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The reuse of heavy-metal hyperaccumulator waste has emerged as a critical constraint in the implementation of phytoremediation to control heavy-metal pollution. Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is a well-established arsenic (As) hyperaccumulator that has been widely used in the remediation of As-contaminated sites in recent years. To facilitate multipurpose development and the recycling of ramie straw contaminated with heavy metals, a study investigated the preparation of hydrochar (HC) at different temperatures and assessed the feasibility of reintroducing the HC into the soil. The results indicated higher yields, increased nutrient contents, and reduced As percentage levels at a hydrothermal carbonization temperature of 240°C. Treatment with a 300 mmol/L sodium hydroxide solution resulted in the removal of As from HC, ranging from 77.06% to 87.60%, effectively facilitating the reuse of HC. The application of alkali-modification HC in As-contaminated soil not only enhances soil properties but also augments the potential population of dominant microorganisms that promote soil arsenic mobilization, thereby improving arsenic mobilization capacity in mining soil. This study offers a viable strategy for enhancing the phytoremediation efficiency of As-contaminated soil and establishing a recycling system for As hyperaccumulator resources in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants have developed precise defense mechanisms against cadmium (Cd) stress, with vacuolar compartmentalization of Cd2+ being a crucial process in Cd detoxification. The transport of Cd into vacuoles by these cation / H+ antiporters is powered by the pH gradient created by proton pumps. In this study, the full-length cDNA of a vacuolar H+-pyrophosphatase (V-PPase) gene from Boehmeria nivea (ramie), BnVP1, was isolated using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method. The open reading frame (ORF) of BnVP1 is 2292 bp, encoding a 763 amino acid V-PPase protein with 15 predicted transmembrane domains. Sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis revealed that BnVP1 belongs to the Type I V-PPase family. Quantitative RT-PCR assays demonstrated that BnVP1 expression was significantly higher in ramie roots than in shoots. Cd treatments markedly induced BnVP1 expression in both roots and leaves of ramie seedlings, with a more pronounced effect in roots. Additionally, BnVP1 expression was significantly upregulated by the plant hormone methyl jasmonate (MeJA). Heterologous expression of BnVP1 in transgenic Arabidopsis significantly enhanced V-PPase activity in the roots. The growth performance, root elongation, and total chlorophyll content of transgenic plants with high tonoplast H+-PPase (V-PPase) activity were superior to those of wild-type plants. Overexpression of BnVP1 reduced membrane lipid peroxidation and ion leakage, and significantly increased Cd accumulation in the roots of transgenic Arabidopsis seedlings. This study provides new genetic resources for the phytoremediation of Cd-contaminated farmland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fiber composites (NFCs) have seen an increased innovation and research activities due to their strength, environmental impact, and low cost. NFCs are used in aerospace, construction, leisure, packing, sport, and automotive industries. One such NFC, ramie fiber-reinforced composite has gained more importance due to its high mechanical strength, stiffness, and easy availability to all other natural fibers. In this review, an insight of the research works focusing on ramie fiber, and its reinforced polymer composite has been summarized. Factors such as fiber content, surface treatment, manufacturing techniques, and coupling agents influencing the mechanical properties (tensile, flexural, and impact) have been summarized. It is evident that the surface modification of ramie fiber through chemical treatment and the addition of coupling agents directly impact the mechanical properties of the composite. Furthermore, the usage of ramie fiber composite is still inadequate due to its poor fire and moisture-resistant properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flax hemp and ramie fibers have been important raw materials for textile products since ancient times. Due to the difference in use and output there has been a significant gap in the market price of these three different species of bast fibers in recent years and the illegal phenomenon of low-price bast fibers posing as high-price bast fibers often occurs. The composition physical and chemical properties of flax hemp and ramie fibers are very close. At present the standard method for identifying bast fibers in China is FZ/ T 01057. 3 2007 The Method for Identification of Textile Fibers Part 3 Microscopy. However the microscopic morphology of flax hemp and ramie is highly similar and the accuracy of identifying bast fibers according to this method is insufficient. The identification of these three species of easily confused bast fibers has always been a difficult task in the field of textile inspection and testing so it is necessary to improve the identification technology of bast fibers to maintain market stability and strengthen quality supervision. Although the predecessors have found that there are relatively slight infrared spectral differences between different kinds of bast fibers no rapid and accurate classification method for bast fibers based on the differences in infrared spectral data has been reported. In our study the principal component analysis PCA and linear discriminant analysis LDA on attenuated total reflection Flourier transformed infrared spectroscopy ATR-FTIR of different kinds of bast fibers were proposed to establish a discriminant model to identify these three kinds of easily confused bast fibers. In this study 60 groups of flax hemp and ramie fibers were selected as sample sets for degumming cleaning treatment and their ATR-FTIR spectra were collected. After spectral normalization infrared spectra in the range of 800 - 2 000 cm- 1 were compressed to scores of sets of principal components PCs by PCA. The PCA results show that with the increase of the number of PCs the PC scores gradually display a clustering trend according to the species of bast fibers and the cumulative variance contribution rate of the first 12 PCs to the normalized spectral data reaches 99. 5% . With the first 12 PC scores as the independent variable and the species of fiber samples as the dependent variable a discriminant model of the bast fibers including typical discriminant functions and classification functions was established by LDA. The discriminant model verification results show that the typical discriminant functions can make the first 12 PC scores achieve a excellent cluster according to the species of fiber samples and the classification functions can reach a classification accuracy of 100% for all fiber samples in the training set and the test set. In addition the classification accuracy of the PCA-LDA model can still reach 99. 6% by leave-one-out cross-validation. These results prove that the differences between ATR-FTIR spectra of flax hemp and ramie can be discerned and utilized for the rapid and accurate identification of these easily confused textile bast fibers by PCA-LDA statistic analysis. In the follow-up study we will introduce more laboratories and samples to participate in the construction and verification of the PCA-LDA model so as to further improve the applicability of the bast fiber classification and identification model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie is one of the most important fiber crops in China, with fibers extracted from stem barks having been used as textile materials for thousands of years. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification involved in plant growth and development. However, the role of methylation in ramie fiber growth remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the DNA methylation landscape of the nuclear genome in bark sections taken from the top (TPS) and the middle (MPS) of the stems of ramie plants, which represent different stages of fiber growth, using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. We detected 7,709,555 and 8,508,326 5-methylcytosines in the TPS and MPS genomes, respectively. The distribution of methylation across three sequence contexts, CG, CHG, and CHH, varied greatly among gene elements, with methylation at CHH being the most prevalent. Comparison of methylation levels between the TPS and MPS genomes revealed 23.162 Mb of differentially methylated genomic regions, encompassing 9485 genes. Among these differentially methylated genes, 841 exhibited altered expression in the MPS genome. Notably, an SND2 ortholog Bni05G006779 showed a negative correlation between its expression and methylation levels. Overexpression of Bni05G006779 in Arabidopsis dramatically increased the number of xylem fibers and the secondary wall thickness of the fibers in the stems of transgenic plants. These findings provide important insights into the involvement of DNA methylation in regulating ramie fiber growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies have shown that surgical residents can safely perform a variation of complex abdominal surgeries when provided with adequate training, proper case selection, and appropriate supervision. Their outcomes are equivalent when compared to experienced board-certified surgeons. Our previously published training curriculum for robotic assisted minimally invasive esophagectomy already demonstrated a possible reduction in time to reach proficiency. However, esophagectomy is a technically challenging procedure and comes with high morbidity rates of up to 60%, making it difficult to provide opportunities to train surgical residents. We aimed to investigate if a surgical resident could safely perform complex esophageal surgery when a structured modular teaching curriculum is applied. A structured teaching program based on our previously published modular step-up approach was applied by two experienced board-certified esophageal surgeons. Our IRB-approved (Institutional Review Board) database was searched to identify all Ivor-Lewis esophagectomies performed by the selected surgical resident from August 2019 to July 2021. The cumulative sum method was used to analyze the learning curve of the surgical resident. Outcomes of patients operated by the resident were then compared to our overall cohort of open, hybrid, and robotic Ivor-Lewis esophagectomies from May 2016 to May 2020. The total cohort included 567 patients, of which 65 were operated by the surgical resident and 502 patients were operated by experienced esophageal cancer surgeons as the control group. For baseline characteristics, a significant difference for BMI (Body mass index) was observed, which was lower in the resident's group (25.5 kg/m2 vs. 26.8 kg/m2 (P  = 0.046). A significant difference of American Society of Anesthesiologists- and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group-scores was seen, and a subgroup analysis including all patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists I and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group 0 was performed revealing no significant differences. Postoperative complications did not differ between groups. The anastomotic leak rate was 13.8% in the resident's cohort and 12% in the control cohort (P  = 0.660). Major complications (Clavien-Dindo ≥ IIIb) occurred in 16.9% of patients in both groups. Oncological outcome, defined by harvested lymph nodes (35 vs. 32.33, P  = 0.096), proportion of lymph node compliant performed operations (86.2% vs. 88.4%, P  = 0.590), and R0-resection rate (96.9% vs. 96%, P  = 0.766), was not compromised when esophagectomies were performed by the resident. The resident completed the learning curves after 39 cases for the total operating time, 38 cases for the thoracic operating time, 26 cases for the number of harvested lymph nodes, 29 cases for anastomotic leak rate, and finally 58 cases for the comprehensive complication index. For postoperative complications, no significant difference was seen between patients operated in the resident group versus the control group, with a third of patients being discharged with a textbook outcome in both cohorts. Furthermore, no difference in oncological quality of the resection was found, emphasizing safety and feasibility of our training program. A structured modular step-up for training a surgical resident to perform complex esophageal cancer surgery can successfully maintain patient safety and outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chen et al. report a molecular regulation strategy to efficiently control the advantageous OCFGs (a-OCFGs: C O and COO) of ramie activated carbon (RAC), revealing the structure–activity relationship of OCFGs with electrochemical performance in supercapacitors. This regulated RAC with a 3.5–folds–enhanced a-OCFGs achieves a supreme specific capacitance of 286.4F g−1 and excellent capacitance retention rate of 89.7%. Also, twice capacitance of this regulated RAC than that of YP-50F shows its commercial viability. [Display omitted] Effectively managing oxygen-containing functional groups (OCFGs) within activated carbon and methodically elucidating their intricate types and proportions are essential for considerably improving the electrochemical performance of carbon-based supercapacitors. Herein, we designed a ZnCl 2 -based molecular regulation strategy to introduce OCFGs into ramie-activated carbon (RAC), managing different OCFGs and revealing their structure–activity relationship with electrochemical performance. Thus, this regulated RAC, with a 3.5-fold enhancement in advantageous OCFGs (a-OCFGs: C O and COO), exhibits a supreme specific capacitance of 286.4F g−1 at 1 A/g and an excellent capacitance retention rate of 89.7 % at 20 A/g in an aqueous electrolyte, considerably surpassing that of nonregulated RAC (212.0F g−1 and 81.9 %). This confirms that a-OCFGs provide ample ion-storage accommodation and suppress solvent electronic oxidation, thereby enhancing electrochemical performance. Furthermore, its electrochemical performance is competitive with that of the commercial YP-50F (129.2F g−1 at 1 A/g). Therefore, this work not only highlights the contributions of specific OCFGs to high electrochemical performance but also designs a promising commercial electrode material to meet the demands of OCFGs-adequate carbon-based energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Cotton Textile Technology is the property of Cotton Textile Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Cotton Textile Technology is the property of Cotton Textile Technology Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

High-speed impact performance has significantly expanded over the past few decades. The target response based on the impact conditions has been more difficult to visualise and evaluate. In this article, Ansys model analysis has been used to measure, visualise, and predict the projectile and target responses of Kevlar® (K) and Ramie® textile-reinforced unsaturated polyester resin (UP) matrix. The laminate thickness threshold was detected experimentally based on the highest stress intensity factor and energy release rates. Furthermore, tensile strength and bending of the laminate were found. The impact conditions have a significant impact on the target response; thus, an explicit dynamic analysis was used to visualise the impact response based on the number of target fixed supports (FSs). Two FS (2 FS) target absorbs 11% more energy than four FS (4 FS) target. Additionally, the target size has a major effect on the projectile and laminate responses, and a successful arrest of the projectile was detected in both cases. The smallest targets with 2 FS have the highest and wider response, where a successful change in the projectile trajectory was obtained.

The demand for cellulosic fibres as a reinforcement in polymers is growing due to their renewable, biodegradable, and ecologically favourable properties. In addition, they are lower in density than e.g. glass fibres, which will help in making lightweight composites. Besides, there is no health hazard with ease of processing and minimum damage to the processing equipment. Despite their advantages and high demand, their utilization in industrial applications is still limited. This is due to their inherent polar and hydrophilic nature and their consequent incompatibility with hydrophobic polymers. Therefore, it is often necessary to do hydrophobic modification treatment. The review examines a range of strategies for modifying ramie surfaces, encompassing physical, chemical, and biological processes. It also analyzes the procedures and techniques involved in the preparation and manufacturing of ramie-reinforced polymeric biocomposites. Moreover, an investigation is conducted to evaluate the performance of the composites produced. The performance evaluation includes both before and following fibre treatment, covering surface morphology, wettability, chemical composition, mechanical properties, and flame retardancy. Most of the researchers reported that alkaline and silane coupling agent treatments are the most prevalently applied pretreatments. Compared to biological and physical methods, the application of chemical agents enables excellent adhesion of fibre to polymer resins. However, the utilization of solvents such as ethanol and methanol increases the amount of waste produced and toxic compounds released.

AbstractRamie (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud) is a versatile plant with potential as a cotton alternative in textiles. Its cellulose content, second only to cotton, requires degumming to remove fiber gum before industrial use. This study scaled up enzymatic degumming to 1 kg of ramie fiber, employing a dual enzyme approach: local Bacillus halodurans CM1 xylanase and commercial pectinase. This was optimized under varying conditions, including temperatures (30, 50, and 70 °C), durations (1, 2, and 3 h), and solid-liquid ratios (SLRs; 1:15, 1:22.5, 1:30), utilizing response surface methodology. Optimal outcomes were achieved at 50 °C and a 1:15 ratio, with a 3-h treatment duration, resulting in the highest reducing sugar yield (5.25 mg/mL) and a 102.03% enhancement in ramie fiber brightness compared to the enzyme-free control. This enzymatic process effectively separated gum from fibers while improving the quality, fineness, and tensile strength of cellulose fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing variety of composites utilize natural plant fibers with naturally occurring veins structured hierarchically in an effort to reduce dependence on petroleum‐based materials. In this article, ramie fibers were extracted by alkaline delignification. Then, ramie fibers and PP matrix, were prepared in filament form and an amino‐silane coupling agent KH550, and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene were added to improve interfacial compatibility. Ramie fiber/polypropylene fiber‐reinforced polymer composites (FRC) were prepared by hot pressing after using a carding machine. This method preserves the structure and length of ramie fibers to a large extent, thus greatly improving the mechanical properties of the material. After optimization, the FRC prepared from plant fibers of 2 cm length and 60% content had a density of 0.95 g/cm3, showed an increase in tensile and flexural strength of 276% and 339%, respectively, compared to the pure PP matrix. The specific strength of the FRC in the work was higher than galore FRC prepared from talc, carbon fiber, other plant fibers, and so forth. The FRC has a wide range of potential applications due to its own low‐cost, lightweight, and high‐performance, and is highly feasible in replacing the current polymers in the preparation of numerous everyday items. Highlights: The preparation method of FRC resulted in a more complete fiber length and structure.The mechanism to improve the interfacial compatibility of RF and PP is discussed.The effect of varying fiber length on the FRC mechanical properties was investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biocomposites made from natural fibers have attracted significant attention in recent years owing to the global concern regarding plastic accumulation. In this investigation, ramie fiber was employed as a natural fiber reinforcement in the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) matrix to enhance the biodegradability of the polymer composite. ABS/ramie fiber composites were prepared by compression molding with various wt% (5, 10, 15, and 20 wt %) of ramie fibers within the ABS matrix. Subsequently, the biodegradability, water absorption, mechanical properties, viscoelastic behavior, and thermal characteristics of the prepared composites were evaluated. The biodegradation test results demonstrated that there was a positive correlation between the concentrations of fibers in neat ABS. The maximum biodegradation of the composites was 2.56% at 20 wt% ramie fibers in the ABS matrix. Moreover, an increase in the wt% of ramie fiber led to an increase in water absorption. Although the tensile strength and impact strength decreased with increasing fiber content, the tensile modulus of the ABS/ramie fiber composites initially increased up to 5 wt% fiber and then started decreasing, and the natural fibers in ABS reduced the viscoelastic properties. The objective of developing ABS/ramie fiber composites is to utilize them as environmentally sustainable materials in automotive manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the use of Camellia sinensis, or tea plant, as a natural dye for fabric to create UV-protective properties. The study conducted in Tamil Nadu, India, found that dyeing fabric with Camellia sinensis extracts enhanced its protective properties, including UV resistance, moisture absorption, antibacterial functioning, and thermal conductivity. The research also compared different dyeing methods and examined the effects of pH, tea concentration, and dyeing time on the fabric's UV protection. The study concludes that Camellia sinensis dyeing can provide UV protection to fabrics and suggests that a single-bath dyeing method is more effective in enhancing UV protection. [Extracted from the article]

This paper focuses on three Far East cabinets that have ended up in Sweden for various reasons and on various routes. Some specific characteristics have been analysed using various scientific methods: sectional microscopy, wood taxonomy, X–ray fluorescence microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, strontium isotope ratio measurement, and radiocarbon dating. The results show that the cabinets contain wood from species endemic to Japan, namely asunaro (Thujopsis dolabrata) and hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtuse). They are coated with urushi sap derived from Toxicodendron vernicifluum trees, in two cases confirmed to be harvested in China, and one case probably blended with sap exuded from Toxicodendron succedanea harvested in North Vietnam. Their black appearance is due to a soot pigment typical of many products from the early Edo period or older. The data obtained with scientific methods, unavailable in the past, improve knowledge about these cabinets. Such new information should be made available to scholars and the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To create a hybrid material of ramie and flax fibers with silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles, it should have better thermal and mechanical properties. Across industries, sustainable materials are growing in demand for high performance, which is the impetus behind this study. A sustainable future is more about contributing to sustainable alternatives like ramie and flax fibers made from traditional synthetic materials. A key area focused on increasing strength, temperature resistance, and stiffness will be the addition of SiC nanoparticles to hybrid fibers. The research process carefully mixes the ramie and flax fibers with SiC nanoparticles to achieve optimal flexibility, thermal stability, and balance of strength. Hybrid material is examined using characterization techniques such as mechanical testing and scanning electron microscopy to determine the functioning of the microstructure. The possibility of composite material recycling, the impact of hybrid fibers, and accounting for natural fibers for sustainability are considered possible in this research. It should be innovative material development that has significant implications from the findings that meet environmental sustainability goals and satisfy performance requirements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural fiber/degradable epoxy composites have received much attention for their advantages of low carbon emissions, low environmental pollution, and utilization of renewable resources. However, the poor interfacial bonding strength and inferior moisture resistance of natural fiber/degradable epoxy composites restrict their application areas. In order to improve the moisture and heat resistance of natural fiber/degradable epoxy resin-based composites, this study modified the surfaces of ramie fibers with hydroxylated carbon nanotubes, silane coupling agents, and sodium hydroxide, respectively. Three types of modified ramie fiber/degradable epoxy composites, namely F-CN-DEP, F-Si-DEP, and F-OH-DEP, were prepared using a winding forming process. The water absorption rate and short-beam shear strength of the materials were tested under different environments, and the fiber morphology and thermal–mechanical properties of the materials were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). The results show that F-CN-DEP exhibited the lowest moisture absorption rate; the highest shear strength, of 43.8 MPa; and a glass transition temperature (Tg) of 121.7 °C. The results demonstrate that carbon nanotubes on the fiber surface can improve the interfacial stability of ramie fiber/degradable epoxy composites in humid and hot environments. These results give guidelines for the development of natural fiber/degradable epoxy composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beneficial bacteria that promote plant growth can shield plants from negative effects. Yet, the specific biological processes that drive the relationships between soil microbes and plant metabolism are still not fully understood. To investigate this further, we utilized a combination of microbiology and non-targeted metabolomics techniques to analyze the impact of plant growth-promoting bacteria on both the soil microbial communities and the metabolic functions within ramie (Boehmeria nivea) tissues. The findings indicated that the yield and traits of ramie plants are enhanced after treatment with Bacillus velezensis (B. velezensis). These B. velezensis strains exhibit a range of plant growth-promoting properties, including phosphate solubilization and ammonia production. Furthermore, strain YS1 also demonstrates characteristics of IAA production. The presence of B. velezensis resulted in a decrease in soil bacteria diversity, resulting in significant changes in the overall structure and composition of soil bacteria communities. Metabolomics showed that B. velezensis significantly altered the ramie metabolite spectrum, and the differential metabolites were notably enriched (P < 0.05) in five main metabolic pathways: lipid metabolism, nucleotide metabolism, amino acid metabolism, plant secondary metabolites biosynthesis, and plant hormones biosynthesis. Seven common differential metabolites were identified. Correlation analysis showed that the microorganisms were closely related to metabolite accumulation and yield index. In the B. velezensis YS1 and B. velezensis Y4-6-1 treatment groups, the relative abundances of BIrii41 and Bauldia were significantly positively correlated with sphingosine, 9,10,13-TriHOME, fresh weight, and root weight, indicating that these microorganisms regulate the formation of various metabolites, promoting the growth and development of ramie. Conclusively, B. velezensis (particularly YS1) played an important role in regulating soil microbial structure and promoting plant metabolism, growth, and development. The application of the four types of bacteria in promoting ramie growth provides a good basis for future application of biological fertilizers and bio-accelerators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The APETALA2/ethylene response factor (AP2/ERF) superfamily plays a significant role in regulating plant gene expression in response to growth and development. To date, there have been no studies into whether the ramie AP2/ERF genes are involved in the regulation of flower development. Methods: Here, 84 BnAP2/ERF members were identified from the ramie genome database, and various bioinformatics data on the AP2/ERF gene family, structure, replication, promoters and regulatory networks were analysed. BnAP2-12 was transferred into Arabidopsis through the flower-dipping method. Results: Phylogenetic analysis classified the 84 BnAP2/ERF members into four subfamilies: AP2 (18), RAV (3), ERF (42), and DREB (21). The functional domain analysis of genes revealed 10 conserved motifs. Genetic mapping localised the 84 members on 14 chromosomes, among which chromosomes 1, 3, 5, and 8 hadmore members. Collinearity analysis revealed that 43.37% possibly resulted fromreplication events during the evolution of the ramie genome. Promoter sequence analysis identified classified cis-acting elements associated with plant growth and development, and responses to stress, hormones, and light. Transcriptomic comparison identified 3,635 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between male and female flowers (1,803 and 1,832 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively). Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis categorised DEGs involved in metabolic pathways and biosynthesis of secondary metabolites. Gene Ontology enrichment analysis further identified enriched genes associated with pollen and female gamete formations. Of the 84 BnAP2/ERFs genes, 22 and 8 upregulated and downregulated genes, respectively, were present in female flowers. Co-expression network analysis identified AP2/ERF members associated with flower development, including BnAP2-12. Subcellular localisation analysis showed that the BnAP2-12 protein is localised in the nucleus and cell membrane. Overexpression BnAP2-12 delayed the flowering time of Arabidopsis thaliana. Conclusion: These findings provide insights into the mechanism of ramie flower development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: In minimally invasive esophagectomy, a circular stapled anastomosis is common, but no evidence exists investigating the role of the specific localization of the anastomosis. The aim of this study is to evaluate the impact of an esophagogastrostomy on the anterior or posterior wall of the gastric conduit on the postoperative outcomes. Material and methods: All oncologic minimally invasive Ivor Lewis procedures, performed between 2017 and 2022, were included in this study. The cohort was divided in two groups: a) intrathoracic esophagogastrostomy on the anterior gastric wall of the conduit (ANT, n = 285, 65%) and b) on the posterior gastric wall (POST, n = 154, 35%). Clinicopathological parameters and short-term outcomes were compared between both groups by retrieving data from the prospective database. Results: Overall, 439 patients were included, baseline characteristics were similar in both groups, there was a higher proportion of squamous cell carcinoma in ANT (22.8% vs. 16.2%, P = 0.043). A higher rate of robotic-assisted procedures was observed in ANT (71.2% vs. 49.4%). Anastomotic leakage rate was similar in both groups (ANT 10.4% vs. POST 9.8%, P = 0.851). Overall complication rate and Clavien–Dindo > 3 complication rates were higher in POST compared to ANT: 53.2% vs. 40% (P = 0.008) and 36.9% vs. 25.7% (P = 0.014), respectively. The rate of delayed gastric emptying (20.1% vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001) and nosocomial pneumonia (22.1% vs. 14.8%, P = 0.05) was significantly higher in POST. Conclusion: Patients undergoing minimally invasive Ivor Lewis esophagectomy with an intrathoracic circular stapled anastomosis may benefit from esophagogastrostomy on the anterior wall of the gastric conduit, in terms of lower rate of delayed gastric emptying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie leaves are rich in antioxidant polyphenols and amylase enzyme, which could be a good source for food applications. This study investigated the impact of combined ultrasound-enzyme treatment (U-EAT), including ultrasound intensity (10-30%), content of Viscozyme L. enzyme addition (0.5-1%) and extraction time (5-15 min) on polyphenol recovery, antioxidant activity, and amylase activity. The result revealed that U-EAT could enhance the efficiency of extraction, with a significantly higher yield of bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity, and amylase enzyme activity compared to an untreated sample. Multiple regression analysis was applied to predict the efficacy of extraction through the values of total phenolic content, antioxidant activity and enzyme activity. The established models shown high accuracy in predicting the effect of the extracted conditions on the yield of the extraction of antioxidant and enzyme amylase. It was found that the maximum yield of extraction could be obtained when the operation conditions were ultrasound intensity of 26.5%, enzyme concentration of 0.87% and extraction time of 10.88 min. Under these optimal conditions, the highest values were found (TPC of 99.047 mgGAE/100 g, antioxidant activity of 65.02% and amylase activity of 45.36 U/mL). In summary, the findings indicate that the utilization of ultrasound combined with the enzymatic extraction process of polyphenol and amylase enzyme from ramie leaves holds potential for enhancing both the extraction yield and bioactivity of the extract. Further study should be concerned with the process of producing food ingredients or products from this extract. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, there has been a shift away from synthetic materials towards natural fibers. Composite materials are now being created by using fillers, which are essential for maintaining mechanical strength. Hence, the amalgamation of organic fibers and additives serves as a superior substitute for artificial substances in lightweight applications. The study selects Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) fibers as the reinforcement phase and polyester as the matrix material. Subsequently, five composite laminates are produced by incorporating alumina filler with varying weight fractions into each sample in order to assess the impact of the composite on the antibacterial conductivity, mechanical characteristics, and thermal stability of the ramie fibre (RF) composite. Among the RF composite samples, Sample A (120 g RF, 25 g alumina filler, and 120 g epoxy matrix), which consisted of 25 g of alumina particles, had the most superior mechanical qualities, such as tensile strength (34.89 MPa), flexural strength (39.25 MPa), and impact strength (0.023 J/mm2). The antibacterial findings of ramie raw fibre indicate that the presence of ramie cellulose stimulates bacterial proliferation, and the energy dispersive study verifies that the alumina filler is significantly affected in this RF composite. The source of the material's failure under mechanical loading of the composite was established using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Fiber Inspection is the property of China Fiber Inspection and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Ramie has been widely used as a fiber crop for over 4000 years. The fibers are durable, white in color, and smooth in texture. Information on genetic diversity is important for selecting good breeding materials to produce superior offspring. This study aimed at determining the genetic diversity of Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich. from Wonosobo and Malang using SSR as molecular markers. Nineteen accessions of ramie were analyzed for genetic diversity using 9 SSRs located adjacent to the gene associated with fiber yield traits. This study included the DNA extraction, amplification, and visualization of amplification. Data analysis included the allele number, frequency, PIC value, heterozygosity, Shannon information index, and AMOVA analysis. The results showed 229 alleles, with an average polymorphic percentage of 68.67%, the average allele frequency ranging from 0.07 to 0.11, an average PIC value of 0.84, and Jaccard's similarity score of 0-0.18. The He and Ho values in both populations were 0.719 and 0.278, respectively. AMOVA analysis revealed that 88% of the observed molecular variance was due to genetic differences within the population, whereas 12% of genetic variation was partitioned between populations. The present study showed high genetic diversity between Wonosobo and Malang ramie. This finding might support further programs for the fiber and biomaterial industry.

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal contaminant in agricultural soils. Phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants is a promising remediation strategy. This study investigated the effects of TiO2 NPs on Cd uptake and accumulation in the hyperaccumulator ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) grown in Cd-spiked soil. The aim was to evaluate the potential application of TiO2 NPs to enhance the phytoextraction efficiency of ramie for removing Cd from contaminated soils. Ramie was cultivated in soil spiked with 5 mg/kg Cd, with or without 500 mg/kg TiO2 NPs. The results showed TiO2 NPs significantly increased Cd concentrations in roots, stems, and leaves of ramie by 35%, 75%, and 278% respectively, compared to control plants. Cd levels reached 146 mg/kg in roots and 102 mg/kg in leaves with TiO2 NPs. The bioconcentration factor rose from 21.6 to 29.2 and translocation factor from 0.3 to 0.7 with nanoparticles. This indicates TiO2 NPs increased Cd bioavailability in soil and translocation to shoots. The higher Cd accumulation, especially in leaves, demonstrates the potential of TiO2 NPs to improve ramie's phytoextraction capacity. With TiO2 NP treatment, soil Cd levels decreased by an estimated 20–30% after 8 weeks of ramie cultivation, indicating enhanced phytoextraction. This study provides evidence that the application of TiO2 NPs can enhance the efficiency of phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants like ramie for remediation of Cd-contaminated soils.

ABSTRACTCellulose fibers from ramie is a kind of functional biological material with multipurpose in the textile industry, which called as “China grass.” The degumming of ramie fibers performed with Bacillus subtilis were regulated by response regulator CitT from CitS/CitT two-component system through specifically functioning on the degradation of component pectin. In this study, comparative proteomic analysis was executed to obtain insights into the sensitivity by which the metabolic network induced by the absence of CitT protein, and to further explore the regulatory mechanism during bio-degumming process of ramie fibers. Results showed that 29 differentially expressed proteins were detected from original strain and mutant strain, which were mainly involved in transmembrane transport system, two-component system, and amino acid metabolism. This study demonstrated that the lack of CitT protein could result in the down-regulation of enzymes in histidine biosynthesis pathway, and the up-regulation of enzyme in arginine degradation pathway. This study is the first time to reveal comprehensive information about the regulatory function of CitT protein in bio-degumming of ramie fibers, and may provide important scientific and technological basis for targeted constructing engineering strains in degumming of ramie fibers.

Cellulose fabric testing for flame-retardant studies is frequently necessary in various textile applications. Natural cellulose material from ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is being promoted as an alternative raw material for the development of fire-resistant fabrics. This research aims to optimize the coating process of ramie fabric using a phosphorus-based flame retardant (FR) to enhance its flame-retardant characteristics. The FR treatment involves bleaching the fabric with H2O2; followed by fabric finishing using a formula comprising 3% (v/v) hydroxymethyl resin; phosphoric acid (2%); and two formulations of the flammable agent Flamatic DM-3072N: 40% (v/v) and 50% (v/v), applied using the pad-dry-cure method. The flame-retardant properties of the treated fabric are evaluated through flammability testing based on the ASTM D6413-08 standard, limiting oxygen index (LOI) analysis, and micrograph surface structure analysis with SEM. The results indicate that ramie fabric treated with the FR-50% material exhibits superior fire resistance, preventing fire spread on the fabric with a char length of 15–30 mm and a LOI value of 29. These findings highlight the potential of FR-treated ramie fabrics for various industries, including the automotive and protective clothing industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noise pollution is a major threat to the health and well-being of the entire world; this issue forces researchers to find new sound absorption and insulating material. In this paper, the sound absorption coefficient and vibration damping factor of panels manufactured from Cyperus pangorei rottb and ramie fiber reinforced with epoxy resin are explored. Cyperus pangorei rottb grass fiber and ramie fiber are widely available natural fibers. Cyperus pangorei rottb grass fiber is used in mat manufacturing, whereas ramie is widely used as a fabric. Using both of these fibers, six variant panels using a vacuum resin infusion process (VRIP) were fabricated. The panels were named C, R, CR, RCR-Flat, RCR-Curved, and RCR-Perforated. All the panels were tested for the sound absorption coefficient using an impedance tube with a frequency ranging up to 6300 Hz. Modal analysis was carried out by using the impulse hammer excitation method. A micro X-ray computed tomography (CT) scan was used to study the voids present in the panels. The results were compared among the six variants. The results show that the RCR-curved panel had the highest sound-absorbing coefficient of 0.976 at a frequency range between 4500 Hz to 5000 Hz. These panels also showed better natural frequency and damping factors. The presence of internal voids in these panels enhances sound absorption properties. These panels can be used at higher frequencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

How to dispose heavy metal-rich plant harvest in a green, efficient and resource ・ based manner is an urgent technical problem for the industrial development of phytoremediation of heavy metal・containinated soil・ Using ramie as raw material and water as reaction solvent, the effects of reaction temperature, reaction time and acid-base catalysts on the oil yield and heavy metal migration of ramie were investiga・ ted. The results showed that the highest yield of ramie liquefied bio-oil was 20. 86% at 275 °C, 30 min and 5% HCOOH, and 让s calorific value was 30. 68 MJ/kg・ The organic components of bio・oil in blank group were mainly composed of alcohols, hydrocarbons, acids, ketones and N・containing compounds・ The contents of hydrocarbon and ester compounds in liquefied bio-oil in HCOOH group were increased, while the contents of hydrocarbon, alcohols and acids in bio・oil in NaCO2 group were decreased・ In addition, more than 85% of heavy metals (Cd, Pb, Cu and Cr) are retained in the solid phase residue, while As is mainly transferred to the aqueous phase, and the heavy metal content in bio-oil is less than 4%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to investigate and evaluate the possibility of increasing the thermo-mechanical properties of ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) fibers by impregnating them with a tannin-based non-isocyanate polyurethane (Bio-NIPU) resin. The resin was created by reacting tannin of Acacia mangium with dimethyl carbonate (DMC) and hexamethylenediamine (HMDA). The optimal time of impregnation was discovered to be 90 min, as demonstrated by its thermal stability, with a residual of 25% remaining after being treated to a temperature of 750 °C. When ramie fibers were impregnated with the newly developed tannin-based Bio-NIPU resin, their thermal and mechanical qualities significantly enhanced. In terms of mechanical properties, the impregnated ramie fibers had a tensile strength of 325 MPa and an elasticity modulus of 10.82 GPa. Py-GCMS was used to confirm the production of urethane groups as a result of the reaction between the tannin-based Bio-NIPU resin and ramie fibers. The use of FE-SEM in conjunction with EDS allowed the detection of nitrogen from urethane groups in Bio-NIPU. The characterization analysis also demonstrated that incorporating tannin-based Bio-NIPU resin into ramie fibers had a substantial impact on their thermal and mechanical properties, increasing their potential for wider use across varied industrial sectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conveying and baling are two important links in the mechanized harvesting of ramie, in the face of ramie cutting and baling harvesting technology research gaps, low stalk conveying rate, high breaking rate and other problems. In this paper, according to the technical requirements of ramie harvesting, we designed a conveying and baling device, the hand-held ramie cutter. First, the key mechanism of the conveying and baling device of the equipment was designed. Then, we analyzed the location of stem clogging and the reasons for the breaking problem during the conveying and baling process. The field harvesting experiments were carried out according to the principles of Box–Behnken experimental design. Taking the machine travelling speed, conveying speed and ramie raking frequency as the test factors and using the Design-Expert V8.0.6.1 to process the data, we established a regression model for each experimental factor on the conveying rate and breaking rate. The order of influence of several factors on the breaking rate is: X2 > X1 > X3; and the effects of the three factors on the conveying rate were X3 > X2 > X1. Through response surface analysis (RSA), the effects of the factors on the indicators were explained, as was the impact of the factors on the indicators. Finally, the parameter optimization was carried out with the delivery rate as the core index. The best combination of motion parameters was obtained as follows: the travelling speed was 0.37 m/s, the chain conveying speed was 1.1 m/s, and the raking frequency was 144 times/min. With the combination of parameters under the field test verification, the results show that compared with the original work quality, the stalk delivery rate increased from 85.2% to 93% (an increase of 7.8%), the stalk breaking rate fell from 31.1% to 20.4% (a decrease of 10.7%). The performance of ramie harvesting and baling was greatly improved, and we achieved relatively satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Qingye ramie is a multi-purpose crop, used as a feed ingredient in southern China, that is susceptible to drought. Qingye ramie was studied to investigate the effects of high temperatures and drought on its growthh. The results show that, after drought, ramie leaves turn yellow and that the height of the plant, the number of tillers, and its antioxidant activity decreased. To elucidate the molecular mechanism of drought tolerance, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) on drought-stressed samples and found that 3893 differentially expressed genes showed significant changes; 1497 genes were upregulated, and 2796 genes were downregulated. These genes were categorized into four metabolic pathways and were mainly enriched in plant hormone signal transcription, phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Among these, we mapped the regulatory mechanism of Qingye ramie under drought and adversity. Of these, the expression of MAPK-related genes in the plant hormone pathway was the most significant. The expression of three MAPK serine/threonine protein kinase genes was upregulated by 2.62- to 3.45-fold and the expression of PP2C-related genes increased by 3.34- to 14.12-fold. The expression of PYR/PYL genes decreased significantly by 2.92–7.09-fold. Furthermore, in addition to NAC, ERF, MYB, bHLH, bZIP, C2H2, GeBP, and WRKY transcription factors that have been shown to regulate drought. Some other transcription factors, such as CCL, ASD, SAU, and SPS, were also up- or downregulated in Qingye ramie. Then, the samples were analyzed by qRT-PCR and the variations were consistent with the sequencing results. Consequently, we suggest that the changes after drought stress in green-leaf ramie may be regulated by these transcription factors. Further studies can be carried out in the future, which will provide valuable and important information on the plant's drought resistance mechanism and deepen our understanding of the mechanisms of drought resistance in Qingye ramie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie is one of the most ancient cellulose fiber crops, having been used for at least 6000 years. It is also one of the strongest and longest natural fine textile fibers in the world and is principally used for fabric production. Although ramie is very important and has a high economic value, the genetic basis of its yield-related and fiber quality traits remains poorly understood and is insufficient owing to the lack of assessment in multiple environments. Here, we evaluated the population structure and genomic variation in ramie based on resequencing of 319 core accessions and detected several candidate genes associated with fiber yield and quality traits by combining them with linkage mapping. We obtained approximately 3.49 million high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), 2,089,798 insertions and deletions (Indels), and 88,087 structure variations (SVs). The investigation of phenotypes for plant height (PL), stem diameter (SD), bark thickness (BT), fiber diameter (FD), fiber fineness (FF), and ramet number (RN) found these traits showed abundant variation and correlation. Several genetic loci and candidate genes were identified associated with three yield-related traits and fiber fineness. A gene within pleiotropic loci encoding NAC domain containing protein (BnNAC29) was found to be significantly correlated with stem diameter and bark thickness. Another variation of large fragment insertions and deletions in two candidate genes, BnVIT1 and BnAEP, may also be responsible for the increase of stem diameter and bark thickness, respectively. Favorable gene haplotypes were identified as having the same tendency in stem diameter and bark thickness. Moreover, we presumed that plant height-related genes had undergone selection from landraces to breeding cultivars, even though there was minor differentiation during domestication. Our study provides new insights into the genetic architecture of yield and fiber quality traits in ramie. Moreover, the identification of fiber yield-related genetic loci and large-scale genomic variation represent valuable resources for genomics-assisted breeding of this fiber crop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detrimental impact of abandoned fishing nets on the ocean environment is a growing concern. These discarded fishing gears, often called ghost nets, are predominantly composed of non-biodegradable plastic, primarily Nylon. As a result, they continue to trap marine life and cause widespread harm even after being abandoned. This study proposes a solution by investigating using natural fibers, specifically ramie and linen, as alternatives to plastic fishing nets. These fibers are durable, biodegradable, and rot-resistant. They are coated with beeswax and canola oil to make them water-resistant. The resultant coated fabrics are compared with their uncoated counterparts to assess the impact of the coatings on water resistance, absorbency, and smoothness. Microscopic imaging reveals the efficacy of the coatings, highlighting their potential to minimize drag underwater and protect against erosion. Tensile strength tests before and after soaking fibers in salt water indicate that coated fibers, particularly those with a 1:1 ratio of beeswax to canola oil, exhibit enhanced durability and resistance to saltwater exposure. Human skin cell viability tests suggest that the raw materials were the least toxic, and for the coatings, the 1:3 ratio was the least toxic. Overall, this study concludes that the proposed method offers a promising solution to mitigate the harmful effects of abandoned plastic fishing nets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants face multiple stresses in their natural habitats. WRKY transcription factors (TFs) play an important regulatory role in plant stress signaling, regulating the expression of multiple stress-related genes to improve plant stress resistance. In this study, we analyzed the expression profiles of 25 BnWRKY genes in three stages of ramie growth (the seedling stage, the rapid-growth stage, and the fiber maturity stage) and response to abiotic stress through qRT-PCR. The results indicated that 25 BnWRKY genes play a role in different growth stages of ramie and were induced by salt and drought stress in the root and leaf. We selected BnWRKY49 as a candidate gene for overexpression in Arabidopsis. BnWRKY49 was localized in the nucleus. Overexpression of BnWRKY49 affected root elongation under drought and salt stress at the Arabidopsis seedling stage and exhibited increased tolerance to drought stress. Further research found that BnWRKY49-overexpressing lines showed decreased stomatal size and increased cuticular wax deposition under drought compared with wild type (WT). Antioxidant enzyme activities of SOD, POD, and CAT were higher in the BnWRKY49-overexpressing lines than the WT. These findings suggested that the BnWRKY49 gene played an important role in drought stress tolerance in Arabidopsis and laid the foundation for further research on the functional analysis of the BnWRKYs in ramie. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dead-end trap plant is a plant species that is highly attractive for oviposition and other activities of target pests, but on which they cannot complete their development, reproduction or survival. Due to its unique insecticidal mechanism and environment-friendly characteristics, it has received increasing attention in recent years. There are many species that can be used as trap plant, but few of them can be used as dead-end trap plants. These plants are commonly utilized for lepidopteran pest management in graminaceous crops, cruciferous vegetables and other cropping systems. At present, vetiver grass, Chrysopogon zizanioides, is widely used in the integrated pest management (IPM) of rice borers in southern China as an alternative to chemical pesticides. This article lists plant species that can be used as dead-end trap plants, together with the target pests and relevant cropping systems. In addition, the trapping principle and insecticidal mechanism of dead-end traps is reviewed, and the application of vetiver grass as a dead-end trap in rice borer IPM introduced. The future research directions of dead-end trap plants towards the protection of crops are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie composites have been widely used in automobiles, daily necessities, aerospace, ships, cruise lines, etc., but their flame retardant properties are relatively poor, which is difficult to meet the flame retardant performance requirements of composites for rail transit. In order to improve the properties of ramie reinforced composites, flame retardant treatment is necessary. In this paper, phosphorus flame retardant phytic acid (PA) was used to modify ramie fabric, and then the composites were prepared. The flame retardancy and mechanical properties of ramie reinforced composites were investigated. It was found that the flame retardancy of ramie composites was improved after flame retardant modification with phytic acid, but the mechanical properties were decreased. In order to improve the mechanical properties of PA ramie composites, two kinds of layered PA ramie/glass fiber hybrid composites were prepared by replacing part of ramie with glass fiber. The results show that the addition of glass fiber can improve the mechanical properties and flame retardancy of composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is a toxic heavy metal contaminant in agricultural soils. Phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants is a promising remediation strategy. This study investigated the effects of TiO 2 NPs on Cd uptake and accumulation in the hyperaccumulator ramie (Boehmeria nivea L.) grown in Cd-spiked soil. The aim was to evaluate the potential application of TiO 2 NPs to enhance the phytoextraction efficiency of ramie for removing Cd from contaminated soils. Ramie was cultivated in soil spiked with 5 mg/kg Cd, with or without 500 mg/kg TiO 2 NPs. The results showed TiO 2 NPs significantly increased Cd concentrations in roots, stems, and leaves of ramie by 35%, 75%, and 278% respectively, compared to control plants. Cd levels reached 146 mg/kg in roots and 102 mg/kg in leaves with TiO 2 NPs. The bioconcentration factor rose from 21.6 to 29.2 and translocation factor from 0.3 to 0.7 with nanoparticles. This indicates TiO 2 NPs increased Cd bioavailability in soil and translocation to shoots. The higher Cd accumulation, especially in leaves, demonstrates the potential of TiO 2 NPs to improve ramie's phytoextraction capacity. With TiO 2 NP treatment, soil Cd levels decreased by an estimated 20–30% after 8 weeks of ramie cultivation, indicating enhanced phytoextraction. This study provides evidence that the application of TiO 2 NPs can enhance the efficiency of phytoremediation using hyperaccumulator plants like ramie for remediation of Cd-contaminated soils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The yield of ramie has a high correlation with the climate factors during the growth period, and the final yield can be effectively and accurately predicted by constructing a ramie yield prediction model based on climate variables. The BP neural network has strong data analysis capabilities and is widely used in crop yield prediction modeling. However, traditional BP neural networks have problems such as low accuracy and poor robustness. The sparrow search algorithm (SSA) can be used to optimize the BP neural network model. Based on the fiber yield, fresh skin yield and climate data collected in ramie long-term positioning experiment from 2010 to 2019, this study analyzed the changing trend of climate factors in 10 years and their impacts on the perennial ramie yield by comparing the performance of BP neural network model and the optimized SSA-BP neural network model in predicting ramie yield to determine the best prediction model. It showed that there were extremely significant correlations between the yield of ramie and 4 meteorological factors including the seasonal average temperature, the average seasonal extreme maximum temperature, the seasonal extreme minimum temperature, and the seasonal average sunshine hours, among which the ramie yield had the highest correlation with the seasonal average temperature. SSA algorithm could effectively optimize the BP neural network. R2 of the ramie fiber yield prediction model and fresh skin yield prediction model based on SSABP were 0.591 3 and 0.679 1, respectively, which were higher than that of the ramie fiber yield prediction model (R²= 0.405 7) and fresh skin yield prediction model (R²=0.551 8). Therefore, the SSA-BP model could predict ramie yield more scientifically and reasonably, which was of great guiding significance for field management and overall plan of ramie production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background MicroRNAs (miRNAs) and long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are the two main types of non-coding RNAs that play crucial roles in plant growth and development. However, their specific roles in the fiber growth of ramie plant (Boehmeria nivea L. Gaud) remain largely unknown. Methods In this study, we performed miRNA and whole-transcriptome sequencing of two stem bark sections exhibiting different fiber growth stages to determine the expression profiles of miRNAs, lncRNAs, and protein-encoding genes. Results Among the identified 378 miRNAs and 6,839 lncRNAs, 88 miRNAs and 1,288 lncRNAs exhibited differential expression. Bioinformatics analysis revealed that 29 and 228 differentially expressed protein-encoding genes were targeted by differentially expressed miRNAs and lncRNAs, respectively, constituting eight putative competing endogenous RNA networks. lncR00022274 exhibited downregulated expression in barks with growing fibers. It also had an antisense overlap with the MYB gene, BntWG10016451, whose overexpression drastically increased the xylem fiber number and secondary wall thickness of fibers in the stems of transgenic Arabidopsis, suggesting the potential association of lncR00022274-BntWG10016451 expression with fiber growth. Conclusions These findings provide insights into the roles of ncRNAs in the regulation of fiber growth in ramie, which can be used for the biotechnological improvement of its fiber yield and quality in the future.

Ramie is one of the most important fiber crops in China, with fibers extracted from stem barks having been used as textile materials for thousands of years. DNA methylation is an important epigenetic modification involved in plant growth and development. However, the role of methylation in ramie fiber growth remains poorly understood. In the present study, we investigated the DNA methylation landscape of the nuclear genome in bark sections taken from the top (TPS) and the middle (MPS) of the stems of ramie plants, which represent different stages of fiber growth, using whole-genome bisulfite sequencing. We detected 7,709,555 and 8,508,326 5-methylcytosines in the TPS and MPS genomes, respectively. The distribution of methylation across three sequence contexts, CG, CHG, and CHH, varied greatly among gene elements, with methylation at CHH being the most prevalent. Comparison of methylation levels between the TPS and MPS genomes revealed 23.162 Mb of differentially methylated genomic regions, encompassing 9485 genes. Among these differentially methylated genes, 841 exhibited altered expression in the MPS genome. Notably, an SND2 ortholog Bni05G006779 showed a negative correlation between its expression and methylation levels. Overexpression of Bni05G006779 in Arabidopsis dramatically increased the number of xylem fibers and the secondary wall thickness of the fibers in the stems of transgenic plants. These findings provide important insights into the involvement of DNA methylation in regulating ramie fiber growth.

Simple Summary: Adventitious root formation is a significant limiting factor in the vegetative propagation of economically important plants. Owing to the low germination rates and survival of conventional seed propagation, vegetative propagation remains the best option for large-scale production. Generally, there is a lack of competency for elite plant species cuttings or explants to form adventitious roots. The molecular-level studies of the adventitious root formation have not been explored in many species, such as ramie. As the WUSCEL-related homeobox gene family plays a critical role in promoting vegetative organs and stem cell functioning, we investigated their potential role in adventitious root formation in ramie using genome-wide characterization, gene structure, and expression analysis. The overall result indicated their possible involvement in rooting ramie cuttings. This study thus increases our understanding of the role of these genes and lays a foundation for further studies. A WUSCHEL-related homeobox (WOX) gene family has been implicated in promoting vegetative organs to embryonic transition and maintaining plant embryonic stem cell identity. Using genome-wide analysis, we identified 17 candidates, WOX genes in ramie (Boehmeria nivea). The genes (BnWOX) showed highly conserved homeodomain regions typical of WOX. Based on phylogenetic analysis, they were classified into three distinct groups: modern, intermediate, and ancient clades. The genes displayed 65% and 35% collinearities with their Arabidopsis thaliana and Oryza sativa ortholog, respectively, and exhibited similar motifs, suggesting similar functions. Furthermore, four segmental duplications (BnWOX10/14, BnWOX13A/13B, BnWOX9A/9B, and BnWOX6A/Maker00021031) and a tandem-duplicated pair (BnWOX5/7) among the putative ramie WOX genes were obtained, suggesting that whole-genome duplication (WGD) played a role in WOX gene expansion. Expression profiling analysis of the genes in the bud, leaf, stem, and root of the stem cuttings revealed higher expression levels of BnWOX10 and BnWOX14 in the stem and root and lower in the leaf consistent with the qRT-PCR analysis, suggesting their direct roles in ramie root formation. Analysis of the rooting characteristics and expression in the stem cuttings of sixty-seven different ramie genetic resources showed a possible involvement of BnWOX14 in the adventitious rooting of ramie. Thus, this study provides valuable information on ramie WOX genes and lays the foundation for further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]