Unraveling Cadmium Toxicity in Trifolium repens L. Seedling: Insight into Regulatory Mechanisms Using Comparative Transcriptomics Combined with Physiological Analyses.

Trifolium repens (T. repens) can accumulate significant amounts of heavy metal ions, and has strong adaptability to wide environmental conditions, and relatively large biomass, which is considered a potential plant for phytoremediation. However, the molecular mechanisms of T. repens involved in Cd tolerance have not yet been studied in detail. This study was conducted to examine the integrative responses of T. repens exposed to a high-level CdCl2 by investigating the physiological and transcriptomic analyses. The results suggested that T. repens seedlings had a high degree of tolerance to Cd treatment. The roots accumulated higher Cd concentration than leaves and were mainly distributed in the cell wall. The content of MDA, soluble protein, the relative electrolyte leakage, and three antioxidant enzymes (POD, SOD, and APX) was increased with the Cd treatment time increasing, but the CAT enzymes contents were decreased in roots. Furthermore, the transcriptome analysis demonstrated that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) mainly enriched in the glutathione (GSH) metabolism pathway and the phenylpropanoid biosynthesis in the roots. Overexpressed genes in the lignin biosynthesis in the roots might improve Cd accumulation in cell walls. Moreover, the DEGs were also enriched in photosynthesis in the leaves, transferase activity, oxidoreductase activity, and ABA signal transduction, which might also play roles in reducing Cd toxicity in the plants. All the above, clearly suggest that T. repens employ several different mechanisms to protect itself against Cd stress, while the cell wall biosynthesis and GSH metabolism could be considered the most important specific mechanisms for Cd retention in the roots of T. repens.

Lamprey PHB2 maintains mitochondrial stability by tanslocation to the mitochondria under oxidative stress.

Before we have reported lamprey PHB2 could enhance the cellular oxidative-stressed tolerance, here the aim was to explore its mechanisms. We used flow cytometry analysis to identify a Lampetra morii homologue of PHB2 (Lm-PHB2) that could significantly decrease the levels of ROS generation in HEK293T cells. According to confocal microscopy observations, Lm-PHB2 contributed to maintain the mitochondrial morphology of HEK293T cells, and then both cellular nuclear location and translocation from the nucleus to mitochondria of Lm-PHB2 were also examined in HEK293T cells under oxidative stress. We also examined the expressions and locations of various Lm-PHB2 deletion mutants and the amino acid mutant by confocal microscopy and the results showed that the translocation of Lm-PHB2 into mitochondria was dependent on the Lm-PHB21-50aa region and the 17th, 48th and 57th three arginines (R) of N-terminal were very critical. In addition, the analyses of QRT-PCR and Western blot demonstrated that Lm-PHB2 increased the expression levels of OPA1 and HAX1 in HEK293T cells treated with H2O2. The analyses of immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation showed that Lm-PHB2 could interact with OPA1 and HAX1, respectively. The above mentioned results indicate that Lm-PHB2 could assist OPA1 and HAX1 to maintain mitochondrial morphology and decrease ROS levels by the translocation from the nucleus to mitochondria under oxidative stress.

Fingerprint identification of white clover cultivars based on SSR molecular markers.

White clover (Trifolium repens L.) is an important perennial legume forage with high productivity and quality. To strengthen the basic research on the genetic characteristics, fingerprint identification and adaptability of white clover germplasm resources, Simple sequence repeat (SSR) molecular markers were applied to 10 white clover cultivars to assess the genetic diversity and related lines of white clover at the molecular level in order to lay a theoretical foundation for the selection of high-quality seeds and cultivars of white clover. A total of 120 different bands were amplified by 29 pairs of SSR primers with good polymorphism, of which 103 (89.5%) were polymorphic. Meanwhile, the PIC of each primer was 0.181-0.588, with an average of 0.329. Analysis of molecular variance revealed that 57% of the genetic variation occurred within cultivars and 43% occurred among cultivars. The results of cluster analysis and the principal coordinate analysis revealed that the parental relationships of the 10 cultivars, with the 'Purple' cultivar very distantly related to the other 9 cultivars and the closest parental relationship between 'Ladino' and 'Sulky'. The fingerprints constructed by three representative primers (gtrs679, gtrs319, and gtrs678) have a strong identification ability. In summary, the SSR markers had good polymorphism and could be used for DNA fingerprint analysis of white clover cultivars.

Phosphorus Incorporation into Co9 S8 Nanocages for Highly Efficient Oxygen Evolution Catalysis.

The improvement of activity of electrocatalysts lies in the increment of the density of active sites or the enhancement of intrinsic activity of each active site. A common strategy to realize dual active sites is the use of bimetal compound catalysts, where each metal atom contributes one active site. In this work, a new concept is presented to realize dual active sites with tunable electron densities in monometal compound catalysts. Dual Co2+ tetrahedral (Co2+ (Td )) and Co3+ octahedral (Co3+ (Oh )) coordination active sites are developed and adjustable electron densities on the Co2+ (Td ) and Co3+ (Oh ) are further achieved by phosphorus incorporation (P-Co9 S8 ). The experimental results and density functional theory calculations show that the nonmetal P doping can systematically modulate charge density of Co2+ (Td ) and Co3+ (Oh ) in P-Co9 S8 and simultaneously improve the electrical conductivity of Co9 S8 , which substantially enhances oxygen evolution reaction performance of P-Co9 S8 .

In2Se3 nanosheets with broadband saturable absorption used for near-infrared femtosecond laser mode locking.

Indium selenide (In2Se3) has attracted tremendous attention due to its favorable electronic features, broad tunable bandgap, high stability and other attractive properties. However, its further applications for nonlinear optics have not yet been fully explored. In this work, we demonstrate that few-layer α-In2Se3 nanosheets exhibit strong saturable absorption properties over a wide wavelength range covering 800, 1064 and 1550 nm. The few-layer α-In2Se3 nanosheets used for this experiment are fabricated via a simple ultrasonic exfoliation in liquid. Stable ultrafast mode-locking laser pulses are obtained from both ytterbium-doped and erbium-doped fiber laser systems operating at 1064 and 1550 nm, respectively. A pulse duration as short as 215 fs was achieved in the Er-doped fiber laser system. Stable output pulses over 6 h of operation were obtained in both laser systems. The pulse energy and peak power of the laser output pulses were increased by reducing the In2Se3 thickness. These results indicate that α-In2Se3 nanosheets with low layer numbers are promising candidates for broad ultrafast photonics devices, such as optical switchers, Q-switchers and mode lockers.

Laser Q-switching with PtS2 microflakes saturable absorber.

Numerous studies have been conducted to explore the performance of two-dimensional (2D) layered nano-materials based saturable absorber (SA) for pulsed laser applications. However, fabricating materials in nanoscale requires complicated preparation processes, high energy consumption, and high expertise. Hence, the study of pulsed laser performance based on the saturable absorber prepared by layered materials with bulk-micro size have gained a great attention. Platinum disulfide (PtS2), which is newly developed group 10 2D layered materials, offers great potential for the laser photonic applications owing to its high carrier mobility, broadly tunable natural bandgap energy, and stability. In this work, the first passively Q-switched Erbium (Er) doped fiber laser is demonstrated with an operational wavelength of 1568.8 nm by using PtS2 microflakes saturable absorber, fabricated by a simple liquid exfoliation in N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) and then incorporated into polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) polymer thin film. A stable Q-switched laser operation is achieved by using this PtS2-SA within a fiber laser ring cavity. The maximum average output power is obtained as 1.1 mW, corresponding to the repetition rate of 24.6 kHz, the pulse duration of 4.2 µs, and single pulse energy of 45.6 nJ. These results open up new applications of this novel PtS2 layered material.

Preventive noninvasive vagal nerve stimulation reduces insufficient sleep-induced depression by improving the autonomic nervous system.

BACKGROUND: Depression is closely linked to an imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (ANS). However, the role of this imbalance in mediating the effects of sleep deprivation (SD) and vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) on emotional well-being is not fully understood. METHODS: A population-based analysis was conducted to explore the relationship between sleep duration, depression scores, and heart rate variability (HRV). Additionally, the chronic SD mouse model was established to assess the impact of preventive transcutaneous auricular VNS (taVNS) on pathological and behavioral changes. RESULTS: Our study found a significant link between sleep duration, depression severity, and HRV. Shorter sleep duration was associated with higher depression scores and lower RMSSD (a measure of HRV). In our rat model, insufficient sleep consistently impaired HRV. This effect was mitigated by taVNS, accompanied by corresponding changes in levels of IL-1ß and IL-6, astrocyte and microglia activation, and tail suspension times. CONCLUSIONS: Using VNS as a preventive treatment for depression-risk individuals with insufficient sleep shows promise. It not only broadens the potential applications of VNS but also sheds light on its mechanism-particularly its role in enhancing vagal nerve function and balancing the ANS, as evidenced by HRV measurements.

DLP 3D printed hydrogels with hierarchical structures post-programmed by lyophilization and ionic locking.

Porous hydrogels have been intensively used in energy conversion and storage, catalysis, separation, and biomedical applications. Controlling the porosity of these materials over multiple length scales brings about new functionalities and higher efficiency but is a challenge using the current manufacturing methods. Herein we developed a post-programming method to lock the lyophilized pores of 3D printed hydrogels as an experimental platform towards hierarchically structured pores. 3D printing endows the hydrogels with arbitrary 3D geometries and controllable pores at the millimeter length scale. Lyophilization and ionic crosslinking of the as-printed hydrogel networks are conducted as a post-programming process which results in pores at micrometer length scales beyond the printing resolution. Utilizing this combined manufacturing technology, 3D hydrogel lattices with tunable porosities and mechanical properties can be created, which are further exploited for efficient solar vapor generation.

Solid Electrolyte Interface Film-Forming and Surface-Stabilizing Bifunctional 1,2-Bis((trimethylsilyl)oxy) Benzene as Novel Electrolyte Additive for Silicon-Based Lithium-Ion Batteries.

The application of Si-based anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) has garnered significant attention due to their high theoretical specific capacity yet is still challenged by the substantial volume expansion of silicon particles during the lithiation process, resulting in the instability of the electrode-electrolyte interphase and deteriorative battery performance. Herein, an ortho(trimethylsilyl)oxybenzene electrolyte additive, 1,2-bis((trimethylsilyl)oxy) benzene (referred to as BTMSB), has been investigated as a bifunctional electrolyte additive for Si-based LIBs. The BTMSB can form a uniform and robust LiF-rich solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) on the surface of Si-based material particles, adapting the huge volume expansion of the Si-based electrode and facilitating lithium-ion transport. Additionally, the BTMSB demonstrates the ability to scavenge hydrofluoric acid (HF) to stabilize the electrode-electrolyte interphase. The SiOx/C∥Li batteries with 2% BTMSB exhibit improved cycle performance and current-rate capabilities, of which the capacity retention retains 69% after 400 cycles. Furthermore, Si-based anode cells with higher theoretical specific capacities (1C = 550 mAh g-1) and NCM523∥SiOx/C pouch cells are constructed and evaluated, displaying superior cycle performance. This work provides valuable insights for the development of effective electrolyte additives and the commercialization of high energy density LIBs with Si-based anodes.

Current development of stretchable self-powered technology based on nanomaterials toward wearable biosensors in biomedical applications.

In combination with the growing fields of artificial intelligence and Internet-of-things (IoT), the innovation direction of next-generation biosensing systems is toward intellectualization, miniaturization, and wireless portability. Enormous research efforts have been made in self-powered technology due to the gradual decline of traditional rigid and cumbersome power sources in comparison to wearable biosensing systems. Research progress on various stretchable self-powered strategies for wearable biosensors and integrated sensing systems has demonstrated their promising potential in practical biomedical applications. In this review, up-to-date research advances in energy harvesting strategies are discussed, together with a future outlook and remaining challenges, shedding light on the follow-up research priorities.

A mutation operator self-adaptive differential evolution particle swarm optimization algorithm for USV navigation.

To keep the global search capability and robustness for unmanned surface vessel (USV) path planning, an improved differential evolution particle swarm optimization algorithm (DePSO) is proposed in this paper. In the optimization process, approach to optimal value in particle swarm optimization algorithm (PSO) and mutation, hybridization, selection operation in differential evolution algorithm (DE) are combined, and the mutation factor is self-adjusted. First, the particle population is initialized and the optimization objective is determined, the individual and global optimal values are updated. Then differential variation is conducted to produces new variables and cross over with the current individual, the scaling factor is adjusted adaptively with the number of iterations in the mutation process, particle population is updated according to the hybridization results. Finally, the convergence of the algorithm is determined according to the decision standard. Numerical simulation results show that, compared with conventional PSO and DE, the proposed algorithm can effectively reduce the path intersection points, and thus greatly shorten the overall path length.

Genome-Wide Identification, Characterization, and Expression Profiling Analysis of SPL Gene Family during the Inflorescence Development in Trifolium repens.

Trifolium repens is the most widely cultivated perennial legume forage in temperate region around the world. It has rich nutritional value and good palatability, seasonal complementarity with grasses, and can improve the feed intake and digestibility of livestock. However, flowering time and inflorescence development directly affects the quality and yield of T. repens, as well as seed production. The Squa promoter binding protein-like (SPL) gene family is a plant specific transcription factor family, which has been proved to play a critical role in regulating plant formation time and development of flowers. In this study, a total of 37 TrSPL genes were identified from the whole genome of T. repens and were divided into nine clades based on phylogenetic tree. Seventeen TrSPL genes have potential target sites for miR156. The conserved motif of squamosa promoter binding protein (SBP) contains two zinc finger structures and one NLS structure. Gene structure analysis showed that all TrSPL genes contained SBP domain, while ankyrin repeat region was just distributed in part of genes. 37 TrSPL genes were relatively dispersedly distributed on 16 chromosomes, and 5 pairs of segmental repeat genes were found, which indicated that segmental duplication was the main way of gene expansion. Furthermore, the gene expression profiling showed that TrSPL11, TrSPL13, TrSPL22, and TrSPL26 were highly expressed only in the early stage of inflorescence development, while TrSPL1 and TrSPL6 are highly expressed only in the mature inflorescence. Significantly, the expression of TrSPL4 and TrSPL12 increased gradually with the development of inflorescences. The results of this study will provide valuable clues for candidate gene selection and elucidating the molecular mechanism of T. repens flowering regulation.

Machine Learning-Assisted Identification of Copolymer Microstructures Based on Microscopic Images.

The microstructure of polymer materials is an important bridge between their molecular structure and macroproperties, which is of great significance to be effectively identified. With the increasing refinement of polymer material design, the microstructure of different polymer materials gradually converges, which is difficult to distinguish. In this study, the machine learning method is applied to recognize the microstructure. A highly accurate and interpretable model based on small experimental data sets has been completed by the methods of transfer learning and feature visualization, making the result of the model that can be explained from the perspective of physical chemistry. This work provides an idea for identifying microstructure and will help further promote intelligent polymer research and development.

Adaptive neural network projection analytical fault-tolerant control of underwater salvage robot with event trigger.

Introduction: To solve the problem of control failure caused by system failure of deep-water salvage equipment under severe sea conditions, an event-triggered fault-tolerant control method (PEFC) based on proportional logarithmic projection analysis is proposed innovatively. Methods: First, taking the claw-type underwater salvage robot as the research object, amore universal thruster fault model was established to describe the fault state of equipment failure, interruption, stuck, and poor contact. Second, the controller was designed by the proportional logarithmic projection analytical method. The system input signal was amplified and projected as a virtual input, which replaces the original input to isolate and learn the fault factor online by the analytical algorithm. The terminal sliding mode observer was used to compensate for the external disturbance of the system, and the adaptive neural network was used to fit the dynamic uncertainty of the system. The system input was introduced into the event-triggered mechanism to reduce the output regulation frequency of the fault thruster. Results: Finally, the simulation results showed that the method adopted in this study reduced the power output by 28.95% and the update frequency of power output by 75% compared with the traditional adaptive overdrive fault-tolerant control (AOFC) method and realized accurate pose tracking under external disturbance and system dynamic uncertain disturbance. Discussion: It has been proven that the algorithm used in this research can still reasonably allocate power to reduce the load of a fault thruster and complete the tracking task under fault conditions.

The Identification and Characterization of the <i>KNOX</i> Gene Family as an Active Regulator of Leaf Development in <i>Trifolium repens</i>.

Leaves are the primary and critical feed for herbivores. They directly determine the yield and quality of legume forage. <i>Trifolium repens</i> (<i>T. repens</i>) is an indispensable legume species, widely cultivated in temperate pastures due to its nutritional value and nitrogen fixation. Although the leaves of <i>T. repens</i> are typical trifoliate, they have unusual patterns to adapt to herbivore feeding. The number of leaflets in <i>T. repens</i> affects its production and utilization. The <i>KNOX</i> gene family encodes transcriptional regulators that are vital in regulating and developing leaves. Identification and characterization of <i>TrKNOX</i> gene family as an active regulator of leaf development in <i>T. repens</i> were studied. A total of 21 <i>TrKNOX</i> genes were identified from the T. repens genome database and classified into three subgroups (Class I, Class II, and Class M) based on phylogenetic analysis. Nineteen of the genes identified had four conserved domains, except for <i>KNOX5</i> and <i>KNOX9</i>, which belong to Class M. Varying expression levels of TrKNOX genes were observed at different developmental stages and complexities of leaves. <i>KNOX9</i> was observed to upregulate the leaf complexity of T. repens. Research on <i>TrKNOX</i> genes could be novel and further assist in exploring their functions and cultivating high-quality <i>T. repens</i> varieties.

R2R3-MYB gene family: Genome-wide identification provides insight to improve the content of proanthocyanidins in Trifolium repens.

The R2R3-MYB family is one of largest transcription factor families in plants playing significant roles in regulating anthocyanin and proanthocyanidin biosynthesis. Proanthocyanidins are one of major objectives to improve the quality of white clover (Trifolium repens L.), which have a beneficial effect on ruminant to prevent the lethal pasture bloat. A total of 133 TrR2R3-MYB genes were identified and distributed on all 16 chromosomes based on the whole genome information of white clover. Also, by exploring the gene structure, motifs and duplication events of TrR2R3-MYBs, as well as the evolutionary relationship with TrR2R3-MYB genes of other species, 10 TrR2R3-MYB genes with the potential to regulate the anthocyanins and proanthocyanidins biosynthesis were screened. These TrR2R3-MYB genes responded significantly to low temperature in white clover. In addition, they have different expression patterns in leaves, petioles and inflorescences of white clover. Importantly, TrMYB116 and TrMYB118 may positively regulate anthocyanin accumulation and low temperature response in white clover. TrMYB118 may also be associated with anthocyanin pigmentation pattern in Purple leaves. This study provides a basis for verifying the function of TrR2R3-MYB and breeding white clover cultivars with high proanthocyanidins.

Association between exposure during pregnancy and the risk of developing solid tumors in second children: Results from a Chinese matched case-control study.

BACKGROUND: Even though many studies have proven the risk factors for cancer in children, studies focusing exclusively on second children are absent. This study is designed to examine the association between maternal exposure during pregnancy and the risk of developing solid tumors (STs) in second children. METHODS: This retrospective matched case-control study included 80 s children with STs and 160 s children without STs matched in terms of birth weight, gestational age, pregnancy body mass index (BMI), and residence from a medical center. Exposure during pregnancy and birth characteristics of these children were investigated through structured questionnaires. RESULTS: A univariate analysis suggested that birth spacing (OR, 12.70; CI, 4.44-36.34), maternal smoking (OR, 6.00; CI, 1.62-22.16), paternal smoking (OR, 2.20; CI, 1.23-3.93), and common cold (OR,1.94; CI, 1.02-3.69) were associated with an increased risk of second children STs. A multivariate analysis demonstrated that birth spacing (OR, 12.45; CI, 4.00-38.78) and paternal smoking (OR, 2.04; CI, 1.04-3.99) were the main risk factors for STs in second-born children. CONCLUSION: Long birth spacing (>10 years) and paternal smoking could significantly increase the risk of developing STs in second-born children. Despite the fact that the effects of maternal smoking and the common cold were not significant, it is still recommended to quit smoking, take necessary self-protective measures to reduce the risk of infection.

Genetic diversity and population structure analysis in a large collection of white clover (Trifolium repens L.) germplasm worldwide.

White clover is an important temperate legume forage with high nutrition. In the present study, 448 worldwide accessions were evaluated for the genetic variation and polymorphisms using 22 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. All the markers were highly informative, a total of 341 scored bands were amplified, out of which 337 (98.83%) were polymorphic. The PIC values ranged from 0.89 to 0.97 with an average of 0.95. For the AMOVA analysis, 98% of the variance was due to differences within the population and the remaining 2% was due to differences among populations. The white clover accessions were divided into different groups or subgroups based on PCoA, UPGMA, and STRUCTURE analyses. The existence of genetic differentiation between the originally natural and introduced areas according to the PCoA analysis of the global white clover accessions. There was a weak correlation between genetic relationships and geographic distribution according to UPGMA and STRUCTURE analyses. The results of the present study will provide the foundation for future breeding programs, genetic improvement, core germplasm collection establishment for white clover.

Carbon Dots Derived from the Maillard Reaction for pH Sensors and Cr (VI) Detection.

The Maillard reaction involves a series of complex reactions; fluorescent compounds have been considered as vital intermediate products of the reaction. In this article, carbon dots (CDs) based on the Maillard reaction (MR-CDs) were prepared with L-tryptophan and D-glucose, and they had excellent photoluminescence stability. MR-CDs showed stable pH-dependence behavior and exhibited an excellent linear response to pH in the range of 4.0-7.5 and 7.5-13.0, respectively. Under the masking effect of sodium fluoride for Fe(III), MR-CDs showed excellent selectivity and sensitivity for Cr (VI). The linear range of Cr(VI) was 0.2-50 µM and the limit of detection was 20 nM. (S/N ≥ 3). Furthermore, MR-CDs were used to detect Cr(VI) in tap water samples. The recoveries were between 95.8% and 98.94%, and RSDs were less than 3.17%.

Efficient Imaging of Saccharomyces cerevisiae Based on B- and N-Doped Carbon Dots.

The estimation of yeast viability with B- and N-doped carbon dots (BN-CDs) was investigated in this paper. BN-CDs with a fluorescent quantum yield of 65.47% were prepared by a one-step hydrothermal method. The size distribution of BN-CDs was relatively narrow, with the majority falling within 7.5-8.5 nm, and they were mainly composed of carbon, oxygen, nitrogen, and boron. BN-CDs were shown to have strong and stable fluorescence. They exhibited excitation-independent photoluminescence property, which could avoid the autofluorescence and limitation of the excitation source. Dead and live yeast cells were distinguished well by BN-CD staining in a short time, and there was no strict requirement for light protection. The application of BN-CDs in beer brewing can solve the problem of estimation of yeast viability.