Long-term mesoscale imaging of 3D intercellular dynamics across a mammalian organ.

A comprehensive understanding of physio-pathological processes necessitates non-invasive intravital three-dimensional (3D) imaging over varying spatial and temporal scales. However, huge data throughput, optical heterogeneity, surface irregularity, and phototoxicity pose great challenges, leading to an inevitable trade-off between volume size, resolution, speed, sample health, and system complexity. Here, we introduce a compact real-time, ultra-large-scale, high-resolution 3D mesoscope (RUSH3D), achieving uniform resolutions of 2.6 × 2.6 × 6 µm3 across a volume of 8,000 × 6,000 × 400 µm3 at 20 Hz with low phototoxicity. Through the integration of multiple computational imaging techniques, RUSH3D facilitates a 13-fold improvement in data throughput and an orders-of-magnitude reduction in system size and cost. With these advantages, we observed premovement neural activity and cross-day visual representational drift across the mouse cortex, the formation and progression of multiple germinal centers in mouse inguinal lymph nodes, and heterogeneous immune responses following traumatic brain injury-all at single-cell resolution, opening up a horizon for intravital mesoscale study of large-scale intercellular interactions at the organ level.

Discrimination of relatedness drives rice flowering and reproduction in cultivar mixtures.

The improvement of performance and yield in both cultivar and species mixtures has been well established. Despite the clear benefits of crop mixtures to agriculture, identifying the critical mechanisms behind performance increases are largely lacking. We experimentally demonstrated that the benefits of rice cultivar mixtures were linked to relatedness-mediated intraspecific neighbour recognition and discrimination under both field and controlled conditions. We then tested biochemical mechanisms of responses in incubation experiments involving the addition of root exudates and a root-secreted signal, (-)-loliolide, followed by transcriptome analysis. We found that closely related cultivar mixtures increased grain yields by modifying root behaviour and accelerating flowering over distantly related mixtures. Importantly, these responses were accompanied by altered concentration of signalling (-)-loliolide that affected rice transcriptome profiling, directly regulating root growth and flowering gene expression. These findings suggest that beneficial crop combinations may be generated a-priori by manipulating neighbour genetic relatedness in rice cultivar mixtures and that root-secreted (-)-loliolide functions as a key mediator of genetic relatedness interactions. The ability of relatedness discrimination to regulate rice flowering and yield raises an intriguing possibility to increase crop production.

Testing the Origins of Neutrino Mass with Supernova-Neutrino Time Delay.

The origin of neutrino masses remains unknown. Both the vacuum mass and the dark mass generated by the neutrino interaction with dark matter (DM) particles or fields can fit the current oscillation data. The dark mass squared is proportional to the DM number density and, therefore, varies on the galactic scale with much larger values around the Galactic Center. This affects the group velocity and the arrival time delay of core-collapse supernovae (SN) neutrinos. This time delay, especially for the ν_{e} neutronization peak with a sharp time structure, can be used to distinguish the vacuum and dark neutrino masses. For illustration, we explore the potential of the Deep Underground Neutrino Experiment (DUNE), which is sensitive to ν_{e}. Our simulations show that DUNE can distinguish the two neutrino mass origins at more than 5σ C.L., depending on the observed local value of neutrino mass, the neutrino mass ordering, the DM density profile, and the SN location.

Two new anti-inflammatory trachylobane diterpenoids from Euphorbia atoto.

Two new rare trachylobane euphoratones A-B (1-2), together with five known diterpenoids (compounds 3-7), were isolated from the aerial parts of Euphorbia atoto. Their structures were unambiguously elucidated through HRESIMS, 1D and 2D NMR spectral analysis. Compounds 1, 3, 4 and 7 showed weak anti-inflammatory activities (IC50 77.49 ± 6.34, 41.61 ± 14.49, 16.00 ± 1.71 and 33.41 ± 4.52 µM, respectively), compared to the positive control quercetin (IC50 15.23 ± 0.65 µM).

(-)-Loliolide is a general signal of plant stress that activates jasmonate-related responses.

The production of defensive metabolites in plants can be induced by signaling chemicals released by neighboring plants. Induction is mainly known from volatile aboveground signals, with belowground signals and their underlying mechanisms largely unknown. We demonstrate that (-)-loliolide triggers defensive metabolite responses to competitors, herbivores, and pathogens in seven plant species. We further explore the transcriptional responses of defensive pathways to verify the signaling role of (-)-loliolide in wheat and rice models with well-known defensive metabolites and gene systems. In response to biotic and abiotic stressors, (-)-loliolide is produced and secreted by roots. This, in turn, induces the production of defensive compounds including phenolic acids, flavonoids, terpenoids, alkaloids, benzoxazinoids, and cyanogenic glycosides, regardless of plant species. (-)-Loliolide also triggers the expression of defense-related genes, accompanied by an increase in the concentration of jasmonic acid and hydrogen peroxide (H2 O2 ). Transcriptome profiling and inhibitor incubation indicate that (-)-loliolide-induced defense responses are regulated through pathways mediated by jasmonic acid, H2 O2 , and Ca 2+ . These findings argue that (-)-loliolide functions as a common belowground signal mediating chemical defense in plants. Such perception-dependent plant chemical defenses will yield critical insights into belowground signaling interactions.

Root placement patterns in allelopathic plant-plant interactions.

Plants actively respond to their neighbors by altering root placement patterns. Neighbor-modulated root responses involve root detection and interactions mediated by root-secreted functional metabolites. However, chemically mediated root placement patterns and their underlying mechanisms remain elusive. We used an allelopathic wheat model system challenged with 60 target species to identify root placement responses in window rhizobox experiments. We then tested root responses and their biochemical mechanisms in incubation experiments involving the addition of activated carbon and functional metabolites with amyloplast staining and auxin localization in roots. Wheat and each target species demonstrated intrusive, avoidant or unresponsive root placement, resulting in a total of nine combined patterns. Root placement patterns were mediated by wheat allelochemicals and (-)-loliolide signaling of neighbor species. In particular, (-)-loliolide triggered wheat allelochemical production that altered root growth and placement, degraded starch grains in the root cap and induced uneven distribution of auxin in target species roots. Root placement patterns in wheat-neighbor interactions were perception dependent and species dependent. Signaling (-)-loliolide induced the production and release of wheat allelochemicals that modulated root placement patterns. Therefore, root placement patterns are generated by both signaling chemicals and allelochemicals in allelopathic plant-plant interactions.

Root-secreted (-)-loliolide modulates both belowground defense and aboveground flowering in Arabidopsis and tobacco.

Plant defense, growth, and reproduction can be modulated by chemicals emitted from neighboring plants, mainly via volatile aboveground signals. However, belowground signals and their underlying control mechanisms are largely unknown. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that the root-secreted carotenoid (-)-loliolide mediates both defensive and reproductive responses in wild-type Arabidopsis, a carotenoid-deficient Arabidopsis mutant (szl1-1), and tobacco (Nicotiana benthamiana). Wild-type Arabidopsis plants flower later than szl1-1, and they secrete (-)-loliolide into the soil, whereas szl1-1 roots do not. When Arabidopsis and tobacco occur together, wild-type Arabidopsis induces nicotine production and defense-related gene expression in tobacco, whereas szl1-1 impairs this induction but accelerates tobacco flowering. Furthermore, nicotine production and the expression of the key genes involved in nicotine biosynthesis (QPT, PMT1), plant defense (CAT1, SOD1, PR-2a, PI-II, TPI), and flowering (AP1, LFY, SOC1, FT3, FLC) are differently regulated by incubation with wild-type Arabidopsis and szl1-1 root exudates or (-)-loliolide. In particular, (-)-loliolide up-regulated flowering suppressors (FT3 and FLC) and transiently down-regulated flowering stimulators (AP1 and SOC1), delaying tobacco flowering. Therefore, root-secreted (-)-loliolide modulates plant belowground defense and aboveground flowering, yielding critical insights into plant-plant signaling interactions.

Investigating the influence of substituent groups in TTM based radicals for the excitation process: a theoretical study.

Tri-(2,4,6-trichlorophenyl)methyl (TTM) based radicals can be promising in providing relatively high fluorescence quantum efficiency. In this study, we have evaluated the photoluminescence properties of a series of TTM-based radicals by means of DFT and TD-DFT methods. The optimized structures of the ground states (D0) and the first excited states (D1) of all the radicals are calculated and the computed emission bands are comparable with previous experimental results. knr is determined from transition dipole moments (µ12) and the energy gaps between D0 and D1 (ΔE), both of which can be regulated by the conjugated structures from the substituent groups. knr was derived from the mode-averaging method and is consistent with the experimental results. Factors influencing kr and knr, including the potential energy differences (ΔG0), the vibrational reorganization energies (λ) and the electron coupling term (Hab), are discussed. By comparing kr and knr in solvents with different polarities (cyclohexane, toluene, and chloroform), TTM based radicals in cyclohexane exhibit the most promising fluorescence efficiencies. Besides, two substituted radicals, namely 2Br-TTM-3PCz and 2F-TTM-3PCz, have been fabricated. The results show that fluorine atoms are able to increase ΔG0 and a considerably small knr has been predicted. We expect that our calculation can benefit the design of light-emitting molecules in further experiments.

Pseudomonas subflava sp. nov., a new Gram-negative bacterium isolated from Guishan in Yunnan province, south-west China.

A new Gram-negative, rod-shaped, flagellated bacterium was isolated from soil in the Guishan, Xinping County, Yuxi City, Yunnan Province, China, and named YIM B01952T. Growth occurred at 10-40 °C (optimum, 30 °C), pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 7.5) and with up to ≤ 5.0% (w/v) NaCl on Tryptic Soy Broth Agar (TSA) plates. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene and draft-genome sequence showed that strain YIM B01952T belonged to the genus Pseudomonas, and was closely related to the type strain of Pseudomonas alcaligenes (sequence similarity was 98.8%). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) value between strain YIM B01952T and the parallel strain P. alcaligenes ATCC 14909T was 49.0% based on the draft genome sequence. The predominant menaquinone was Q-9. The major fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C18:1 ω6c and/or C18:1 ω7c), summed feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c and/or C16:1 ω7c) and C16:0. The major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, diphosphatidylglycerol, and phosphatidylglycerol. The genome size of strain YIM B01952T was 4.341 Mb, comprising 4156 predicted genes with a DNA G + C content of 66.4 mol%. In addition, we detected that strain YIM B01952T had some traditional functional genes (plant growth promotion and multidrug resistance), unique genes through genome comparison and analysis with similar strains. Based on genetic analyses and biochemical characterization, the strain YIM B01952T was identified as a novel species in the genus Pseudomonas, for which the name Pseudomonas subflava sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is YIM B01952T (=CCTCC AB 2021498T = KCTC 92073T).

Chitinolyticbacter albus sp. Nov., A Novel Chitin-Degrading Bacterium Isolated from Ancient Wood Rhizosphere Soil.

In this study, a novel aerobic mesophilic bacterial strain with capable of degrading chitin, designated YIM B06366T, was isolated and classified. The rod-shaped, Gram-stain-negative, on-spore-forming bacterium originated from rhizosphere soil sample collected in Kunming City, Yunnan Province, southwest PR China. Strain YIM B06366T exhibited growth at temperatures between 20 and 35 °C (optimum, 30 °C) and at pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum, pH 6.0). The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity revealed that strain YIM B06366T was most closely related to type strain Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1T (98.9%). Phylogenetic analysis based on genome data indicated that strain YIM B06366T should be assigned to the genus Chitinolyticbacter. The Average Nucleotide Identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA Hybridization (dDDH) values between strain YIM B06366T and the reference strain Chitinolyticbacter meiyuanensis SYBC-H1T were 84.4% and 27.7%, respectively. The major fatty acids included Summed Feature 3 (C16:1 ω6c/C16:1 ω7c), Summed Feature 8 (C18:1 ω6c/C18:1 ω7c), and C16:0. The polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipids, and two unidentified phospholipids. The predominant menaquinone was Q-8, and the genomic DNA G + C content was 64.1%. Considering the polyphasic taxonomic evidence, strain YIM B06366T is proposed as a novel species within the genus Chitinolyticbacter, named Chitinolyticbacter albus sp. nov. (type strain YIM B06366T = KCTC 92434T = CCTCC AB 2022163T).

Root exudate signals in plant-plant interactions.

Plant-to-plant signalling is a key mediator of interactions among plant species. Plants can perceive and respond to chemical cues emitted from their neighbours, altering survival and performance, impacting plant coexistence and community assembly. An increasing number of studies indicate root exudates as key players in plant-to-plant signalling. Root exudates mediate root detection and behaviour, kin recognition, flowering and production, driving inter- and intra-specific facilitation in cropping systems and mixed-species plantations. Altered interactions may be attributed to the signalling components within root exudates. Root ethylene, strigolactones, jasmonic acid, (-)-loliolide and allantoin are signalling chemicals that convey information on local conditions in plant-plant interactions. These root-secreted signalling chemicals appear ubiquitous in plants and trigger a series of belowground responses inter- and intra-specifically, involving molecular events in biosynthesis, secretion and action. The secretion of root signals, mainly mediated by ATP-binding cassette transporters, is critical. Root-secreted signalling chemicals and their molecular mechanisms are rapidly revealing a multitude of fascinating plant-plant interactions. However, many root signals, particularly species-specific signals and their underlying mechanisms, remain to be uncovered due to methodological limitations and root-soil interactions. A thorough understanding of root-secreted chemical signals and their mechanisms will offer many ecological implications and potential applications for sustainable agriculture.

Intra-specific kin recognition contributes to inter-specific allelopathy: A case study of allelopathic rice interference with paddy weeds.

Species interactions and mechanisms affect plant coexistence and community assembly. Despite increasing knowledge of kin recognition and allelopathy in regulating inter-specific and intra-specific interactions among plants, little is known about whether kin recognition mediates allelopathic interference. We used allelopathic rice cultivars with the ability for kin recognition grown in kin versus non-kin mixtures to determine their impacts on paddy weeds in field trials and a series of controlled experiments. We experimentally tested potential mechanisms of the interaction via altered root behaviour, allelochemical production and resource partitioning in the dominant weed competitor, as well as soil microbial communities. We consistently found that the establishment and growth of paddy weeds were more inhibited by kin mixtures compared to non-kin mixtures. The effect was driven by kin recognition that induced changes in root placement, altered weed carbon and nitrogen partitioning, but was associated with similar soil microbial communities. Importantly, genetic relatedness enhanced the production of intrusive roots towards weeds and reduced the production of rice allelochemicals. These findings suggest that relatedness allows allelopathic plants to discriminate their neighbouring collaborators (kin) or competitors and adjust their growth, competitiveness and chemical defense accordingly.

(-)-Loliolide, the most ubiquitous lactone, is involved in barnyardgrass-induced rice allelopathy.

Neighbor detection and allelochemical response are important mediators in plant-plant interactions. Although there is increasing knowledge about plant allelochemicals released in response to the presence of competitors and involved in neighbor-derived signaling, less is known about which signaling chemicals are responsible for the neighbor-induced allelochemical response. Here, we experimentally demonstrate that (-)-loliolide, a carotenoid metabolite, acts as a signaling chemical in barnyardgrass-rice allelopathic interactions. The production of the rice allelochemicals momilactone B and tricin was increased in the presence of five biotypes of barnyardgrass. (-)-Loliolide was found in all the biotypes of barnyardgrass and their root exudates and rhizosphere soils. There were significant positive relationships between rice allelochemicals and (-)-loliolide concentrations across the biotypes of barnyardgrass. Furthermore, (-)-loliolide elicited the production of momilactone B and tricin. Comparative transcriptomic analysis revealed regulatory activity of (-)-loliolide on the diterpenoid and flavonoid biosynthesis pathway. The expression of key genes involved in the biosynthesis of momilactone B (CPS4, KSL4, and MAS) and tricin (CYP75B3 and CYP75B4) was up-regulated by (-)-loliolide. These findings suggest that (-)-loliolide acts as a signaling chemical and participates in barnyardgrass-rice allelopathic interactions. Allelopathic rice plants can detect competing barnyardgrass through the presence of this signaling chemical and respond by increasing levels of their allelochemicals to achieve an advantage for their own growth.

Investigating detailed mechanism of hydrogen molecules adsorbing on single-wall carbon nanotubes using fitted force field parameters containing carbon-carbon interactions.

The nonbonded and bonded force field parameters for carbon atoms in single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT) are fitted by means of quantum chemistry calculations with considering the periodic boundary conditions. The nonbonded parameters between carbon atoms and hydrogen atoms are fitted as well. All the fitted parameters are verified by comparing to quantum chemistry results and by calculating Young's modulus. Adsorption of Hydrogen molecules are then carried out on a bundle of self-assembled SWNTs. The adsorption isotherms are consistent to the Freundlich equation. Both hydrogen molecules adsorbed outside and inside the SWNTs are counted. According to our result, hydrogen molecules adsorbed inside the SWNTs are more stable at a relatively high temperature and are playing an important part in total amount of the adsorbed molecules. While C(10,10) have the highest adsorption capacities in most of the temperatures, hydrogen molecules inside C(5,5) are the most stable of all the four kinds of SWNTs. Thus, balancing adsorption capacities and strength of interaction can be important in choosing SWNT for gas adsorption. Besides, we deduct an equation that can describe the relation between hydrogen pressure and amount of SWNTs based on our simulation results. The hydrogen pressure may decrease by adding SWNTs in the system. The fitting method in our system is valid to SWNTs and can be tested in further studies of similar systems. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Overexpression of SNHG12 regulates the viability and invasion of renal cell carcinoma cells through modulation of HIF1α.

BACKGROUND: Cumulative evidences demonstrated the aberrant overexpression of Small Nucleolar RNA Host Gene 12 (SNHG12) in diverse human cancer. However, the expression status and involvement of SNHG12 in renal cell carcinoma is still elusive. METHODS: The expression of SNHG12 was determined by q-PCR. The transcriptional regulation was interrogated by luciferase reporter assay. Cell viability was measured with CCK-8 kit. The anchorage-independent was evaluated by soft agar assay. Cell apoptosis was analyzed by Annexin V/7-AAD double staining. The migration and invasion were determined by trans-well assay and wound scratch closure. The in vivo tumor growth was monitored in xenograft mice model. Protein expression was quantified by immunoblotting. RESULTS: SNHG12 was aberrantly up-regulated in renal carcinoma both in vivo and in vitro. High expression of SNHG12 associated with poor prognosis. Deficiency of SNHG12 significantly suppressed cell viability, anchorage-independent growth and induced apoptosis. In addition, SNHG12 silencing inhibited migrative and invasive in vitro and xenograft tumor growth in vivo. Mechanistically, SNHG12 modulated HIF1α expression via competing with miR-199a-5p, which consequently contributed to its oncogenic potential. MiR-199a-5p inhibition severely compromised SNHG12 silencing-elicited tumor repressive effects. CONCLUSION: Our data uncovered a crucial role of SNHG12-miR-199a-5p-HIF1α axis in human renal cancer.

Allelochemicals and Signaling Chemicals in Plants.

Plants abound with active ingredients. Among these natural constituents, allelochemicals and signaling chemicals that are released into the environments play important roles in regulating the interactions between plants and other organisms. Allelochemicals participate in the defense of plants against microbial attack, herbivore predation, and/or competition with other plants, most notably in allelopathy, which affects the establishment of competing plants. Allelochemicals could be leads for new pesticide discovery efforts. Signaling chemicals are involved in plant neighbor detection or pest identification, and they induce the production and release of plant defensive metabolites. Through the signaling chemicals, plants can either detect or identify competitors, herbivores, or pathogens, and respond by increasing defensive metabolites levels, providing an advantage for their own growth. The plant-organism interactions that are mediated by allelochemicals and signaling chemicals take place both aboveground and belowground. In the case of aboveground interactions, mediated air-borne chemicals are well established. Belowground interactions, particularly in the context of soil-borne chemicals driving signaling interactions, are largely unknown, due to the complexity of plant-soil interactions. The lack of effective and reliable methods of identification and clarification their mode of actions is one of the greatest challenges with soil-borne allelochemicals and signaling chemicals. Recent developments in methodological strategies aim at the quality, quantity, and spatiotemporal dynamics of soil-borne chemicals. This review outlines recent research regarding plant-derived allelochemicals and signaling chemicals, as well as their roles in agricultural pest management. The effort represents a mechanistically exhaustive view of plant-organism interactions that are mediated by allelochemicals and signaling chemicals and provides more realistic insights into potential implications and applications in sustainable agriculture.

[Effects of long non-coding RNA RP1-90L14.1 on the biological behaviors of cancer prostate LNCaP cells and its regulating mechanisms].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the effects of long non-coding RNA RP1-90L14.1 on the proliferation, migration and invasion of prostate cancer LNCaP cells and the expressions of GRIN2A and BACE2. METHODS: Using RT-PCR, we detected the expression of RP1-90L14.1 in LNCaP and LNCaP-AI cells, transiently transfected the RP1-90L14.1 overexpression plasmid (the RP1-90L14.1 group) and vector plasmid (the LNCaP-NC group) into the LNCaP cells, and cultured the two groups of cells with ordinary medium and phenol red-free activated carbon adsorption medium (PRF-ACA). Then we examined the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of the cells by CCK-8 and Transwell, and determined the mRNA and protein expressions of GRIN2A and BACE2 by RT-PCR and Western blot. RESULTS: The expression of RP1-90L14.1 was significantly higher in the LNCaP-AI than in the LNCaP cells (8.49 ± 0.43 vs 2.53 ± 0.95, P < 0.05), and so was that of LNCaP-RP1-90L14.1 in the RP1-90L14.1 than in the LNCaP-NC group after transfection (0.71 ± 0.22 vs 0.02 ± 0.01, P < 0.05). The optical densities (OD) of the cells were 51.95% and 50.69% higher in the RP1-90L14.1 than in the LNCaP-NC group after 72 hours of culture with ordinary medium and phenol red-free ACA (1.22 ± 0.08 vs 0.08 ± 0.05, P < 0.05; 0.79 ± 0.02 vs 0.53 ± 0.05, P < 0.05), and 51.72% and 60.23% higher in the former than in the latter after 96 hours (1.72 ± 0.07 vs 1.13 ± 0.05, P < 0.05; 1.18 ± 0.05 vs 0.73 ± 0.08, P < 0.05). The numbers of the migrating cells cultured with common medium and PRF-ACA were markedly higher in the RP1-90L14.1 than in the LNCaP-NC group after transfection (682.0 ± 42.7 vs 422.0 ± 37.1, P < 0.05; 419.0 ± 42.9 vs 251.0 ± 25.9, P < 0.05), and so were those of the invading cells (507.0 ± 22.2 vs 274.0 ± 19.6, P < 0.05; 352.0 ± 14.1 vs 216.0 ± 14.3, P < 0.05). Statistically significant differences were observed between the RP1-90L14.1 and LNCaP-NC groups in the mRNA and protein expressions of GRIN2A (5.13 ± 0.89 vs 2.09 ± 0.54, P < 0.05; 5.88 ± 0.29 vs 2.03 ± 0.22, P < 0.05) and BACE2 (5.82 ± 0.50 vs 2.53 ± 0.30, P < 0.05; 4.89 ± 0.19 vs 3.37 ± 0.13, P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: 　lncRNA RP1-90L14.1 may play important roles in the proliferation, migration and invasiveness of prostate cancer cells. RP1-90L14.1 can promote the expressions of GRIN2A and BACE2 and may have an endogenous competitive relation with GRIN2A and BACE2.

Kin recognition in rice (Oryza sativa) lines.

Kin recognition is an important mediator of interactions within individuals of a species. Despite increasing evidence of kin recognition in natural plant populations, relatively little is known about kin recognition in crop species where numerous cultivars have been generated by artificial selection. We identified rice (Oryza sativa) cultivars with the ability for kin recognition from two sets of indica-inbred and indica-hybrid lines at different levels of genetic relatedness. We then assessed this ability among kin and nonkin and tested potential mechanisms in a series of controlled experiments and field trails. Rice cultivars with the ability for kin recognition were capable of detecting the presence of kin and nonkin and responded to them by altering root behavior and biomass allocation, particularly for grain yield. Furthermore, we assessed the role of root exudates and found a root-secreted nitrogen-rich allantoin component to be responsible for kin recognition in rice lines. Kin recognition in rice lines mediated by root exudates occurs in a cultivar-dependent manner. Rice cultivars with the ability for kin recognition may increase grain yield in the presence of kin. Such an improvement of grain yield by kin recognition of cultivar mixtures offers many implications and applications in rice production.

Positive factors associated with quality of life among Chinese patients with renal carcinoma: a cross-sectional study.

Quality of life and positive psychological variables has become a focus of concern in patients with renal carcinoma. However, the integrative effects of positive psychological variables on the illness have seldom been reported. The aims of this study were to evaluate the quality of life and the integrative effects of hope, resilience and optimism on the quality of life among Chinese renal carcinoma patients. A cross-sectional study was conducted at the First Hospital of China Medical University. 284 participants completed questionnaires consisting of demographic and clinical characteristics, EORTC QLQ-C30, Adult Hope Scale, Resilience Scale-14 and Life Orientation Scale-Revised from July 2013 to July 2014. Pearson's correlation and hierarchical regression analyses were performed to explore the effects of related factors. Hope, resilience and optimism were significantly associated with quality of life. Hierarchical regression analyses indicated that hope, resilience and optimism as a whole accounted for 9.8, 24.4 and 21.9% of the variance in the global health status, functioning status and symptom status, respectively. The low level of quality of life for Chinese renal carcinoma patients should receive more attention from Chinese medical institutions. Psychological interventions to increase hope, resilience and optimism may be essential to enhancing the quality of life of Chinese cancer patients.

Theoretical analysis of electrochromism under redox of bis(3-thienyl)/(2-thienyl)hexafluorocyclopentene: effects of charged and substituted systems.

Electrochromism with the ring-closing or ring-opening isomerization of substituted and unsubstituted bis(3-thienyl)/(2-thienyl)hexafluorocyclopentene is discussed using the DFT method. In the neutral ground state, bond making and breaking between two reactive C atoms on thienyls are thermodynamically forbidden. Under redox conditions, the gain or loss of electrons can have a significant effect on the frontier molecular orbital distribution of both open- and closed-ring isomers, particularly in reactive sites. Corresponding structural changes show a trend toward isomerization. The reaction energy barrier shows greater reduction for dication than monocation and even becomes barrierless for dianion. During the isomerization in different states, the conjugated system switches distinctively, which is attributed to the special redistribution of molecular orbitals and spin population in each state. In monocation and monoanion, for the involvement of a single electron, isomerization is inclined to proceed sequentially between right and left thienyls, whereas it becomes synchronous in dication. The direction depends on the stabilization achieved by the formation of a global conjugated system and more average spin population on the molecule. The effect of substituents on thienyls is demonstrated in the promotion of the extent of conjugation and the determination of the spin population level on the reactive C atoms. Moreover, according to their electron-donating and withdrawing abilities, they can kinetically support or suppress the electron transfer pattern in the process from isomer to transition state, which leads to the control of reaction efficiency.