Soliton in Bose-Einstein condensates with helicoidal spin-orbit coupling under a Zeeman lattice.

We investigate the existence and stability of higher-order bright solitons, stripe solitons, and bright-dark solitons in a Bose-Einstein condensate with helicoidal spin-orbit coupling under a Zeeman lattice using numerical methods. The higher-order bright solitons that exist in the first-finite energy gap are stable except near the edge. The stripe solitons with parity-time symmetry and pseudospin-parity symmetry have partially overlapping norm curves; they are stable in the lower edge of the first-finite energy gap. Additionally, the bright-dark solitons discovered in the system not only exist within energy gaps but also embed within energy bands as they have periodic backgrounds. These findings offer insights into the diversity and behavior of solitons within energy bands and contribute to a deeper understanding of their distribution and dynamics.

Determinants of Perceived Comfort: Multi-Dimensional Thinking in Smart Bedding Design.

Sleep quality is an important issue of public concern. This study, combined with sensor application, aims to explore the determinants of perceived comfort when using smart bedding to provide empirical evidence for improving sleep quality. This study was conducted in a standard sleep laboratory in Quanzhou, China, from March to April of 2023. Perceived comfort was evaluated using the Subjective Lying Comfort Evaluation on a seven-point rating scale, and body pressure distribution was measured using a pressure sensor. Correlation analysis was employed to analyze the relationship between perceived comfort and body pressure, and multiple linear regression was used to identify the factors of perceived comfort. The results showed that body pressure was partially correlated with perceived comfort, and sleep posture significantly influenced perceived comfort. In addition, height, weight, and body mass index are common factors that influence comfort. The findings highlight the importance of optimizing the angular range of boards based on their comfort performance to adjust sleeping posture and equalize pressure distribution. Future research should consider aspects related to the special needs of different populations (such as height and weight), as well as whether users are elderly and whether they have particular diseases. The design optimization of the bed board division and mattress softness, based on traditional smart bedding, can improve comfort and its effectiveness in reducing health risks and enhancing health status.

Cloning and functional mechanism of the dwarf gene gba affecting stem elongation and cellulose biosynthesis in jute (Corchorus olitorius).

Plant height (PH) is an important factor affecting bast fiber yield in jute. Here, we report the mechanism of dwarfism in the 'Guangbaai' (gba) of jute. The mutant gba had shorter internode length and cell length compared to the standard cultivar 'TaiZi 4' (TZ4). Exogenous GA3 treatment indicated that gba is a GA-insensitive dwarf mutant. Quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis of three PH-related traits via a high-density genetic linkage map according to re-seq showed that a total of 25 QTLs were identified, including 13 QTLs for PH, with phenotypic variation explained ranging from 2.42 to 74.16%. Notably, the functional mechanism of the candidate gene CoGID1a, the gibberellic acid receptor, of the major locus qPHIL5 was evaluated by transgenic analysis and virus-induced gene silencing. A dwarf phenotype-related single nucleotide mutation in CoGID1a was identified in gba, which was also unique to the dwarf phenotype of gba among 57 cultivars. Cogid1a was unable to interact with the growth-repressor DELLA even in the presence of highly accumulated gibberellins in gba. Differentially expressed genes between transcriptomes of gba and TZ4 after GA3 treatment indicated up-regulation of genes involved in gibberellin and cellulose synthesis in gba. Interestingly, it was found that up-regulation of CoMYB46, a key transcription factor in the secondary cell wall, by the highly accumulated gibberellins in gba promoted the expression of cellulose synthase genes CoCesA4 and CoCesA7. These findings provide valuable insights into fiber development affected by endogenous gibberellin accumulation in plants.

Selective penetration of fullerenol through pea seed coats mitigates osmosis-repressed germination via chromatin remodeling and transcriptional reprograming.

BACKGROUND: The alteration of chromatin accessibility plays an important role in plant responses to abiotic stress. Carbon-based nanomaterials (CBNMs) have attracted increasing interest in agriculture due to their potential impact on crop productivity, showcasing effects on plant biological processes at transcriptional levels; however, their impact on chromatin accessibility remains unknown. RESULTS: This study found that fullerenol can penetrate the seed coat of pea to mitigate the reduction of seed germination caused by osmotic stress. RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) revealed that the application of fullerenol caused the high expression of genes related to oxidoreduction to return to a normal level. Assay for transposase accessible chromatin sequencing (ATAC-seq) confirmed that fullerenol application reduced the overall levels of chromatin accessibility of numerous genes, including those related to environmental signaling, transcriptional regulation, and metabolism. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that fullerenol alleviates osmotic stress on various fronts, encompassing antioxidant, transcriptional, and epigenetic levels. This advances knowledge of the working mechanism of this nanomaterial within plant cells. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.

Genomic and cytogenetic analyses reveal satellite repeat signature in allotetraploid okra (Abelmoschus esculentus).

BACKGROUND: Satellite repeats are one of the most rapidly evolving components in eukaryotic genomes and play vital roles in genome regulation, genome evolution, and speciation. As a consequence, the composition, abundance and chromosome distribution of satellite repeats often exhibit variability across various species, genome, and even individual chromosomes. However, we know little about the satellite repeat evolution in allopolyploid genomes. RESULTS: In this study, we investigated the satellite repeat signature in five okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) accessions using genomic and cytogenetic methods. In each of the five accessions, we identified eight satellite repeats, which exhibited a significant level of intraspecific conservation. Through fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) experiments, we observed that the satellite repeats generated multiple signals and exhibited variations in copy number across chromosomes. Intriguingly, we found that five satellite repeats were interspersed with centromeric retrotransposons, signifying their involvement in centromeric satellite repeat identity. We confirmed subgenome-biased amplification patterns of these satellite repeats through existing genome assemblies or dual-color FISH, indicating their distinct dynamic evolution in the allotetraploid okra subgenome. Moreover, we observed the presence of multiple chromosomes harboring the 35 S rDNA loci, alongside another chromosomal pair carrying the 5 S rDNA loci in okra using FISH assay. Remarkably, the intensity of 35 S rDNA hybridization signals varied among chromosomes, with the signals predominantly localized within regions of relatively weak DAPI staining, associated with GC-rich heterochromatin regions. Finally, we observed a similar localization pattern between 35 S rDNA and three satellite repeats with high GC content and confirmed their origin in the intergenic spacer region of the 35 S rDNA. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings uncover a unique satellite repeat signature in the allotetraploid okra, contributing to our understanding of the composition, abundance, and chromosomal distribution of satellite repeats in allopolyploid genomes, further enriching our understanding of their evolutionary dynamics in complex allopolyploid genomes.

Circulating high mobility group box-1 and toll-like receptor 4 expressions increase the risk and severity of epilepsy

This study aimed to investigate the association of serum high-mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) and toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) expressions with the risk of epilepsy as well as their correlations with disease severity and resistance to anti-epilepsy drugs. One hundred and five epilepsy patients and 100 healthy controls (HCs) were enrolled in this case-control study, and serum samples were collected from all participants to assess the HMGB1 and TLR4 expressions by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Both serum HMGB1 (P<0.001) and TLR4 (P<0.001) expressions were higher in epilepsy patients than in HCs, and they displayed good predictive values for risk of epilepsy. Moreover, HMGB1 was positively correlated with TLR4 level (r=0.735, P<0.001). HMGB1 and TLR4 levels were both elevated in patients with an average seizure duration >5 min compared to patients with a seizure duration ≤5 min (P=0.001 and P=0.014, respectively). Also, HMGB1 and TLR4 were increased in patients with seizure frequency >3 times per month compared to patients with seizure frequency ≤3 times per month (both P=0.001). In addition, HMGB1 and TLR4 expressions were higher in intractable cases compared to drug-responsive cases (P<0.001). In conclusion, both HMGB1 and TLR4 expressions were correlated with increased risk and severity of epilepsy and their level was higher in patients resistant to anti-epilepsy drugs.