showing that the inhibitory effect of the pad4-1 and eds1-2 mutations on acd5-conferred sphingolipid accumulation partly depends on SA. Moreover, the pad4-1 and eds1-2 mutations substantially rescued the susceptibility of the acd5 mutant to Botrytis cinerea. Consistent with this, B. cinerea-induced ceramide accumulation requires PAD4 or EDS1. Finally, examination of plants overexpressing the ceramide synthase gene LAG1 HOMOLOGUE2 suggested that EDS1, PAD4 and SA are involved in long-chain ceramide metabolism and ceramide-associated cell death. Collectively, our observations reveal that EDS1 and PAD4 mediate ceramide (especially long-chain ceramide) metabolism and associated cell death, by SA-dependent and SA-independent pathways.

The extant Keteleeria is endemic to East and Southeast Asia, while it is widely distributed in the northern hemisphere in Earth’s history. In this paper, we reported a novel wood fossil of Keteleerioxylon changchunense Shi, Sun, Meng et Yu sp. nov. collected from the middle member of Yingcheng Formation, Yingcheng Coal Mine, Changchun City, Jilin Province, Northeast China. The quantitative growth-ring analyses of K. changchunense indicate that it was evergreen and its leaf longevity was 1-3 years, which is consistent with the foliar retention of extant Keteleeria. Its high ring markedness index (RMI) indicates that the climate seasonality was pronounced during the early Albian in Songliao Basin, Northeast China. The fossil records of Keteleeria and closely related taxa indicate that this group might originate in Northeast China, spread and migrated northward during the Cretaceous, gradually decreased in the Cenozoic, and so far only survives in East and Southeast Asia.

PURPOSE Bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA), the most common urinary tract malignancy, has a high recurrence rate and poor survival at late stages. Necroptosis, a form of programmed cell death, is involved in cancer development and progression, but its function in BLCA prognosis remains unclear. This study sought to investigate the role of necroptosis in the development and prognosis of BLCA. METHODS Clinical information and RNA expression matrix data were obtained from the databases. Survival analysis was performed to obtain survival- and necroptosis-related genes and identify any that overlapped. Consensus clustering analysis was used to create different subgroups by combining the overlapping gene expression matrix and clinical information. The tumor immune microenvironment and immune status of the different subgroups were determined using ESTIMATE, MCPcounter, and ssGSEA analysis. We performed differential analysis on the gene expression matrix of molecular subpopulations to find and screen out differentially expressed genes (DEGs). GO, KEGG, GSVA, and GSEA analyses were used to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of the DEGs. Lasso Cox regression analysis was used to build a prognostic risk model and perform a pan-cancer analysis of the screened genes. The results were used to define potential roles for these genes in other cancers and assess the efficacy of the risk model. RESULTS Cluster analysis identified two subgroups, C1 and C2, with significantly different survival rates. ESTIMATE, MCPcounter, and ssGSEA analyses showed that high immune scores, tumor purity, and immune status were associated with poorer prognoses. GO and KEGG functional enrichment analyses indicated that DEGs were mainly focused on tumor proliferation, invasion, and immunity and GSEA analysis suggested that necroptosis may affect Toll-like receptor signaling pathways, MAPK cascade regulation of leukocyte trafficking, and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction pathways. Lasso Cox regression analysis was used to model the prognostic risk while screening for representative necroptosis-associated genes, ANXA1, ATAD3A, and TRPC6, with high potential for survival prediction in BLCA patients. The pan-cancer analysis indicated that the three representative genes were also differentially expressed in other cancer types. CONCLUSION Expression of necroptosis-related genes such as ANXA1, ATAD3A, and TRPC6 correlate with the immune microenvironment of BLCA patients and have the potential for use in disease prognostics.

The progression from compensatory hypertrophy to heart failure is difficult to reverse, in part due to extracellular matrix fibrosis and continuous activation of abnormal signaling pathways. Although the anthraquinone rhein has been examined for its many biological properties, it is not clear whether it has therapeutic value in the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In this study, we report for the first time that rhein can ameliorate transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac hypertrophy and other cardiac damage in vivo and in vitro. In addition, rhein can reduce cardiac hypertrophy by attenuating atrial natriuretic peptide, brain natriuretic peptide, and β-MHC expression; cardiac fibrosis; and ERK phosphorylation and transport into the nucleus. Furthermore, the inhibitory effect of rhein on myocardial hypertrophy was similar to that of specific inhibitors of STAT3 and ERK signaling. In addition, rhein at therapeutic doses had no significant adverse effects or toxicity on liver and kidney function. We conclude that rhein reduces TAC-induced cardiac hypertrophy via targeted inhibition of the molecular function of ERK and downregulates STAT3 and p38 MAPK signaling. Therefore, rhein might be a novel and effective agent for treating cardiac hypertrophy and other cardiovascular diseases.

Objective: Liver fibrosis is a frequently occurring liver injury which lacks of effective treatment clinically. Here, we investigated the protective effects of a novel compound Gorse isoflavone alkaloid (GIA) against liver fibrosis. Methods: Totally forty rats were randomly divided into four groups. Then we established a model of liver fibrosis induced by the intragastric administration of carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)). This treated group was followed by the intragastric administration of GIA and colchicine. Then the liver index and spleen index, and liver function indexes were detected by kit. Western blotting assay was performed to estimate the expression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and related proteins. Tissue fibrosis was observed by Masson staining. Results: Our results suggested that GIA reduced the deposition of collagen fibres and the fibrosis index hydroxyproline (Hyp) of liver tissue. Furthermore, we found that GIA significantly decreased the expression of Transforming Growth Factor-β1 (TGF-β1) and the ratio of p-smad2/3 to smad2/3, enhanced the level of superoxide dismutase (SOD), and decreased the concentration of malonic dialdehyde (MDA) in the liver. Conclusions: Our findings revealed that GIA has a beneficial effect to resist the liver fibrosis, and could be ideal for potential use in antifibrotic drugs for the liver.

Immune response in plants is tightly regulated by the coordination of the cell surface and intracellular receptors. In animals, the membrane attack complex/perforin-like (MACPF) protein superfamily creates oligomeric pore structures on the cell surface during pathogen infection. However, the function and molecular mechanism of MACPF proteins in plant pathogen responses remain largely unclear. In this study, we identified an Arabidopsis MACP2 and investigated the responsiveness of this protein during both bacterial and fungal pathogens. We suggest that MACP2 induces programmed cell death, bacterial pathogen resistance, and necrotrophic fungal pathogen sensitivity by activating the biosynthesis of tryptophan-derived indole glucosinolates and the salicylic acid signaling pathway dependent on the activity of enhanced disease susceptibility 1 (EDS1). Moreover, the response of MACP2 mRNA isoforms upon pathogen attack is differentially regulated by a posttranscriptional mechanism: alternative splicing. In comparison to previously reported MACPFs in Arabidopsis, MACP2 shares a redundant but nonoverlapping role in plant immunity. Thus, our findings provide novel insights and genetic tools for the MACPF family in maintaining SA accumulation in response to pathogens in Arabidopsis.

Submergence is an abiotic stress that limits agricultural production world-wide. Plants sense oxygen levels during submergence and postsubmergence reoxygenation and modulate their responses. Increasing evidence suggests that completely submerged plants are often exposed to low-light stress, owing to the depth and turbidity of the surrounding water; however, how light availability affects submergence tolerance remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that Arabidopsis thaliana MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 (MYB30) is an important transcription factor that integrates light signaling and postsubmergence stress responses. MYB DOMAIN PROTEIN30 protein abundance decreased upon submergence and accumulated during reoxygenation. Under submergence conditions, CONSTITUTIVE PHOTOMORPHOGENIC1 (COP1), a central regulator of light signaling, caused the ubiquitination and degradation of MYB30. In response to desubmergence, however, light-induced MYB30 interacted with MYC2, a master transcription factor involved in jasmonate signaling, and activated the expression of the VITAMIN C DEFECTIVE1 (VTC1) and GLUTATHIONE SYNTHETASE1 (GSH1) gene families to enhance antioxidant biosynthesis. Consistent with this, the myb30 knockout mutant showed increased sensitivity to submergence, which was partially rescued by overexpression of VTC1 or GSH1. Thus, our findings uncover the mechanism by which the COP1-MYB30 module integrates light signals with cellular oxidative homeostasis to coordinate plant responses to postsubmergence stress.

Meprin and TRAF homology (MATH)-domain-containing proteins are pivotal in modulating plant development and environmental stress responses. To date, members of the MATH gene family have been identified only in a few plant species, including Arabidopsis thaliana, Brassica rapa, maize, and rice, and the functions of this gene family in other economically important crops, especially the Solanaceae family, remain unclear. The present study identified and analyzed 58 MATH genes from three Solanaceae species, including tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), potato (Solanum tuberosum), and pepper (Capsicum annuum). Phylogenetic analysis and domain organization classified these MATH genes into four groups, consistent with those based on motif organization and gene structure. Synteny analysis found that segmental and tandem duplication might have contributed to MATH gene expansion in the tomato and the potato, respectively. Collinearity analysis revealed high conservation among Solanaceae MATH genes. Further cis-regulatory element prediction and gene expression analysis showed that Solanaceae MATH genes play essential roles during development and stress response. These findings provide a theoretical basis for other functional studies on Solanaceae MATH genes.

Root-synthesized cytokinins are transported to the shoot and regulate the growth, development, and stress responses of aerial tissues. Previous studies have demonstrated that Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) ATP binding cassette (ABC) transporter G family member 14 (AtABCG14) participates in xylem loading of root-synthesized cytokinins. However, the mechanism by which these root-derived cytokinins are distributed in the shoot remains unclear. Here, we revealed that AtABCG14-mediated phloem unloading through the apoplastic pathway is required for the appropriate shoot distribution of root-synthesized cytokinins in Arabidopsis. Wild-type rootstocks grafted to atabcg14 scions successfully restored trans-zeatin xylem loading. However, only low levels of root-synthesized cytokinins and induced shoot signaling were rescued. Reciprocal grafting and tissue-specific genetic complementation demonstrated that AtABCG14 disruption in the shoot considerably increased the retention of root-synthesized cytokinins in the phloem and substantially impaired their distribution in the leaf apoplast. The translocation of root-synthesized cytokinins from the xylem to the phloem and the subsequent unloading from the phloem is required for the shoot distribution and long-distance shootward transport of root-synthesized cytokinins. This study revealed a mechanism by which the phloem regulates systemic signaling of xylem-mediated transport of root-synthesized cytokinins from the root to the shoot.

Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) is the most frequent malignant tumor of the liver, but its prognosis is poor. Histone acetylation is an important epigenetic regulatory mode that modulates chromatin structure and transcriptional status to control gene expression in eukaryotic cells. Generally, histone acetylation and deacetylation processes are controlled by the opposing activities of histone acetyltransferases (HATs) and histone deacetylases (HDACs). Dysregulation of histone modification is reported to drive aberrant transcriptional programmes that facilitate liver cancer onset and progression. Emerging studies have demonstrated that several HDAC inhibitors exert tumor-suppressive properties via activation of various cell death molecular pathways in HCC. However, the complexity involved in the epigenetic transcription modifications and non-epigenetic cellular signaling processes limit their potential clinical applications. This review brings an in-depth view of the oncogenic mechanisms reported to be related to aberrant HCC-associated histone acetylation, which might provide new insights into the effective therapeutic strategies to prevent and treat HCC.

Topological nontrivial bands can be realized via Rydberg-dressed neutral atoms. We propose a two-dimensional hard-core boson model with a topological ground enrgy at band on a honeycomb lattice, where the particle hopping is realized via van der Waals interaction that exchanges the Rydberg states of two interacting atoms, while nonzero phases associated with hopping is created by transferring the optical phase of laser fields to the atomic pair wave function. Using exactly diagonalization and infinite density matrix renormalization group simulation, we find in the system a fractional Chern insulator phase with a Chern number C = 1/2, which can persist in the presence of weak many-body interactions. Our studies indicate that fractional Chern insulators can be studied with neutral-atom arrays., 7 pages,5 figures

The progression from compensatory hypertrophy to heart failure is difficult to reverse, in part due to extracellular matrix fibrosis and continuous activation of abnormal signaling pathways. Although the anthraquinone rhein has been examined for its many biological properties, it is not clear whether it has therapeutic value in the treatment of cardiac hypertrophy and heart failure. In this study, we report for the first time that rhein can ameliorate transverse aortic constriction (TAC)-induced cardiac hypertrophy and other cardiac damage

Arabidopsis CDG1 negatively regulates flg22- and chitin-triggered immunity by promoting FLS2 and CERK1 degradation and is partially required for bacterial effector AvrRpm1-induced RIN4 phosphorylation. Negative regulators play indispensable roles in pattern-triggered immunity in plants by preventing sustained immunity impeding growth. Here, we report Arabidopsis thaliana CONSTITUTIVE DIFFERENTIAL GROWTH1 (CDG1), a receptor-like cytoplasmic kinase VII member, as a negative regulator of bacterial flagellin/flg22- and fungal chitin-triggered immunity. CDG1 can interact with the flg22 receptor FLAGELLIN SENSITIVE2 (FLS2) and chitin co-receptor CHITIN ELICITOR RECEPTOR KINASE1 (CERK1). CDG1 overexpression impairs flg22 and chitin responses by promoting the degradation of FLS2 and CERK1. This process requires the kinase activity of MEK KINASE1 (MEKK1), but not the Plant U-Box (PUB) ubiquitin E3 ligases PUB12 and PUB13. Interestingly, the Pseudomonas syringae effector AvrRpm1 can induce CDG1 to interact with its host target RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (RIN4), which depends on the ADP-ribosyl transferase activity of AvrRpm1. CDG1 is capable of phosphorylating RIN4 in vitro at multiple sites including Thr166 and the AvrRpm1-induced Thr166 phosphorylation of RIN4 is diminished in cdg1 null plants. Accordingly, CDG1 knockout attenuates AvrRpm1-induced hypersensitive response and increases the growth of AvrRpm1-secreting bacteria in plants. Unexpectedly, AvrRpm1 can also induce FLS2 depletion, which is fully dependent on RIN4 and partially dependent on CDG1, but does not require the kinase activity of MEKK1. Collectively, this study reveals previously unknown functions of CDG1 in both pattern-triggered immunity and effector-triggered susceptibility in plants.

Suillus is a genus of ectomycorrhizal fungi associated almost exclusively with Pinaceae. Lack of sample collections in East Asia and unresolved basal phylogenetic relationships of the genus are the major obstacles for better understanding the Suillus evolution. A resolved phylogeny of Suillus representing global diversity was achieved by sequencing multiple nuclear ribosomal and protein coding genes and extensive samples collected in East Asia. Fungal fossils are extremely rare, and the Eocene ectomycorrhizal symbiosis (ECM) fossil of Pinus root has been widely used for calibration. This study explored an alternative calibration scenario of the ECM fossil for controversy. Ancestral host associations of Suillus were estimated by maximum likelihood and Bayesian Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) analyses, inferred from current host information from root tips and field observation. Host shift speciation explains the diversification of Suillus major clades. The three basal subgenera of Suillus were inferred to be associated with Larix, and diverged in early Eocene or Upper Cretaceous. In the early Oligocene or Paleocene, subgenus Suillus diverged and switched host to Pinus subgenus Strobus, and then switched to subgenus Pinus four times. Suillus subgenus Douglasii switched host from Larix to Pseudotsuga in Oligocene or Eocene. Increased species diversity occurred in subgenus Suillus after it switched host to Pinus but no associated speciation rate shifts were detected. Ancestral biogeographic distributions of Suillus and Pinaceae were estimated under the Dispersal Extinction Cladogenesis (DEC) model. Ancestral distribution patterns of Suillus and Pinaceae are related but generally discordant. Dispersals between Eurasia and North America explain the prevalence of disjunct Suillus taxa.

A high-throughput (105.5 g/h) passive four-stage asymmetric oscillating feedback microreactor using chaotic mixing mechanism was developed to prepare aggregated BaSO4 particles of high primary nanoparticle size uniformity. Three-dimensional unsteady simulations showed that chaotic mixing could be induced by three unique secondary flows (i.e., vortex, recirculation, and oscillation), and the fluid oscillation mechanism was examined in detail. Simulations and Villermaux-Dushman experiments indicate that almost complete mixing down to molecular level can be achieved and the prepared BaSO4 nanoparticles were with narrow primary particle size distribution (PSD) having geometric standard deviation, σg, less than 1.43 when the total volumetric flow rate Qtotal was larger than 10 mL/min. By selecting Qtotal and reactant concentrations, average primary particle size can be controlled from 23 to 109 nm as determined by microscopy. An average size of 26 nm with narrow primary PSD (σg = 1.22) could be achieved at Qtotal of 160 mL/min.

BackgroundPlants have the remarkable ability to generate callus, a pluripotent cell mass that acquires competence for subsequent tissue regeneration. Global chromatin remodeling is required for this cell fate transition, but how the process is regulated is not fully understood. Chromatin-enriched noncoding RNAs (cheRNAs) are thought to play important roles in maintaining chromatin state. However, whether cheRNAs participate in somatic cell regeneration in plants has not yet been clarified.ResultsTo uncover the characteristics and functions of cheRNAs during somatic cell reprogramming in plants, we systematically investigate cheRNAs during callus induction, proliferation and regeneration in rice. We identify 2284 cheRNAs, most of which are novel long non-coding RNAs or small nucleolar RNAs. These cheRNAs, which are highly conserved across plant species, shuttle between chromatin and the nucleoplasm during somatic cell regeneration. They positively regulate the expression of neighboring genes via specific RNA motifs, which may interact with DNA motifs around cheRNA loci. Large-scale mutant analysis shows that cheRNAs are associated with plant size and seed morphology. Further detailed functional investigation of two che-lncRNAs demonstrates that their loss of function impairs cell dedifferentiation and plant regeneration, highlighting the functions of cheRNAs in regulating the expression of neighboring genes via specific motifs. These findings supportcis- regulatory roles of cheRNAs in influencing a variety of rice traits.ConclusionscheRNAs are a distinct subclass of regulatory non-coding RNAs that are required for somatic cell regeneration and regulate rice traits. Targeting cheRNAs has great potential for crop trait improvement and breeding in future.