Creating large EMS populations for functional genomics and breeding in wheat

Wheat germplasm is a fundamental resource for basic research,applied studies,and wheat breeding,which can be enriched normally by several paths,such as collecting natural lines,accumulating breeding lines,and introducing mutagenesis materials.Ethyl methane sulfonate(EMS)is an alkylating agent that can effectively introduce genetic variations in a wide variety of plant species.In this study,we created a million-scale EMS population(MEP)that started with the Chinese wheat cultivars‘Luyan 128’,‘Jimai 38’,‘Jimai 44’,and‘Shannong 30’.In the M1 generation,the MEP had numerous phenotypical variations,such as>3,000 chlorophyll-deficient mutants,2,519 compact spikes,and 1,692 male sterile spikes.There were also rare mutations,including 30 independent tillers each with double heads.Some M1 variations of chlorophyll-deficiency and compact spikes were inheritable,appearing in the M2 or M3 generations.To advance the entire MEP to higher generations,we adopted a single-seed descendent(SSD)approach.All other seed composites of M2 were used to screen other agronomically important traits,such as the tolerance to herbicide quizalofop-P-methyl.The MEP is available for collaborative projects,and provides a valuable toolbox for wheat genetics and breeding for sustainable agriculture.

A multifunctional electrolyte additive for zinc-ion capacitors with low temperature resistant and long lifespan

Aqueous zinc-ion capacitors (ZICs) are considered as potential candidates for next generation electrochemical energy storage devices due to their high safety and low cost.However,the existing aqueous ZICs usually have the problems of zinc dendrite growth and unsatisfactory performance at low temperature.Herein,an erythritol (Eryt) additive with inhibition of zinc dendrites and anti-freezing capability was introduced into the ZnSO4electrolyte.The experimental characterization and theoretical calculation confirm that the Eryt adsorbed on the surface of zinc anodes regulates the deposition orientation of Zn^(2+) and inhibits the formation of dendrites.It also reconstructs the solvation structure in the electrolyte to reduce water activity,enabling the electrolyte to have a lower freezing point for operation at low temperature.With the assistance of Eryt,the Zn||Zn symmetric cell exhibits a long cycle life of 2000 h,while the ZIC assembled with activated carbon (AC) cathode and zinc anode (Zn||AC) maintains a capacity retention of 98.2% after 30,000 cycles at a current density of 10 A g^(-1)(even after 10,000 cycles at-20°C,the capacity retention rate reached 94.8%.).This work provides a highly scalable,low-cost and effective strategy for the protection of the anodes of low-temperature aqueous ZICs.

Ultra-high specific surface area activated carbon from Taihu cyanobacteria via KOH activation for enhanced methylene blue adsorption

Cyanobacteria-based activated carbon(CBAC)was successfully prepared by pyrolysis-activation of Taihu cyanobacteria.When the impregnation ratio and activated temperature were 2 and 800-C,respectively,the optimal CBACs possessed an ultra-high specific surface(2178.90 m^(2)·g^(-1))and plenty of micro-and meso-pores,as well as a high pore volume(1.01 cm^(3)·g^(-1)).Ascribed to ultra-high surface area,π-π interaction,electrostatic interaction,as well as hydrogen-bonding interactions,the CBACs displayed huge superiority in efficient dye removal.The saturated methylene blue adsorption capacity by CBACs could be as high as 1143.4 mg·g^(-1),superior to that of other reported biomass-activated carbons.The adsorption was endothermic and modeled well by the pseudo-second-order kinetic,intra-particle diffusion,and Langmuir models.This work presented the effectiveness of Taihu cyanobacteria adsorbent ascribed to its super large specific surface area and high adsorption ability.

Overaccumulation of glycine betaine makes the function of the thylakoid membrane better in wheat under salt stress

Wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) lines T1, T4, and T6 were genetically modified to increase glycine betaine(GB) synthesis by introduction of the BADH(betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase, BADH)gene from mountain spinach(Atriplex hortensis L.). These transgenic lines and WT of wheat(T. aestivum L.) were used to study the effect of increased GB synthesis on wheat tolerance to salt stress. Salt stress due to 200 mmol L-1Na Cl impaired the photosynthesis of the four wheat lines, as indicated by declines in net photosynthetic rate(Pn), stomatal conductance(Gs),maximum photochemical efficiency of PSII(Fv/Fm), and actual photochemical efficiency of PSII(ФPSII) and an increase in intercellular CO2concentration(Ci). In comparison with WT, the effect of salinity on the three transgenic lines was mild. Salt stress caused disadvantageous changes in lipids and their fatty acid compositions in the thylakoid membrane of the transgenic lines and WT. Under salt stress, the three transgenic lines showed slightly higher chlorophyll and carotenoid contents and higher Hill reaction activities and Ca2+-ATPase activity than WT. All the results suggest that overaccumulation of GB resulting from introduction of the BADH gene can enhance the salt tolerance of transgenic plants, especially in the protection of the components and function of thylakoid membranes, thereby making photosynthesis better. Changes in lipids and fatty acid compositions in the thylakoid membrane may be involved in the increased salt stress tolerance of the transgenic lines.

Transcriptome analysis to identify candidate genes related to chlorogenic acid biosynthesis during development of Korla fragrant pear in Xinjiang

Korla fragrant pear(KFP)with special fragrance is a unique cultivar in Xinjiang,China.In order to explore the biosynthesis molecular mechanism of chlorogenic acid(CGA)in KFP,the samples at different development periods were collected for transcriptome analysis.High performance liquid chromatography analysis showed that CGA contents of KFP at 88,118 and 163 days after full bloom were(20.96±1.84),(12.01±0.91)and(7.16±0.41)mg/100 g,respectively,and decreased with the fruit development.Pears from these typical 3 periods were selected for de novo transcriptome assemble and 68059 unigenes were assembled from 444037960 clean reads.One‘phenylpropanoid biosynthesis’pathway including 57 unigenes,11 PALs,1 PTAL,64CLs,9 C4Hs,25 HCTs and 5 C3’Hs related to CGA biosynthesis was determined.It was found that the expression levels of 11 differentially expressed genes including 1 PAL,2 C4Hs,34CLs and 5 HCTs were consistent with the change of CGA content.Quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis further showed that 8 unigenes involved in CGA biosynthesis were consistent with the RNA-seq data.These findings will provide a comprehensive understanding and valuable information on the genetic engineering and molecular breeding in KFP.

Nano storage-boxes constructed by the vertical growth of MoS_(2 )on graphene for high-performance Li-S batteries

In order to accelerate the reaction kinetics of lithium-sulfur batteries, the introduction of electro catalysis and proper structural control of the sulfur cathode is urgently needed. MoS_(2) nano sheets was selectively grown vertically (V-MoS_(2)) on the microwave-reduced graphene (rGO) sheets through chemical coupling to construct a self-supporting sulfur cathode with a nano storage-box structure (V-MoS_(2) as the wall and rGO as the bottom). RGO, which has a high conductivity of 37 S cm^(−1), greatly accelerates the transfer of electrons from the active sites on the edge of the layer to the solution. The introduction of carbon tubes can connect the abundant pores in the foam and act as a long-range conductive path. The 2D-orthogonal-2D structure maximally exposes the edge active sites of MoS_(2), and together with graphene form a nano reactor of sulfur, intermediate lithium polysulfides and discharge product Li_(2)S(2). The effective combination of the microstructure confinement of the nano storage-boxes and the efficient synchronous catalytic mechanism of V-MoS_(2) greatly improves the electrochemical performance of the lithium-sulfur batteries. As a result, the assembled lithium-sulfur battery displays a high initial discharge capacity of 1379 mAh g^(−1), good cycle stability (86% capacity retention after 500 cycles at 0.1C) and superior rate performance.

Fabrication of porous lithium titanate self-supporting anode for high performance lithium-ion capacitor

Lithium titanate has unique "zero-strain" characteristics, which makes it promising for rapid energy storage lithium-ion capacitors. However, extremely low electronic conductivity and lithium ion diffusion coefficient severely limit its performance at high rate. Herein, we have constructed in situ clusters of porous lithium titanate nanoparticles on self-supporting carbon nanotube film by combining iron oxide hard template method and F127 soft template method. Due to the nano-structured particle size and the penetrating lithium ion transmission channel, a greatly improved lithium ion diffusion coefficient has been achieved, which brings significantly better electrochemical performance than dense lithium titanate. By assembling with a durable graphene foam cathode, a lithium-ion capacitor with an energy density of up to 101.8 Wh kg-1 was realized(at a power density of 436.1 W kg-1). And its capacitance retention reaches 84.8% after 5000 cycles. With such an alluring result, our work presents a novel lithium-ion capacitor system with practical application prospects.

Comparative transcriptome analysis on candidate genes involved in lipid biosynthesis of developing kernels for three walnut cultivars in Xinjiang

Walnut(Juglans regia L.)is a good source of lipids and polyunsaturated fatty acids(PUFAs).In order to explore the biosynthesis molecular mechanism of oil accumulation and fatty acid(FA)synthesis in walnut,the samples at different development periods of three walnut cultivars,’Zhipi’(ZP),’Xinwu 417’(W417)and’Xinwen 81’(W81)were collected for transcriptomic analysis.The analysis of oil accumulation and FA profiles showed that the oil content in mature walnut kernel was nearly 70%,and over 90%of FAs were PUFAs.We identified 126 candidate genes including 64 genes for FA de novo synthesis,45 genes for triacylglycerol assembly,and 17 genes for oil bodies involved in lipid biosynthesis by RNA-sequencing.Ten key enzymes including ACCase,LACS6,LACS8,SAD,FAD2,FAD3,LPAAT1,DGAT2,PDAT2,and PLC encoded by 19 genes were highly associated with lipid biosynthesis.Quantitative PCR analysis further validated 9 important genes,and the results were well consistent with our transcriptomic data.Finally,5 important transcription factors including WRI1,ABI3,FUS3,PKL and VAL1 were identified,and their main regulatory genes might contain ACCase,KASII,LACS,FAD3 and LPAAT which were determined through correlation analysis of expression levels for 27 walnut samples.These findings will provide a comprehensive understanding and valuable information on the genetic engineering and molecular breeding in walnut.

Transcriptome and weighted gene co-expression network analysis of jujube(Ziziphus jujuba Mill.)fruit reveal putative genes involved in proanthocyanin biosynthesis and regulation

Proanthocyanidin(PA)is an important bioactive compound with multiple physiological benefits in jujube(Ziziphus jujube Mill.).However,the molecular mechanisms underlying PA biosynthesis in jujube fruit have not been investigated.Here,the profiling of PA,(+)-catechin and(–)-epicatechin and transcriptome sequencing of three jujube cultivars from Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of China at five developmental stages were analyzed.The levels of total PAs and catechin exhibited a decreased trend over jujube ripening,and epicatechin content of two jujube cultivars increased first and then declined.Transcriptome analysis revealed that the differentially expressed genes(DEGs)were mainly enriched in ribosome,glycolysis/gluconeogenesis,fructose and mannose metabolism.17 DEGs encoding PAL,CHS,CHI,CHS,F3'H,LAR,ANR,C4Hs,4CLs,FLSs,DFRs and UFGTs involved in PA biosynthesis were relatively abundant.The highly transcribed LAR gene may greatly contribute to epicatechin accumulation.A weighted gene co-expression network analysis(WGCNA)was performed,and a network module including 1620 genes highly correlated with content of Pas and catechin was established.We identified 58 genes including 9 structural genes and 49 regulatory genes related to PA biosynthesis and regulation in the WGCNA module.Sixteen genes encoding 9 families of transcriptional factors(i.e.,MYB,bHLH,ERF,bZIP,NAC,SBP,MIKC,HB,WRKY)were considered as hub genes.The results of qRT-PCR analysis validating 10 genes were well consistent with the transcriptome data.These findings provide valuable knowledge to facilitate its genetic studies and molecular breeding.

Deterioration of Antioxidant Competence in Barley Lesion Mimic Mutant 194

A barley mutant,194,was observed to exhibit a leaf spot phenotype over the whole course of its growing period.In this study,the phenotype and antioxidant competence were studied in the lesion mimic mutant 194.Plant height was slightly higher in mutant 194 than in the wild type(WT).In addition,leaf spot per plant in mutant 194 was significantly higher than in WT.Antioxidant competence,as indicated by reactive oxygen species(ROS)accumulation,antioxidant enzyme activity,and the expression of antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes was also assessed in mutant 194.Compared to the WT,mutant 194 displayed a relatively higher accumulation of ROS,accompanied by lower activities of some antioxidant enzymes and downregulation of antioxidant enzyme-encoding genes.This demonstrated reduced antioxidant competence in mutant 194.The results suggested that this lower antioxidant competence of mutant 194 could lead to the accumulation of excessive ROS.This excess of ROS could induce programmed cell death and has the potential to promote disease resistance in mutant 194.

Temperature dependence of spin pumping in YIG/NiO(x)/W multilayer

We report the temperature dependence of the spin pumping effect for Y_(3)Fe_(5)O_(12)(YIG,0.9μm)/NiO(tNiO)/W(6 nm)(tNiO=0 nm,1 nm,2 nm,and 10 nm)heterostructures.All samples exhibit a strong temperature-dependent inverse spin Hall effect(ISHE)signal I_(c)and sensitivity to the NiO layer thickness.We observe a dramatic decrease of I_(c)with inserting thin NiO layer between YIG and W layers indicating that the inserting of NiO layer significantly suppresses the spin transport from YIG to W.In contrast to the noticeable enhancement in YIG/NiO(tNiO≈1-2 nm)/Pt,the suppression of spin transport may be closely related to the specific interface-dependent spin scattering,spin memory loss,and spin conductance at the NiO/W interface.Besides,the I_(c)of YIG/Ni O/W exhibits a maximum near the TNof the AF NiO layer because the spins are transported dominantly by incoherent thermal magnons.

Bipolar ionomer electrolytes with desirable self-discharge suppression for supercapacitors

Supercapacitors based on electric double layers are prone to serious self-discharge due to electrolyte ion desorption and the resulting energy loss severely limits the application range of supercapacitors.Rational design of polymer electrolyte systems to address this problem shows considerable generality and high feasibility.Herein,we reported a quasi-solid-state bipolar ionomer electrolyte prepared by an in-situ layer-by-layer ultraviolet-curing method,which has an integrated Janus structure with an intermediate binding layer.Based on the synergistic effect of confining impurity ions by ionizable groups and electrostatic repulsion to stabilize the electric double layers and superimposing synergies on both sides,the assembled device not only possesses ideal supercapacitor characteristics,but also exhibits an ultrahigh voltage retention of 71% after being left to stand for 100 h after being fully charged.Furthermore,through the quasi-in-situ energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy linear scanning,the characteristics of ion diffusion in this ionomer electrolyte are revealed,suggesting its correlation with self-discharge behavior.

Thickness-dependent magnetic properties in Pt/[Co/Ni]_(n) multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy

We systematically investigated the Ni and Co thickness-dependent perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(PMA)coefficient,magnetic domain structures,and magnetization dynamics of Pt(5 nm)/[Co(t_(Co))/Ni(t_(Ni))]_(5)/Pt(1 nm)multilayers by combining the four standard magnetic characterization techniques.The magnetic-related hysteresis loops obtained from the field-dependent magnetization M and anomalous Hall resistivity(AHR)ρxy showed that the two serial multilayers with t_(Co)=0.2 nm and 0.3 nm have the optimum PMA coefficient K_(U) as well as the highest coercivity H_(C) at the Ni thickness t_(Ni)=0.6 nm.Additionally,the magnetic domain structures obtained by magneto-optic Kerr effect(MOKE)microscopy also significantly depend on the thickness and K_(U) of the films.Furthermore,the thickness-dependent linewidth of ferromagnetic resonance is inversely proportional to K_(U) and H_(C),indicating that inhomogeneous magnetic properties dominate the linewidth.However,the intrinsic Gilbert damping constant determined by a linear fitting of the frequency-dependent linewidth does not depend on the Ni thickness and K_(U).Our results could help promote the PMA[Co/Ni]multilayer applications in various spintronic and spin-orbitronic devices.

Enhancement of spin-orbit torque efficiency by tailoring interfacial spin-orbit coupling in Pt-based magnetic multilayers

We study inserting Co layer thickness-dependent spin transport and spin-orbit torques(SOTs)in the Pt/Co/Py trilayers by spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance.The interfacial perpendicular magnetic anisotropy(IPMA)energy density(Ks=2.7 erg/cm^(2),1 erg=10^(-7) J),which is dominated by interfacial spin-orbit coupling(ISOC)in the Pt/Co interface,total effective spin-mixing conductance(G↑↓eff,tot=0.42×10^(15) Ω^(-1)·m^(-2))and two-magnon scattering(βTMS=0.46 nm2)are first characterized,and the damping-like torque(ξDL=0.103)and field-like torque(ξFL=-0.017)efficiencies are also calculated quantitatively by varying the thickness of the inserting Co layer.The significant enhancement of ξDL and ξFL in Pt/Co/Py than Pt/Py bilayer system originates from the interfacial Rashba-Edelstein effect due to the strong ISOC between Co-3d and Pt-5d orbitals at the Pt/Co interface.Additionally,we find a considerable out-of-plane spin polarization SOT,which is ascribed to the spin anomalous Hall effect and possible spin precession effect due to IPMA-induced perpendicular magnetization at the Pt/Co interface.Our results demonstrate that the ISOC of the Pt/Co interface plays a vital role in spin transport and SOTs-generation.Our finds offer an alternative approach to improve the conventional SOTs efficiencies and generate unconventional SOTs with out-of-plane spin polarization to develop low power Pt-based spintronic via tailoring the Pt/FM interface.

二维铁电半导体层级处理模块设计及低功耗高性能人工视觉系统应用

The growth of data and Internet of Things challenges traditional hardware,which encounters efficiency and power issues owing to separate functional units for sensors,memory,and computation.In this study,we designed an a-phase indium selenide(a-In_(2)Se_(3))transistor,which is a two-dimensional ferroelectric semiconductor as the channel material,to create artificial optic-neural and electro-neural synapses,enabling cutting-edge processing-in-sensor(PIS)and computing-in-memory(CIM)functionalities.As an optic-neural synapse for low-level sensory processing,the a-In_(2)Se_(3)transistor exhibits a high photoresponsivity(2855 A/W)and detectivity(2.91×10^(14)Jones),facilitating efficient feature extraction.For high-level processing tasks as an electro-neural synapse,it offers a fast program/erase speed of 40 ns/50μs and ultralow energy consumption of 0.37 aJ/spike.An AI vision system using a-In_(2)Se_(3)transistors has been demonstrated.It achieved an impressive recognition accuracy of 92.63%within 12 epochs owing to the synergistic combination of the PIS and CIM functionalities.This study demonstrates the potential of the a-In_(2)Se_(3)transistor in future vision hardware,enhancing processing,power efficiency,and AI applications.

Neural substrates for regulating self-grooming behavior in rodents

Grooming,as an evolutionarily conserved repetitive behavior,is common in various animals,including humans,and serves essential functions including,but not limited to,hygiene maintenance,thermoregulation,de-arousal,stress reduction,and social behaviors.In rodents,grooming involves a patterned and sequenced structure,known as the syntactic chain with four phases that comprise repeated stereotyped movements happening in a cephalocaudal progression style,beginning from the nose to the face,to the head,and finally ending with body licking.The context-dependent occurrence of grooming behavior indicates its adaptive significance.This review briefly summarizes the neural substrates responsible for rodent grooming behavior and explores its relevance in rodent models of neuropsychiatric disorders and neurodegenerative diseases with aberrant grooming phenotypes.We further emphasize the utility of rodent grooming as a reliable measure of repetitive behavior in neuropsychiatric models,holding promise for translational psychiatry.Herein,we mainly focus on rodent self-grooming.Allogrooming(grooming being applied on one animal by its conspecifics via licking or carefully nibbling)and heterogrooming(a form of grooming behavior directing towards another animal,which occurs in other contexts,such as maternal,sexual,aggressive,or social behaviors)are not covered due to space constraints.

Single-cell landscape of malignant ascites frompatients with metastatic colorectal cancer

The presence of malignant ascites in colorectal cancer(CRC)patients is associated with a poor prognosis,a high risk of recurrence,and resistance to chemotherapy and immune therapy[1–3].Understanding the complex interactions among different kinds of cells and the ecosystem of peritoneal metastasized colorectal cancer(pmCRC)ascites may provide insights into effective treatment strategies.

Reporting quality evaluation of clinical practice guidelines for pulmonary nodules with the RIGHT checklist

To the Editor:Pulmonary nodules are defined as localized opacities of up to 30 mm in diameter,surrounded by pulmonary parenchyma or located adjacent to the pleura.^([1])The ideal management for pulmonary nodules is to diagnose and treat malignant nodules as early as possible and minimize radiation exposures,based on the general guidance.Clinical practice guidelines(CPGs)always provide efficient recommendations based on systematic reviews of high-quality evidence and reporting to optimize patient care.^([2])Accumulating evidence shows that adherence to the guidelines improves patient outcomes.^([3])However,the reporting quality of CPGs seems poor.^([4])Several instruments have been generated to evaluate the quality of CPGs.

The involvement of wheat U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase TaPUB1 in salt stress tolerance

U-box E3 ubiquitin ligases play important roles in the ubiquitin/26 S proteasome machinery and in abiotic stress responses. Ta PUB1-overexpressing wheat(Triticum aestivum L.) were generated to evaluate its function in salt tolerance. These plants had more salt stress tolerance during seedling and flowering stages, whereas the Ta PUB1-RNA interference(RNAi)-mediated knock-down transgenic wheat showed more salt stress sensitivity than the wild type(WT). Ta PUB1 overexpression upregulated the expression of genes related to ion channels and increased the net root Na+efflux, but decreased the net K+efflux and H+influx, thereby maintaining a low cytosolic Na+/K+ratio, compared with the WT. However,RNAi-mediated knock-down plants showed the opposite response to salt stress. Ta PUB1 could induce the expression of some genes that improved the antioxidant capacity of plants under salt stress. Ta PUB1 also interacted with Ta MP(Triticum aestivum α-mannosidase protein), a regulator playing an important role in salt response in yeast and in plants. Thus, low cytosolic Na+/K+ratios and better antioxidant enzyme activities could be maintained in wheat with overexpression of Ta PUB1 under salt stress. Therefore, we conclude that the U-box E3 ubiquitin ligase Ta PUB1 positively regulates salt stress tolerance in wheat.

Real-time Raman detection by the cavity mode enhanced Raman scattering

Integrating surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) with microfluidics is the long-term goal for reduced volume,multiplex and automation fingerprint detection of biomolecules.High sensitivity,repeatability,stability,reusability and real-time detection are the performance goals of Raman detection in the aqueous solution environment.Here,we reported the study on cavity mode enhanced SERS detection of both surface-adsorbed molecules and non-surface-adsorbed molecules in the solution environment.The cavity modes had important influence on the SERS enhancement,especially for the non-surface adsorbed molecules.Uniform,repeatable,reusable and real-time Raman signal detection of the non-surface adsorbed Rhodamine 6G molecules was demonstrated.Our work is an important step for the practical on-chip microfluidic Raman detection applications.