Myrosinase isogenes in wasabi (Wasabia japonica Matsum) and their putative roles in glucosinolate metabolism.

BACKGROUND: Wasabi, a Brassicaceae member, is well-known for its unique pungent and hot flavor which is produced from glucosinolate (GSL) degradation. Myrosinase (MYR) is a principle enzyme catalyzing the primary conversion of GSLs to GSL hydrolysis products (GHPs) which is responsible for plant defense system and food quality. Due to the limited information in relation to MYRs present in wasabi (Wasabia japonica M.), this study aimed to identify the MYR isogenes in W. japonica and analyze their roles in relation to GSL metabolism. RESULTS: In results, WjMYRI-1 was abundantly expressed in all organs, whereas WjMYRI-2 showed only trace expression levels. WjMYRII was highly expressed in the aboveground tissues. Interestingly, WjMYRII expression was significantly upregulated by certain abiotic factors, such as methyl jasmonate (more than 40-fold in petioles and 15-fold in leaves) and salt (tenfold in leaves). Young leaves and roots contained 97.89 and 91.17 µmol‧g-1 of GSL, whereas less GSL was produced in mature leaves and petioles (38.36 and 44.79 µmol‧g-1, respectively). Similar pattern was observed in the accumulation of GHPs in various plant organs. Notably, despite the non-significant changes in GSL production, abiotic factors treated samples enhanced significantly GHP content. Pearson's correlation analysis revealed that WjMYRI-1 expression significantly correlated with GSL accumulation and GHP formation, suggesting the primary role of WjMYRI-1-encoding putative protein in GSL degradation. In contrast, WjMYRII expression level showed no correlation with GSL or GHP content, suggesting another physiological role of WjMYRII in stress-induced response. CONCLUSIONS: In conclusions, three potential isogenes (WjMYRI-1, WjMYRI-2, and WjMYRII) encoding for different MYR isoforms in W. japonica were identified. Our results provided new insights related to MYR and GSL metabolism which are important for the implications of wasabi in agriculture, food and pharmaceutical industry. Particularly, WjMYRI-1 may be primarily responsible for GSL degradation, whereas WjMYRII (clade II) may be involved in other regulatory pathways induced by abiotic factors.

Exploring Oxygen Vacancy Effect in 1D Structural SnIP for CO2 Electro-Reduction to Formate.

1D nanostructures exhibit a large surface area and a short network distance, facilitating electron and ion transport. In this study, a 1D van der Waals material, tin iodide phosphide (SnIP), is synthesized and used as an electrocatalyst for the conversion of CO2 to formate. The electrochemical treatment of SnIP reconstructs it into a web-like structure, dissolves the I and P components, and increases the number of oxygen vacancies. The resulting oxygen vacancies promote the activity of the CO2 reduction reaction (CO2RR), increasing the local pH of the electrode surface and maintaining the oxidative metal site of the catalyst despite the electrochemically reducing environment. This strategy, which stabilizes the oxidation state of the catalyst, also helps to improve the durability of CO2RR. In practice, 1D structured SnIP catalyst exhibits outstanding performance with >92% formate faradaic efficiency (FEformate) at 300 mA cm-2, a maximum partial current density for formate of 343 mA cm-2, and excellent long-term stability (>100 h at 100 mA cm-2 with >86% FEformate). This study introduced a method to easily generate oxygen vacancies on the catalyst surface by utilizing 1D materials and a strategy to improve the durability of CO2RR by stabilizing the oxidation state of the catalyst.

Assessment and optimization of wastewater treatment plant in terms of effluent quality, energy footprint, and greenhouse gas emissions: An integrated modeling approach.

Wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) can benefit from utilizing digital technologies to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to comply with effluent quality standards. In this study, the GHG emissions and electricity consumption of a WWTP were evaluated via computer simulation by varying the dissolved oxygen (DO), mixed liquor recirculation (MLR), and return activated sludge (RAS) parameters. Three different measures, namely, effluent water quality, GHG emissions, and energy consumption, were combined as water-energy-carbon coupling index (WECCI) to compare the effects of the parameters on WWTPs, and the optimal operating condition was determined. The initial conditions of the A2O process were set to 4.0 mg/L of DO, 100 % MLR, and 90.7 % RAS. Eighty scenarios with various DO, MLR, and RAS were simulated under steady-state condition to optimize the biological treatment process. The optimal operating conditions were found to be 1.5 mg/L of DO, 190 % MLR, and 90.9 % RAS, which had the highest WECCI of 2.40 when compared to the WECCI of the initial condition (1.07). This optimal condition simultaneously reduced GHG emissions by 1348 kg CO2-eq/d and energy consumption by 11.64 MWh/d. This implies that controlling DO, MLR, and RAS through sensors, valves, and pumps offers a promising approach to operating WWTPs with reduced electricity consumption and GHG emissions while attaining effluent quality standards. Additionally, the nitrous oxide stripping rate exhibited linear relationships with the effluent total ammonia and nitrite concentrations in the aerobic reactor, suggesting that monitoring dissolved nitrogen compounds in the effluent and reactor could be a viable strategy to control MLR and DO in the biological reactor. The digital-based assessment and optimization tools developed in this study are expected to hold promise for application in broader environmental management efforts.

Pediatric Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation in Korea: A Multicenter Retrospective Study on Utilization and Outcomes Spanning Over a Decade.

BACKGROUND: Over the last decade, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) use in critically ill children has increased and is associated with favorable outcomes. Our study aims to evaluate the current status of pediatric ECMO in Korea, with a specific focus on its volume and changes in survival rates based on diagnostic indications. METHODS: This multicenter study retrospectively analyzed the indications and outcomes of pediatric ECMO over 10 years in patients at 14 hospitals in Korea from January 2012 to December 2021. Four diagnostic categories (neonatal respiratory, pediatric respiratory, post-cardiotomy, and cardiac-medical) and trends were compared between periods 1 (2012-2016) and 2 (2017-2021). RESULTS: Overall, 1065 ECMO runs were performed on 1032 patients, with the annual number of cases remaining unchanged over the 10 years. ECMO was most frequently used for post-cardiotomy (42.4%), cardiac-medical (31.8%), pediatric respiratory (17.5%), and neonatal respiratory (8.2%) cases. A 3.7% increase and 6.1% decrease in pediatric respiratory and post-cardiotomy cases, respectively, were noted between periods 1 and 2. Among the four groups, the cardiac-medical group had the highest survival rate (51.2%), followed by the pediatric respiratory (46.4%), post-cardiotomy (36.5%), and neonatal respiratory (29.4%) groups. A consistent improvement was noted in patient survival over the 10 years, with a significant increase between the two periods from 38.2% to 47.1% (P = 0.004). Improvement in survival was evident in post-cardiotomy cases (30-45%, P = 0.002). Significant associations with mortality were observed in neonates, patients requiring dialysis, and those treated with extracorporeal cardiopulmonary resuscitation (P < 0.001). In pediatric respiratory ECMO, immunocompromised patients also showed a significant correlation with mortality (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Pediatric ECMO demonstrated a steady increase in overall survival in Korea; however, further efforts are needed since the outcomes remain suboptimal compared with global outcomes.

Antiepileptic and Neuroprotective Effects of Rheum tanguticum Root Extract on Trimethyltin-Induced Epilepsy and Neurodegeneration: In Vivo and in Silico Analyses.

BACKGROUND: Rheum tanguticum root, cataloged as "Daehwang" in the Korean Pharmacopeia, is rich in various anthraquinones known for their anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Formulations containing Daehwang are traditionally employed for treating neurological conditions. This study aimed to substantiate the antiepileptic and neuroprotective efficacy of R. tanguticum root extract (RTE) against trimethyltin (TMT)-induced epileptic seizures and hippocampal neurodegeneration. METHODS: The constituents of RTE were identified by ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC). Experimental animals were grouped into the following five categories: control, TMT, and three TMT+RTE groups with dosages of 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg. Seizure severity was assessed daily for comparison between the groups. Brain tissue samples were examined to determine the extent of neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation using histological and molecular biology techniques. Network pharmacology analysis involved extracting herbal targets for Daehwang and disease targets for epilepsy from multiple databases. A protein-protein interaction network was built using the Search Tool for the Retrieval of Interacting Genes/Proteins (STRING) database, and pivotal targets were determined by topological analysis. Enrichment analysis was performed using the Database for Annotation, Visualization, and Integrated Discovery (DAVID) tool to elucidate the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: The RTE formulation was found to contain sennoside A, sennoside B, chrysophanol, emodin, physcion, (+)-catechin, and quercetin-3-O-glucuronoid. RTE effectively inhibited TMT-induced seizures at 10, 30, and 100 mg/kg dosages and attenuated hippocampal neuronal decay and neuroinflammation at 30 and 100 mg/kg dosages. Furthermore, RTE significantly reduced mRNA levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), and c-fos in hippocampal tissues. Network analysis revealed TNF, Interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß), Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Protein c-fos (FOS), RAC-alpha serine/threonine-protein kinase (AKT1), and Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) as the core targets. Enrichment analysis demonstrated significant involvement of R. tanguticum components in neurodegeneration (p = 4.35 × 10-5) and TNF signaling pathway (p = 9.94 × 10-5). CONCLUSIONS: The in vivo and in silico analyses performed in this study suggests that RTE can potentially modulate TMT-induced epileptic seizures and neurodegeneration. Therefore, R. tanguticum root is a promising herbal treatment option for antiepileptic and neuroprotective applications.

Peptide-Assembled Single-Chain Atomic Crystal Enhances Pluripotent Stem Cell Differentiation to Neurons.

Nanomaterials hybridized with biological components have widespread applications. among many candidates, peptides are attractive in that their peptide sequences can self-assemble with the surface of target materials with high specificity without perturbing the intrinsic properties of nanomaterials. Here, a 1D hybrid nanomaterial was developed through self-assembly of a designed peptide. A hexagonal coiled-coil motif geometrically matched to the diameter of the inorganic nanomaterial was fabricated, whose hydrophobic surface was wrapped along the axis of the hydrophobic core of the coiled coil. Our morphological and spectroscopic analyses revealed rod-shaped, homogeneous peptide-inorganic nanomaterial complexes. Culturing embryonic stem cells on surfaces coated with this peptide-assembled single-chain atomic crystal increased the growth and adhesion of the embryonic stem cells. The hybridized nanomaterial also served as an ECM for brain organoids, accelerating the maturation of neurons. New methods to fabricate hybrid materials through peptide assembly can be applied.

Controlled Bipolar Doping of One-Dimensional van der Waals Nb2Pd3Se8.

Tailoring the electrical properties of one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals (vdW) materials is desirable for their applications toward electronic devices by exploiting their unique characteristics. However, 1D vdW materials have not been extensively investigated for modulation of their electrical properties. Here we control doping levels and types of 1D vdW Nb2Pd3Se8 over a wide energy range by immersion in AuCl3 or ß-nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) solutions, respectively. Through spectroscopic analyses and electrical characterizations, we confirm that the charges were effectively transferred to Nb2Pd3Se8, and the dopant concentration was adjusted to the immersion time. Furthermore, we make the axial p-n junction of 1D Nb2Pd3Se8 by a selective area p-doping using the AuCl3 solution, which exhibits rectifying behavior with an Iforward/Ireverse of 81 and an ideality factor of 1.2. Our findings could pave the way to more practical and functional electronic devices based on 1D vdW materials.

Incidence and Mortality Trends in Critically Ill Children: A Korean Population-Based Study.

BACKGROUND: Monitoring mortality trends can help design ways to improve survival, but observation of national mortality trends in critically ill children is lacking for the Korean population. METHODS: We analyzed the incidence and mortality trends of children younger than 18 years admitted to an intensive care unit (ICU) from 2012 to 2018 using the Korean National Health Insurance database. Neonates and neonatal ICU admissions were excluded. Multivariable logistic regression analyses were performed to estimate the odds ratio of in-hospital mortality according to admission year. Trends in incidence and in-hospital mortality of subgroups according to admission department, age, presence of intensivists, admissions to pediatric ICU, mechanical ventilation, and use of vasopressors were evaluated. RESULTS: The overall mortality of critically ill children was 4.4%. There was a significant decrease in mortality from 5.5% in 2012 to 4.1% in 2018 (P for trend < 0.001). The incidence of ICU admission in children remained around 8.5/10,000 population years (P for trend = 0.069). In-hospital mortality decreased by 9.2% yearly in adjusted analysis (P < 0.001). The presence of dedicated intensivists (P for trend < 0.001, mortality decrease from 5.7% to 4.0%) and admission to pediatric ICU (P for trend < 0.001, mortality decrease from 5.0% to 3.2%) were associated with significant decreasing trends in mortality. CONCLUSION: Mortality among critically ill children improved during the study period, and the improving trend was prominent in children with high treatment requirements. Varying mortality trends, according to ICU organizations, highlight that advances in medical knowledge should be supported structurally.

Effects of Charge Traps on Hysteresis in Organic Field-Effect Transistors and Their Charge Trap Cause Analysis through Causal Inference Techniques.

Hysteresis in organic field-effect transistors is attributed to the well-known bias stress effects. This is a phenomenon in which the measured drain-source current varies when sweeping the gate voltage from on to off or from off to on. Hysteresis is caused by various factors, and one of the most common is charge trapping. A charge trap is a defect that occurs in an interface state or part of a semiconductor, and it refers to an electronic state that appears distributed in the semiconductor's energy band gap. Extensive research has been conducted recently on obtaining a better understanding of charge traps for hysteresis. However, it is still difficult to accurately measure or characterize them, and their effects on the hysteresis of organic transistors remain largely unknown. In this study, we conduct a literature survey on the hysteresis caused by charge traps from various perspectives. We first analyze the driving principle of organic transistors and introduce various types of hysteresis. Subsequently, we analyze charge traps and determine their influence on hysteresis. In particular, we analyze various estimation models for the traps and the dynamics of the hysteresis generated through these traps. Lastly, we conclude this study by explaining the causal inference approach, which is a machine learning technique typically used for current data analysis, and its implementation for the quantitative analysis of the causal relationship between the hysteresis and the traps.

Improved Crystallinity of Graphene Grown on Cu/Ni (111) through Sequential Mobile Hot-Wire Heat Treatment.

Over the past few years, many efforts have been devoted to growing single-crystal graphene due to its great potential in future applications. However, a number of issues remain for single-crystal graphene growth, such as control of nanoscale defects and the substrate-dependent nonuniformity of graphene quality. In this work, we demonstrate a possible route toward single-crystal graphene by combining aligned nucleation of graphene nanograins on Cu/Ni (111) and sequential heat treatment over pregrown graphene grains. By use of a mobile hot-wire CVD system, prealigned grains were stitched into one continuous film with up to ∼97% single-crystal domains, compared to graphene grown on polycrystalline Cu, which was predominantly high-angle tilt boundary (HATB) domains. The single-crystal-like graphene showed remarkably high thermal conductivity and carrier mobility of ∼1349 W/mK at 350 K and ∼33 600 (38 400) cm2 V-1 s-1 for electrons (holes), respectively, which indicates that the crystallinity is high due to suppression of HATB domains.

Novel High Current-Carrying Quasi-1D Material: Nb2 PdS6.

A quasi-one-dimensional van der Waals metallic nanowire Nb2 PdS6 is synthesized, and its electrical characteristics are analyzed. The chemical vapor transport method is applied to produce centimeter-scale Nb2 PdS6 crystals with needle-like structures and X-ray diffraction (XRD) confirms their high crystallinity. Scanning transmission electron microscopy reveals the crystal orientation and atomic arrangement of the specific region with atomic resolution. The electrical properties are examined by delaminating bulk Nb2 PdS6 crystals into a few nanometer-scale wires onto 100 nm-SiO2 /Si substrates using a mechanical exfoliation process. Ohmic behavior is confirmed at the low-field measurements regardless of their thickness variation, and 4.64 nm-thick Nb2 PdS6 shows a breakdown current density (JBD ) of 52 MA cm-2 when the high electrical field is delivered. Moreover, with further exfoliation down to a single atomic chain, the JBD of Nb2 PdS6 is predicted to have a value of 527 MA cm-2 . The breakdown of Nb2 PdS6 proceeds due to the Joule heating mechanism, and the Nb2 PdS6 nanowires are well fitted to the 1D thermal dissipating model.

Carrier mobility of one-dimensional vanadium selenide (V2Se9) monolayer and nanoribbon systems: DFT study.

Vanadium selenide (V2Se9) is a true one-dimensional (1D) crystal composed of atomic nanochains bonded by van der Waals (vdW) interactions. Recent experiments revealed the mechanical exfoliation of newly synthesized V2Se9. In this study, we predicted the electronic and transport properties of V2Se9through computational analyses. We calculated the intrinsic carrier mobility of V2Se9monolayers (MLs) and nanoribbons (NRs) using density functional theory and deformation potential theory. We found that the electron mobility of the two-dimensional (2D) (010)-plane ML of V2Se9is highly anisotropic, reachingµ2D,ze=1327cm2V-1s-1across the chain direction. The electron mobility of 1D NR systems in a (010)-plane ML of V2Se9along the chain direction continuously increased as the thickness increased from 1-chain to 4-chain NR (width below 3 nm). Interestingly, the electron mobility of 1D 4-chain NR along the chain direction (µ1D,xe=775cm2V-1s-1) was higher than that of a 2D (010)-plane ML (µ2D,xe=567cm2V-1s-1). These results demonstrate the potential of vdW-1D crystal V2Se9as a new nanomaterial for ultranarrow (sub-3 nm width) optoelectronic devices with high electron mobility.

Alternative splicing diversifies the transcriptome and proteome of the rice blast fungus during host infection.

Alternative splicing (AS) contributes to diversifying and regulating cellular responses to environmental conditions and developmental cues by differentially producing multiple mRNA and protein isoforms from a single gene. Previous studies on AS in pathogenic fungi focused on profiling AS isoforms under a limited number of conditions. We analysed AS profiles in the rice blast fungus Magnaporthe oryzae, a global threat to rice production, using high-quality transcriptome data representing its vegetative growth (mycelia) and multiple host infection stages. We identified 4,270 AS isoforms derived from 2,413 genes, including 499 genes presumably regulated by infection-specific AS. AS appears to increase during infection, with 32.7% of the AS isoforms being produced during infection but absent in mycelia. Analysis of the isoforms observed at each infection stage showed that 636 AS isoforms were more abundant than corresponding annotated mRNAs, especially after initial hyphal penetration into host cell. Many such dominant isoforms were predicted to encode regulatory proteins such as transcription factors and phospho-transferases. We also identified the genes encoding distinct proteins via AS and confirmed the translation of some isoforms via a proteomic analysis, suggesting potential AS-mediated neo-functionalization of some genes during infection. Comprehensive profiling of the pattern of genome-wide AS during multiple stages of rice-M. oryzae interaction established a foundational resource that will help investigate the role and regulation of AS during rice infection.

Genomics and Informatics, Conjoined Tools Vital for Understanding and Protecting Plant Health.

Genomics' impact on crop production continuously expands. The number of sequenced plant and microbial species and strains representing diverse populations of individual species rapidly increases thanks to the advent of next-generation sequencing technologies. Their genomic blueprints revealed candidate genes involved in various functions and processes crucial for crop health and helped in understanding how the sequenced organisms have evolved at the genome level. Functional genomics quickly translates these blueprints into a detailed mechanistic understanding of how such functions and processes work and are regulated; this understanding guides and empowers efforts to protect crops from diverse biotic and abiotic threats. Metagenome analyses help identify candidate microbes crucial for crop health and uncover how microbial communities associated with crop production respond to environmental conditions and cultural practices, presenting opportunities to enhance crop health by judiciously configuring microbial communities. Efficient conversion of disparate types of massive genomics data into actionable knowledge requires a robust informatics infrastructure supporting data preservation, analysis, and sharing. This review starts with an overview of how genomics came about and has quickly transformed life science. We illuminate how genomics and informatics can be applied to investigate various crop health-related problems using selected studies. We end the review by noting why community empowerment via crowdsourcing is crucial to harnessing genomics to protect global food and nutrition security without continuously expanding the environmental footprint of crop production.

Bone healing on serial plain radiographs occurs slowly but adequately after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy without bone graft.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to prospectively investigate osteotomy gap filling rates on serial plain radiographs, and to evaluate whether alignment correction is maintained after medial opening wedge high tibial osteotomy (MOWHTO) using a locking plate without bone graft. METHODS: Between March 2014 and June 2017, MOWHTO was performed without bone graft regardless of gap size. Radiographs were taken preoperatively, postoperatively, at 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after surgery. Radiographic examinations included a weight bearing long-standing anteroposterior (AP) view of the whole lower extremity, as well as, the AP, lateral, and both oblique views of the knee. Bone healing was measured on the medial oblique view of the knee. The postoperative alignment correction and its maintenance were assessed using the three radiologic parameters of the weight-bearing line (WBL) ratio, the hip-knee-ankle angle (HKAA), and the medial proximal tibial angle (MPTA) on the weight-bearing long-standing AP view of the lower extremity. RESULTS: Fifty-two consecutive patients underwent MOWHTO, but three patients failed to follow-up for more than 24 months. A total of 49 patients were assessed in this study. The median opening gap height was 10.0 mm (IQR, 8.0-12.0; range, 7-20). On immediate post-operative radiographs, the mean gap filling was 31.4 ± 3.6%. After 1, 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months, the mean gap filling rates increased to 38.7 ± 4.4%, 51.4 ± 6.6%, 66.5 ± 5.1%, 84.8 ± 7.0%, 92.4 ± 5.6%, and 97.8 ± 2.3%, respectively. Statistical differences were observed between all the follow-up evaluations (P < 0.001). Statistical differences in the WBL ratio, HKAA, and MPTA were observed between preoperatively and 1 month after surgery (P < 0.001). The mean PTSA increased significantly from preoperatively to postoperatively (P < 0.001). However, no statistical differences were found between the post-operative follow-up radiographs performed for these four values. CONCLUSION: MOWHTO using a locking plate without bone graft achieved at least 90% bone healing and had no loss in correction at 2 years postoperatively. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.

Complete genome sequence of Bacillus velezensis NST6 and comparison with the species belonging to operational group B. amyloliquefaciens.

Bacillus spp. play important roles in production of bioactive natural products with potential agricultural and medical applications. The three families of lipopeptides produced by Bacillus spp. have been most recognized for their antagonistic activity against other microbes, i.e. fengycin, iturin, and surfactin. A novel strain NST6 was isolated from soil and identified as B. velezensis based on phylogenomic analysis. Genome analysis revealed 21 putative biosynthetic gene clusters including the ones responsible for producing bacillomycin and surfactin. However, fengycin cluster was compromised with absence or partial disruption of three non-ribosomal peptide synthetases. Distribution of biosynthetic gene clusters showed that clusters for iturin families were well conserved in 327 genomes of the species belonging to the operational group B. amyloliquefaciens. However, clusters for fengycin and surfactin showed dynamic distribution at gene level. Comparative analysis of closely related species would provide new insights to the diversity in genetic elements for secondary metabolites.

Fine-Tuned DenseNet-169 for Breast Cancer Metastasis Prediction Using FastAI and 1-Cycle Policy.

Lymph node metastasis in breast cancer may be accurately predicted using a DenseNet-169 model. However, the current system for identifying metastases in a lymph node is manual and tedious. A pathologist well-versed with the process of detection and characterization of lymph nodes goes through hours investigating histological slides. Furthermore, because of the massive size of most whole-slide images (WSI), it is wise to divide a slide into batches of small image patches and apply methods independently on each patch. The present work introduces a novel method for the automated diagnosis and detection of metastases from whole slide images using the Fast AI framework and the 1-cycle policy. Additionally, it compares this new approach to previous methods. The proposed model has surpassed other state-of-art methods with more than 97.4% accuracy. In addition, a mobile application is developed for prompt and quick response. It collects user information and models to diagnose metastases present in the early stages of cancer. These results indicate that the suggested model may assist general practitioners in accurately analyzing breast cancer situations, hence preventing future complications and mortality. With digital image processing, histopathologic interpretation and diagnostic accuracy have improved considerably.

Genetic Diversity and Association Analysis for Carotenoid Content among Sprouts of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. Walp).

The development and promotion of biofortified foods plants are a sustainable strategy for supplying essential micronutrients for human health and nutrition. We set out to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) associated with carotenoid content in cowpea sprouts. The contents of carotenoids, including lutein, zeaxanthin, and ß-carotene in sprouts of 125 accessions were quantified via high-performance liquid chromatography. Significant variation existed in the profiles of the different carotenoids. Lutein was the most abundant (58 ± 12.8 mg/100 g), followed by zeaxanthin (14.7 ± 3.1 mg/100 g) and ß-carotene (13.2 ± 2.9 mg/100 g). A strong positive correlation was observed among the carotenoid compounds (r ≥ 0.87), indicating they can be improved concurrently. The accessions were distributed into three groups, following their carotenoid profiles, with accession C044 having the highest sprout carotenoid content in a single cluster. A total of 3120 genome-wide SNPs were tested for association analysis, which revealed that carotenoid biosynthesis in cowpea sprouts is a polygenic trait controlled by genes with additive and dominance effects. Seven loci were significantly associated with the variation in carotenoid content. The evidence of variation in carotenoid content and genomic regions controlling the trait creates an avenue for breeding cowpea varieties with enhanced sprouts carotenoid content.

Biodiesel production potential of microalgae, cultivated in acid mine drainage and livestock wastewater.

The adaptability and biofuel production potential of two strains of microalgae isolated and cultivated in livestock wastewater effluent (LWE) with acid mine drainage (AMD) were investigated. The isolated strains of microalgae from samples obtained from LWE and AMD, two microalgal strains (Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 and Autodesmus obliquus KGE17) were selected based on their growth rate and lipid productivity. The dry cell weight of Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 and Autodesmus obliquus KGE17 after 20 days of cultivation in AMD increased from 0.05 to 0.59 g/L and from 0.05 to 0.55 g/L, respectively. These findings revealed a significant accumulation of fatty acids with increasing AMD content. Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 in LWE with 5% AMD demonstrated a higher growth rate (0.59 ± 0.03 g/L) and fatty acid production (401.5 ± 47.3 mg/L) than Autodesmus obliquus KGE17 with 5% AMD. Additionally, Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 had C16-C18 fatty acid content (92.4%) in LWE with AMD. Biodiesel produced from Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 had a higher cetane number (52.31) and iodine value (88.26 g I2/100 g oil). Consequently, Nephroselmis sp. KGE2 can be considered a potential candidate for biodiesel production using AMD as an iron source.

Ta2 Ni3 Se8 : 1D van der Waals Material with Ambipolar Behavior.

In this study, high-purity and centimeter-scale bulk Ta2 Ni3 Se8 crystals are obtained by controlling the growth temperature and stoichiometric ratio between tantalum, nickel, and selenium. It is demonstrated that the bulk Ta2 Ni3 Se8 crystals could be effectively exfoliated into a few chain-scale nanowires through simple mechanical exfoliation and liquid-phase exfoliation. Also, the calculation of electronic band structures confirms that Ta2 Ni3 Se8 is a semiconducting material with a small bandgap. A field-effect transistor is successfully fabricated on the mechanically exfoliated Ta2 Ni3 Se8 nanowires. Transport measurements at room temperature reveal that Ta2 Ni3 Se8 nanowires exhibit ambipolar semiconducting behavior with maximum mobilities of 20.3 and 3.52 cm2 V-1 s-1 for electrons and holes, respectively. The temperature-dependent transport measurement (from 90 to 295 K) confirms the carrier transport mechanism of Ta2 Ni3 Se8 nanowires. Based on these characteristics, the obtained 1D vdW material is expected to be a potential candidate for additional 1D materials as channel materials.