Genomic analyses reveal dead-end hybridization between two deeply divergent kiwifruit species rather than homoploid hybrid speciation.

Despite the importance of hybridization in evolution, the evolutionary consequence of homoploid hybridizations in plants remains poorly understood. Specially, homoploid hybridization events have been rarely documented due to a lack of genomic resources and methodological limitations. Actinidia zhejiangensis was suspected to have arisen from hybridization of Actinidia eriantha and Actinidia hemsleyana or Actinidia rufa. However, this species was very rare in nature and exhibited sympatric distribution with its potential parent species, which implied it might be a spontaneous hybrid of ongoing homoploid hybridization. Here, we illustrate the dead-end homoploid hybridization and genomic basis of isolating barriers between A. eriantha and A. hemsleyana through whole genome sequencing and population genomic analyses. Chromosome-scale genome assemblies of A. zhejiangensis and A. hemsleyana were generated. The chromosomes of A. zhejiangensis are confidently assigned to the two haplomes, and one of them originates from A. eriantha and the other originates from A. hemsleyana. Whole genome resequencing data reveal that A. zhejiangensis are mainly F1 hybrids of A. hemsleyana and A. eriantha and gene flow initiated about 0.98 million years ago, implying both strong genetic barriers and ongoing hybridization between these two deeply divergent kiwifruit species. Five inversions containing genes involved in pollen germination and pollen tube growth might account for the fertility breakdown of hybrids between A. hemsleyana and A. eriantha. Despite its distinct morphological traits and long recurrent hybrid origination, A. zhejiangensis does not initiate speciation. Collectively, our study provides new insights into homoploid hybridization in plants and provides genomic resources for evolutionary and functional genomic studies of kiwifruit.

The effects of different positions on lower extremity hemodynamics during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate the effects of two different positions on lower extremity hemodynamics during robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RARP) for prostate cancer. METHODS: A total of 196 patients who underwent RARP in our hospital from February 2020 to March 2022 were included in this study. Among them, 98 patients who underwent surgery with the Trendelenburg position and split-leg position with calf reverse arch from March 2021 to March 2022 were assigned to the observation group, while 98 patients who underwent surgery with the Trendelenburg position and low lithotomy position from February 2020 to February 2021 were assigned to the control group. Using an ultrasound diagnostic instrument to detect the internal diameter, mean blood flow velocity, and mean blood flow volume of the left deep femoral vein at different times, such as the supine position (T0), after 5 minutes of placing the patient in the leg spilt or low lithotomy position (T1), after 5 minutes of pneumoperitoneum (T2), after 5 minutes of head-down tilt or head-down tilt and calf reverse arch (T3), 1.5 hours after the start of surgery (T4), before the removal of CO2 gas (T5), and before the patient left the operating room (T6). As well as the patency of deep venous blood flow in both lower extremities before leaving the operating room, RESULTS: After establishment of pneumoperitoneum, the internal diameter of the deep femoral vein increased significantly, while the mean blood flow velocity and mean blood flow volume decreased significantly in both groups(T0) (P<0.001). With the prolongation of surgical time, the impact on lower extremity hemodynamics in the observation group was smaller than that in the control group. From T2 to T6, the internal diameter of the femoral vein in the observation group was smaller than that in the control group, while the mean blood flow velocity and mean blood flow volume were increased compared to the control group (P<0.05). Before leaving the operating room, the patency of deep venous blood flow in the observation group was better than that in the control group (P=0.003). CONCLUSION: Placing patients in the Trendelenburg position and split-leg position with calf reverse arch during RARP for prostate cancer has a smaller impact on lower extremity hemodynamics than the low lithotomy position, and can relatively reduce the risk of postoperative deep vein thrombosis.

Evolution of the DEHYDRATION-RESPONSIVE ELEMENT-BINDING PROTEIN subfamily in green plants.

Adapting to unfavorable environments is a necessary step in plant terrestrialization and radiation. The dehydration-responsive element-binding (DREB) protein subfamily plays a pivotal role in plant abiotic stress regulation. However, relationships between the origin and expansion of the DREB subfamily and adaptive evolution of land plants are still being elucidated. Here, we constructed the evolutionary history of the DREB subfamily by compiling APETALA2/ethylene-responsive element-binding protein superfamily genes from 169 representative species of green plants. Through extensive phylogenetic analyses and comparative genomic analysis, our results revealed that the DREB subfamily diverged from the ethylene-responsive factor (ERF) subfamily in the common ancestor of Zygnemophyceae and Embryophyta during the colonization of land by plants, followed by expansions to form three different ancient archetypal genes in Zygnemophyceae species, designated as groups archetype-I, archetype-II/III, and archetype-IV. Four large-scale expansions paralleling the evolution of land plants led to the nine-subgroup divergence of group archetype-II/III in angiosperms, and five whole-genome duplications during Brassicaceae and Poaceae radiation shaped the diversity of subgroup IIb-1. We identified a Poaceae-specific gene in subgroup IIb-1, ERF014, remaining in a Poaceae-specific microsynteny block and co-evolving with a small heat shock protein cluster. Expression analyses demonstrated that heat acclimation may have driven the neofunctionalization of ERF014s in Pooideae by engaging in the conserved heat-responsive module in Poaceae. This study provides insights into lineage-specific expansion and neofunctionalization in the DREB subfamily, together with evolutionary information valuable for future functional studies of plant stress biology.

Wheat PP2C-a10 regulates seed germination and drought tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis.

KEY MESSAGE: A wheat protein phosphatase PP2C-a10, which interacted with TaDOG1L1 and TaDOG1L4, promoted seed germination and decreased drought tolerance of transgenic Arabidopsis. Seed dormancy and germination are critical to plant fitness. DELAY OF GERMINATION 1 (DOG1) is a quantitative trait locus for dormancy in Arabidopsis thaliana. Some interactions between DOG1 and the type 2C protein phosphatases (PP2Cs) have been reported in Arabidopsis. However, the research on molecular functions and regulations of DOG1Ls and group A PP2Cs in wheat (Triticum aestivum. L), an important crop plant, is rare. In this study, the whole TaDOG1L family was identified. Expression analysis revealed that TaDOG1L2, TaDOG1L4 and TaDOG1L-N2 specially expressed in wheat grains, while others displayed distinct expression patterns. Yeast two-hybrid analysis of TaDOG1Ls and group A TaPP2Cs revealed interaction patterns differed from those in Arabidopsis, and TaDOG1L1 and TaDOG1L4 interacted with TaPP2C-a10. The qRT-PCR analysis showed that TaPP2C-a10 exhibited the highest transcript level in wheat grains. Further investigation showed that ectopic expression of TaPP2C-a10 in Arabidopsis promoted seed germination and decreased sensitivity to ABA during germination stage. Additionally, TaPP2C-a10 transgenic Arabidopsis exhibited decreased tolerance to drought stress. Finally, the phylogenetic analysis indicated that TaPP2C-a10 gene was conserved in angiosperm during evolutionary process. Overall, our results reveal the role of TaPP2C-a10 in seed germination and abiotic stress response, as well as the functional diversity of TaDOG1L family.

Genomics-Enabled Analysis of Puroindoline b2 Genes Identifies New Alleles in Wheat and Related Triticeae Species.

Kernel hardness is a key trait of wheat seeds, largely controlled by two tightly linked genes Puroindoline a and b (Pina and Pinb). Genes homologous to Pinb, namely Pinb2, have been studied. Whether these genes contribute to kernel hardness and other important seed traits remains inconclusive. Using the high-quality bread wheat reference genome, we show that PINB2 are encoded by three homoeologous loci Pinb2 not syntenic to the Hardness locus, with Pinb2-7A locus containing three tandem copies. PINB2 proteins have several features conserved for the Pin/Pinb2 phylogenetic cluster but lack a structural basis of significant impact on kernel hardness. Pinb2 are seed-specifically expressed with varied expression levels between the homoeologous copies and among wheat varieties. Using the high-quality genome information, we developed new Pinb2 allele specific markers and demonstrated their usefulness by 1) identifying new Pinb2 alleles in Triticeae species; and 2) performing an association analysis of Pinb2 with kernel hardness. The association result suggests that Pinb2 genes may have no substantial contribution to kernel hardness. Our results provide new insights into Pinb2 evolution and expression and the new allele-specific markers are useful to further explore Pinb2's contribution to seed traits in wheat.

Genome-wide identification and analysis of WD40 proteins in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

BACKGROUND: WD40 domains are abundant in eukaryotes, and they are essential subunits of large multiprotein complexes, which serve as scaffolds. WD40 proteins participate in various cellular processes, such as histone modification, transcription regulation, and signal transduction. WD40 proteins are regarded as crucial regulators of plant development processes. However, the systematic identification and analysis of WD40 proteins have yet to be reported in wheat. RESULTS: In this study, a total of 743 WD40 proteins were identified in wheat, and they were grouped into 5 clusters and 11 subfamilies. Their gene structures, chromosomal locations, and evolutionary relationships were analyzed. Among them, 39 and 46 pairs of TaWD40s were distinguished as tandem duplication and segmental duplication genes. The 123 OsWD40s were identified to exhibit synteny with TaWD40s. TaWD40s showed the specific characteristics at the reproductive developmental stage, and numerous TaWD40s were involved in responses to stresses, including cold, heat, drought, and powdery mildew infection pathogen, based on the result of RNA-seq data analysis. The expression profiles of some TaWD40s in wheat seed development were confirmed through qRT-PCR technique. CONCLUSION: In this study, 743 TaWD40s were identified from the wheat genome. As the main driving force of evolution, duplication events were observed, and homologous recombination was another driving force of evolution. The expression profiles of TaWD40s revealed their importance for the growth and development of wheat and their response to biotic and abiotic stresses. Our study also provided important information for further functional characterization of some WD40 proteins in wheat.

Correction to: Genome-wide identification and analysis of WD40 proteins in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Following the publication of this article [1], the authors reported the following errors.

The CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism is associated with breast cancer: evidence from a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Numerous epidemiological studies have evaluated the association between the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism and the risk of breast cancers. However, these studies have yielded conflicting results. To derive a more precise estimation of this association, this meta-analysis was conducted. METHODS: A comprehensive search using the keywords "CDH1," "E-Cadherin," "polymorphism," "SNP," and "variant" combined with "breast," "cancer," "tumor," or "carcinomas" was conducted. Pooled odds ratios (ORs) with 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were appropriately calculated using a fixed effect or random effect model. Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) 2009 checklist was used for this meta-analysis. RESULTS: Four publications including five studies were identified. It was found that the CDH1 -160C/A polymorphism was significantly associated with breast cancer risk in the dominant model (CA + AA vs. CC: OR = 1.207, 95 % CI = 1.031-1.412, P = 0.019). CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis demonstrated that the -160C/A polymorphism in the CDH1 gene might contribute to breast cancer susceptibility. Further investigations using a much larger sample including different ethnicities are still needed to verify this association.

Effect of distilled water on rapid inactivation of tumour cells attached to surgery instruments.

The aim of the study was to explore the effect of distilled water on killing tumour cells attached to the surgery instruments during operation. Tumour cells were collected from the suspected tumour cell-contaminated surgery instruments and then cultured. Then the tumour cells were treated by distilled water at different gradient temperature for different time periods. The morphology of the tumour cells was observed by inverted microscope after hematoxylin-eosin staining. The results showed that positive tumour cell culture rate was 34.3%. After soaked in distilled water for 60 s at 55°C, the tumour cells were inactive, and the death rate was 100%. We also found that no active cells were seen to grow adherently after recultured. In conclusion, tumour cells can be killed by distilled water for 60 s at 55°C, which provides a new fast and low-cost tumour-free technique to inactivate tumour cells attached to surgery instruments.

Effect of RARC-ERAS nursing program on clinical outcomes in patients undergoing RARC surgery: a retrospective, propensity matching study.

Currently, there is no specific perioperative nursing standard for RARC based on the ERAS concept. This retrospective study investigates to analyze the effect of RARC-ERAS nursing program on VTE and other clinical outcomes in patients undergoing RARC surgery. This retrospective study included 216 patients undergoing RARC surgery From January 1, 2022 to December 30, 2023, and propensity score adjustment analysis was applied. The study compares a control group receiving traditional nursing and an observation group receiving RARC-ERAS nursing program. Perioperative variables and other postoperative complications were retrieved from the hospital medical records. After propensity score matching, there were no significant differences in the demographic and clinical characteristics between the two groups (p > 0.05). The ERAS group exhibited aa significantly higher rate of postoperative unobstructed venous blood flow in the lower extremities by color Doppler ultrasound as compared to the control group (94.6% VS 80.4%, p = 0.042). Before anesthesia induction, lower preoperative anxiety and surgical information needs scores were observed in the ERAS group than in the control group (p < 0.05). Compared to the control group, the ERAS group demonstrated a shorter surgical duration, a lower incidence of perioperative hypothermia, less time needed for getting out of bed, anal exhaust, and for defecation after returning to the ward (p < 0.05). RARC-ERAS nursing program significantly increased the rate of postoperative unobstructed venous blood flow in the lower extremities by color doppler ultrasound, lower preoperative anxiety and intraoperative hypothermia in patients undergoing RARC. This nursing approach presents a valuable strategy for enhancing patient outcomes and merits further exploration in clinical practice.Trial registration:ChiCTR2400081118; http://www.chictr.org.cn , Principal investigator: Mang-mang He, Date of registration: Feb 22, 2024.

Genome assembly of autotetraploid Actinidia arguta highlights adaptive evolution and enables dissection of important economic traits.

Actinidia arguta, the most widely distributed Actinidia species and the second cultivated species in the genus, can be distinguished from the currently cultivated Actinidia chinensis on the basis of its small and smooth fruit, rapid softening, and excellent cold tolerance. Adaptive evolution of tetraploid Actinidia species and the genetic basis of their important agronomic traits are still unclear. Here, we generated a chromosome-scale genome assembly of an autotetraploid male A. arguta accession. The genome assembly was 2.77 Gb in length with a contig N50 of 9.97 Mb and was anchored onto 116 pseudo-chromosomes. Resequencing and clustering of 101 geographically representative accessions showed that they could be divided into two geographic groups, Southern and Northern, which first diverged 12.9 million years ago. A. arguta underwent two prominent expansions and one demographic bottleneck from the mid-Pleistocene climate transition to the late Pleistocene. Population genomics studies using paleoclimate data enabled us to discern the evolution of the species' adaptation to different historical environments. Three genes (AaCEL1, AaPME1, and AaDOF1) related to flesh softening were identified by multi-omics analysis, and their ability to accelerate flesh softening was verified through transient expression assays. A set of genes that characteristically regulate sexual dimorphism located on the sex chromosome (Chr3) or autosomal chromosomes showed biased expression during stamen or carpel development. This chromosome-level assembly of the autotetraploid A. arguta genome and the genes related to important agronomic traits will facilitate future functional genomics research and improvement of A. arguta.

Housing difficulties, health status and life satisfaction.

This study examines the effects of housing difficulties on life satisfaction. By using longitudinal data from the China Family Panel Studies survey, we find strong evidence that households who experience housing difficulties are less satisfied with their lives than those who do not after controlling for a wide range of household demographic and socioeconomic characteristics and county and year fixed effects. Our estimated results are robust to unobservable household characteristics, model misspecification and selection bias. We also provide explanations for the negative effects of housing difficulties on life satisfaction through which housing difficulties are detrimental to physical and psychological health. Life satisfaction remains negatively associated with housing difficulties even after controlling for health status.

Contrasting Roles of Ethylene Response Factors in Pathogen Response and Ripening in Fleshy Fruit.

Fleshy fruits are generally hard and unpalatable when unripe; however, as they mature, their quality is transformed by the complex and dynamic genetic and biochemical process of ripening, which affects all cell compartments. Ripening fruits are enriched with nutrients such as acids, sugars, vitamins, attractive volatiles and pigments and develop a pleasant taste and texture and become attractive to eat. Ripening also increases sensitivity to pathogens, and this presents a crucial problem for fruit postharvest transport and storage: how to enhance pathogen resistance while maintaining ripening quality. Fruit development and ripening involve many changes in gene expression regulated by transcription factors (TFs), some of which respond to hormones such as auxin, abscisic acid (ABA) and ethylene. Ethylene response factor (ERF) TFs regulate both fruit ripening and resistance to pathogen stresses. Different ERFs regulate fruit ripening and/or pathogen responses in both fleshy climacteric and non-climacteric fruits and function cooperatively or independently of other TFs. In this review, we summarize the current status of studies on ERFs that regulate fruit ripening and responses to infection by several fungal pathogens, including a systematic ERF transcriptome analysis of fungal grey mould infection of tomato caused by Botrytis cinerea. This deepening understanding of the function of ERFs in fruit ripening and pathogen responses may identify novel approaches for engineering transcriptional regulation to improve fruit quality and pathogen resistance.

Comparative in vivo study on the desensitizing efficacy of dentin desensitizers and one-bottle self-etching adhesives.

UNLABELLED: This in vivo study evaluated the desensitizing efficacy of two one-bottle self-etching adhesives, two dentin desensitizers and a placebo (water). METHODS: Thirty-one volunteers with 55 hypersensitive teeth were recruited into this clinical investigation. The sensitive teeth were randomly assigned into five groups and treated with one of the following materials: iBond, Heraeus; Xeno V, Dentsply; Gluma desensitizer, Heraeus; Bifluorid 12, Voco; placebo (water). Mechanical and thermal stimuli were used to assess the tooth sensitivity response. Discomfort interval scale (DIS) scores of the sensitive teeth were recorded at three different investigation times (baseline, immediately and one month after treatment). Impressions were taken from the sensitive teeth at all three different investigation times, and replica models were made for the evaluation of the dentin surfaces by scanning electron microscopy. The Friedman test and the Mann Whitney U-test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: All dental materials significantly reduced the dentin hypersensitivity immediately (p < 0.05) and one month after treatment (p < 0.05), with the exception of Bifluorid 12 for mechanical tooth sensitivity. The placebo (water) only caused a short-term effect on the thermal dentin hypersensitivity (p < 0.05). Topical application of the dentin adhesives/desensitizers on sensitive dentinal areas resulted in occlusion of the patent tubules. CONCLUSIONS: The one-bottle self-etching adhesives and dentin desensitizers involved in the current clinical investigation could significantly relieve dentin hypersensitivity immediately and over the course of a month after treatment (except for Bifluorid 12 for tooth mechanical sensitivity). The placebo (water) had an immediate effect on thermal dentin hypersensitivity.

Individuals' economic value orientation or social equity value orientation? A dual value orientation in the process of house demolition compensation.

The development of society and the economy has given rise to housing demolition. Using the psychological perspective of reference points, this paper studied the effects of tri-reference points (TRP) and social comparison on demolition compensation fairness perception through experiments in a demolished community. According to TRP theory, there are three special reference points (minimum requirements, status quo, and goal) when people make decisions. Our research finds that there exists a dual value orientation in the demolition compensation process: before the compensation amount reaches the status quo, the individual's economic value orientation dominates; after achieving the status quo, a social equity value orientation dominates. In addition, the research results also show that demolished households pay the most attention to the minimum requirements of compensation; the fairness perception is very low below the minimum requirements, even when the compensation amount is the same or higher than that of others. Therefore, in the future implementation of compensation for demolition, the minimum requirements should be taken as the first priority. It is not necessary to arbitrarily increase the amount of compensation; it is better to set it between the status quo and the goal. Finally, ensuring that the demolished households are treated equally is very important.

TaSPL13 regulates inflorescence architecture and development in transgenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

The SQUAMOSA promoter-binding protein-like (SPL) proteins play vital roles in plant growth and development in rice (Oryza sative L.) and Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh. However, few studies regarding the SPL proteins have been reported in wheat. In this study, 56 TaSPLs were clustered into eight groups according to an OsSPL phylogenetic comparison analysis. The expression patterns of TaSPLs in different tissues were analysed by RNA-seq data, and partial results were confirmed by qRT-PCR. Based on the above results, genes such as TaSPL13 and TaSPL15 may be involved in spike or seed development in wheat. Multiple genes that regulate the inflorescence architecture of rice have been identified. Additionally, studies on the genes associated with spikelet development in wheat have been reported relatively rarely. Here, TaSPL13-2B was transferred into wheat cv. Bobwhite. Compared with the wild type, the transgenic lines showed significant increases in the number of florets and grains per spike, indicating that TaSPL13-2B could influence the floret development of wheat. TaSPL13-2B was transferred into rice cv. Nipponbare, which demonstrated that TaSPL13-2B can modify panicle architecture in transgenic rice, with significant increases in panicle length, the number and length of primary branches, and the number of secondary branches.

Genome-Wide Identification and Homoeologous Expression Analysis of PP2C Genes in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Plant protein phosphatase 2Cs (PP2Cs) play crucial roles in phytohormone signaling, developmental processes, and both biotic and abiotic stress responses. However, little research has been conducted on the PP2C gene family in hexaploid wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), which is an important cereal crop. In this study, a genome-wide investigation of TaPP2C gene family was performed. A total of 257 homoeologs of 95 TaPP2C genes were identified, of which 80% of genes had all the three homoeologs across A, B, and D subgenomes. Domain analysis indicated that all the TaPP2C homoeologs harbored the type 2C phosphatase domains. Based on the phylogenetic analysis, TaPP2Cs were divided into 13 groups (A-M) and 4 single branches, which corresponded to the results of gene structure and protein motif analyses. Results of chromosomal location and synteny relationship analysis of TaPP2C homoeologs revealed that known chromosome translocation events and pericentromeric inversions were responsible for the formation of TaPP2C gene family. Expression patterns of TaPP2C homoeologs in various tissues and under diverse stress conditions were analyzed using publicly available RNA-seq data. The results suggested that TaPP2C genes regulate wheat developmental processes and stress responses. Homoeologous expression patterns of TaPP2C triad homoeologs from A, B, and D subgenomes, revealed expression bias within triads under the normal condition, and variability in expression under different stress treatments. Quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR) analysis of eight TaPP2C genes in group A revealed that they were all up-regulated after abscisic acid treatment. Some genes in group A also responded to other phytohormones such as methyl jasmonate and gibberellin. Yeast two-hybrid assays showed that group A TaPP2Cs also interacted with TaSnRK2.1 and TaSnRK2.2 from subclass II, besides with subclass III TaSnRK2s. TaPP2C135 in group A was transformed into Arabidopsis and germination assay revealed that ectopic expression of TaPP2C135 in Arabidopsis enhanced its tolerance to ABA. Overall, these results enhance our understanding of the function of TaPP2Cs in wheat, and provide novel insights into the roles of group A TaPP2Cs. This information will be useful for in-depth functional analysis of TaPP2Cs in future studies and for wheat breeding.

Prospecting for Microelement Function and Biosafety Assessment of Transgenic Cereal Plants.

Microelement contents and metabolism are vitally important for cereal plant growth and development as well as end-use properties. While minerals phytotoxicity harms plants, microelement deficiency also affects human health. Genetic engineering provides a promising way to solve these problems. As plants vary in abilities to uptake, transport, and accumulate minerals, and the key enzymes acting on that process is primarily presented in this review. Subsequently, microelement function and biosafety assessment of transgenic cereal plants have become a key issue to be addressed. Progress in genetic engineering of cereal plants has been made with the introduction of quality, high-yield, and resistant genes since the first transgenic rice, corn, and wheat were born in 1988, 1990, and 1992, respectively. As the biosafety issue of transgenic cereal plants has now risen to be a top concern, many studies on transgenic biosafety have been carried out. Transgenic cereal biosafety issues mainly include two subjects, environmental friendliness and end-use safety. Different levels of gene confirmation, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics and nutritiomics, absorption, metabolism, and function have been investigated. Also, the different levels of microelement contents have been measured in transgenic plants. Based on the motivation of the requested biosafety, systematic designs, and analysis of transgenic cereal are also presented in this review paper.

Overview of the Wheat Genetic Transformation and Breeding Status in China.

In the past two decades, Chinese scientists have achieved significant progress on three aspects of wheat genetic transformation. First, the wheat transformation platform has been established and optimized to improve the transformation efficiency, shorten the time required from starting of transformation procedure to the fertile transgenic wheat plants obtained as well as to overcome the problem of genotype-dependent for wheat genetic transformation in wide range of wheat elite varieties. Second, with the help of many emerging techniques such as CRISPR/cas9 function of over 100 wheat genes has been investigated. Finally, modern technology has been combined with the traditional breeding technique such as crossing to accelerate the application of wheat transformation. Overall, the wheat end-use quality and the characteristics of wheat stress tolerance have been improved by wheat genetic engineering technique. So far, wheat transgenic lines integrated with quality-improved genes and stress tolerant genes have been on the way of Production Test stage in the field. The debates and the future studies on wheat transformation have been discussed, and the brief summary of Chinese wheat breeding research history has also been provided in this review.

Investigation on Synthesis, Stability, and Thermal Conductivity Properties of Water-Based SnO2/Reduced Graphene Oxide Nanofluids.

With the rapid development of industry, heat removal and management is a major concern for any technology. Heat transfer plays a critically important role in many sectors of engineering; nowadays utilizing nanofluids is one of the relatively optimized techniques to enhance heat transfer. In the present work, a facile low-temperature solvothermal method was employed to fabricate the SnO2/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposite. X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscope (XPS), Raman spectroscopy, and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) have been performed to characterize the SnO2/rGO nanocomposite. Numerous ultrasmall SnO2 nanoparticles with average diameters of 3-5 nm were anchored on the surface of rGO, which contain partial hydrophilic functional groups. Water-based SnO2/rGO nanofluids were prepared with various weight concentrations by using an ultrasonic probe without adding any surfactants. The zeta potential was measured to investigate the stability of the as-prepared nanofluid which exhibited great dispersion stability after quiescence for 60 days. A thermal properties analyzer was employed to measure thermal conductivity of water-based SnO2/rGO nanofluids, and the results showed that the enhancement of thermal conductivity could reach up to 31% at 60 °C under the mass fraction of 0.1 wt %, compared to deionized water.