PlantMine: A Machine-Learning Framework to Detect Core SNPs in Rice Genomics.

As a fundamental global staple crop, rice plays a pivotal role in human nutrition and agricultural production systems. However, its complex genetic architecture and extensive trait variability pose challenges for breeders and researchers in optimizing yield and quality. Particularly to expedite breeding methods like genomic selection, isolating core SNPs related to target traits from genome-wide data reduces irrelevant mutation noise, enhancing computational precision and efficiency. Thus, exploring efficient computational approaches to mine core SNPs is of great importance. This study introduces PlantMine, an innovative computational framework that integrates feature selection and machine learning techniques to effectively identify core SNPs critical for the improvement of rice traits. Utilizing the dataset from the 3000 Rice Genomes Project, we applied different algorithms for analysis. The findings underscore the effectiveness of combining feature selection with machine learning in accurately identifying core SNPs, offering a promising avenue to expedite rice breeding efforts and improve crop productivity and resilience to stress.

Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices Among Elderly CHD Patients Towards Self-Perceived Health Abilities.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitudes and practices (KAP) among elderly coronary heart disease (CHD) patients toward self-perceived health abilities. Methods: This web-based study was carried out between April 2023 and September 2023 at Guang'anmen Hospital, China Academy of Chinese Medical Sciences. A self-developed questionnaire was utilized to collect demographic information from elderly CHD patients, and evaluate their KAP towards self-perceived health abilities. Results: A total of 568 valid questionnaires were collected. Among the participants, the average age was 65.97±5.50 years, and 298 (52.46%) were female, and the mean scores for knowledge, attitudes, and practices were 6.34±2.29 (possible range: 0-9), 35.24±4.99 (possible range: 9-45), and 27.79±10.09 (possible range: 9-45), respectively. The structural equation model demonstrated that elderly CHD patients' knowledge directly affects attitudes and practices, with path coefficient of 0.93 (P<0.001) and 0.39 (P=0.033), respectively. Moreover, attitudes play an intermediary role between knowledge and practice with path coefficient of 0.75 (P<0.001). Furthermore, residence directly affects knowledge with path coefficient of 0.67 (P<0.001), cardiac function directly affects knowledge with path coefficient of -0.97 (P<0.001) and history of interventional therapy directly affects practice with path coefficient of 4.23 (P<0.001). Conclusion: Elderly CHD patients demonstrated sufficient knowledge, positive attitudes, and proactive practices towards self-perceived health abilities. However, educational programs and behavior modification are recommended, particularly for elderly with lower age and education, living in rural areas, lacking interventional therapy, obese, or taking multiple CHD medications.

Efficient Synthesis of Fe3O4/PPy Double-Carbonized Core-Shell-like Composites for Broadband Electromagnetic Wave Absorption.

Ever-increasing electromagnetic pollution largely affects human health, sensitive electronic equipment, and even military security, but current strategies used for developing functional attenuation materials cannot be achieved in a facile and cost-effective way. Here, a unique core-shell-like composite was successfully synthesized by a simple chemical approach and a rapid microwave-assisted carbonization process. The obtained composites show exceptional electromagnetic wave absorption (EMWA) properties, including a wide effective absorption band (EAB) of 4.64 GHz and a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -26 dB at 1.6 mm. The excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic effects of conductive loss, dielectric loss, magnetic loss, and multiple reflection loss within the graphene-based core-shell-like composite. This work demonstrates a convenient, rapid, eco-friendly, and cost-effective method for synthesizing high-performance microwave absorption materials (MAMs).

Association between white blood cell-to-haemoglobin ratio and 30 day mortality in heart failure in intensive care unit.

AIMS: The short-term mortality of heart failure (HF) patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) is reported to be high. This study aims to explore the association between white blood cell-to-haemoglobin ratio (WHR) and 30 day mortality from the admission to the ICU. METHODS AND RESULTS: This retrospective cohort study was performed based on the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database (2001-12) and MIMIC-IV database (2008-19). Covariables were selected using the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression. Based on the optimal cutoff point selected using the survminer package, WHR was divided into high-ratio group (≥1.6) and low-ratio group (<1.6). The association between WHR and the risk of 30 day mortality was explored using univariate and multivariable Cox regression models. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was calculated to evaluate the prediction performance of WHR. A total of 13 702 patients were included. After adjusting the potential covariates, high WHR was associated with a greater risk of 30 day mortality compared with low WHR [hazard ratio = 1.16, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-1.27, P < 0.001]. WHR also showed a good performance for the prediction of risk of 30 day mortality (AUC = 0.751, 95% CI: 0.746-0.756). CONCLUSIONS: WHR was positively associated with and performed well to predict 30 day mortality, indicating that WHR may be a reliable index to assess the prognosis of HF patients admitted to the ICU.

High Electromechanical Coupling Coefficient of Longitudinally Excited Shear Wave Resonator Based on Optimized Bragg Structure.

In this work, a longitudinally excited shear-wave resonator (YBAR) based on single-crystalline lithium tantalate (LiTaO3, LT) thin film is proposed. The YBAR has a 200 nm X-cut thin film and molybdenum electrode. A high effective electromechanical coupling coefficient (k2eff) of up to 19% for the suspension-type structure was obtained. Furthermore, a Bragg reflector (SiO2/Pt) with optimized layer thickness ratio was employed to improve the performance of the YBAR. Compared to the acoustic wave resonators with the conventional quarter-wave (λ/4) Bragg reflector, the proposed YBAR with an optimized Bragg reflector can reflect both the longitudinal and shear waves efficiently, and resonators with spurious-free response and high quality (Q) value were achieved. This work provides a potential solution to enabling high coupling micro-acoustic resonators with high Q factor in the 5G/6G communication system.

Evolution of nanostructured skin patches towards multifunctional wearable platforms for biomedical applications.

Recent advances in the field of skin patches have promoted the development of wearable and implantable bioelectronics for long-term, continuous healthcare management and targeted therapy. However, the design of electronic skin (e-skin) patches with stretchable components is still challenging and requires an in-depth understanding of the skin-attachable substrate layer, functional biomaterials and advanced self-powered electronics. In this comprehensive review, we present the evolution of skin patches from functional nanostructured materials to multi-functional and stimuli-responsive patches towards flexible substrates and emerging biomaterials for e-skin patches, including the material selection, structure design and promising applications. Stretchable sensors and self-powered e-skin patches are also discussed, ranging from electrical stimulation for clinical procedures to continuous health monitoring and integrated systems for comprehensive healthcare management. Moreover, an integrated energy harvester with bioelectronics enables the fabrication of self-powered electronic skin patches, which can effectively solve the energy supply and overcome the drawbacks induced by bulky battery-driven devices. However, to realize the full potential offered by these advancements, several challenges must be addressed for next-generation e-skin patches. Finally, future opportunities and positive outlooks are presented on the future directions of bioelectronics. It is believed that innovative material design, structure engineering, and in-depth study of fundamental principles can foster the rapid evolution of electronic skin patches, and eventually enable self-powered close-looped bioelectronic systems to benefit mankind.

Combined genome-wide association study and gene co-expression network analysis identified ZmAKINßγ1 involved in lead tolerance and accumulation in maize seedlings.

Lead (Pb) contamination has become an important abiotic stress that negatively influences crop biomass and yield, threatening human health via food chains. The excavation of causal genes for Pb tolerance in maize will contribute to the breeding of Pb-tolerant maize germplasms. This study aimed to demonstrate the effects of AKINbetagamma-1 protein kinase (ZmAKINßγ1) on maize tolerance to Pb and reveal its molecular mechanisms underlying Pb tolerance. ZmAKINßγ1 was identified using genome-wide association study and weighted gene co-expression network analysis for shoot dry weight (SDW) and root dry weight (RDW) under Pb treatment. The OE and RNAi experiments showed that ZmAKINßγ1 negatively regulated maize tolerance to Pb by reducing SDW and RDW and increasing Pb accumulation in maize. Comparative transcriptome analysis between the OE/RNAi and wild-type lines revealed that ZmAKINßγ1 participated in the pectin metabolism process and nitrogen compound response. Gene-based association analyses revealed that three variants located in ZmAKINßγ1 promoter induced changes in its expression and Pb tolerance among maize lines. The dual-luciferase reporter system verified that the two genotypes (AAT and CGG) of ZmAKINßγ1 promoter had contrasting transcriptional activities. Collectively, ZmAKINßγ1-mediated Pb tolerance provided new insights into the cultivation of Pb-tolerant maize varieties and phytoremediation of Pb-polluted soils.

Self-Healing Fibrous Membranes.

Inspired by the self-healing function of living organisms, self-healing materials have been developed in recent decades to very high standards. As a new direction, self-healing fibrous membranes (SFMs) exhibit both the configuration of a porous structure and self-healing capability within one material. Different from nonporous self-healing materials, it is more challenging to introduce self-healing properties to porous fibrous membrane materials owing to the more complex healing mechanism and microstructure of SFMs. This Minireview focuses on the self-healing mechanisms, design principles, and preparation strategies of SFMs. The characteristics of SFM self-healing performance are introduced in detail, and insights and perspectives of SFM preparation and healing mechanisms are put forward. Furthermore, remaining challenges and future developments of SFMs are presented, where the ultimate goal is the design of highly efficient self-healing and superstable fibrous membranes.

Nanocrystalline cellulose extracted from bast fibers: Preparation, characterization, and application.

Nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) have gained great attention owing to their extraordinary properties such as biocompatibility, biodegradability, high crystallinity index (>70%), large surface area (~150 m2/g), high aspect ratio (~70), and high tensile strength (7500 MPa). Bast fibers, with compelling features of easy availability, high fiber length, and high cellulose content, are considered to be competitive raw materials to prepare high quality NCC. Generally, NCC can be obtained by mechanical, chemical, biological or combining methods with the removal of non-cellulosic components from bast fibers. This work summarizes the comprehensive research advancement of NCC extracted from bast fibers. Comparison analysis of geometrical dimensions and microstructure morphologies of NCC are conducted to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of each preparation method. The characterization of NCC and the application of NCC in many emerging fields are systematically introduced. A detailed discussion of current challenges and future outlook are provided to inspire the relevant researchers.

Superstable and Intrinsically Self-Healing Fibrous Membrane with Bionic Confined Protective Structure for Breathable Electronic Skin.

Considerable effort has been devoted to the fabrication of electronic skin that can imitate the self-healing and sensing function of biological skin. Almost all self-healing electronic skins are composed of airtight elastomers or hydrogels, which will cause skin inflammation. Fibrous membranes are ideal materials for preparing highly sensitive breathable electronic skins. However, the development of intrinsically self-healing fibrous membranes with high stability is still a challenge. Here, a novel interface protective strategy is reported to develop intrinsically self-healing fibrous membranes with a bionic confined structure for the first time, which were further assembled into an all-fiber structured electronic skin through interfacial hydrogen bonding. The electronic skin is multifunctional with self-powering, self-healing, breathability, stretchability, and thermochromism functionalities, which is highly promising for application in intelligent wearable sensing systems.

Advances in elemental sulfur-driven bioprocesses for wastewater treatment: From metabolic study to application.

Elemental sulfur (S0) is known to be an abundant, non-toxic material with a wide range of redox states (-2 to +6) and may serve as an excellent electron carrier in wastewater treatment. In turn, S0-driven bioprocesses, which employ S0 as electron donor or acceptor, have recently established themselves as cost-effective therefore attractive solutions for wastewater treatment. Numerous related processes have, to date, been developed from laboratory experiments into full-scale applications, including S0-driven autotrophic denitrification for nitrate removal and S0-reducing organic removal. Compared to the conventional activated sludge process, these bioprocesses require only a small amount of organic matter and produce very little sludge. There have been great efforts to characterize chemical and biogenic S0 and related functional microorganisms in order to identify the biochemical pathways, upgrade the bioprocesses, and assess the impact of the operating factors on process performance, ultimately aiming to better understand and to optimize the processes. This paper is therefore a comprehensive overview of emerging S0-driven biotechnologies, including the development of S0-driven autotrophic denitrification and S0-based sulfidogenesis, as well as the associated microbiology and biochemistry. Also reviewed here are the physicochemical characteristics of S0 and the effects that environmental factors such as pH, influent sulfur/nitrate ratio, temperature, S0 particle size and reactor configurations have on the process. Research gaps, challenges of process applications and potential areas for future research are further proposed and discussed.

Effects of ZmHIPP on lead tolerance in maize seedlings: Novel ideas for soil bioremediation.

Extensive lead (Pb) absorption by plants affects their growth and development and causes damage to the human body by entering the food chain. In this study, we cloned ZmHIPP, a gene associated with Pb tolerance and accumulation in maize, using combined linkage mapping and weighted gene co-expression network analysis. We show that ZmHIPP, which encodes a heavy metal-associated isoprenylated plant protein, positively modulated Pb tolerance and accumulation in maize seedlings, Arabidopsis, and yeast. The genetic variation locus (A/G) in the promoter of ZmHIPP contributed to the phenotypic disparity in Pb tolerance among different maize inbred lines by altering the expression abundance of ZmHIPP. Knockdown of ZmHIPP significantly inhibited growth and decreased Pb accumulation in maize seedlings under Pb stress. ZmHIPP facilitated Pb deposition in the cell wall and prevented it from entering the intracellular organelles, thereby alleviating Pb toxicity in maize seedlings. Compared to that in the mutant zmhipp, the accumulated Pb in the wild-type line mainly consisted of the low-toxicity forms of Pb. Our study increases the understanding of the mechanism underlying Pb tolerance in maize and provides new insights into the bioremediation of Pb-polluted soil.

Genetic variations in ZmSAUR15 contribute to the formation of immature embryo-derived embryonic calluses in maize.

The ability of immature maize (Zea mays) embryos to form embryonic calluses (ECs) is highly genotype dependent, which limits transgenic breeding development in maize. Here, we report the association map-based cloning of ZmSAUR15 using an association panel (AP) consisting of 309 inbred lines with diverse formation abilities for ECs. We demonstrated that ZmSAUR15, which encodes a small auxin-upregulated RNA, acts as a negative effector in maize EC induction. Polymorphisms in the ZmSAUR15 promoter that influence the expression of ZmSAUR15 transcripts modulate the EC induction capacity in maize. ZmSAUR15 is involved in indole-3-acetic acid biosynthesis and cell division in immature embryo-derived callus. The ability of immature embryos to induce EC formation can be improved by the knockout of ZmSAUR15, which consequently increases the callus regeneration efficiency. Our study provides new insights into overcoming the genotypic limitations associated with EC formation and improving genetic transformation in maize.

Conductance-stable liquid metal sheath-core microfibers for stretchy smart fabrics and self-powered sensing.

Highly conductive and stretchy fibers are crucial components for smart fabrics and wearable electronics. However, most of the existing fiber conductors are strain sensitive with deteriorated conductance upon stretching, and thus, a compromised strategy via introducing merely geometric distortion of conductive path is often used for stable conductance. Here, we report a coaxial wet-spinning process for continuously fabricating intrinsically stretchable, highly conductive yet conductance-stable, liquid metal sheath-core microfibers. The microfiber can be stretched up to 1170%, and upon fully activating the conductive path, a very high conductivity of 4.35 × 104 S/m and resistance change of only 4% at 200% strain are realized, arising from both stretch-induced channel opening and stretching out of tortuous serpentine conductive path of the percolating liquid metal network. Moreover, the microfibers can be easily woven into an everyday glove or fabric, acting as excellent joule heaters, electrothermochromic displays, and self-powered wearable sensors to monitor human activities.

Trends and future challenges in hydrogen production and storage research.

With the rapid industrialization, increasing of fossil fuel consumption and the environmental impact, it is an inevitable trend to develop clean energy and renewable energy. Hydrogen, for its renewable and pollution-free characteristics, has become an important potential energy carrier. Hydrogen is regarded as a promising alternative fuel for fossil fuels in the future. Therefore, it is very necessary to summarize the technological progress in the development of hydrogen energy and research the status and future challenges. Hydrogen production and storage technology are the key problems for hydrogen application. This study applied bibliometric analysis to review the research features and trends of hydrogen production and storage study. Results showed that in the 2004-2018 period, China, USA and Japan leading in these research fields, the research and development in the world have grown rapidly. However, the development of hydrogen energy still faces the challenge of high production cost and high storage requirements. Photocatalytic decomposition of water to hydrogen has attracted more and more research in hydrogen production research, and the development of new hydrogen storage materials has become a key theme in hydrogen storage research. This study provides a comprehensive review of hydrogen production and storage and identifies research progress on future research trend in these fields. It would be helpful for policy-making and technology development and provide suggestions on the development of a hydrogen economy.

A combination of linkage mapping and GWAS brings new elements on the genetic basis of yield-related traits in maize across multiple environments.

KEY MESSAGE: Using GWAS and QTL mapping identified 100 QTL and 138 SNPs, which control yield-related traits in maize. The candidate gene GRMZM2G098557 was further validated to regulate ear row number by using a segregation population. Understanding the genetic basis of yield-related traits contributes to the improvement of grain yield in maize. This study used an inter-mated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) Syn10 doubled-haploid (DH) population and an association panel to identify the genetic loci responsible for nine yield-related traits in maize. Using quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, 100 QTL influencing these traits were detected across different environments in the IBM Syn10 DH population, with 25 co-detected in multiple environments. Using a genome-wide association study (GWAS), 138 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were identified as correlated with these traits (P < 2.04E-06) in the association panel. Twenty-one pleiotropic QTL/SNPs were identified to control different traits in both populations. A combination of QTL mapping and GWAS uncovered eight significant SNPs (PZE-101097575, PZE-103169263, ZM011204-0763, PZE-104044017, PZE-104123110, SYN8062, PZE-108060911, and PZE-102043341) that were co-located within seven QTL confidence intervals. According to the eight co-localized SNPs by the two populations, 52 candidate genes were identified, among which the ear row number (ERN)-associated SNP SYN8062 was closely linked to SBP-transcription factor 7 (GRMZM2G098557). Several SBP-transcription factors were previously demonstrated to modulate maize ERN. We then validated the phenotypic effects of SYN8062 in the IBM Syn10 DH population, indicating that the ERN of the lines with the A-allele in SYN8062 was significantly (P < 0.05) larger than that of the lines with the G-allele in SYN8062 in each environment. These findings provide valuable information for understanding the genetic mechanisms of maize grain yield formation and for improving molecular marker-assisted selection for the high-yield breeding of maize.

Highly Wearable, Breathable, and Washable Sensing Textile for Human Motion and Pulse Monitoring.

At present, pressure sensor textiles are of great significance in the area of wearable electronics, especially for making smart or intelligent textiles. However, the design of these textile-based devices with sensitive ability, simple fabrication, and low cost is still challenging. In this study, we developed a triboelectric sensing textile constructed with core-shell yarns. Nylon filament and polytetrafluoroethylene filament were selected as the positive and negative layers, respectively, in the woven structure while the built-in helical stainless steel yarn was serving as the inner electrode layer. The sensitivity of the sensing textile can reach up to 1.33 V·kPa-1 and 0.32 V·kPa-1 in the pressure range of 1.95-3.13 kPa and 3.20-4.61 kPa, respectively. This sensing textile presented good mechanical stability and sensing capability even after 4200 cycles of continuous operation or after 4 h continuous water washing. Benefiting from the favorable merits of being highly flexible, breathable, lightweight, and even dyeable, the fabricated device was capable of being placed on any desired body parts for quantifying the dynamic human motions. It can be effectively used to measure and monitor various human movements associated with different joints, such as the hand, elbow, knee, and underarm. Moreover, the sensing textile was able to capture real-time pulse signals and reflect the current health status for human beings. This study affords an innovative and promising track for multifunctional pressure sensor textiles with wide applications in smart textiles and personalized healthcare.

Genome-wide association studies and QTL mapping uncover the genetic architecture of ear tip-barrenness in maize.

Ear tip-barrenness (ETB) phenotype threatens crop yield, because it reduces the kernel number per ear. The genetic basis of ETB in maize remains largely unknown. Herein, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping were jointly applied to identify the significant genetic loci interrelated with ETB. Six significant SNPs were detected at a stringent P-value threshold (1.95 × 10-6 ). Additionally, four environment-stable SNPs were co-detected across a single environment and best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) model at a less stringent P-value threshold (1 × 10-4 ). The above 10 SNPs were closely linked to 6 candidate genes, which mainly involved seed development, photosynthesis and ethylene response. Moreover, the ratio of superior allele at each significant SNP ranged from 0 to 83.33% in 30 investigated maize elite lines. QTL mapping identified 14 QTL with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) ranging from 3.64 to 7.09%, of which one QTL (qETB2-1) was repeatedly identified in two environments. Combined analysis of GWAS and QTL mapping showed that one SNP (PZE-102175229, chromosome 2: 217 66 Mb) was located in the QTL (qETB2-2, chromosome 2: 215 90-217 82 Mb). Eighteen gene models situated in the linkage disequilibrium (LD) region of the co-localized SNP were further used to evaluate their correlation with ETB by candidate gene association analysis. Two superior haplotypes and two superior alleles were detected among 74 lines for Zm00001d007195, Zm00001d007197 and Zm00001d007201. These results provide more information for clarifying the molecular mechanism of ETB and for speeding up the genetic improvement of maize varieties.

Highly Flexible, Efficient, and Sandwich-Structured Infrared Radiation Heating Fabric.

Controlling thermal energy is one of the biggest concerns along with the progress of human civilization for thousands of years. Current thermal comfort devices are mainly based on materials that are bulky, rigid, and heavy, largely limiting their widespread practical applications. It still remains a challenge to develop highly lightweight, flexible, and efficient electrical heaters for personal thermal management and local climate control. In this work, we present a high-performance composite infrared radiation heating fabric (IRHF), which mainly consists of two layers of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fabrics and one sandwiched layer of carbon nanofibers embedded with different inorganic nanoparticles. A copper electrode sheet was connected with the carbon nanofibers to form a conductive heating circuit. The permanent spontaneous polarization of both carbon nanofibers and infrared radiation nanoparticles can facilitate an enhanced current in the heater by creating an additional electrical field, which results in a fast electrothermal response and favorable heat preservation. The constructed IRHF could achieve an increase in the temperature to 43 °C from room temperature in 1 min under a voltage of 30 V, with an electrothermal conversion efficiency up to 78.99%. With a collection of compelling features such as good thermal stability, excellent flexibility and breathability, and high electrical conductivity and energy conversion efficiency, the fabricated sandwich-structured IRHF can open up new opportunities to develop smart heating textiles and wearable heating clothes in many fields.

Analysis of the genetic architecture of maize kernel size traits by combined linkage and association mapping.

Kernel size-related traits are the most direct traits correlating with grain yield. The genetic basis of three kernel traits of maize, kernel length (KL), kernel width (KW) and kernel thickness (KT), was investigated in an association panel and a biparental population. A total of 21 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected to be most significantly (P < 2.25 × 10-6 ) associated with these three traits in the association panel under four environments. Furthermore, 50 quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling these traits were detected in seven environments in the intermated B73 × Mo17 (IBM) Syn10 doubled haploid (DH) population, of which eight were repetitively identified in at least three environments. Combining the two mapping populations revealed that 56 SNPs (P < 1 × 10-3 ) fell within 18 of the QTL confidence intervals. According to the top significant SNPs, stable-effect SNPs and the co-localized SNPs by association analysis and linkage mapping, a total of 73 candidate genes were identified, regulating seed development. Additionally, seven miRNAs were found to situate within the linkage disequilibrium (LD) regions of the co-localized SNPs, of which zma-miR164e was demonstrated to cleave the mRNAs of Arabidopsis CUC1, CUC2 and NAC6 in vitro. Overexpression of zma-miR164e resulted in the down-regulation of these genes above and the failure of seed formation in Arabidopsis pods, with the increased branch number. These findings provide insights into the mechanism of seed development and the improvement of molecular marker-assisted selection (MAS) for high-yield breeding in maize.