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This article proposes and demonstrates a retrodirective array (RDA) for two-way wireless communication with automatic beam tracking. The proposed RDA is enabled by specifically designed chips made using a domestic complementary metal-oxide semiconductor (CMOS) process. The highly integrated CMOS chip includes a receiving (Rx) chain, a transmitting (Tx) chain, and a unique tracking phase-locked loop (PLL) for the crucial conjugated phase recovery in the RDA. This article also proposes a method to reduce the beam pointing error (BPE) in a conventional RDA. To validate the above ideas simply yet without loss of generality, a 2.4 GHz RDA is demonstrated through two-way communication links between the Rx and Tx chains, and an on-chip quadrature coupler is designed to achieve a non-retrodirective signal suppression of 23 dBc. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed RDA, which incorporates domestically manufactured low-cost 0.18 μm CMOS chips, is capable of automatically tracking beams covering ±40° with a reduced BPE. Each CMOS chip in the RDA has a compact size of 4.62 mm2 and a low power consumption of 0.15 W. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research to demonstrate an RDA with a fully customized CMOS chip for wireless communication with automatic beam tracking.

Abstract In the process of developing tight oil and gas reservoirs, multistage fractured horizontal wells (NFHWs) can greatly increase the production rate, and the optimal design of its fracturing parameters is also an important means to further increase the production rate. Accurate production prediction is essential for the formulation of effective development strategies and development plans before and during project execution. In this study, a novel workflow incorporating machine learning (ML) and particle swarm optimization algorithms (PSO) is proposed to predict the production rate of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells in tight reservoirs and optimize the fracturing parameters. The researchers conducted 10,000 numerical simulation experiments to build a complete training and validation dataset, based on which five machine learning production prediction models were developed. As input variables for yield prediction, eight key factors affecting yield were selected. The results of the study show that among the five models, the random forest (RF) model best establishes the mapping relationship between feature variables and yield. After verifying the validity of the Random Forest-based yield prediction model, the researchers combined it with the particle swarm optimization algorithm to determine the optimal combination of fracturing parameters under the condition of maximizing the net present value. A hybrid model, called ML-PSO, is proposed to overcome the limitations of current production forecasting studies, which are difficult to maximize economic returns and optimize the fracturing scheme based on operator preferences (e.g., target NPV). The designed workflow can not only accurately and efficiently predict the production of multi-stage fractured horizontal wells in real-time, but also be used as a parameter selection tool to optimize the fracture design. This study promotes data-driven decision-making for oil and gas development, and its tight reservoir production forecasts provide the basis for accurate forecasting models for the oil and gas industry.

The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling cascade is a unique and relatively conserved signaling pathway in eukaryotes, transmitting extracellular signals into cells through successive phosphorylation and eliciting appropriate responses from the organism. While its mechanism in plant immune response has been partially elucidated in Arabidopsis, it has been rarely examined in Tartary buckwheat (Fagopyrum tataricum). Based on the conserved MAPK domain, we identified 16 MAPK family genes in Tartary buckwheat. The FtMAPKs have similar structures and motif compositions, indicating that this gene family is conserved yet functionally diverse. Using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis, we observed significant expression variation in 15 genes across different organs, except for FtMAPK12. FtMAPK9 showed specific expression in vegetative organs, FtMAPK4 in reproductive organs, and FtMAPK1 and FtMAPK10 in leaves and flowers, respectively, indicating their regulatory roles in Tartary buckwheat development. Following drought and salt stress treatments, 12 and 14 FtMAPKs, respectively, showed significantly altered expression in leaves exhibiting notable biological oxidation. Among these, FtMAPK3, FtMAPK4, and FtMAPK8 demonstrated highly significant changes across both treatments. Transcriptome analysis confirmed these findings, suggesting that these three genes play pivotal roles in Tartary buckwheat’s response to abiotic stress and hold potential for molecular breeding improvements.

Simultaneous partial nitrification, anammox, denitrification, and fermentation (SNADF) is a novel process achieving simultaneous advanced sludge reduction and nitrogen removal. The influence of low temperatures on the SNADF reactor was explored to facilitate the application of mainstream anammox. When temperature decreased from 32 to 16 °C, efficient nitrogen removal was achieved, with a nitrogen removal efficiency of 81.9–94.9%. Microbial community structure analysis indicated that the abundance of Candidatus Brocadia (dominant anaerobic ammonia oxidizing bacteria (AnAOB) in the system) increased from 0.03% to 0.18%. The abundances of Nitrospira and Nitrosomonas increased from 1.6% and 0.16% to 2.5% and 1.63%, respectively, resulting in an increase in the ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) to nitrite-oxidizing bacteria (NOB) abundance ratio from 0.1 to 0.64. This ensured sufficient nitrite for AnAOB, promoting nitrogen removal. In addition, Candidatus Competibacter, which plays a role in partial denitrification, was the dominant denitrification bacteria (DNB) and provided more nitrite for AnAOB, facilitating AnAOB enrichment. Based on the findings from microbial correlation network analysis, Nitrosomonas (AOB), Thauera, and Haliangium (DNB), and A4b and Saprospiraceae (fermentation bacteria), were center nodes in the networks and therefore essential for the stability of the SNADF system. Moreover, fermentation bacteria, DNB, and AOB had close connections in substrate cooperation and resistance to adverse environments; therefore, they also played important roles in maintaining stable nitrogen removal at low temperatures. This study provided new suggestions for mainstream anammox application.

ABSTRACTJob’s tears (coix) is a widely used grain with rich and balanced nutritional value. In this study, a total of 71 metabolites, including amino acid metabolism, sugar metabolism and fatty acid metabolism, were significantly increased in the germinating coix through liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Significant increase in gamma-aminobutyric (GABA) content during seed germination was detected in the metabolites detected. Transcript profiles generated through high-throughput RNA-sequencing data and 2431 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. The functional of DEGs were also significantly clustered in glucose metabolism and fatty acid metabolism. In the annotation of metabolite variation and differentially expressed genes, 23 regulatory genes and 10 significantly enriched metabolites for GABA content proliferation during coix germination were identified by association analysis. These results provided a theoretical basis for understanding the germination mechanism of coix and promoting its production and application.

Lotus (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.), an important aquatic plant in horticulture and ecosystems, has been cultivated for more than 7000 years and domesticated into three different subgroups: flower lotus, rhizome lotus, and seed lotus. To explore the domesticated regions of each subgroup, re-sequencing data of 371 lotus accessions collected from the public database were aligned to the genome of ‘China-Antique (CA)’. Unmapped reads were used to build the dispensable genome of each subgroup using a metagenome-like assembly strategy. More than 27 Mb of the dispensable genome in these three subgroups and the wild group was assembled, of which 11,761 genes were annotated. Some of the contigs in the dispensable genome were similar to the genomic segments of other lotus accessions other than ‘CA’. The annotated genes in each subgroup played essential roles in specific developmental processes. Dissection of selective signals in three cultivated subgroups also demonstrated that subgroup-specific metabolic pathways, such as the brassinosteroids metabolism enrichment in FL, associated with these selected genes in each subgroup and the contigs in dispensable genome nearly located in the domesticated regions of each subgroup, respectively. Our data presented a valuable resource for facilitating lotus genomic studies, complemented the helpful information to the reference genome, and shed light on the selective signals of domesticated subgroups.

The dynagraph card plays a crucial role in evaluating oilfield pumping systems’ performance. Nevertheless, classifying dynagraph cards can be quite difficult because certain operating conditions may exhibit similar patterns. Conventional classification approaches mainly involve labor-intensive manual analysis of these cards, leading to subjectivity, prolonged processing times, and vulnerability to human prejudices. In response to this challenge, our study introduces a novel approach that leverages transfer learning and the Swin Transformer model for classifying dynagraph cards across various operating conditions in rod pumping systems. Initially, the Swin Transformer model undergoes pre-training using the ImageNet-22k dataset. Subsequently, we fine-tune the model’s weights using actual dynagraph card datasets, facilitating direct classification analysis with dynagraph cards as input variables. The adoption of transfer learning significantly reduces the training time while enhancing the accuracy of condition diagnosis. To assess the effectiveness of our proposed method, we conducted a comparative evaluation against conventional models like ResNet50, DenseNet121, LeNet, and ViT. The findings demonstrate that our approach outperforms other methods, achieving an accuracy of 96%, thereby improving classification accuracy by 3–4%. Therefore, our approach, based on transfer learning and the Swin Transformer model, provides a better solution for practical problems involving similar dynagraph cards. It meets the requirements of oil field operations, enhancing economic benefits and work efficiency.

Abstract Background Ligase IV (LIG4) dificiency is a very rare clinical syndrome with around 50 cases reported to date. This syndrome is caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in the LIG4 gene, which cause DNA damage repair disorders, mainly manifesting as severe immunodeficiency. Case presentation We report the case of a 15-month-old male child with pancytopenia, growth retardation, microcephaly, history of vaccine-related rubella, elevated immunoglobulin G, and decreased T- and B lymphocytes. Next-generation sequencing revealed LIG4 pathogenic genes and compound heterozygous mutations, namely the missense mutation c.833G > T (p.Arg278Leu) and deletion mutation c.1271_1275del (p.Lys424Argfs*20). Conclusion This case suggests that LIG4 dificiency can manifest not only as immunodeficiency but also with increased serum IgG levels and pancytopenia, which constitutes an additional clinical phenotype. Furthermore, this case suggests that LIG4 deficiency should be considered upon differential diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome in children.

IntroductionMultiple nodes and dwarf mutants in barley are a valuable resource for identifying genes that control shoot branching, vegetative growth and development.MethodsIn this study, physiological, microscopic and genetic analysis were conducted to characterize and fine-map the underling gene of a barley mutant with Multiple Stem Nodes and Spikes and Dwarf (msnsd), which was selected from EMS- and 60Co-treated barley cv. Edamai 934.Results and discussionThe msnsd mutant had more stem nodes, lower plant height and a shorter plastochron than Edamai 934. Moreover, the mutant had two or more spikes on each tiller. Microscopic analysis showed that the dwarf phenotype of msnsd resulted from reduced cell lengths and cell numbers in the stem. Further physiological analysis showed that msnsd was GA3-deficient, with its plant height increasing after external GA3 application. Genetic analysis revealed that a single recessive nuclear gene, namely, HvMSNSD, controlled the msnsd phenotype. Using a segregating population derived from Harrington and the msnsd mutant, HvMSNSD was fine-mapped on chromosome 5H in a 200 kb interval using bulked segregant analysis (BSA) coupled with RNA-sequencing (BSR-seq), with a C-T substitution in the exon of HvTCP25 co-segregating with the msnsd phenotype. RNA-seq analysis showed that a gene encoding gibberellin 2-oxidase 8, a negative regulator of GA biosynthesis, was upregulated in the msnsd mutant. Several known genes related to inflorescence development that were also upregulated and enriched in the msnsd mutant. Collectively, we propose that HvMSNSD regulates the plastochron and morphology of reproductive organs, likely by coordinating GA homeostasis and changed expression of floral development related genes in barley. This study offers valuable insights into the molecular regulation of barley plant architecture and inflorescence development.

When an intelligent vehicle changes lanes, the state of other vehicles may change, which increases the risk of collision. Therefore, real-time local path replanning is needed at this time. Based on model predictive control (MPC), a lane-change trajectory replanning strategy was proposed, which was divided into a lane-change trajectory correction strategy, a lane-change switchback strategy and forward active collision avoidance strategy according to collision risk. Based on the collision risk function of the rectangular safety neighborhood, the objective functions were designed according to the specific requirements of different strategies. The vehicle lateral controller based on MPC and the vehicle longitudinal motion controller were established. The longitudinal velocity was taken as the joint point to establish the lateral and longitudinal integrated controller. The trajectory planning module, trajectory replanning module and trajectory tracking module were integrated in layers, and the three trajectory replanning strategies of lane-change trajectory correction, lane-change switchback and forward active collision avoidance were respectively simulated and verified. The simulation results showed the trajectory replanning strategy achieves collision avoidance under different scenarios and ensures the vehicle’s driving stability. The trajectory tracking layer achieves accurate tracking of the conventional lane-change trajectory and has good driving stability and comfort.

Seed germination is an important stage of growth and reproduction and plays an important role in the life cycle of spermatophyte. It is co-determined by both genetic and environmental factors, and plant hormone regulation may be a highly conservative mechanism. Coix lachryrma-jobi (coix) is a grain with balanced nutrition for medicine and food and has substantial production value. It is an important part of agricultural production, and the efficiency of seed germination after sowing is a key link. In this study, coix species “small white shell Xingren” was used as the experimental material, and changes in gene expression levels and metabolite enrichment in seeds were identified by transcriptome and metabonomic analysis before and after seed germination. A total of 599 metabolites, including those from amino acid metabolism, sugar metabolism, and fatty acid metabolism, were significantly increased in germinating coix. Simultaneously, 10,929 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and functional clusters of genes were also significantly clustered in hormone-signaling and glucose and fatty acid metabolism. In addition, this study found that a considerable number of hormone-signaling genes were significantly up-regulated during seed germination, activating multiple metabolic processes. The results of our conjoint analysis of multi omics showed that glucose and fatty acid metabolism played an important role in seed germination under hormone regulation.

BackgroundPatients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and heart failure (HF) are at higher risk of mortality and hospitalization for heart failure (HHF). A recent study showed that sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT-2) inhibitors may be a promising choice.MethodsWe searched the PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane databases of clinical trials for randomized controlled trials investigating the long-term effects of SGLT-2 inhibitors in patients with T2DM and HF compared with placebo. The primary outcome was cardiovascular death or HHF, and the secondary outcomes included cardiovascular death (CV death), HHF, and all-cause mortality. We also conducted an exploratory analysis and tried to identify the population, which will benefit more from the treatment.ResultsAfter the study selection, a total of 5 trials, including 4 subgroup analyses, met the eligibility criteria. The results suggested that the use of SGLT-2 inhibitors was associated with a reduction in the incidence of CV death or HHF (HR, 0.69[95%CI, 0.63-0.77], P

Abstract Background The most significant manifestation of heart failure is exercise intolerance. This systematic review and meta-analysis was performed to investigate whether dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitors or glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs), widely used anti-diabetic drugs, could improve exercise tolerance in heart failure patients with or without type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods An electronic search of PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library was carried out through March 8th, 2019, for eligible trials. Only randomized controlled studies were included. The primary outcome was exercise tolerance [6-min walk test (6MWT) and peak O2 consumption], and the secondary outcomes included quality of life (QoL), adverse events (AEs) and all-cause death. Result After the literature was screened by two reviewers independently, four trials (659 patients) conducted with heart failure patients with or without type 2 diabetes met the eligibility criteria. The results suggested that targeting the DPP-4-GLP-1 pathway can improve exercise tolerance in heart failure patients [MD 24.88 (95% CI 5.45, 44.31), P = 0.01] without decreasing QoL [SMD -0.51 (95% CI -1.13, 0.10), P = 0.10]; additionally, targeting the DPP-4-GLP-1 pathway did not show signs of increasing the incidence of serious AEs or mortality. Conclusion Our results suggest that DPP-4 inhibitors or GLP-1 RAs improve exercise tolerance in heart failure patients. Although the use of these drugs for heart failure has not been approved by any organization, they may be a better choice for type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with heart failure. Furthermore, as this pathway contributes to the improvement of exercise tolerance, it may be worth further investigation in exercise-intolerant patients with other diseases.

Abstract Background The diagnosis of cow’s milk protein allergy(CMPA) may be easily misdiagnosed due to its lack of specific symptoms. Thus, experts have proposed the use of Cow’s milk-related symptom scores (CoMiSS) to predict CMPA. There has been no relevant report on the clinical application value of CoMiSS in Chinese children. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of CoMiSS in early identification of CMPA in Chinese infants. Methods We calculated CoMiSS for 38 infants with suspected CMPA diagnosed in the pediatric gastroenterologic clinic in our hospital. After 4 weeks of dietary elimination and symptomatic improvement, these infants returned to our hospital to undergo oral food challenge (OFC). The ROC curve was used to determine the sensitivity and specificity of CoMiSS and evaluate the effect of CoMiSS in early identification of CMPA in Chinese infants. We didn’t determine the CoMiSS of presumed healthy infants as control group. Results Of 38 infants who underwent OFC testing, the average CoMiSS of infants with positive OFC testing was 7.4 ± 2.3, while the average CoMiSS of infants with negative OFC testing was 4.1 ± 1.6, and there was a significant difference between two groups(F = 2.13, P

PurposeCongenital hypothyroidism (CH) is the most common neonatal endocrine disease; its early detection ensures successful treatment and prevents complications. However, its molecular etiology remains unclear.MethodsWe used second-generation sequencing to detect 28 pathogenic genes in 15 Chinese Han patients with CH in Shenzhen, China, and analyzed the genetic pattern of the pathogenic genes through their pedigrees. The pathogenicity assessment of gene mutations was performed based on the American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics (ACMG) classification guidelines, inheritance models, and published evidence.ResultsMutations in several target genes were identified in 14 of 15 patients (93.33%); these mutations were distributed in eight genes (DUOX2, DUOXA2, TPO, TG, TSHR, FOXE1, KDM6A, and POU1F1). DUOX2 exhibited the highest mutation frequency (44%, 11/25), followed by TPO (16%, 4/25) and TG (16%, 4/25). DUOX2 exhibited the highest biallelic mutation (7/15). Eight out of 25 variants verified by the ACMG guidelines were classified as pathogenic (P, category 1) or possibly pathogenic (LP, Type 2), namely six variants of DUOX2, and one variant of TPO and DUOXA2. Five new mutations were detected: one in DUOX2, which was located in the splicing region of mRNA (c.1575-1G>A), three new missense mutants, p.A291T, p.R169W, and p. S1237dup, and one new TPO missense variant c.2012G>T (p.W671L). The main criteria for determining the genotype–phenotype relationship were a diagnostic detection rate of 53.33% (8/15) and combination of three or more gene mutations.ConclusionsCH gene mutations in the population may be mainly manifested in genes influencing thyroid hormone synthesis, such as DUOX2 compound heterozygous mutations, which exhibited a high detection rate. The clinical manifestations are diverse, and mainly include transient CH. Therefore, genetic screening is recommended for CH patients to determine the correlation between clinical phenotypes and gene mutations, which will assist in clinical management.

Background: Previous studies had investigated the association between polymorphism of IVS5N+5 G>A in SCN1A and the risk of febrile seizure and epilepsy. However, the results were inconsistent. We aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the association between SCN1A IVS5N+5 G>A polymorphism and risk of febrile seizures and epilepsy.Methods: We searched Embase, Medline, Scopus, and CNKI for studies on the association between SCN1A IVS5N+5 G>A polymorphism and risk of febrile seizures and epilepsy up to 19 February 2020. We pooled odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) by different genetic models. To explore the source of heterogeneity, we performed the subgroup analysis by ethnicity and source of control.Results: We included a total of 12 studies in the meta-analysis. We found a significant negative association between G allele SCN1A IVS5N+5 G>A polymorphism, febrile seizures [G vs. A: OR (95% CI): 0.690 (0.530–0.897); GG vs. AA: 0.503 (0.279–0.908); AG vs. AA: 0.581 (0.460–0.733); GG + AG vs. AA: 0.543 (0.436–0.677); AA + GG vs. AG: 1.309 (1.061–1.615)], and epilepsy [G vs. A: 0.822 (0.750–0.902); GG vs. AA: 0.655 (0.515–0.832); AG vs. AA: 0.780 (0.705–0.862); GG vs. AG + AA: 0.769 (0.625–0.947); GG + AG vs. AA: 0.743 (0.663–0.833); AA + GG vs. AG: 1.093 (1.001–1.193)]. The subgroup analysis shows the association varied by type of disease, ethnicity, and source of control.Conclusion: The present meta-analysis suggests that G allele in SCN1A IVS5N+5 G>A polymorphism is a protective factor of febrile seizures and epilepsy. It is possible to determine the vulnerability of each individual to develop febrile seizures or epilepsy genotype by these genetic variants. Future studies with better study designs are needed to confirm the results.Study Registration: This study was registered in the International Prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO, CRD42020163318).

Objective Cardiac diseases lead to heart failure (HF), but the progression can take several years. Using blood samples to monitor changes in the heart before clinical symptoms begin may help to improve patient management. Methods Microarray data GSE42955 and GSE9128 were used as study datasets and GSE16499, GSE57338, and GSE59867 were used as validation groups. The “limma” package from R Language was used to identify differentially expressed genes. Functional enrichment analyses of gene ontology terms and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathways were performed using Database for Annotation, Visualization and Integrated Discovery. We also investigated the correlation between the heart and blood using the mRNA expression level. Results Three hub genes, CD14, CD163, and CCR1, were identified. Functional enrichment analyses showed their involvement in the immune response and in the inflammatory response, which are the critical biochemical processes in ischemic HF. The mRNA expression level further demonstrated that a special model may exist to help to predict the mRNA level in the heart based on that in blood. Conclusions Our study identified three biomarkers that can connect the heart and blood in ischemic heart diseases, which may be a new approach to help better manage ischemic cardiac disease patients.

This paper experimentally investigated the effects of varying contents of Na2O in a modified sodium silicate, sodium silicate moduli (Ms), and contents of granulated blast furnace slag (GBFS) on the compressive strength and drying shrinkage of fly ash (FA)-based geopolymer grouting materials at different ages. X-ray diffraction (XRD), mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP), and scanning electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDS) were used to study the influences of different amounts of GBFS on the microstructure and product compositions of FA-based geopolymer grouting materials. The results show that the content of Na2O in modified sodium silicate, Ms, and the content of GBFS play a significant role in compressive strength and drying shrinkage of FA-based geopolymer grouting materials. In addition, the influence of Ms as well as the content of GBFS on the compressive strength and drying shrinkage of FA-based geopolymer grouting materials was deeply affected by curing age. The micro-performance tests and analysis clearly showed that incorporating 30 wt% GBFS can decrease the proportion of pores with large pore sizes, improve pore size distribution, and enhance the solubility of FA and further promote the formation of C-A-S-H gel within FA-based geopolymer grouting materials.

Idiopathic central precocious puberty (ICPP) is a relatively common condition in preadolescent girls, and its pathogenesis remains to be uncovered. A variety of studies have highlighted the association of gut microbiota (GM) with endocrine diseases, such as obesity, which is commonly associated with ICPP. However, the relationship between GM and ICPP remains unexplored. Feces samples were collected from 25 girls with ICPP (ICPP group) and 23 healthy girls (Control group). We applied 16S rDNA sequencing to compare the GM between two groups. The ICPP group had higher GM diversity and was enriched for several GM species, including Ruminococcus gnavus, Ruminococcus callidus, Ruminococcus bromii, Roseburia inulinivorans, Coprococcus eutactus, Clostridium leptum, and Clostridium lactatifermentans, which are known to be associated with obesity and are related to the production of short-chain fatty acids. Additionally, 36 candidate GM biomarkers for patients with ICPP screening were identified with high accuracy (AUC = 0.95, 95% CI 0.88 to 1). We observed that the GM of the ICPP group was enriched for the microbial functions of cell motility, signal transduction, and environmental adaptation. Positive correlations were also detected between Fusobacterium and follicle-stimulating hormone, and Gemmiger and luteinizing hormone. This study documents relationships between GM and ICPP, and the implication of these findings remains to be determined.

Introduction: Multiple nodes and dwarfmutants in barley are a valuable resource for identifying genes that control shoot branching, vegetative growth and development. Methods: In this study, physiological, microscopic and genetic analysis were conducted to characterize and fine-map the underling gene of a barley mutant with Multiple Stem Nodes and Spikes and Dwarf (msnsd), which was selected from EMS- and 60Co-treated barley cv. Edamai 934. Results and discussion: The msnsd mutant had more stem nodes, lower plant height and a shorter plastochron than Edamai 934. Moreover, the mutant had two or more spikes on each tiller. Microscopic analysis showed that the dwarf phenotype of msnsd resulted from reduced cell lengths and cell numbers in the stem. Further physiological analysis showed that msnsd was GA³-deficient, with its plant height increasing after external GA³ application. Genetic analysis revealed that a single recessive nuclear gene, namely, HvMSNSD, controlled the msnsd phenotype. Using a segregating population derived from Harrington and the msnsd mutant, HvMSNSD was fine-mapped on chromosome 5H in a 200 kb interval using bulked segregant analysis (BSA) coupled with RNA-sequencing (BSRseq), with a C-T substitution in the exon of HvTCP25 co-segregating with the msnsd phenotype. RNA-seq analysis showed that a gene encoding gibberellin 2-oxidase 8, a negative regulator of GA biosynthesis, was upregulated in the msnsd mutant. Several known genes related to inflorescence development that were also upregulated and enriched in the msnsd mutant. Collectively, we propose that HvMSNSD regulates the plastochron and morphology of reproductive organs, likely by coordinating GA homeostasis and changed expression of floral development related genes in barley. This study offers valuable insights into the molecular regulation of barley plant architecture and inflorescence development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This experimental research investigates the effects of corrosion on the fatigue performance of reinforced recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) beams as well as the mechanical properties of corroded reinforcement in beams after fatigue loading. In addition, the decreasing trend of fatigue life with rising corrosion degree and the loss of fatigue life induced by steel corrosion for reinforced concrete beams are exhibited and analyzed, respectively. It was found that greater fatigue stress amplitude and increased corrosion degree tended to enlarge the maximum width of cracks and midspan deflection, as well as aggravating the damage degree of reinforced RAC beams at failure. After corrosion fatigue, characteristics of load-displacement curves for reinforcements changed significantly: the yield strength and ultimate strength decreased, features of yield plateau changed. The more the mass loss percentage of steel bars, the less the fatigue life of reinforced RAC beams. With the increase of corrosion degree, the reinforced RAC beams subject to large fatigue stress amplitude shows a steeper decline in fatigue life than reinforced RAC beams subject to relatively small fatigue stress amplitude. Compared with reinforced natural aggregate concrete (NAC), reinforced RAC suffers larger fatigue life loss and exhibits a steeper decline in fatigue life with rising corrosion degree. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]