Optimizing the Quality of Machine Learning for Identifying the Share of Biogenic and Fossil Carbon in Solid Waste.

Insights into carbon sources (biogenic and fossil carbon) and contents in solid waste are vital for estimating the carbon emissions from incineration plants. However, the traditional methods are time-, labor-, and cost-intensive. Herein, high-quality data sets were established after analyzing the carbon contents and infrared spectra of substantial samples using elemental analysis and attenuated total reflectance-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), respectively. Then, five classification and eight regression machine learning (ML) models were evaluated to recognize the proportion of biogenic and fossil carbon in solid waste. Using the optimized data preprocessing approach, the random forest (RF) classifier with hyperparameter tuning ranked first in classifying the carbon group with a test accuracy of 0.969, and the carbon contents were successfully predicted by the RF regressor with R2 = 0.926 considering performance-interpretability-computation time competition. The above proposed algorithms were further validated with real environmental samples, which exhibited robust performance with an accuracy of 0.898 for carbon group classification and an R2 value of 0.851 for carbon content prediction. The reliable results indicate that ATR-FTIR coupled with ML algorithms is feasible for rapidly identifying both carbon groups and content, facilitating the calculation and assessment of carbon emissions from solid waste incineration.

Transcriptome Analysis Provides a Preliminary Regulation Route of the Ethylene Signal Transduction Component, SlEIN2, during Tomato Ripening.

Ethylene is crucial in climacteric fruit ripening. The ethylene signal pathway regulates several physiological alterations such as softening, carotenoid accumulation and sugar level reduction, and production of volatile compounds. All these physiological processes are controlled by numerous genes and their expression simultaneously changes at the onset of ripening. Ethylene insensitive 2 (EIN2) is a key component for ethylene signal transduction, and its mutation causes ethylene insensitivity. In tomato, silencing SlEIN2 resulted in a non-ripening phenotype and low ethylene production. RNA sequencing of SlEIN2-silenced and wild type tomato, and differential gene expression analyses, indicated that silencing SlEIN2 caused changes in more than 4,000 genes, including those related to photosynthesis, defense, and secondary metabolism. The relative expression level of 28 genes covering ripening-associated transcription factors, ethylene biosynthesis, ethylene signal pathway, chlorophyll binding proteins, lycopene and aroma biosynthesis, and defense pathway, showed that SlEIN2 influences ripening inhibitor (RIN) in a feedback loop, thus controlling the expression of several other genes. SlEIN2 regulates many aspects of fruit ripening, and is a key factor in the ethylene signal transduction pathway. Silencing SlEIN2 ultimately results in lycopene biosynthesis inhibition, which is the reason why tomato does not turn red, and this gene also affects the expression of several defense-associated genes. Although SlEIN2-silenced and green wild type fruits are similar in appearance, their metabolism is significantly different at the molecular level.

Role of the Tomato Non-Ripening Mutation in Regulating Fruit Quality Elucidated Using iTRAQ Protein Profile Analysis.

Natural mutants of the Non-ripening (Nor) gene repress the normal ripening of tomato fruit. The molecular mechanism of fruit ripening regulation by the Nor gene is unclear. To elucidate how the Nor gene can affect ripening and fruit quality at the protein level, we used the fruits of Nor mutants and wild-type Ailsa Craig (AC) to perform iTRAQ (isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantitation) analysis. The Nor mutation altered tomato fruit ripening and affected quality in various respects, including ethylene biosynthesis by down-regulating the abundance of 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid oxidase (ACO), pigment biosynthesis by repressing phytoene synthase 1 (PSY1), ζ-carotene isomerase (Z-ISO), chalcone synthase 1 (CHS1) and other proteins, enhancing fruit firmness by increasing the abundance of cellulose synthase protein, while reducing those of polygalacturonase 2 (PG2) and pectate lyase (PL), altering biosynthesis of nutrients such as carbohydrates, amino acids, and anthocyanins. Conversely, Nor mutation also enhanced the fruit's resistance to some pathogens by up-regulating the expression of several genes associated with stress and defense. Therefore, the Nor gene is involved in the regulation of fruit ripening and quality. It is useful in the future as a means to improve fruit quality in tomato.

Efficient Virus-Induced Gene Silencing in Solanum rostratum.

Solanum rostratum is a "super weed" that grows fast, is widespread, and produces the toxin solanine, which is harmful to both humans and other animals. To our knowledge, no study has focused on its molecular biology owing to the lack of available transgenic methods and sequence information for S. rostratum. Virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) is a powerful tool for the study of gene function in plants; therefore, in the present study, we aimed to establish tobacco rattle virus (TRV)-derived VIGS in S. rostratum. The genes for phytoene desaturase (PDS) and Chlorophyll H subunit (ChlH) of magnesium protoporphyrin chelatase were cloned from S. rostratum and used as reporters of gene silencing. It was shown that high-efficiency VIGS can be achieved in the leaves, flowers, and fruit of S. rostratum. Moreover, based on our comparison of three different types of infection methods, true leaf infection was found to be more efficient than cotyledon and sprout infiltration in long-term VIGS in multiple plant organs. In conclusion, the VIGS technology and tomato genomic sequences can be used in the future to study gene function in S. rostratum.

Absence of nasal bone and brachydactyly: a probable new familial syndrome.

Brachydactyly is a relatively common congenital abnormality and can be associated with many other malformations. However, brachydactyly in association with absence of nasal bone is rare. Two Chinese siblings with a combination of nasal bone absence and brachydactyly are presented, apparently without other abnormalities. This combination of features do not fit into any previously described syndrome and we suggest that this case represents a new familial syndrome. Molecular genetics screening didn't revealed any specific pathogenic variants in the two siblings.

[3-Dimensional model reconstruction of penis and surrounding tissue].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the feasibility of 3-Dimensional (3-D) model reconstruction of penis and surrounding structures based on magnetic resonance images, which may provide the model building method for modeling surgery of individual penoplasty. METHODS: Magnetic resonance (MR) images of penis with different imaging parameters were evaluated. With the surface rendering construction, the 3D virtual model was established by Amira software. RESULTS: The anatomical details imaging is better in T2-weighted fast spin-echo images with 3.0 mm slice thickness. The established model based on the MR images can show the soft-tissue, suspensory ligament of the penis. The suspensory ligament stretches between the pubic symphysis and the corpora cavernosa. The penile roots attach to inferior ramus of pubis. CONCLUSIONS: MR imaging provides enough anatomical information for modeling. It can be used for the development of model surgery system of individual penoplasty.

[Study on genetic polymorphisms of 13 SNP loci in Guangxi Zhuang population of China].

OBJECTIVE: The fluorescence labeled multi-PCR system was applied to investigate the allele frequency of the 13 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in 314 Guangxi Zhuang populations, and to evaluate their application value in forensic medicine. METHODS: Thirteen autosomal diallelic SNP loci were selected and the SNP genotyping system of fragment length discrepant allele specific fluorescence labeled multi-PCR technique was applied to investigate their allele frequency distribution in Guangxi Zhuang population. RESULTS: The allele frequencies of the 13 single nucleotide pdymorphism (SNP) in Guangxi Zhuang population were obtained, which shows that the allele frequency distribution is in accordance with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Their heterozygosity was between 0.2166 and 0.5478, the polymorphism information content was between 0.2084 and 0.3750, their cumulate discrimination probability was 99.99%, and the cumulate exclusion power was 87.71%. CONCLUSION: Several SNP loci could be genotyped simultaneously using the fluorescence labeled fragment length discrepant multiplex-PCR technique; the 13 SNP loci have a highly applicable value in the field of forensic personal identification.

[A comparative study on genetic polymorphism and genetic relationship of 13 SNPs in three Chinese populations].

Using the fluorescence labeled capillary electrophoresis of multi-PCR technique, the single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) typing system of fragment length discrepant allele specific fluorescence labeled multi-PCR technique is established based on the principle of allele-specific PCR. The typing of the 13 SNP loci can be completed simultaneously according to the length of PCR products and the number of product peaks. It appears a single product peak when the SNP is homozygous, and two product peaks with 4 bp differences will appear when it is heterozygous. By using this system, we conducted population census about allele frequencies for 13 autosomal SNP loci in Southern Liaoning Han samples, Mongolian samples in Inner Mongolia and Zhuang samples in Guangxi area, and got the allele frequencies of the 13 SNP loci in the three populations, then preliminarily discussed their genetic relationship by comparing their differences in allelic polymorphism. The results indicate that the allelic distributions of the 13 SNP loci in the three populations are polymorphic, and the difference is significant in some SNP loci (P< or =0.01). The sampling survey shows that the result is consistent with Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium, and Han population in southern Liaoning has relatively closer relationship with Mongolian in Inner Mongolia than with Zhuang population in Guangxi by origin.

[A new method for SNP typing based on allele specific PCR].

OBJECTIVE: To establish a new method of SNP typing. METHODS: Based on the principle of allele specific PCR and capillary electrophoresis technique, 11 diallelic SNP loci were selected and two forward primers with different length were designed for each SNP, with their 3' ends matched to the two alleles, respectively. An artificially mismatched base was also introduced into the third or fourth base in the 3' end area of the two forward primers in order to enhance the specificity of amplification. A common reverse primer was designed 100-300 bp away from the forward primers, and labeled with fluorescence. The PCR products were separated and analyzed by ABI Prism 310 Genetic Analyzer after all of the 11 SNPs were multiply amplified. RESULTS: A single product peak was observed while the SNP was homozygous, and two product peaks with different height were observed while the SNP was heterozygous. The length of PCR products was different with the different SNPs. According to the length of the products and the number of the product peaks, the genotypes of the 11 SNPs can simultaneously be analyzed, and the results were in accordance with the direct sequencing. CONCLUSION: Fragment length discrepant allele specific fluorescence labeled multi-PCR (FLDASFLM-PCR) is a simple, rapid and efficient new method for SNP typing.

[Detecting ABO blood type of bloodstain with fluorescent antibody method].

UNLABELLED: OBJECTIVE To explore the advantage and feasibility of fluorescent antibody method for detection of blood type in biological material. METHODS: According to theory of specific binding of antigen and antibody, at first the anti-A monoclonal antibody (MA) and anti-B MA were labeled with the fluorescent, then fluorescent-labeled antibodies (FLA) were bound with corresponding biological material (such as bloodstain) in the optimum condition, finally the ABO blood type of bloodstain was determined under microscope fluorescent. RESULTS: The fluorescent antibody method is highly sensitive, accurate and simple. CONCLUSION: The fluorescent antibody method is an accurate and reliable method for detection of ABO blood type in biological material.