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Summary: Apple exhibits S‐RNase‐mediated self‐incompatibility. Although the cytotoxic effect of S‐RNase inside the self‐pollen tube has been studied extensively, the underlying defence mechanism in pollen tube in Rosaceae remains unclear. On exposure to stylar S‐RNase, plant defence responses are activated in the pollen tube; however, how these are regulated is currently poorly understood. Here, we show that entry of both self and non‐self S‐RNase into pollen tubes of apple (Malus domestica) stimulates jasmonic acid (JA) production, in turn inducing the accumulation of MdMYC2 transcripts, a transcription factor in the JA signalling pathway widely considered to be involved in plant defence processes. MdMYC2 acts as a positive regulator in the pollen tube activating expression of MdD1, a gene encoding a defence protein. Importantly, MdD1 was shown to bind to the RNase activity sites of S‐RNase leading to inhibition of enzymatic activity. This work provides intriguing insights into an ancient defence mechanism present in apple pollen tubes where MdD1 likely acts as a primary line of defence to inhibit S‐RNase cytotoxicity prior to self/non‐self recognition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study Question: Is transferring embryos that achieve blastulation on Day 7 effective and safe?Summary Answer: Embryos that achieve blastulation on Day 7 resulted in clinically relevant rates of clinical pregnancy (32.5%) and live birth (25.2%), and newborns have a similar risk of low birth weight, congenital malformations or early neonatal death compared with those derived from Days 5 and 6 blastocysts.What Is Known Already: Potential advantages of blastocyst transfer over cleavage embryo transfer have led to a shift toward the former in IVF practice. However, published data about the fertility outcomes of transferring embryos with a delayed blastulation on Day 7 are scarce and controversial. Moreover, there are few data available on the neonatal outcomes of Day 7 blastocysts. As a result, the clinical value of Day 7 blastocysts is uncertain.Study Design, Size, Duration: This was a retrospective cohort study that included 2908 women undergoing frozen-thawed embryo transfer cycles of IVF/ICSI from January 2006 to May 2015, and reported on the 1518 live born infants from those cycles.Participants/materials, Setting, Methods: We used propensity score matching to compare the fertility outcomes of women undergoing Day-5, Day-6 and Day-7 vitrified embryo transfers in three matched comparisons (Day 5 vs Day 6, Day 5 vs Day 7 and Day 6 vs Day 7). We also compared neonatal outcomes among babies derived from Day-5, Day-6 and Day-7 vitrified embryo transfers.Main Results and the Role Of Chance: We studied 922 Day-5, 1752 Day-6 and 234 Day-7 vitrified embryo transfers. Day-7 vitrified embryo transfers had significantly lower implantation, clinical pregnancy and live birth rates than both Day-5 (23.9 vs 49.9%, 31.7 vs 58.1% and 25.1 vs 46.5%, all P < 0.001, respectively) and Day-6 (24.7 vs 42.3%, 33.0 vs 53.2% and 25.6 vs 41.4%, all P < 0.001, respectively) vitrified embryo transfers. Assessment of babies showed no statistically significant difference in the rates of low birth weight, congenital malformations and early neonatal death among the 585, 869 and 64 babies born from Day-5, Day-6 and Day-7 vitrified embryo transfer groups, respectively.Limitations, Reasons For Caution: This was a single center retrospective study, and most of the neonatal data were extracted from parental questionnaires. Besides, the number of Day-7 vitrified embryo transfer cycles and babies born from these cycles was still limited, thus reducing the power of our study in assessing neonatal outcomes. In addition, only the morphologically poorer Day 3 embryos were extendedly cultured, and poorer blastocysts were qualified for vitrification on Day 7 than on Day 5 or 6, both of which might bias clinical pregnancy rates.Wider Implications Of the Findings: Transfer of embryos that reach the blastocyst stage on Day 7 results in lower but still acceptable live birth rate, and seems to be safe for the offspring. Extension of the culture time in embryos that do not reach blastocyst stage by Day 6 should be assessed in randomized clinical trials.Study Funding/competing Interest(s): This work was supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant nos. 81771533, 81571397, 81571486, 31770989 and 81501319), the Nature Science Foundation of Shanghai (Grant nos. 15ZR1424900 and 1441196300), and the Foundation of Health and Family Planning Commission of Shanghai (Grant no. 201540237). B.W.M is supported by the National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Practitioner Fellowship (GNT1082548), B.W.M reports consultancy for ObsEva, Merck and Guerbet.Trial Registration Number: Not applicable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Apple exhibits S‐RNase‐based self‐incompatibility (SI), in which S‐RNase plays a central role in rejecting self‐pollen. It has been proposed that the arrest of pollen growth in SI of Solanaceae plants is a consequence of the degradation of pollen rRNA by S‐RNase; however, the underlying mechanism in Rosaceae is still unclear. Here, we used S2‐RNase as a bait to screen an apple pollen cDNA library and characterized an apple soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (MdPPa) that physically interacted with S‐RNases. When treated with self S‐RNases, apple pollen tubes showed a marked growth inhibition, as well as a decrease in endogenous soluble pyrophosphatase activity and elevated levels of inorganic pyrophosphate (PPi). In addition, S‐RNase was found to bind to two variable regions of MdPPa, resulting in a noncompetitive inhibition of its activity. Silencing of MdPPa expression led to a reduction in pollen tube growth. Interestingly, tRNA aminoacylation was inhibited in self S‐RNase‐treated or MdPPa‐silenced pollen tubes, resulting in the accumulation of uncharged tRNA. Furthermore, we provide evidence showing that this disturbance of tRNA aminoacylation is independent of RNase activity. We propose an alternative mechanism differing from RNA degradation to explain the cytotoxicity of the S‐RNase apple SI process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To apply the three ‐ dimensional (3D) hysterosalpingo ‐ contrast sonography (HyCoSy) with perfluoropropane ‐ albumin microspheres as contrast agents and normal saline injections into the pelvic cavity for assessment of the tubal patency and adhesions of fimbrial parts. Methods: Fifty ‐ five infertile female patients were recruited to undergo 3D HyCoSy with normal saline injected into the pelvic cavity, in which the tubal patency was observed by visualizing the spillage of contrast agents from the fimbriae, and the fimbrial adhesion was confirmed by the finger ‐ like projections of the fimbriae and their floating and moving status. Results: Of the 55 patients, bilateral tubal patency was observed in 44 (80.0%), unilateral tubal patency and the other partial occlusion in 7 (12.7%), unilateral partial occlusion and the other complete occlusion in 3 (5.4%), and bilateral complete occlusion in 1 (1.8%). The fimbrial parts were observed in 105 fallopian tubes, among which 101 were seen with the finger ‐ like fimbriae floated and moved in the pelvic cavity, whereas 4 tubes were not because of adhesion to the pelvic cavity (n = 3) or the ovary and intestine (n = 1). More than three visible, quite long, and distributed evenly finger ‐ like projections were present for the patent fimbrial parts; however, fewer, flat, and not evenly distributed finger ‐ like projections were present for the adhesive tubes. No serious complications occurred during or after this procedure. Conclusions: Combination of 3D HyCoSy with normal saline injected into the pelvic cavity may be a feasible and safe procedure to assess tubal patency and adhesions of the fimbrial parts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new method to obtain the density and temperature of the Lennard–Jones fluids at equilibrium from the height and the displacement of the first peak of the radial distribution function (RDF) is presented here. The density range and temperature range covered are 0.5 ≤ ρ * ≤ 1.2, 0.2 ≤ β * ≤ 2.0 with ρ * = ρ σ 3 and β * = ϵ / k B T being the reduced density and temperature, respectively. Numerically, 152 state points ( ρ * , β *) are obtained with Δ ρ * = 0.1 and Δ β * = 0.1 by molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. More than 10000 configurations are output for each state point. The RDFs are then obtained through classical distance histogram method. The stability of the RDF is found to be related to the number of configurations because of ensemble average. Two correlations establishing the relation of the height of the first peak of the RDF versus the density and temperature and the relation of the displacement of the first peak of the RDF versus the density and temperature are empirically constructed by fitting 40 state points out of 152. Other 112 state points are used to estimate the accuracy of the two correlations proposed. It is found that all of the 112 state points can be correctly predicted. These results indicate that the RDF can be conveniently used to assure the state point ( ρ * , β *) of the Lennard–Jones fluids at equilibrium. The importance of the present work is that a clear connection between a special point of the RDF, i.e. , its first peak, and the state point ( ρ * , β *) is firstly empirically built up. Their one to one map is observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new corresponding state principle based correlation for the thermal conductivity of saturated liquids is proposed. • It well stands in wider temperature ranges from t tr to about 0.98 T c , and leads to better results than previously published ones. • The proposed correlation can reproduce the REFPROP data with AAD<3% for 26 liquids and AAD<10% for all the 34 liquids. • The proposed correlation also well stands when it is compared with experimental data. In this work, we propose a new corresponding state principle based correlation based on the novel ideas published very recently. The new proposed correlation well stands in a wider temperature range from the triple point temperature (T tr) to about 0.98 times the critical temperature (T c), beyond which the thermal conductivity exhibits completely different behaviors. It requires two temperatures, i.e., the triple point temperature and T 0 at which the thermal conductivity experimentally takes a minimal value, and the corresponding two thermal conductivity values as inputs. For the 23 refrigerants and 11 n -alkanes considered here, it can reproduce the REFPROP data with AAD<3% for 26 liquids, AAD<5% for 31 liquids, and AAD<10% for all the 34 liquids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Little is known about the mechanisms by which mRNAs are transported over long distances in the phloem between the rootstock and the scion in grafted woody plants., We identified an mRNA in the pear variety 'Du Li' ( Pyrus betulaefolia) that was shown to be transportable in the phloem. It contains a WUSCHEL- RELATED HOMEOBOX ( WOX) domain and was therefore named Wox Transport 1 ( PbWoxT1)., A 548-bp fragment of PbWoxT1 is critical in long-distance transport. PbWoxT1 is rich in CUCU polypyrimidine domains and its mRNAs interact with a polypyrimidine tract binding protein, Pb PTB3. Furthermore, the expression of PbWoxT1 significantly increased in the stems of wild-type (WT) tobacco grafted onto the rootstocks of PbWoxT1 or Pb PTB3 co-overexpressing lines, but this was not the case in WT plants grafted onto PbWoxT1 overexpressing rootstocks, suggesting that Pb PTB3 mediates PbWoxT1 mRNA long-distance transport., We provide novel information that adds a new mechanism with which to explain the noncell-autonomous manner of WOX gene function, which enriches our understanding of how WOX genes work in fruit trees and other species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new temperature dependent correlation is proposed for viscosity of refrigerants fluids. • This correlation reproduces the DIPPR data with high accuracy. • This correlation well stands in both low and high temperature ranges. In this paper, we proposed a new correlation for the temperature dependent viscosity of saturated refrigerants liquids based on the recent progresses on the relation between surface tension and viscosity of liquids [J. X. Tian et al., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research , 53 , 9499, 2014] and the temperature dependent surface tension of liquids [S. G. Yang et al., Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research , 59 , 6336, 2020]. By comparing with the experimental data of 80 saturated refrigerants liquids in the DIPPR database, it is found that the proposed correlation can predict the DIPPPR data with average absolute relative deviation (AARD) less than 5% for all the 80 liquids, AARD less than 3% for 76 liquids. These results indicate superior accuracy of the proposed correlation compared to other well-known correlations including the Arrhenius equation and the Vogel-Fulcher-Tamman equation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Green stabilizer L-cysteine capped Mn: ZnSe QDs with low synthesis cost, good water solubility and biocompatibility. • Photoactive ions and defects solidify to form ZnS shells. • Structural and performance analysis methods are rich and in-depth. A novel Type-I Mn: ZnSe@ZnS core–shell quantum dots (QDs) was reported through a two-step procedure by using low-cost inorganic salts and natural biomacromolecule as raw materials. Based on a designed structure of L-cysteine-capped Mn: ZnSe QDs in aqueous media with the controllable surface, Mn: ZnSe@ZnS core–shell QDs were formed due to photoactive ions and defect curing under continuous constant light. The influences of experimental variables, including synthesis conditions of Mn: ZnSe QDs, different types and affecting factors of photo irradiation had been systematically investigated. Under the effect of photoinduced fluorescence enhancement, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity increases significantly by about 5–10 times after 1–3 h of UV irradiation. The position of the fluorescence peak was red-shifted by about 17 nm, emitting orange-red fluorescence. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) was markedly improved (up to 35%). The structure and morphology of Mn: ZnSe@ZnS core–shell QDs were also confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) in detail. The mechanism of photoinduced fluorescence enhancement was attributed to L-cysteine allowed to release S2- to form a ZnS shell, and the passivated surface non-radiative relaxation centers of Mn: ZnSe@ZnS QDs was successfully synthesized with high uniform size, excellent photoluminescence performance, and good stability, all of which make them good potential candidates for white LEDs, and biological labels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One-step process of red gypsum leaching to produce anhydrite was proposed. The effects of sulfuric acid concentration, reaction temperature and reaction time on both the leaching rate of red gypsum, the phase and micro-morphology of the product were systematically investigated. The acid leaching solution was tried to use circularly. And the valuable components in the leaching solution were recovered by step precipitation. Anhydrous calcium sulfate powder with anhydrite crystal phase and smooth and serrate morphology was successfully produced. The leaching rate of red gypsum was 39.82% under optimized conditions. The optimum cycle number for the reuse of acid leaching solution was 5. Sulfate ions and iron ions in the leaching solution were recovered by adjusting the pH value. A preparation mechanism of anhydrite from red gypsum was also proposed by theoretical analysis. All of these indicated that the whole procedure setup showed potential application for red gypsum utilization. Image 1 • One-step process of red gypsum leaching to produce anhydrite was proposed. • Anhydrite II with smooth and serrate morphology was successfully produced. • The valuable components in the solution were recovered by step precipitation. • The optimum cycle number for the reuse of acid leaching solution was 5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]