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Abstract Background Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally important oilseed and cash crop. Web blotch is one of the most important peanut foliar diseases, causing severe yield losses worldwide. Results In this study, an F6 population was used to identify quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for peanut web blotch resistance, based on bulked segregant analysis (BSA). Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR (KASP) markers were developed and used to further narrow QTL intervals and detect candidate genes. Two major QTLs, qWBRA05 and qWBRA08 were identified, spanning physical intervals of 465.75 Kb and 434.83 Kb, and explaining percentages of phenotypic variation (PVE) of 8.79% and 15.09%, respectively. Moreover, two KASP markers were developed within the QTL interval effectively distinguished between web blotch resistance and web blotch susceptible materials. Conclusions The QTLs identified and two molecular markers closely linked to web blotch resistance were developed within the QTL interval, which are potentially valuable in peanut breeding.

Abstract Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a debilitating condition characterized by significant sensory, motor, and autonomic dysfunctions, leading to severe physical, psychological, and financial burdens. The current therapeutic approaches for SCI show limited effectiveness, highlighting the urgent need for innovative treatments. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) like miR-10b-5p are known to play pivotal roles in gene expression regulation and have been implicated in various neurodegenerative diseases, including SCI. Polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) has also been associated with neural injury responses and recovery. This study aims to explore the interaction between miR-10b-5p and PTBP1 in the context of SCI, hypothesizing that miR-10b-5p regulates PTBP1 to influence SCI pathogenesis and recovery using a rat model of SCI and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced PC12 cells. Reverse transcription-quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was performed to measure miR-10b-5p levels, revealing its low expression in SCI rats. We then assessed neurological function, histopathological changes, and spinal cord water content. We found that administering the agomiR-10b-5p significantly improved neurological function and decreased the spinal cord water content and normal motor neuron loss in SCI rats. Additionally, we explored the functions of miR-10b-5p in LPS-treated PC12 cells. Our results showed that miR-10b-5p repressed LPS-stimulated apoptosis, inflammation, and oxidative stress in PC12 cells. PTBP1 was predicted as a potential target gene of miR-10b-5p using the TargetScan database. Pulldown and luciferase reporter assays further demonstrated that miR-10b-5p binds to the 3’ untranslated region (UTR) of PTBP1. RT-qPCR revealed that miR-10b-5p negatively modulated PTBP1 expression both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, rescue assays indicated that miR-10b-5p alleviated SCI in rats and LPS-triggered injury in PC12 cells by downregulating PTBP1. We also investigated the regulation of miR-10b-5p and PTBP1 on the transforming growth factor-beta 1 (TGF-β1)/small mother against decapentaplegic (Smad3) pathway. We found that miR-10b-5p targeted PTBP1 to repress TGF-β1 decay and facilitated TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway activation. In conclusion, our results demonstrate that miR-10b-5p alleviates SCI by repressing TGF-β1 decay and inducing TGF-β1/Smad3 pathway activation through PTBP1 downregulation. This study provides novel insights into potential targeted therapy plans for SCI.

IntroductionYogurt consumption is beneficial to health, but its association with aging remains unclear. This study aims to explore the relationship between yogurt consumption and aging using data from the 2003–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES).MethodsWe used data from 4,056 participants to examine the relationship between yogurt consumption and aging. Yogurt consumers were defined as individuals who consumed yogurt at least once per year. Phenotypic age acceleration was used as a surrogate marker for aging. Nearest-neighbor propensity score matching (PSM) was applied to reduce bias, followed by weighted multivariate logistic regression analysis, subgroup analysis, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) to investigate the relationship between yogurt consumption and aging.ResultsYogurt consumption was associated with a lower risk of accelerated aging compared to non-consumers (OR = 0.544, 95% CI: 0.354–0.836, p = 0.020). A U-shaped relationship was observed between the frequency of yogurt intake and the risk of accelerated aging. Additionally, yogurt consumption was related to a lower risk of overweight status.DiscussionThese findings suggest that yogurt consumption may reduce the risk of accelerated aging and may also be linked to a lower risk of overweight status. This could provide a promising avenue for exploring the beneficial effects of dietary factors on lifespan extension.

IntroductionRecurrent or metastatic adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the head and neck is rare and highly aggressive. Due to the ineffectiveness of immune checkpoint therapies, this study aims to investigate the tumor immune microenvironment of primary tumor tissues and lung metastatic tissues and to comprehend the challenges of immunotherapy.MethodsWe analyzed RNA sequencing data and constructed immune landscapes from 25 primary tumors and 34 lung metastases. The data were then validated by immunohistochemistry and single-cell sequencing analysis.ResultsCompared to adjacent normal tissues, both primary and lung metastatic ACC showed low immune infiltration. Lung metastases had higher immune infiltration levels and antigen presentation scores but also higher T cell exclusion and dysfunction scores. Single-cell sequencing data and immunohistochemistry revealed abundant immunosuppressive tumor-associated macrophages in lung metastases. Patients with high M2 macrophage infiltration had shorter lung metastasis-free survival. DiscussionPrimary and lung metastatic ACC exhibit heterogeneous tumor immune microenvironments. Higher immune cell infiltration in lung metastases is countered by the presence of suppressive tumor-associated macrophages, which may limit effective anti-tumor responses.

Egg quality traits are economically important in the poultry industry. To explore the genetic architecture and identify potential candidate genes, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed for 13 egg quality traits using data from whole-genome sequencing of 299 Longyan Shan-ma female ducks, including 12 quantitative traits and one qualitative trait, eggshell color (ESC; white, light green, green). From estimation of pedigree genetic parameters, heritability (h2) ranged from 0.022 to 0.996 for the 12 quantitative traits, with the highest h2 (0.996) for eggshell color a* value (ESCA) and the lowest h2 (0.022) for egg yolk percentage relative to EW. A total of 8,874 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP)-based significant associations (1.0 × 10−6) and 247 insertion-deletion (indel)-based significant associations (1.00 × 10−5) were identified, including 5,980 SNPs and 159 indel markers. From 5,924 SNPs and 143 indels associated with ESC traits, 181 potential candidate genes were identified, and most significant SNPs and indels (P < 1.0 × 10−20) were located at 1.86 Mb (44.29−46.15 Mb) on chromosome 4. The top SNP (chr4:45325309:C>A; P = 7.97 × 10−43) and the top indel (chr4:45299595:delTTCCACTCCAC; P = 4.20 × 10−36) for the ESC a* value were within two known ESC candidate genes; ATP-binding cassette subfamily G member 2 (ABCG2) and protein kinase cGMP-dependent 2 (PRKG2). Of 56 SNPs and 16 indels associated with other egg quality traits, 46 potential candidate genes were identified including synapse differentiation-inducing 1-like (SYNDIG1L) for EW, and core histone macro-H2A.1 (LOC101795967) and neurogenin 1 (NEUROG1) for egg shape index; and four genes including collagen type VI alpha 3 chain (COL6A3), lysine demethylase 7A (KDM7A), LOC101802169, and sperm-associated antigen 16 (SPAG16) for egg yolk weight and the percentage of yolk to total egg weight. Of the 46 genes, the molecular functions of 22 are related to protein binding, indicating important roles in the formation of egg quality traits. Our findings provide new insight into the genetic basis of egg quality traits in ducks.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is a globally important oil crop. Web blotch is one of the most important foliar diseases affecting peanut, which results in serious yield losses worldwide. Breeding web blotch-resistant peanut varieties is the most effective and economically viable method for minimizing yield losses due to web blotch. In the current study, a bulked segregant analysis with next-generation sequencing was used to analyze an F2:3 segregating population and identify candidate loci related to web blotch resistance. Based on the fine-mapping of the candidate genomic interval using kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers, we identified a novel web blotch resistance-related locus spanning approximately 169 kb on chromosome 16. This region included four annotated genes, of which only Arahy.35VVQ3 had a non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism in the coding region between the two parents. Two markers (Chr.16.12872635 and Chr.16.12966357) linked to this gene were shown to be co-segregated with the resistance of peanut web blotch by 72 randomly selected recombinant inbred lines (RIL), which could be used in marker-assisted breeding of resistant peanut varieties.

The excessive utilization of petroleum-based plastic products has led to a pervasive environmental and human health threat. In response, the adoption of bioplastics derived from biomass has emerged as the foremost alternative to conventional plastics, owing to their inherent biodegradability and sustainability. The present study demonstrates the preparation of a biodegradable and cost-effective lignocellulosic bioplastic by utilizing dissolving bamboo leaf powder with deep eutectic solvents (DES) and regenerating lignin in situ. The DES was synthesized through a one-step heating and stirring method using choline chloride (ChCl) and anhydrous oxalic acid. The crystallinity of the bioplastics is enhanced by DES pretreatment, thereby improving the internal structural order of the material. Moreover, lignin regeneration reduces the pore size within the bioplastics and contributes to a more compact internal structure. The prepared lignocellulosic bioplastics exhibit remarkable mechanical strength, with a tensile strength of 113 MPa. Additionally, they demonstrate good water stability, as evidenced by a contact angle of 55.52°. Moreover, these bioplastics possess an exceptional biodegradability with a degradation rate exceeding 98% after 60 days. This study presents an innovative approach for the high-value utilization of bamboo leaf resources.

Abstract Background Bacterial wilt caused by Ralstonia solanacearum severely affects peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) yields. The breeding of resistant cultivars is an efficient means of controlling plant diseases. Therefore, identification of resistance genes effective against bacterial wilt is a matter of urgency. The lack of a reference genome for a resistant genotype severely hinders the process of identification of resistance genes in peanut. In addition, limited information is available on disease resistance-related pathways in peanut. Results Full-length transcriptome data were used to generate wilt-resistant and -susceptible transcript pools. In total, 253,869 transcripts were retained to form a reference transcriptome for RNA-sequencing data analysis. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway enrichment analysis of differentially expressed genes revealed the plant-pathogen interaction pathway to be the main resistance-related pathway for peanut to prevent bacterial invasion and calcium plays an important role in this pathway. Glutathione metabolism was enriched in wilt-susceptible genotypes, which would promote glutathione synthesis in the early stages of pathogen invasion. Based on our previous quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping results, the genes arahy.V6I7WA and arahy.MXY2PU, which encode nucleotide-binding site-leucine-rich repeat receptor proteins, were indicated to be associated with resistance to bacterial wilt. Conclusions This study identified several pathways associated with resistance to bacterial wilt and identified candidate genes for bacterial wilt resistance in a major QTL region. These findings lay a foundation for investigation of the mechanism of resistance to bacterial wilt in peanut.

ABSTRACT: Avian feather color is a fascinating trait, and the genetic mechanism of duck plumage formation is still in the preliminary stage. In this study, feather color of Liancheng White ducks was analyzed by determination of melanin content and RNA-seq analysis. In this research, 9 ducks from Mallards (n = 3), Liancheng White (n = 3) and Pekin ducks (n = 3) were used by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and Masson-Fontana staining to reveal the difference of feather melanin content. RNA-seq from 11 hair follicle tissues (1- and 8-wk-old) of Liancheng White ducks (n = 5) and Pekin ducks (n = 7) was used to analyze the candidate genes for the feather melanin synthesis, and Immunofluorescence experiment was used to show the protein expression in 6 black- and white-feathered ducks. Pectorale, skin, liver, fat, brain, heart, kidney, lung, spleen of an 8-wk-old black-feathered Mallard were collected for candidate gene expression. The results showed that the contents of feathers, beak, web melanin in Liancheng White ducks were higher than in Pekin ducks (p < 0.05). Melanin within hair follicles was located in the barb ridge and hair matrix of black feather duck, also we found that TYRP1, TYR, SOX10 genes were differentially expressed between Liancheng White and Pekin ducks (p < 0.05), and these genes were mainly expressed showed in duck skin tissues. This study revealed the unique feather color phenotype of Liancheng White duck shedding light on the transcriptome that underlies it.

Introduction: The Euchromatic Histone Methyl Transferase Protein 2 (EHMT2), also known as G9a, deposits transcriptionally repressive chromatin marks that play pivotal roles in the maturation and homeostasis of multiple organs. Recently, we have shown that Ehmt2 inactivation in the mouse pancreas alters growth and immune gene expression networks, antagonizing Kras-mediated pancreatic cancer initiation and promotion. Here, we elucidate the essential role of Ehmt2 in maintaining a transcriptional landscape that protects organs from inflammation.Methods: Comparative RNA-seq studies between normal postnatal and young adult pancreatic tissue from Ehmt2 conditional knockout animals (Ehmt2fl/fl) targeted to the exocrine pancreatic epithelial cells (Pdx1-Cre and P48Cre/+), reveal alterations in gene expression networks in the whole organ related to injury-inflammation-repair, suggesting an increased predisposition to damage. Thus, we induced an inflammation repair response in the Ehmt2fl/fl pancreas and used a data science-based approach to integrate RNA-seq-derived pathways and networks, deconvolution digital cytology, and spatial transcriptomics. We also analyzed the tissue response to damage at the morphological, biochemical, and molecular pathology levels.Results and discussion: The Ehmt2fl/fl pancreas displays an enhanced injury-inflammation-repair response, offering insights into fundamental molecular and cellular mechanisms involved in this process. More importantly, these data show that conditional Ehmt2 inactivation in exocrine cells reprograms the local environment to recruit mesenchymal and immunological cells needed to mount an increased inflammatory response. Mechanistically, this response is an enhanced injury-inflammation-repair reaction with a small contribution of specific Ehmt2-regulated transcripts. Thus, this new knowledge extends the mechanisms underlying the role of the Ehmt2-mediated pathway in suppressing pancreatic cancer initiation and modulating inflammatory pancreatic diseases.

Abstract Background Pod shell thickness (PST) is an important agronomic trait of peanut because it affects the ability of shells to resist pest infestations and pathogen attacks, while also influencing the peanut shelling process. However, very few studies have explored the genetic basis of PST. Results An F2 segregating population derived from a cross between the thick-shelled cultivar Yueyou 18 (YY18) and the thin-shelled cultivar Weihua 8 (WH8) was used to identify the quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for PST. On the basis of a bulked segregant analysis sequencing (BSA-seq), four QTLs were preliminarily mapped to chromosomes 3, 8, 13, and 18. Using the genome resequencing data of YY18 and WH8, 22 kompetitive allele-specific PCR (KASP) markers were designed for the genotyping of the F2 population. Two major QTLs (qPSTA08 and qPSTA18) were identified and finely mapped, with qPSTA08 detected on chromosome 8 (0.69-Mb physical genomic region) and qPSTA18 detected on chromosome 18 (0.15-Mb physical genomic region). Moreover, qPSTA08 and qPSTA18 explained 31.1–32.3% and 16.7–16.8% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Fifteen genes were detected in the two candidate regions, including three genes with nonsynonymous mutations in the exon region. Two molecular markers (Tif2_A08_31713024 and Tif2_A18_7198124) that were developed for the two major QTL regions effectively distinguished between thick-shelled and thin-shelled materials. Subsequently, the two markers were validated in four F2:3 lines selected. Conclusions The QTLs identified and molecular markers developed in this study may lay the foundation for breeding cultivars with a shell thickness suitable for mechanized peanut shelling.

Fe–Mn–xAl–C steel ingots have been fabricated by vacuum melting with Al compositions varied from x = 0 to 3 and 5 wt.%, respectively. After properly hot-forging and hot-rolling as well as solution heat treatments, impact toughness tests were carried out at 77 K using a standard full-size of Charpy impact V-notch configuration. It was found that the addition of Al element is more conducive to enhance the cryogenic toughness. The relationship between the cryogenic toughness and the Al composition has been revealed through detailed microstructural studies by electron back scatter diffraction and transmission-electron microscopy. The stack fault energy (SFE) increases with the increase of Al content at various temperature. The plastic deformation is dominated by deformation bands which are dominated by deformation twins (DTs) and ε-martensite at x = 0 and DTs at x = 3 and 5%, respectively. The DTs near fracture the notch-tip area increased in the order of the 0Al, 3Al, and 5Al steel. The DTs with high density, together with their contented dislocations, significantly contributed to the high cryogenic toughness of the studied high manganese steel with higher Al content. Banded ε-martensite will deterioration cryogenic toughness due to its large size compared to DTs at 0Al steel.

[0.94(Bi0.5Na0.5)TiO3-0.06BaTiO3]0.98-(LiNbO3)0.02 (BNBTLN) piezoelectric ceramic coating was fabricated by thermal spray process on stainless steel substrates with thermal barrier coating (TBC) as an intermediary layer. The morphology, structure, and electrical properties of the thermal-sprayed BNBTLN coatings after furnace heat treatment (F-HT) and plasma torch heat treatment (P-HT) were studied, respectively. The BNBTLN coatings after F-HT and P-HT both had the coexisting rhombohedral and tetragonal perovskite phases and exhibited excellent electrical properties, with an effective piezoelectric coefficient d33 of 68 p.m./V and 40 p.m./V, respectively. These results reveal that high quality piezoelectric coatings can be achieved by the P-HT method, which is promising for scaling up the fabrication of piezoelectric ceramic coatings.

Abstract The premetastatic niches (PMN) formed by primary tumor‐derived molecules regulate distant organs and tissues to further favor tumor colonization. Targeted PMN therapy may prevent tumor metastasis in the early stages, which is becoming increasingly important. At present, there is a lack of in‐depth understanding of the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN. Here, we summarize current research advances on the cellular and molecular characteristics of the PMN. We emphasize that PMN intervention is a potential therapeutic strategy for early prevention of tumor metastasis, which provides a promising basis for future research and clinical application.

At the crucial period of addressing climate change, especially to the carbonization of land use change, it is vital that relevant actions are taken to enable two ambitious dual-carbon goals, namely, ensuring that carbon emissions peak before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060. This research investigates the impacts of land use changes on carbon emissions using a novel approach that integrates Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) with Geographic Information System (GIS). This approach is innovative due to its high quality three-dimensional representation to quantified exact carbon stock and forest emissions occurring due to specific land-use change. Therefore, through actual LiDAR, this research helps demarcate the pattern emitting different land-use measures, including deforestation, urban programs, agricultural differences, and forest and land changes, over historical change records and verified carbonization formulas. Similar qualitative levels between LiDAR and GIS analysis help determine the varying degrees of carbonization occurring due to enhanced deforestation, urban additions, and agricultural contributions while reporting the possible procedural carbons acquired during reforestation and other measurements. The results helped clarify that the most distinct level of land utilization shows the least level of carbon sent into the air. Therefore, the implication is that strategic land use measures and better working conditions can curb carbon indications. These signals support land-use policy and preparedness goals in a low carbon level. This study creates valuable records for the land utilization and cartograph, created through the power of LiDAR and GIS analysis.

A flash tempering process has been demonstrated for low-carbon low-alloy lath martensite, which includes heating the sample to 750 °C (Ac1: 752 °C), dwelling at 750 °C for 2 s, and quenching directly to room temperature. The high temperature accelerated the spread of the supersaturated carbon atoms in the lath martensite, activated the dislocation migrations and thus their combining and annihilation, and promoted the mass recrystallisation. The reduced dwelling time inhibited the coarsening of the martensitic laths and suppressed the growth of the recrystallized structures. The combination of higher temperature and the shorter dwelling period, so-called flash tempering, gives rise to the same microstructure and mechanical properties as those obtained by the conventional tempering process (i.e., dwelling at 600 °C for 1 h). The high efficient flash tempering, possessing significantly reduced energy and time consumptions, may have important consequence in industrialization of tempering process.

The structural color properties of colloidal arrays can be controlled by colloidal assembly via tuning the size, composition, and ordering of colloidal particles and their formation at the macroscale. Controlled assembly and patterning offer many advantages for the technological development of photovoltaics, optics, and lab-on-a-chip, where the ordering of particles can influence the properties and functions of a system. Many techniques have been well established for patterning ordered colloidal arrays (colloidal crystals), and disordered colloidal arrays (colloidal glasses). However, they are time-consuming and require additional steps such as masking, etching, or stamping. The advent of digital manufacturing, in which additive manufacturing is combined with computer-aided design (CAD), can overcome some of the challenges in fabricating structures from colloidal particles. This article presents a review of recent strategies for digitally fabricating 1D (e.g., single line), 2D (e.g., arrays of dots and patterns with lines), and 3D (e.g., dots and balls) colloidal crystals and glasses, including inkjet printing, direct ink writing, electrohydrodynamic jet printing, two-photon lithography, and digital light processing. The requirements of colloidal ink formulations for different 3D printing methods are discussed. The effects of the wettability of the printed ink on the ordering of colloidal particles in the fabricated structures and the resulting structural colors are discussed. Finally, a summary and perspective on future development are presented.

Decades of studies on thermoelectric materials have enabled the design of high‐performance materials based on basic materials properties, such as bandgap engineering. In general, bandgap energies correspond to the temperature at which the peak thermoelectric performance occurs. For instance, CuGaTe2 with a relatively wide bandgap of 1.2 eV has its peak zT > 1 at > 900 K. On the other hand, the zT is usually very low (

If and how non-bonding ligands mediate the electronic states of metal sites is interesting yet remains to be explored. Here the authors show that a non-covalent phenanthroline can promote the population of Co4+ and induce polaron-like Co sites for improved water oxidation.

Herein, a real‐time, fast, tightly coupled simultaneous localization and mapping (SLAM) system is proposed. The deep neural network is used to segment the point cloud semantically to construct the point cloud semantic map descriptor, and the global navigation satellite system real‐time kinematic position is used to detect the loop closure. Finally, a factor‐graph model is used for global optimization. The working principle of the SLAM system is introduced in detail, including the construction of the factor graph, the generation of the point cloud semantic graph descriptor, the generation of the ring graph, the loop‐closure detection process, and the global optimization. Indoor and outdoor experiments are conducted to validate the performance of overall trajectory estimation and loop‐closure detection. Compared to traditional methods, the proposed method offers improved accuracy and real‐time performance in trajectory estimation. It effectively addresses issues such as limited feature constraints, large computational consumption, and subpar real‐time performance, allowing for quick and accurate loop‐closure detection. Moreover, the method demonstrates a time consumption reduction of two‐thirds compared to traditional approaches while exhibiting superior overall loop‐closure detection performance.

Abstract Phase change materials (PCMs) are promising thermal energy storage materials due to their high specific latent heat. Conventional PCMs typically exploit the solid–liquid (s–l) transition. However, leakage and leaching are common issues for solid–liquid PCMs, which have to be addressed before usage in practical applications. In contrast, solid–solid (s–s) PCMs would naturally overcome these issues due to their inherent form stability and homogeneity. In this study, we report a new type of s–s PCM based on chemically linked polyethylene glycol (PEG, the PCM portion) with polylactic acid (PLA, the support portion) in the form of a block co‐polymer. Solid‐solid latent heat of up to 56 J/g could be achieved, with melting points of between 44 °C and 55 °C. For comparison, PEG was physically mixed into a PLA matrix to form a PEG:PLA composite. However, the composite material saw leakage of up to 9% upon heating, with a corresponding loss in thermal storage capacity. In contrast, the mPEG/PLA block co‐polymers were found to be completely homogeneous and thermally stable even when heated above its phase transition temperature, with no observable leakage, demonstrating the superiority of chemical linking strategies in ensuring form stability.

Abstract Meat is among the most consumed foods worldwide and has a unique flavor and high nutrient density in the human diet. However, the genetic and biochemical bases of meat nutrition and flavor are poorly understood. Here, 3431 metabolites and 702 volatiles in 423 skeletal muscle samples are profiled from a gradient consanguinity segregating population generated by Pekin duck × Liancheng duck crosses using metabolomic approaches. The authors identified 2862 metabolome‐based genome‐wide association studies (mGWAS) signals and 48 candidate genes potentially modulating metabolite and volatile levels, 79.2% of which are regulated by cis‐regulatory elements. The level of plasmalogen is significantly associated with TMEM189 encoding plasmanylethanolamine desaturase 1. The levels of 2‐pyrrolidone and glycerophospholipids are regulated by the gene expression of AOX1 and ACBD5, which further affects the levels of volatiles, 2‐pyrrolidone and decanal, respectively. Genetic variations in GADL1 and CARNMT2 determine the levels of 49 metabolites including L‐carnosine and anserine. This study provides novel insights into the genetic and biochemical basis of skeletal muscle metabolism and constitutes a valuable resource for the precise improvement of meat nutrition and flavor.

Negative thermally expanded (NTE) (KMg)xSc2-x (WO4)3 (0 = x ≤ 1.5) ceramics have been prepared via solid-state reaction. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis reveals that (KMg)xSc2-x (WO4)3 undergoes a composition-induced phase transition as the (KMg)3+-substitution content increases. For x = 0.25, both hexagonal (KMg)xSc2-x (WO4)3 and orthorhombic Sc2(WO4)3 coexisted in the sample. For 0.25

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In this work, we compare the thermoelectric performance of Mg _2 Si-based compounds by synthesizing them in N _2 compared to Ar atmosphere during ball milling. In addition, we achieved high thermoelectric performance by introducing Sn-alloying as well as Zn- and Bi-co doping. The high performance originated from simultaneous improvement in electrical conductivity and reduced thermal conductivity. This results in peak zT near 1.0 at 760 K for Mg _1.9925 Zn _0.0075 Si _0.48 Sn _0.5 Bi _0.02 . Owing to the much lower cost (higher abundance) of N _2 compared to Ar owing to their much higher relative abundance, such processing strategy is expected to improve sustainability. Furthermore, the insights derived from this work can potentially be applied to other compounds containing Mg- and other reactive elements. Fundamentally, this result will also motivate further studies on the intrinsic defect formation in N _2 vs Ar atmosphere, which affects both electronic and thermal transports.

Abstract Al-alloy/carbon fibre reinforced polymer (CFRP) joint systems offer exceptionally lightweight, superior fatigue behaviour and impact resistance for aerospace applications. Nevertheless, the galvanic corrosion at the joint interfaces accelerates the adhesive failure and strength damage. In this work, oxidation of Al 7075 alloy was studied by employing plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) and thin film sulphuric acid anodizing (TFSAA) methods, addressing their galvanic corrosion (GC) protection performance in contact with CFRP. Structural and electrochemical characterisations were carried out in tandem with varied oxidation process parameters, revealing that high voltage PEO resulted in crystallized compact ceramic coating and thus improved GC protection. A decrease in the GC current by ~ 90% has been achieved by using the PEO coating at 700 V compared with the ~ 12% current reduction of commercial TFSAA coating. Further microstructure studies revealed that the improved GC protection of the crystallized PEO coating was realized by suppressing the initiation and propagation of localized pitting due to the improved electrical isolation between the Al-alloy/CFRP interfaces. A high voltage PEO process provides sufficient energy to produce uniform and crystalline ceramic coating consisting of Al2O3 and mullite, which give rise to improved corrosion protection.

Rice grassy stunt virus (RGSV), a typical negative single-stranded RNA virus, invades rice and generates several disease signs, including dwarfing, tillering, and sterility. Previous research has revealed that RGSV-encoded proteins can force the host’s ubiquitin-proteasome system to utilize them for viral pathogenesis. However, most of the studies were limited to a single omics level and lacked multidimensional data collection and correlation analysis on the mechanisms of RGSV-rice interactions. Here, we performed a comprehensive association analysis of genome-wide methylation sequencing, transcriptome sequencing, and histone H3K9me3 modification in RGSV-infested as well as non-infested rice leaves, and the levels of all three cytosine contexts (CG, CHG and CHH) were found to be slightly lower in RGSV-infected rice leaves than in normal rice. Large proportions of DMRs were distributed in the promoter and intergenic regions, and most DMRs were enriched in the CHH context, where the number of CHH hypo-DMRs was almost twice as high as that of hyper-DMRs. Among the genes with down-regulated expression and hypermethylation, we analyzed and identified 11 transcripts involved in fertility, plant height and tillering, and among the transcribed up-regulated and hypermethylated genes, we excavated 7 transcripts related to fertility, plant height and tillering. By analyzing the changes of histone H3K9me3 modification before and after virus infestation, we found that the distribution of H3K9me3 modification in the whole rice genome was prevalent, mainly concentrated in the gene promoter and gene body regions, which was distinctly different from the characteristics of animals. Combined with transcriptomic data, H3K9me3 mark was found to favor targeting highly expressed genes. After RGSV infection, H3K9me3 modifications in several regions of CTK and BR hormone signaling-related genes were altered, providing important targets for subsequent studies.

Soft matter is something between the ideal solid and liquid. For the gelled waxy crude oil has the specific and complicated mechanical behavior of the soft matters, learning from the rheological research methods for soft matters is an efficient approach to further investigate the rheological behaviors of waxy crude oil. Herein, the specific mechanical behavior of soft matters was introduced with reference to the rheological behaviors of the waxy crude oils. The controversies in present studies for the yielding behaviors were systematically demonstrated in terms of the concept of yield stress, its measurement, the matter of yield strain, and the viscoelastic response prior to macroflow arising. The rheological behavior during the viscoelasticity-to-yielding transition process after loading was also analyzed. In addition, considering that the rheological measurement is the main means to investigate the complicated structural characteristics of the soft matters, the main research methods of the rheological behaviors of soft matters were illustrated, including the steady shear, creep and large amplitude oscillatory shear, and the appropriate data analysis methods were also summarized, further providing guidance to the in-depth study of the rheological behavior of the waxy crude oil.

Pod size is one of the most important agronomic features of peanuts, which directly affects peanut yield. Studies on the regulation mechanism underpinning pod size in cultivated peanuts remain hitherto limited compared to model plant systems. To better understand the molecular elements that underpin peanut pod development, we conducted a comprehensive analysis of chronological transcriptomics during pod development in four peanut accessions with similar genetic backgrounds, but varying pod sizes. Several plant transcription factors, phytohormones, and the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways were significantly enriched among differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at five consecutive developmental stages, revealing an eclectic range of candidate genes, including PNC, YUC, and IAA that regulate auxin synthesis and metabolism, CYCD and CYCU that regulate cell differentiation and proliferation, and GASA that regulates seed size and pod elongation via gibberellin pathway. It is plausible that MPK3 promotes integument cell division and regulates mitotic activity through phosphorylation, and the interactions between these genes form a network of molecular pathways that affect peanut pod size. Furthermore, two variant sites, GCP4 and RPPL1, were identified which are stable at the QTL interval for seed size attributes and function in plant cell tissue microtubule nucleation. These findings may facilitate the identification of candidate genes that regulate pod size and impart yield improvement in cultivated peanuts.

Abstract Background Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a common cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Recent studies have shown that the polytopic enzyme membrane associated ring-CH-type finger 6 (MARCH6) participates in tumorigenesis, but its function in HCC development needs to be investigated. This study aimed to explore the role of MARCH6 in HCC. Methods Expression of MARCH6 in human HCC samples was checked by immunohistochemical staining assay. Clinical relevance of MARCH6 and activating transcription factor 2 (ATF2) was analyzed from TCGA database. CCK-8, EdU staining, colony formation and transwell were performed to assess cell proliferation, growth and migration. Xenografted tumorigenesis was used to examine in vivo role MARCH6. Immunoblotting was applied to detect protein abundance. Results We found that MARCH6 expression was elevated in human HCC samples. Over-expression of MARCH6 was associated with poor prognosis of HCC patients. Up-expression of MARCH6 promoted cell growth and migration of HCC cells. In contrast, the HCC cell growth and migration were suppressed by MARCH6 knockdown. Furthermore, the DNA synthesis was enhanced by MARCH6. The expression of ATF2 was potentiated by MARCH6 over-expression, while it was suppressed by MARCH6 silencing. TCGA database showed positive correlation between the expression of MARCH6 and ATF2. Importantly, ATF2 expression contributed to the oncogenic function of HCC cells. Conclusion Our findings suggest that MARCH6-mediated ATF2 up-regulation contributes to HCC development. MARCH6 may be a promising target for the diagnosis and treatment of HCC.

This study aimed to develop a cation-exchange resin suitable for pharmaceutical excipients, with an appropriate particle size to create an in situ gel of timolol maleate, enhancing its safety and efficacy for ophthalmic use. A cation-exchange resin was prepared using dispersion seed swelling and sulfonation. This resin served as a carrier to form timolol maleate drug resin complexes by bath method. The star design effect surface method was employed to optimize the gel formulation, resulting in an in situ thermosensitive gel. Additionally, the intraocular hypertension model of New Zealand rabbits was investigated with the objective of reducing intraocular pressure. The study successfully produced cation-exchange resins with a particle size below 10 μm, suitable for ophthalmic application. The drug content of homemade gel drug content ranged from 97.69 % to 99.37 %, with a cumulative release of 93.07 % over 10 h. Compared to commercially available eye drops, the homemade gel demonstrated prolonged residence time and better sustained intraocular pressure reduction effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) is a significant global health problem. It is urgent to identify reliable predictors and establish a potential prognostic model.Methods: RNA-sequencing expression data of patients with STAD were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) and the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Gene expression profiling and survival analysis were performed to investigate differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with significant clinical prognosis value. Overall survival (OS) analysis and univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to establish the prognostic model. Protein–protein interaction (PPI) network, functional enrichment analysis, and differential expression investigation were also performed to further explore the potential mechanism of the prognostic genes in STAD. Finally, nomogram establishment was undertaken by performing multivariate Cox regression analysis, and calibration plots were generated to validate the nomogram.Results: A total of 229 overlapping DEGs were identified. Following Kaplan–Meier survival analysis and univariate and multivariate Cox regression analysis, 11 genes significantly associated with prognosis were screened and five of these genes, including COL10A1, MFAP2, CTHRC1, P4HA3, and FAP, were used to establish the risk model. The results showed that patients with high-risk scores have a poor prognosis, compared with those with low-risk scores (p = 0.0025 for the training dataset and p = 0.045 for the validation dataset). Subsequently, a nomogram (including TNM stage, age, gender, histologic grade, and risk score) was created. In addition, differential expression and immunohistochemistry stain of the five core genes in STAD and normal tissues were verified.Conclusion: We develop a prognostic-related model based on five core genes, which may serve as an independent risk factor for survival prediction in patients with STAD.