Early Stages Of Maturation Research Articles

Organic geochemical study of Permian series from the Jeffara and Dahar areas (Southern Tunisia): Identification and characterization of a Tunisian Permian source rock

Permian rock samples from four wells drilled in the Jeffara (J1 and J2) and Dahar (D1 and D2) areas of southern Tunisia were evaluated using the Rock-Eval® Shale Play™ method. Quantification of most liquid hydrocarbon compound families released at specific temperature range for the Sh0 and Sh1 as well as Sh2 and S3 parameters was achieved with subsequent calculations of appropriate indices. In addition, stable carbon isotopes evaluation of Permian samples was carried out in order to estimate the origin of their fossilized organic matter. Biomarker analyses were also undertaken on Permian samples and other proven Paleozoic source rocks samples of the study area (Ordovician Azzel and Upper Silurian Fegaguira formations) for comparison purposes.The results show that the Permian series encompass highly-rich organic matter intervals which may exceed 5%. The organic matter is of type II2-III, proven either by the Rock-Eval®, carbon isotopes and biomarker data. Permian samples from three wells (D1, D2, and J2) are found mostly at an early mature stage. Contrary, Permian samples from the J1 Well show abnormal Tmax temperatures testifying an overmature stage which could be related to abnormal heat flow around the Jeffara area. The depositional environment of the organic matter-rich Permian intervals is mainly suboxic of normal salinity, similar to the other Paleozoic investigated source rocks in the study area. Overall, this research comes to validate the occurrence within the Dahar and Jeffara areas of an active Permian oil/gas prone source rock, competitive to the other proven Paleozoic source rocks.

Phenolics, Flavonoids Content and Antioxidant Activities of Tuber indicum at Different Maturity Stages.

The Chinese black truffle Tuber indicum (Ascomycota, Pezizales) is an ectomycorrhizal fungus forming hypogeous edible ascocarps. As a famous wild edible mushroom in the world, this species also attracted an increasing interest in their chemical composition and pharmacological activity. In this study, the total phenolic content, total flavonoid content and antioxidant activities of Tuber indicum collected from July to November at different maturity stages in China were analyzed. Our results showed that T. indicum collected in July (immature stage) possessed the highest amount of flavonoids (3.89 mg/g dw) and the highest ABTS.+ scavenging activity (EC50 =3.73 mg/ml). In addition, those samples collected in August (moderate mature stage) contained the highest phenolics content (4.78 mg/g dw), the highest DPPH⋅ radical scavenging activity (EC50 =3.73 mg/ml) and ferric reducing activity power (243.63 μmol FeSO4 /g). The study reveals T. indicum in the early maturity stage yield significantly higher content of phenolics and flavonoids and possessed stronger antioxidant activity than those collected in other months. This study provided important data for understanding the relationship between maturity stages and truffle formation and evaluating the quality of Chinese black truffle at different maturity.

An evaluation of Maastrichtian-Paleocene source rock interval on the western flank of Niger Delta Basin, Nigeria: Implications for hydrocarbon prospectivity

Maastrichtian and Paleocene shales recovered from a vertical exploratory well on the western flank of Niger Delta Basin, close to the boundary of the Dahomey (Benin) Basin, were studied for their possible contribution to the hydrocarbon potential of the basin. The organic matter richness, kerogen types, and thermal maturity of the studied shale samples and implications of hydrocarbon generation potential were determined based on results of TOC/Rock-Eval analysis. The Maastrichtian and Paleocene shale samples are characterized by total organic carbon (TOC) values of up to 4.70 wt. % and S2 (hydrocarbon-generating potential) values range from 0.68 to 2.69 mgHC/g rock, indicating poor to fair source potential. The presence of type III and type IV kerogen is indicative of poor-quality organic matter that has the potential to generate gaseous hydrocarbon. This study suggests that the Maastrichtian and Paleocene source rocks on the western flank of the Niger Delta Basin are immature to early mature stage, and could not have generated a commercial amount of hydrocarbon.

THE COMPARISON OF PHOTOSYNTHESIS PARAMEATERS OF DIFFERENT WHEAT (TRITICUM AESTIVUM L.) VARIETIES

Field experiments were carried out at the Experimental Station of Vytautas Magnus University Agriculture Academy in Lithuania (54° 53' 3.26", 23° 50' 33.25") during 2017-2018. Six winter wheat varieties were studied in the experiment: 'Skagen' (control), 'Julius', 'Edvins', 'Artist', 'Aron' and 'Evina', which were sown on September 15. Preceding crop – winter rape. Seed rate – 4.5 million ha-1. The aspects of the dynamics of photosynthesis pigments in winter wheat leaves depending on variety is analysed in the article. Physiological activity of the plant, the growth and development are the most important moments decisive the accumulation of these pigments in the plant. Thus, the general condition of the plant might be described by the composition and content of photosynthesis pigments chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids. Spectrophotometric Wettstein method and “Genesys” 6 spectrophotometer were used for determination of the content of photosynthesis pigments (chlorophyll a, b and carotenoids) in green leaf mass in 96 % ethyl alcohol extract. The accumulated amounts of photosynthetic pigments (chlorophylls a, b and carotenoids) in different varieties of winter wheat leaves differed. Winter wheat variety 'Aron' accumulated the highest contents of photosynthetic pigments during the tillering and stem elongation stages, meanwhile during the heading – anthesis and early milky maturity stages winter wheat varieties 'Artist' and 'Skagen' demonstrated the best results. The LAI of different varieties of winter wheat differed in the field experiment. Significantly higher LAI was defined for winter wheat variety Artist (0.9) after the resumption of vegetation (BBCH 24–27) and for 'Skagen' (4.0) at the end of vegetation (BBCH 70–73). The highest LAI of winter wheat is determined during the heading - anthesis stage (varieties 'Aron', 'Edvins', 'Skagen'). During the growing season, the lowest LAI was observed for winter wheat variety 'Evina'.

Cervical vertebrae maturation assessment as a predictive method for midpalatal suture maturation stages in 11- to 14-year-olds: retrospective study

ABSTRACT Introduction The treatment of transverse maxillary deficiency must be performed with the patient inside the growth phase, then, it is necessary to evaluate the patient’s skeletal maturation. There are two common methods: cervical vertebrae maturation (CVM) and midpalatal suture maturation (MSM). Objective to evaluate and correlate the methods in patients aged from 11 to 14 years old, to investigate if CVM method can be predictive of the midpalatal suture maturation stage. Methods Forty-two CBCT scans and lateral cephalometric radiographs of children, aged between 11 and 14 were analysed. The images were evaluated by two investigators. Kappa coefficient was calculated to estimate intra and inter-examiner agreement. Spearman correlation test was performed to evaluate the correlation between methods, age and gender. To evaluate the diagnostic performance of the CVM and MSM methods, the likelihood ratio (LHR positive) was applied. Results MSM evaluation showed a strong correlation with the CVM evaluation (rs = 0.6916). A high correlation between the methods were found for the male gender (rs = 0.7809). There was no correlation between age and the maturation methods, considering both genders. The CVM method presented a strong positive LHR with the MSM method (2.250), in the early stages; nonetheless, in the more advanced stages there was a lower ratio (1.500). Conclusions The CVM method can be used as a predictor of the maturation stages of the midpalatal suture in the early stages of maturity. In more advanced stages, the evaluation of the palatal suture by tomography is suggested.

Green Bond Impact Report as an Essential Next Step in Market Development

The measurement of the environmental impact of green bonds, its reliability and the publication of measurement results are crucial for the transparent functioning of the market and supporting investor decisions. However, this segment of the financial markets is still at an early stage of maturity, and the lack of adequate data and methodologies is a common problem that can only be solved by the development of single-market best practices and regulations. The essay reviews the trends, characteristics and current regulation of existing green bond impact reports and describes the challenges of evaluating impact reports, based on the literature and our own practical experience. In our view, the market has already moved past its “virtue-signalling PR” stage, but there is still a long way to go before impact data become as standardised as traditional financial data.

Highlighting artificial intelligence roles in business area Amid the COVID-19 crisis

Purpose: The fast development of technology and data has fueled the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the business area, but there has been no comprehensive review to guide and assess this evolution, especially in the context of Covid-19 crisis. Our objective is to highlight the nature and scale of AI research in the business area, during the COVID-19 Pandemic.Methods: We performed a scoping review and searched two literature databases (Scopus and MDPI) for terms related to AI and Covid-19 by focusing on scientific papers published in the field of business. We used multiple tools (Endnote, Covidence) for titles and abstracts selection, followed by full-text screening. The studies must include research on artificial intelligence and Covid-19, and then be published in English-language, between March 2020 and March 2022.Results: 31 studies met eligibility criteria (of 391 studies selected). Most of the published articles refer to conceptual analysis or quantitative works, the rest of the articles used a literature review except 4 articles published using a qualitative method of analysis. In addition, we observe an evolution of the total number of publications for the 31 articles included in the analysis. Conclusions: Studying AI in the business field amid the covid-19 crisis is at an early stage of maturity, especially with the use of new AI technologies.). For the field to progress, more studies are needed in the next few years.

Modeling leaf color dynamics of winter wheat in relation to growth stages and nitrogen rates

The objective of this work was to develop a model for simulating the leaf color dynamics of winter wheat in relation to crop growth stages and leaf positions under different nitrogen (N) rates. RGB (red, green and blue) data of each main stem leaf were collected throughout two crop growing seasons for two winter wheat cultivars under different N rates. A color model for simulating the leaf color dynamics of winter wheat was developed using the collected RGB values. The results indicated that leaf color changes went through three distinct stages, including early development stage (ES), early maturity stage (MS) and early senescence stage (SS), with respective color characteristics of light green, dark green and yellow for the three stages. In the ES stage, the R and G colors gradually decreased from their initial values to steady values, but the B value generally remained unchanged. RGB values remained steady in the MS, but all three gradually increased to steady values in the SS. Different linear functions were used to simulate the dynamics of RGB values in time and space. A cultivar parameter of leaf color matrix (MRGB) and a nitrogen impact factor (FN) were added to the color model to quantify their respective effects. The model was validated with an independent experimental dataset. RMSEs (root mean square errors) between the observed and simulated RGB values ranged between 7.0 and 10.0, and relative RMSEs (RRMSEs) ranged between 7 and 9%. In addition, the model was used to render wheat leaves in three-dimensional space (3D). The 3D visualizations of leaves were in good agreement with the observed leaf color dynamics in winter wheat. The developed color model could provide a solid foundation for simulating dynamic crop growth and development in space and time.

Geochemical Evaluation for the Hydrocarbon Potential of Source Rocks in Central Sirt Basin, (concession -59), case study, Libya

The Sirt Basin important oil producing area in Libya is one of the richest regions in terms of hydrocarbon resources. Exploration studies of this area have shown that the oils are mixtures of several charges and may be from different source rocks particularly in the upper Cretaceous sediments this study based on organic geochemistry and organic petrographic analysis carried out on 179 cutting samples collected from four wells. From Cenomanian to upper Eocene succession within the central Sirt basin, the main aim of this study geochemical evaluation of source rocks, thermal maturation and estimate the other source rock in the area. The recorded geochemical values varied in these wells from one formation to another depending on lithology, paleoenvironment and tectonic events. Our results exposed that, The total organic carbon (TOC) values using Rock-Eval analysis showed that the Sirt Shale is considered the most important regard to hydrocarbon source potential, since it was found to reflect a high total organic carbon content 4.98 %. , (TOC) ranging (average 2.61), type–II kerogen (oil prone) and, with Hydrogen index (HI) mostly below 500. Rachmat average HI = 176 (kerogen types II, III), Organic facies analysis classified Sirt Shale in class B with dominantly amorphous high quality organic matter deposited in anoxic marine environment. Maturity evaluation result of Ro %, SCI, and Tmax oC, Formations are late immature to early mature stages.

Discovery of an extraordinary Carboniferous cutinite-rich coal seam from Wadi Abu Thora, southern Sinai, Egypt: Organic petrographical and geochemical characterization

An extraordinary cutinite-rich coal seam from the Abu Thora Formation in the Wadi Abu Thora area, west central Sinai, Egypt, was studied in detail. A sample taken from the seam consisted almost of pure cutinite with minor sporinite (megaspores) and secretinite, along with solid bitumen veins and exsudatinite. The cutinite-producing cuticles appear to have single plant origin as indicated by their morphological features and geochemistry. The cuticles display yellow fluorescence under under blue light illumination and were arranged in bands that present the ability to trace a single cuticle for the full length of the sample. The detrital component present between the cuticle bands was minimal. Organic geochemical analysis by Rock-Eval pyrolysis revealed a S2 of 214.2 mg/g rock and a hydrogen index of 477 mg HC/g TOC, which point to liptinite-rich kerogen Type II. Pyrolysis gas chromatography showed a well-defined chromatogram with abundant compounds in the range between C11 and C21. Organic matter in the coal seam is in the early mature stage based on cutinite fluorescence color, the Tmax of 437 °C, and the solid bitumen reflectance (0.30%), which equates to % vitrinite Ro of 0.60. Inorganic geochemical analysis revealed a low concentration of trace elements and deposition in swamp conditions without any influence by marine waters. Transmission FTIR analysis revealed spectra typical of cutinite, marked by a strong peak at 1710–1700 cm−1 attributed to the fatty acids CO group. The cutinite was produced by xerophytic pteridosperm plants as indicated by the chemotaxonomic correlation based on FTIR analysis. These plants produced larger quantities of cutinite relative to other maceral components, such as vitrinite or sporinite because of their relatively high frond biomass. Pinnule-bearing fronds that fell off the plants and accumulated in the flooded swamp were removed quickly from acrotelm to catotelm by rapid subsidence, where they were eventually preserved intact and with little alteration by microorganisms.

Donor variability alters differentiation and mechanical cohesion of tissue-engineered constructs with human endothelial/MSC co-culture.

To move towards clinical applications, tissue engineering (TE) should be validated with human primary cells and offer easy connection to the native vascularisation. Based on a sheet-like bone substitute developed previously, we investigated a mesenchymal stem cells/endothelial cells (MSCs/ECs) coculture to enhance pre-vascularisation. Using MSCs from six independent donors whose differentiation potential was assessed towards two lineages, we focused on donor variability and cell crosstalk regarding bone differentiation. Coculture was performed on calcium phosphate granules in a specific chamber during 1 month. MSCs were seeded first then ECs were added after 2 weeks, with respective monocultures as control groups. Cell viability and organisation (fluorescence, electronic microscopy), differentiation (ALP staining/activity, RT-qPCR) and mechanical cohesion were analysed. Adaptation of the protocol to coculture was validated (high cell viability and proliferation). Activity and differentiation showed strong trends towards synergistic effects between cell types. MSCs reached early mineralisation stage of maturation. The delayed addition of ECs allowed for their attachment on developed MSCs' matrix. The main impact of donor variability could be here the lack of cell proliferation potential with some donors, leading to low differentiation and mechanical cohesion and therefore absence of sheet-like shape successfully obtained with others. We suggest therefore adapting protocols to cell proliferation potentials from one batch of cells to the other in a patient-specific approach.

The organic geochemistry, pore structure and methane adsorption/storage capacity of lacustrine shales from the Cretaceous Madongshan Formation, Liupanshan Basin, China

Lacustrine shale from Madongshan Formation in Liupanshan basin has been the important target strata for shale gas exploration in northwest China. However, the system cognition in generation, reservoir conditions and geological gas-in-place (GIP) estimation of Madongshan shale is quite limited. In this research, the shale strata are evaluated in terms of shale quality, pore structure and methane adsorption/storage capacity. The results show that Madongshan shales mainly belong to mixed mudstone and siliceous mudstone and have the relatively high brittle minerals content and low clay minerals contents, indicating a favorable condition for hydraulic fracturing. The Rock-Eval pyrolysis reveals that the shales can be classified as good to very good to source rock with relatively high TOC over 2% and contain type Ⅰ and Ⅱ kerogen in the early maturation stage with a fixed amount of gas can be produced. In terms of pore structure, the Type IV isotherms and Type H3 hysteresis loops of shale samples show that mesopores and macropores with slit-like pore types are the dominated space in Madongshan shales. The maxima of methane adsorption capacity (n0) ranged from 2.32 ml/g to 5.96 ml/g are significantly by organic matters and clays. Despite the relative importance of organic carbon to methane adsorption capacity, influence of TOC on pore surface area and volume is negative interaction, perhaps reflecting the dissolution of methane in the residual bitumen. Thus, an assessment on lacustrine shale gas with low maturity needs to consider the influences of solute methane in residual bitumen, apart from adsorption methane, so as to obtain a reliable shale gas resource. The clays show a complex relationship of influence on n0 and it may be related to the pore structure and the difference of methane capacity between clays and organic matters. At last, a modified and simpler equation which can eliminate the errors is adopted to calculate the methane storage capacity of Madongshan shales. And the methane storage capacities of Madongshan shales range from 2.06 ml/g to 2.16 ml/g.

Reproductive Cycle of Blue-Striped Angelfish, Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis in Jeju Coastal Waters

Reproductive cycle of the blue-striped angelfish, Chaetodontoplus septentrionalis were histologically investigated. Fish were monthly collected in the coastal waters of Munseom, Seogwipo, Jeju-Island from February to December 2018. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) increased from May and maintained high values in August. The reproductive cycle of female fish can be classified by the characteristics observed during gonadal development as followed: growing stage (November to June), early mature stage (May to June), mature and spawning stage (June to September), and degenerative and recovery stage (September to December). In the male, testicular development period was similar to that of ovarian development period, but mature and spawning period was one month longer from June to October. Fecundity of mature female ranged from 4,601 to 22,840 and was correlated positively with total length and body weight. The histological analysis of gonadal development indicated that the C. septentrionalis was summer-spawning type and is considered a multiple spawner during spawning season.

PHYSICO-CHEMICAL CHARACTERIZATION OF COCONUT ECOTYPES IN BENIN COASTAL ZONE

Coconut water is highly consumed for refreshment due to its nutritional value. However, its nutritional value varies according to the ecotype and stage of maturity of ecotype. In order to identify best ecotypes with high nutritious value, a physico-chemical composition of ten (10) ecotypes was performed at earlier stage of maturity (3 months). The measured parameters were: coconut height, mass of water, total sugar content, soluble sugar content, protein, titratable acidity and pH. The obtained results showed that all parameters vary from one ecotype to another. All coconut ecotypes contain water slightly acid with a pH value less than 7. Furthermore, there is no relationship between physical and biochemical parameters. However, within characterized ecotypes, Ecotype_2, appeared to have the best biochemical composition with a significant amount of water. This study provided important informations related to physico-chemical characteristics of coconuts ecotypes found in the coastal zone.

Antimicrobial Peptide L18R Displays a Modulating Action against Inter-Kingdom Biofilms in the Lubbock Chronic Wound Biofilm Model.

Chronic wound infections represent an important health problem due to the reduced response to antimicrobial treatment of the pathogens organized in structured biofilms. This study investigated the effects of the previously described antifungal peptide L18R against three representative wound pathogens: Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Candida albicans. The antimicrobial activity of L18R was evaluated (i) against single planktonic microbial populations; (ii) on single, dual, and triadic species of biofilms in both the early stage and mature stage; and (iii) in the polymicrobial Lubbock chronic wound biofilm (LCWB) model, mimicking spatial microbial colonization. This study used the evaluation of CFUs, biofilm biomass detection, and confocal and scanning electron microscopy analysis. L18R showed a significant antimicrobial activity against planktonic microorganisms and was able to differentially reduce the biomass of monomicrobial biofilms. No reduction of biomass was observed against the polymicrobial biofilm. In mature LCWB, L18R caused a moderate reduction in total CFU number, with a variable effect on the different microorganisms. Microscopy images confirmed a predominant presence of P. aeruginosa and a lower percentage of C. albicans cells. These findings suggest a modulating action of L18R and recommend further studies on its potential role in chronic wound management in association with conventional antibiotics or alternative treatments.

The effect of a functional prototype on user acceptance in transportation: Assessing the level of acceptance before and after the first demonstration flight of an air taxi

Prototypes support the development of new technology by enabling to collect user feedback before full market readiness is achieved. However, this potential is often not fully exploited as physical prototypes are mainly used at more mature levels of technology development, after demonstrating full functionality. Using physical prototypes that are not fully functional at an early stage of technology maturity could lead to lower resource consumption as customer feedback could be incorporated faster and acceptance could be established. However, previous research has indicated differences in consumer attitudes toward technologies before and after users have experienced prototypes first-hand. Therefore, this paper investigates whether experiencing a functional physical prototype at an early stage of technology maturity affects consumer perception. For this purpose, we utilized the first flight of an air taxi in Europe since we were certain that the technology had not been seen in action or used before. We conducted two studies: Study 1, with 126 potential users in a within-subject design, and Study 2, with 539 potential users in a between-subject design. We did not detect significant effects on the participants’ attitudes before and after watching an air taxi flight in person in either study. Overall, the data suggests that a live demonstration of a technology is not necessary to gain a comprehensive picture of peoples’ attitudes toward it, which creates the possibility of examining the effects of more inexpensive technologies, such as virtual and augmented reality simulators in mobility research.

Influence of post-harvest physiology on sensory perception, physical properties, and chemical compositions of Moris pineapples (Ananas comosus L.).

This study was conducted to evaluate consumer profiling of pineapple at five maturity stages using check-all-that-apply (CATA) method and to determine the influence of post-harvest physiological changes on the physical and chemical properties of the pineapple. Nineteen CATA terms describing sensory attributes of pineapples at five maturity stages were generated. Seventy-five consumers were involved in describing the changes in the organoleptic properties of pineapple using CATA questions. The relationship between physicochemical properties and sensory description of pineapples was analyzed using correspondence analysis (CA). The total variance of 97.7% and 92.2% obtained in the CA plot of the physical and chemical properties with the consumer profiling data suggests that consumers have effectively described the pineapple harvested at five maturity stages. Changes in physical and chemical compositions in pineapple upon maturation result in the development of pineapple's desirable organoleptic characteristics, characterized as fresh, attractive, and bright yellowish, with a soft, fibrous, and juicy texture, a sweet odor and pineapple aroma as well as sweet taste. Index 3 pineapple has been described as pale, hard, and crunchy in texture at the early stage of maturity and has a sour taste. The characteristic was transformed to bright yellow, soft, fibrous, and juicy texture after maturation, (25% ripeness onwards), as well as the production of sweet taste and aroma of pineapple. Instrument analysis of yellowness (b value) and carotenoid has strongly influenced the sensory attributes of brightness, freshness, and attractiveness of the pineapple. Changes in total soluble solids (TSS) and a ratio of TSS to total acids (TA) contributes to the development of aromatic compound which increases the appealing quality of the pineapple. Pineapple sensory characteristics, physical properties, and chemical compositions were significantly affected by post-harvest physiology. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: Sensory and instrumental methods were used to construct the properties of pineapple at different stages of post-harvest physiology. This article demonstrates that the Check-all-that-apply (CATA) analysis provides adequate sensory profiling information based on customer perceptions in relation to instrumental details, and it can be extended to other pineapple varieties and citrus fruits.

Wheat Yield Prediction Based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicles-Collected Red–Green–Blue Imagery

Unmanned aerial vehicles-collected (UAVs) digital red–green–blue (RGB) images provided a cost-effective method for precision agriculture applications regarding yield prediction. This study aims to fully explore the potential of UAV-collected RGB images in yield prediction of winter wheat by comparing it to multi-source observations, including thermal, structure, volumetric metrics, and ground-observed leaf area index (LAI) and chlorophyll content under the same level or across different levels of nitrogen fertilization. Color indices are vegetation indices calculated by the vegetation reflectance at visible bands (i.e., red, green, and blue) derived from RGB images. The results showed that some of the color indices collected at the jointing, flowering, and early maturity stages had high correlation (R2 = 0.76–0.93) with wheat grain yield. They gave the highest prediction power (R2 = 0.92–0.93) under four levels of nitrogen fertilization at the flowering stage. In contrast, the other measurements including canopy temperature, volumetric metrics, and ground-observed chlorophyll content showed lower correlation (R2 = 0.52–0.85) to grain yield. In addition, thermal information as well as volumetric metrics generally had little contribution to the improvement of grain yield prediction when combining them with color indices derived from digital images. Especially, LAI had inferior performance to color indices in grain yield prediction within the same level of nitrogen fertilization at the flowering stage (R2 = 0.00–0.40 and R2 = 0.55–0.68), and color indices provided slightly better prediction of yield than LAI at the flowering stage (R2 = 0.93, RMSE = 32.18 g/m2 and R2 = 0.89, RMSE = 39.82 g/m2) under all levels of nitrogen fertilization. This study highlights the capabilities of color indices in wheat yield prediction across genotypes, which also indicates the potential of precision agriculture application using many other flexible, affordable, and easy-to-handle devices such as mobile phones and near surface digital cameras in the future.

EBF1 is expressed in pericytes and contributes to pericyte cell commitment

Early B-cell factor-1 (EBF1) is a transcription factor with an important role in cell lineage specification and commitment during the early stage of cell maturation. Originally described during B-cell maturation, EBF1 was subsequently identified as a crucial molecule for proper cell fate commitment of mesenchymal stem cells into adipocytes, osteoblasts and muscle cells. In vessels, EBF1 expression and function have never been documented. Our data indicate that EBF1 is highly expressed in peri-endothelial cells in both tumor vessels and in physiological conditions. Immunohistochemistry, quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) and fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) analysis suggest that EBF1-expressing peri-endothelial cells represent bona fide pericytes and selectively express well-recognized markers employed in the identification of the pericyte phenotype (SMA, PDGFRβ, CD146, NG2). This observation was also confirmed in vitro in human placenta-derived pericytes and in human brain vascular pericytes (HBVP). Of note, in accord with the key role of EBF1 in the cell lineage commitment of mesenchymal stem cells, EBF1-silenced HBVP cells showed a significant reduction in PDGFRβ and CD146, but not CD90, a marker mostly associated with a prominent mesenchymal phenotype. Moreover, the expression levels of VEGF, angiopoietin-1, NG2 and TGF-β, cytokines produced by pericytes during angiogenesis and linked to their differentiation and activation, were also significantly reduced. Overall, the data suggest a functional role of EBF1 in the cell fate commitment toward the pericyte phenotype.

Revealing floral metabolite network in tuberose that underpins scent volatiles synthesis, storage and emission.

The role of central carbon metabolism in the synthesis and emission of scent volatiles in tuberose flowers was revealed through measurement of changes in transcripts and metabolites levels. Tuberose or Agave amica (Medikus) Thiede & Govaerts is a widely cultivated ornamental plant in several subtropical countries. Little is known about metabolite networking involved in biosynthesis of specialized metabolites utilizing primary metabolites. In this study, metabolite profiling and gene expression analyses were carried out from six stages of maturation throughout floral lifespan. Multivariate analysis indicated distinction between early and late maturation stages. Further, the roles of sugars viz. sucrose, glucose and fructose in synthesis, glycosylation and emission of floral scent volatiles were studied. Transcript levels of an ABC G family transporter (picked up from the floral transcriptome) was in synchronization with terpene volatiles emission during the anthesis stage. A diversion from phenylpropanoid/benzenoid to flavonoid metabolism was observed as flowers mature. Further, it was suggested that this metabolic shift could be mediated by isoforms of 4-Coumarate-CoA ligase along with Myb308 transcription factor. Maximum glycosylation of floral scent volatiles was shown to occur at the late mature stage when emission declined, facilitating both storage and export from the floral tissues. Thus, this study provides an insight into floral scent volatiles synthesis, storage and emission by measuring changes at transcripts and metabolites levels in tuberose throughout floral lifespan.