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Mixed lineage kinases (MLKs), comprising seven members: MLK1‐4, dual leucine zipper kinase (DLK), leucine zipper kinase (LZK), and sterile alpha motif and leucine zipper containing kinase (ZAK), belong to the mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase (MAP3K) family. These kinases are implicated in the progression of numerous cancers by activating mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascades or functioning as ser/thr and tyr kinases. However, their specific roles in glioma remain elusive. In the present study, we utilized bioinformatics approaches to investigate the expression patterns of MLKs in low‐grade gliomas (LGG) and glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Additionally, we analyzed their clinical significance and delved into the potential mechanisms underlying MLK activity as well as their association with tumor‐immune infiltrating cells (TIICs) in glioma. Furthermore, we conducted in vitro studies to elucidate the functional roles of MLK1‐2 in glioma. Our findings revealed that the expressions of MLK1‐2 were conspicuously downregulated in GBM and positively correlated with patients' overall survival. Conversely, ZAK exhibited an opposing trend. Notably, our newly devised risk score model exhibited superior performance in predicting patient prognoses. Moreover, we analyzed the potential mechanisms of MLK activity and its interplay with tumor immune infiltration. Last, we validated the antitumor effect of MLK1‐2 at the in vitro level. In summary, our study sheds new insights into the roles of MLKs in glioma, particularly MLK1‐2, and their potential as therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cationic polyacrylamide (CPAM) contains a large number of acylamino and positively charged methyl ammonium chloride groups. It has the advantages of good water solubility, strong adsorption bridging ability, enhanced charge neutralization and destabilization performance, excellent flocculation effect, and wide application. Therefore, CPAM can be used in the treatment of coal washing wastewater, and the research and development of a new flocculant with high efficiency is a hot topic in this field. Template copolymer (TPADM) of methacryloyloxyethyl trimethyl ammonium chloride (DMC) and acrylamide (AM) was synthesized by microwave‐template initiated polymerization with sodium polyacrylate (PAAS) as template. The microwave‐template initiated polymerization is abbreviated as MW‐TP. By analyzing FTIR, 1H (13C) NMR and TG/DSC of TPADM, it was found that TPADM had obvious cationic fragment structure. In addition, the association constant (KM) and the kinetics of the template reaction showed that the MW‐TP was confirmed to be free radical initiated polymerization and I Zip‐up (ZIP) polymerization mechanism, which demonstrated the formation of the cationic fragment structure again. This new cationic fragment structure greatly enhanced the ability of charge neutralization, electrical patching and adsorption bridging, thus improving the flocculation performance. Compared with cationic P(AM‐DMC) (CPADM), Commercial cationic polypropanamide (CCPAM‐1 and CCPAM‐2), TPADM had better flocculation effect on coal washing wastewater. Under the optimum flocculation conditions (dosage = 16 mg/L, pH = 7.5), suspended solid (SS) concentration and turbidity of coal washing wastewater treated by TPADM reached 14.3 mg/L and 8.7 NTU, respectively. The floc formation, breakage, and regeneration analyses showed that the cationic fragment structure in TPADM could contribute to the formation of large and high density flocculation structure (d50 ≥ 245 μm, Df ≥ 2.05), and these coal flocs can regenerate rapidly after being broken. Finally, these large and compact flocs help to accelerate the flocs sedimentation and reduce the SS concentration and turbidity of coal washing wastewater, and enhance the effect of solid–liquid separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low‐cost and easily scaled‐up acidification is a potential synthesis approach to produce CaO‐based composites derived from steel slag for thermal energy storage/release via multicyclic calcination/carbonation. Acid concentration, acidification temperature, and acidification duration were comparatively investigated. The cyclic thermal energy storage/release properties of such composites are closely related to the acidification parameters, mainly attributed to the differences in the composition of the synthetic composites under different acidification conditions. The synergistic effect of the increased Ca and Mg content as well as the reduced content of Si and Fe within the composites contributes to improve their cyclic thermal energy storage/release performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Secondary batteries, as portable energy storage and supply devices, are becoming an attractive research field that is drawing a lot of attention. Selection of electrode materials plays a crucial role in the battery performances. However, most bulk materials have a lot of limitations when used as battery anodes for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs) and sodium‐ion batteries (SIBs). Recently, two‐dimensional nanomaterials (2D materials) have been fabricated to address these problems. The high specific surface area of 2D materials can facilitate the electrochemical process during charge–discharge cycles. Therefore, anode materials with expected performances can be designed and be synthesized. In this Review, we summarize the recent development of metal‐containing 2D nanomaterials for battery anode applications. The relation between 2D structure and electrochemical performance of materials have been presented. Additionally, existing problems and possible solutions have also been discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The transcriptome connects genome to the gene function and ultimate phenome in biology. So far, transcriptomic approach was not used in peanut for performing trait mapping in bi‐parental populations. In this research, we sequenced the whole transcriptome in immature seeds in a peanut recombinant inbred line (RIL) population and explored thoroughly the landscape of transcriptomic variations and its genetic basis. The comprehensive analysis identified total 49 691 genes in RIL population, of which 92 genes followed a paramutation‐like expression pattern. Expression quantitative trait locus (eQTL) analysis identified 1207 local eQTLs and 15 837 distant eQTLs contributing to the whole‐genome transcriptomic variation in peanut. There were 94 eQTL hot spot regions detected across the genome with the dominance of distant eQTL. By integrating transcriptomic profile and annotation analyses, we unveiled a putative candidate gene and developed a linked marker InDel02 underlying a major QTL responsible for purple testa colour in peanut. Our result provided a first understanding of genetic basis of whole‐genome transcriptomic variation in peanut and illustrates the potential of the transcriptome‐aid approach in dissecting important traits in non‐model plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Bacterial wilt, caused by Ralstonia solanacearum, is a devastating disease affecting over 350 plant species. A few peanut cultivars were found to possess stable and durable bacterial wilt resistance (BWR). Genomics‐assisted breeding can accelerate the process of developing resistant cultivars by using diagnostic markers. Here, we deployed sequencing‐based trait mapping approach, QTL‐seq, to discover genomic regions, candidate genes and diagnostic markers for BWR in a recombination inbred line population (195 progenies) of peanut. The QTL‐seq analysis identified one candidate genomic region on chromosome B02 significantly associated with BWR. Mapping of newly developed single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers narrowed down the region to 2.07 Mb and confirmed its major effects and stable expressions across three environments. This candidate genomic region had 49 nonsynonymous SNPs affecting 19 putative candidate genes including seven putative resistance genes (R‐genes). Two diagnostic markers were successfully validated in diverse breeding lines and cultivars and could be deployed in genomics‐assisted breeding of varieties with enhanced BWR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) is an important grain legume providing high‐quality cooking oil, rich proteins and other nutrients. Shelling percentage (SP) is the 2nd most important agronomic trait after pod yield and this trait significantly affects the economic value of peanut in the market. Deployment of diagnostic markers through genomics‐assisted breeding (GAB) can accelerate the process of developing improved varieties with enhanced SP. In this context, we deployed the QTL‐seq approach to identify genomic regions and candidate genes controlling SP in a recombinant inbred line population (Yuanza 9102 × Xuzhou 68‐4). Four libraries (two parents and two extreme bulks) were constructed and sequenced, generating 456.89–790.32 million reads and achieving 91.85%–93.18% genome coverage and 14.04–21.37 mean read depth. Comprehensive analysis of two sets of data (Yuanza 9102/two bulks and Xuzhou 68‐4/two bulks) using the QTL‐seq pipeline resulted in discovery of two overlapped genomic regions (2.75 Mb on A09 and 1.1 Mb on B02). Nine candidate genes affected by 10 SNPs with non‐synonymous effects or in UTRs were identified in these regions for SP. Cost‐effective KASP (Kompetitive Allele‐Specific PCR) markers were developed for one SNP from A09 and three SNPs from B02 chromosome. Genotyping of the mapping population with these newly developed KASP markers confirmed the major control and stable expressions of these genomic regions across five environments. The identified candidate genomic regions and genes for SP further provide opportunity for gene cloning and deployment of diagnostic markers in molecular breeding for achieving high SP in improved varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The satellite image downlink scheduling problem (SIDSP) is included in satellite mission planning as an important part. A customer demand is finished only if the corresponding images are eventually downloaded. Due to the growing customer demands and the limited ground resources, SIDSP is an oversubscribed scheduling problem. In this paper, we investigate SIDSP with the case study of China’s commercial remote sensing satellite constellation (SuperView-1) and exploit the serial scheduling scheme for solving it. The idea is first determining a permutation of the downlink requests and then producing a schedule from the given ordered requests. A schedule generation algorithm (SGA) is proposed to assign the downlink time window for each scheduled request according to a given request permutation. A hybrid genetic algorithm (HGA) combined with neighborhood search is proposed to optimize the downlink request permutation with the purpose of maximizing the utility function. Experimental results on six groups of instances with different density demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: In this paper, we study the time‐division inter‐satellite link topology generation (TDILTG) problem for the well‐known Chinese BeiDou Global Navigation Satellite System. The TDILTG problem consists in generating a time‐division topology of the inter‐satellite link network for the navigation satellite system to spread systematic data to all satellites via a few source satellites with the purpose of minimizing the time required to spread the data. We propose a mathematical model to formulate the TDILTG problem and study its 2 lower bounds through a thorough analysis of the problem characteristics. We also present a deterministic constructive (DC) algorithm to solve this problem approximately but very quickly, with a time complexity of O(n3), where n is the number of satellites. Extensive experimental studies on a wide range of randomly generated instances show that the proposed DC algorithm is able to obtain the optimal solutions for most tested instances in less than 1 second. Meanwhile, we also validate that the DC algorithm performs well when the problem scale is large. Furthermore, we provide insights of the effects of different instance parameters on the final results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xyloglucan has been hypothesized to bind extensively to cellulose microfibril surfaces and to tether microfibrils into a load-bearing network, thereby playing a central role in wall mechanics and growth, but this view is challenged by newer results. Here we combined high-resolution imaging by field emission scanning electron microscopy ( FESEM) with nanogold affinity tags and selective endoglucanase treatments to assess the spatial location and conformation of xyloglucan in onion cell walls. FESEM imaging of xyloglucanase-digested cell walls revealed an altered microfibril organization but did not yield clear evidence of xyloglucan conformations. Backscattered electron detection provided excellent detection of nanogold affinity tags in the context of wall fibrillar organization. Labelling with xyloglucan-specific CBM76 conjugated with nanogold showed that xyloglucans were associated with fibril surfaces in both extended and coiled conformations, but tethered configurations were not observed. Labelling with nanogold-conjugated CBM3, which binds the hydrophobic surface of crystalline cellulose, was infrequent until the wall was predigested with xyloglucanase, whereupon microfibril labelling was extensive. When tamarind xyloglucan was allowed to bind to xyloglucan-depleted onion walls, CBM76 labelling gave positive evidence for xyloglucans in both extended and coiled conformations, yet xyloglucan chains were not directly visible by FESEM. These results indicate that an appreciable, but still small, surface of cellulose microfibrils in the onion wall is tightly bound with extended xyloglucan chains and that some of the xyloglucan has a coiled conformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A novel morphology‐induced TiO2 nanowire‐based mesh with visible light catalytic ability and super wetting behavior is successfully fabricated by a simple hydrothermal reaction. Combined the special wettability and the excellent photoelectric property of TiO2 nanowires, such material can realize reusable oil removal and soluble dye molecules degradation under visible light within 30 s. It is believed that the special nanowire morphology reduces the bandgap of TiO2 from 3.18 to 2.07 eV, and the composite of Cu(OH)2 substrate provides the material with higher light absorption efficiency, changing the catalytic degradation condition of dye from original UV light to visible light. Such material expands the application of traditional semiconductor oxide, owns outstanding prospect to be used in industrial wastewater treatment and drinking water purification, and provides a brand new method for combining catalytic and environmental chemistry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The agile earth observing satellite scheduling (AEOSS) problem consists of scheduling a subset of images among a set of candidates that satisfy imperative constraints and maximize a gain function. In this paper, we consider a new AEOSS model which integrates a time-dependent temporal constraint. To solve this problem, we propose a highly efficient branch and bound algorithm whose effective ingredients include a look-ahead construction method (for generating a high quality initial lower bound) and a combined use of three pruning strategies (which help to prune a large portion of the search space). We conducted computational experiments on a set of test data that were generated with information from real-life scenarios. The results showed that the proposed algorithm is efficient enough for engineering application. In particular, it is able to solve instances with 55 targets to optimality within 164 seconds on average. Furthermore, we carried out additional experiments to analyze the contribution of each key algorithm ingredient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the formation of the materials for the separation of oil and water in order to purify wastewater. Particular focus is given to the material's wettability property to remove organic pollutants with the use of nylon membrane coated with polyethylenepolyamine (PEPA), and polydopamine (PDA). Also included are the use of scanning electron microscope (SEM), high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for the material.

Association mapping is a powerful approach for exploring the molecular basis of phenotypic variations in plants. A peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) mini-core collection in China comprising 298 accessions was genotyped using 109 simple sequence repeat (SSR)markers, which identified 554 SSR alleles and phenotyped for 15 agronomic traits in three different environments, exhibiting abundant genetic and phenotypic diversity within the panel. A model-based structure analysis assigned all accessions to three groups. Most of the accessions had the relative kinship of less than 0.05, indicating that there were no or weak relationships between accessions of the minicore collection. For 15 agronomic traits in the peanut panel, generally the Q+K model exhibited the best performance to eliminate the false associated positives compared to the Q model and the general linear model-simple model. In total, 89 SSR alleles were identified to be associated with 15 agronomic traits of three environments by the Q+K model-based association analysis. Of these, eight alleles were repeatedly detected in two or three environments, and 15 alleles were commonly detected to be associated with multiple agronomic traits. Simple sequence repeat allelic effects confirmed significant differences between different genotypes of these repeatedly detected markers. Our results demonstrate the great potential of integrating the association analysis and marker-assisted breeding by utilizing the peanut mini-core collection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants encode a poorly understood superfamily of developmentally expressed cell wall hydroxyproline-rich glycoproteins ( HRGPs). One, EXTENSIN3 ( EXT3) of the 168 putative HRGPs, is critical in the first steps of new wall assembly, demonstrated by broken and misplaced walls in its lethal homozygous mutant. Here we report the findings of phenotypic (not genotypic) revertants of the ext3 mutant and in-depth analysis including microarray and q RT- PCR (polymerase chain reaction). The aim was to identify EXT3 substitute(s), thus gaining a deeper understanding of new wall assembly. The data show differential expression in the ext3 mutant that included 61% ( P ≤ 0.05) of the HRGP genes, and ability to self-rescue by reprogramming expression. Independent revertants had reproducible expression networks, largely heritable over the four generations tested, with some genes displaying transgenerational drift towards wild-type expression levels. Genes for nine candidate regulatory proteins as well as eight candidate HRGP building materials and/or facilitators of new wall assembly or maintenance, in the (near) absence of EXT3 expression, were identified. Seven of the HRGP fit the current model of EXT function. In conclusion, the data on phenotype comparisons and on differential expression of the genes-of-focus provide strong evidence that different combinations of HRGPs regulated by alternative gene expression networks, can make functioning cell walls, resulting in (apparently) normal plant growth and development. More broadly, this has implications for interpreting the cause of any mutant phenotype, assigning gene function, and genetically modifying plants for utilitarian purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In article number 1800391, Kan Zhang, Mao Wen, Shansheng Yu, and co‐workers present a one‐step manufacturing approach to obtain a hard yet hydrophobic surface based on TaN coating by doping Cu. The Cu2O on the surface have full Cu 3d shells, achieving a coordinative saturation, which can inhibit hydrogen bonding with interfacial water molecules, enhancing the hydrophobicity of TaN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hard yet hydrophobic surface capable of withstanding harsh conditions is needed in a broad range of applications. This combined computational‐experimental study exhibits an effective modification method for transition metal nitrides protective coatings toward both excellent mechanical and robust hydrophobic properties. It indicates that the introduction of low concentrations of Cu as the solute atoms substitute for the Ta atoms in TaN lattice can form the TaCuN solid solution structure. Meanwhile, the evolution of microstructure induces the refined grains and higher H/E*, which results in a combination of improved hardness and enhanced toughness. Better yet, a moderate incorporation of solute Cu atoms into TaN structure can induce a charge depletion state and form a Cu2O surface on TaN, as demonstrated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy and electron density difference pattern. The Cu2O phase has an essentially full Cu 3d shell achieving the coordinative saturation, which can inhibit hydrogen bonding with interfacial water molecules, succeeded in enhancing the hydrophobicity of TaN. Density functional theory calculations are further employed to clarify that hydrophobic feature of Cu2O groups should be responsible for the tuning of wettability via destroying hydrogen‐bonding network of water molecules next to the surface. The hard yet hydrophobic surface is realized by one‐step manufacturing approach. The robust hydrophobic surfaces are got based on TaN coating by doping Cu via magnetron cosputtering. The Cu2O phase has an essentially full Cu 3d shell achieving the coordinative saturation, which can inhibit hydrogen bonding with interfacial water molecules, succeeded in enhancing the hydrophobicity of TaN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]