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Imitation learning has shown promise for autonomous driving, but suffers from covariate shift, where the policy performs poorly in unseen environments. DAgger is a popular approach that addresses this by leveraging expert demonstrations. However, DAgger's frequent visits to sub-optimal states can lead to several challenges. This paper proposes a novel DAgger framework that integrates Bayesian uncertainty estimation via mean field variational inference (MFVI) to address this issue. MFVI provides better-calibrated uncertainty estimates compared to prior methods. During training, the framework identifies both uncertain and critical states, querying the expert only for these states. This targeted data collection reduces the burden on the expert and improves data efficiency. Evaluations on the CARLA simulator demonstrate that our approach outperforms existing methods, highlighting the effectiveness of Bayesian uncertainty estimation and targeted data aggregation for imitation learning in autonomous driving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autonomous driving has the potential to revolutionize transportation, but developing safe and reliable systems remains a significant challenge. Reinforcement learning (RL) has emerged as a promising approach for learning optimal control policies in complex driving environments. However, existing RL-based methods often suffer from low sample efficiency and lack explicit safety constraints, leading to unsafe behaviors. In this paper, we propose a novel framework for safe reinforcement learning in autonomous driving that addresses these limitations. Our approach incorporates a latent dynamic model that learns the underlying dynamics of the environment from bird's-eye view images, enabling efficient learning and reducing the risk of safety violations by generating synthetic data. Furthermore, we introduce state-wise safety constraints through a barrier function, ensuring safety at each state by encoding constraints directly into the learning process. Experimental results in the CARLA simulator demonstrate that our framework significantly outperforms baseline methods in terms of both driving performance and safety. Our work advances the development of safe and efficient autonomous driving systems by leveraging the power of reinforcement learning with explicit safety considerations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This purpose of this work is to give a detailed description of a surgical technique for frameless robot-assisted asleep deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the centromedian thalamic nucleus (CMT) in drug-resistant epilepsy (DRE). Methods: Ten consecutively enrolled patients who underwent CMT-DBS were included in the study. The FreeSurfer "Thalamic Kernel Segmentation" module and experience target coordinates were used for locating the CMT, and quantitative susceptibility mapping (QSM) images were used to check the target. The patient's head was secured with a head clip, and electrode implantation was performed with the assistance of the neurosurgical robot Sinovation®. After opening the dura, the burr hole was continuously flushed with physiological saline to stop air from entering the skull. All procedures were performed under general anesthesia without intraoperative microelectrode recording (MER). Results: The mean age of the patients at surgery and onset of seizures was 22 years (range 11–41 years) and 11 years (range 1–21 years), respectively. The median duration of seizures before CMT-DBS surgery was 10 years (2–26 years). CMT was successfully segmented, and its position was verified by experience target coordinates and QSM images in all ten patients. The mean surgical time for bilateral CMT-DBS in this cohort was 165 ± 18 min. The mean pneumocephalus volume was 2 cm3. The median absolute errors in the x-, y-, and z-axes were 0.7 mm, 0.5 mm, and 0.9 mm, respectively. The median Euclidean distance (ED) and radial error (RE) was 1.3 ± 0.5 mm and 1.0 ± 0.3 mm, respectively. No significant difference was found between right- and left-sided electrodes regarding the RE nor the ED. After a mean 12-month follow-up, the average reduction in seizures was 61%, and six patients experienced a ≥ 50% reduction in seizures, including one patient who had no seizures after the operation. All patients tolerated the anesthesia operation, and no permanent or serious complications were reported. Conclusions: Frameless robot-assisted asleep surgery is a precise and safe approach for placing CMT electrodes in patients with DRE, shortening the surgery time. The segmentation of the thalamic nuclei enables the precise location of the CMT, and the flow of physiological saline to seal the burr holes is a good way to reduce the influx of air. CMT-DBS is an effective method to reduce seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives. Investigate the effects of integrated neuromuscular training (INT) on injury prevention and the performance of professional female badminton athletes by comparing their preintervention and postintervention tests. The study hypothesized that integrated neuromuscular training can improve the asymmetry and improve the sport performance of female badminton players. Methods. According to pretest value based on functional movement screening, 38 participants were divided into a high-risk group (HG) and a low-risk group (LG) with 22 and 16 people in each group. Two groups of athletes took part in an 8-week INT program consisting of four 90-min sessions each week. The asymmetries in movement, physical fitness, and special abilities were tested before and after the intervention. Independent sample t -test was used for the statistical analysis. Results. This research found indicated that 8 weeks of INT influenced FMS scores in both groups (HG and LG). The change of inline lunge (E S H = 0.42 , E S L = 0.21) and trunk stability push-up (E S H = − 0.58 , E S L = − 0.20) showed significant differences (P < 0.05), and the change of the FMS scores (E S H = 0.81 , E S L = 0.65), deep squat (E S H = 0.6 , E S L = 0.3), and rotation stability (E S H = − 0.65 , E S L = − 0.72) showed very significant differences (P < 0.01). Compared to the pretest, most of the physical fitness parameters improved significantly in the HG and LG groups except strength index, and special abilities of the HG and LG group women badminton athletes showed a substantial increase. Conclusion. Integrated neuromuscular training can effectively improve the asymmetry of female badminton athletes' limbs, prevent sports injury, and improve the athlete's performance ability. However, athletes in different risk groups have certain differences in the degree of improvement in their motor skills. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zebrafish has become an established model organism for the study of hearing and balance systems in the past two decades. The classical approach to examine hair cells is to use dye to conduct selective staining, which shows the number and morphology of hair cells but does not reveal their function. Startle response is a behavior closely related to the auditory function of hair cells; therefore it can be used to measure the function of hair cells. In this study, we developed a device to measure the startle response of zebrafish larvae. By applying various levels of stimulus, it showed that the system can discern a 10 dB difference. The hair cell in zebrafish can regenerate after damage due to noise exposure or drug treatment. With this device, we measured the startle response of zebrafish larvae during and after drug treatment. The results show a similar trend to the classical hair cell staining method. The startle response was reduced with drug treatment and recovered after removal of the drug. Together it demonstrated the capability of this behavioral assay in evaluating the hair cell functions of fish larvae and its potential as a high-throughput screening tool for auditory-related gene and drug discovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The work studies corrosion failure analysis of L485 pipeline in CO2 environment. [•] The corrosion scale mainly consists of FeCO3. [•] The actual corrosion rate is at the range of 1.413–1.978mm/a. [•] The Mn content of L485 steel exceeds the standard compared with API Spec 5L. [•] Corrosion undergoes the bare metal, scale-covered, reaction destruction period. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to analyze the homogeneous discharge of air dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) under ambient conditions, three different electrode structures are used in the paper. They are aluminum plane electrode, stainless mesh electrode and pure water electrode. The electrical characteristics are obtained and compared by using Lissajous figures, the waveforms of applied voltage and discharge current and the light emission images. The results show that the discharges of the different electrode structures are all filamentary discharges mode in ambient air and the discharge intensity of pure water electrode is much weaker than the other two electrodes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to study the effect of magnet enhanced plasma on polymer surface, a dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) setup with and without magnet is presented and used to modify poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) films at atmospheric pressure in ambient air. Surface analysis and characterization of the air plasma-treated PET films are performed using contact angle measurements, surface free energy, Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that air plasma leads to an obvious decrease in contact angle and increase in surface free energy. And surface wettability of the PET films treated by DBD with magnet is better than that without magnet. AFM images show an increase in surface roughness due to plasma etching. It is shown that O and N elements are introduced onto PET film surfaces as oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups. The oxygen-containing groups can be identified as Clyph name="dbnd" />O and Oh name="dbnd" />O. Their concentrations of the PET films treated with magnet are more than those treated without magnet. The difference is attributed to more active particles generated in DBD with magnet. Therefore, magnet field plays an important role in improving surface wettability of polymers. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Barrier dielectric is an important part of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (AP-DBD), which partly affects discharge characteristics. Conversely, discharge plasma also has influence on dielectric surface properties. To investigate this influence, some experiments were carried out on a home-built AP-DBD system with glass plate as barrier dielectric. Surface wettability was evaluated by water contact angles on a drop shape analysis system. The morphologies and chemical compositions of the glass sample surfaces were observed by field-emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) attached to FESEM. The results show that water contact angles decrease as discharge energy increases, micro-discharge etching zones are formed into glass surface and different from the control glass in surface micro-structure and chemical compositions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Electrode materials and shapes affected the discharge modes. Meanwhile, the discharge has influence upon electrode surface. In order to study the effect of discharge on semiconductor electrode, the experiments were carried out using single crystal Si wafer as high voltage electrode of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge in air. The effects of dielectric barrier discharge on Si electrode surface are analyzed by means of field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results show that surface roughness and oxidation increase with discharge time, while surface nitridation is not observed on Si electrode surface. It is different from Cu electrode. The difference is due to different chemical reactions between electrode surface and air plasma but could also be ascribed to the different analysis techniques used. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: To optimize the effects of some discharge parameters on the surface wettability of polypropylene (PP) in atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge, a surface modification model is created based on statistical theory and orthogonal experimental design method. Contact angle measurements, atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) are used to study the changes in the surface wettability, surface topology and chemical compositions of the samples. The results show that surface wettability has been improved due to roughness increasing and the introduction of oxygen-containing functional groups. High-resolution XPS of C1s peak deconvolution indicates that the types and contents of oxidized functional groups are different in different discharge conditions or plasma energy. Moreover, the model analysis reveals that it has better predictive ability, and different discharge parameters has selective influence on water contact angle and surface O atom percentage. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to study the influence of plasma on electrode, atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) air plasma is employed here to treat copper electrode surface. Plasma is generated between the parallel plate electrodes by means of high voltage produced by a high-frequency power supply with transformer. Electrode surface alterations induced by air plasma are investigated by using field emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM), X-ray energy dispersion spectroscopy (EDS) and contact angle measurement. The results show that DBD air plasma removes the organic contaminant on surface and causes electrode surface roughness, oxidization and nitridation. In addition, surface wettability is also improved, as concluded from contact angle measurements. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A 16kHz power supply was used to investigate the preparation of hydrophobic film on glass surface by means of atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge (DBD). Air nonthermal plasma was induced between the two parallel electrodes with a glass plate as dielectric barrier. The process for hydrophobic film includes two parts: one is plasma pretreatment to produce active layer on glass surface, another is to form hydrophobic film on glass surface by means of the interaction between air plasma and polydimethylsiloxane oil. The surface changes were observed using contact angle measurement and atomic force microscope. The results show DBD can increase surface roughness, and effectively improve glass surface activation and form a hydrophobic coating on glass surface, and it is possibility to prepare hydrophobic glass with middle frequency power supply. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract\nNOVELTY STATEMENTRice is the staple food for 1/3 of the world’s population, but soil pollution with cadmium (Cd) is harmful to rice production and human health. Therefore, how to reduce the Cd content in rice grains is a hot topic worldwide. However, so far, little is known about Cd remediation technologies for paddy soils from the perspective of patents. Therefore, a meta-analysis was performed to assess the effects of measures based on 1402 observations from 336 patents from 2011 to 2021. The spatio-temporal analysis showed that the number of patents was positively related to the general economic development of the country, but hardly related to the regional economy or the level of provincal Cd pollution. The meta-analysis showed that the overall effect of Cd reduction was slightly higher for combined technologies (59%) than for single technologies (57%). Among all technology classifications, soil applications, which are mainly based on nutritional elements, were the most commonly used technology that could reduce the Cd content in rice grains by 57%. The plant biotechnology was the most effective and could reduce Cd content in rice grains by 76%. Further analysis showed that macronutrients (calcium, phosphorus, and sulfur) were preferred in soil amendments, while micronutrients (silicon, zinc, and selenium) were preferred in foliar amendments. NRAMP5 and HMA3 were the most important genes for manipulating Cd uptake in rice, while Bacillus and Pseudomonas were the most important bacterial taxa for bioremediation of Cd. Overall, this study compiled data on Cd remediation of paddy soil from 10 years of Chinese patents, providing a theoretical basis for better production of low Cd crops and protection of human health.Patents are an indicator and promoter of theoretical innovation and technological improvement. However, little is known about Cd remediation technologies for paddy soils and rice grains from the perspective of patents. In this study, the first dataset of soil Cd remediation and rice safety production measures from the Chinese patents in the past 10 years was established. Then it evaluated the effect of each measure using meta-analysis and pointed out the future direction of research to find better solutions for Cd remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Understanding the reciprocal interaction between root development and coadapted beneficial microbes in response to elevated CO2 (eCO2) will facilitate the identification of nutrient‐efficient cultivars for sustainable agriculture.Here, systematic morphological, anatomical, chemical and gene expression assays performed under low‐nitrogen conditions revealed that eCO2 drove the development of the endodermal barrier with respect to L‐/S‐shaped lateral roots (LRs) in rice.Next, we applied metabolome and endodermal‐cell‐specific RNA sequencing and showed that rice adapts to eCO2 by spatially recruiting diazotrophs via flavonoid secretion in L‐shaped LRs. Using the rice Casparian strip mutant Oscasp1‐1, we confirmed that reduced lignin deposition selectively recruits the diazotrophic family of Oxalobacteraceae to confer tolerance to low nitrogen availability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moso bamboo is excellent candidate for cadmium (Cd)/lead (Pb) phytoremediation, while rhizosphere microbiome has significant impact on phytoremediation efficiency of host plant. However, little is known about the rhizosphere bacterial communities of moso bamboo in Cd/Pb contaminated soils. Therefore, this study investigated the assembly patterns and key taxa of rhizosphere bacterial communities of moso bamboo in Cd/Pb polluted and unpolluted soils, by field sampling, chemical analysis, and 16S rRNA gene sequencing. The results indicated α-diversity between Cd/Pb polluted and unpolluted soils showed a similar pattern (p > 0.05), while β-diversity was significantly different (p < 0.05). The relative abundance analysis indicated α-proteobacteria (37%) and actinobacteria (31%) were dominant in Cd/Pb polluted soils, while γ-proteobacteria (40%) and α-proteobacteria (22%) were dominant in unpolluted soils. Co-occurrence network analysis indicated microbial networks were less complex and more negative in polluted soils than in unpolluted soils. Mantel analysis indicated soil available phosphorus, organic matter, and available Pb were the most important environmental factors affecting microbial community structure. Correlation analysis showed 11 bacterial genera were significantly positively related to Cd/Pb. Overall, this study identified the bacterial community composition of bamboo rhizosphere in responding to Cd/Pb contamination and provides a theoretical basis for microbe-assistant phytoremediation in the future. Novelty statement: To date, little is known about the bacterial communities in the rhizosphere of moso bamboo under Cd and Pb multiple stresses. This study investigated the assembly patterns and key taxa of rhizospheric bacterial communities of moso bamboo in Cd/Pb polluted and unpolluted soils. It was found that the bacterial community structure in bamboo rhizosphere is easily influenced by soil chemical environment, such as fertilities and heavy metals. The key bacterial taxa identified here could be target microbe in future microbe-assistant phytoremediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Flowering is a vital agronomic trait that determines the economic value of most ornamental plants. The flowering time of rose (Rosa spp.) is photoperiod insensitive and is thought to be tightly controlled by light intensity, although the detailed molecular mechanism remains unclear.Here, we showed that rose plants flower later under low‐light (LL) intensity than under high‐light (HL) intensity, which is mainly related to the stability of PHYTOCHROME‐INTERACTING FACTORs (RcPIFs) mediated by OPEN STOMATA 1‐Like (RcOST1L) under different light intensity regimes.We determined that HL conditions trigger the rapid phosphorylation of RcPIFs before their degradation. A yeast two‐hybrid screen identified the kinase RcOST1L as interacting with RcPIF4. Moreover, RcOST1L positively regulated rose flowering and directly phosphorylated RcPIF4 on serine 198 to promote its degradation under HL conditions. Additionally, phytochrome B (RcphyB) enhanced RcOST1L‐mediated phosphorylation of RcPIF4 via interacting with the active phyB‐binding motif. RcphyB was activated upon HL and recruited RcOST1L to facilitate its nuclear accumulation, in turn leading to decreased stability of RcPIF4 and flowering acceleration.Our findings illustrate how RcPIF abundance safeguards proper rose flowering under different light intensities, thus uncovering the essential role of RcOST1L in the RcphyB–RcPIF4 module in flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: The petals of rose (Rosa sp.) flowers determine the ornamental and industrial worth of this species. The number of petals in roses was previously shown to be subject to fluctuations in ambient temperature. However, the mechanisms by which rose detects and responds to temperature changes are not entirely understood. In this study, we identified short interstitial telomere motifs (telo boxes) in the second intron of AGAMOUS (RcAG) from China rose (Rosa chinensis) that play an essential role in precise temperature perception. The second intron of RcAG harbors two telo boxes that recruit telomere repeat binding factors (RcTRBs), which interact with CURLY LEAF (RcCLF) to compose a repressor complex. We show that this complex suppresses RcAG expression when plants are subjected to low temperatures via depositing H3K27me3 marks (trimethylation of lysine 27 on histone H3) over the RcAG gene body. This regulatory mechanism explains the low‐temperature‐dependent decrease in RcAG transcript levels, leading to the production of more petals under these conditions. Our results underscore an interesting intron‐mediated regulatory mechanism governing RcAG expression, enabling rose plants to perceive temperature cues and establish petal numbers. Significance Statement: Our research underscores a new intron‐mediated regulatory mechanism governing RcAG expression, enabling rose plants to perceive temperature cues and establish petal numbers. It might be of great interest to a broad range of readers including environmental response, epigenetic modification, floral organ development, and other researchers in related fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) play important roles in various signaling pathways in vascular plants. However, the crosstalk between lncRNAs and E3 ubiquitin ligases has been barely reported. In this study, we demonstrate that the lncRNA lncWD83 from rose (Rosa chinensis) 'Old blush' activates flowering by modulating the ubiquitination of the floral repressor MYC2 LIKE (RcMYC2L). Flowering was substantially delayed in rose by virus-induced gene silencing of lncWD83. In an in vitro pull-down assay, lncWD83 associated with PLANT U-BOX PROTEIN 11 (PUB11), a U-box-containing E3 ubiquitin ligase. Seedlings with knocked down RcPUB11 transcripts phenocopied the later-flowering phenotype of lncWD83-silenced seedlings. RcMYC2L physically interacted with RcPUB11 and was ubiquitinated in an RcPUB11-dependent manner in vitro. Accordingly, silencing RcMYC2L fully reversed the later-flowering phenotype resulting from RcPUB11 knockdown. Furthermore, RcMYC2L bound to G-box-related motifs in the FLOWERING LOCUS T (RcFT) promoter and repressed its transcription. However, RcPUB11 alleviated this repression of RcFT expression via proteasomal degradation of RcMYC2L, and lncWD83 enhanced this degradation by associating with RcPUB11. Therefore, lncWD83 promotes flowering by modulating the ubiquitination of the floral repressor RcMYC2L in rose plants. These findings reveal a distinct regulatory mechanism for an lncRNA in facilitating ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis to regulate rose flowering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flowering is critical for sexual reproduction and fruit production. Several pear (Pyrus sp.) varieties produce few flower buds, but the underlying mechanisms are unknown. The circadian clock regulator EARLY FLOWERING3 (ELF3) serves as a scaffold protein in the evening complex that controls flowering. Here, we report that the absence of a 58-bp sequence in the 2nd intron of PbELF3 is genetically associated with the production of fewer flower buds in pear. From rapid amplification of cDNA ends sequencing results, we identified a short, previously unknown transcript from the PbELF3 locus, which we termed PbELF3β , whose transcript level was significantly lower in pear cultivars that lacked the 58-bp region. The heterologous expression of PbELF3β in Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) accelerated flowering, whereas the heterologous expression of the full-length transcript PbELF3α caused late flowering. Notably, ELF3β was functionally conserved in other plants. Deletion of the 2nd intron reduced AtELF3β expression and caused delayed flowering time in Arabidopsis. AtELF3β physically interacted with AtELF3α, disrupting the formation of the evening complex and consequently releasing its repression of flower induction genes such as GIGANTEA (GI). AtELF3β had no effect in the absence of AtELF3α, supporting the idea that AtELF3β promotes flower induction by blocking AtELF3α function. Our findings show that alternative promoter usage at the ELF3 locus allows plants to fine-tune flower induction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Determination of soil nitrogen distributions and the factors affecting them is critical for nitrogen fertilizer management and prevention of nitrogen pollution. In this paper, the spatiotemporal variations of soil nitrogen and the relative importance of their affecting factors were analysed at a county scale in the purple hilly area of the mid-Sichuan Basin in Southwest China based on soil data collected in 1981 and 2012. Statistical results showed that soil total nitrogen (TN) increased from 0.88 g kg − 1 in 1981 to 1.12 g kg − 1 in 2012, whereas available nitrogen (AN) decreased from 84.22 mg kg − 1 to 74.35 mg kg − 1 . In particular, AN showed a significant decrease in agricultural ecosystems but remained stable in woodland and grassland. Correspondingly, most of the study area exhibited increased TN content and decreased AN content in space. The nugget/sill ratios of TN and AN increased from 0.419 to 0.608 and from 0.733 to 0.790, whereas spatial correlation distances decreased from 12.00 km to 9.50 km and from 9.50 km to 9.00 km, respectively, suggesting that the spatial dependence of soil nitrogen became weaker and that the extrinsic factors played increasingly important roles in affecting the soil nitrogen distribution. Soil group and land use type were the two dominant factors in 1981, followed by topographic factors, vegetation coverage and parent material, whereas land use type became the most important factor in 2012, and the relative contribution of topographic factors declined markedly. The results suggested that land use related to cultivation management and fertilizer application was the decisive factor for soil nitrogen change. The increase in TN content and the decrease in AN content over the study period also suggested improper use of nitrogen fertilizer, which can result in nitrogen loss through increasing nitrification rates. Thus, effective measures should be taken to increase the uptake rate of nitrogen and prevent nitrogen pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

After the oil field enters the high water content period, the oil–water mixed fluid in the mixing system will gradually change into the water-in-oil mixed fluid, while the dissolved CO2 causes the pH value of the mixed fluid to decrease. There is also a certain amount of bacteria in the output fluid, with many factors leading to the intensification in the corrosion of the oil–water mixed system pipeline in the high water content period. To clarify its corrosion law, through the mixed transmission pipeline material, 20# carbon steel, in high water conditions under the action of different single factor dynamic corrosion rate experiments, along with the use of the SPSS method, were used to determine the corrosion of the main control factors. The results show that in the high water content period, the corrosion rate of the mixed pipeline 20# steel gradually increases with the increase in temperature pressure, CO2 partial pressure, SRB content, Ca2+ + Mg2+ content, and Cl− content. The corrosion rate with the CO2 partial pressure and SRB content changes show a strong multiplicative power relationship; with Ca2+ + Mg2+ content, Cl− content changes show a logarithmic relationship, the relationship degree R2 is above 0.98. Through SPSS data analysis software combined with experimental data for correlation degree analysis, it is concluded that the correlation magnitude relationship between each factor and corrosion rate is CO2 partial pressure > SRB content > Cl− content > Ca2+ + Mg2+ content > temperature pressure, which provides a theoretical basis for the corrosion protection of an oil gathering pipeline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium is one of the most toxic heavy metals and can be easily absorbed by plants, affecting root growth. Root border cells (RBCs), that are located in the periphery of the root cap and originate from the root cap meristem, represent a convenient tool to study the toxic effects of Cd on root performance. In this work, vegetables with contrasting types of root apical meristem (RAM) organizations were used. The open RAM organizations included pea and cucumber, and the closed RAM organizations included tomato, chili, and eggplant. The number of RBCs were significantly higher in the species possessing open RAM organization: pea (11,330 cells per root) > cucumber (8200) > tomato (2480) > eggplant (1830) > chili (1320). The same trend was observed for cell viability: pea (61%) > cucumber (59%) > tomato (49%) > eggplant (44%) > chili (42%). Pea and cucumber had higher relative radicle elongation rates and a lower increase in stress-induced accumulation of malondialdehyde (MDA), making them more resistant to Cd stress than the vegetables with close RAM organization. Under Cd treatment, the number and viability of RBCs in vegetables with both types of RAM organization were significantly decreased. However, the decreasing ratio of the number and viability of RBCs in pea and cucumber was higher than in tomato, chili, and eggplant. Taken together, the plants with the open-type RAM are more tolerant to Cd, and it can be speculated that the cadmium tolerance of the vegetables may be correlated with the number and viability of RBCs in response to cadmium stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudo-response regulators (PRRs) are the important genes for flowering in roses. In this work, clock PRRs were genome-wide identified using Arabidopsis protein sequences as queries, and their evolutionary analyses were deliberated intensively in Rosaceae in correspondence with angiosperms species. To draw a comparative network and flow of clock PRRs in roses, a co-expression network of flowering pathway genes was drawn using a string database, and their functional analysis was studied by silencing using VIGS and protein-to-protein interaction. We revealed that the clock PRRs were significantly expanded in Rosaceae and were divided into three major clades, i.e., PRR5/9 (clade 1), PRR3/7 (clade 2), and TOC1/PRR1 (clade 3), based on their phylogeny. Within the clades, five clock PRRs were identified in Rosa chinensis. Clock PRRs had conserved RR domain and shared similar features, suggesting the duplication occurred during evolution. Divergence analysis indicated the role of duplication events in the expansion of clock PRRs. The diverse cis elements and interaction of clock PRRs with miRNAs suggested their role in plant development. Co-expression network analysis showed that the clock PRRs from Rosa chinensis had a strong association with flowering controlling genes. Further silencing of RcPRR1b and RcPRR5 in Rosa chinensis using VIGS led to earlier flowering, confirming them as negative flowering regulators. The protein-to-protein interactions between RcPRR1a/RcPRR5 and RcCO suggested that RcPRR1a/RcPRR5 may suppress flowering by interfering with the binding of RcCO to the promoter of RcFT. Collectively, these results provided an understanding of the evolutionary profiles as well as the functional role of clock PRRs in controlling flowering in roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis plays crucial roles in the adaptation to cadmium (Cd) stress. Nevertheless, few reports have dabbled in physiological mechanisms of such super pathway regulating Cd accumulation in plants. Herein, by integrating transcriptomic, histological and molecular biology approaches, the present study dedicated to clarify molecular mechanism on how rice adapt to Cd stress via phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. Our analysis identified that the enhancement of phenylpropanoid biosynthesis was as a key response to Cd stress. Intriguingly, POD occupied a significant part in this process, with the number of POD related genes accounted for 26/29 of all upregulated genes in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis. We further used SHAM (salicylhydroxamic acid, the POD inhibitor) to validate that POD exhibited a negative correlation with the Cd accumulation in rice tissues, and proposed two intrinsic molecular mechanisms on POD in contributing to Cd detoxification. One strategy was that POD promoted the formation of lignin and CSs both in endodermis and exodermis for intercepting Cd influx. In detail, inhibited POD induced by external addition of SHAM decreased the content of lignin by 50.98–66.65 % and delayed percentage of the D TIP-CS to root length by 39.17–104.51 %. The other strategy was expression of transporter genes involved in Cd uptake, including OsIRT1 , OsIRT2 , OsZIP1 and OsZIP , negatively regulated by POD. In a word, our findings firstly draws a direct link between POD activity and the Cd accumulation, which is imperative for the breeding of rice with low-Cd-accumulating capacity in the future. [Display omitted] • 26 of 29 upregulated genes in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis are associated with POD. • POD negatively regulate Cd uptake and accumulation. • POD involve in promoting the formation of lignin and CSs in endodermis and exodermis for Cd detoxification. • POD involve in orchestrating the membranal metal transporters on Cd detoxification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is unknown why roses are terpene-rich, what the terpene biosynthetic pathways in roses are, and why only a few rose species produce the major components of rose essential oil. Here, we assembled two high-quality chromosome-level genomes for Rosa rugosa and Rosa multiflora. We also re-sequenced 132 individuals from the F1 progeny of Rosa chinensis and Rosa wichuraiana and 36 of their related species. Comparative genomics revealed that expansions of the 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-coenzyme A reductase (HMGR) and terpene synthases (TPSs) gene families led to the enrichment of terpenes in rose scent components. We constructed a terpene biosynthesis network and discovered a TPS-independent citronellol biosynthetic pathway in roses through gene functional identification, genome-wide association studies (GWASs), and multi-omic analysis. Heterologous co-expression of rose citronellol biosynthetic genes in Nicotiana benthamiana led to citronellol production. Our genomic and metabolomic analyses suggested that the copy number of NUDX1-1a determines the citronellol content in different rose species. Our findings not only provide additional genome and gene resources and reveal the evolution of the terpene biosynthetic pathways but also present a nearly complete scenario for terpenoid metabolism that will facilitate the breeding of fragrant roses and the production of rose oil. [Display omitted] • The expansion of the HMGR and TPS genes leads to an enrichment of terpenes in roses • A complete and detailed network of terpenoid metabolism has been unveiled in roses • De novo synthesis of citronellol was successfully achieved in N. benthamiana • The evolutionary trajectory of citronellol biosynthesis in roses has been elucidated Shang et al. discover that the expansion of HMGR and TPS genes leads to the enrichment of terpenes in roses. They identify a three-step pathway in the citronellol synthesis and successfully synthesize it in N. benthamiana. The copy number of NUDX1-1a is a crucial factor in determining the variation of citronellol content in roses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Members of the REM (Reproductive Meristem) gene family are expressed primarily in reproductive meristems and floral organs. However, their evolution and their functional profiles in flower development remain poorly understood. Here, we performed genome-wide identification and evolutionary analysis of the REM gene family in Rosaceae. This family has been greatly expanded in rose (Rosa chinensis) compared to other species, primarily through tandem duplication. Expression analysis revealed that most RcREM genes are specifically expressed in reproductive organs and that their specific expression patterns are dramatically altered in rose plants with mutations affecting floral organs. Protein-protein interaction analysis indicated that RcREM14 interact with RcAP1 (one of the homology of A class genes in ABCDE model), highlighting the roles of RcREM genes in floral organ identity. Finally, co-expression network analysis indicated that RcREM genes are co-expressed with a high proportion of key genes that regulate flowering time, floral organ development, and cell proliferation and expansion in R. chinensis. • REM (Reproductive Meristem) gene family has been greatly expanded in rose (Rosa chinensis). • The expression patterns of RcREM genes are dramatically altered in rose plants with mutations affecting floral organs. • RcREM14 interact with RcAP1 (A class genes in ABCDE model). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new concept for utilization corn stalk by coupling anaerobic fermentation and pyrolysis. • An anaerobic fermentation step was used to further ferment corn stalk silage. • Fermented liquid feed was prepared by spontaneously fermentation. • Biochar derived from non-fermented residue showed improved physic-chemical property. • Biologically modified biochar is an effective adsorbent for Cd removal from water. The recycling of agricultural waste is a global challenge to the sustainable development of agriculture. By using corn stalks, we studied the feasibility of combining anaerobic fermentation and pyrolysis processes to produce both fermentated liquid feed and biologically modified biocharas cadmium adsorbents. Anaerobic ensiling enhanced the biodegradation of corn stalks by increasing crude protein and reducing fiber contents. After 24-h anaerobic fermentation, corn stalks silage was decomposed into the liquid filtrate and non-fermented residue. Fermented liquid feed (FLF) was prepared by storing feed and liquid filtrate (1:4.0, wt/wt) in a closed tank at 20 °C for 4 days, which showed desired properties (pH < 4.5, lactic acid bacteria greater than 9.0 lg cfu g−1, lactic acid greater than 100 mmol L-1). The non-fermented residue was pyrolyzed at 500 °C to prepare biologically modified biochar (BCB24). In comparison with pristine biochar produced from corn stalks (CB), anaerobic ensiling and anaerobic fermentation significantly increased the surface area, oxygen-containing functional groups, as well as mineral components in BCB24. The maximum sorption capacity of Cd(II) for BCB24 was 2.1 times of CB, suggesting that BCB24 is an effective adsorbent for Cd(II) removal from water. Our results indicated that coupling anaerobic fermentation and pyrolysis technology can significantly improve the efficiency of corn stalks recycling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Jasmonates (JAs) are important for pathogen resistance in many plants, but the role of these phytohormones in fungal pathogen resistance in rose is unclear. Here, we determined that exogenous application of methyl jasmonate increased resistance to the important fungal pathogen Botrytis cinerea in Rosa chinensis 'Old blush', whereas silencing the JA biosynthetic pathway gene Allene Oxide Synthase (AOS) and JA co‐receptor gene CORONATINE INSENSITIVE 1 (COI1) suppressed this response. Transcriptome profiling identified various MYB transcription factor genes that responded to both JA and B. cinerea treatment. Silencing Ri‐RcMYB84/Ri‐RcMYB123 increased the susceptibility of rose plants to B. cinerea and inhibited the protective effects of JA treatment, confirming the crucial roles of these genes in JA‐induced responses to B. cinerea. JAZ1, a key repressor of JA signaling, directly interacts with RcMYB84 and RcMYB123 to deplete their free pools. The JAZ1‐RcMYB84 complex binds to the RcMYB123 promoter via the CAACTG motifs to block its transcription. Upon JA treatment, the expression of RcMYB123 is de‐repressed, and free forms of RcMYB84 and RcMYB123 are released due to JAZ1 degradation, thereby activating the defense responses of plants to B. cinerea. These findings shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying JA‐induced pathogen resistance in roses. Significance Statement: This study provided a molecular link between B. cinerea infections and JA signaling, and shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying JA‐induced pathogen resistance in rose plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photoperiodic flowering responses are classified into three major types: long day (LD), short day (SD), and day neutral (DN). The inverse responses to daylength of LD and SD plants have been partly characterized in Arabidopsis and rice; however, the molecular mechanism underlying the DN response is largely unknown. Modern roses are economically important ornamental plants with continuous flowering (CF) features, and are generally regarded as DN plants. Here, RcCO and RcCOL4 were identified as floral activators up-regulated under LD and SD conditions, respectively, in the CF cultivar Rosa chinensis 'Old-Blush'. Diminishing the expression of RcCO or/and RcCOL4 by virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) delayed flowering time under both SDs and LDs. Interestingly, in contrast to RcCO -silenced plants, the flowering time of RcCOL4 -silenced plants was more delayed under SD than under LD conditions, indicating perturbed plant responses to day neutrality. Further analyses revealed that physical interaction between RcCOL4 and RcCO facilitated binding of RcCO to the CORE motif in the promoter of RcFT and induction of RcFT. Taken together, the complementary expression of RcCO in LDs and of RcCOL4 in SDs guaranteed flowering under favorable growth conditions regardless of the photoperiod. This finding established the molecular foundation of CF in roses and further shed light on the underlying mechanisms of DN responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural soils have tremendous potential to sequester soil organic carbon (SOC) and mitigate global climate change. However, agricultural land use has a profound impact on SOC dynamics, and few studies have explored how agricultural land use combined with soil conditions affect SOC changes throughout the soil profile. Based on a paired soil resampling campaign in the 1980s and 2010s, this study investigated the SOC changes of the soil profile caused by agricultural land use and the correlations with parent material and topography across the Chengdu Plain of China. The results showed that the SOC content increased by 3.78 g C/kg in the topsoil (0–20 cm), but decreased in the 20–40 cm and 40–60 cm soil layers by 0.90 and 1.26 g C/kg respectively. SOC increases in topsoil were observed for all types of agricultural land. Afforestation on former agricultural land also caused SOC decreases in the 20–60 cm soil layers, while SOC decreases only occurred in the 40–60 cm soil layer for agricultural land using a traditional crop rotation (i.e. traditional rice–wheat/rapeseed rotation) and with rice–vegetable rotations converted from the traditional rotations. For each agricultural land use, SOC decreases in deep soils only occurred in high relief areas and in soils formed from Q4 (Quaternary Holocene) grey‐brown alluvium and Q4 grey alluvium that had a relatively low soil bulk density and clay content. The results indicated that SOC change caused by agricultural land use was depth dependent and that the effects of agricultural land use on soil profile SOC dynamics varied with soil characteristics and topography. Subsoil SOC decreases were more likely to occur in high relief areas and in soils with low soil bulk density and low clay content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice (Oryza sativa) is one of the major cereal crops and takes up cadmium (Cd) more readily than other crops. Understanding the mechanism of Cd uptake and defense in rice can help us avoid Cd in the food chain. However, studies comparing Cd uptake, toxicity, and detoxification mechanisms of leaf and root Cd exposure at the morphological, physiological, and transcriptional levels are still lacking. Therefore, experiments were conducted in this study and found that root Cd exposure resulted in more severe oxidative and photosynthetic damage, lower plant biomass, higher Cd accumulation, and transcriptional changes in rice than leaf Cd exposure. The activation of phenylpropanoids biosynthesis in both root and leaf tissues under different Cd exposure routes suggests that increased lignin is the response mechanism of rice under Cd stress. Moreover, the roots of rice are more sensitive to Cd stress and their adaptation responses are more pronounced than those of leaves. Quantitative PCR revealed that OsPOX , OsCAD , OsPAL and OsCCR play important roles in the response to Cd stress, which further emphasize the importance of lignin. Therefore, this study provides theoretical evidence for future chemical and genetic regulation of lignin biosynthesis in crop plants to reduce Cd accumulation. [Display omitted] • Cd uptake of rice is higher in root exposure than leaf exposure. • Cd phytotoxicity of rice is stronger in root exposure than leaf exposure. • Transcriptome responses is more pronounced in root exposure than leaf exposure. • Phenylpropanoid biosynthesis pathway is activated under Cd stress. • Lignin and cell wall biosynthesis is enhanced under Cd stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop straw return is a widely used agricultural management practice. The addition of crop straw significantly alters the pool of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in agricultural soils and plays a pivotal role in the global carbon (C) cycle, which is sensitive to climate change. The DOM concentration and composition at different soil depths could regulate the turnover and further storage of organic C in terrestrial systems. However, it is still unclear how crop straw return influences the change in DOM composition in rice paddy soils. Therefore, a field experiment was conducted in which paddy soil was amended with crop straw for 10 years. Two crop straw-addition treatments [NPK with 50% crop straw (NPK+1/2S) and NPK with 100% crop straw (NPK + S)], a conventional mineral fertilization control (NPK) and a non-fertilized control were included. Topsoil (0–20 cm) and subsoil (20–40 cm) samples were collected to investigate the soil DOM concentration and compositional structure of the profile. Soil nutrients, iron (Fe) fraction, microbial biomass carbon (MBC), and concentration and optical properties (UV–Vis and fluorescence spectra) of soil DOM were determined. Here, we found that the DOM in the topsoil was more humified than that in the subsoil. The addition of crop straw further decreased the humidification degree of DOM in the subsoil. In crop straw-amended topsoil, microbial decomposition controlled the composition of DOM and induced the formation of aromatic DOM. In the straw-treated subsoil, selective adsorption by poorly crystalline Fe(oxyhydr)oxides and microbial decomposition controlled the composition of DOM. In particular, the formation of protein-like compounds could have played a significant role in the microbial degradation of DOM in the subsoil. Overall, this work conducted a case study within long-term agricultural management to understand the changes in DOM composition along the soil profile, which would be further helpful for evaluating C cycling in agricultural ecosystems. [Display omitted] • Straw addition changed the composition of DOM in paddy soil profiles. • Microbial decomposition determines DOM composition in topsoil with straw addition. • Straw addition decreased the humidification degree of DOM in the subsoil. • Both microbial decomposition and Fe protection regulate DOM composition in subsoil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Flavonoids play critical roles in plant responses to various stresses. Few studies have been reported on what the mechanism of activating flavonoid biosynthesis in plant responses to wounding and oxidation is. In this study, flavonoid metabolites and many MYB transcript factors from Rosa rugosa were verified to be induced by wounding and oxidation. RrMYB5 and RrMYB10, which belong to PA1‐ and TT2‐type MYB TFs, respectively, showed extremely high induction. Overexpression of RrMYB5 and RrMYB10 resulted in an increased accumulation of proanthocyanidins in R. rugosa and tobacco by promoting the expression of flavonoid structural genes. Transcriptomic analysis of the transgenic plants showed that most genes, involved in wounding and oxidation response and ABA signalling modulation, were up‐regulated by the overexpression of RrMYB10, which was very much similar to that observed in RrANR and RrDFR overexpression transgenics. RrMYB5 and RrMYB10 physically interacted and mutually activated each other's expressions. They solely or synergistically activated the different sets of flavonoid pathway genes in a bHLH TF EGL3‐independent manner. Eventually, the accumulation of proanthocyanidins enhanced plant tolerance to wounding and oxidative stresses. Therefore, RrMYB5 and RrMYB10 regulated flavonoid synthesis in feedback loop responding to wounding and oxidation in R. rugosa. Our study provides new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of flavonoid biosynthesis by MYB TFs and their essential physiological functions in plant responses to wounding and oxidative stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Seed germination is a fundamental process in the plant life cycle and is regulated by functionally opposing internal and external inputs. Here we explored the role of a negative regulator of photomorphogenesis, a B‐box‐containing protein (BBX19), as a molecular link between the inhibitory action of the phytohormone abscisic acid (ABA) and the promoting role of light in germination. We show that seeds of BBX19‐overexpressing lines, in contrast to those of BBX19 RNA interference lines, display ABA hypersensitivity, albeit independently of elongated hypocotyl 5 (HY5). Moreover, we establish that BBX19 functions neither via perturbation of GA signaling, the ABA antagonistic phytohormone, nor through interference with the DELLA protein germination repressors. Rather, BBX19 functions as an inducer of ABA INSENSITIVE5 (ABI5) by binding to the light‐responsive GT1 motifs in the gene promoter. In summary, we identify BBX19 as a regulatory checkpoint, directing diverse developmental processes and tailoring adaptive responses to distinct endogenous and exogenous signals. Significance Statement: BBX19, a transcription factor with two B‐box motifs, is a suppressor of seed germination that functions as a checkpoint node that optimizes and tailors adaptive responses to distinct developmental and environmental inputs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical dynamics of paddy soil organic carbon (SOC) play an important role in soil quality and carbon cycling. In this study, we used an exponential decay function to estimate the vertical dynamics of SOC content and determined its influencing factors in a typical paddy soil area of the Chengdu Plain from the 1980s to the 2010s. Our results show an overall increase in SOC stocks at 0–100 cm from 11.8 Tg in the 1980s to 13.7 Tg in the 2010s. SOC content increased at depths of 0–40 cm and declined at depths of 40–100 cm over the past three decades. The exponential decay function parameters C0 and k significantly increased by 31.4% and 18.2% respectively, which suggests the vertical pattern of SOC distribution changed. The increase in nugget effects of C0 and k and the decrease in the relative contributions of the parent material, subgroup and distance-to-river indicate that extrinsic factors played increasing roles in the vertical variation of SOC content. Our study concludes that rice planting has led to vertical variations of SOC content and decreased the effects of intrinsic factors on the vertical variation of SOC content of Chengdu Plain paddy soils over the past three decades. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biologically modified biochars derived from digestion residue of corn straw silage at different pyrolysis temperature (300–700 °C) were prepared for removing Cd from water. Compared with the pristine biochar derived from corn straw (CB), transabdominal transformation of corn straw silage (TCB) significantly increased surface area (4.24–56.58 m2 g−1), oxygen-containing functional group (C O C, Mg O, Si O) and mineral components (CaCO 3 , KCl). The sorption isotherms could be well described by Langmuir model, the kinetic data was best fitted by the Pseudo second order model. The maximum sorption capacity (Q m) obtained from Langmuir model for TCB700 (175.44 mg g−1) was 3 times of CB700 (56.82 mg g−1). Precipitation with minerals, ion exchange and complexation with oxygen-containing functional groups were the main mechanisms of Cd(II) sorption on TCB. These results imply that biologically modified biochar derived from digestion residue of corn straw silage at ≥600 °C is an effective sorbent for Cd removal from water. Unlabelled Image • Transabdominal transformation significantly increased surface area of biochar derived from digestion residue of corn straw silage • Pyrolysis temperature affect the sorption capacity of Cd(II) on transabdominal transformation modified biochar (TCB) • TCB made at ≥600 °C has a high sorption capacity for Cd(II) • Cd(II) sorption on the TCB fits a pseudo second order and Langmuir model. • Precipitation, ion exchange, and complexation mechanisms dominated Cd(II) sorption on TCB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Manure application and crop residue returning have been performed to enhance crop yield and reduce soil reactive nitrogen (N r) gas (N 2 O and NO x) emissions. However, the dynamic characteristics of soil nitrogen-cycling (N-cycling) enzyme activities, and the relationship among N-cycling enzyme activities, N r contents and Nr gas emissions are not clearly understood. Six fertilization regimes, including control (CK-no fertilizer), synthetic N fertilizer alone (N), synthetic nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium fertilizer (NPK), pig manure (OM), pig manure (30% of N rate) with synthetic NPK (70% of N rate) (OMNPK), and crop residues (20% of N rate) with synthetic NPK (80% of N rate) (CRNPK), were used for 11 years to form stable soil conditions. The total N application rate in each fertilization regime, except CK, is the same (130 kg N ha−1) in the winter wheat season. The results showed that the cumulative emissions of N 2 O plus NO x in OM increased significantly by 43.7%, while those in OMNPK and CRNPK decreased by 8.2 and 15.3% compared to conventional fertilization regimes of NPK. The long-term application of manure or returning crop residues to partly replace synthetic N fertilizer may significantly enhance soil hydrolase activities compared with NPK at most stages of wheat growth. In contrast to OM, OMNPK and CRNPK primarily inhibited the activities of nitrate reductase (NR) and nitrite reductase (NiR) but increased hydroxylamine reductase (HyR) activity. Redundancy analysis (RDA) and stepwise multiple linear regression showed positive NR and NiR activities, while PRO activity is negative for N 2 O emission. NO x emissions were mainly controlled by HyR activities. Thus, soil reactive nitrogen (N r) gas emissions may be mitigated by different fertilization regimes through the regulation of soil enzyme activities. Fertilization regimes, such as manure application and returning crop residues with synthetic NPK, could be recommended as optimal N fertilization strategies in Regosols to mitigate N r gas emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) is a key phytohormone underlying plant resistance to toxic metals. However, regulatory effects of ABA on apoplastic transport in roots and consequences for uptake of metal ions are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate how ABA regulates development of apoplastic barriers in roots of two ecotypes of Sedum alfredii and assess effects on cadmium (Cd) uptake. Under Cd treatment, increased endogenous ABA level was detected in roots of nonhyperaccumulating ecotype (NHE) due to up‐regulated expressions of ABA biosynthesis genes (SaABA2, SaNCED), but no change was observed in hyperaccumulating ecotype (HE). Simultaneously, endodermal Casparian strips (CSs) and suberin lamellae (SL) were deposited closer to root tips of NHE compared with HE. Interestingly, the vessel‐to‐CSs overlap was identified as an ABA‐driven anatomical trait. Results of correlation analyses and exogenous applications of ABA/Abamine indicate that ABA regulates development of both types of apoplastic barriers through promoting activities of phenylalanine ammonialyase, peroxidase, and expressions of suberin‐related genes (SaCYP86A1, SaGPAT5, and SaKCS20). Using scanning ion‐selected electrode technique and PTS tracer confirmed that ABA‐promoted deposition of CSs and SL significantly reduced Cd entrance into root stele. Therefore, maintenance of low ABA levels in HE minimized deposition of apoplastic barriers and allowed maximization of Cd uptake via apoplastic pathway. Abscisic acid regulated the development of endodermal Casparian strips (CSs) and suberin lamellae (SL) in roots of S. alfredii exposed to Cd. Maintenance of low ABA levels in hyperaccumulating ecotype minimized deposition of CSs/SL and allowed maximization of Cd uptake via apoplastic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In situ remediation and assessment of sediments contaminated with both antibiotics and heavy metals remains a technological challenge. In this study, MgCl 2 -modified biochar (BCM) was obtained at 500 °C through slow pyrolysis of Thalia dealbata and used for remediation of sediments contaminated by sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Cd. The BCM showed greater surface area (110.6 m2 g−1) than pristine biochar (BC, 7.1 m2 g−1). The SMX sorption data were well described by Freundlich model while Langmuir model was better for the Cd2+ sorption data. The addition of 5.0% BCM significantly increased the sorption of SMX (by 50.8–58.6%) and Cd (by 24.2–25.6%) on sediments in both single and binary systems as compared with 5.0% BC. SMX sorption in sediments was significantly improved by addition of Cd2+, whereas SMX has no influence on Cd sorption on sediments. The addition of BCM distinctly decreased both SMX (by 51.4–87.2%) and Cd concentrations (by 56.2–91.3%) in overlying water, as well as in TCLP extracts (by 55.6–86.1% and 58.2–91.9% for SMX and Cd, respectively), as compared with sediments without biochar. Both germination rate and root length of pakchoi increased with increasing doses of BCM in contaminated sediments, 5.0% BCM showed greater promotion on pakchoi growth than 5.0% BC. Overall, BCM in the sediments does not only decrease the bioavailability of SMX and Cd, but it also diminishes the phytotoxicity, and thereby shows great application potential for in situ remediation of sediments polluted with antibiotics and heavy metals. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • MgCl 2 modification significantly increased surface area of biochar derived from Thalia dealbata. • The addition of the MgCl 2 -modified biochar (BCM) significantly increased the sorption of sulfamethoxazole (SMX) and Cd on sediments. • SMX sorption in sediments was improved with the addition of Cd2+. • In situ remediation with BCM decreased the mobility and bioavailability of SMX and Cd in sediments. • BCM significantly reduced the phytotoxicity of sediments simultaneously contaminated with SMX and Cd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Soil acidification can negatively impact the sustainability of agricultural systems. Understanding the relationships between soil pH change and its influencing factors is critical to the maintenance of soil quality and the sustainability of land use. Based on regional observations conducted in 1981 and 2012, this study used the kriging method and an unpaired t -test to evaluate soil pH change and its influencing factors at the landscape scale of the hilly area in the Sichuan basin, China. The results show that soils in the surface layer of the study area were significantly acidified from 1981 to 2012, with a decline of 0.30 pH units. Spatially, the soil pH changes were highly variable and significant acidification only occurred in farmland soils. The declines in soil pH of farmland varied with the parent materials and soil types, and the high magnitude of soil pH decrease was closely associated with the low initial pH values and small amount of soil cation exchange capacity (CEC), suggesting the different response of the degree of soil acidification to the external factors. Base cation removal by crop straw, precipitation and nitrogen fertilization had significant impacts on soil acidification in farmland areas, and this study identified critical levels of 130 kg ha−1 yr−1, 1000 mm yr−1 and 200 kg ha−1 yr−1 for base cation removal by crop straw, precipitation and nitrogen fertilization, respectively, above which soil acidification was promoted. Moreover, a significant interaction between precipitation and nitrogen fertilizer applications was also observed, since no significant soil pH changes occurred in areas with low rainfall and nitrogen fertilizer rates, while soil acidification was significantly promoted by the combined effect of high precipitation and nitrogen fertilization levels. These results highlight the degree to which soil acidification in farmland soils depends on the crop yield, the interactions of nitrogen addition and precipitation and the buffering capacity of the different soil types and parent materials. Highlights • Soil pH declined by 0.30 units from 1981 to 2012. • Significant acidification only occurred in farmland areas. • Soil pH decline in farmland varied with parent material and soil type. • Critical levels for base cation removal by crop straw, rainfall and N application existed. • Significant interactions between precipitation and N fertilizer rates were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Surgery-free VOR measurement that allows screen for genes and drugs affecting vestibular function has been enabled. • Daily-progression profile of the vestibular impairment caused by IDPN at different dose levels has been obtained. • Mice with homozygous mutations of Lhfpl5 and Cdh23 have been identified based on their reduced VOR-response levels. Abstract Vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) responding to acceleration stimuli is originated from the vestibular apparatuses and thus widely used as an in vivo indicator of the vestibular function. We have developed a vestibular function testing (VFT) system that allows to evaluate VOR response with improved efficiency. The previously required surgical procedure has been avoided by using a newly designed animal-immobility setup. The efficacy of our VFT system was demonstrated on the mice with vestibular abnormalities caused by either genetic mutations (Lhfpl5−/− or Cdh23−/−) or applied vestibulotoxicant (3,3′-iminodipropionitrile, IDPN). Daily longitudinal inspection of the VOR response in the IDPN-administered mice gives the first VOR-based daily-progression profile of the vestibular impairment. The capability of VOR in quantifying the severity of toxicant-induced vestibular deficits has been also demonstrated. The acquired VOR-measurement results were validated against the corresponding behavioral-test results. Further validation against immunofluorescence microscopy was applied to the VOR data obtained from the IDPN-administered mice. We conclude that the improved efficiency of our surgery-free VFT system, firstly, enables the characterization of VOR temporal dynamics and quantification of vestibular-impairment severity that may reveal useful information in toxicological and/or pharmaceutical studies; and, secondly, confers our system promising potential to serve as a high-throughput screener for identifying genes and drugs that affect vestibular function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most cases of Usher syndrome type II (USH2) are due to mutations in the USH2A gene. There are no effective treatments or ideal animal models for this disease, and the pathological mechanisms of USH2 caused by USH2A mutations are still unknown. Here, we constructed a ush2a knockout (ush2a−/−) zebrafish model using TALEN technology to investigate the molecular pathology of USH2. An early onset auditory disorder and abnormal morphology of inner ear stereocilia were identified in the ush2a−/− zebrafish. Consequently, the disruption of Ush2a in zebrafish led to a hearing impairment, like that in mammals. Electroretinography (ERG) test indicated that deletion of Ush2a affected visual function at an early stage, and histological analysis revealed that the photoreceptors progressively degenerated. Rod degeneration occurred prior to cone degeneration in ush2a−/− zebrafish, which is consistent with the classical description of the progression of retinitis pigmentosa (RP). Destruction of the outer segments (OSs) of rods led to the down-regulation of phototransduction cascade proteins at late stage. The expression of Ush1b and Ush1c was up-regulated when Ush2a was null. We also found that disruption of fibronectin assembly at the retinal basement membrane weakened cell adhesion in ush2a−/− mutants. In summary, for the first time, we generated a ush2a knockout zebrafish line with auditory disorder and retinal degeneration which mimicked the symptoms of patients, and revealed that disruption of fibronectin assembly may be one of the factors underlying RP. This model may help us to better understand the pathogenic mechanism and find treatment for USH2 in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cadmium (Cd) is readily absorbed by rice and enters the food chain, posing a health risk to humans. A better understanding of the mechanisms of Cd-induced responses in rice will help in developing solutions to reduce Cd uptake in rice. Therefore, this research attempted to reveal the detoxification mechanisms of rice in response to Cd through physiological, transcriptomic and molecular approaches. The results showed that Cd stress restricted rice growth, led to Cd accumulation and H 2 O 2 production, and resulted cell death. Transcriptomic sequencing revealed glutathione and phenylpropanoid were the major metabolic pathways under Cd stress. Physiological studies showed that antioxidant enzyme activities, glutathione and lignin contents were significantly increased under Cd stress. In response to Cd stress, q-PCR results showed that genes related to lignin and glutathione biosynthesis were upregulated, whereas metal transporter genes were downregulated. Further pot experiment with rice cultivars with increased and decreased lignin content confirmed the causal relationship between increased lignin and reduced Cd in rice. This study provides a comprehensive understanding of lignin-mediated detoxification mechanism in rice under Cd stress and explains the function of lignin in production of low-Cd rice to ensure human health and food safety. [Display omitted] • Glutathione and phenylpropanoid pathways were active under Cd stress. • Antioxidant, GSH and lignin contents were increased under Cd stress. • Cell wall of rice root was thickened under Cd stress. • The expressions of OsIRT1, OsNRAMP5 and OsHMA2 were down-regulated. • Enhanced lignin content lead to higher yield and lower Cd in rice grain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gene regulation via intragenic sequences is becoming more recognized in many eukaryotes. However, the intragenic sequences mediated gene expressions in response to environmental stimuli have been largely uncharacterized. Here, we showed that the first intron of RrKSN from the Rosa rugosa cultivar 'Purple branch' had a positive effect on RrKSN expression, and the effect depends on its position and orientation. Further analyses revealed that the four adjacent cis -elements (T)CGATT/AATCG(A) within the first intron were critical for the positive regulation, and the RrKSN promotion was significantly suppressed with mutations of these elements. These cis -elements were further evidenced as binding sites for RrARR1, the homologous of Arabidopsis type-B ARABIDOPSIS RESPONSE REGULATOR 1 (ARR1) transcription factor. The first intron-mediated RrKSN expression was enhanced with over-expressing of RrARR1 , but abolished with RrARR1 silencing in rose seedlings. Moreover, the expression difference of RrKSN between 16°C and 28°C was eliminated along with RrARR1 -silencing. Taken together, these results suggested both RrARR1 and its binding elements are required for the first intron-mediated RrKSN expression in response to varying temperatures. Therefore, our results reveal a unique intragenic regulation mechanism of gene expression by which plants perceive the signal of ambient temperature in rose. • All three RrKSN introns are capable of driving LUC expression. • The first intron has a positive effect on RrKSN expression. • The cis- elements (T)CGATT/AATCG(A) are essential for the function of the first intron. • RrARR1 is required for RrKSN transcription in response to temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solubility of CO 2 in aqueous solutions containing bicarbonate anion was determined at 308.15, 328.15, 368.15, and 408.15 K up to 40 MPa. In comparison with Cl − , HCO 3 − has a larger size and higher molecular weight, which leads to the opposite salting-out effect. HCO 3 − can suppress CO 2 dissolution because of equilibrium reaction between CO 2 and H 2 O to form HCO 3 − . Cooperation of the three effects leads to slightly variable solubility of CO 2 in the solution containing HCO 3 − . It is found that the Duan model can more accurately predict the CO 2 solubility at low salt concentration, while the PR–HV model shows smaller error at high salt concentration. Moreover, the solubility of CO 2 in natural ground water was measured at different temperatures and pressures, and the results verified the presented mathematical model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]