Self-poled piezoelectric polymer composites via melt-state energy implantation.

Lightweight flexible piezoelectric polymers are demanded for various applications. However, the low instinctively piezoelectric coefficient (i.e. d33) and complex poling process greatly resist their applications. Herein, we show that introducing dynamic pressure during fabrication is capable for poling polyvinylidene difluoride/barium titanate (PVDF/BTO) composites with d33 of ~51.20 pC/N at low density of ~0.64 g/cm3. The melt-state dynamic pressure driven energy implantation induces structure evolutions of both PVDF and BTO are demonstrated as reasons for self-poling. Then, the porous material is employed as pressure sensor with a high output of ~20.0 V and sensitivity of ~132.87 mV/kPa. Besides, the energy harvesting experiment suggests power density of ~58.7 mW/m2 can be achieved for 10 N pressure with a long-term durability. In summary, we not only provide a high performance lightweight, flexible piezoelectric polymer composite towards sustainable self-powered sensing and energy harvesting, but also pave an avenue for electrical-free fabrication of piezoelectric polymers.

Genetic improvement of nitrogen use efficiency in crops.

Nitrogen (N) is an essential mineral nutrient for plant growth and development. N deficiency is the major factor limiting plant growth and crop production in most natural and agricultural soils. The green revolution of the 1960's boosted crop yields through cultivation of semi-dwarf plant varieties. However, green revolution wheat and rice varieties have relatively poor nitrogen use efficiency (NUE), require a high N fertilizer supply to achieve maximum yield potential, and this leads to an increase in production costs and environmental problem. Therefore, a major challenge for sustainable agriculture is whether improvement of NUE through the reduction of N fertilizer supply can be achieved without yield penalty. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in understanding of molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of N-responsive plant growth, utilization and possibility for improvements of NUE in crops, and new breeding strategies through modulation of N-responsive growth-metabolism coordination for future sustainable agriculture.

Paternal gene pool of Malays in Southeast Asia and its applications for the early expansion of Austronesians.

OBJECTIVES: The origin and differentiation of Austronesian populations and their languages have long fascinated linguists, archeologists, and geneticists. However, the founding process of Austronesians and when they separated from their close relatives, such as the Daic and Austro-Asiatic populations in the mainland of Asia, remain unclear. In this study, we explored the paternal origin of Malays in Southeast Asia and the early differentiation of Austronesians. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We generated whole Y-chromosome sequences of 50 Malays and co-analyzed 200 sequences from other Austronesians and related populations. We generated a revised phylogenetic tree with time estimation. RESULTS: We identified six founding paternal lineages among the studied Malays samples. These founding lineages showed a surprisingly coincident expansion age at 5000 to 6000 years ago. We also found numerous mostly close related samples of the founding lineages of Malays among populations from Mainland of Asia. CONCLUSION: Our analyses provided a refined phylogenetic resolution for the dominant paternal lineages of Austronesians found by previous studies. We suggested that the co-expansion of numerous founding paternal lineages corresponds to the initial differentiation of the most recent common ancestor of modern Austronesians. The splitting time and divergence pattern in perspective of paternal Y-chromosome evidence are highly consistent with the previous theories of ethnologists, linguists, and archeologists.

Y-chromosome evidence confirmed the Kerei-Abakh origin of Aksay Kazakhs.

Aksay Kazakhs are the easternmost branch of Kazakhs, residing in Jiuquan city, the forefront of the ancient Silk Road. However, the genetic diversity of Aksay Kazakhs and its relationships with other Kazakhs still lack attention. To clarify this issue, we analyzed the non-recombining portion of the Y-chromosome from 93 Aksay Kazakhs samples, using a high-resolution analysis of 106 biallelic markers and 17 STRs. The lowest haplogroup diversity (0.38) was observed in Aksay Kazakhs among all studied Kazakh populations. The social and cultural traditions of the Kazakhs shaped their current pattern of genetic variation. Aksay Kazakhs tended to migrate with clans and had limited paternal admixture with neighboring populations. Aksay Kazakhs had the highest frequency (80%) of haplogroup C2b1a3a1-F3796 (previous C3*-Star Cluster) among the investigated Eurasian steppe populations, which was now seen as the genetic marker of Kerei clan. Furthermore, NETWORK analysis indicated that Aksay Kazakhs originated from sub-clan Kerei-Abakh in Kazakhstan with DYS448 = 23. TMRCA estimates of three recent descent clusters detected in C2*-M217 (xM48) network, one of which incorporate nearly all of the C2b1a3a1-F3796 Aksay Kazakhs samples, gave the age range of 976-1405 YA for DC1, 1059-1314 YA for DC2, and 1139-1317 YA for DC3, respectively; this is coherent with the 7th to the 11th centuries Altaic-speaking pastoral nomadic population expansion.

Paternal origin of Paleo-Indians in Siberia: insights from Y-chromosome sequences.

The expansion of modern humans to the American continent after the Last Glacial Maximum led the way to the present-day distribution of American aborigines. Recent advances in autosomal DNA research and expanded testing of mtDNA lineages has provided a clearer picture of the number and timing of founding lineages. However, both autosomal DNA and mtDNA research have provided unresolved competing theories between the short-term and the long-term models of the Beringian standstill hypothesis. Further, the source of founding paternal lineages of American aborigines and their relationship with ancient Siberia populations remains ambiguous. In this study, we reanalyzed a 7.0 Mbp region of 132 paternal Y-chromosome sequences, including 39 newly reported ones, of male samples from American aborigines and Eurasian populations. Among Eurasian samples, we identified Y-chromosome branches that are most closely related to known American aborigine founding lineages, that is, Q1-L804 links to Q1-M3, Q1-L330 links to Q1-Z780, Q1-M120 links to Q1-B143, and C2-F1756 links to C2-P39. The revised phylogenetic tree and age estimates indicate a narrow timeframe (~15.3-14.3 kya) for the upper time limit of human entry to the American continent. Our analysis suggests that the in situ differentiation of Q-M242 in Central Eurasia and South Siberia region gave rise to numerous sub-lineages older than 15.3 kya, and the founding of Paleo-Indian paternal lineages is part of the great Q1-L53 diffusion throughout the Eurasia after the Last Glacial Maximum. The results of our study will assist in future studies of the history of modern populations in Eurasia and the Americas.

Reconstruction of Y-chromosome phylogeny reveals two neolithic expansions of Tibeto-Burman populations.

Diffusion of Tibeto-Burman populations across the Tibetan Plateau led to the largest human community in a high-altitude environment and has long been a focus of research on high-altitude adaptation, archeology, genetics, and linguistics. However, much uncertainty remains regarding the origin, diversification, and expansion of Tibeto-Burman populations. In this study, we analyzed a 7.0M bp region of 285 Y-chromosome sequences, including 81 newly reported ones, from male samples from Tibeto-Burman populations and other related Eastern Asian populations. We identified several paternal lineages specific to Tibeto-Burman populations, and most of these lineages emerged between 6000 and 2500 years ago. A phylogenetic tree and lineage dating both support the hypothesis that the establishment of Tibeto-Burman ancestral groups was triggered by Neolithic expansions from the middle Yellow River Basin and admixtures with local populations on the Tibetan Plateau who survived the Paleolithic Age. Furthermore, according to the geographical distributions of the haplogroups, we propose that there are two Neolithic expansion origins for all modern Tibeto-Burman populations. Our research provides a clear scenario about the sources, admixture process and later diffusion process of the ancestor population of all Tibeto-Burman populations.

Whole-sequence analysis indicates that the Y chromosome C2*-Star Cluster traces back to ordinary Mongols, rather than Genghis Khan.

The Y-chromosome haplogroup C3*-Star Cluster (revised to C2*-ST in this study) was proposed to be the Y-profile of Genghis Khan. Here, we re-examined the origin of C2*-ST and its associations with Genghis Khan and Mongol populations. We analyzed 34 Y-chromosome sequences of haplogroup C2*-ST and its most closely related lineage. We redefined this paternal lineage as C2b1a3a1-F3796 and generated a highly revised phylogenetic tree of the haplogroup, including 36 sub-lineages and 265 non-private Y-chromosome variants. We performed a comprehensive analysis and age estimation of this lineage in eastern Eurasia, including 18,210 individuals from 292 populations. We discovered that the origin of populations with high frequencies of C2*-ST can be traced to either an ancient Niru'un Mongol clan or ordinary Mongol tribes. Importantly, the age of the most recent common ancestor of C2*-ST (2576 years, 95% CI = 1975-3178) and its sub-lineages, and their expansion patterns, are consistent with the diffusion of all Mongolic-speaking populations, rather than Genghis Khan himself or his close male relatives. We concluded that haplogroup C2*-ST is one of the founder paternal lineages of all Mongolic-speaking populations, and direct evidence of an association between C2*-ST and Genghis Khan has yet to be discovered.

Dispersals of the Siberian Y-chromosome haplogroup Q in Eurasia.

The human Y-chromosome has proven to be a powerful tool for tracing the paternal history of human populations and genealogical ancestors. The human Y-chromosome haplogroup Q is the most frequent haplogroup in the Americas. Previous studies have traced the origin of haplogroup Q to the region around Central Asia and Southern Siberia. Although the diversity of haplogroup Q in the Americas has been studied in detail, investigations on the diffusion of haplogroup Q in Eurasia and Africa are still limited. In this study, we collected 39 samples from China and Russia, investigated 432 samples from previous studies of haplogroup Q, and analyzed the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) subclades Q1a1a1-M120, Q1a2a1-L54, Q1a1b-M25, Q1a2-M346, Q1a2a1a2-L804, Q1a2b2-F1161, Q1b1a-M378, and Q1b1a1-L245. Through NETWORK and BATWING analyses, we found that the subclades of haplogroup Q continued to disperse from Central Asia and Southern Siberia during the past 10,000 years. Apart from its migration through the Beringia to the Americas, haplogroup Q also moved from Asia to the south and to the west during the Neolithic period, and subsequently to the whole of Eurasia and part of Africa.

Whole sequence analysis indicates a recent southern origin of Mongolian Y-chromosome C2c1a1a1-M407.

The Y-chromosome haplogroup C2c1a1a1-M407 is a predominant paternal lineage in Mongolic-speaking populations, especially in Buryats and Kalmyks. However, the origin and internal phylogeny of C2c1a1a1-M407 have not been investigated in detail. In this study, we analyzed twenty-three Y-chromosome sequences of haplogroup C2c1a1a1-M407 and its most closely related clades. We generated a high-resolution phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C2c1a1a1-M407 and its upstream clade C2c1a1-CTS2657, including 32 subclades and 144 non-private Y-chromosome polymorphisms. We discover that all available C2c1a1a1-M407 samples from Mongolic-speaking populations belong to its newly defined downstream clade C2c1a1a1b-F8465, whereas all samples of C2c1a1-CTS2657(xF8465) come from northern Han Chinese, Korean, and Japanese. Furthermore, we observe that C2c1a1a1b-F8465 and its subclade C2c1a1a1b1-F8536 expanded at approximately 0.86 and 0.44 thousand years ago, respectively. Therefore, we conclude that C2c1a1a1-M407 in Mongolic-speaking populations has originated from northeastern Asia. C2c1a1a1b1-F8536, the newly defined subclade of C2c1a1a1-M407, probably represents the genetic relationships between ancient Oyrats, modern Kalmyks, Mongolians, and Buryats.

Phylogeny of Y-chromosome haplogroup C3b-F1756, an important paternal lineage in Altaic-speaking populations.

In previous studies, a specific paternal lineage with a null value for the Y-chromosome short tandem repeat (Y-STR) marker DYS448 was identified as common among Mongolic- and Turkic-speaking populations. This paternal lineage (temporarily named C3*-DYS448del) was determined to be M217+, M93-, P39-, M48-, M407-, and P53.1-, and its origin and phylogeny remain ambiguous. Here, we analyzed Y-chromosome sequences of 10 male that are related this paternal lineage and redefined it as C3b1a1a1a-F1756 (C3b-F1756). We generated a highly revised phylogenetic tree of haplogroup C3b-F1756, including 21 sub-clades and 360 non-private Y-chromosome polymorphisms. Additionally, we performed a comprehensive analysis of the C3*-DYS448del lineage in eastern Eurasia, including 18 270 samples from 297 populations. Whole Y-chromosome sequences, Y-STR haplotypes, and frequency data were used to generate a distribution map, a network, and age estimations for lineage C3*-DYS448del and its sub-lineages. Considering the historical records of the studied populations, we propose that two major sub-branches of C3b-F1756 may correspond to early expansions of ancestors of modern Mongolic- and Turkic-speaking populations. The large number of newly defined Y-chromosome polymorphisms and the revised phylogenetic tree for C3b-F1756 will assist in investigation of the early history of Altaic-speaking populations in the future.

Phylogeography of Y-chromosome haplogroup O3a2b2-N6 reveals patrilineal traces of Austronesian populations on the eastern coastal regions of Asia.

Austronesian diffusion is considered one of the greatest dispersals in human history; it led to the peopling of an extremely vast region, ranging from Madagascar in the Indian Ocean to Easter Island in Remote Oceania. The Y-chromosome haplogroup O3a2b*-P164(xM134), a predominant paternal lineage of Austronesian populations, is found at high frequencies in Polynesian populations. However, the internal phylogeny of this haplogroup remains poorly investigated. In this study, we analyzed -seventeen Y-chromosome sequences of haplogroup O3a2b*-P164(xM134) and generated a revised phylogenetic tree of this lineage based on 310 non-private Y-chromosome polymorphisms. We discovered that all available O3a2b*-P164(xM134) samples belong to the newly defined haplogroup O3a2b2-N6 and samples from Austronesian populations belong to the sublineage O3a2b2a2-F706. Additionally, we genotyped a series of Y-chromosome polymorphisms in a large collection of samples from China. We confirmed that the sublineage O3a2b2a2b-B451 is unique to Austronesian populations. We found that O3a2b2-N6 samples are widely distributed on the eastern coastal regions of Asia, from Korea to Vietnam. Furthermore, we propose- that the O3a2b2a2b-B451 lineage represents a genetic connection between ancestors of Austronesian populations and ancient populations in North China, where foxtail millet was domesticated about 11,000 years ago. The large number of newly defined Y-chromosome polymorphisms and the revised phylogenetic tree of O3a2b2-N6 will be helpful to explore the origin of proto-Austronesians and the early diffusion process of Austronesian populations.

Genetic trail for the early migrations of Aisin Gioro, the imperial house of the Qing dynasty.

The House of Aisin Gioro, the imperial clan of Qing dynasty (1644-1911), affected the history of China and the formation of Manchu ethnicity greatly. However, owing to the lack of historical records and archeological evidences, the origin of the House of Aisin Gioro remains ambiguous. To clarify the origin of Aisin Gioro clan, we conducted whole Y-chromosome sequencing on three samples and Y-single-nucleotide polymorphism (Y-SNP) genotyping on other four samples beside those reported in previous work. We confirmed that the paternal lineage of the Aisin Gioro clan belongs to haplogroup C3b1a3a2-F8951, a brother branch of C3*-Star Cluster (currently named as C3b1a3a1-F3796, once linked to Genghis Khan), which is quite different from the predominant lineage C3c-M48 in other Tungusic-speaking populations. We also determined a series of unique Y-SNP markers for the Aisin Gioro clan. Diversity analyses of haplogroup C3b1a3a2-F8951 revealed the early migration of the ancestors of the Aisin Gioro clan from the middle reaches of Amur River to their later settlement in southeastern Manchuria. Hence, our results suggest that the Aisin Gioro clan may be descendants of ancient populations in Transbaikal region and closely related to origin of current Daur populations. Our research indicated that detailed research of stemma and deep sequencing of Y chromosomes are helpful to explore the prehistoric activities of populations lacking historical records and archeological evidences.

Applied digital signal processing systems for vortex flowmeter with digital signal processing.

The spectral analysis is combined with digital filter to process the vortex sensor signal for reducing the effect of disturbance at low frequency from pipe vibrations and increasing the turndown ratio. Using digital signal processing chip, two kinds of digital signal processing systems are developed to implement these algorithms. One is an integrative system, and the other is a separated system. A limiting amplifier is designed in the input analog condition circuit to adapt large amplitude variation of sensor signal. Some technique measures are taken to improve the accuracy of the output pulse, speed up the response time of the meter, and reduce the fluctuation of the output signal. The experimental results demonstrate the validity of the digital signal processing systems.