The evening complex promotes maize flowering and adaptation to temperate regions.

Maize (Zea mays) originated in southern Mexico and has spread over a wide latitudinal range. Maize expansion from tropical to temperate regions has necessitated a reduction of its photoperiod sensitivity. In this study, we cloned a quantitative trait locus (QTL) regulating flowering time in maize and show that the maize ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana EARLY FLOWERING3, ZmELF3.1, is the causal locus. We demonstrate that ZmELF3.1 and ZmELF3.2 proteins can physically interact with ZmELF4.1/4.2 and ZmLUX1/2, to form evening complex(es; ECs) in the maize circadian clock. Loss-of-function mutants for ZmELF3.1/3.2 and ZmLUX1/2 exhibited delayed flowering under long-day and short-day conditions. We show that EC directly represses the expression of several flowering suppressor genes, such as the CONSTANS, CONSTANS-LIKE, TOC1 (CCT) genes ZmCCT9 and ZmCCT10, ZmCONSTANS-LIKE 3, and the PSEUDORESPONSE REGULATOR (PRR) genes ZmPRR37a and ZmPRR73, thus alleviating their inhibition, allowing florigen gene expression and promoting flowering. Further, we identify two closely linked retrotransposons located in the ZmELF3.1 promoter that regulate the expression levels of ZmELF3.1 and may have been positively selected during postdomestication spread of maize from tropical to temperate regions during the pre-Columbian era. These findings provide insights into circadian clock-mediated regulation of photoperiodic flowering in maize and new targets of genetic improvement for breeding.

Evaluation of the effectiveness and safety of sequential vaccination with inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine and Ad5-nCoV booster in pediatric liver transplant recipients.

Amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, uncertainty persists among caregivers regarding the vaccination of pediatric liver transplant recipients (PLTRs). This study evaluates the immunogenicity and safety of COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable population. A cohort of 30 PLTRs underwent sequential vaccinations with an inactivated SARS-CoV-2 vaccine followed by an Ad5-nCoV booster. We collected and analyzed blood samples pre-vaccination and four weeks post-vaccination to quantify antibody and IGRA (IFN-γ Release Assay) levels. We also documented any adverse reactions occurring within seven days post-vaccination and monitored participants for infections over six months post-vaccination, culminating in a comprehensive statistical analysis. The Ad5-nCoV booster substantially elevated IgG (T1: 18.01, 20%; T2: 66.61, 55%) and nAb (T1: 119.29, 8%; T2: 3799.75, 80%) levels, as well as T-cell responses, in comparison to the initial dose. The first dose was associated with some common adverse reactions, such as injection site pain (13.3%) and fever (16.6%), but a low rate of systemic reactions (16.0%). There was no significant difference in Omicron infection rates or RTPCR conversion times between vaccinated and unvaccinated groups. Notably, following Omicron infection, vaccinated individuals exhibited significantly higher SARS-CoV-2 IgG and nAb titers (average IgG: 231.21 vs. 62.09 S/CO, p = 0.0003; nAb: 5246.11 vs. 2592.07 IU/mL, p = 0.0002). The use of inactivated vaccines followed by an Ad5-nCoV booster in PLTRs is generally safe and elicits a robust humoral response, albeit with limited T-cell responses.

Synchronization transitions in phase oscillator populations with partial adaptive coupling.

The adaptation underlying many realistic processes plays a pivotal role in shaping the collective dynamics of diverse systems. Here, we untangle the generic conditions for synchronization transitions in a system of coupled phase oscillators incorporating the adaptive scheme encoded by the feedback between the coupling and the order parameter via a power-law function with different weights. We mathematically argue that, in the subcritical and supercritical correlation scenarios, there exists no critical adaptive fraction for synchronization transitions converting from the first (second)-order to the second (first)-order. In contrast to the synchronization transitions previously deemed, the explosive and continuous phase transitions take place in the corresponding regions as long as the adaptive fraction is nonzero, respectively. Nevertheless, we uncover that, at the critical correlation, the routes toward synchronization depend crucially on the relative adaptive weights. In particular, we unveil that the emergence of a range of interrelated scaling behaviors of the order parameter near criticality, manifesting the subcritical and supercritical bifurcations, are responsible for various observed phase transitions. Our work, thus, provides profound insights for understanding the dynamical nature of phase transitions, and for better controlling and manipulating synchronization transitions in networked systems with adaptation.

Emergence of chimeralike oscillation modes in excitable complex networks with preferentially cutting-rewiring operation.

In this paper, the preferentially cutting-rewiring operation (PCRO) consisting of the cutting procedure and the rewiring procedure is proposed and is applied on an excitable Erdös-Rényi random network (EERRN), by which the structure of the initially homogeneous network changes dramatically, and lots of common leaves (CLs) are formed between the two hubs. Subsequently, besides the single-mode oscillations that can be usually observed in homogeneous excitable systems, a new kind of multi-mode oscillations composed of synchronous and asynchronous parts can self-organize to emerge, which are similar to the coherent and incoherent clusters in traditional chimera states and are consequently named as the chimeralike oscillation modes (CLOMs). Importantly, by utilizing the dominant phase-advanced driving method, both the mechanisms for the formation and the emergence of CLOMs in EERRNs with PCRO are well explained, among which the CL is exposed to play a key role in forming the CLOMs. Furthermore, the PCRO-induced CLOM phenomena can also be observed in other paradigmatic network models or with other paradigmatic excitable dynamics, which definitely confirms that the PCRO is an universal method in inducing the CLOMs in excitable complex networks. Our contributions may shed lights on a new perspective of the emergence of CLOMs in complex systems and would have great impacts in related fields.

Order parameter dynamics in complex systems: From models to data.

Collective ordering behaviors are typical macroscopic manifestations embedded in complex systems and can be ubiquitously observed across various physical backgrounds. Elements in complex systems may self-organize via mutual or external couplings to achieve diverse spatiotemporal coordinations. The order parameter, as a powerful quantity in describing the transition to collective states, may emerge spontaneously from large numbers of degrees of freedom through competitions. In this minireview, we extensively discussed the collective dynamics of complex systems from the viewpoint of order-parameter dynamics. A synergetic theory is adopted as the foundation of order-parameter dynamics, and it focuses on the self-organization and collective behaviors of complex systems. At the onset of macroscopic transitions, slow modes are distinguished from fast modes and act as order parameters, whose evolution can be established in terms of the slaving principle. We explore order-parameter dynamics in both model-based and data-based scenarios. For situations where microscopic dynamics modeling is available, as prototype examples, synchronization of coupled phase oscillators, chimera states, and neuron network dynamics are analytically studied, and the order-parameter dynamics is constructed in terms of reduction procedures such as the Ott-Antonsen ansatz, the Lorentz ansatz, and so on. For complicated systems highly challenging to be well modeled, we proposed the eigen-microstate approach (EMP) to reconstruct the macroscopic order-parameter dynamics, where the spatiotemporal evolution brought by big data can be well decomposed into eigenmodes, and the macroscopic collective behavior can be traced by Bose-Einstein condensation-like transitions and the emergence of dominant eigenmodes. The EMP is successfully applied to some typical examples, such as phase transitions in the Ising model, climate dynamics in earth systems, fluctuation patterns in stock markets, and collective motion in living systems.

Liquid Crystal Assembly for Ultra-dissymmetric Circularly Polarized Luminescence and Beyond.

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) is attracting much interest because it can carry extensive optical information. CPL shows left- or right-handedness and can be regarded as part of high-level visual perception to supply an extra dimension of information with regard to regular light. A key to meeting the needs for practical applications is to develop the emerging field of ultra-dissymmetric CPL. Chiral liquid crystal (LC) assemblies─otherwise referred to as cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs)─are essentially organized helical superstructures with a highly ordered one-dimensional orientation, and distinctly superior to regular helical supramolecules. CLCs can achieve a perfect equilibrium of molecular short-range interaction and long-range orientational order, enabling molecule-scale chirality on a helical pitch and observable scale. LC assembly could be an ideal strategy for amplifying chirality, making it accessible to ultra-dissymmetric CPL. Herein, we focused on some basic but important issues regarding CPL: (i) How can CPL be created from chiral dyes? (ii) Is the chirality of luminescent dyes an essential factor for the generation of CPL? That is, can all chiral dyes emit CPL and vice versa? (iii) How can CPL be transferred within intermolecular systems, and what principles of CPL transmission should be followed? Given these queries and our work, in this Perspective we discuss the generation, transmission, and modulation of CPL with chiral LC assembly, aiming to design and build up novel chiroptical materials. Recent applications of CPL-active LC microstructures in three-dimensional displays, circularly polarized lasers, and asymmetric catalysis are also discussed.

Local auxin biosynthesis regulates brace root angle and lodging resistance in maize.

Root lodging poses a major threat to maize production, resulting in reduced grain yield and quality, and increased harvest costs. Here, we combined expressional, genetic, and cytological studies to demonstrate a role of ZmYUC2 and ZmYUC4 in regulating gravitropic response of the brace root and lodging resistance in maize. We show that both ZmYUC2 and ZmYUC4 are preferentially expressed in root tips with partially overlapping expression patterns, and the protein products of ZmYUC2 and ZmYUC4 are localized in the cytoplasm and endoplasmic reticulum, respectively. The Zmyuc4 single mutant and Zmyuc2/4 double mutant exhibit enlarged brace root angle compared with the wild-type plants, with larger brace root angle being observed in the Zmyuc2/4 double mutant. Consistently, the brace root tips of the Zmyuc4 single mutant and Zmyuc2/4 double mutant accumulate less auxin and are defective in proper reallocation of auxin in response to gravi-stimuli. Furthermore, we show that the Zmyuc4 single mutant and the Zmyuc2/4 double mutant display obviously enhanced root lodging resistance. Our combined results demonstrate that ZmYUC2- and ZmYUC4-mediated local auxin biosynthesis is required for normal gravity response of the brace roots and provide effective targets for breeding root lodging resistant maize cultivars.

Low COVID-19 vaccine coverage and guardian acceptance among pediatric transplant recipients.

To investigate COVID-19 vaccine coverage in immunosuppressed children, assess guardians' intention to vaccinate children, and determine reasons and associated factors. In addition, we attempted to capture the characteristics of them with Omicron. We obtained the vaccination coverage and guardian vaccine acceptance among pediatric transplant recipients through a web-based questionnaire conducted from April 12 to 28, 2022, and performed the statistical analysis. Seven organ transplant recipient children with Omicron were also clinically analyzed. The three-dose vaccine coverage for liver transplant (n = 563) and hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (n = 122) recipient children was 0.9% and 4.9%, and guardian vaccine acceptance was 63.8%. Independent risk factors for vaccine acceptance were the child's age, geographic location, type of transplant, guardian's vaccination status, guardian's level of distress about epidemic events, guardian's risk perception ability, anxiety, and knowledge of epidemic control. The main reasons for vaccine hesitancy were fear of vaccine-induced adverse events and doubts about efficacy. Ultimately, most children infected with Omicron have mild or no symptoms and are infected by intra-family. Since vaccine coverage and guardian acceptance are lowest among liver transplant children, and the infected are mainly intra-family, we should devise more targeted education and vaccination instructions for their guardians.

Collecting, transporting and sorting micro-particles via the optical slings generated by a liquid crystal q(φ)-plate.

We disclose a transporting/collecting optical sling generated by a liquid crystal geometric phase optical element with spatial variant topological charge, which shows the intriguing repelling/indrawing effect on the micro-particle along the spiral orbit. Two proof-of-concept prototypes, i.e., an optical conveyor and a particle collector, are demonstrated. Based on the distinct dynamic characteristics of the micro-particles in different sizes, we conceptually propose a design for particle sorting. Thus, our proposed method to generate a spiral optical sling with spatial variant orbital angular momentum for on-demand collecting, transporting and sorting micro-particles is substantiated, which can find extensive applications in bio-medicine, micro-biology, etc.

Deflecting and routing nematicons via orientation programmable liquid crystal array.

By designing a liquid crystal cell with comb electrode structure, the alignment modulation of nematic liquid crystal in the cell can be realized after the electric field is applied. In different orientation regions, the incident laser beam can deflect at different angles. At the same time, by changing the incident angle of the laser beam, the reflection modulation of the laser beam on the interface of the liquid crystal molecular orientation change can be realized. Based on the above discussion, we then demonstrate the modulation of liquid crystal molecular orientation arrays on nematicon pairs. In different orientation regions of liquid crystal molecules, nematicon pairs can exhibit various combinations of deflections, and these deflection angles are modulable under external fields. Deflection and modulation of nematicon pairs have potential applications in optical routing and optical communication.

Entanglement generation and steering implementation in a double-cavity-magnon hybrid system.

We demonstrate a scheme for the generation of bipartite and tripartite entanglement, as well as he implementation of stable and controllable long-distance one-way and asymmetric two-way steering in a cavity-magnon hybrid system. This system consists of a magnon mode and two coupled microwave cavities. The first cavity is driven by a flux-driven Josephson parametric amplifier, which generates squeezed vacuum fields, and is coupled to the other cavity through optical tunneling interaction. The second cavity and magnon mode are coupled through magnetic dipole interaction. We find that under weak coupling between the two cavities, and strong coupling between the second cavity and magnon mode, remote controllable one-way steering and tripartite entanglement can be achieved. Our scheme may have potential applications in quantum information.

Entanglement enhancement and EPR steering based on a PT-symmetric-like cavity-opto-magnomechanical hybrid system.

We investigate the enhancement of entanglement and EPR steering in a parity-time(PT-) symmetric-like cavity-opto-magnomechanical system. The system consists of an optical cavity, a magnon mode in a ferromagnetic crystal, a phonon mode, and a microwave cavity. Our findings demonstrate that microwave-cavity gain significantly boosts distant quantum entanglement and greatly improves the robustness of bipartite entanglement against environment temperature. Additionally, we observe an enhancement of tripartite entanglement within the system and uncover the phenomenon of entanglement transfer. Notably, we also achieve one-way steering and two-way asymmetric steering in the system. This study offers insights into the integration of traditional optomechanics and cavity magnomechanics, presenting a novel approach to manipulate asymmetric quantum steering between two distant macroscopic objects. The implications of our research extend to the fields of quantum state preparation and quantum information.

A simple polarimetric measurement based on a computational algorithm.

A simple and compact polarimeter comprising two electrically controlled liquid-crystal variable retarders (LCVRs) and a linear polarizer is demonstrated, which is enabled by analyzing the intensity variation of the modulated output light based on a computational algorithm. A proof-of-concept prototype is presented, which is mounted onto a power meter or a CMOS camera for the intensity data collection. The polarimetric measurement for the spatial variant polarization states of light is also verified, indicating the possibility of achieving a resolution-lossless polarimeter. Thus, our proposed method shows a cost-effective way to realize a compact polarimeter in polarization optics.

Ultra-broadband holography in visible and infrared regions with full-polarization nondispersive response.

Holography is promising to fully record and reconstruct the fundamental properties of light, while the limitations of working bandwidth, allowed polarization states, and dispersive response impede further advances in the integration level and functionality. Here, we propose an ultra-broadband holography based on twisted nematic liquid crystals (TNLCs), which can efficiently work in both the visible and infrared regions with a working spectrum of over 1000 nm. The underlying physics is that the electric field vector of light through TNLCs can be parallelly manipulated in the broad spectral range, thus enabling to build the ultra-broadband TNLC hologram by dynamic photopatterning. Furthermore, by introducing a simple nematic liquid crystal (NLC) element, the cascaded device allows for an excellent nondispersive polarization-maintaining performance that can adapt to full-polarization incidence. We expect our proposed methodology of holography may inspire new avenues for usages in polarization imaging, augmented/virtual reality display, and optical encryption.

Single-cell RNA-sequencing data reveals the genetic source of extracellular vesicles in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma.

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is invasive cancer and the complex mechanisms underlying carcinogenesis remain unclear. Extracellular vesicles (EVs), secreted by most cell types, serve as a critical factor in tumorigenesis via intercellular communications. Our study aims to investigate the cellular origin of EVs in ESCC, and unveil the unknown molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying cell-cell communications. Six ESCC patients were enrolled and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) analyses were conducted to screen different cell subpopulations. The genetic origin of EVs was tracked using the supernatant from different cellular extracts. Nanoparticle tracking analysis (NTA), western blot analysis, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were performed for validation. Using scRNA-seq analysis, eleven cell subpopulations were identified in ESCC. Differences in gene expression in EVs between malignant and non-malignant esophageal tissues were found. Our findings demonstrated that epithelial cells releasing EVs were the most prevalent in malignant tissues, while endothelial cells and fibroblasts releasing EVs were predominant in non-malignant tissues. Furthermore, the high levels of gene expression in EVs released from these cells were correlated significantly with a worse prognosis. Our findings revealed the genetic origin of EVs in malignant and non-malignant esophageal tissues and provided a comprehensive overview of the associated cell-cell interactions in ESCC.

Factors related to the mortality risk of severe hand, foot, and mouth diseases (HFMD): a 5-year hospital-based survey in Guangxi, Southern China.

BACKGROUND: To understand the factors influencing clinical outcomes of severe hand, foot, and mouth diseases (HFMD), and to provide scientific evidence for reducing the mortality risk of severe HFMD. METHODS: From 2014 to 2018, children diagnosed with severe HFMD cases in Guangxi, China, were enrolled in this hospital-based study. The epidemiological data obtained through face-to-face interviews with the parents and guardians. Univariate and multivariate logistics regression models were used to analyze the factors influencing the clinical outcomes of severe HFMD. The impact of the EV-A71 vaccination on inpatient mortality was analyzed by a comparison approach. RESULTS: A total of 1565 severe HFMD cases were enrolled in this survey, including 1474 (94.19%) survival cases and 91 (5.81%) death cases. The multivariate logistic analysis demonstrated that HFMD history of playmates in the last three months, first visit to the village hospital, time from the first visit to admission less than two days, no correct diagnosis for HFMD at the first visit, and having no rash symptoms were the independent risk factors for severe HFMD cases (all p < 0.05). While EV-A71 vaccination was a protective factor (p < 0.05). The EV-A71 vaccination group versus the non-vaccination group showed 2.23% of death in the vaccination group and 7.24% of death in the non-vaccination group. The EV-A71 vaccination protected 70.80% of the death of severe HFMD cases, with an effective index of 4.79. CONCLUSIONS: The mortality risk of severe HFMD in Guangxi was related to playmates had HFMD history in last 3 months, hospital grade, EV-A71 vaccination, patients visit hospital previously, and rash symptom. EV-A71 vaccination can significantly reduce mortality among severe HFMD. The findings are of great significance for the effective prevention and control of HFMD in Guangxi, southern China.

Promoting synchrony of power grids by restructuring network topologies.

The optimization of synchronization on distributed power grids is an important topic in recent years. We extensively study the optimization by restructuring grid topology in terms of connection rewirings. Due to the node-link dual property of power networks, i.e., the intrinsic generator-load dynamics of nodes and the multiple-attribute connections, we propose the frequency-correlation-optimization scheme to get grid topology with the largest anti-correlation by targeting the frequency-correlation function among nodes. The topology optimizations on both sparse and dense networks are successfully realized. The optimized topology exhibits more generator-consumer connections, indicating that a decentralization of the distribution of generator nodes on power grids favors synchronizability. The benefits of these frequency-correlation-optimized power grids to synchrony are verified. By comparing with the phase-coherence-optimization scheme that favors both the optimal topology and efficient synchronizability, we show that the frequency-correlation optimization and the phase-coherence optimization of power grids are usually compatible, while the former is more efficient and simpler in avoiding tedious simulations of high-dimensional nonlinear dynamics. Our explorations may shed light on the predesign and construction of modern distributed power grids, which are composed of decentralized miscellaneous power sources.

Light-Reconfiguring Inhomogeneous Soft Helical Pitch with Fatigue Resistance and Reversibility.

Active engineering and modulation of optical spectra in a remote and fully reversible light is urgently desired in photonics, chemistry, and materials. However, the real-time regulation of multiple optical information such as wavelength, bandwidth, reflectance, and polarization is still a longstanding issue due to the lack of an appropriate photoresponsive candidate. Herein, we propose an additional "degree-of-freedom (DOF)" in a photo-modulated soft helix, and build up an unprecedented inhomogeneous helical pitch length with light-reconfiguring property, fatigue resistance, and reversibility. For the working model, the intrinsic chiral photoswitch LBC5 is employed as an actuator to modulate the helical pitch length, which is proportional to the irradiation intensity, and the unique broadband absorbance photo-modulator BTA-C5 is incorporated as an attenuator of the transmitted light to decrease its intensity along the sample thickness, therefore successfully adding another controlled DOF on the pitch length distribution (i.e., homogeneous or inhomogeneous) apart from the common soft helix with only a single DOF on the pitch length. The absorbance photo-modulator BTA-C5 with a unique variable broadband absorption enables the light to reconfigure the helical pitch from homogeneous to inhomogeneous, thereby achieving the robust fatigue-resistance establishment of reversible spectral programming. The established light-reconfigurable inhomogeneous helical pitch with the photoresponsive modulator BTA-C5 can provide a breakthrough to control absorbance and chirality, especially for dynamically broadening and narrowing the bandwidth on demand, and further enable the ever-desired broadband NIR circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) with a high dissymmetry factor glum of up to 1.88. The cutting-edge photoswitchable inhomogeneous soft helical pitch provides access to multi-freedom control in soft materials, optics, biophotonics, and other relevant fields.

Tailoring ultra-broadband vector beams via programming the electric field vector of light.

With spatially inhomogeneous polarization, vector beam (VB) has created substantial opportunities in both optics and photonics. However, the limited spectral bandwidth of VB generator hinders further advances for higher level of integration and functionality. Here, an innovative approach of programming the electric field vector of light is proposed to tailor arbitrary ultra-broadband VBs, in parallel among an unprecedented wavelength range over 1000 nm covering the visible and NIR band. We demonstrate the twisted nematic liquid crystals (TNLCs), specifically arranged in-situ by a dynamic programmable photopatterning, enable to directly manipulate the electric field vector of transmitted light into the VB as desired. Furthermore, the electrical responsiveness of TNLCs yields a dynamic multifunctionality between the VB and Gaussian beam. We anticipate this ultra-broadband VB generator would be promising for a variety of applications like optical manipulation, super-resolution imaging, and integrated optical communication system.

Three-dimensional control of the helical axis of a chiral nematic liquid crystal by light.

Chiral nematic liquid crystals--otherwise referred to as cholesteric liquid crystals (CLCs)--are self-organized helical superstructures that find practical application in, for example, thermography, reflective displays, tuneable colour filters and mirrorless lasing. Dynamic, remote and three-dimensional control over the helical axis of CLCs is desirable, but challenging. For example, the orientation of the helical axis relative to the substrate can be changed from perpendicular to parallel by applying an alternating-current electric field, by changing the anchoring conditions of the substrate, or by altering the topography of the substrate's surface; separately, in-plane rotation of the helical axis parallel to the substrate can be driven by a direct-current field. Here we report three-dimensional manipulation of the helical axis of a CLC, together with inversion of its handedness, achieved solely with a light stimulus. We use this technique to carry out light-activated, wide-area, reversible two-dimensional beam steering--previously accomplished using complex integrated systems and optical phased arrays. During the three-dimensional manipulation by light, the helical axis undergoes, in sequence, a reversible transition from perpendicular to parallel, followed by in-plane rotation on the substrate surface. Such reversible manipulation depends on experimental parameters such as cell thickness, surface anchoring condition, and pitch length. Because there is no thermal relaxation, the system can be driven either forwards or backwards from any light-activated intermediate state. We also describe reversible photocontrol between a two-dimensional diffraction state, a one-dimensional diffraction state and a diffraction 'off' state in a bilayer cell.