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Abstract Background The formation and domestication of ornamental traits are influenced by various aspects, such as the recognition of esthetic values and cultural traditions. Camellia japonica is widely appreciated and domesticated around the world mainly due to its rich variations in ornamental traits. Ornamental camellias have a diverse range of resources, including different bud variations from Camellia spp. as well as inter- and intra- specific hybridization. Despite research on the formation of ornamental traits, a basic understanding of their genetics and genomics is still lacking. Results Here, we report the chromosomal-level reference genome of C. japonica through combining multiple DNA-sequencing technologies and obtain a high-density genetic linkage map of 4255 markers by sequencing 98 interspecific F1 hybrids between C. japonica and C. chekiangoleosa. We identify two whole-genome duplication events in C. japonica: one is a shared ancient γ event, and the other is revealed to be specific to genus Camellia. Based on the micro-collinearity analysis, we find large-scale segmental duplication of chromosome 8, resulting to two copies of the AGAMOUS loci, which may play a key role in the domestication of floral shapes. To explore the regulatory mechanisms of seasonal flowering, we have analyzed year-round gene expression patterns of C. japonica and C. azalea—a sister plant of continuous flowering that has been widely used for cross breeding. Through comparative analyses of gene co-expression networks and annual gene expression patterns, we show that annual expression rhythms of some important regulators of seasonal growth and development, including GIGANTEA and CONSTANS of the photoperiod pathway, have been disrupted in C. azalea. Furthermore, we reveal that the distinctive expression patterns of FLOWERING LOCUS T can be correlated with the seasonal activities of flowering and flushing. We demonstrate that the regulatory module involved in GIGANTEA, CONSTANS, and FLOWERING LOCUS T is central to achieve seasonality. Conclusions Through the genomic and comparative genomics characterizations of ornamental Camellia spp., we propose that duplication of chromosomal segments as well as the establishment of gene expression patterns has played a key role in the formation of ornamental traits (e.g., flower shape, flowering time). This work provides a valuable genomic platform for understanding the molecular basis of ornamental traits.

Helium, a critical rare strategic resource primarily sourced from natural gas, is currently a subject of intense research regarding its enrichment processes within gas reservoirs. Investigating the enrichment of helium is urgent and vital for advancing helium exploration. This study involved the collection of natural gas samples from the Qaidam, Sichuan, and Junggar basins for helium and nitrogen content testing and analysis. The findings were combined with studies on natural gas fractions and helium content in local and international major helium-rich fields. The investigation revealed a strong correlation between helium content and nitrogen presence in helium-rich fields, a phenomenon that also extends to some helium-poor fields. Accordingly, this study proposes a coupling relationship between helium and nitrogen, suggesting that both elements are simultaneously enriched in natural gas. Furthermore, both are associated with groundwater and may share a common origin in source rocks. This proposed coupling relationship holds the potential to unveil the mystery of helium enrichment, offering a new perspective for the exploration of helium-rich resources and providing a foundational framework for helium enrichment theory.

ABSTRACTIn the era of Earth Observation (EO) big data, interactive spatiotemporal aggregation analysis is a critical tool for exploring geographic patterns. However, existing methods are inefficient and complex. Their interactive performance greatly depends on large-scale computing resources, especially data cube infrastructure. In this study, from a green computing perspective, we propose a lightweight data cube model based on the preaggregation concept, in which the frequency histogram of EO data is employed as a specific measure. The cube space was divided into lattice pyramids by the Google S2 grid system, and histogram statistics of the EO data were injected into in-memory cuboids. Therefore, exploratory aggregation analysis of EO datasets could be rapidly converted into multidimensional-view query processes. We implemented the prototype system on a local PC and conducted a case study of global vegetation index aggregation. The experiments showed that the proposed model is smaller, faster and consumes less energy than ArcGIS Pro and XCube, and facilitates green computing strategies involving a cube infrastructure. Due to the standalone mode, larger dataset will result in longer cube building time with indexing latency. The efficiency of the approach comes at the expense of accuracy, and the inherent uncertainties were examined in this paper.

As a novel and promising antitumor target, AXL plays an important role in tumor growth, metastasis, immunosuppression and drug resistance of various malignancies, which has attracted extensive research interest in recent years. In this study, by employing the structure-based drug design and bioisosterism strategies, we designed and synthesized in total 54 novel AXL inhibitors featuring a fused-pyrazolone carboxamide scaffold, of which up to 20 compounds exhibited excellent AXL kinase and BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability inhibitions. Notably, compound 59 showed a desirable AXL kinase inhibitory activity (IC50: 3.5 nmol/L) as well as good kinase selectivity, and it effectively blocked the cellular AXL signaling. In turn, compound 59 could potently inhibit BaF3/TEL-AXL cell viability (IC50: 1.5 nmol/L) and significantly suppress GAS6/AXL-mediated cancer cell invasion, migration and wound healing at the nanomolar level. More importantly, compound 59 oral administration showed good pharmacokinetic profile and in vivo antitumor efficiency, in which we observed significant AXL phosphorylation suppression, and its antitumor efficacy at 20 mg/kg (qd) was comparable to that of BGB324 at 50 mg/kg (bid), the most advanced AXL inhibitor. Taken together, this work provided a valuable lead compound as a potential AXL inhibitor for the further antitumor drug development.

Abstract Background The literature describes a case of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) complicated with Castleman’s disease (CD) and secondary paraneoplastic pemphigus (PNP). Case presentation A 12-year-old female presented with a neck mass, rash, arthralgia, and skin and mouth ulceration for 5 years were admitted. All blood cells were low. Multiple autoantibodies associated with SLE were positive. The pathology of the neck mass revealed the classical manifestations of CD. She was treated with prednisone, hydroxychloroquine, leflunomide, thalidomide, and dressings. Pathological examination of the skin revealed PNP. The neck mass was removed and continued to take antirheumatic drugs. At subsequent follow-up, the patient’s disease status was stable and the skin mucosal lesion did not recur. Conclusion The case of simultaneous SLE, CD, and PNP in children was rarely reported, and the correct diagnosis of the disease will help to take timely treatment.

IntroductionThe development of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is strongly associated with oxidative stress, but it is unclear whether increasing dietary antioxidant intake reduces the risk of COPD. Therefore, this study assessed the association between antioxidant intake and COPD in US adults aged ≥ 40 years and further examined the correlation using the Composite Dietary Antioxidant Index (CDAI).MethodsThe study included 8,257 US adults aged ≥ 40 years using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) for three cycles from 2007-2012. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to calculate the correlation between antioxidant intake and CDAI with COPD. Restricted cubic spline was further used to explore the exposure-response relationship. Mediation analysis was used to explore the role of inflammatory factors in the association between CDAI and COPD.ResultsThis study included 8257 participants (4111 women [weighted, 50.7%]; mean [SD] age, 58.8 [11.2] years). In a multivariable-adjusted model of single antioxidant intake, a linear downward association between carotenoid intake and the incidence of COPD (P for trend = 0.052; Pnon- linear = 0.961). In a multivariable adjusted model for CDAI, this association is similarly present (P for trend = 0.018; Pnon-linear = 0.360). Multiple linear regression modeling showed that leukocytes (P = 0.002), alkaline phosphatase (P< 0.001), and c-reactive protein (P< 0.001) were negatively associated with CDAI levels. Meanwhile, mediation analysis revealed that alkaline phosphatase and c-reactive protein partially influenced the association between CDAI and COPD prevalence, with mediation ratios of 6.4% (P< 0.01) and 4.68% (P = 0.04), respectively.ConclusionThe risk of COPD decreased with increased carotenoid intake and CDAI. In addition, CDAI has been found to be strongly associated with inflammatory factors and can reduce the incidence of COPD by mediating inflammatory factors.

Abstract Background Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and life-threatening disorder characterized by systemic inflammation and organ failure as a result of dysregulated immune cell activation. HLH can be induced by a variety of factors including infection, tumours and autoimmune disease and can also occur in patients following solid organ transplantation. Occurrence of HLH and lupus nephritis (LN) successively within a short period of time after renal transplantation is uncommon. Case presentation We described an 11-year-old female post-transplant patient who presented with hemocytopenia, fever, elevated serum ferritin, splenomegaly, hyperlipidemia, and hypofibrinemia, and was clinically diagnosed with HLH. After comprehensive treatment with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), and reducing immunosuppressants, her condition improved, but then hematuria ensued. The transplant kidney biopsy showed LN. She was treated with hydroxychloroquine and methylprednisolone while intensive immunosuppressive agents were given. She has remained in remission for two years until now. Conclusions The main inducing factors of HLH should be identified as early as possible, and accurate treatment plans should be taken. The long-course IVIG regimen may be one of the effective treatments for virus-induced HLH. After remission of HLH, we need to be alert to the recurrence of autoimmune diseases in patients with underlying diseases, and timely increase immunosuppressants.

The plant MADS-box transcription factor family is a major regulator of plant flower development and reproduction, and the AGAMOUS-LIKE11/SEEDSTICK (AGL11/STK) subfamily plays conserved functions in the seed development of flowering plants. Camellia japonica is a world-famous ornamental flower, and its seed kernels are rich in highly valuable fatty acids. Seed abortion has been found to be common in C. japonica, but little is known about how it is regulated during seed development. In this study, we performed a genome-wide analysis of the MADS-box gene the in C. japonica genome and identified 126 MADS-box genes. Through gene expression profiling in various tissue types, we revealed the C/D-class MADS-box genes were preferentially expressed in seed-related tissues. We identified the AGL11/STK-like gene, CjSTK, and showed that it contained a typical STK motif and exclusively expressed during seed development. We found a significant increase in the CjSTK expression level in aborted seeds compared with normally developing seeds. Furthermore, overexpression of CjSTK in Arabidopsis thaliana caused shorter pods and smaller seeds. Taken together, we concluded that the fine regulation of the CjSTK expression at different stages of seed development is critical for ovule formation and seed abortion in C. japonica. The present study provides evidence revealing the regulation of seed development in Camellia.

Camellia nitidissima is famous for its golden flowers. Its flowers are rich in secondary metabolites, and they have ornamental, medicinal, and edible value. Pigment composition and regulation has been studied in the golden petals, but there has been little research on pigment composition or the molecular mechanism underlying yellow stamens in C. nitidissima. To explore the molecular mechanism of yellow stamen formation, three developmental stages (S0, S1, and S2) were used for transcriptome and pigment analyses. Pigment analysis showed that the flavonoid content increased sharply from the S0 to S1 stage and decreased from the S1 to S2 stage, and the carotenoid content increased sharply during yellow stamen formation (from the S1 to S2 stage). RNA-seq analysis showed that a total of 20,483 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. KEGG and heatmap analyses showed that flavonoid and carotenoid biosynthesis pathways were enriched, and we identified 14 structural genes involved in flavonoid biosynthesis and 13 genes involved in carotenoid biosynthesis and degradation. In addition, the expression of carotenoid- and flavonoid-related genes was consistent with carotenoid and flavonoid content. In addition, correlation network analysis indicated that the WARYK, MYB, bHLH, and AP2/ERF transcription factor families were screened for involvement in the biosynthesis of flavonoids and carotenoids. In this study, we describe the pathway associated with color formation in the stamens of C. nitidissima.

Owing to the characteristics of chemical inertness, low molecular weight, low boiling point, strong permeability and high heat conductivity, helium is extensively used in the fields of aerospace, low-temperature superconductivity, medicine and high tech, and it is a kind of irreplaceable strategic rare resource. So far, however, less research has been conducted on the enrichment of helium in natural gas reservoirs. To solve this problem, this paper discusses the classification standard of helium-rich gas reservoirs. Based on this, the origin, source and enrichment process of helium in typical helium-rich gas reservoirs are studied, highlighting the contribution of main helium sources to helium-rich gas reservoirs. In addition, helium enrichment models of helium-rich gas reservoir in petroliferous basins are established. And the following research results are obtained. First, 6 helium enrichment models of two categories (crust-source helium enrichment and crust-mantle mixing helium enrichment) are established for different petroliferous basins in China. Second, helium-rich gas reservoirs are characterized by using the multiple helium supply and diverse helium enrichment model. And no matter what enrichment model it is, the contribution of the main helium source to gas reservoirs is indispensable. Third, the helium in the gas reservoirs of central and western basins is mainly crust-source helium, and its enrichment models include ancient formation water moving upward along the fault to dilute helium, helium enrichment in the process of natural gas migration along ancient reservoirs, and helium enrichment of shale gas. Fourth, the helium in the helium-rich gas reservoirs of eastern basins is of crust-mantle mixing origin and its enrichment models are mainly hydrocarbon gas based, carbon dioxide based and nitrogen based. In conclusion, the establishment of the helium enrichment models of helium-rich gas reservoirs in petroliferous basins provides reference and guidance for studying helium enrichment laws and main controlling factors and is of great significance to the evaluation of favorable helium exploration areas.

FLOWERING LOCUS T (FT), belonging to the FT/TFL1 gene family, is an important gene regulating the flowering transition and inflorescence architecture during plant development. Given its importance to plant adaptation and crop improvement, FT has been extensively studied in related plant research; however, the specific role and underlying molecular mechanisms of FT in the continuous flowering of perennial plants remains elusive. Here, we isolated and characterized homologous FT genes from two Camellia species with different flowering-period phenotypes: CaFT was isolated from Camellia azalea, a precious species blooming in summer and flowering throughout the year, and CjFT was isolated from C. japonica, which blooms in winter and spring. The major difference in the genes between the two species was an additional five-amino acid repeat sequence in C. japonica. FT showed high expression levels in the leaves in both species from January to August, especially in April for C. japonica and in May for C. azalea. CaFT was expressed throughout the year in C. azalea, whereas CjFT was not expressed from September to December in C. japonica. The expression levels of FT in the floral buds were generally higher than those in the leaves. Overexpression of CaFT and CjFT in Arabidopsis indicated that both genes can activate downstream genes to promote flowering. Transgenic callus tissue was obtained by introducing the two genes into C. azalea through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Transcriptome and quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analyses indicated that both florigen FT genes promoted the expression of downstream genes such as AP1, FUL, and SEP3, and slightly up-regulated the expression of upstream genes such as CO and GI. The above results indicated that CaFT and CjFT played a role in promoting flowering in both camellia species. The expression pattern of CaFT in leaves suggested that, compared to CjFT, CaFT may be related to the annual flowering of C. azalea.

In trees, the annual cycling of active and dormant states in buds is closely regulated by environmental factors, which are of primary significance to their productivity and survival. It has been found that the parallel or convergent evolution of molecular pathways that respond to day length or temperature can lead to the establishment of conserved periodic gene expression patterns. In recent years, it has been shown in many woody plants that change in annual rhythmic patterns of gene expression may underpin the adaptive evolution in forest trees. In this review, we summarize the progress on the molecular mechanisms of seasonal regulation on the processes of shoot growth, bud dormancy, and bud break in response to day length and temperature factors. We focus on seasonal expression patterns of genes involved in dormancy and their associated epigenetic modifications; the seasonal changes in the extent of modifications, such as DNA methylation, histone acetylation, and histone methylation, at dormancy-associated loci have been revealed for their actions on gene regulation. In addition, we provide an outlook on the direction of research on the annual cycle of tree growth under climate change.

Helium, a coordinated resource in natural gas, is an essential and strategic resource, but research on its enrichment mechanism is relatively weak. This study investigated helium enrichment in major reservoirs in China using geochemical methods to address the challenging topic of how helium accumulates in helium-rich gas reservoirs. It concludes that helium is enriched in a few reservoirs which capture additional helium exsolution from ancient groundwater. Released dissolved helium from ancient groundwater into the reservoir is the main mechanism of helium accumulation in helium-rich gas reservoirs. This was the first time that the concept of “multiple sources of helium supply and primary sources of helium enrichment” was applied to guide the formation of helium-rich gas reservoirs. Moreover, the main sources of helium comes from the radioactive decay of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) in hydrocarbon rocks, reservoirs, and the decay of U and Th dissolved in groundwater from other rocks. When dissolved helium in ancient groundwater crosses free gas or gas reservoirs, the partial pressure of helium in the water is significantly higher than the partial pressure of helium in the free gas or gas reservoirs, proving Henry's Law which states that the helium in the water is almost completely exsolution into the gas reservoir, forming a helium-rich gas reservoir.

Abstract Background The cultivated Camellia sasanqua forms a divergent double flower pattern, and the stamen petaloid is a vital factor in the phenomenon. However, the regulation mechanism remains largely unclear. Results Here, a comprehensive comparative transcriptome analysis of the wild-type, “semi-double”, “peony double”, and “rose double” was performed. The cluster analysis of global gene expression level showed petal and stamen difficulty separable in double flower. The crucial pathway and genes related to double flower patterns regulation were identified by pairwise comparisons and weighted gene coexpression network (WGCNA). Divergent genes expression, such as AUX1 and AHP, are involved in plant hormone signaling and photosynthesis, and secondary metabolites play an important role. Notably, the diversity of a petal-specific model exhibits a similar molecular signature to the stamen, containing extensin protein and PSBO1, supporting the stamen petaloid point. Moreover, the expansion of class A gene activity influenced the double flower formation, showing that the key function of gene expression was probably demolished. Conclusions Overall, this work confirmed the ABCE model and provided new insights for elucidating the molecular signature of double formation.

This research proposes a transport mobility disparity indicator which identifies the accessibility by urban points of interest (PoI) (e.g. distribution of working place, park, school, hospital, supermarket, bus, and metro stations, etc.),community/hukou (household registration) policy types (local hukou/city residents vs non-local hukou/migrant residents), and their average transport cost to income ratios to describe the gap between traffic demand and accessibility of different communities.The lower the ratio of the average transport costs to average incomes of a community and the more PoI factors in the surrounding areas, the lower the transport impedance indicator of the community, and vice versa. Greater transport impedance disparity indicators between different communities in the same city indicate a larger gap in transport impedance, helping urban planners identify the severity of the unequal relationship between different areas and the decision-making support provided future urban planning and administrative policies. Xi'an, the capital city of Shaanxi province in China, is chosen as the research subject in this study to calculate the transport impedance disparity indicator between local and non-local hukou residents' communities. The transport impedance disparity indicator effectively reveals the different treatments between local and non-local hukou residents' communities in the same city. Compared to local hukou residents, non-local hukou residents experience clear disadvantages in terms of accessibility.

The exact pathogenesis of epilepsy, one of the most common and devastating diseases of the nervous system, is not fully understood. Syntaxin7 (STX7) is a member of the SNARE superfamily, which mediates membrane fusion events in all cells. However, the role STX7 plays in epilepsy remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigates the role of STX7 in epilepsy. Our study found that the expression of STX7 was reduced in the epileptic brain and that overexpression of STX7 decreased the susceptibility to epileptic seizures and alleviated epileptic activity in a kainic acid–induced model and pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling model of epilepsy, whereas the downregulation of STX7 showed opposite effects. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that STX7 does not affect the intrinsic excitability of neurons, but rather the excitation/inhibition ratio mediated by affecting the release of presynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitters. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that STX7 did not affect the density of inhibitory synapses but could affect the density of inhibitory vesicles. Taken together, these results reveal a previously unknown function of STX7 in epilepsy and suggest that STX7 may serve as a novel target for epilepsy therapy.

Bacillus subtilis is an important part of the gut microbiota and a commonly used probiotic. In the present study, to assess the biological characteristics and probiotic properties of B. subtilis derived from mink, we isolated B. subtilis MG-1 isolate from mink fecal samples, characterized its biological characteristics, optimized the hydrolysis of casein by its crude extract, and comprehensively analyzed its potential as a probiotic in combination with whole-genome sequencing. Biological characteristics indicate that, under low-pH conditions (pH 2), B. subtilis MG-1 can still maintain a survival rate of 64.75%; under the conditions of intestinal fluid, gastric acid, and a temperature of 70 °C, the survival rate was increased by 3, 1.15 and 1.17 times compared with the control group, respectively. This shows that it can tolerate severe environments. The results of hydrolyzed casein in vitro showed that the crude bacterial extract of isolate MG-1 exhibited casein hydrolyzing activity (21.56 U/mL); the enzyme activity increased to 32.04 U/mL under optimized reaction conditions. The complete genome sequencing of B. subtilis MG-1 was performed using the PacBio third-generation sequencing platform. Gene annotation analysis results revealed that B. subtilis MG-1 was enriched in several Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) metabolic pathways, and most genes were related to Brite hierarchy pathways (1485–35.31%) and metabolism pathways (1395–33.17%). The egg-NOG annotation revealed that most genes were related to energy production and conversion (185–4.10%), amino acid transport and metabolism (288–6.38%), carbohydrate transport and metabolism (269–5.96%), transcription (294–6.52%), and cell wall/membrane/envelope biogenesis (231–5.12%). Gene Ontology (GO) annotation elucidated that most genes were related to biological processes (8230–45.62%), cellular processes (3582–19.86%), and molecular processes (6228–34.52%). Moreover, the genome of B. subtilis MG-1 was predicted to possess 77 transporter-related genes. This study demonstrates that B. subtilis MG-1 has potential for use as a probiotic, and further studies should be performed to develop it as a probiotic additive in animal feed to promote animal health.

Antibiotic pollution beyond the safety limits poses a significant threat to the environmental sustainability and human health which necessitates the development of efficient methods for reducing antibiotics in pharmaceutical wastewater. Photocatalysis is a proven technology which has drawn considerable attention in semiconductor photocatalysts. Our study aims to develop a highly efficient Cr2O3/ZrO2 photocatalyst for the degradation of tetracycline (TCL) under visible light. The synthesized catalyst was well characterized by XRD, HR-TEM-SAED, XPS, FT-IR, BET and UV-Vis-DRS methods. The effects of various parameters on photocatalytic degradation were evaluated in detail, showing that 97.1% of 50 mgL−1 tetracycline concentrations could be degraded within 120 min at pH 5 with a 0.1 gL−1 photocatalyst-loading concentration under visible light (300 W Xe lamp). The uniform distribution of spherical ZrO2 nanoparticles on the surface of the Cr2O3 nano-cubes efficiently reduced the recombination rate with an energy bandgap of 2.75 eV, which provided a faster photodegradation of tetracycline under visible light. In addition, a plausible degradation pathway and photoproducts generated during the photocatalytic degradation of TCL are proposed based on the LC-ESI/MS results, which suggested that efficient photodegradation was achieved during the visible light irradiation. Thus, our study reveals that the cost-effective Cr2O3-based photocatalyst with multi-reusability and efficient energy consumption could be an efficient photocatalyst for the rapid degradation of TCL during the wastewater treatment process.

Pheromones play a vital role in regulating fish behavior, including reproduction, aggregation, hazard recognition and food location. To gain a better understanding of chemical communication in fish produced by density changes, this study analyzed the metabolites released by turbot (Scophthalmus maximus) under different stocking densities. The experiment was conducted at low (LD: 3.01 kg/m2), medium (MD: 6.62 kg/m2) and high (HD: 10.84 kg/m2) densities for 15 days. High-throughput non-targeted metabolomics (LC-MS/MS) was used to identify variations in metabolites released into the aquatic environment by turbot at different densities. Results showed that 29 and 47 metabolites were significantly upregulated in the MD and HD groups, respectively, compared with the LD group. Among them, hexadecanedioic acid, xanthine, phenethylamine, proline and styrene were significantly upregulated in the MD vs. LD, HD vs. MD and HD vs. LD. The VIP diagram of OPLS-DA alignment showed that phenethylamine was the most important metabolite shared by MD vs. LD, HD vs. MD and HD vs. LD. Key gene changes in the GH/IGF-1 signaling pathway, HPI axis of turbot were studied using qRT-PCR for density treatment. The results demonstrated that the expression of GH, GHR and IGF-1 was significantly lower, while the expression of CRH and ACTH was higher in the HD group. Additionally, plasma levels of cortisol, glucose, triglycerides and T3 were also highest in the HD group compared with the LD and MD groups. Phenylethylamine concentration was positively correlated with the HPI axis and negatively correlated with the GH/IGF-1 signaling pathway. To investigate the impact of phenethylamine accumulation on turbot, an acute treatment experiment with phenethylamine was set up. Its concentration in the aquatic environment was set at 0 (CON), 10−7 (LP) and 10−5 (HP) mol/L via exogenous addition, and turbot were exposed to these environments for 2 days. There was a high degree of concordance between the GH/IGF-1 signaling pathway (GH, GHR, IGF-1), HPI axis (CRH, ACTH) and plasma physiological changes (cortisol, glucose, triglycerides, T3) in the phenethylamine-treated group and the density-treated group. Therefore, accumulation of phenethylamine with increasing stocking density may be a potential cause of density stress. Phenylethylamine has a dose-dependent and trace effect as a pheromone.

Boron neutron capture therapy is a type of cancer therapy but is associated with insufficient boron delivery and with poor biocompatibility. Here, the authors constructed boronated lipids to generate - boronsome - and show the system can reduce tumour growth.

The waste pomelo peel was pyrolyzed at 400 °C to prepare biochar and used as adsorbent to remove norfloxacin (NOR) from simulated wastewater. The adsorption conditions of norfloxacin by biochar were optimized by response surface methodology (RSM). On the basis of single-factor experiment, the adsorption conditions of biochar dosage, solution pH and reaction temperature were optimized by Box-Behnken Design (BBD), and the quadratic polynomial regression model of response value Y1 (NOR removal efficiency) and Y2 (NOR adsorption capacity) were obtained respectively. The results show that the two models are reasonable and reliable. The influence of single factor was as follows: solution pH > biochar dosage > reaction temperature. The interaction between biochar dosage and solution pH was very significant. The optimal adsorption conditions after optimization were as follows: biochar dosage = 0.5 g/L, solution pH = 3, and reaction temperature = 45 °C. The Y1 and Y2 obtained in the verification experiment were 75.68% and 3.0272 mg/g, respectively, which were only 2.38% and 0.0242 mg/g different from the theoretical predicted values of the model. Therefore, the theoretical model constructed by response surface methodology can be used to optimize the adsorption conditions of norfloxacin in water. HIGHLIGHTS Constructed a reliable response surface model for biochar adsorption of norfloxacin in water.; The interaction of adsorption conditions and its influence on the adsorption of norfloxacin by biochar have been explored clearly.; The constructed response surface model can be used to adjust the adsorption conditions of biochar to adsorb norfloxacin in actual water.;

BackgroundStewart–Treves Syndrome in Primary Limb Lymphedema (STS-PLE) is an extremely rare malignant tumor. A retrospective analysis was conducted to elucidate the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and signs compared to pathology.MethodsSeven patients with STS-PLE were enrolled at Beijing Shijitan Hospital, Capital Medical University, from June 2008 to March 2022. All cases were examined by MRI. The surgical specimens were subjected to histopathological and immunohistochemical staining for CD31, CD34, D2-40, and Ki-67.ResultsThere were two different types of MRI findings. One was mass shape (STS-PLE I type) in three male patients, and the other was the “trash ice” d sign (STS-PLE II type) observed in four female patients. The average duration of lymphedema (DL) of STS-PLE I type (18 months) was shorter than that of STS-PLE II type (31 months). The prognosis for the STS-PLE I type was worse than that for the STS-PLE II type. Regarding overall survival (OS), the STS-PLE I type (17.3 months) was three times shorter than that of the STS-PLE II type (54.5 months). For STS-PLE I type, the older the STS-PLE onset, the shorter the OS. However, there was no significant correlation in STS-PLE II type. MRI was compared to histological results to provide an explanation for the differences in MR signal changes, especially on T2WI. Against a background of dense tumor cells, the richer the lumen of immature vessels and clefts, the higher the T2WI MRI signal (taking muscle signal as the internal reference standard) and the worse the prognosis, and vice versa. We also found that younger patients with a lower Ki-67 index (

This study focuses on the impact of environmental disclosure on financial performance. Moreover, the current study aims to explore the mediating impact of green innovation and provide novel evidence regarding this relationship using stakeholder and signalling theory. This study used a sample dataset comprising Chinese firms listed on Shanghai and Shenzhen stock exchange for the period of 2005–2016. In our measurement model, green innovation is the partial mediator between the positive relationship of environmental disclosure and firm performance. Empirical results show that environmental disclosure affects firm financial performance directly and positively influences it through green innovation in Chinese firms. The study suggests that Chinese firms have implications for improved performance by increasing environmental disclosure and green practices

Abstract Improvement of carcass merit traits is a priority for the beef industry. Discovering DNA variants and genes associated with variation in these traits and understanding biological functions/processes underlying their associations are of paramount importance for more effective genetic improvement of carcass merit traits in beef cattle. This study integrates 10,488,742 imputed whole genome DNA variants, 31 plasma metabolites, and animal phenotypes to identify genes and biological functions/processes that are associated with carcass merit traits including hot carcass weight (HCW), rib eye area (REA), average backfat thickness (AFAT), lean meat yield (LMY), and carcass marbling score (CMAR) in a population of 493 crossbred beef cattle. Regression analyses were performed to identify plasma metabolites associated with the carcass merit traits, and the results showed that 4 (3-hydroxybutyric acid, acetic acid, citric acid, and choline), 6 (creatinine, l-glutamine, succinic acid, pyruvic acid, l-lactic acid, and 3-hydroxybutyric acid), 4 (fumaric acid, methanol, d-glucose, and glycerol), 2 (l-lactic acid and creatinine), and 5 (succinic acid, fumaric acid, lysine, glycine, and choline) plasma metabolites were significantly associated with HCW, REA, AFAT, LMY, and CMAR (P-value

Fruit lignification is of significant economic importance because it affects the quality of fruit and the production of seed oil. The specified lignification pattern in Camellia chekiangoleosa fruits plays critical roles in its seed oil yield, but little is known about how this lignification process is regulated. Here, we report on a comprehensive tissue-specific transcriptomics analysis conducted for C. chekiangoleosa fruit. By mining the differentially expressed genes, we found that lignin biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation pathways were significantly enriched in the lignified tissues. The homolog of NST-like transcription factor, CcNST1, was highly expressed in lignified seed coat and endocarp tissues; transgenic analyses of CcNST1 in Arabidopsis and hybrid poplar revealed the enhanced lignification levels of various tissues. Gene expression analysis of the transgenic lines uncovered potential downstream genes involved in the regulation of lignin biosynthesis. This work provides a valuable gene expression resource and identified the pivotal role of CcNST1 in regulating the lignin biosynthesis underlying fruit lignification.

Abstract Background As a perennial crop, oil-Camellia possesses a long domestication history and produces high-quality seed oil that is beneficial to human health. Camellia oleifera Abel. is a sister species to the tea plant, which is extensively cultivated for edible oil production. However, the molecular mechanism of the domestication of oil-Camellia is still limited due to the lack of sufficient genomic information. Results To elucidate the genetic and genomic basis of evolution and domestication, here we report a chromosome-scale reference genome of wild oil-Camellia (2.95 Gb), together with transcriptome sequencing data of 221 cultivars. The oil-Camellia genome, assembled by an integrative approach of multiple sequencing technologies, consists of a large proportion of repetitive elements (76.1%) and high heterozygosity (2.52%). We construct a genetic map of high-density corrected markers by sequencing the controlled-pollination hybrids. Genome-wide association studies reveal a subset of artificially selected genes that are involved in the oil biosynthesis and phytohormone pathways. Particularly, we identify the elite alleles of genes encoding sugar-dependent triacylglycerol lipase 1, β-ketoacyl-acyl carrier protein synthase III, and stearoyl-acyl carrier protein desaturases; these alleles play important roles in enhancing the yield and quality of seed oil during oil-Camellia domestication. Conclusions We generate a chromosome-scale reference genome for oil-Camellia plants and demonstrate that the artificial selection of elite alleles of genes involved in oil biosynthesis contributes to oil-Camellia domestication.

Abstract Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) was first proposed as early as 1936, and research on BNCT has progressed relatively slowly but steadily. BNCT is a potentially useful tool for cancer treatment that selectively damages cancer cells while sparing normal tissue. BNCT is based on the nuclear reaction that occurs when 10B capture low-energy thermal neutrons to yield high-linear energy transfer (LET) α particles and recoiling 7Li nuclei. A large number of 10B atoms have to be localized within the tumor cells for BNCT to be effective, and an adequate number of thermal neutrons need to be absorbed by the 10B atoms to generate lethal 10B (n, α)7Li reactions. Effective boron neutron capture therapy cannot be achieved without appropriate boron carriers. Improvement in boron delivery and the development of the best dosing paradigms for both boronophenylalanine (BPA) and sodium borocaptate (BSH) are of major importance, yet these still have not been optimized. Here, we present a review of this treatment modality from the perspectives of radiation oncology, biology, and physics. This manuscript provides a brief introduction of the mechanism of cancer-cell-selective killing by BNCT, radiobiological factors, and progress in the development of boron carriers and neutron sources as well as the results of clinical study.

Abstract Background Feed efficiency is one of the key determinants of beef industry profitability and sustainability. However, the cellular and molecular background behind feed efficiency is largely unknown. This study combines imputed whole genome DNA variants and 31 plasma metabolites to dissect genes and biological functions/processes that are associated with residual feed intake (RFI) and its component traits including daily dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), and metabolic body weight (MWT) in beef cattle. Results Regression analyses between feed efficiency traits and plasma metabolites in a population of 493 crossbred beef cattle identified 5 (L-valine, lysine, L-tyrosine, L-isoleucine, and L-leucine), 4 (lysine, L-lactic acid, L-tyrosine, and choline), 1 (citric acid), and 4 (L-glutamine, glycine, citric acid, and dimethyl sulfone) plasma metabolites associated with RFI, DMI, ADG, and MWT (P-value < 0.1), respectively. Combining the results of metabolome-genome wide association studies using 10,488,742 imputed SNPs, 40, 66, 15, and 40 unique candidate genes were identified as associated with RFI, DMI, ADG, and MWT (P-value < 1 × 10−5), respectively. These candidate genes were found to be involved in some key metabolic processes including metabolism of lipids, molecular transportation, cellular function and maintenance, cell morphology and biochemistry of small molecules. Conclusions This study identified metabolites, candidate genes and enriched biological functions/processes associated with RFI and its component traits through the integrative analyses of metabolites with phenotypic traits and DNA variants. Our findings could enhance the understanding of biochemical mechanisms of feed efficiency traits and could lead to improvement of genomic prediction accuracy via incorporating metabolite data.

Summary: A high point of Tibetan Plateau (TP) civilization, the expansive Tubo Empire (618–842 AD) wielded great influence across ancient western China. However, whether the Tubo expansion was cultural or demic remains unclear due to sparse ancient DNA sampling. Here, we reported ten ancient genomes at 0.017- to 0.867-fold coverages from the Dulan site with typical Tubo archaeological culture dating to 1308–1130 BP. Nine individuals from three different grave types have close relationship with previously reported ancient highlanders from the southwestern Himalayas and modern core-Tibetan populations. A Dulan-related Tubo ancestry contributed overwhelmingly (95%–100%) to the formation of modern Tibetans. A genetic outlier with dominant Eurasian steppe-related ancestry suggesting a potential population movement into the Tubo-controlled regions from Central Asia. Together with archeological evidence from burial styles and customs, our study suggested the impact of the Tubo empire on the northeast edge of the TP involved both cultural and demic diffusion.

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is the most common and costly infectious disease affecting the wellbeing and productivity of beef cattle in North America. BRD is a complex disease whose development is dependent on environmental factors and host genetics. Due to the polymicrobial nature of BRD, our understanding of the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying the disease is still limited. This knowledge would augment the development of better genetic/genomic selection strategies and more accurate diagnostic tools to reduce BRD prevalence. Therefore, this study aimed to utilize multi-omics data (genomics, transcriptomics, and metabolomics) analyses to study the genetic and molecular mechanisms of BRD infection. Blood samples of 143 cattle (80 BRD; 63 non-BRD animals) were collected for genotyping, RNA sequencing, and metabolite profiling. Firstly, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed for BRD susceptibility using 207,038 SNPs. Two SNPs (Chr5:25858264 and BovineHD1800016801) were identified as associated (p-value 2, logCPM>2, and FDR

Stigma maydis polysaccharide (SMPS) is a plant polysaccharide that participates in immune regulation and gastrointestinal motility. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) refers to a group of neurodevelopmental disorders, and ASD patients often present intestinal microflora imbalance problems; however, there is no effective treatment method. This study explores the effect of SMPS intervention on the gut microbiota in autism model rats as well as the potential action pathways. Female Wistar rats were intraperitoneally injected with sodium valproic acid (VPA) or normal saline at embryonic day 12.5 to establish an autism model or normal control in their offspring. The offspring prenatally exposed to VPA were randomly assigned to the VPA and the SMPS groups. The SMPS group was administered SMPS from E0.5 to postnatal day (PND) 21. We performed 16S rRNA and transcriptomics analyses to reveal the gut microbiota (GM) and differentially expressed genes in the autism model rats in response to SMPS intervention. SMPS intervention significantly improved the diversity and structure of the GM in autism model rats compared with the VPA rats. Moreover, the relative abundance of Prevotellaceae and Lachnospiraceae_NK4A136_group was increased after SMPS intervention. Transcriptome sequencing showed that 496 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified after SMPS administration compared with the VPA group. Meanwhile, gene ontology (GO) enrichment analysis of DEGs was showed that the SMPS group had significant 653 GO terms. SMPS intervention had a major influence on oxidative phosphorylation, retrograde endocannabinoid signaling, thermogenesis, ribosome, protein digestion and absorption, renin-angiotensin system, calcium signaling pathway, glycosphingolipid biosynthesis-ganglio series, and propanoate metabolism pathways. Overall, this study suggests that SMPS interventions in early life may have an impact on gut microbiota, and then affect the transcriptomics levels of the hippocampal tissue in the VPA-induced autism model rats. It provides scientific evidence for the role of the microbe-gut-brain axis in ASD research.

The Middle Triassic Leikoupo Formation is largely extended through the Sichuan Basin, SW China. In this formation, several commercially exploited gas reservoirs have been discovered in western and central parts of the basin. Due to the complicated geochemical signatures of the natural gases in these reservoirs, there are contrasted interpretations about their sources, which hamper the evaluation and exploration for new gas resources in the area. To obtain complete understanding of the natural gas sources, the Leikoupo Formation gas reservoirs discovered so far in the Zhongba, Yuanba, Longgang, and Moxi gas fields were selected as the research object of this study. The genetic types and sources of the natural gases in the Leikoupo Formation are discussed based on gas geochemistry combined with their geological background. The natural gas in the top members of the Leikoupo Formation (T2l4 or T2l3) is partially originated from a humic kerogen contained in the source rocks from the overlying Upper Triassic Xujiahe Formation and from sapropel kerogen from the source rocks of the Leikoupo Formation itself. The natural gas of T2l1 member in the lower part of the Leikoupo Formation is mainly sapropel-type probably from the source rock of the Permian Wujiaping Formation, where the Permian Longtan Formation undergoes a phase change into the Wujiaping Formation The reversed δ13C1 and δ13C2 trend in the Leikoupo Formation of the Yuanba gas field is due to the more sapropelic source rocks and higher degree of maturity.

Abstract Background Genome-wide change of polyadenylation (polyA) sites (also known as alternative polyadenylation, APA) is emerging as an important strategy of gene regulation in response to stress in plants. But little is known in woody perennials that are persistently dealing with multiple abiotic stresses. Results Here, we performed a genome-wide profiling of polyadenylation sites under heat and cold treatments in Populus trichocarpa. Through a comprehensive analysis of polyA tail sequences, we identified 25,919 polyA-site clusters (PACs), and revealed 3429 and 3139 genes shifted polyA sites under heat and cold stresses respectively. We found that a small proportion of genes possessed APA that affected the open reading frames; and some shifts were commonly identified. Functional analysis of genes displaying shifted polyA tails suggested that pathways related to RNA metabolism were linked to regulate the APA events under both heat and cold stresses. Interestingly, we found that the heat stress induced a significantly more antisense PACs comparing to cold and control conditions. Furthermore, we showed that a unique cis-element (AAAAAA) was predominately enriched downstream of PACs in P. trichocarpa genes; and this sequence signal was only absent in shifted PACs under the heat condition, indicating a distinct APA mechanism responsive to heat tolerance. Conclusions This work provides a comprehensive picture of global polyadenylation patterns in response to temperatures stresses in trees. We show that the frequent change of polyA tail is a potential mechanism of gene regulation responsive to stress, which are associated with distinctive sequence signatures.

Drought has severe effects on plant growth, forest productivity, and survival throughout the world. Understanding the molecular regulation of drought resistance in forest trees can enable effective strategic engineering of novel drought-resistant genotypes of tree species. In this study, we identified a gene, PtrVCS2, encoding a zinc finger (ZF) protein of the ZF-homeodomain transcription factor in Populus trichocarpa (Black Cottonwood) Torr. & A. Gray. ex Hook. Overexpression of PtrVCS2 (OE-PtrVCS2) in P. trichocarpa resulted in reduced growth, a higher proportion of smaller stem vessels, and strong drought-resistance phenotypes. Stomatal movement experiments revealed that the OE-PtrVCS2 transgenics showed lower stomata apertures than wild-type plants under drought conditions. RNA-seq analysis of the OE-PtrVCS2 transgenics showed that PtrVCS2 regulates the expression of multiple genes involved in regulation of stomatal opening and closing, particularly the PtrSULTR3;1-1 gene, and several genes related to cell wall biosynthesis, such as PtrFLA11-12 and PtrPR3-3. Moreover, we found that the water use efficiency of the OE-PtrVCS2 transgenic plants was consistently higher than that of wild type plants when subjected to chronic drought stress. Taken together, our results suggest that PtrVCS2 plays a positive role in improving drought adaptability and resistance in P. trichocarpa.

The space-based infrared observatory of aircraft in the air has the advantages of wide-area, full-time, and passive detection. The optical design parameters for space-based infrared sensors strongly rely on target observed radiation, but there is still a lack of insight into the causes of aircraft observation properties and the impact of instrument performance. A simulation model of space-based observed aircraft infrared characteristics was constructed for this provision, coupling the aircraft radiance with background radiance and instrument performance effects. It was validated by comparing the model predictions to data from both space-based and ground-based measurements. The validation results reveal the alignment between measurements and model predictions and the dependence of overall model accuracy on the background. Based on simulations, the radiance contributions of aircraft and background are quantitatively evaluated, and the detection spectral window for flying aircraft and its causes are discussed in association with instrumental performance effects. The analysis results indicate that the target-background (T-B) contrast is higher in the spectral ranges where aircraft radiation makes an important contribution. The background radiance plays a significant role overall, while the observed radiance at 2.5–3μm is mainly from skin reflection and plume radiance. The skin-reflected radiation absence affects the model reliability, and its reduction at nighttime reduces the T-B contrast. The difference in T-B self-radiation and the stronger atmospheric attenuation for background contribute to the higher contrast at 2.7 μm compared to the other spectral bands.

Abstract Background Sarcomatoid carcinoma (SC) is a malignant tumour composed of spindle cells. The incidence of SC is low, especially in the uterus. The imaging features of uterine sarcomatoid carcinoma (USC) are rarely reported. We report a case of USC and discuss the dynamic contrast-enhanced MR (DCE-MR) and PET/CT findings. Case presentation A 69-year-old woman presented to the Department of Gynaecology with vaginal bleeding. Ultrasound examination discovered a heterogeneous mass in the cervix. Then, MRI examination of the pelvis was performed. On T2-weighted images, the uterus was replaced by an ill defined and diffuse lesion with inhomogeneous intensity. On T1-weighted images, the lesion appeared with signal hypointensity and was heterogeneously enhanced with contrast material. Additionally, enlarged lymph nodes were found in the pelvic cavity. PET/CT demonstrated high uptake in the region of the uterus and pelvic lymph nodes, which was consistent with MRI findings. The radiologists diagnosed the patient with malignant uterine lesions. The patient underwent hysterectomy and bilateral adnexectomy with pelvic lymph node dissection. Then, systemic radiotherapy and chemotherapy were performed. USC with lymph node metastasis was diagnosed with the help of immuno-histochemical analysis. There was no treatment related complication and no evidence of tumour recurrence at the postoperative 6-month follow-up. Conclusion MRI and PET/CT features are sufficient to indicate the malignant nature of a USC, but they are not pathognomonic.

Helium is a strategic resource with many scientific, technical and industrial applications. However, despite its importance and scarcity, there is a lack of understanding on its origin, migration and accumulation processes. In view of this, the distribution patterns and enrichment mechanisms of helium are studied based on systematic analysis of the genetic types of helium in petroliferous basins in China. The helium in the petroliferous basins in China is mainly radiogenic, which involves the decay of U and Th. As expected, we found that, in one gas field, the helium content in natural gas increases with the age of reservoir rock, and in the same layer of the same structure within one reservoir, the helium content in natural gas in high altitude part of the structure is higher than that in the lower part. Enrichment of helium is closely related to old deep groundwater. The helium produced by radioactive decay in old strata is dissolved in water and transported and enriched through water migration. Due to large uplift of the structure during the Himalayan period, the helium dissolved in water was exsolved and accumulated with natural gas in the trap above the water. And thus, the helium-rich natural gas reservoirs formed. So, the helium contents in natural gas fields increase gradually along the flow direction of groundwater. The area with large range of uplift often shows higher helium content. This study not only provides a basis for the study of helium enrichment research, but also provides a new idea for industrial helium resource exploration.

Understanding the molecular mechanism of the cold response is critical to improve horticultural plant cold tolerance. Here, we documented the physiological, transcriptome, proteome, and hormonal dynamics to cold stress in temperate genotype (Tg) and subtropical genotype (Sg) populations of Camellia japonica. Tg C. japonica suffered minimal osmotic and oxidative damage compared to Sg C. japonica under the same cold treatment. Transcriptional and translational differences increased under the cold treatment, indicating that Tg C. japonica was affected by the environment and displayed both conserved and divergent mechanisms. About 60% of the genes responding to cold had similar dynamics in the two populations, but 1,896 transcripts and 455 proteins differentially accumulated in response to the cold between Tg and Sg C. japonica. Co-expression analysis showed that the ribosomal protein and genes related to photosynthesis were upregulated in Tg C. japonica, and tryptophan, phenylpropanoid, and flavonoid metabolism were regulated differently between the two populations under cold stress. The divergence of these genes reflected a difference in cold responsiveness. In addition, the decrease in the abscisic acid (ABA)/gibberellic acid (GA) ratio regulated by biosynthetic signal transduction pathway enhanced cold resistance in Tg C. japonica, suggesting that hormones may regulate the difference in cold responsiveness. These results provide a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of cold stress and will improve cold tolerance in horticultural plants.

Camellia nitidissima is a woody plant with high ornamental value, and its golden-yellow flowers are rich in a variety of bioactive substances, especially flavonoids, that are beneficial to human health. Chalcone isomerases (CHIs) are key enzymes in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway; however, there is a scarcity of information regarding the CHI family genes of C. nitidissima. In this study, seven CHI genes of C. nitidissima were identified and divided into three subfamilies by phylogenetic analysis. The results of multiple sequence alignment revealed that, unlike CnCHI1/5/6/7, CnCHI2/3/4 are bona fide CHIs that contain all the active site and critical catalytic residues. Analysis of the expression patterns of CnCHIs and the total flavonoid content of the flowers at different developmental stages revealed that CnCHI4 might play an essential role in the flavonoid biosynthesis pathway of C. nitidissima. CnCHI4 overexpression significantly increased flavonoid production in Nicotiana tabacum and C. nitidissima. The results of the dual-luciferase reporter assay and yeast one-hybrid system revealed that CnMYB7 was the key transcription factor that governed the transcription of CnCHI4. The study provides a comprehensive understanding of the CHI family genes of C. nitidissima and performed a preliminary analysis of their functions and regulatory mechanisms.

Camellia japonica is a woody flower with high ornamental and economic value used for landscaping and as a pot plant. Floral colors are among the most important ornamental traits of flower plants, particularly multicolored flowers. The C. japonica cultivar ‘Joy Kendrick’ has multicolored flowers; the corolla is pink with darker red stripes, but the molecular mechanism underlying this trait is unknown. Here, pigment analysis showed that there are more anthocyanins accumulate in red petal regions than in pink areas, which may be key to formation of red stripes. Furthermore, transcriptome analysis revealed that anthocyanin biosynthesis, modification, and transporter genes are highly expressed in red stripes, consistent with the observed anthocyanin accumulation. In addition, many plant hormone signal transduction genes, particularly auxin, may contribute to the regulation of red stripe formation. This study provides broad insights into pigment accumulation and the regulatory mechanisms underlying floral color formation in C. japonica, and lays a foundation for breeding new C. japonica varieties.

In order to study the effects of operating conditions on the performance of a microbial fuel cell (MFC) for treating ammonia nitrogen (NH4+-N) and phosphate and the changes in the microbial community under optimized conditions, in this study, the response surface method (RSM) and central composite design (CCD) were used to carry out experiments and construct a model of the system to analyze the influence of the hydraulic retention time (HRT) and initial influent ammonia concentration on NH4+-N and the total phosphorus (TP) removal performance of the MFC, and the changes in the microbial community structure were analyzed. The results showed that: (1) the initial influent ammonia concentration had a greater impact than the HRT; (2) after optimizing the reaction conditions, the actual removal rates of NH4+-N and TP of the system were 94.88% and 59.39% (the predicted values were 90.18% and 56.25%), respectively; and (3) the total number of species in the optimization group decreased, and the richness of the microbial community decreased. The system conducted the orthoselection of the microbial community and optimized the structure of the microbial community. After the optimization, the dominant strains for ammonia and phosphorus removal on the cathode reactor of each system were strengthened at the phylum and genus levels. Under the coaction of the dominant strains, the efficiencies of nitrogen removal and phosphorus removal in the reactor were significantly improved. The performance optimization of and microbial community change in NH4+-N and TP removal in the MFC system were studied using RSM, which was helpful to improve the effect of nitrogen and phosphorus removal.

MYB (myeloblastosis) transcription factors plays an important role in various physiological and biochemical processes in plants. However, little is known about the regulatory roles of MYB family genes underlying seed oil biosynthesis in Camellia oleifera. To identify potential regulators, we performed the genome-wide characterizations of the MYB family genes and their expression profiles in C. oleifera. A total of 186 CoMYB genes were identified, including 128 R2R3-type MYB genes that had conserved R2 and R3 domains. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the CoR2R3-MYBs formed 25 subgroups and possessed some highly conserved motifs outside the MYB DNA-binding domain. We investigated the promoter regions of CoR2R3-MYBs and revealed a series of cis-acting elements related to development, hormone response, and environmental stress response, suggesting a diversified regulatory mechanism of gene functions. In addition, we identified four tandem clusters containing eleven CoR2R3-MYBs, which indicated that tandem duplications played an important role in the expansion of the CoR2R3-MYB subfamily. Furthermore, we analyzed the global gene expression profiles at five stages during seed development and revealed seven CoR2R3-MYB genes that potentially regulated lipid metabolism and seed maturation in C. oleifera. These results provide new insights into understanding the function of the MYB genes and the genetic improvement of seed oil.

The accumulation of various pigments leads to the formation of different flower colors in plants. However, the regulation mechanism of yellow flower formation and flower color differences between Camellia nitidssima C.W.Chi (CN) and its hybrids C. ‘Zhenghuangqi’ (ZHQ), C. ‘Huangxuanlv’ (HXL), and C. ‘Xinshiji’ (XSJ), remains largely unknown. Here, we showed that the content of two flavonols, quercetin-7-O-glucoside (Qu7G) and quercetin-3-O-glucoside (Qu3G), was positively correlated with the yellow degree of petals in CN and its three hybrids. Additionally, we performed a comparative transcriptomic analysis of petals of the four yellow camellia plants, which revealed 322 common upregulated and 866 common downregulated DEGs (differentially expressed genes) in the CN vs. ZHQ, CN vs. HXL, and CN vs. XSJ comparison groups. Their regulatory pathway analysis showed that flavonol biosynthesis genes (FLSs and GTs) and transcriptional regulatory genes MYBs were all expressed higher in CN than its three hybrids, which corresponded to differences in the flavonol content among the four yellow camellias. Further, two ethylene synthesis genes (ACSs, ACO) and three ethylene signaling genes (EIN2s, EIN3, ERFs) were all upregulated in the yellow petals of CN. In conclusion, the expression of flavonol-related genes and flavonols (Qu7G and Qu3G) accumulation could play a key role in the formation of yellow flowers in camellia, and the ethylene pathway might be involved in the regulation of yellow flower formation of camellias. This work describes the possible regulatory pathway of yellow camellia, thereby laying a foundation for future verification of genes linked to flower coloring and the breeding of yellow camellia.

Camellia fluviatilis is an important shrub producing edible seed oil, which is widely cultivated in South China. In this study, the complete chloroplast genome was sequenced and analyzed based on the Illumina HiSeq platform. The results showed that the complete chloroplast genome is 157,041 bp with 37.29% GC content, including a large single copy (LSC) region of 86,718 bp, a small single copy (SSC) region of 18,293 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) regions of 26,015 bp. There are 128 genes in the chloroplast genome of C. fluviatilis, including 83 protein-coding genes, 8 ribosomal RNAs, and 37 transfer RNAs. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. fluviatilis is closely related to C. lanceoleosa, indicating that both belong to the Sect. Paracamellia Sealy.

Camellia chrysanthoides H.T.Chang 1979 is an economic species for its high ornamental and medicinal values. In the present work, the complete chloroplast (cp) genome sequence of C. chrysanthoides was assembled and characterized using Illumina paired-end sequencing data. The total cp genome of C. chrysanthoides is 157,439 bp in size, consisting of a small single copy (SSC) and a large single copy (LSC) separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) with 18,265 bp, 88,162 bp, and 25,506 bp, respectively. Further annotation revealed the cp genome encoded 124 genes, including 82 protein-coding genes, 34 tRNA genes, and eight rRNA genes, and the overall GC content of the cp genome is 37.31%. Phylogenetic analysis based on 80 protein-coding genes shows that C. chrysanthoidesis closely related to C. azalea in the genus Camellia.

Realistic modeling of high-resolution earth radiation signals in the visible-thermal spectral domain remains difficult, due to the complex radiation interdependence induced by the heterogeneous and rugged features of land surface. To find the trade-off between accuracy and efficiency for image simulation, this paper established a unified simulation framework for the entire visible-thermal spectral domain, based on the energy balance between solar-reflected and thermal radiation components over rugged surfaces. Considering the joint contributions of atmospheric and topographic adjacency effects, three spatial–spectral convolution kernels were uniformly designed to quantify the topographic irradiance, the trapping effect, and the atmospheric adjacency effect. Radiation signal simulation was implemented in three forms: land surface temperature (LST), bottom of atmosphere (BOA) radiance, and top of atmosphere (TOA) radiance. The accuracy was validated with onboard data from China’s Gaofen-5 visual and infrared multispectral sensor (VIMS) over rugged desert. The simulation results demonstrate that the root mean square of relative deviations between the simulated and onboard TOA radiance are related to terrain, as 3–17% and 6–38% for the summer and winter scene, respectively. The evaluation of radiance components indicates the utility of the simulation framework to quantify the uncertainty associated with atmosphere and terrain coupling effects, in the sensor design and operation stages.

The acid-catalyzed Markovnikov addition of isobutene is affected by the concomitant isobutene oligomerization. Herein, a solid acid catalyst consisting of the sulfonated silica modified with crystalline ZrSiO4 was prepared, and the ZrSiO4/SiO2-SO3H catalyst went beyond conventional acid catalysts in the hydroacetoxylation of isobutene. The structure of the catalyst was well-characterized, and the role of ZrSiO4 in suppressing the dimerization of isobutene was discussed in terms of both kinetic study and in-situ DRIFT analysis. Moreover, this catalyst also showed general applicability for a broad substrate scope, further highlighting the necessity of ZrSiO4 in the solid acid catalyst.

Camellia grijsii ‘zhenzhucha’ is a variant cultivar from Camellia grijsii, which is also called Camellia grijsii ‘juhuacha’.C. grijsii ‘zhenzhucha’ is an ornamental shrub with a floral aroma, and is oftenused in landscape. To provide genetic information for genetic research, we have sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast (cp) genome of C. grijsii ‘zhenzhucha’ based on the Illumina Hiseq platform. The assembled complete cp genome of C. grijsii ‘zhenzhucha’ was 161,478 bp in length with 37.24% GC, including a large single-copy (LSC) region of 59,942 bp, a small single-copy (SSC) region of 17,294 bp, and a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 20,293 bp. The cp genome was annotated with 130 functional genes, consisting of 81 protein-coding genes, 45 transporter RNAs, and 4 ribosomal RNAs. To obtain the phylogeny relationship, the cp genome of C. grijsii 'zhenzhucha'has been compared with other Camellia species, and the results indicate that C. grijsii 'zhenzhucha' is closely related to C. grijsii. This study provides fundamental information of C. grijsii 'zhenzhucha' cp genome, and has an important reference value for the evolutionary analysis.

Camellia japonica is a woody ornamental plant with multiple flower color variations caused by bud sport; however, the molecular mechanism remains unclear. Here, chemical and transcriptomic analyses of C. japonica were performed with white, pink, red, and dark red flowers caused by bud sport. Seven anthocyanins were detected in these samples, except in C. japonica ‘YuDan’ (white petals). The total anthocyanin content of C. japonica ‘JinBiHuiHuang’ was the highest, and cyanidin 3-O-β-glucoside (Cy3G) was the main anthocyanin affecting the redness of petals. Furthermore, the ratio of Cy3G and cyanidin-3-O-(6-O-(E)-p-coumaroyl)-B-glucoside) was significantly correlated with the red petal phenotype. In total, 5673 genes were identified as differentially expressed genes (DEGs). The potential co-expression modules related to anthocyanin accumulation were established, which featured transcription factors, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and plant hormone signal transduction. Thirteen structural genes in the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway were identified as DEGs, most of them were upregulated with deepening of flower redness. An integrated promoter and cluster analysis suggested that CjMYB62, CjMYB52, and CjGATA may play important roles in anthocyanin accumulation. These results provide insight and candidate genes for the transcriptional mechanism responsible for the bud sport phenotype.