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Introduction: Hemodynamic diagnosis indexes (HDIs) can comprehensively evaluate the health status of the cardiovascular system (CVS), particularly for people older than 50 years and prone to cardiovascular disease (CVDs). However, the accuracy of non-invasive detection remains unsatisfactory. We propose a non-invasive HDIs model based on the non-linear pulse wave theory (NonPWT) applied to four limbs.Methods: This algorithm establishes mathematical models, including pulse wave velocity and pressure information of the brachial and ankle arteries, pressure gradient, and blood flow. Blood flow is key to calculating HDIs. Herein, we derive blood flow equation for different times of the cardiac cycle considering the four different distributions of blood pressure and pulse wave of four limbs, then obtain the average blood flow in a cardiac cycle, and finally calculate the HDIs.Results: The results of the blood flow calculations reveal that the average blood flow in the upper extremity arteries is 10.78 ml/s (clinically: 2.5–12.67 ml/s), and the blood flow in the lower extremity arteries is higher than that in the upper extremity. To verify model accuracy, the consistency between the clinical and calculated values is verified with no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Model IV or higher-order fitting is the closest. To verify the model generalizability, considering the risk factors of cardiovascular diseases, the HDIs are recalculated using model IV, and thus, consistency is verified (p < 0.05 and Bland-Altman plot).Conclusion: We conclude our proposed algorithmic model based on NonPWT can facilitate the non-invasive hemodynamic diagnosis with simpler operational procedures and reduced medical costs.

Powerful relativistic jets in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are believed to be originated from the accretion of material onto the supermassive black hole (SMBH)1. The nearby radio galaxy M87 is one of the best examples of this phenomenon, and the recent detection of a black-hole shadow with the Event Horizon Telescope provided compelling evidence for this paradigm2. However, whether the central SMBH in M87 has a spin or not, a fundamental parameter of a BH along with the mass, remains unconstrained by observations since the appearance of the photon ring is rather insensitive to the spin2-4. A clue to this challenge is to trace the long-term evolution of the innermost jet base where the central BH and accretion disk tightly regulate its flow dynamics. Here we report an extensive analysis of the morphological evolution of the M87 jet nozzle based on 170 high-resolution radio images spanning more than two decades. The ensemble of the data reveals a periodic (a period of 11 years) variation of the jet direction with a peak-to-peak amplitude of ~10 deg on the sky. A successful fit of a precession model to the data as well as general-relativistic magnetohydrodynamic simulations strongly supports the presence of a spinning BH in M87, inducing a Lense-Thirring precession of a misaligned accretion disk by the frame-dragging effect5. Our results suggest that jet precession with a spinning BH can commonly exist in other more distant AGN but had evaded detection due to the small magnitude and long period of position angle variation.

Watermelon fruits exhibit a remarkable diversity of important horticultural phenotypes. In this study, we initiated a primary quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping to identify the candidate regions controlling the ovary, fruit, and seed phenotypes. Whole genome sequencing (WGS) was carried out for two differentiated watermelon lines, and 350 Mb (96%) and 354 Mb (97%) of re-sequenced reads covered the reference de novo genome assembly, individually. A total of 45.53% non-synonymous single nucleotide polymorphism (nsSNPs) and 54.47% synonymous SNPs (sSNPs) were spotted, which produced 210 sets of novel SNP-based cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence (CAPS) markers by depicting 46.25% co-dominant polymorphism among parent lines and offspring. A biparental F2:3 mapping population comprised of 100 families was used for trait phenotyping and CAPS genotyping, respectively. The constructed genetic map spanned a total of 2,398.40 centimorgans (cM) in length and averaged 11.42 cM, with 95.99% genome collinearity. A total of 33 QTLs were identified at different genetic positions across the eight chromosomes of watermelon (Chr-01, Chr-02, Chr-04, Chr-05, Chr-06, Chr-07, Chr-10, and Chr-11); among them, eight QTLs of the ovary, sixteen QTLs of the fruit, and nine QTLs of the seed related phenotypes were classified with 5.32–25.99% phenotypic variance explained (PVE). However, twenty-four QTLs were identified as major-effect and nine QTLs were mapped as minor-effect QTLs across the flanking regions of CAPS markers. Some QTLs were exhibited as tightly localized across the nearby genetic regions and explained the pleiotropic effects of multigenic nature. The flanking QTL markers also depicted significant allele specific contributions and accountable genes were predicted for respective traits. Gene Ontology (GO) functional enrichment was categorized in molecular function (MF), cellular components (CC), and biological process (BP); however, Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways were classified into three main classes of metabolism, genetic information processing, and brite hierarchies. The principal component analysis (PCA) of multivariate phenotypes widely demonstrated the major variability, consistent with the identified QTL regions. In short, we assumed that our identified QTL regions provide valuable genetic insights regarding the watermelon phenotypes and fine genetic mapping could be used to confirm them.

Vitamin A deficiency is a worldwide public nutrition problem, and β-carotene is the precursor for vitamin A synthesis. Watermelon with golden flesh (gf, due to accumulated abundance of β-carotene) is an important germplasm resource. In this study, a genetic analysis of gf segregating populations indicated that gf was controlled by a single recessive gene. BSA-seq and an initial linkage analysis placed the gf locus in a 290-Kb region on watermelon chromosome 1. Further fine mapping in a large population with over 1,000 F2 plants narrowed this region to 39.08 Kb harboring two genes, Cla97C01G008760 and Cla97C01G008770, which encode phytoene synthase (ClPsy1) and GATA zinc finger domain-containing protein, respectively. Gene sequence alignment and expression analysis between parental lines revealed Cla97C01G008760 as the best possible candidate gene for gf trait. Nonsynonymous SNP mutations in the first exon of ClPsy1 between parental lines cosegregated with the gf trait only among individuals in the genetic population but were not related to flesh color in natural watermelon panels. Promoter sequence analysis of 26 watermelon accessions revealed two SNPs in the cis-acting element sequences corresponding to MYB and MYC2 transcription factors. RNA-seq data and qRT-PCR verification showed that two MYBs and one MYC2 exhibited expression trends similar as ClPsy1 in the parental lines, which may thus play roles in the regulation of ClPsy1 expression. Our research findings indicate that the gf trait is determined not only by ClPsy1 but also by ClLCYB, ClCRTISO and ClNCED7, which play important roles in β-carotene accumulation in watermelon flesh.

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae (S. cerevisiae) has relatively short lifespan and is genetically tractable, making it a widely used model organism in aging research. Here, we carried out a systematic and quantitative investigation of yeast aging with single-cell resolution through transcriptomic sequencing. We optimized a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) protocol to quantitatively study the whole transcriptome profiles of single yeast cells at different ages, finding increased cell-to-cell transcriptional variability during aging. The single-cell transcriptome analysis also highlighted key biological processes or cellular components, including oxidation-reduction process, oxidative stress response (OSR), translation, ribosome biogenesis and mitochondrion that underlie aging in yeast. We uncovered a molecular marker of FIT3, indicating the early heterogeneity during aging in yeast. We also analyzed the regulation of transcription factors and further characterized the distinctive temporal regulation of the OSR by YAP1 and proteasome activity by RPN4 during aging in yeast. Overall, our data profoundly reveal early heterogeneity during aging in yeast and shed light on the aging dynamics at the single cell level.

Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive and less controllable diseases in melon, which is usually caused byfusarium oxysporum. In this study, transcriptome sequencing and Yeast Two-Hybrid (Y2H) methods were used for quantification of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) involved infusarium oxysporum(f. sp.melonisrace 1) stress-induced mechanisms in contrasted melon varieties (M4-45 “susceptible” and MR-1 “resistant”). The interaction factors ofFom-2resistance genes were also explored in response to the plant-pathogen infection mechanism. Transcriptomic analysis exhibited total 1,904 new genes; however, candidate DEGs analysis revealed a total of 144 specific genes (50 upregulated and 94 downregulated) for M4-45 variety and 104 specific genes (71 upregulated and 33 downregulated) for MR-1 variety, respectively. The analysis of Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway depicted some candidate DEGs, including Phenylalanine metabolism, phenylpropane biosynthesis, plants-pathogen interaction, and signal transduction of plant hormones, which were mainly involved in disease resistance metabolic pathways. The weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA) analysis revealed a strong correlation module and exhibited the disease resistance-related genes encoding course proteins, transcription factors, protein kinase, benzene propane biosynthesis path, plants-pathogen interaction pathway, and glutathione S-transferase. Meanwhile, the resistance-related specific genes expression was relatively abundant in MR-1 compared to the M4-45, and cell wall-associated receptor kinases (MELO3C008452andMELO3C008453), heat shock protein (Cucumis_melo_newGene_172), defensin-like protein (Cucumis_melo_newGene_5490), and disease resistance response protein (MELO3C016325), activator response protein (MELO3C021623), leucine-rich repeat receptor protein kinase (MELO3C024412), lactyl glutathione ligase (Cucumis_melo_newGene_36), and unknown protein (MELO3C007588) were persisted by exhibiting the upregulated expressions. At the transcription level, the interaction factors between the candidate genes in response to thefusarium oxysporuminduced stress, and Y2H screening signified the main contribution of MYB transcription factors (MELO3C009678andMELO3C014597), BZIP (MELO3C011839andMELO3C019349), unknown proteins, and key enzymes in the ubiquitination process (4XM334FK014). The candidate genes were further verified in exogenously treated melon plants withf. oxysporum(Fom-2, Race 1), Abscisic acid (ABA), Methyl Jasmonite (MeJA), and Salicylic acid (SA), using the fluorescence quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) analysis. The overall expression results indicated that the SA signal pathway is involved in effective regulation of theFom-2gene activity.

Because of its proximity and the large size of its black hole, M87 is one of the best targets for studying the launching mechanism of active galactic nucleus jets. Currently, magnetic fields are considered to be an essential factor in the launching and accelerating of the jet. However, current observational estimates of the magnetic field strength of the M87 jet are limited to the innermost part of the jet or to HST-1. No attempt has yet been made to measure the magnetic field strength in between. We aim to infer the magnetic field strength of the M87 jet out to a distance of several thousand $r_s$ by tracking the distance-dependent changes in the synchrotron spectrum of the jet from high-resolution very long baseline interferometry observations. In order to obtain high-quality spectral index maps, quasi-simultaneous observations at 22 and 43 GHz were conducted using the KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) and the VLBA. We compared the spectral index distributions obtained from the observations with a model and placed limits on the magnetic field strengths as a function of distance. The overall spectral morphology is broadly consistent over the course of these observations. The observed synchrotron spectrum rapidly steepens from $\alpha_{22-43 GHz}$ ~ -0.7 at ~ 2 mas to $\alpha_{22-43 GHz}$ ~ -2.5 at ~ 6 mas. A spectral index model in which nonthermal electron injections inside the jet decrease with distance can adequately reproduce the observed trend. This suggests the magnetic field strength of the jet at a distance of 2 - 10 mas (~ 900 $r_s$ - ~ 4500 $r_s$ in the deprojected distance) has a range of $B=(0.3 - 1.0 G)(z/2 mas)^{-0.73}$. Extrapolating to the EHT scale yields consistent results, suggesting that the majority of the magnetic flux of the jet near the black hole is preserved out to ~ 4500 $r_s$ without significant dissipation., Comment: 16 pages, 9 figures. Accepted for publication in Astronomy & Astrophysics

Since the coronavirus disease 2019, the extended time indoors makes people more concerned about indoor air quality, while the increased ventilation in seeks of reducing infection probability has increased the energy usage from heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning systems. In this study, to represent the dynamics of indoor temperature and air quality, a coupled grey-box model is developed. The model is identified and validated using a data-driven approach and real-time measured data of a campus office. To manage building energy usage and indoor air quality, a model predictive control strategy is proposed and developed. The simulation study demonstrated 18.92% energy saving while maintaining good indoor air quality at the testing site. Two nationwide simulation studies assessed the overall energy saving potential and the impact on the infection probability of the proposed strategy in different climate zones. The results showed 20%-40% energy saving in general while maintaining a predetermined indoor air quality setpoint. Although the infection risk is increased due to the reduced ventilation rate, it is still less than the suggested threshold (2%) in general.The Appendix is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s12273-022-0936-6.

Fusarium wilt is one of the most destructive and less controllable diseases in melon, which is usually caused by

Fruit pedicel (FP) is an important determinant of premium fruit quality that directly affects commercial market value. However, in-depth molecular and genetic basis of pedicel-related traits has not been identified in watermelon. Herein, a quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping strategy was used to identify the potential genetic regions controlling FP traits based on newly derived whole-genome single nucleotide polymorphism based cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence (SNP-CAPS) markers. Next-generation sequencing based whole-genome re-sequencing of two watermelon parent lines revealed 98.30 and 98.40% of average coverage, 4,989,869 SNP variants, and 182,949 CAPS loci pairs across the reference genome, respectively. A total of 221 sets of codominant markers exhibited 46.42% polymorphism rate and were effectively genotyped within 100-F2:3 derived mapping population. The developed linkage map covered a total of 2,630.49 cM genetic length with averaged 11.90 cM, and depicted a valid marker-trait association. In total, 6 QTLs (qFPL4.1, qFPW4.1, qFPD2.1, qFPD2.2, qFPD8.1, qFPD10.1) were mapped with five major effects and one minor effect between the whole genome adjacent markers positioned over distinct chromosomes (02, 04, 08, 10), based on the ICIM-ADD mapping approach. These significant QTLs were similarly mapped in delimited flanking regions of 675.10, 751.38, 859.24, 948.39, and 947.51 kb, which collectively explained 8.64–13.60% PVE, respectively. A highly significant and positive correlation was found among the observed variables. To our knowledge, we first time reported the mapped QTLs/genes affecting FP traits of watermelon, and our illustrated outcomes will deliver the potential insights for fine genetic mapping as well as functional gene analysis through MAS-based breeding approaches.

Internode length is an important plant type characteristic of watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.). A dwarf phenotype can increase plant density and land utilization. In this study, W1-1 (standard vine) and ZXG01061 (dwarf) were used as the parental lines to create F1, F2, BC1P1 and BC1P2 progenies for dwarf trait inheritance analysis and candidate gene identification. Genetic analysis indicated that the watermelon dwarf trait was regulated by a single recessive gene (cladw) with phenotypic data collected over two years. The bulked segregant analysis (BSA-seq) revealed a 1.24 Mb genomic region harbouring the candidate dwarfing gene on chromosome 9. Through initial and fine mapping with 1,097 F2 plants, the cladw locus was finally delimited into a 203 kb region containing 10 candidate genes (including five genes annotated as GID1L2 gibberellin GA receptors). Hormone analysis showed that the GA content of the ZXG01061 internode was higher than that of W1-1. When ZXG01061 plants were treated with exogenous GA, the original plant height could not be recovered, indicating that ZXG01061 is GA insensitive. Cla010254 and Cla010256 (annotated as gibberellin receptor GID1L2) in ZXG01061 had base deletions compared with W1-1. The expression pattern of Cla010254 in W1-1 was significantly higher than that in ZXG01061. In conclusion, our results indicate that Cla010254 is a candidate gene for watermelon dwarfing.

Fruit morphology traits are important commercial traits that directly affect the market value. However, studying the genetic basis of these traits in un-explored botanical groups is a fundamental objective for crop genetic improvement through marker-assisted breeding.In this study, a quantitative trait loci (QTLs) mapping strategy was used for dissecting the genomic regions of fruit linked morphological traits by single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) based cleaved amplified polymorphism sequence (CAPS) molecular markers. Next-generation sequencing was done for the genomic sequencing of two contrasted melon lines (climacteric and non-climacteric), which revealed 97% and 96% of average coverage over the reference melon genome database, respectively. A total of 57.51% non-synonymous SNPs and 42.49% synonymous SNPs were found, which produced 149 sets of codominant markers with a 24% polymorphism rate. Total 138-FIn short, our illustrated genetic loci are expected to provide the reference insights for fine QTL mapping and candidate gene(s) mining through molecular genetic breeding approaches aimed at developing the new varieties.

Cucumis melo L. is an economically important crop, the production of which is threatened by the prevalence of melon powdery mildew (PM) infections. We herein utilized the MR-1 (P1; resistant to PM) and M4-7 (P2; susceptible to PM) accessions to assess the heritability of PM (race 1) resistance in these melon plants. PM resistance in MR-1 leaves was linked to a dominant gene (CmPMRl), whereas stem resistance was under the control of a recessive gene (CmPMrs), with the dominant gene having an epistatic effect on the recessive gene. The CmPMRl gene was mapped to a 50 Kb interval on chromosome 12, while CmPMrs was mapped to an 89 Kb interval on chromosome 10. The CmPMRl candidate gene MELO3C002441 and the CmPMrs candidate gene MELO3C012438 were identified through sequence alignment, functional annotation, and expression pattern analyses of all genes within these respective intervals. MELO3C002441 and MELO3C012438 were both localized to the cellular membrane and were contained conserved NPR gene-like and MLO domains, respectively, which were linked to PM resistance. In summary, we identified patterns of PM resistance in the disease-resistant MR-1 melon cultivar, and conducted finally-mapping to identify two putative genes linked to resistance. Our results offer new genetic resources and markers guide the future molecular marker-assisted breeding of PM-resistant melon.

Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) has been widely used to model the internal flow field of centrifugal pumps to analyze cavitation phenomena. However, accurate determination of cavitation in pumps remains a challenge. In this study, liquid-vapor two-phase flow in centrifugal pump at different conditions and impeller structural parameters were studied numerically and experimentally. Cavitation multiphase unsteady model was proposed to simulate the flow field in the centrifugal pump by CFD method, and an experimental platform was set up to obtain cavitation performance results. The simulation data were validated with experiment and good consistency was achieved. This study investigated the mass transfer and cavitation behavior of centrifugal pumps under various conditions and customizes a simulation process to obtain the optimal combination of impeller blade number, blade wrap angle, and blade installation angle, which was expected to provide helpful insights into the structural optimization design of centrifugal pumps with good cavitation resistance.

Cucurbita pepo is an important economic plant cultivated widely in the world. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of C. pepo is reported here. The genome is 157,343 bp in length and exhibits a typical quadripartite structure of the large (LSC, 87,970 bp) and small (SSC, 18,167 bp) single-copy regions, separated by a pair of inverted repeats (IRs, 25,603 bp). A total of 131 genes were predicted including 85 protein-coding genes, eight rRNA genes and 38 tRNA genes. Further, phylogenetic analysis showed that C. pepo were closely related to other species in the family Cucurbitaceae. The complete chloroplast genome of C. pepo would be taken as a useful molecular tool for species discrimination, taxonomy, and phylogenetic relationships in the family Cucurbitaceae.

Textural quality of watermelon fruit is mainly determined by rind hardness/firmness and its related traits. The determination of genetic regions harboring QTLs/gene(s) has a primary worth in genetic breeding studies. In this study, whole genome BSA-seq and QTL mapping through newly developed CAPS markers were successfully performed, respectively. Total 133-F2 mapping individuals were derived from crossing of P1 ‘1061’ and P2 ‘812’ and slefing of F1 offspring. Whole genome BSA-seq revealed major genetic region controlling rind hardness trait on chromosome 10. The genetic linkage map was assembled by genotyping of 133 pairs of codominant CAPS markers which spanned total 2606.38 cM length with averaged 19.60 cM distance among whole genome flanking markers. Moreover, CAPS markers based QTL analysis revealed total 5 putative QTLs [2 rind-hardness (RH), 1 rind toughness (RTO), 1 rind thickness (RTH) and 1 fruit weight (FW)] on three distinct chromosomes (2, 9, and 10), which mainly contributed 5.44–49.11% PVE. Interestingly, the combined molecular techniques expressed putative genetic region controlling rind hardness at chromosome 10. According to the BSA-seq result, major genetic region was detected between 1792001 and 4036000 bp on chromosome 10 with 2.24 Mb range, while from QTLs analysis, two co-localized focal QTLs “RH10 and RTO10” revealed 20 and 39 predicted genes at shortened genetic distances of 292.76 kbp and 405.31 kbp, respectively. A significant correlation and normal distribution frequencies for rind-phenotypes were also noticed. In crux, our combined techniques proved as an effective mapping strategies for identification of QTLs/gene(s) and provided a strong theoretical basis for future breeding studies in watermelon.

Full list of authors: Cho, Ilje; Zhao, Guang-Yao; Kawashima, Tomohisa; Kino, Motoki; Akiyama, Kazunori; Johnson, Michael D.; Issaoun, Sara; Moriyama, Kotaro; Cheng, Xiaopeng; Algaba, Juan-Carlos; Jung, Taehyun; Sohn, Bong Won; Krichbaum, Thomas P.; Wielgus, Maciek; Hada, Kazuhiro; Lu, Ru-Sen; Cui, Yuzhu; Sawada-Satoh, Satoko; Shen, Zhiqiang; Park, Jongho; Jiang, Wu; Ro, Hyunwook; Yi, Kunwoo; Wajima, Kiyoaki; Lee, Jee Won; Hodgson, Jeffrey; Tazaki, Fumie; Honma, Mareki; Niinuma, Kotaro; Trippe, Sascha; An, Tao; Zhang, Yingkang; Lee, Jeong Ae; Oh, Se-Jin; Byun, Do-Young; Lee, Sang-Sung; Kim, Jae-Young; Oh, Junghwan; Koyama, Shoko; Asada, Keiichi; Wang, Xuezheng; Cui, Lang; Hagiwara, Yoshiaki; Nakamura, Masanori; Takamura, Mieko; Hirota, Tomoya; Sugiyama, Koichiro; Kawaguchi, Noriyuki; Kobayashi, Hideyuki; Oyama, Tomoaki; Yonekura, Yoshinori; Kim, Jongsoo; Hwang, Ju-Yeon; Jung, Dong-Kyu; Kim, Hyo-Ryoung; Kim, Jeong-Sook; Oh, Chung-Sik; Roh, Duk-Gyoo; Yeom, Jae-Hwan; Xia, Bo; Zhong, Weiye; Li, Bin; Zhao, Rongbing; Wang, Jinqing; Liu, Qinghui; Chen, Zhong.--This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted reuse, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited., Sagittarius A* (Sgr A*), the Galactic Center supermassive black hole (SMBH), is one of the best targets in which to resolve the innermost region of an SMBH with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI). In this study, we have carried out observations toward Sgr A* at 1.349 cm (22.223 GHz) and 6.950 mm (43.135 GHz) with the East Asian VLBI Network, as a part of the multiwavelength campaign of the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) in 2017 April. To mitigate scattering effects, the physically motivated scattering kernel model from Psaltis et al. (2018) and the scattering parameters from Johnson et al. (2018) have been applied. As a result, a single, symmetric Gaussian model well describes the intrinsic structure of Sgr A* at both wavelengths. From closure amplitudes, the major-axis sizes are ∼704 ± 102 μas (axial ratio ∼${1.19}_{-0.19}^{+0.24}$) and ∼300 ± 25 μas (axial ratio ∼1.28 ± 0.2) at 1.349 cm and 6.95 mm, respectively. Together with a quasi-simultaneous observation at 3.5 mm (86 GHz) by Issaoun et al. (2019), we show that the intrinsic size scales with observing wavelength as a power law, with an index ∼1.2 ± 0.2. Our results also provide estimates of the size and compact flux density at 1.3 mm, which can be incorporated into the analysis of the EHT observations. In terms of the origin of radio emission, we have compared the intrinsic structures with the accretion flow scenario, especially the radiatively inefficient accretion flow based on the Keplerian shell model. With this, we show that a nonthermal electron population is necessary to reproduce the source sizes. © 2022. The Author(s). Published by the American Astronomical Society., I.C. and J.P. are supported by the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) via a Global PhD Fellowship grant (NRF-2015H1A2A1033752 and NRF-2014H1A2A1018695, respectively). I.C. acknowledges financial support by the Spanish Ministerio de Economía y Competitividad (grants PID2019-108995GB-C21) and the Junta de Andalucía (grant P18-FR-1769). G.-Y.Z. and T.J. are supported by the Korea Research Fellowship Program through the NRF (NRF-2015H1D3A1066561). I.C. and G.-Y.Z. acknowledge financial support from the State Agency for Research of the Spanish MCIU through the "Center of Excellence Severo Ochoa" award to the Instituto de Astrofísica de Andalucía (SEV-2017-0709). K.A. is supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) through grants AST-1440254, AST-1614868, and AST-2034306. This work is partially supported by JSPS KAKENHI grant Nos. JP18K03656 (M.K.), JP18H03721 (K.N., M.K., K.H.), JP18K13594 (T.K.), JP18KK0090 (K.H.), JP19H01943 (K.H.), JP21H01137 (K.H., M.K.), and the Mitsubishi Foundation grant No. 201911019 (K.H.). J.-C.A. acknowledges support from the Malaysian Fundamental Research grant Scheme (FRGS) FRGS/1/2019/STG02 /UM/02/6. M.D.J. acknowledges support from the National Science Foundation (AST-1716536, AST-1935980) and the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation (GBMF-5278). X.-P.C. and B.-W.S. are supported by Brain Pool Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Science and ICT (2019H1D3A1A01102564). R.-S.L. is supported by the Max Planck Partner Group of the MPG and the CAS and acknowledges the support by the Key Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant No. 11933007) and Research Program of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, CAS (grant No. ZDBS-LY-SLH011). J.P. acknowledges financial support through the EACOA Fellowship awarded by the East Asia Core Observatories Association, which consists of the Academia Sinica Institute of Astronomy and Astrophysics, the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Center for Astronomical Mega-Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute. S.T. acknowledges financial support from the NRF via Basic Research grant 2019R1F1A1059721. This work was also supported in part by MEXT SPIRE, MEXT as "Priority Issue on post-K computer" (Elucidation of the Fundamental Laws and Evolution of the Universe) and as "Program for Promoting Researches on the Supercomputer Fugaku" (High-energy astrophysical phenomena in black holes and supernovae). J.S.K. (grant Nos. 2016R1A5A1013277 and 2020R1A2C1007219) and J.O. (grant No. 2021R1A6A3A01086420) has been supported by the Basic Science Research Program through the NRF funded by the Ministry of Education.

Two genes for resistance to Podosphaera xanthii race 1 in melon were identified on chromosomes 10 and 12 of the Cucumis melo cultivar MR-1. Cucumis melo L. is an economically important crop, the production of which is threatened by the prevalence of melon powdery mildew (PM) infections. We herein utilized the MR-1 (P

Fruit pedicel length (FPL) is among the most important traits associated with melon (Cucumis melo L.), impacting their appearance and management. Melon pedicels are also utilized in the preparation of certain traditional Chinese medicine formulations. Herein, we analyzed a melon parental lines with long and short pedicles (M125 and X055, respectively), and found that the primary differences between these lines included changes in both cell number and cytokinin content in the fruit pedicel. This study is the first to report that the CmFpl3.1 is associated with the regulation of melon pedicel length, and we were able to narrow this locus to an 89 Kb region containing 10 genes on chromosome 3 via bulk segregant analysis (BSA) and quantitative trait loci (QTL) analysis. Microscopy, qPCR, functional annotation, and gene sequence alignment studies further led us to identify MELO3C010972, which encodes cytokinin oxidase, as a candidate gene of CmFpl3.1 likely to regulate melon FPL. Furthermore, the concomitant cleave amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) marker genotyping data sets from 95 germplasm accessions strongly supported a role for MELO3C010972 as a regulator of FPL variability. In conclusion, our results offer new insights regarding the mechanistic basis for FPL determination, offering a foundation for future breeding programs or efforts to understand the mechanisms governing melon FPL development.

The budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae has relatively short lifespan and is genetically tractable, making it a widely used model organism in ageing research. Here, we carried out a systematic and quantitative investigation of yeast ageing with single-cell resolution through transcriptomic sequencing. We optimized a single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) protocol to quantitatively study the whole transcriptome profiles of single yeast cells at different ages, finding increased cell-to-cell transcriptional variability during ageing. The single-cell transcriptome analysis also highlighted key biological processes or cellular components, including oxidation-reduction process, oxidative stress response (OSR), translation, ribosome biogenesis and mitochondrion that underlie ageing in yeast. Remarkably, we uncovered a molecular marker, FIT3, that was linked to mitochondrial DNA loss and indicated the early heterogeneity during ageing in yeast. We also analyzed the regulation of transcription factors and further characterized the distinctive temporal regulation of the OSR by YAP1 and proteasome activity by RPN4 during ageing in yeast. Overall, our data profoundly reveal early heterogeneity during ageing in yeast and shed light on the ageing dynamics at the single cell level.

Watermelon fruit texture and quality are determined by flesh firmness. As a quality trait, flesh firmness is controlled by multigenes. Defining the key regulatory factors of watermelon flesh firmness is of great significance for watermelon genetic breeding. In this study, the hard-flesh egusi seed watermelon PI186490 was used as the male parent, the soft-flesh cultivated watermelon W1-1 was used as the female parent, and 175 F2 generations were obtained from selfing F1. Primary mapping of the major genes controlling center flesh firmness was achieved by bulked-segregant analysis (BSA)-Seq analysis and molecular marker technology. Finally, major genes were delimited in the physical interval between 6,210,787 and 7,742,559 bp on chromosome 2 and between 207,553 and 403,137 bp on chromosome 8. The content of each cell wall component and hormone was measured, and comparative transcriptome analysis was performed during fruit development in watermelon. The protopectin, cellulose, hemicellulose, indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) and abscisic acid (ABA) contents were measured, and paraffin sections were made during the three fruit developmental stages. The results revealed that protopectin, celluloses, and hemicelluloses exhibited similar trends for flesh firmness, while the IAA and ABA concentrations continued to decrease with fruit ripening. Paraffin sections showed that PI186490 cells were more numerous, were more tightly packed, had clearer cell wall edges and had thicker cell walls than W1-1 cells at every developmental stage. Comparative transcriptome analysis was conducted on RNA samples of flesh during fruit development and ripening in W1-1 and PI186490. The results from the localization interval transcriptome analysis showed that Cla016033 (DUF579 family member), which may influence the cell wall component contents to adjust the flesh firmness in watermelon fruit, was different in W1-1 and PI186490 and that Cla012507 (MADS-box transcription factor) may be involved in the regulation of fruit ripening and affect the hardness of watermelon fruit.

Two-hundred-twenty-five BC1 generations were obtained from backcrossing F1 of the shallow green rind, red flesh, no bitterness cultivated watermelon inbred line W1-1 and the dark green rind, white flesh, bitter wild species PI186490 hybrid as well as their female parents. CAPS makers spanning the whole genome were used to genotype every individual based on whole-genome resequencing data. Watermelon genetic linkage maps of 186 CAPS markers corresponding to 11 chromosomes were constructed, spanning a total distance of 1468.09 cM. Genetic analysis and gene mapping were performed using the flesh color, rind pattern and flesh bitterness as 3 qualitative traits. The results showed that wide rind stripes and flesh bitterness were controlled by a dominant gene, with red flesh recessive to white flesh, and 3 loci were identified related to the 3 fruit traits mentioned above. This study provides a theoretical basis for molecular marker-assisted selection of desirable watermelon fruit traits.

Occupant behavior is identified as one of the key factors influencing the energy use and indoor environmental quality of the building. Occupancy-centric control is famous for its potential to save building energy without sacrificing occupants’ comfort. This study utilized two identical lab spaces, configured as typical open-plan offices, to investigate the performance of the occupancy-centric control in terms of energy-saving, indoor air quality, and thermal comfort. The results have demonstrated that occupancy-centric control could save around 28% total energy, including fan, cooling, and heating energy, with minimal impact on the air quality and thermal comfort.

The WC–10Co–4Cr composite powder was synthesized firstly. Then the composite powder was agglomerated to prepare thermal spraying feedstock. The ultrafine/nanostructured WC–10Co–4Cr coating was prepared by high velocity oxygen fuel thermal spraying. The phase constitution, elemental distribution and microstructure of the coating were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy, respectively. The wear resistance and corrosion resistance of the prepared composite coating were tested. The results show that the main phases of the coating include WC, binding phase with partial amorphous structure, with a little W2C and Co(Cr) coexisting. The distributions of Co and Cr elements from the phase boundary to the eutectic area then to Co zone were analyzed quantitatively. The mechanisms for the formation of the microstructure and effects of Cr on the performance of the composite coating are proposed.

A new type of bimodal-grained WC-Co cemented carbide coating was fabricated, using the raw materials consisting of the in situ synthesized nanoscale WC-Co composite powder as major component and a certain amount of ultra-coarse WC particles as addition. The effects of coarse WC particles on the microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behaviour of the coating were investigated. It was found that with a suitable addition of coarse WC particles, the coating has a decreased decarburization and significantly increased wear resistance, as compared with the coating without the addition. The coarse WC particles allow a certain degree of plastic deformation by dislocation gliding so that under wearing conditions some stress concentration can be released and their fractures are inhibited. A good combination of coarse WC particles and WC-Co nanocomposite facilitates high properties of the coating, with the former mainly bearing the load and resisting against penetration of the wear debris, and the latter providing high hardness and also plastic accommodation in the wearing process.

Based on the noninvasive detection indeices and fuzzy mathematics method, this paper studied the noninvasive, convenient and economical cardiovascular health assessment system. The health evaluation index of cardiovascular function was built based on the internationally recognized risk factors of cardiovascular disease and the noninvasive detection index. The weight of 12 indexes was completed by the analytic hierarchy process, and the consistency test was passed. The membership function, evaluation matrix and evaluation model were built by fuzzy mathematics. The introducted methods enhanced the scientificity of the evaluation system. Through the Kappa consistency test, McNemer statistical results (本文基于无创检测指标和模糊数学法，研究了无创、方便快捷和经济实用的心血管健康评价体系。首先基于国际公认的心血管疾病的危险因素和无创检测指标，建立了心血管功能健康评价指标；利用层次分析法完成 12 项指标的权重设计，并通过了一致性检验；利用模糊数学法构建了健康评价体系的隶属函数、评价矩阵和评价模型，该方法的引入体现了评价体系的科学性。通过 Kappa 一致性检验，McNemer 统计结果（

As an important commodity trait in melons, the rind is the most direct standard of evaluation for consumers. In this study, we obtained an F2 melon population derived from self-crossing an F1 generation from a cross between X010 (green rind with stripes) and M1-113 (white rind without stripes) and performed genetic analysis and mapping. Genetic analysis revealed that a single dominant gene (st3) controlled the striped rind trait in melons. According to bulked segregant analysis, two DNA bulks were constructed (20 striped and 20 solid-colored rind plants). Next-generation sequencing was used on two parental lines (X010 and M1-113) and two DNA bulks. The st3 gene was identified on chromosome 4 within 2.7 Mbp region. Fourty cleaved amplified polymorphic sequences (CAPS) markers were developed, and sixteen CAPS markers with polymorphisms on chromosome 4 were used for constructing a genetic linkage map, and identifying recombinants in a large F2 population with six new CAPS markers. The location of the st3 gene was narrowed to 172.8 kbp on chromosome 4 between markers M-4-28 (825,401 bp) and M-4-27 (998,261 bp). This study provides a theoretical basis for the fine mapping, cloning and functional characterization of st3.

A genetic map of watermelon [Citrullus lanatus (Thunb.) Matsum. & Nakai] was constructed using an F2:3 segregating population consisting of 145 individuals, which were derived from a cross between a cultivated inbred line (garden female parent) from China and an American inbred line (LSW-177). The map contained 125 polymorphic markers, comprising 82 cleavage amplified polymorphic sequence (CAPS) markers and 43 simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. The map contained 11 major and 3 minor linkage groups spanning a total length of 1,244.5 cM, with an average of 9.96 cM between markers. All of the CAPS markers were newly developed based on high-throughput re-sequencing data for the garden female parent and LSW-177. A quantitative trait locus (QTL) analysis was conducted using the composite interval mapping method to locate fruit sugar content and fruit shape traits. A total of 10 QTLs were identified; 4 for fruit sugar content and 6 for fruit shape. This map and QTL analysis will be useful for breeding to improve various economic traits in watermelon.

Three kinds of thermal spray powders with different densities and WC particle sizes were prepared using in-situ synthesized nanoscale WC–Co composite powder as raw material. The WC–Co coatings were then fabricated by high velocity oxy-fuel thermal spraying. The phase constitution of the as-sprayed coatings and microstructures of the feedstock particles and the coatings were analyzed. The results show that the coating prepared using powder with a relatively higher density and smaller WC particle size exhibits simultaneously lower decarburization and higher density, and further enhanced hardness. The present study suggests an effective method to fabricate nanostructured WC-based cermet coatings with high properties.

The nanostructured WC–10Co–4Cr coatings were fabricated by high velocity oxy-fuel spraying using the in situ synthesized WC–Co nanocomposite powder with size of 70–200 nm and Cr addition. Through optimization of the processing conditions, the nanostructured WC–Co–Cr coating has only a small amount of decarburized phase, a dense microstructure and an excellent combination of hardness, fracture toughness and wear resistance. A series of sliding wear tests were performed to investigate the wear behavior of the nanostructured cermet coating. The evolution of the friction coefficient, wear characteristics and their mechanisms were studied for the nanostructured WC–Co–Cr coating with the change of the load. The present study proposes a new understanding of the occurrence and the related mechanisms of the wear of the cermet coatings.

Citrullus colocynthis L. is one of the worldwide famous traditionally medicinal plants and widely applied in watermelon breeding for its multiple resistances. The complete nucleotide sequence of desert watermelon (Citrullus colocythis L.) chloroplast genome has been determined in this study. The genome was composed of 157,147 bp containing a pair of inverted repeats (IRs) of 26,149 bp, which was separated by a large single-copy region of 86,851 bp and a small single-copy region of 17,998 bp. A total of 123 genes were predicted including 86 protein-coding genes, eight rRNA genes and 29 tRNA genes. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that C. colocynthis were closely related to other two species in the genus Citrullus. The complete chloroplast genome of C. colocynthis would provide some significant information for Cucurbitaceae evolutionary and genomic studies.

Carotenoids are the main pigments in watermelon (Citrullus lanatus L.) fruit and contribute to its aesthetic and nutritional value. Phytoene synthase (PSY) is reported to be the first rate-limiting enzyme in carotenogenesis and controls the carotenoid flux. This study aimed to identify PSY genes responsible for carotenoid biosynthesis in the red-fleshed watermelon cultivar LSW-177. The PSY gene members ClPSY1, ClPSY2 and ClPSY3 were characterized and their catalytic activities were displayed in the heterologous complementation assay. The transcript levels of ClPSY genes at the different developmental stages of LSW-177 fruit and the promoter sequence of ClPSY1 were also analyzed. Transcription factors involved in regulating the ClPSY1 expression were scanned with previous RNA-seq data of the different stages during fruit ripening. Results showed that the PSY proteins from watermelon LSW-177 contained the conserved PSY domains and exhibited the ability to condense GGPP into phytoene in E. coli. ClPSY1 is the dominant carotenogenic gene during fruit ripening, and can be induced by light and hormones. Furthermore, Cla013914 and Cla007950 that, respectively encode the transcription factors WD40-like protein and bZIP, likely upregulate ClPSY1 during fruit ripening. In conclusion, ClPSY1 play a dominant role in carotenoid biosynthesis during watermelon fruit ripening and is regulated by complex light and hormone-responsive networks.

Changes in texture are the most significant changes in fruit development and maturity. The formation of texture is a complex physiological and biochemical process that is regulated by many factors.This study measured the cell wall material content of Plant Introduction 186490 (PI186490) and ‘sanbai’ during different fruit development. The pectin, cellulose and hemicellulose contents of PI186490 were more than 2 times higher than those of ‘sanbai’ in the same period. Therefore, pectin, cellulose and hemicellulose may play key roles in the fruit texture difference of watermelon. At the same time, 85 candidate genes related to watermelon fruit texture were screened by using RNA-seq technology. Analysis of these genes revealed that such genes as pectinesterase genes, pectate lyase genes, glycosyltransferase genes, cellulose synthase genes, polygalacturonase genes and xyloglucan genes were differentially expressed in two varieties. It is possible to regulate the changes in the texture of watermelon pulp by affecting the content of the cell wall material components. In addition, some proteins, phytohormone-related genes, transcription factors and peroxidases may also be associated with watermelon fruit texture. These findings contribute to the body of knowledge regarding watermelon quality and provide a theoretical basis for the improvement of watermelon fruit texture.

Lycopene content is an important factor for determining watermelon fruit quality. However, the low DNA polymorphism among cultivated watermelon (Citrullus lanatus) has hindered the ability to establish high quality genetic maps and study the quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling the lycopene content trait. In this study, we successfully constructed a genetic map of watermelon to determine lycopene content and other horticultural fruit traits using a F2 population developed from a cross between the two lines of watermelon LSW-177 and Cream of Saskatchewan. The genetic map contained 16 linkage groups covering a total length of 2,039.5 cM, which included 37 SSRs (Simple Sequence Repeat) and 107 CAPSs (Cleaved Amplified Polymorphic Sequences), with all of the CAPS markers developed from high-throughput re-sequencing of data from this study. Three CAPS markers (WII04E07-33,WII04E07-37,WII04E07-40) caused the F2 population to perfectly co-segregate for each F2 population plants. We also obtained 12 QTLs for all of the traits measured. Only one QTL (LCYB4.1) was detected with a high value of trait variation (83.50 %) that related to lycopene content and mapped on Chromosome 4 between CAPS markers WII04E07-33 and WII04E07-40, which could nearly account for all of the differences in lycopene content between the two parental strains. In this study, we highlighted 2,458 CAPS loci that were suitable for primer design with a polymorphism of 48.9 %, which is approximately a 12-fold increase from previous studies. The present map and QTLs will facilitate future studies on determining lycopene content related genes and cloning watermelon genes, while also providing for useful markers for breeding for lycopene content.

Cucurbita pepo is an important economic plant cultivated widely in the world. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of C. pepo is reported here. The genome is 157,343 bp in length and ex...

Identification of powdery mildew pathogens on melon ( Cucumis melo ) is important for melon breeding and disease-resistant germplasm selection. In this study, a powdery mildew pathogen that infected melon plants in Heilongjiang Province, China, was investigated in terms of host identification, morphological characteristics and phylogenetic relationships. The morphological characteristics of the pathogen were observed at five phases in the life cycle: germinating conidia, primary germ tube, hyphae, conidiophores, and colonization. The conidia were elliptical, colorless, catenulate, and the average length was 29.07 µm and average width was 17.82 µm. One ascus and eight ascospores were produced. DNA was extracted from 0.01 g conidiophores from a strain of powdery mildew pathogen that infected melon. ITS ribosomal DNA region (524 bp) was amplified with the universal ITS1 and ITS4 primers. The nucleotide sequence showed 100% similarity with ITS sequences for three Podosphaera fusca strains obtained from the GenBank database. The identity of the pathogen was confirmed as Sphaerotheca fuliginea. International standard differential hosts were used to identify S. fuliginea strain as 2F race. These results supported the notion that Podosphaera fusca was a synonym of S. fuliginea .

A reliable Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and shoot regeneration protocol was developed for breeding lines of commercially important melon. Genetic manipulation has been considered a feasible approach for melon improvement; however, melon is considered a crop species difficult to manipulate. Here we proposed meristematic cells from mature embryos as target for gene transfer by Agrobacterium. In vitro meristems proliferation and multiple shoots regeneration were evaluated by sowing melon mature seeds on MS with 1.0 mg/L benzyladenine (BA), and 0.05 mg/L indole acetic acid (IAA) were used for shoot regeneration. The highest number of regenerated shoots was obtained from half mature seeds. A DNA fragment corresponding to selection marker nptII was amplified from genomic DNA extracted from leaves of regenerated plant on hormone free MS medium with 75 mg/L kanamycin, suggesting their transgenic nature. Southern hybridization of transgenic lines revealed random insertion of the transgene in host genome, with insert numbers differing among transformants anthesis, suggesting that ethylene is important for sex determination. Field studies showed that CmACS-7 melons had earlier mature bisexual flowers, increased femaleness as measured by earlier and bisexual buds, and increased number of fruit set on closely spaced nodes on the main stem. Transformation efficiencies of cultivar CM-23 with EHA105 (pBI121-cm) were 4 %, demonstrating that melon meristematic cells are an useful target for genetic manipulation by agroinfection.

Germline stem cells are the only such capable of transmitting genetic information in vivo. The isolation and culture of these cells in vitro provide a unique model to understand sperm differentiation and hence, spermatogenesis and male fertility. In this study, we isolated, purified, and cultured germline stem cells from the testes of newborn calves. Moreover, we investigated the effects of glial cell line-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) and leukemia-inhibitory factor (LIF) on their proliferation. Male calf germline stem cells were found to be pluripotent, and able to form grape-like and embryonic stem cell (ES)-like colonies when cultured. GDNF promoted proliferation of the former, whereas LIF induced growth of the latter. The grape-like colonies retained their germline stem cell characteristics, whereas the ES-like colonies demonstrated more primitive attributes. This investigation established a male calf germline stem cell culture model that may serve as a foundation for further studies aiming to understand the properties of such cells.