Comprehensive analyses of the proteome and ubiquitome revealed mechanism of high temperature accelerating petal abscission in tree peony

Tree peony(Paeonia suffruticosa Andrews)is a well-known ornamental plant with high economic value,but the short fluorescence is a key obstacle to its ornamental value and industry development.High temperature accelerates flower senescence and abscission,but the associated mechanisms are poorly understood.In this study,the tandem mass tag(TMT)proteome and label-free quantitative ubiquitome from tree peony cut flowers treated with 20℃for 0 h(RT0),20℃or 28℃for 60 h(RT60 or HT60)were examined based on morphological observation,respectively.Totally,6970 proteins and 1545 lysine ubiquitinated(Kub)sites in 844 proteins were identified.Hydrophilic residues(such as glutamate and aspartate)neighboring the Kub sites were in preference,and 36.01%of the Kub sites were located on the protein surface.The differentially expressed proteins(DEPs)and Kub-DEPs in HT60 vs RT60 were mainly enriched in ribosomal protein,protein biosynthesis,secondary metabolites biosynthesis,flavonoid metabolism,carbohydrate catabolism,and auxin biosynthesis and signaling revealed by GO and KEGG analysis,accompanying the increase of endogenous abscisic acid(ABA)accumulation and decrease of endogenous indoleacetic acid(IAA)level.Additionally,the expression patterns of six enzymes(SAMS,ACO,YUC,CHS,ANS and PFK)putatively with Kub modifications were analyzed by proteome and real-time quantitative RT-PCR.The cell-free degradation assays showed PsSAMS and PsACO proteins could be degraded via the 26 S proteasome system in tree peony flowers.Finally,a working model was proposed for the acceleration of flower senescence and abscission by high temperature.In summary,all results contributed to understanding the mechanism of flower senescence induced by high temperature and prolonging fluorescence in tree peony.

Anisotropic strength,deformation and failure of gneiss granite under high stress and temperature coupled true triaxial compression

The anisotropic mechanical behavior of rocks under high-stress and high-temperature coupled conditions is crucial for analyzing the stability of surrounding rocks in deep underground engineering.This paper is devoted to studying the anisotropic strength,deformation and failure behavior of gneiss granite from the deep boreholes of a railway tunnel that suffers from high tectonic stress and ground temperature in the eastern tectonic knot in the Tibet Plateau.High-temperature true triaxial compression tests are performed on the samples using a self-developed testing device with five different loading directions and three temperature values that are representative of the geological conditions of the deep underground tunnels in the region.Effect of temperature and loading direction on the strength,elastic modulus,Poisson’s ratio,and failure mode are analyzed.The method for quantitative identification of anisotropic failure is also proposed.The anisotropic mechanical behaviors of the gneiss granite are very sensitive to the changes in loading direction and temperature under true triaxial compression,and the high temperature seems to weaken the inherent anisotropy and stress-induced deformation anisotropy.The strength and deformation show obvious thermal degradation at 200℃due to the weakening of friction between failure surfaces and the transition of the failure pattern in rock grains.In the range of 25℃ 200℃,the failure is mainly governed by the loading direction due to the inherent anisotropy.This study is helpful to the in-depth understanding of the thermal-mechanical behavior of anisotropic rocks in deep underground projects.

Development and performance evaluation of high temperature resistant strong adsorption rigid blocking agent

As drilling wells continue to move into deep ultra-deep layers,the requirements for temperature resistance of drilling fluid treatments are getting higher and higher.Among them,blocking agent,as one of the key treatment agents,has also become a hot spot of research.In this study,a high temperature resistant strong adsorption rigid blocking agent(QW-1)was prepared using KH570 modified silica,acrylamide(AM)and allyltrimethylammonium chloride(TMAAC).QW-1 has good thermal stability,average particle size of 1.46μm,water contact angle of 10.5.,has a strong hydrophilicity,can be well dispersed in water.The experimental results showed that when 2 wt%QW-1 was added to recipe A(4 wt%bentonite slurry+0.5 wt%DSP-1(filtration loss depressant)),the API filtration loss decreased from 7.8to 6.4 m L.After aging at 240.C,the API loss of filtration was reduced from 21 to 14 m L,which has certain performance of high temperature loss of filtration.At the same time,it is effective in sealing 80-100mesh and 100-120 mesh sand beds as well as 3 and 5μm ceramic sand discs.Under the same conditions,the blocking performance was superior to silica(5μm)and calcium carbonate(2.6μm).In addition,the mechanism of action of QW-1 was further investigated.The results show that QW-1 with amide and quaternary ammonium groups on the molecular chain can be adsorbed onto the surface of clay particles through hydrogen bonding and electrostatic interaction to form a dense blocking layer,thus preventing further intrusion of drilling fluid into the formation.

Recension of boron nitride phase diagram based on high-pressure and high-temperature experiments

Cubic boron nitride and hexagonal boron nitride are the two predominant crystalline structures of boron nitride.They can interconvert under varying pressure and temperature conditions.However,this transformation requires overcoming significant potential barriers in dynamics,which poses great difficulty in determining the c-BN/h-BN phase boundary.This study used high-pressure in situ differential thermal measurements to ascertain the temperature of h-BN/c-BN conversion within the commonly used pressure range(3-6 GPa)for the industrial synthesis of c-BN to constrain the P-T phase boundary of h-BN/c-BN in the pressure-temperature range as much as possible.Based on the analysis of the experimental data,it is determined that the relationship between pressure and temperature conforms to the following equation:P=a+1/bT.Here,P denotes the pressure(GPa)and T is the temperature(K).The coefficients are a=-3.8±0.8 GPa and b=229.8±17.1 GPa/K.These findings call into question existing high-pressure and high-temperature phase diagrams of boron nitride,which seem to overstate the phase boundary temperature between c-BN and h-BN.The BN phase diagram obtained from this study can provide critical temperature and pressure condition guidance for the industrial synthesis of c-BN,thus optimizing synthesis efficiency and product performance.

Timing effect of high temperature exposure on the plasticity of internode and plant architecture in maize

The occurrence of high temperature(HT)in crop production is becoming more frequent and unpredictable with global warming,severely threatening food security.The state of an organ’s growth and development is largely determined by the temperature conditions it is exposed to over time.Maize is the main cereal crop,and its stem growth and plant architecture are closely related to lodging resistance,and especially sensitive to temperature.However,systematic research on the timing effect of HT on the sequentially developing internode and stem is currently lacking.To identify the timing effect of HT on the morphology and plasticity of the stem in maize,two hybrids(Zhengdan 958(ZD958),Xianyu 335(XY335))characterized by distinct morphological traits in the stem were exposed to a 7-day HT treatment from the V6 to V17 stages(Vn presents the vegetative stage with n leaves fully expanded)in 2019-2020.The results demonstrated that exposure to HT during V6-V12 accelerated the rapid elongation of stems.For instance,HT occurring at V7 and V12 specifically promoted the lengths and weights of the 3rd-5th and 9th-11th internodes,respectively.Meanwhile,HT slowed the growth of internodes adjacent to the promoted internodes.Interestingly,compared with control,the plant height was significantly increased soon after HT treatment,but the promotion effect became narrower at the subsequent flowering stage,demonstrating a self-adjusting mechanism in the maize plant in response to HT.Importantly,HT altered the plant architectures,including a rising of the ear position and increase in the ear position coefficient.XY335 exhibited greater sensitivity in stem development than ZD958 under HT treatment.These findings improve our systematic understanding of the plasticity of internode and plant architecture in response to the timing of HT exposure.

A molecular dynamics study on mechanical performance and deformation mechanisms in nanotwinned NiCo-based alloys with nano-precipitates under high temperatures

Molecular dynamics simulations are performed to investigate the mechanical behavior of nanotwinned NiCo-based alloys containing coherent L12 nano-precipitates at different temperatures,as well as the interactions between the dislocations and nano-precipitates within the nanotwins.The simulation results demonstrate that both the yield stress and flow stress in the nanotwinned NiCo-based alloys with nano-precipitates decrease as the temperature rises,because the higher temperatures lead to the generation of more defects during yielding and lower dislocation density during plastic deformation.Moreover,the coherent L12 phase exhibits excellent thermal stability,which enables the hinderance of dislocation motion at elevated temperatures via the wrapping and cutting mechanisms of dislocations.The synergistic effect of nanotwins and nano-precipitates results in more significant strengthening behavior in the nanotwinned NiCo-based alloys under high temperatures.In addition,the high-temperature mechanical behavior of nanotwinned NiCo-based alloys with nano-precipitates is sensitive to the size and volume fraction of the microstructures.These findings could be helpful for the design of nanotwins and nano-precipitates to improve the high-temperature mechanical properties of NiCo-based alloys.

Preparation and performance evaluation of the slickwater using novel polymeric drag reducing agent with high temperature and shear resistance ability

Slickwater fracturing fluids are widely used in the development of unconventional oil and gas resources due to the advantages of low cost,low formation damage and high drag reduction performance.However,their performance is severely affected at high temperatures.Drag reducing agent is the key to determine the drag reducing performance of slickwater.In this work,in order to further improve the temperature resistance of slickwater,a temperature-resistant polymeric drag reducing agent(PDRA)was synthesized and used as the basis for preparing the temperature-resistant slickwater.The slickwater system was prepared with the compositions of 0.2 wt%PDRA,0.05 wt%drainage aid nonylphenol polyoxyethylene ether phosphate(NPEP)and 0.5 wt%anti-expansion agent polyepichlorohydrindimethylamine(PDM).The drag reduction ability,rheology properties,temperature and shear resistance ability,and core damage property of slickwater were systematically studied and evaluated.In contrast to on-site drag reducing agent(DRA)and HPAM,the temperature-resistant slickwater demonstrates enhanced drag reduction efficacy at 90℃,exhibiting superior temperature and shear resistance ability.Notably,the drag reduction retention rate for the slickwater achieved an impressive 90.52%after a 30-min shearing period.Additionally,the core damage is only 5.53%.We expect that this study can broaden the application of slickwater in high-temperature reservoirs and provide a theoretical basis for field applications.

Spatial pattern recognition for near-surface high temperature increases in mountain areas using MODIS and SRTM DEM

Abrupt near-surface temperature changes in mountainous areas are a special component of the mountain climate system.Fast and accurate measurements of the locations,intensity,and width of the near-surface changes are necessary but highly difficult due to the complicated environmental conditions and instrumental issues.This paper develops a spatial pattern recognition method to measure the near-surface high temperature increase(NSHTI),one of the lesser-attended changes.First,raster window measurement was proposed to calculate the temperature lapse rate using MODIS land surface temperature and SRTM DEM data.It fully considers the terrain heights of two neighboring cells on opposite or adjacent slopes with a moving window of 3×3 cell size.Second,a threshold selection was performed to identify the NSHTI cells using a threshold of-0.65℃/100 m.Then,the NSHTI strips were parameterized through raster vectorization and spatial analysis.Taking Yunnan,a mountainous province in southwestern China,as the study area,the results indicate that the NSHTI cells concentrate in a strip-like pattern along the mountains and valleys,and the strips are almost parallel to the altitude contours with a slight northward uplift.Also,they are located mostly at a 3/5 height of high mountains or within 400 m from the valley floors,where the controlling topographic index is the altitude of the terrain trend surface but not the absolute elevation and the topographic uplift height and cutting depth.Additionally,the NSHTI intensity varies with the geographic locations and the proportions increase with an exponential trend,and the horizontal width has a mean of about 1000 m and a maximum of over 5000 m.The result demonstrates that the proposed method can effectively recognize NSHTI boundaries over mountains,providing support for the modeling of weather and climate systems and the development of mountain resources.

Resistance index and browning mechanism of apple peel under high temperature stress

Apples are one of the most important economic crops worldwide.Because of global warming and an aggravation of environmental,abnormally high temperatures occur frequently in fruit-growing season and seriously affect normal fruit growth and reduce fruit quality and yield.We took five-year-old Ruixue’(Qinfu 1×Pink Lady;CNA20151469.1) fruits as test materials,and the ambient temperature during fruit development was monitored.The results showed that during the fruit-growing season,especially during the rapid growth stage (July to August),the maximum daily temperature exceeded 30℃ and lasted for more than 40 days.To determine the effects of high temperature stress on the apple fruit resistance,we treated expanding,veraison,and maturity-period fruits at different temperatures.It was found that the fruits of the expanding period showed strong resistance to high temperature stress,whereas during veraison and maturity,fruit resistance to high temperature stress decreased,and the fruit peel browning phenotype appeared.Meanwhile,the content of malonaldehyde (MDA),hydrogen peroxide (H_(2)O_(2)),and superoxide anion (O._(2)^(-)) in the peel gradually increased with increasing temperature.The content of total phenols,flavanol,and flavonoids in the peel decreased substantially at 45℃.Moreover,it was found that polyphenol oxidase gene (MdPPO1) was most sensitive to high temperature stress in apple.Furthermore,transient and stable MdPPO1 overexpression significantly promoted peel browning.The transgenic materials were more sensitive to high temperatures,and browning was more severe compared to non-genetically modified organism (WT).Stable MdPPO1 knockout calli obtained via clustered regularly interspersed short palindromic repeats (CRISPR/Cas9) gene knockout technology reduced the browning phenotype,and the resultant fruits were not sensitive to the effects of high temperature stress.Thus,MdPPO1 expression may be a key factor of high temperature-related changes observed in the browning phenotype that provides a scientific theoretical basis for the selection of high temperature-resistant varieties and apple cultivation and management in the future.

Transcriptome and metabolome analysis of preharvest internal browning in Nane plum fruit caused by high temperature

The preharvest internal browning of Nane plum fruit,with no visible effects on the appearance of the fruit,has become a serious problem in recent years in its production area in Guangdong Province,China.This study investigated the effects of environmental factors,including temperature,on Nane plum internal browning.Plum orchards at different elevations with different incidences of internal browning were selected.Using fruits with different internal browning incidence levels,the internal browning mechanism was analyzed with transcriptome and metabolome analyses.The results revealed decreased internal browning at high altitudes.Shading treatment significantly reduced internal browning,whereas bagging and insect-proof net-covering treatments significantly increased internal browning.Because bagging and net coverings increase the local ambient temperature,the findings suggest that high temperature is an important factor influencing the internal browning of Nane plum.The metabolome experiments showed that with increased internal browning,the levels of phenolic hydroxyls such as catechol increased,with simultaneous increases in hydrogen peroxide content and oxidase activity.It can be speculated that the oxidation of phenolic hydroxyl substances is the main cause of the preharvest browning of Nane plum.Transcriptome analysis revealed the increased expression of calcium signaling-related and downstream effector genes and indicated an important role of calcium in internal browning,possibly due to its increased content in the fruit.Further,with increasingly serious internal browning,genes related to photosynthesis were down-regulated,while genes related to senescence were up-regulated,thus suggesting the up-regulation of the process of cell senescence during internal browning.In conclusion,heat stress should be eliminated to reduce preharvest internal browning in Nane plum.

Short communication:Extreme glacier mass loss triggered by high temperature and drought during hydrological year 2022/2023 in Qilian Mountains

In the hydrological year 2022/2023,the glaciers in the Qilian Mountains experienced unprecedented mass loss.The glacier-wide mass balance was-1,188 mm w.e.,in contrast to-350 mm of average mass balance since 1990 over the Bailanghe Glacier No.12 in the middle of Qilian Mountains.The temperature during 2022–2023 reached the highest value ever recorded,second only to 2022,while at the same time the precipitation amount was less compared to other year since 2000,which together led to the strongest glacier mass loss during 2022–2023.The atmospheric circulation analysis shows that the high temperature in the Qilian Mountains in 2023 was jointly caused by the Arctic air mass and East Asian monsoon.

Spatial Optimization Strategies for High Temperature Heat Exposure Based on Thermally Vulnerable Populations and Case Studies

The objective of this study is to investigate the factors that contribute to brittleness and to identify strategies for mitigating these factors in populations with varying degrees of thermal vulnerability,based on the potential impact of extreme heat exposure on human survival and habitability.The physiological condition of lower adaptability to high temperature environments and the assessment of individuals who may have higher tolerance time in high temperature environments based on spatial perspectives suggest the need for targeted spatial optimization strategies for commuters and disadvantaged populations.This is demonstrated through a case study.These optimization measures encompass a variety of aspects,including the integration of transportation systems,the expansion of grey space corridors,the improvement of green space layout,and the implantation of green infrastructure.The study aims to reduce the exposure time of thermally vulnerable individuals to high temperature environments through spatial optimization strategies,to enhance the resilience of urban green spaces to heat stress,and to reduce the probability of heat-wave occurrence.

Comparison of mechanical properties in high temperature and thermal treatment granite

Static mechanical experiments were carried out on granite after and under different temperatures using an electro-hydraulic and servo-controlled material testing machine with a heating device. Variations in obvious form, stress-strain curve, peak strength, peak strain and elastic modulus with temperature were analyzed and the essence of rock failure modes was explored. The results indicate that, compared with granite after the high temperature treatment, the brittle-ductile transition critical temperature is lower, the densification stage is longer, the elastic modulus is smaller and the damage is larger under high temperature. In addition, the peak stress is lower and the peak strain is greater, but both of them change more obviously with the increase of temperature compared with that of granite after the high temperature treatment. Furthermore, the failure modes of granite after the high temperature treatment and under high temperature show a remarkable difference. Below 100 ℃, the failure modes of granite under both conditions are the same, presenting splitting failure. However, after 100 ℃, the failure modes of granite after the high temperature treatment and under high temperature present splitting failure and shear failure, respectively.

Effect of Exogenous Nitric Oxygen on Lipid Peroxidation and Chlorophyll Fluorescence in Wheat Leaves under High Temperature and Strong Irradiance Stress

[Objective] The study aimed to prove effects of NO on oxidative damage and photosynthetic apparatus at filling stage of wheat leaves under high temperature and irradiance stress.[Method] Yunong 949 was taken as experimental material to study the effects of sodium nitropprusside (SNP,an exogenous nitric oxide donor) at 0.1 mmol/L on protective enzyme activities, oxidative damage and fluorescence.[Result] The treatment with SNP (at 0.1 mmol/L) significantly increased the activity of SOD and APX, proline content, decreased the MDA content and relative electrical conductivity, Kept the higher Fv/Fm and lower Fo.[Conclusion] The adaptability of wheat with SNP treatment at 0.1 mmol/L was improved under high temperature and irradiance stress.

Fretting wear and friction oxidation behavior of 0Cr20Ni32AlTi alloy at high temperature

The fretting wear behavior of 0Cr20Ni32AlTi alloy was investigated with crossed cylinder contact under 80 N at 300 and 400 °C.Wear scar and debris were analyzed systematically by scanning electron microscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy.The results show that the friction logs are mixed fretting regime and gross slip regime with the magnitudes of displacement of 10 and 20 μm,respectively.Severe wear and friction oxidation occur on the material surface.A large number of granular debris produced in the fretting process can be easily congregated and adhered at the contact zone after repeated crushes.The resultant of friction oxidation is mainly composed of Fe3O4,Fe2O3,Cr2O3 and NiO.Temperature and friction are the major factors affecting the oxidation reaction rate.The fretting friction effect can enhance the oxidation reaction activity of surface atoms of 0Cr20Ni32AlTi alloy and reduce the oxidation activation energy.As result,the oxidation reaction rate is accelerated.

High temperature oxidation resistance and microstructure change of aluminized coating on copper substrate

The outermost coating with single phase Ni2Al3 was obtained on copper surface by electrodepositing nickel followed by slurry pack aluminizing at 800 °C for 12 h. The oxidation resistance and microstructure of the coating oxidized in ambient air at 1000 °C for 25-250 h were investigated using SEM, X-ray diffraction and optical microscope methods. The results show that the copper with single phase Ni2Al3 coating possesses the best high temperature oxidation resistance, and the mass gain of the coating is 1/15 that of pure copper and 1/2 that of nickel coating, respectively. The specimen surface after being oxidized for 25 h still comprises Ni2Al3 phase. However, when the time of oxidizing treatment increases to 50 h, the Ni Al phase is formed. It is also found that the Ni2Al3 phase completely turns into Ni Al phase after oxidizing treatment for 100 h and above. The Ni Al coating shows excellent high temperature oxidation resistance when oxidation time is 250 h.

High temperature deformation behavior and optimization of hot compression process parameters in TC11 titanium alloy with coarse lamellar original microstructure

The high temperature deformation behaviors of α＋β type titanium alloy TC11 （Ti-6.5Al-3.5Mo-1.5Zr-0.3Si） with coarse lamellar starting microstructure were investigated based on the hot compression tests in the temperature range of 950-1100 ℃ and the strain rate range of 0.001-10 s-1. The processing maps at different strains were then constructed based on the dynamic materials model, and the hot compression process parameters and deformation mechanism were optimized and analyzed, respectively. The results show that the processing maps exhibit two domains with a high efficiency of power dissipation and a flow instability domain with a less efficiency of power dissipation. The types of domains were characterized by convergence and divergence of the efficiency of power dissipation, respectively. The convergent domain in a＋fl phase field is at the temperature of 950-990 ℃ and the strain rate of 0.001-0.01 s^-1, which correspond to a better hot compression process window of α＋β phase field. The peak of efficiency of power dissipation in α＋β phase field is at 950 ℃ and 0.001 s 1, which correspond to the best hot compression process parameters of α＋β phase field. The convergent domain in β phase field is at the temperature of 1020-1080 ℃ and the strain rate of 0.001-0.1 s^-l, which correspond to a better hot compression process window of β phase field. The peak of efficiency of power dissipation in ℃ phase field occurs at 1050 ℃ over the strain rates from 0.001 s^-1 to 0.01 s^-1, which correspond to the best hot compression process parameters of ,8 phase field. The divergence domain occurs at the strain rates above 0.5 s^-1 and in all the tested temperature range, which correspond to flow instability that is manifested as flow localization and indicated by the flow softening phenomenon in stress-- strain curves. The deformation mechanisms of the optimized hot compression process windows in a＋β and β phase fields are identified to be spheroidizing and dynamic recrystallizing controlled by self-diffusion mechanism, respectively. The microstructure observation of the deformed specimens in different domains matches very well with the optimized results.

Microstructure and high temperature oxidation resistance of Si-Y co-deposition coatings prepared on TiAl alloy by pack cementation process

In order to improve the high temperature oxidation resistance of TiAl alloy, Y modified silicide coatings were prepared by pack cementation process at 1030, 1080 and 1130 °C, respectively, for 5 h. The microstructures, phase constitutions and oxidation behavior of these coatings were studied. The results show that the coating prepared by co-depositing Si?Y at 1080 °C for 5 h has a multiple layer structure: a superficial zone consisting of Al-rich (Ti,Nb)5Si4 and (Ti,Nb)5Si3, an out layer consisting of (Ti,Nb)Si2, a middle layer consisting of (Ti,Nb)5Si4 and (Ti,Nb)5Si3, and aγ-TiAl inner layer. Co-deposition temperature imposes strong influences on the coating structure. The coating prepared by Si?Y co-depositing at 1080 °C for 5 h shows relatively good oxidation resistance at 1000 °C in air, and the oxidation rate constant of the coating is about two orders of magnitude lower than that of the bare TiAl alloy.

Effects of high temperature pre-straining on natural aging and bake hardening response of Al-Mg-Si alloys

The influences of high temperature pre-straining (HT-PS) on the natural aging and bake hardening of Al?Mg?Si alloys were investigated by Vickers microhardness measurements, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) characterization. The results show that pre-straining at 170 °C immediately after quenching can effectively resolve the rather high T4 temper hardness caused by the conventional room temperature (RT) pre-straining treatment, and give a better bake hardening response (BHR) after paint-bake cycle. HT-PS 7% at 170 °C for 10 min is chosen as the optimum process as it provides lower T4 temper hardness and better BHR. The simultaneous introduction of dislocations and Cluster (2) can significantly suppress the natural aging and promote the precipitation of β″ phase, and reduce the effects of deformation hardening by dynamic recovery.

Comparative Study of Photosynthetic and Fluorescence Characters of the Grape under High Temperature and High Light in Turpan

[Objective] The aim was to explore the photosynthetic characteristics of Turpan grapes under high temperature and strong light conditions. [Method] Using six grape varieties as experimental materials, the photosynthesis and fluorescence parameters of the grape varieties under high temperature and high light were determined. [Result] The results showed that Thompson Seedless showed strong selfprotection ability on the photosynthetic mechanism in the adversity, and lower photo inhibition on photosynthesis under high temperature and high light than other varieties in which Crimson Seedless was second place. Otherwise the damage on photosynthetic mechanism of Kyoho and Red Globe under the adversity environment is more dipper than the other varieties, and poor self-protection ability. [Conclusion]Thompson Seedless and Crimson Seedless had a strong adaptability for high temperature and strong light. But the adaptability of Kyoho and Red Globe were relatively poor.