Mid-late Stage Research Articles

Testis-specific H2B.W1 disrupts nucleosome integrity by reducing DNA-histone interactions.

Multiple testis-specific histone variants are involved in the dynamic chromatin transitions during spermatogenesis. H2B.W1 (previously called H2BFWT) is an H2B variant specific to primate testis with hitherto unclear functions, although its single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are closely associated with male non-obstructive infertility. Here, we found that H2B.W1 is only expressed in the mid-late spermatogonia stages, and H2B.W1 nucleosomes are defined by a more flexible structure originating from weakened interactions between histones and DNA. Furthermore, one of its SNPs, H2B.W1-H100R, which is associated with infertility, further destabilizes the nucleosomes and increases the nucleosome unwrapping rate by interfering with the R100 and H4 K91/R92 interaction. Our results suggest that destabilizing H2B.W1 containing nucleosomes might change the chromatin structure of spermatogonia, and that H2B.W1-H100R enhances the nucleosome-destabilizing effects, leading to infertility.

Biochemical and chemosensory characterization of doubanjiang fermented via two-stage controlled temperature

This study aimed to elaborate the biochemical and chemosensory characteristics of doubanjiang fermentation via a two-stage controlled temperature. HL group with variable temperature (40 °C → 30 °C) and NTF group fermented following traditional technique were prepared and their volatile and non-volatile metabolites were compared through multivariate statistical analysis. HL group favored the accumulation of amino acid nitrogen, free amino acids and organic acids in the early stage and maintained adequate total acids and biogenic amines in the mid-late stage. HL group also had preferred jiang and fruity flavor through sensory evaluation. A total of 116 volatile metabolites were identified in HL or NTF groups and 22 marker volatile metabolites were screened through the combinational use of OPLS-DA and Random Forest analysis. Stronger anti-oxidant ability was observed in HL group while adequate number of acidic compounds and biogenic amines were ensured. This indicated that the two-stage controlled temperature fermentation was beneficial for doubanjiang fermentation.

Implantable sensing technology for civil engineering structures

Providing crack location and stiffness variation information using practical structural health monitoring technology is highly significant for in-service structures. Inspired by the fast development of implantable devices, this paper introduced an implantable sensing technology (IST) for health monitoring of a typical concrete member known as shear wall undergoing loading progression. Two collaborative monitoring steps were developed to acquire targeted damage information at different loading stages, the one was, a cylindrical concrete implantable module (CCIM) sensor-enabled IST was applied for monitoring and imaging the early cracks of the shear wall at the initial loading stage; and the other was, a concrete implantable bar (CIB) sensor-enabled IST was employed for monitoring and assessing the damage evolution at the mid-late loading stage. Experimental results showed that these two collaborative ISTs can accurately identify the early cracking regions of the shear wall and reveal its stiffness degradation processes throughout the loading.

Peanut LEAFY COTYLEDON1-type genes participate in regulating the embryo development and the accumulation of storage lipids.

Two peanut LEC1-type genes exhibit partial functional redundancy. AhNFYB10 could complement almost all the defective phenotypes of lec1-2 in terms of embryonic morphology, while AhNF-YB1 could partially affect these phenotypes. LEAFY COTYLEDON1 (LEC1) is a member of the nuclear factor Y (NF-Y) family of transcription factors and has been identified as a key regulator of embryonic development. In the present study, two LEC1-type genes from Arachis hypogeae were identified and designated as AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10; these genes belong to subgenome A and subgenome B, respectively. The functions of AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10 were investigated by complementation analysis of their defective phenotypes of the Arabidopsis lec1-2 mutant and by ectopic expression in wild-type Arabidopsis. The results indicated that both AhNF-YB1 and AhNF-YB10 participate in regulating embryogenesis, embryo development, and reserve deposition in cotyledons and that they have partial functional redundancy. In contrast, AhNF-YB10 complemented almost all the defective phenotypes of lec1-2 in terms of embryonic morphology and hypocotyl length, while AhNF-YB1 had only a partial effect. In addition, 30-40% of the seeds of the AhNF-YB1 transformants exhibited a decreasing germination ratio and longevity. Therefore, appropriate spatiotemporal expression of these genes is necessary for embryo morphogenesis at the early development stage and is responsible for seed maturation at the mid-late development stage. On the other hand, overexpression of AhNF-YB1 or AhNF-YB10 at the middle to late stages of Arabidopsis seed development improved the weight, oil content, and fatty acid composition of the transgenic seeds. Moreover, the expression levels of several genes associated with fatty acid synthesis and embryogenesis were significantly greater in developing AhNF-YB10-overexpressing seeds than in control seeds. This study provides a theoretical basis for breeding oilseed crops with high yields and high oil content.

Study on Mechanical Properties of Tomatoes for the End-Effector Design of the Harvesting Robot

Agricultural robotics has emerged as a research area within robotics, with a particular focus on designing end effectors that are adapted to the physical characteristics of the target fruits. Acquiring a comprehensive understanding of the physical and mechanical properties specific to tomato fruits not only minimizes mechanical damage during grasping processes but also serves as a foundation for the optimal design of gripping components. In this study, the Syngenta Sibede variety of tomatoes was used as the experimental material. The reversible viscoelastic behavior and deformation characteristics of tomato fruits were approximated using a four-element Burgers model through creep testing. The fitting coefficients for the model exceeded 0.99. The creep parameters for the four ripening stages of tomatoes were obtained, and the correlation between the ripening stage, deformation value, and creep parameters was analyzed. Correlation analysis was performed to examine the relationships between each parameter and creep deformation, revealing significant and highly significant correlations. Inter-parameter correlations were also found to be highly significant. Puncture tests were conducted on tomatoes. The exocarp rupture force of the green-ripening stage was 9.224 ± 0.901 N, which was 53.87%, 70.63%, and 104.01% higher than that of the semi-ripening stage, early firm-ripening stage, and mid-late firm-ripening stage, respectively. This study suggests that when harvesting tomatoes at the semi-ripening stage and beyond, attention should be paid to trimming the stem. Compression experiments were conducted on tomatoes, and it was discovered that under the same ripening stage, the axial compressive rupture force of tomatoes was greater than the radial rupture force. Tomatoes exhibited anisotropic behavior. The grasping direction is axial, which can be used as the new design direction of the end-effector.

Screening the optimal housekeeping genes (HKGs) of placenta tissues by RNA-sequence and qRT-PCR throughout gestation in goat (Capra Hircus)

Selection of stable housekeeping genes (HKGs) is very important for accurate calculation of relative expression levels of target genes by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). At present, the appropriate HKGs have not been identified in placental tissues throughout the pregnancy of the goat. In our study, 20 HKGs were tentatively selected from RNA-seq data and previous reports. The cycle threshold (Ct) of HKGs was determined by qRT-PCR in trophoblast membrane and cotyledon villus collected from 38 Dazu Black goats on gestation days of 20, 25, 30, 45, 60, 90, 120, and 150 (birth). The expression stability of the HKGs was analyzed by geNorm, Normfinder, Bestkeeper and Delta Ct algorithms, and comprehensively evaluated by ReFinder and ComprFinder. In addition, the optimal HKGs were further verified by placenta-specific genes (SPP1, VEGFA and PAG6). The 16 candidate HKGs (except POP4, TBP, RNF10, UBC) showed a qualified Ct value, less than 28. Among them, YWHAZ, EIF3K and PPIB showed the most stable expression in placental tissues during early, mid-late pregnancy and postpartum, but the least stable expression was B2M at early and mid-late stage, and PPIB at postpartum. After comprehensive analysis, RPLP0, EIF3K and YWHAZ were found to be the most stable placental HKGs throughout pregnancy. The classical HKGs, ACTB, GAPDH and 18S RNA have unstable expressions and even ranked at the bottom of the list from comprehensive index, suggesting an inappropriate for target gene normalization. Taken together, our study confirmed that YWHAZ, EIF3K, HMBS and RPLP0 may be the optimal HKGs in goat placenta at different stage of pregnancy, which provided a valuable reference of HKGs on functional gene expression detection for further research on placenta development and growth in ruminants.

Chemical and Carbon Isotope Composition Proves Effective as Gas Diagnostic Tool

_ This article, written by JPT Technology Editor Chris Carpenter, contains highlights of paper SPE 209992, “Gas Chemical and Carbon Isotope Composition as a Diagnostic Tool for Energy,” by Zainab Almubarak, SPE, Mohammad Alrowaie, and Feng Lu, Saudi Aramco, et al. The paper has not been peer reviewed. _ Chemical and carbon isotopic compositions of produced gases are useful tools to monitor gas production and to assess their origin, thermal maturity, and migration. In the complete paper, the authors present different geochemical approaches to assess the origin of gases and thermal maturity and to evaluate the effect of adsorption on shale gas during production. Introduction Carbon isotope type curves constructed for compounds from methane through n-pentane can be used to group gases into distinct families and correlate them to their source rocks. Large variations in carbon isotope ratios exist among the natural gas compounds, which are caused by isotopic fractionation between the sedimentary organic matter (kerogen) and each individual hydrocarbon compound. During the generation of hydrocarbons from kerogen, cracking of 12C-12C bonds requires slightly less energy than 13C-12C bonds. Thus, hydrocarbons will be enriched in 12C relative to the kerogen. Methane, which contains only one carbon atom, shows the greatest fractionation and will have the most negative δ13C value (most enriched in 12C). Ethane through pentane show progressively less fractionation (less negative δ13C values), with the latter usually having a δ13C value close to that of kerogen (and associated oil). The magnitude of the fractionation effect will vary depending on the type of kerogen (i.e., Type I, II, IIS, or III), the temperature during hydrocarbon generation, and the adsorption/desorption effect. Thus, gases generated from different source rocks often have distinctive carbon isotope type curves. In shale gas (unconventional reservoirs), two different types of gases coexist—free gas and adsorbed gas. Free gas occurs in natural fractures and matrix pores, whereas adsorbed gas is noted on the surface of pores. During the early stages of production, free gas accounts for most produced gas. The adsorbed gas starts in mid-late stages but maintains high and stable production. In this study, the authors use carbon isotopic compositions of light hydrocarbons (C1–C5) to assess origin and thermal maturity and to compare different gases derived from unconventional reservoirs. Moreover, carbon isotopes are used to assess migration paths and to monitor gas production in unconventional shale gas reservoirs. The gas samples were collected periodically from the same interval to monitor any isotope variation and evaluate the effect of gas adsorption. Methods Pressurized samples of natural gas were collected from conventional and unconventional reservoirs through production tests, drillstem tests, or downhole samplers and analyzed for chemical composition. For the conventional study, a total of 13 gas samples were collected from different reservoirs (A, B, C, D, and J): four gas samples from Reservoir A, two gas samples from Reservoir B, three gas samples from Reservoir C, three gas samples from Reservoir D, and one gas sample from Reservoir J. Gases derived from Reservoirs A, B, and J are younger and shallower than gases derived from Reservoirs C and D (older and deeper). For the unconventional study, seven gas samples were collected periodically from the same shale interval (Reservoir W) from the same well (Well Y) on different dates to monitor any isotope variation.

Role of the functional head impulse test in evaluating vestibulo-ocular reflex abnormalities in individuals with Parkinson's disease.

To assess vestibular-ocular reflex (VOR) function in patients with Parkinson's disease (PD) using a new method called functional head impulse test (fHIT). Case-control study. Tertiary medical center. Twenty individuals with PD were recruited for PD group, and twenty healthy individuals for the control group. Ages of both groups ranged from 47 to 76 years. According to the modified Hoehn-Yahr score, PD group was classified as an early stage with a range of 1-2.5 and a mid-late stage with a range of 3-5. Percentage of correct answers (%CA) was calculated using fHIT for lateral, anterior and posterior semicircular canal (SCC) planes. PD group had statistically lower fHIT %CA in the right lateral, left lateral, and left posterior SCC planes compared to control group (p < .05). There was no statistical difference between two PD severity groups and functional VOR abnormality. It was concluded that the functional VOR in the right lateral and left lateral and left posterior SCC plane was affected in individuals with PD. Our results show that impaired VOR and reduced dynamic visual acuity should be considered in individuals with PD for vestibular rehabilitation exercises.

Time-Course and Tissue-Specific Molecular Responses to Acute Thermal Stress in Japanese Mantis Shrimp Oratosquilla oratoria.

Current understanding of adaptability to high temperatures is increasingly important as extreme weather events that can trigger immediate physiological stress in organisms have occurred more frequently. Here, we tracked transcriptomic responses of gills, hepatopancreas, and muscle to acute thermal exposure at 30 °C for 0.5, 6, and 12 h in an economically important crustacean, Oratosquilla oratoria, to gain a preliminary understanding of the tissue-specific and dynamic physiological regulation process under acute heat stress. The unique physiological responses of muscle, hepatopancreas, and gills to acute thermal stress were associated with protein degradation, lipid transport, and energy metabolism in O. oratoria, respectively. Functional enrichment analysis of differentially expressed transcripts and heat-responsive gene clusters revealed a biphasic protective responsiveness of O. oratoria developed from the early responses of signal transduction, immunity, and cytoskeleton reorganization to the responses dominated by protein turnover and energy metabolism at the mid-late stages under acute heat stress. Noteworthy, trend analysis revealed a consistently upregulated expression pattern of high molecular weight heat shock protein (HSP) family members (HSP60, HSP70, and HSP90) during the entire thermal exposure process, highlighting their importance for maintaining heat resistance in O. oratoria. Documenting the whole process of transcriptional responses at fine temporal resolution will contribute to a far-reaching comprehension of plastic responses to acute heat stress in crustaceans, which is critical in the context of a changing climate.

Revealing the Succession of Spatial Heterogeneity of the Microbial Community during Broad Bean Paste Fermentation.

This study aimed to elaborate the assembly processes and metabolic regulation of the microbial community under the conditions of environmental factors and artificial intervention using broad bean paste (BBP) fermentation as a tractable research object. Spatial heterogenicity of amino acid nitrogen, titratable acidity, and volatile metabolites were observed between upper and lower layers after fermentation for 2 weeks. Amino nitrogen contents in the upper fermented mash reached 0.86, 0.93, and 1.06 g/100 g at 2, 4, and 6 weeks, respectively, which were significantly higher than those of mash located at the lower layer (0.61, 0.79, and 0.78 g/100 g). Moreover, higher concentrations of titratable acidity were accumulated in upper layers (2.05, 2.25 and 2.56 g/100g) than those in lower layers, and the differentiation of volatile metabolites was the greatest (R = 0.543) at 36 days, after which the BBP flavor profiles converged with the fermentation progress. The successive heterogenicity of the microbial community in the mid-late stage was also found during fermentation, and Zygosaccharomyces, Staphylococcus, and Bacillus had heterogeneous characteristics driven by sunlight, water activity, and microbial interactions. This study provided new insights into the mechanisms underlying the succession and assembly of the microbial community of BBP fermentation, which also laid new clues for researches of the microbial communities in complex ecosystems. IMPORTANCE Gaining insights into the community assembly processes is essential and valuable for the elaboration of underlying ecological patterns. However, current studies about microbial community succession in multispecies fermented food usually treat the research object as a whole, are focused exclusively on temporal dimensions, and have ignored the changes of community structure in spatial dimensions. Therefore, dissecting the community assembly process from the view of spatiotemporal dimensions will be a more comprehensive and detailed perspective. Here, we found the heterogenicity of the BBP microbial community under the traditional production technology from spatial and temporal scales, systematically analyzed the relationship between the spatiotemporal succession of community and the difference of BBP quality, and elucidated the roles of environmental factors and microbial interactions to drive the heterogeneous succession of the microbial community. Our findings provide a new insight into understanding the association between microbial community assembly and the quality of BBP.

Lenvatinib in combination with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for treatment of mid-late stage hepatocellular carcinoma: Efficacy and impact on serum Ki-67, PCNA, GP73, and GPC-3 levels

Lenvatinib in combination with transcatheter arterial chemoembolization for treatment of mid-late stage hepatocellular carcinoma: Efficacy and impact on serum Ki-67, PCNA, GP73, and GPC-3 levels

Effects of water stress on starch synthesis and accumulation of two rice cultivars at different growth stages.

Rice is a water intensive crop and soil water conditions affect rice yield and quality. However, there is limited research on the starch synthesis and accumulation of rice under different soil water conditions at different growth stages. Thus, a pot experiment was conducted to explore the effects of IR72 (indica) and Nanjing (NJ) 9108 (japonica) rice cultivars under flood-irrigated treatment (CK, 0 kPa), light water stress treatment (L, -20 ± 5 kPa), moderate water stress treatment (M, -40 ± 5 kPa) and severe water stress treatment (S, -60 ± 5 kPa) on the starch synthesis and accumulation and rice yield at booting stage (T1), flowering stage (T2) and filling stage (T3), respectively. Under LT treatment, the total soluble sugar and sucrose contents of both cultivars decreased while the amylose and total starch contents increased. Starch synthesis-related enzyme activities and their peak activities at mid-late growth stage increased as well. However, applying MT and ST treatments produced the opposite effects. The 1000-grain weight of both cultivars increased under LT treatment while the seed setting rate increased only under LT3 treatment. Compared with CK, water stress at booting stage decreased grain yield. The principal component analysis (PCA) showed that LT3 got the highest comprehensive score while ST1 got lowest for both cultivars. Furthermore, the comprehensive score of both cultivars under the same water stress treatment followed the trend of T3 > T2 > T1, and NJ 9108 had a better drought-resistant ability than IR72. Compared with CK, the grain yield under LT3 increased by 11.59% for IR72 and 16.01% for NJ 9108, respectively. Overall, these results suggested that light water stress at filling stage could be an effective method to enhance starch synthesis-related enzyme activities, promote starch synthesis and accumulation and increase grain yield.

Design of high-monounsaturated fatty acid soybean seed oil using GmPDCTs knockout via a CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Design of high-monounsaturated fatty acid soybean seed oil using GmPDCTs knockout via a CRISPR-Cas9 system.

Dimethyl ether-steam assisted gravity drainage: Physical 2D heavy oil simulation

Steam-assisted gravity drainage (SAGD) is a mature heavy oil thermal recovery technology but inherently limited to low recovery efficiency at mid-late stage due to the increasing heat loss in the steam chamber. Here, the dimethyl ether (DME)-assisted SAGD technology and its relevant transport and interfacial properties are specifically investigated through physical 2D heavy oil simulation. A total of four-set physical experiments, with different DME injection ratios, were conducted and compared with the traditional SAGD. The experimental results indicate DME is capable of reducing the heavy oil’s viscosity and interfacial tension at high temperatures. Three stages, rising, lateral expansion, and descending stages, are determined in the SAGD steam chamber’s development; the mid-late SAGD stage is defined when the steam chamber extends to the caprock boundary. With DME additions at the mid-late SAGD stage, higher oil recovery factor and sweep efficiency could be reached and the dew point temperature of steam chamber’s lead decreases by 0.7–1.8 °C. The optimum gas–water ratio is determined to be 3:1, with the fastest oil recovery growth and the highest final cumulative oil-vapor ratio of 0.163. This study provides reliable experimental bases and valuable analyses for the DME-SAGD technology and its application in heavy oil reservoirs.

Late Palaeozoic final subduction records of the southwestern Paleo-Asian Ocean revealed by ca. 286–283 Ma basaltic rocks in the West Junggar, NW China

ABSTRACT The late Early Permian basaltic rocks in the West Junggar of northwest China provide a critical geological record for revealing the termination of the Late Palaeozoic final-stage subduction history of the southwestern Palaeo-Asian Ocean. With the aim of providing constraints on the late stage of the Late Palaeozoic geodynamic evolution of the southwestern Altaids, an integrated study of detailed field observation, geochronology and geochemistry has been carried out on the Early Permian basaltic rocks from the Hala’alate Mountain of the southern West Junggar. Zircon LA-ICP-MS U-Pb dating of four basaltic andesites suggests that they were erupted during the late Early Permian with ages of ca. 286–283 Ma, coeval with the neighbouring mafic diabase stock and gabbroic dyke swarms. The basaltic rocks have low SiO2 and moderate MgO contents, with low (87Sr/86Sr)i ratios (0.70397–0.70447) and high positive εNd(t) values (+5.94–+7.19), and also show remarkable enrichment in large ion lithophile elements (Ba, U, K, Pb, Sr) and prominent depletion in high field strength elements (Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, Ti), indicating that they were originated from the partial melting of a garnet-dominant with minor spinel lherzolitic depleted mantle source previously metasomatized by slab-derived fluids and subducted sediments. These basaltic rocks were most likely formed in a fore-arc extensional setting in response to the slab retreat of the Junggar oceanic slab during the mid-late stage of Early Permian. Combined with previously published regional achievements, our new results support that the down-going of the remnant oceanic slab and the resultant arc magmatic activity of the southern West Junggar probably continued until the ca. 283 Ma, and the closure of the West Junggar branch of the Palaeo-Asian Ocean should be later than the late Early Permian.

Mechanism and effects of STING-IFN-I pathway on nociception: A narrative review.

Since the discovery of STING in 2008, numerous studies have investigated its functions in immunity, inflammation, and cancer. STING activates downstream molecules including IFN-I, NLRP3, and NF-κB. The STING-IFN-I pathway plays a vital role in nociception. After receiving the upstream signal, STING is activated and induces the expression of IFN-I, and after paracrine and autocrine signaling, IFN-I binds to IFN receptors. Subsequently, the activity of ion channels is inhibited by TYK2, which induces an acute antinociceptive effect. JAK activates PIK3 and MAPK-MNK-eIF4E pathways, which sensitize nociceptors in the peripheral nervous system. In the mid-late stage, the STING-IFN-I pathway activates STAT, increases pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines, inhibits ER-phagy, and promotes microglial M1-polarization in the central nervous system, leading to central sensitization. Thus, the STING-IFN-I pathway may exert complex effects on nociception at various stages, and these effects require further comprehensive elucidation. Therefore, in this review, we systematically summarized the mechanisms of the STING-IFN-I pathway and discussed its function in nociception.

Poly-L-ornithine blocks the inhibitory effects of fibronectin on oligodendrocyte differentiation and promotes myelin repair.

The extracellular matrix surrounding oligodendrocytes plays an important role during myelination and remyelination in the brain. In many cases, the microenvironment surrounding demyelination lesions contains inhibitory molecules, which lead to repair failure. Accordingly, blocking the activity of these inhibitory factors in the extracellular matrix should lead to more successful remyelination. In the central nervous system, oligodendrocytes form the myelin sheath. We performed primary cell culture and found that a natural increase in fibronectin promoted the proliferation of oligodendrocyte progenitors during the initial stage of remyelination while inhibiting oligodendrocyte differentiation. Poly-L-ornithine blocked these inhibitory effects without compromising fibronectin's pro-proliferation function. Experiments showed that poly-L-ornithine activated the Erk1/2 signaling pathway that is necessary in the early stages of differentiation, as well as PI3K signaling pathways that are needed in the mid-late stages. When poly-L-ornithine was tested in a lysolecithin-induced animal model of focal demyelination, it enhanced myelin regeneration and promoted motor function recovery. These findings suggest that poly-L-ornithine has the potential to be a treatment option for clinical myelin sheath injury.

Involvement of gap junctions in the increased contraction of bovine oviducts at pre-ovulation observed in vitro.

Spontaneous contraction of oviductal smooth muscle is essential for gamete transport to the fertilization site in mammals. This study sheds light on the mechanism of elevated contraction amplitude in the bovine oviductal isthmus just before ovulation. Rhythmic contraction of the oviducts is essential for transporting gametes and embryos at peri-ovulation; however, its regulatory mechanism during the estrous cycle is unclear. Meanwhile, it is reported that ion currents regulate muscle contraction. Our study aimed to clarify the involvement of ion channels and gap junctions in regulating oviductal motility during the estrous cycle in cattle. The isthmic sections of bovine oviducts collected just after ovulation (0-4 days after ovulation), at the mid-late luteal stage (10-17 days), and at the follicular stage (1-3 days before ovulation) were used in the experiments. The frequency and amplitude of contraction of the oviductal strips in the longitudinal direction were examined using the Magnus system. The frequency was not different among the estrous stages. Conversely, the amplitude was significantly higher at the follicular stage. The blockers of voltage-dependent calcium channels, both IP3 receptor and ryanodine receptors, chloride channel, and gap junction reduced the amplitude. Additionally, mRNA and protein expression of GJA1, a component of the gap junction, in the smooth muscle tissues of the oviductal isthmus were significantly higher in the follicular stage. In addition, estradiol-17β (E2; 1.0 ng/mL) significantly increased GJA1 mRNA expression in cultured smooth muscle tissues after 24 h and GJA1 protein expression in cultured smooth muscle cells after 48 h. These results suggest that local levels of E2 in the oviductal isthmus ipsilateral to an ovary with a dominant follicle support the increased contraction amplitude of bovine ipsilateral oviducts by elevating the gap junction expression.

Integrated metabolomic and transcriptomic analysis reveals the role of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway in tomato roots during salt stress.

As global soil salinization continues to intensify, there is a need to enhance salt tolerance in crops. Understanding the molecular mechanisms of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) roots' adaptation to salt stress is of great significance to enhance its salt tolerance and promote its planting in saline soils. A combined analysis of the metabolome and transcriptome of S. lycopersicum roots under different periods of salt stress according to changes in phenotypic and root physiological indices revealed that different accumulated metabolites and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) associated with phenylpropanoid biosynthesis were significantly altered. The levels of phenylpropanoids increased and showed a dynamic trend with the duration of salt stress. Ferulic acid (FA) and spermidine (Spd) levels were substantially up-regulated at the initial and mid-late stages of salt stress, respectively, and were significantly correlated with the expression of the corresponding synthetic genes. The results of canonical correlation analysis screening of highly correlated DEGs and construction of regulatory relationship networks with transcription factors (TFs) for FA and Spd, respectively, showed that the obtained target genes were regulated by most of the TFs, and TFs such as MYB, Dof, BPC, GRAS, and AP2/ERF might contribute to the regulation of FA and Spd content levels. Ultimately, FA and Spd attenuated the harm caused by salt stress in S. lycopersicum, and they may be key regulators of its salt tolerance. These findings uncover the dynamics and possible molecular mechanisms of phenylpropanoids during different salt stress periods, providing a basis for future studies and crop improvement.

Strength Properties of Cement-Solidified Dredged Sludge Affected by Curing Temperature

In this study, unconfined compressive strength (qu) tests were conducted to explore the coupling effect of organic matter content (3.7%, 7.7%, 10.7%, and 13.7%) and curing temperature (18 °C, 36 °C, 46 °C) on the development of early and mid-late strength of cement-solidified dredged sludge (cement-stabilized clay, or CSC). The microstructure of the CSC containing organic matter at different curing temperatures was also analyzed. The results show that qu of CSC decreases with the increase in organic matter content (Co). The strength growth rate of CSC in the mid-late stage (≥14 days) is small when Co ≥ 7.7%, and it is difficult to increase this strength growth rate even if the curing temperature is increased up to 46 °C. There is a cement incorporation ratio threshold of 15% for qu of CSC containing organic matter (Co = 7.7%), which is not affected by curing temperature; increasing the cement incorporation ratio (to 20%) cannot increase qu significantly. The CSC with high curing temperature has more hydration products and higher structural compactness, and it can obtain higher qu in the early and mid-late stages. A high curing temperature can increase the early strength growth rate and shorten the curing age for CSC containing organic matter.