Genome-Wide Identification and Expression Profiling of the ABF Transcription Factor Family in Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.).

Members of the abscisic acid (ABA)-responsive element (ABRE) binding factor (ABF) and ABA-responsive element binding protein (AREB) families play essential roles in the regulation of ABA signaling pathway activity and shape the ability of plants to adapt to a range of stressful environmental conditions. To date, however, systematic genome-wide analyses focused on the ABF/AREB gene family in wheat are lacking. Here, we identified 35 ABF/AREB genes in the wheat genome, designated TaABF1-TaABF35 according to their chromosomal distribution. These genes were further classified, based on their phylogenetic relationships, into three groups (A-C), with the TaABF genes in a given group exhibiting similar motifs and similar numbers of introns/exons. Cis-element analyses of the promoter regions upstream of these TaABFs revealed large numbers of ABREs, with the other predominant elements that were identified differing across these three groups. Patterns of TaABF gene expansion were primarily characterized by allopolyploidization and fragment duplication, with purifying selection having played a significant role in the evolution of this gene family. Further expression profiling indicated that the majority of the TaABF genes from groups A and B were highly expressed in various tissues and upregulated following abiotic stress exposure such as drought, low temperature, low nitrogen, etc., while some of the TaABF genes in group C were specifically expressed in grain tissues. Regulatory network analyses revealed that four of the group A TaABFs (TaABF2, TaABF7, TaABF13, and TaABF19) were centrally located in protein-protein interaction networks, with 13 of these TaABF genes being regulated by 11 known miRNAs, which play important roles in abiotic stress resistance such as drought and salt stress. The two primary upstream transcription factor types found to regulate TaABF gene expression were BBR/BPC and ERF, which have previously been reported to be important in the context of plant abiotic stress responses. Together, these results offer insight into the role that the ABF/AREB genes play in the responses of wheat to abiotic stressors, providing a robust foundation for future functional studies of these genes.

ROS-responsive drug-releasing injectable microgels for ameliorating myocardial infarction.

Despite of the recent advances in regulatory T cell (Treg) therapy, a limited number of available cells and specificity at the desired tissue site have severely compromised their efficacy. Herein, an injectable drug-releasing (MTK-TK-drug) microgel system in response to in situ stimulation by reactive oxygen species (ROS) was constructed with a coaxial capillary microfluidic system and UV curing. The spherical microgels with a size of 150 µm were obtained. The MTK-TK-drug microgels efficiently converted the pro-inflammatory Th17 cells into anti-inflammatory regulatory T cells (Treg) cells in vitro, and the ROS-scavenging materials synergistically enhanced the effect by modulating the inflammation microenvironment. Thus, the microgels significantly reduced cardiomyocyte apoptosis and decreased the inflammatory response in the early stages of post-myocardial infarction (MI) in vivo, thereby reducing fibrosis, promoting vascularization, and preserving cardiac function. Overall, our results indicate that the MTK-TK-drug microgels can attenuate the inflammatory response and improve MI therapeutic effects in vivo.

Nonreciprocal toroidal dipole resonance and one-way quasi-bound state in the continuum.

Bound states in the continuum (BICs) provide an alternative way of trapping light at nanoscale. Although the last 10 years have witnessed tremendous progress on BICs from fundamentals to applications, nonreciprocal BICs and their potential applications have not been fully exploited yet. In this study, we demonstrated a one-way quasi-BIC by leveraging an all-dielectric magneto-optical (MO) metasurface. We show that the key point for achieving a one-way quasi-BIC is to excite a magnetization-induced leaky resonance. Here we adopt the longitudinal toroidal dipole (TD) resonance characterized by a vortex distribution of head-to-tail magnetic dipoles parallel to the plane of the MO metasurface. We show that, by breaking the time-reversal symmetry, at critical conditions, the TD resonance can be enhanced in the forward channel and perfectly canceled in the time-reversed channel, resulting in a one-way quasi-BIC. The demonstrated phenomena hold significant promise for practical applications such as magnetic field optical sensing, nonreciprocal optical switching, isolation, and modulation.

Comparative Transcriptome Analysis Reveals the Genes and Pathways Related to Wheat Root Hair Length.

Tube-like outgrowths from root epidermal cells, known as root hairs, enhance water and nutrient absorption, facilitate microbial interactions, and contribute to plant anchorage by expanding the root surface area. Genetically regulated and strongly influenced by environmental conditions, longer root hairs generally enhance water and nutrient absorption, correlating with increased stress resistance. Wheat, a globally predominant crop pivotal for human nutrition, necessitates the identification of long root hair genotypes and their regulatory genes to enhance nutrient capture and yield potential. This study focused on 261 wheat samples of diverse genotypes during germination, revealing noticeable disparities in the length of the root hair among the genotypes. Notably, two long root hair genotypes (W106 and W136) and two short root hair genotypes (W90 and W100) were identified. Transcriptome sequencing resulted in the development of 12 root cDNA libraries, unveiling 1180 shared differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Further analyses, including GO function annotation, KEGG enrichment, MapMan metabolic pathway analysis, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) network prediction, underscored the upregulation of root hair length regulatory genes in the long root hair genotypes. These included genes are associated with GA and BA hormone signaling pathways, FRS/FRF and bHLH transcription factors, phenylpropanoid, lignin, lignan secondary metabolic pathways, the peroxidase gene for maintaining ROS steady state, and the ankyrin gene with diverse biological functions. This study contributes valuable insights into modulating the length of wheat root hair and identifies candidate genes for the genetic improvement of wheat root traits.

Canthaxanthin Mitigates Cardiovascular Senescence in Vitro and in Vivo.

BACKGROUND: The number of older people in the world is increasing year by year; studies have shown that more than 90% of cardiovascular disease occurs in the older people population, indicating that aging is one of the major risks involved in the development of cardiovascular disease. Therefore, retarding the development of cardiac aging is an important strategy to prevent aging-related cardiovascular diseases. METHODS: In the current study, we examined the anti-cardiovascular aging potential of canthaxanthin in vitro and in vivo experiments. For this, a model of cardiomyocyte senescence induced by D-galactose was established, which was used to investigate the canthaxanthin's effect on cardiac premature aging. RESULTS: We found that canthaxanthin obviously mitigated the cardiomyocyte senescence in vitro. Further mechanistic studies revealed that canthaxanthin seems to alleviate cardiomyocyte senescence by regulating the autophagy process. Furthermore, the effects of canthaxanthin on cardiovascular senescence were further evaluated. We also observed that canthaxanthin mitigated cardiac aging and fibrosis in the aged mice model. CONCLUSIONS: To sum up, the current work showed that canthaxanthin could obviously alleviate cardiac premature aging, indicating that canthaxanthin could be used as a biologically active molecule for the treatment of cardiac aging and fibrosis.

Two new triterpenoids from the stems of Euphorbia royleana.

Two new triterpenoids, namely 24-methylene-5,24-dien-19(10→9)-abeo-8α,9ß,10α-eupha-3ß-ol (1) and 24-methyl-5,23-dien-19(10→9)-abeo-8α,9ß,10α-eupha-3ß-ol (2) were isolated from the stems of Euphorbia royleana, together with three known analogs. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by extensive 1H NMR,13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, 1H-1H COSY, ROESY and HR-MS spectroscopic analyses.

Dexamethasone Decreased Postoperative Complications in Tonsillotomy.

PURPOSE: Tonsillotomy (TT) is a new and popular method with partial resection of the tonsils. Dexamethasone is often used during surgery for its anti-inflammatory, antiemetic, and analgesic properties. In this study, we aimed to explore the effect of systemic steroids use on postoperative vomiting, pain, and bleeding in TT. DESIGN: A randomized controlled trial. METHODS: We enrolled 240 children aged 2 to 18 years who had undergone TT or adenotonsillotomy at our center from July 2020 to July 2021. Dexamethasone or 0.9% normal saline was administered before the start of surgery. Postoperative hemorrhage, vomiting, and nausea were recorded and compared between groups. FINDINGS: The dexamethasone group had a 2.5% (3/119) rate of postoperative bleeding, while the rate was 1.6% (2/119) in the control group. No patients required multiple operations for control of bleeding. The degree of postoperative pain (2.1 ± 0.5 vs 3.4 ± 0.9) and the occurrence of postoperative nausea (21% vs 31.9%), as well as vomiting (15% vs 24.4%) in the dexamethasone group, was significantly lower compared with the placebo group. CONCLUSIONS: The rate of postoperative bleeding between the dexamethasone group and the control group had no significant difference, suggesting the high safety of dexamethasone use in TT. Dexamethasone use in TT improved postoperative pain, nausea, and vomiting significantly.

Melatonin enhances cadmium tolerance in rice via long non-coding RNA-mediated modulation of cell wall and photosynthesis.

In plants, melatonin (MLT) is a versatile signaling molecule involved in promoting plant development and mitigating the damage caused by heavy metal exposure. Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential components in the plant's response to various abiotic stress, functioning within the gene regulatory network. Here, a hydroponic experiment was performed to explore the involvement of lncRNAs in MLT-mediated amelioration of cadmium (Cd) toxicity in rice plants. The results demonstrated that applying 250 mg L-1 MLT in a solution containing 10 µM Cd leads to an effective reduction of 30.0% in shoot Cd concentration. Remarkably, the treatment resulted in a 21.2% improvement in potassium and calcium uptake, a 164.5% enhancement in net photosynthetic rate, and a 33.2% decrease in malondialdehyde accumulation, resulting increases in plant height, root length, and biomass accumulation. Moreover, a transcriptome analysis revealed 2510 differentially expressed transcripts, including the Cd transporters (-3.82-fold downregulated) and the Cd tolerance-associated genes (1.24-fold upregulated). Notably, regulatory network prediction uncovered 6 differentially expressed lncRNAs that act as competitive endogenous RNA or in RNA complex interactions. These key lncRNAs regulate the expression of target genes that are involved in pectin and cellulose metabolism, scavenging of reactive oxygen species, salicylic acid-mediated defense response, and biosynthesis of brassinosteroids, which ultimately modify the cell wall for Cd adsorption, safeguard photosynthesis, and control hormone signaling to reduce Cd toxicity. Our results unveiled a crucial lncRNA-mediated mechanism underlying MLT's role in Cd detoxification in rice plants, providing potential applications in agricultural practices and environmental remediation.

Direct and Catalyst-Free Ester Metathesis Reaction for Covalent Adaptable Networks.

Thermosetting polymers possess excellent environmental resistance and mechanical properties but cannot be reprocessed due to their covalently cross-linked structures. Recycling of thermosets via the implantation of dynamic covalent bonds offers a promising solution. Here, we report the direct and catalyst-free ester metathesis of N-acyloxyphthalimide (NAPI) at about 100 °C without the requirement of hydroxyl groups and its utilization for the fabrication of covalent adaptable networks (CANs). NAPI metathesis has interesting sigmoid kinetics with a fast exchange rate, which proceeds via a free radical chain mechanism, guaranteeing a fast associative exchange under a rather low dissociation. The bifunctional molecule of NAPI as both the radical precursor and substrate is the key to the dissociatively initiated associative (DAssociative) mechanism and kinetic behavior. Based on the efficient NAPI metathesis, polyester networks, poly(N-acyloxyphthalimides) (PNAPIs), show excellent malleability. Notably, PNAPIs exhibit exceptional solvent resistance and mechanical stability at elevated temperatures owing to the unique DAssociative mechanism, suggesting exciting opportunities for designing recyclable thermosetting polymers.

Enhancing Faraday and Kerr rotations based on the toroidal dipole mode in an all-dielectric magneto-optical metasurface.

The magneto-optical Faraday and Kerr effects are widely used in modern optical devices. In this Letter, we propose an all-dielectric metasurface composed of perforated magneto-optical thin films, which can support the highly confined toroidal dipole resonance and provide full overlap between the localized electromagnetic field and the thin film, and consequently enhance the magneto-optical effects to an unprecedented degree. The numerical results based on the finite element method show that the Faraday and Kerr rotations can reach -13.59° and 8.19° in the vicinity of toroidal dipole resonance, which are 21.2 and 32.8 times stronger than those in the equivalent thickness of thin films. In addition, we design an environment refractive index sensor based on the resonantly enhanced Faraday and Kerr rotations, with sensitivities of 62.96 nm/RIU and 73.16 nm/RIU, and the corresponding maximum figures of merit 132.22°/RIU and 429.45°/RIU, respectively. This work provides a new, to the best of our knowledge, strategy for enhancing the magneto-optical effects at nanoscale, and paves the way for the research and development of magneto-optical metadevices such as sensors, memories, and circuits.

Hierarchically Templated Synthesis of 3D-Printed Crosslinked Cyclodextrins for Lycopene Harvesting.

Plants produce a wide range of bioactive phytochemicals, such as antioxidants and vitamins, which play crucial roles in aging prevention, inflammation reduction, and reducing the risk of cancer. Selectively harvesting these phytochemicals, such as lycopene, from tomatoes through the adsorption method is cost-effective and energy efficient. In this work, a templated synthesis of 3D-printed crosslinked cyclodextrin polymers featuring nanotubular structures for highly selective lycopene harvesting is reported. Polypseudorotaxanes formed by triethoxysilane-based telechelic polyethylene glycols and α-cyclodextrins (α-CDs) are designed as the template to (1) synthetically access urethane-based nanotubular structures at the molecular level, and (2) construct 3D-printed architectures with designed macroscale voids. The polypseudorotaxane hydrogels showed good rheological properties for direct ink writing, and the 3D-printed hydrogels were converted to the desired α-CD polymer network through a three-step postprinting transformation. The obtained urethane-crosslinked α-CD monoliths possess nanotubular structures and 3D-printed voids. They selectively adsorb lycopene from raw tomato juice, protecting lycopene from photo- or thermo-degradations. This work highlights the hierarchically templated synthesis approach in developing functional 3D-printing materials by connecting the bottom-up molecular assembly and synthesis with the top-down 3D architecture control and fabrication.

Comprehensive Analysis of the INDETERMINATE DOMAIN (IDD) Gene Family and Their Response to Abiotic Stress in Zea mays.

Transcription factors (TFs) are important regulators of numerous gene expressions due to their ability to recognize and combine cis-elements in the promoters of target genes. The INDETERMINATE DOMAIN (IDD) gene family belongs to a subfamily of C2H2 zinc finger proteins and has been identified only in terrestrial plants. Nevertheless, little study has been reported concerning the genome-wide analysis of the IDD gene family in maize. In total, 22 ZmIDD genes were identified, which can be distributed on 8 chromosomes in maize. On the basis of evolutionary relationships and conserved motif analysis, ZmIDDs were categorized into three clades (1, 2, and 3), each owning 4, 6, and 12 genes, respectively. We analyzed the characteristics of gene structure and found that 3 of the 22 ZmIDD genes do not contain an intron. Cis-element analysis of the ZmIDD promoter showed that most ZmIDD genes possessed at least one ABRE or MBS cis-element, and some ZmIDD genes owned the AuxRR-core, TCA-element, TC-rich repeats, and LTR cis-element. The Ka:Ks ratio of eight segmentally duplicated gene pairs demonstrated that the ZmIDD gene families had undergone a purifying selection. Then, the transcription levels of ZmIDDs were analyzed, and they showed great differences in diverse tissues as well as abiotic stresses. Furthermore, regulatory networks were constructed through the prediction of ZmIDD-targeted genes and miRNAs, which can inhibit the transcription of ZmIDDs. In total, 6 ZmIDDs and 22 miRNAs were discovered, which can target 180 genes and depress the expression of 9 ZmIDDs, respectively. Taken together, the results give us valuable information for studying the function of ZmIDDs involved in plant development and climate resilience in maize.

Impact of "Green Revolution" gene Rht-B1b on coleoptile length of wheat.

Wheat coleoptile is a sheath-like structure that helps to deliver the first leaf from embryo to the soil surface. Here, a RIL population consisting of 245 lines derived from Zhou 8425B × Chinese Spring cross was genotyped by the high-density Illumina iSelect 90K assay for coleoptile length (CL) QTL mapping. Three QTL for CL were mapped on chromosomes 2BL, 4BS and 4DS. Of them, two major QTL QCL.qau-4BS and QCL.qau-4DS were detected, which could explain 9.1%-22.2% of the phenotypic variances across environments on Rht-B1 and Rht-D1 loci, respectively. Several studies have reported that Rht-B1b may reduce the length of wheat CL but no study has been carried out at molecular level. In order to verify that the Rht-B1 gene is the functional gene for the 4B QTL, an overexpression line Rht-B1b-OE and a CRISPR/SpCas9 line Rht-B1b-KO were studied. The results showed that Rht-B1b overexpression could reduce the CL, while loss-of-function of Rht-B1b would increase the CL relative to that of the null transgenic plants (TNL). To dissect the underlying regulatory mechanism of Rht-B1b on CL, comparative RNA-Seq was conducted between Rht-B1b-OE and TNL. Transcriptome profiles revealed a few key pathways involving the function of Rht-B1b in coleoptile development, including phytohormones, circadian rhythm and starch and sucrose metabolism. Our findings may facilitate wheat breeding for longer coleoptiles to improve seedling early vigor for better penetration through the soil crust in arid regions.

A new ingol diterpenoid from the seeds of Euphorbia marginata Pursh.

A new ingol diterpenoid, namely 3-de-O-acetyleuphornan R (1), along with two known analogues, euphornans E (2) and N (3) were isolated from the seeds of Euphorbia marginata Pursh. The structure of 1 was elucidated by extensive 1H NMR, 13C NMR, HSQC, HMBC, and 1H-1H COSY, and HR-MS spectroscopic analyses.

Genome resequencing and transcriptome profiling reveal molecular evidence of tolerance to water deficit in barley.

INTRODUCTION: Frequent climate change-induced drought events are detrimental environmental stresses affecting global crop production and ecosystem health. Several efforts have facilitated crop breeding for resilient varieties to counteract stress. However, progress is hampered due to the complexity of drought tolerance; a greater variety of novel genes are required across varying environments. Tibetan annual wild barley is a unique and precious germplasm that is well adapted to abiotic stress and can provide elite genes for crop improvement in drought tolerance. OBJECTIVES: To identify the genetic basis and unique mechanisms for drought tolerance in Tibetan wild barley. METHODS: Whole genome resequencing and comparative RNA-seq approaches were performed to identify candidate genes associated with drought tolerance via investigating the genetic diversity and transcriptional variation between cultivated and Tibetan wild barley. Bioinformatics, population genetics, and gene silencing were conducted to obtain insights into ecological adaptation in barley and functions of key genes. RESULTS: Over 20 million genetic variants and a total of 15,361 significantly affected genes were identified in our dataset. Combined genomic, transcriptomic, evolutionary, and experimental analyses revealed 26 water deficit resilience-associated genes in the drought-tolerant wild barley XZ5 with unique genetic variants and expression patterns. Functional prediction revealed Tibetan wild barley employs effective regulators to activate various responsive pathways with novel genes, such as Zinc-Induced Facilitator-Like 2 (HvZIFL2) and Peroxidase 11 (HvPOD11), to adapt to water deficit conditions. Gene silencing and drought tolerance evaluation in a natural barley population demonstrated that HvZIFL2 and HvPOD11 positively regulate drought tolerance in barley. CONCLUSION: Our findings reveal functional genes that have been selected across barley's complex history of domestication to thrive in water deficit environments. This will be useful for molecular breeding and provide new insights into drought-tolerance mechanisms in wild relatives of major cereal crops.

Synthesis of Chiral ß,ß-Disubstituted Ketones via CuH-Catalyzed Coupling of Aryl Alkenes and 3-Aryl-2H-azirines.

A CuH-catalyzed coupling of aryl alkenes with 3-aryl-2H-azirines has been developed to synthesize optically active ß,ß-disubstituted ketones. We propose that this protocol occurs through a sequence in which a chiral alkylcopper complex regioselectively attacks the N-C2 bonds of azirines to generate chiral ß-aryl imines, which additionally afford ketones upon hydrolysis. This method provides a novel complementary approach for synthesizing chiral ß,ß-disubstituted ketones in good yields with high levels of enantioselectivity under mild conditions.

Beneficial effect of the short-chain fatty acid propionate on vascular calcification through intestinal microbiota remodelling.

BACKGROUND: Vascular calcification is a major cause of the high morbidity and mortality of cardiovascular diseases and is closely associated with the intestinal microbiota. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are derived from the intestinal microbiota and can also regulate intestinal microbiota homeostasis. However, it remains unclear whether exogenous supplementation with propionate, a SCFA, can ameliorate vascular calcification by regulating the intestinal microbiota. This study was conducted to explore the roles of propionate and the intestinal microbiota in the process of vascular calcification. METHODS: In total, 92 patients were enrolled consecutively as the observational cohort to analyse the relationship between SCFAs and vascular calcification in both blood and faecal samples. A rat model of vascular calcification was induced by vitamin D3 and nicotine (VDN) to validate the effect of propionate. Differences in the intestinal microbiota were analysed by 16S ribosomal RNA gene sequencing. Faecal microbiota transplantation and Akkermansia muciniphila transplantation experiments were performed to evaluate the functions of the intestinal microbiota. RESULTS: The results of the observational cohort study revealed that the levels of SCFAs (particularly propionate) in both blood and faecal samples independently correlated negatively with calcification scores (P < 0.01). To verify the activities of propionate, it was provided to VDN-treated rats, and oral or rectal propionate delivery reshaped the intestinal microbiota, resulted in elevated SCFA production, improved intestinal barrier function and alleviated inflammation, ultimately ameliorating vascular calcification. Furthermore, we demonstrated that transplantation of the propionate-modulated intestinal microbiota induced beneficial outcomes similar to those with oral or rectal propionate administration. Interestingly, linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) revealed that oral or rectal propionate administration and propionate-modulated intestinal microbiota transplantation both enriched primarily Akkermansia. Subsequently, we demonstrated that Akkermansia supplementation could ameliorate VDN-induced vascular calcification in rats. CONCLUSIONS: Propionate can significantly ameliorate vascular calcification in VDN-treated rats, and this effect is mediated by intestinal microbiota remodelling. The findings in our study indicate that the intestinal tract-vessel axis is a promising target for alleviating vascular calcification. Video Abstract.

Dynamic covalent polymers enabled by reversible isocyanate chemistry.

The design of responsive materials by introducing dynamic covalent bonds (DCBs), which can undergo reversible association and dissociation under certain conditions, is an appealing research field in recent years. Reversible isocyanate chemistry representatively consists of urethane, thiourethane, and urea bonds, all of which can reverse into their own starting chemicals (isocyanates and active hydrogen compounds) upon heating. In this article, we overview the mechanisms and experimental elements affecting the dynamic features of isocyanate-based bonds (IBs). With the knowledge of reversible isocyanate chemistry, the construction strategies of different dynamic covalent polymers including polyurethanes, polyureas, and polythiourethanes are discussed, in particular for dynamic polymer networks. The major applications of dynamic isocyanate-based polymers in recycling and self-healing materials, shape morphing polymers, 3D printing, and composites are outlined. The emergence of reversible isocyanate chemistry offers a highly effective platform to engineer thermally adaptable materials.

Manipulating the optical beam width in topological pseudospin-dependent waveguides using all-dielectric photonic crystals.

We propose a width-tunable topological pseudospin-dependent waveguide (TPDW) which can manipulate the optical beam width using a heterostructure of all-dielectric photonic crystals (PhCs). The heterostructure can be realized by introducing a PhC featuring double Dirac cones into the other two PhCs with different topological indices. The topological pseudospin-dependent waveguide states (TPDWSs) achieved from the TPDW exhibit unidirectional transport and immunity against defects. As a potential application of our work, using these characteristics of TPDWSs, we further design a topological pseudospin-dependent beam expander which can expand a narrow beam into a wider one at the communication wavelength of 1.55 µm and is robust against three kinds of defects. The proposed TPDW with widely adjustable width can better dock with other devices to achieve stable and efficient transmission of light. Meanwhile, all-dielectric PhCs have negligible losses at optical wavelengths, which provides the prospect of broad application in photonic integrated devices.

Angle-selective chiral absorption induced by diffractive coupling in metasurfaces.

Here we report that a simple chiral metasurface with twisted metallic cut-wire arrays enables highly efficient and continuously tunable chiral absorption over a broad spectral range by scanning the incidence angle over a few degrees. The angle-selective chiral absorption results from the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) excited by diffractive effects of the metasurface. The diffraction-assisted chiral metasurface provides a straightforward strategy for achieving dynamically tunable chiral devices and offers intriguing possibilities for various applications in on-chip chiral detectors/emitters, chiral spectrometers, chiral lasers, and so on.