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We consider a free boundary problem of the Navier–Stokes equations in the three-dimensional Euclidean space with moving contact line, where the 90 ∘ -contact angle condition is posed. We show that for given T > 0 the problem is local well-posed on (0 , T) provided that the initial data are small. We study the transformed problem in an L p -in-time and L q -in-space setting with 2 < p < ∞ and 3 < q < ∞ satisfying 2 / p + 3 / q < 1 , which provides a weaker setting than the one that was allowed by Wilke (2020) whose case was p = q > 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We consider a free boundary problem of compressible–incompressible two-phase flows with phase transitions in general domains of N -dimensional Euclidean space (e.g. whole space; half-spaces; bounded domains; exterior domains). The compressible fluid and the incompressible fluid are separated by either compact or non-compact sharp moving interface, and the surface tension is taken into account. In our model, the compressible fluid and incompressible fluid are occupied by the Navier–Stokes–Korteweg equations and the Navier–Stokes equations, respectively. This paper shows that for given T > 0 the problem admits a unique strong solution on (0 , T) in the maximal L p − L q regularity class provided the initial data are small in their natural norms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A 226-bp TE was inserted into the coding region of CCD4 and interrupts its expression in yellow-flowered petunia. • The insertion contains a premature stop codon and could form secondary structures in hairpin RNA. • The transformants of CCD4a showed carotenoid degradation in corollas. Petunia is a popular commercial bedding plant that comes in many colors, but there are no petunia cultivars with deep yellow petals. The carotenoid degradation gene carotenoid cleavage dioxygenase (CCD4) was isolated from white and yellow-flowered petunia and we found the 226-bp insertion of a non-autonomous transposable element tourist-like miniature-inverted repeat (MITE) in the coding region of CCD4 only in yellow cultivars. The insertion interrupts gene expression because of a premature stop codon after the TE insertion and could form secondary structures in hairpin RNA that could then be processed into a mature miRNA. Here, the normal function of CCD4 isolated from a white cultivar was introduced to a yellow cultivar. The transformants showed more fading pale-yellow flowers and carotenoid content was decreased. These results indicate that transformed CCD4 expression promoted carotenoid degradation and the lack of CCD4 expression results in more carotenoid accumulation in wild-type yellow-flowered petunia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical trees account for most emissions of isoprene, a reactive biogenic volatile organic compound into the atmosphere. The Guenther 1993 (G-93) model is the most widely used algorithm for predicting isoprene emissions by leaves of terrestrial plants. Several studies have reported on the poor performance of the G-93 model in predicting emissions from tropical tree species. To improve the performance of the G-93 model in tropical regions, we carried out diurnal leaf-scale observations of tropical trees Casuarina equisetifolia and Ficus septica outdoors. We developed an iterative method that uses mutual and repetitive step-by-step optimization of the G-93 parameters for temperature ( C T ) and light ( C L ) variables using best fit practices, named “Ping-Pong” optimization. Using temperate tree species (Poplar) for comparison, we show that emissions from C . equisetifolia and F . septica had a diversion from predictions of the G-93 formula, especially at high temperatures and high light intensities during mid-day, whilst emissions from temperate tree species were fairly captured by G-93. Results demonstrate that our optimized formulas greatly improved capturing of high light and temperature responses of emission profiles from tropical trees whilst it also performed well for poplar species. Parameterization of the G-93 formula greatly improved its performance on predicting diurnal isoprene emission from tropical trees C . equisetifolia and F . septica ; explaining 81–96% of variation up from 73 to 77% explained by default G-93. We propose that there is a need to optimize the G-93 model to more accurately predict regional emissions from tropical ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A comparison of the primary structures among psychrophilic, mesophilic, and thermophilic subtilases revealed that the turn between the β8 and β9 strands (β8–β9 turn, BPN′ numbering) of psychrophilic subtilases are more flexible than those of their mesophilic and thermophilic counterparts. To investigate the relationship between structure of this turn and enzyme activity as well as thermostability of mesophilic subtilisin Carlsberg (sC), we analyzed 6 mutants of sC with a single, double, or triple Gly or Ala substitutions for Pro210Thr211Asn212 at the β8–β9 turn. Among the single Gly substitutions, the P210G substitution most significantly (1.5-fold) increased the specific activity on N-succinyl-Ala-Ala-Pro-Phe-p-nitroanilide (AAPF) substrate and 12-fold decreased the thermostability. All mutants tested showed the increased k cat for the AAPF substrate and reduced thermostability compared with the wild-type sC. The k cat values of the P210G, P210G/T211G, and P210G/T211G/N212G mutants were 1.5-, 1.7-, and 1.8-fold higher than that of the wild-type sC. There were significant positive correlations between k cat and thermal inactivation rates as well as k cat and K m of the wild-type and mutants. These results demonstrate that the structure of β8–β9 turn, despite its distance from the active site, has significant effects on the catalytic rate and thermostability of sC through a global network of intramolecular interactions and suggest that the lack of flexibility of this turn stabilizes the wild-type sC against thermal inactivation in compensation for some loss of catalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel antimicrobial peptides (AMP), designated Cy-AMP1, Cy-AMP2, and Cy-AMP3, were purified from seeds of the cycad (Cycas revoluta) by a CM cellulofine column, ion-exchange HPLC on SP COSMOGEL, and reverse-phase HPLC. They had molecular masses of 4583.2Da, 4568.9Da and 9275.8Da, respectively, by MALDI–TOF MS analysis. Half of the amino acid residues of Cy-AMP1 and Cy-AMP2 were cysteine, glycine and proline, and their sequences were similar. The sequence of Cy-AMP3 showed high homology to various lipid transfer proteins. For Cy-AMP1 and Cy-AMP2, the concentrations of peptides required for 50% inhibition (IC50) of the growth of plant pathogenic fungi, Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria were 7.0–8.9μg/ml. The Cy-AMP3 had weak antimicrobial activity. The structural and antimicrobial characteristics of Cy-AMP1 and Cy-AMP2 indicated that they are a novel type of antimicrobial peptide belonging to a plant defensin family. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: β-Galactosidases (EC 3.2.1.23; β-Gals) consist of several isoforms which have different activity levels against native and synthetic substrates and play an important role in cell wall metabolism during fruit growth and ripening. In this study, we isolated three new β-Gal cDNA clones, PaGAL2, PaGAL3 and PaGAL4, from the fruit of ripening avocado in addition to the AV-GAL1 clone previously obtained. The expression patterns of these genes during fruit ripening were quite different. The AV-GAL1 transcript, which was solely found in the fruit, accumulated with fruit ripening. PaGAL2 transcript, which was detected in leaves, shoots, roots and fruit, showed a constant level throughout fruit ripening. The level of PaGAL3 transcript in control fruit, which was not detected in root but only in other tissues, increased markedly at 2 days after treatment (DAT) (air treatment) and dropped quickly at 4DAT in fruit. The transcript was not detectable at 6DAT and thereafter. The PaGAL4 transcript was detected in all tissues except for the fruit. In order to investigate the role of ethylene, on the regulation of β-Gal expression, pre-ripe fruit were treated with either ethylene or its inhibitor 1-methylcyclopropene (1-MCP). Exogenous ethylene promoted AV-GAL1 expression but severely suppressed PaGAL3 expression. Ethylene also affected the activities of fractionated β-Gal isozymes in a differential manner. Among the three isozymes, the increase in AV-GAL III activity with fruit softening were promoted by exogenous ethylene and delayed by 1-MCP. However, no apparent changes in the activities were observed in the other two isozymes. Based on the results obtained, it seems that AV-GAL1, which may encode AV-GAL III, is important for postharvest fruit softening while PaGAL2, PaGAL3 and PaGAL4 may be involved in galactose metabolism of cells or cell walls during development and ripening. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]