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Abstract Objective To build and validate an early risk prediction model for gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) based on first-trimester electronic medical records including maternal demographic and clinical risk factors. Methods To develop and validate a GDM prediction model, two datasets were used in this retrospective study. One included data of 14,015 pregnant women from Máxima Medical Center (MMC) in the Netherlands. The other was from an open-source database nuMoM2b including data of 10,038 nulliparous pregnant women, collected in the USA. Widely used maternal demographic and clinical risk factors were considered for modeling. A GDM prediction model based on elastic net logistic regression was trained from a subset of the MMC data. Internal validation was performed on the remaining MMC data to evaluate the model performance. For external validation, the prediction model was tested on an external test set from the nuMoM2b dataset. Results An area under the receiver-operating-characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.81 was achieved for early prediction of GDM on the MMC test data, comparable to the performance reported in previous studies. While the performance markedly decreased to an AUC of 0.69 when testing the MMC-based model on the external nuMoM2b test data, close to the performance trained and tested on the nuMoM2b dataset only (AUC = 0.70).

Abstract Over the years, lead‐based piezoelectric ceramics found extensive use in vital fields such as sensors and actuators. Despite their exceptional electromechanical properties, lead‐containing materials pose severe environmental risks and foster a new era of lead‐free piezoelectric materials after decades of research. However, recent comparative assessments of potassium sodium niobate (KNN) versus lead zirconate titanate (PZT) piezoelectric materials proposed that the environmental damage already presented before use due to raw material extraction and processing, invoking concerns on the true greenness of the lead‐free alternatives. Nevertheless, many other factors deserve further consideration, for example, reference geometry and life cycle stage. Herein, the comprehensive life cycle assessment is undertaken on PZT and KNN‐based ceramics with a unit volume of 0.001 m3 from cradle to gate. Results show that PZT exhibits higher negative impacts than KNN‐based counterparts, attributed to lead extraction, processing, and associated environmental emissions. Across primary quantitative impact indicators from toxicity, environmental, and resource aspects, KNN‐based ceramics impose fewer risks on the environment and human health, with the overall impact being only 28% of PZT ceramics. Still, more efficient methods are required for KNN‐based ceramics to reduce the high energy consumption and emission during extraction and purification of raw material Nb2O5. This work not only offers critical insights for material development but also serves as a multifaceted reference for advanced fabrication technologies.

Premium tea holds a significant place in Chinese tea culture, enjoying immense popularity among domestic consumers and an esteemed reputation in the international market, thereby significantly impacting the Chinese economy. To tackle challenges associated with the labor-intensive and inefficient manual picking process of premium tea, and to elevate the competitiveness of the premium tea sector, our research team has developed and rigorously tested a premium tea-picking robot that harnesses deep learning and computer vision for precise leaf recognition. This innovative technology has been patented by the China National Intellectual Property Administration (ZL202111236676.7). In our study, we constructed a deep-learning model that, through comprehensive data training, enabled the robot to accurately recognize tea buds. By integrating computer vision techniques, we achieved exact positioning of the tea buds. From a hardware perspective, we employed a high-performance robotic arm to ensure stable and efficient picking operations even in complex environments. During the experimental phase, we conducted detailed validations on the practical application of the YOLOv8 algorithm in tea bud identification. When compared to the YOLOv5 algorithm, YOLOv8 exhibited superior accuracy and reliability. Furthermore, we performed comprehensive testing on the path planning for the picking robotic arm, evaluating various algorithms to determine the most effective path planning approach for the picking process. Ultimately, we conducted field tests to assess the robot’s performance. The results indicated a 62.02% success rate for the entire picking process of the premium tea-picking robot, with an average picking time of approximately 1.86 s per qualified tea bud. This study provides a solid foundation for further research, development, and deployment of premium tea-picking robots, serving as a valuable reference for the design of other crop-picking robots as well.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is a drought-resistant warm-season turfgrass adapted to the southern and transitional zones in the United States. Multiple hybrid cultivars have been developed and released for use as turfgrass, and others are still undergoing development. Increasing genetic diversity of commercial cultivars is vital to stress tolerance. A DNA profiling study of 21 experimental selections from the Oklahoma State University turfgrass breeding program and 11 cultivars was conducted using 51 simple sequence repeat primer pairs across the bermudagrass genome. A pairwise genetic relationship analysis of the genotypes using 352 polymorphic bands showed genetic similarity coefficients ranging from 0.59 to 0.89. The average pairwise population differentiation values were 0.012 for the 11 cultivars and 0.169 for the 21 selections. A cluster analysis using the unweighted paired group with the arithmetic average method grouped the entries into six clusters. A correlation analysis identified different levels of pairwise genetic relationships among the entries that largely reflected parental relationship. Directional breeding and selection for cold hardiness or drought resistance created progeny that had distinct genetic diversity in the tested bermudagrasses. It is evident that an increase in genetic diversity of the existing cultivar pool with the release of one or more experimental selections for commercial use will strengthen and improve bermudagrass systems.

Traffic injury caused by foot- or athlete-surface interaction is one of the most critical problems athletic field managers face in maintaining the surface playability and aesthetic quality of athletic fields. Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) is the most widely used turfgrass species on athletic fields in the transitional climatic zone. A 2-year field study was conducted to evaluate nine bermudagrass cultivars for their persistence and surface playability under simulated fall cleat traffic. The experiment was conducted in Stillwater, OK, on a natural loam soil. Treatments were arranged as a split-block design with three replications. Traffic was applied for 6 weeks in Fall 2019 and 2020 using a Baldree traffic simulator, which generated 10 traffic events per week; each traffic event resulted in 678 cleat marks/m2. ‘Bimini’ was generally found to be the most persistent grass under traffic for aesthetic properties, and ‘Astro’ and ‘Tifway’ were the least persistent. Surface playability was affected by simulated traffic stress as shear strength (SS) declined and surface hardness (SH) increased, over time. ‘Bimini’ had greater SS than ‘Astro’ and ‘OKC1131’ (Tahoma 31®) by 1.9 and 1.4 N·m, respectively. SS of ‘DT-1’ (TifTuf®) and Tahoma 31 and SH of ‘OKC1134’ (NorthBridge®) were least affected by simulated traffic stress. Overall, surface playability characteristics of NorthBridge, ‘Bimini’, ‘OKC1119’ (Latitude 36®), TifTuf, Tahoma 31, and ‘Riley Riley’s Super Sport’ (Celebration®) were least affected by traffic. Findings illustrate bermudagrass cultivars can vary in visual persistence and surface playability.

This study examines the effect of social learning on new turfgrass variety adoption decisions using data from 231 turfgrass professionals’ Twitter accounts between 1 Jun 2018 and 31 Dec 2019. To determine the social learning effect, we decompose networking effects into social learning, individual-level and group-level similarities, herd behavior, and clustering effects. Our study estimates a spatial autoregressive probit model that directly incorporates the social network structure to account for unobservable networking effects and potential reflection problem. A Bayesian estimation procedure is used to alleviate the convergence problem caused by the complexity of model specification. Empirical results show that the social learning effect positively influences the new technology adoption and was greater than herd behavior effect. The results also suggest that turf professionals rely more on suggestions and information from online social networking among themselves than recommendations from advisors.

Bermudagrasses (Cynodon spp.) are the most preferred turfgrass species for athletic fields in the southern and transition zones of the United States. Developing and using bermudagrasses with superior traffic tolerance and surface playability under trafficked conditions benefits turfgrass managers, athletes, and sport organizations. A 2-year field study was conducted in Stillwater, OK, to quantify the genetic variability of traffic tolerance and surface playability from a population composed of two commercially available and 87 experimental interspecific hybrid bermudagrasses under fall simulated traffic stress. The experiment design was a randomized complete block design with three replications. Plots were subjected to 60 simulated cleat traffic events for 6 weeks in the fall of 2019 and 2020 using a Baldree traffic simulator. Bermudagrasses were evaluated for turfgrass quality (TQ), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), fall percent green cover (FPGC), shear strength (SS), and surface hardness (SH) after 3 and 6 weeks of traffic. Spring green-up percent green cover (SGPGC) was evaluated in the spring of 2020 and 2021. Except for SH, significant entry effects were found for all parameters and reliability estimates were moderate to high (i2 = 0.49 to 0.68) under simulated trafficked conditions. Experimental entries 17-4200-19X13, 17-4200-19X9, 17-4200-36X19, 17-5200-4X11, 18-7-2, 18-7-6, 18-8-2, 18-8-3, 18-8-7, 18-9-2, OSU1101, and OSU1664, and TifTuf® had excellent traffic tolerance. Entries 18-8-7, OSU1101, OSU1675, TifTuf®, and Tahoma 31® demonstrated high SS. There was a large group of entries that had consistent early spring green-up across both years, including Tilin#5, 18-9-8, OKC1221, OSU1257, OSU1318, OSU1337, OSU1406, OSU1439, OSU1651, OSU1675, Tahoma 31®, and TifTuf®. OSU1101 was the entry ranking in the top statistical grouping most often throughout the study. Findings illustrated the possibility of improving traffic tolerance and SS through breeding and using phenotypic selection could reliably select bermudagrass genotypes with improved traffic tolerance and SS in the transition zone.

ABSTRACT Optical density is a proxy of total biomass concentration and is commonly used for measuring the growth of bacterial cultures. However, there is a misconception that exponential optical density growth is equivalent to steady-state population growth. Many cells comprise a culture and individuals can differ from one another. Hallmarks of steady-state population growth are stable frequency distributions of cellular properties over time, something total biomass growth alone cannot quantify. Using single-cell mass sensors paired with optical density measurements, we explore when steady-state population growth prevails in typical batch cultures. We find the average cell mass of Escherichia coli and Vibrio cyclitrophicus growing in several media increases by 0.5–1 orders of magnitude within a few hours of inoculation, and that time-invariant mass distributions are only achieved for short periods when cultures are inoculated with low initial biomass concentrations from overnight cultures. These species achieve an effective steady-state after approximately 2.5–4 total biomass doublings in rich media, which can be decomposed to 1 doubling of cell number and 1.5–3 doublings of average cell mass. We also show that typical batch cultures in rich media depart steady-state early in their growth curves at low cell and biomass concentrations. Achieving steady-state population growth in batch culture is a delicate balancing act, so we provide general guidance for commonly used rich media. Quantifying single-cell mass outside of steady-state population growth is an important first step toward understanding how microbes grow in their natural context, where fluctuations pervade at the scale of individuals. IMPORTANCE Microbiologists have watched clear liquid turn cloudy for over 100 years. While the cloudiness of a culture is proportional to its total biomass, growth rates from optical density measurements are challenging to interpret when cells change size. Many bacteria adjust their size at different steady-state growth rates, but also when shifting between starvation and growth. Optical density cannot disentangle how mass is distributed among cells. Here, we use single-cell mass measurements to demonstrate that a population of cells in batch culture achieves a stable mass distribution for only a short period of time. Achieving steady-state growth in rich medium requires low initial biomass concentrations and enough time for individual cell mass accumulation and cell number increase via cell division to balance out. Steady-state growth is important for reliable cell mass distributions and experimental reproducibility. We discuss how mass variation outside of steady-state can impact physiology, ecology, and evolution experiments.

Abstract Background The study aimed to compare the dentoskeletal effects of Vanbeek Activator, Herbst, Twin-Block and Mandibular Advancement with clear aligners in children with skeletal Class II malocclusions. Methods A sample with sixty-three patients (37 males, 26 females) was included and divided into untreated control group (C, n = 12), Vanbeek Activator group (V, n = 14), Herbst group (H, n = 11), Twin-Block group (TB, n = 12) and MA group (MA, n = 14). Cephalometric analysis and Johnston Pitchfork analysis were performed to quantify the skeletal and dentoalveolar components in molar relationship and overjet correction. Compare the differences of cephalometric data and Johnston-analysis data. Results The treatment changes showed significant differences in SNB, FH-NP, NA-PA, Co-Go, Co-Pog, ANB, lower facial height ratio, U1-PP, U6-PP, L1-MP and U1-L1. All the appliances improved overjet relationships significantly (Vanbeek, Herbst, Twin-Block and MA were 2.77 mm, 5.53 mm, 4.73 mm and 3.66 mm respectively) with significant retraction of maxillary incisors. The lower incisor displacement of group V and MA was negative, while that of group H and TB was positive and there were significant differences. Molar relationships were also improved by 3.45 mm, 6.85 mm, 3.48 mm and 0.92 mm for Vanbeek, Herbst, Twin-Block and MA. Mandible displacement showed a trend of group H > TB > V > MA. The displacement of maxillary molars in group H was greater than that in group C, TB and MA, and that of mandibular ones was greater than that in group C, V and MA, significantly. Herbst, Twin-Block and MA have more significant dentoalveolar effect than Vanbeek, while Vanbeek has more skeletal effect than the others especially in restraining maxillary growth. Conclusions Four appliances are all effective in mandibular advancement, modification of class II molar relationship and deep overjet, with unavoidable increase in lower facial ratio. Vanbeek Activator has the most skeletal effects. Vanbeek and MA have a good control of mandibular incisors while more compensatory lower incisors proclination in Herbst and Twin-Block. Herbst has greater maxillary molar distalization. MA allows aligning and leveling meanwhile leading the mandible forward.

There is a growing trend of cultivating hybrid bermudagrass [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. × Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt-Davy] on golf course putting greens in the transition zone because of its excellent quality in the summer months, coupled with less pesticide input than creeping bentgrass (Agrostis stolonifera L.). However, the long-term success of bermudagrass putting greens is hindered by low temperatures in winter months, particularly in the transition zone. To address this issue, in addition to genetic improvement for cold hardiness through the development of new cultivars, effective management approaches are necessary to enhance the winter survival of putting green–type bermudagrass. The objective of this study was to investigate the relative freeze tolerance of four bermudagrasses and the effects of raising mowing height on the freeze tolerance of putting green–type bermudagrasses. In this study, two experimental putting green–type bermudagrasses (11X2 and OKC0805) along with cultivars TifEagle and OKC3920 were tested at two mowing heights (3.2 vs. 6.4 mm) at freeze temperatures that ranged between –4 and –11 °C. The lethal temperature to kill 50% of the population (LT50) as well as regrowth vigor during recovery were evaluated. Variety ‘OKC3920’ demonstrated enhanced freeze tolerance compared with ‘TifEagle’ at both mowing heights. Increasing the mowing height from 3.2 mm to 6.4 mm improved freeze tolerance for most genotypes tested in this study. After exposing the grasses to –8 °C for 1 hour, genotypes such as 11X2 exhibited better regrowth vigor and demonstrated a faster recovery. This study suggests that golf course managers can enhance winter resilience of bermudagrass putting greens by selecting genotypes strategically with superior freeze tolerance and raising mowing heights in the fall acclimation process.

Background: Little is known about the benefits of adjuvant endocrine therapy (ET) in low ER-positive breast cancer (1%–10%) patients. We analyzed the association between ET and breast cancer-specific survival (BCSS) in these patients with respect to the regimen and the duration of ET. Methods: Patients were classified into three groups based on the regimen and duration of ET. The regimens included aromatase inhibitor (AI) monotherapy or sequential tamoxifen followed by an AI (AI/T + AI), or only tamoxifen and no ET. The duration of ET included 2–3 years and >3 years. Multivariate Cox regression analysis was employed to calculate the hazard ratios (HRs) with 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Results: Of the 10,696 patients diagnosed with breast cancer between 2010 and 2020, 407 women were identified with ER-low positive disease and met the inclusion criteria. During a median follow-up of 5.2 years, patients who received ET improved BCSS. Of them, those with AI/T + AI had increased BCSS compared to patients without ET, after adjusting for demographics and tumor characteristics, especially in ER-low/HER-2-positive breast cancer. After additional adjustment for treatment mode, the association maintained a similar trend. Patients who received >3 years of ET was associated with a better DFS. There was no significant difference in BCSS between patients with 2–3 years and >3 years of ET. Conclusion: For ER-low patients, findings suggest that ET with AI/T + AI may be a reasonable treatment alternative. This effect should be assessed in randomized studies.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) breeding and cultivar development is hampered by limited information regarding its genetic and phenotypic diversity. To explore diversity in bermudagrass, a total of 206 Cynodon accessions consisting of 193 common bermudagrass (C. dactylon var. dactylon) and 13 African bermudagrass (C. transvaalensis) accessions of worldwide origin were assembled for genetic characterization. Genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was employed for genetic marker development. With a minor allele frequency of 0.05 and a minimum call rate of 0.5, a total of 37,496 raw single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were called de novo and were used in the genetic diversity characterization. Population structure analysis using ADMIXTURE revealed four subpopulations in this germplasm panel, which was consistent with principal component analysis (PCA) and phylogenetic analysis results. The first three principal components explained 15.6%, 10.1%, and 3.8% of the variance in the germplasm panel, respectively. The first subpopulation consisted of C. dactylon accessions from various continents; the second subpopulation was comprised mainly of C. transvaalensis accessions; the third subpopulation contained C. dactylon accessions primarily of African origin; and the fourth subpopulation represented C. dactylon accessions obtained from the Oklahoma State University bermudagrass breeding program. Genetic diversity parameters including Nei’s genetic distance, inbreeding coefficient, and Fst statistic revealed substantial genetic variation in the Cynodon accessions, demonstrating the potential of this germplasm panel for further genetic studies and cultivar development in breeding programs.

Abstract Winterkill is a major concern for turf‐type bermudagrasses [Cynodon dactylon (L.) Pers. and C. dactylon (L.) Pers. × C. transvaalensis Burtt‐Davy] when cultivated in the US transition zone and frequently occurring drought conditions challenge bermudagrass management. Therefore, developing new bermudagrasses with both drought resistance and winter survivability are needed for the future sustainability of the turfgrass industry in the transition zone. How these two traits interact within bermudagrass populations is not widely reported. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to estimate reliability for spring green‐up (SG) (as an indicator of winter survivability) and drought response in turf‐type bermudagrasses. A total of 77 experimental genotypes and 7 cultivars were planted in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications over 2 years in Goodwell, OK, USA. Substantial genetic variations were found for drought response and SG parameters when analyzed by year, but variations for SG parameters and leaf firing were not significant when analyzed across years. The reliability estimates for drought response ranged from low to moderate (i2 = 0.24–0.61), whereas the subsequent estimates for SG were low (i2 = 0.13–0.33), suggesting poor reliability. The low‐to‐moderate reliability values in SG were likely due to antecedent drought injuries, indicating that winter survivability and drought resistance may need to be evaluated in separate trials.

Bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is one of the most commonly used warm-season turfgrasses in the southern areas and transition zone of the United States. Due to the increasing demand for water resources and periodic drought, it is important to improve the drought resistance of bermudagrass for water savings and persistence under drought stress. This study was conducted to determine whether experimental bermudagrass genotypes have improved drought resistance compared with the standard cultivars Tifway and Riley’s Super Sport (Celebration®) at Stillwater, OK. The trials were designed as randomized complete blocks with four replications in Expt. I and three replications in Expt. II. In each experiment, genotypes were subjected to progressive acute drought conditions using polyethylene waterproof tarps to exclude precipitation over a period of at least 72 d. Bermudagrass entries were evaluated for turfgrass quality, leaf firing, normalized difference vegetation index, and live green cover at least once each week during the dry-down. Substantial drought response variations were found in this study, and all parameters were positively and highly correlated. A turf performance index (TPI) was assembled based on the number of times an entry ranked in the top statistical group across all testing parameters on each date. ‘DT-1’ (TifTuf®) and OSU1221 had the top TPI in both experiments. Most of bermudagrass experimental genotypes had equal or greater TPI than the standard Tifway, showing improved drought resistance through breeding effects. The identification of superior drought resistance experimental genotypes provided useful information to breeders on cultivar release.

Background: The benefit of endocrine therapy for patients with estrogen receptor (ER)-low (1%–10%) positive breast cancer is a matter for debate. We aimed to compare the clinical characteristics and survival outcome of ER-low patients with ER-high (＞10%) positive patients and ER-negative patients. Methods: From the breast cancer database of our institution, we identified 5466 patients with known ER status who were diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer between January 2008 and December 2016. Variables associated with initiation of endocrine therapy were identified using multivariate logistic regression model. According to ER status, all patients were classified into ER-low (1%–10%), ER-high (>10%) and ER-negative subgroups. Fine and Gray competing risks regression was performed to compare the survival outcome of three subgroups. Results: Age at diagnosis, ER status and progesterone receptor (PR) status were identified as correlates of initiation of endocrine therapy. ER-low patients were more likely to have advanced, PR-negative, human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2)-positive or grade Ⅲ disease compared to ER-high patients. Similar to ER-negative patients, ER-low patients presented increased rate of locoregional recurrence (LRR), distant recurrence (DR) and breast cancer mortality (BCM) than ER-high patients. Endocrine therapy showed nonsignificant trends toward lower LRR, DR and BCM in ER-low patients. Conclusion: Similar to ER-negative patients, ER-low patients had more aggressive clinical characteristics and worse survival outcome than ER-high patients. ER-low patients appeared to benefit less from endocrine therapy. Randomized studies are needed to further explore the endocrine responsiveness of ER-low patients.

To confront college students’ new reading patterns and the continuous decline in academic library borrowing rates, we conducted empirical research on promoting multisensory reading as a way to attract students’ attention, and to stimulate interest in, and promote the practice of, reading through a library program called “Reading Today Listening Everyday” (RTLE) on a library’s WeChat public account. The program involved 48 librarians and 105 students who were recruited into different groups to co-create, edit and release multisensory tweets every workday. Multisensory contents including text-based content, audio-based content and emotional resonance were presented to evoke readers’ visual, audio, and emotional senses to induce more reading practice. Using the Context, Input, Process and Product (CIPP) evaluation method, the multisensory presentation in RTLE program was proven to be effective in promoting library reading with a high number of tweeted page views and an increased borrowing rate for recommended books. In 2020, 269 issues accompanied by 269 audio frequencies garnered 80,268 page views, depending on the caliber of the reading promoter out of the 48 librarians and 52 student anchors behind it. The 484 RTLE-recommended books were borrowed 113 times in 2020, which was a rate 1.46 times higher than in 2019 (77 times). The analysis of the relationship between tweet views and borrowing rates for recommended books indicates that more page views indicate greater reader interest, leading to increased borrowing. From readers’ feedback and comments, the gain afforded by multisensory reading can improve higher-level reading trends such as the number of reading interests, enjoyment, engagement, etc.

The threshing device is the core component of the grain combine harvester, and the straw guide board plays an important role in the threshing device. In the past, the guiding structure of the threshing device could not optimize the working performance of the machine by adjusting the spiral angle. In this study, an adjustable straw guide board was designed, and the movement model of the straw on the straw guide board was analyzed. The response surface method was used to perform field experiments, and the experimental data were analyzed using quadratic polynomial regression. The results show that the drum rotation speed, operating speed, and spiral angle of the straw guide board have significant effects on the percentage of loss rate (PLR), percentage of impurities rate (PIR), and percentage of broken rate (PBR). Further optimization analysis showed that the predicted values of the PLR, PIR, and PBR were 1.18%, 0.72%, and 0.54%, respectively, whereas the experimental verification values were 1.26%, 0.73%, and 0.61%, respectively. The absolute errors between the experimental and predicted values were very small; however, the optimized field test verified values decreased by 8.31%, 50.04%, and 60.30%, respectively, which indicates that the optimized harvester had better operation quality.

Suitable tensile strength is essential for sod harvest, transport, and installation. Thirty-nine bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) entries were evaluated for sod handling quality (SHQ) and sod tensile strength (STS) during 2014–15. The SHQ (a discontinuous qualitative parameter) was evaluated using a 1 to 5 scale with 1 = complete pad separation during handling and 5 = no cracking or separation in the sod pad with excellent quality. The STS (a quantitative parameter) was determined using the force required to shear/separate the sod pad. Sod harvests were conducted at 14, 22, and 24 months after planting (MAP). The entry, harvest date, and their interaction affected STS and SHQ. Entries OKC 1302 and 12-TSB-1 had greater STS than ‘Patriot’ but less STS than ‘Latitude 36’, ‘Tifway’, ‘Astro’, and ‘TifGrand’. The seeded entry PST-R6T9S had the lowest STS and SHQ. The overall mean STS and SHQ were lowest at 22 MAP, which could be attributed to the slow recovery of the entries after Winter 2014. A strong positive correlation (r = 0.92) between STS and SHQ suggests that SHQ can be used as a rapid field method to estimate suitability for sod harvest. A predictive linear relationship between overall STS and overall SHQ (r2 = 0.85) found predicted STS values of 8.5, 22.6, 36.8, and 51.0 kg⋅dm–2 for overall mean SHQ ratings of 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. The results of this work will help sod producers in cultivar selection and will aid breeders in making commercialization decisions.

New pathogen outbreaks have progressed rapidly and are highly infectious in recent years, increasing the urgency of rapid and accurate detection of pathogenic microorganisms. Based on the point-of-care testing (POCT) requirements, in this study, a real-time fluorescent loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) detection system was developed and applied to pathogen detection. The system is compact and portable, with good uniformity and reproducibility, and it can detect pathogens rapidly and effectively. For norovirus detection, the linear range was 100–106 copies/μL. The system can achieve the theoretical sensitivity of LAMP detection, conclusions could be obtained within 35 min, and quantitative detection was possible. The test results of 45 clinical samples were consistent with quantitative PCR (qPCR) and clinical results, and the accuracy could reach 100%. This system has the characteristics of portability, speed, and POCT accuracy, and the cost is much lower than that of commercial qPCR. Therefore, it is suitable for remote areas or places with relatively poor conditions and environments requiring on-site conditions. It can also be widely used to detect various epidemics and unexpected diseases.

Digital PCR is the most advanced PCR technology. However, due to the high price of the digital PCR analysis instrument, this powerful nucleic acid detection technology is still difficult to be popularized in the general biochemistry laboratory. Moreover, one of the biggest disadvantages of commercial digital PCR systems is the poor versatility of reagents: each instrument can only be used for a few customized kits. Herein, we built a low-cost digital PCR system. The system only relies on low-cost traditional flat-panel PCR equipment to provide temperature conditions for commercial dPCR chips, and the self-made fluorescence detection system is designed and optically optimized to meet a wide range of reagent requirements. More importantly, our system not only has a low cost (

Induced polarization (IP) effects in transient electromagnetic (TEM) measurement play a significant role in the detection of minerals, such as sulfide ore, clay ore, etc. However, due to the complex impacts caused by the polarization parameters, the structure of the earth, and the measurement system configuration, the IP effects cannot be easily measured and interpreted. We paid more attention to the vertical component of the ungrounded-TEM system in previous work; however, we will now attempt to utilize the horizontal component to enhance the precision of the measurement and interpretation. We quantitatively discussed the behavior of the horizontal and vertical magnetic fields of the towed-TEM (tTEM) system. We simultaneously introduced the vertical and horizontal components into the Jacobian matrix of the 1D laterally constrained inversion to build the joint inversion. Compared to the vertical component, the horizontal component always shows earlier and bigger sign reversals and contains more IP information. Inversion with the single horizontal or single vertical component showed poor accuracy in the deep and shallow layers, respectively. The joint inversion with both components could correct the errors. Including the horizontal component in the detection and interpretation facilitates an improved resolution for polarizable minerals.

Dyslexia is a disorder characterized by an impaired ability to understand written and printed words or phrases. Epidemiological longitudinal data show that dyslexia is highly prevalent, affecting 10–20% of the population regardless of gender. This study aims to provide a detailed overview of research status and development characteristics of dyslexia from types of articles, years, countries, institutions, journals, authors, author keywords, and highly cited papers. A total of 9,166 publications have been retrieved from the Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI) and Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-E) from 2000 to 2021. The United States of America, United Kingdom, and Germany were the top three most productive countries in terms of the number of publications. China, Israel, and Japan led the Asia research on dyslexia. University of Oxford had the most publications and won first place in terms of h-index. Dyslexia was the most productive journal in this field and Psychology was the most used subject category. Keywords analysis indicated that “developmental dyslexia,” “phonological awareness,” children and fMRI were still the main research topics. “Literacy,” “rapid automatized naming (RAN),” “assessment,” “intervention,” “meta-analysis,” “Chinese,” “executive function,” “morphological awareness,” “decoding,” “dyscalculia,” “EEG,” “Eye tracking,” “rhythm,” “bilingualism,” and “functional connectivity” might become the new research hotspots.

The dietary supplementation of Haematococcus pluvialis is a natural, safe, and sustainable method for fish pigmentation. However, astaxanthin-rich H. pluvialis cysts have a poor effect in pigmenting salmonid flesh due to their rigid and thick cell wall. H. pluvialis thin-walled motile cells have recently attracted attention due to their potential advantages in maintaining compound stability, easy digestion, enhancing the bioavailability of carotenoids, and reducing production costs. This study aimed to investigate the effect of various nitrogen concentrations and light intensities on astaxanthin production in motile cells. We first investigated the effect of four different concentrations of nitrogen on astaxanthin accumulation in motile cells. According to the results, the motile cells had the highest astaxanthin concentration and content under the 0 N condition. Then, we compared the differences in astaxanthin production in motile cells under three different light intensities under 0 N conditions. The results showed that after four days of treatment, the protoplasts of the motile cells in the medium light (ML) group and the high light (HL) group had distinct granularity. The cell mortality rate in the HL group reached more than 15%, which was significantly higher than that in the low light (LL) and ML groups, indicating that high light intensity was not suitable for inducing motile cells to accumulate astaxanthin. There were no significant differences between the LL and ML groups in astaxanthin content, motile cells percentage, and cell mortality rate. Considering these indicators, we recommended inducing motile cells to produce astaxanthin under low light conditions because it is more economical in terms of electricity consumption. This study added to the knowledge that nitrogen and light affects the accumulation of astaxanthin in H. pluvialis motile cells. The results would help determine the optimal nitrogen and light conditions in astaxanthin production from motile cells.

Abstract Background Despite the proportion of elderly breast cancer patients has been consistently increasing, the optimal treatment modalities for this population have not been well explored. We summarized the treatment outcomes of these patients in our hospital. Methods Older patients with early breast cancer were identified from the Breast Cancer Information Management System at West China Hospital, Sichuan University (2000–2019). We compared tumor characteristics and treatment outcomes between the older group (65–74 years old) and the elderly group (≥75 years old). The Kaplan-Meier and Cox regression analysis were conducted to determine significant prognostic factors. Results In total, 1094 patients were included. The median follow-up time for this cohort was 59 months. The majority of patients underwent surgery and benefited from surgical treatment. Elderly group patients were less likely to receive adjuvant chemotherapy or postmastectomy radiotherapy (PMRT) compared to the older group. However, adjuvant chemotherapy was associated with improved overall survival (OS) (hazard ratio [HR] 0.521, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.284–0.955, P = 0.035). Subgroup analysis revealed that patients with grade III disease best benefited from adjuvant chemotherapy. PMRT offered a significant improvement in local disease control, but not in OS. Furthermore, endocrine therapy improved the OS of HR-positive patients (HR 0.440, 95%CI 0.261–0.741, P = 0.002), especially for cases aged 65–74 years. Also, receipt of trastuzumab in HER2-positive patients was associated with better OS (HR 0.168, 95%CI 0.029–0.958, P = 0.045). Conclusions Our findings suggest that surgery, adjuvant chemotherapy, endocrine and targeted therapy are associated with improved OS in older breast cancer patients. Moreover, clinicopathological characteristics should be comprehensively considered when making treatment decisions for these patients.

Abstract Fresh water scarcity is increasingly affecting urban landscapes, and the best strategy for sustaining the turfgrass industry would be to create, select, and use drought‐resistant genotypes. Bermudagrasses (Cynodon spp.) have different mechanisms to survive drought stress either by growing long roots, stomatal regulation, or accumulating biochemical solutes in the leaf. The drought response of 10 bermudagrasses was evaluated under two environments: (a) unrestricted root zone in the field and (b) restricted 17‐cm root zone in a greenhouse. Each study consisted of four commercially available (‘Latitude 36’, ‘Tifway’, ‘TifTuf’, and ‘Celebration’) and six experimental genotypes (OSU1337, OSU1403, OSU1439, TifB16101, TifB16113, and TifB16120). In the field study, all the genotypes survived the 60‐ and 49‐d dry‐down periods in 2017 and 2018, respectively, without completely browning off. Results showed a range of drought performance among genotypes, with TifTuf and Latitude 36 being the best‐ and worst‐performing industry standards, respectively. TifB16101, TifB16120, and TifB16113 were consistently the top performers with a leaf firing (LF) and turf quality (TQ) above 6, lower canopy temperature (CT), and greater normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values in the field. However, when grown in 17‐cm pots, TifTuf, TifB16113, and TifB16120 demonstrated a TQ below 6 within 6 and 9 days of drought (DOD) in 2019 and 2020, respectively. The discrepancy between studies suggests that these genotypes may have the ability to extract water from deeper soil profiles when root zones are unrestricted. Furthermore, these findings reinforce the importance of soil depth in maintaining turfgrasses without supplemental irrigation.

Support vector regression (SVR) has been applied to the prediction of mechanical properties of concrete, but the selection of its hyperparameters has been a key factor affecting the prediction accuracy. To this end, hybrid machine learning combines the SVR model and grid search (GS), namely, the GS-SVR model was proposed to predict the compressive strength of concrete and sensitivity analysis in this work. The hybrid model was trained and tested on a total of 98 datasets retrieved from literature, and the model performance was compared with the original SVR model under the same datasets. The obtained results in terms of R of 0.981, MSE of 3.44, RMSE of 1.85, MAE of 1.17, and MAPE of 0.05 demonstrate that the GS-SVR model proposed can be a candidate method for compressive strength prediction in subsequent related studies. Additionally, a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed to conveniently provide some initial estimates of the outcomes before performing extensive laboratory or fieldwork. Finally, the effect of each variable on the compressive strength in a random environment was analyzed.

Chiral and hindered triazolopyridinone derivatives are an underexplored area of chemical space mainly due to their challenging synthesis via classical methods. Here, the authors report an electrochemical rearrangement for the synthesis of triazolopyridinones using diverse, available alkyl carboxylic acids as starting materials.

Abstract Background It has been confirmed that NF-κB p65 signaling pathway is involved in the regulation of alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Whether SN50, a NF-κB cell permeable inhibitor, could attenuate alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in ARDS remains to be elucidated. Purpose We explored the efficacy and potential mechanism of SN50 on alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in ARDS in mice. Materials and methods Mouse ARDS was made by 50 μl of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) (4 mg/ml) inhalation. Male BALB/c mice were intraperitoneally injected with different does of SN50 1 h before LPS inhalation. Lung tissues were collected for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, wet/dry ratio. Pulmonary expressions of tissue factor (TF), plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), collagen III, as well as phosphorylated p65 (p-p65), p65 in nucleus (p’-p65), IκBα and IKKα/β were measured. Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) was gathered to test the concentrations of TF, PAI-1, activated protein C (APC) and thrombinantithrombin complex (TAT). DNA binding activity of NF-κB p65 was also determined. Results After LPS stimulation, pulmonary edema and exudation and alveolar collapse occured. LPS also stimulated higher expressions of TF and PAI-1 in lung tissues, and higher secretions of TF, PAI-1, TAT and low level of APC in BALF. Pulmonary collagen III expression was obviously enhanced after LPS inhalation. At same time, NF-κB signaling pathway was activated with LPS injury, shown by higher expressions of p-p65, p’-p65, p-IKKα/β, p-Iκα in pulmonary tissue and higher level p65 DNA binding activity. SN50 dose-dependently inhibited TF, PAI-1 and collagen IIIexpressions, and decreased TF, PAI-1, TAT but increased APC in BALF. SN50 treatment attenuated pulmonary edema, exudation and reduced lung tissue damage as well. SN50 application significantly reduced p’-p65 expression and weakened p65 DNA binding activity, but expressions of p-p65, p-IKKα/β, p-Iκα in cytoplasm of pulmonary tissue were not affected. Conclusions SN 50 attenuates alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in ARDS via inhibition of NF-κB p65 translocation. Our data demonstrates that NF-κB p65 pathway is a viable new therapeutic target for ARDS treatment.

The transient electromagnetic method can obtain resistivity and chargeability simultaneously in polarizable medium detection. Typically, we assume that the earth may contain a chargeable medium if the electromagnetic (EM) data appear negative values or sign reversals. Unfortunately, with barely perceptible characteristics, some EM responses with the induced polarization (IP) effects are considered to be non-polarizable responses. Insufficient understanding of features and inaccurate identification of the IP responses limits the use of the IP effects for broader purposes. For these reasons, we perform 1D forward modeling to discuss the degree of EM response affected by the IP effects and to extract polarization characteristics. To identify the IP effects, we combine partial mutual information (PMI) and the fuzzy support vector machine (FSVM) methods to complete the intelligent identification algorithm. We verify the efficiency and practicality of the algorithm by building Debye loops in field experiments. From the analysis, we distinguish the strong and weak IP effects by introducing the impact ratio. The strong IP responses manifest fast decays and sign reversals, and the weak IP responses primarily show fast decays or outward concavity. The identification algorithm validation results show that the recognition accuracy reaches 90.7%. In the field experiment verification, the Debye loop successfully simulates the IP effects of different intensity, and the identification results indicate that the algorithm has potential in the measured data. With this intelligent identification algorithm, the measurements can provide access to the weak polarizable medium when the impact ratio exceeds 30%.

Cell and plastid membranes play a critical role in plant response to chilling stress. Fall color retention (chilling tolerance) of bermudagrass (Cynodon sp.) is known to vary with cultivar and management practices. A growth chamber study was conducted to characterize the lipid composition of three bermudagrasses in response to chilling stress. The grasses selected were ‘Tahoma 31’ (chilling-sensitive) and ‘Tifway’ (chilling-tolerant) interspecific hybrid bermudagrass (C. dactylon × C. transvaalensis) and ‘Celebration’ common bermudagrass (C. dactylon), which served as an internal standard. Plants were subjected to simulated fall conditions defined as an 8/2 °C (day/night) temperature regime with 10-hour photoperiod and evaluated for chilling response for 42 days before allowing plants to enter an apparent dormancy. Plant leaves were sampled for lipidomics analysis at 0, 14, and 42 days of chilling treatment (DOT) and again after 40 days of recovery from dormancy (during which temperatures were adjusted to mimic average spring conditions for Oklahoma). ‘Tifway’ demonstrated the lowest electrolyte leakage (EL) and visual discoloration at 42 DOT, while ‘Tahoma 31’ had the greatest EL and discoloration on the same date, and ‘Celebration’ was intermediate of the two. Prolonged exposure to chilling stress generally increased digalactosyldiacylglycerol and phosphatidylcholine (PC) content and decreased monogalactosyldiacylglycerol (MGDG) content, with ‘Tahoma 31’ showing the greatest increase in PC and decrease in MGDG. The double bond index, an indicator of fatty acid unsaturation, was greatest in ‘Tifway’ at 42 DOT. Each cultivar increased in fatty acid unsaturation, with Tifway demonstrating the greatest increase in MGDG unsaturation. Multivariate discriminant analysis identified six individual lipid species that contributed most to the cultivar response to chilling. These findings suggest unsaturation level of plastid lipids, particularly MGDG, is important for chilling tolerance and therefore fall color retention of bermudagrass. Furthermore, this study provides evidence that chilling tolerance can be negatively associated with freezing tolerance in bermudagrass.

Background: Alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition are important characteristics during acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and NF-κB p65 signaling pathway is involved to regulate these pathophysiologies. We hypothesize that targeting NF-κB signal pathway could ameliorate alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolyitc inhibition, thus attenuating lung injury in ARDS. Purpose: We explore the efficacy and the potential mechanism of andrographolide sulfonate (Andro-S) on alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition in LPS-induced ARDS in mice. Methods: ARDS was made by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) inhalation in C57BLmice. Andrographolide sulfonate (2.5, 5 and 10 mg/kg) was intraperitoneally given to the mice (once a day for three consecutive days) before LPS administration. NEMO binding domain peptide (NBD), an inhibitor of NF-κB, was used as the positive control and it replaced Andro-S in mice of NBD group. Mice in normal control received saline instead of LPS. Lung tissues and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were collected for analysis of alveolar coagulation, fibrinolytic inhibition as well as of pulmonary inflammatory response after 8 h of LPS inhalation. NF-κB signal pathway in lung tissue was simultaneously determined. Results: Andro-S dose-dependently inhibited tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 expressions either in mRNA or in protein in lung tissue of ARDS mice, and it also decreased the concentrations of TF, PAI-1, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), procollagen peptide type Ⅲ (PⅢP) while promoting the production of activated protein C (APC) in BALF. Meanwhile, Andro-S effectively inhibited inflammatory response (interleukin 1β and myeloperoxidase) induced by LPS. LPS stimulation dramatically activated NF-κB signal pathway, indicated by increased expressions of phosphorylation of p65 (p-p65), p-IKKα/β and p-IκBα and the higher p65-DNA binding activity, which were all dose-dependently reversed by Andro-S. Andro-S and NBD presented similar efficacies. Conclusions: Andro-S treatment improves alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition and attenuates pulmonary inflammation in LPS-induced ARDS in mice partly through NF-κB pathway inactivation. The drug is expected to be an effective choice for ARDS.

The susceptibility of warm-season turfgrasses such as bermudagrass (Cynodon spp.) to winter injury in the transition zone is a major concern. Therefore, the objective of the study was to evaluate five golf course putting green-type experimental genotypes (OKC6318, OKC0805, OKC1609, OKC0920, and OKC3920) and three commercially available bermudagrasses (‘Champion Dwarf’, ‘TifEagle’, and ‘Tahoma 31’) for freeze tolerance by subjecting them to 11 freezing temperatures (–4 to –14 °C) under controlled environment conditions. The experiment was conducted in batches, with four genotypes per batch, and each batch was replicated in time. The mean lethal temperature to kill 50% of the population (LT50) for each genotype was determined. There were significant differences in LT50 values among the bermudagrass genotypes. ‘Champion Dwarf’ had an LT50 value ranging from –5.2 to –5.9 °C across all three batches. The experimental genotypes tested in this study had LT50 values ranging from –7.0 to –8.1 °C and were each lower than that of ‘Champion Dwarf’. ‘Tahoma 31’, the top performing genotype, had an LT50 value ranging from –7.8 to –9.0 °C across all three batches. OKC 3920 was the only experimental genotype with an LT50 value in the same statistical group as ‘Tahoma 31’. The information gained from this research would be useful for breeders to gauge the genetic gain in freeze tolerance in breeding golf course putting green-type bermudagrass.

This paper investigates the non-fragile event-triggered control of positive switched systems with random nonlinearities and controller perturbations. The random nonlinearities and controller perturbations are assumed to obey Bernoulli and Binomial sequence, respectively. A class of linear event-triggering conditions is introduced. A switched linear co-positive Lyapunov function is constructed for the systems. For the same probability with respect to nonlinearities and controller perturbations in each subsystem, a non-fragile controller of positive switched systems is designed in terms of linear programming. Then, the different probability case is considered and the corresponding non-fragile event-triggered control is explored. Finally, the effectiveness of theoretical findings is verified via two examples.

Background: Alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition were associated with the refractory hypoxemia and the high mortality in patient with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS), and NF-κB pathway was confirmed to contribute to the process. Triptolide (TP) significantly inhibited NF-κB pathway and thus depressed accessive inflammatory response in ARDS. We speculate that TP could improve alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolytic inhibition in LPS-induced ARDS via NF-κB inactivation. Purpose: The aim of this experiment was to explore the efficacy and potential mechanism of TP on alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in LPS-induced ARDS in mice. Methods: 50 μl of LPS (5 mg/ml) was inhalationally given to C57BL/6 mice to set up ARDS model. Male mice were randomly accepted with LPS, LPS + TP (1 μg/kg, 10 μg/kg, 50 μg/kg respectively), or with NEMO Binding domain peptide (NBD), an inhibitor of NF-κB. TP (1 μg/kg, 10 μg/kg, 50 μg/kg) were intraperitoneally injected or 10 μg/50 μl of NBD solution were inhaled 30 min before LPS inhalation. A same volume of normal saline (NS) substituted for TP in mice in control. The endpoint of experiment was at 8 hours after LPS stimulation. Pulmonary tissues were taken for hematoxylin-eosin (HE) staining, wet / dry ratio and for lung injury scores (LIS). Tissue factor (TF) and plasminogen activator inhibitor (PAI)-1 in lung tissue were detected by Western-blotting and by quantitative Real-time PCR(qPCR) respectively. Concentrations of TF, PAI-1, thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT), procollagen peptide type Ⅲ (PⅢP) and activated protein C (APC) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) were measured by ELISA. NF-κB activation and p65-DNA binding activity in pulmonary tissue were simultaneously determined. Results: LPS stimulation resulted in pulmonary edema, neutrophils infiltration, obvious alveolar collapse, interstitial congestion, with high LIS, which were all dose-dependently ameliorated by Triptolide. LPS also dramatically promoted the expressions of TF and PAI-1 either in mRNA or in protein in lung tissue, and significantly stimulated the secretions of TF, PAI-1, TAT, PⅢP but inhibited APC production in BALF, which were all reversed by triptolide treatment in dose-dependent manner. TP dose-dependently inhibited the activation of NF-κB pathway induced by LPS, indicated by the changes of phosphorylations of p65 (p-p65), p-IKKα/β and p-IκBα, and weakened p65-DNA binding activity. TP and NBD had same efficacies either on alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition or on NF-κB signalling pathway in ARDS mice. Conclusions: TP dose-dependently improves alveolar hypercoagulation and fibrinolysis inhibition in ARDS mice through inhibiting NF-κB signaling pathway. Our data demonstrate that TP is expected to be an effective selection in ARDS.

Phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (PKB/AKT) and mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) (PAM) pathways play important roles in breast tumorigenesis and confer worse prognosis in breast cancer patients. The inhibitors targeting three key nodes of these pathways, PI3K, AKT and mTOR, are continuously developed. For breast cancer patients to truly benefit from PAM pathway inhibitors, it is necessary to clarify the frequency and mechanism of abnormal alterations in the PAM pathway in different breast cancer subtypes, and further explore reliable biomarkers to identify the appropriate population for precision therapy. Some PI3K and mTOR inhibitors have been approved by regulatory authorities for the treatment of specific breast cancer patient populations, and many new-generation PI3K/mTOR inhibitors and AKT isoform inhibitors have also been shown to have good prospects for cancer therapy. This review summarizes the changes in the PAM signaling pathway in different subtypes of breast cancer, and the latest research progress about the biomarkers and clinical application of PAM-targeted inhibitors.

Wheat powdery mildew (Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, Bgt) is a disease of increasing importance globally due to the adoption of high yielding varieties and modern sustainable farming technologies. Growing resistant cultivars is a preferred approach to managing this disease, and novel powdery mildew resistance genes are urgently needed for new cultivar development. A genome-wide association study was performed on a panel of 1292 wheat landraces and historical cultivars using 5011 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers. The association panel was evaluated for reactions to three Bgt inoculants, OKS(14)-B-3-1, OKS(14)-C-2-1, and Bgt15. Linkage disequilibrum (LD) analysis indicated that genome-wide LD decayed to 0.1 at 23 Mb, and population structure analysis revealed seven subgroups in the panel. Association analysis using a mixed linear model (MLM) identified three loci for powdery mildew resistance on chromosome 2B, designated QPm.stars-2BL1, QPm.stars-2BL2, and QPm.stars-2BL3. To evaluate the efficacy of GWAS in gene discovery, QPm.stars-2BL2 was validated using F2 and F2:3 populations derived from PI 420646 × OK1059060-126135-3. Linkage analysis delimited the powdery mildew resistance gene in PI 420646 to an interval where QPm.stars-2BL2 was located, lending credence to the GWAS results. QPm.stars-2BL1 and QPm.stars-2BL3, which were associated with four SNPs located at 457.7–461.7 Mb and two SNPs located at 696.6–715.9 Mb in the Chinese Spring reference IWGSC RefSeq v1.0, respectively, are likely novel loci for powdery mildew resistance and can be used in wheat breeding to improve powdery mildew resistance. Keywords: Wheat, Powdery mildew, GWAS, Linkage mapping, Genome-wide linkage disequilibrium

The prediction of rate-dependent compressive strength of rocks in dynamic compression experiments is still a notable challenge. Four machine learning models were introduced and employed on a dataset of 164 experiments to achieve an accurate prediction of the rate-dependent compressive strength of rocks. Then, the relative importance of the seven input features was analyzed. The results showed that compared with the extreme learning machine (ELM), random forest (RF), and the original support vector regression (SVR) models, the correlation coefficient R2 of prediction results with the hybrid model that combines the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm and SVR was highest in both the training set and the test set, both exceeding 0.98. The PSO-SVR model obtained a higher prediction accuracy and a smaller prediction error than the other three models in terms of evaluation metrics, which showed the possibility of the model as a rate-dependent compressive strength prediction tool. Additionally, besides the static compressive strength, the stress rate is the most important influence factor on the rate-dependent compressive strength of the rock among the listed input parameters. Moreover, the strain rate has a positive effect on the rock strength.

Axial bearing capacity is the key index of circular concrete-filled steel tubes (CCFST). A hybrid PSO-ANN model consisting of an artificial neural network (ANN) optimized with particle swarm algorithm (PSO) was proposed to reliably and accurately predict the axial bearing capacity in this paper. The predictive performance of the model was evaluated and compared with the EC4 code and original ANN based on a dataset of 227 experiments, and a graphical user interface (GUI) was developed to achieve the automatic output of the results. The influence of each design parameter on the bearing capacity was analyzed and quantified using the Shapley additive explanation (SHAP) method and sensitivity analysis. The results show that the prediction performance of the PSO-ANN model is superior, and can be recommended as a candidate for the prediction of axial compression bearing capacity of the CCFST column in terms of performance indices. Shapley additive explanation-based parameter analysis indicated that the diameter and thickness of the steel tube are the most two important parameters to the bearing capacity; in particular, the fluctuation of the diameter under the stochastic environment leads to the variation of the axial compression bearing capacity beyond the diameter itself.

Abstract Cynodon transvaalensis Burtt‐Davy is frequently used to cross with C. dactylon Pers. in the creation of F1 hybrid cultivars that are some of the most widely used in the worldwide turf industry. However, molecular resource development in this species is limited. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to construct a high‐density genetic map, and to identify genomic regions associated with establishment rate. In this study, we constructed the first high‐density linkage map for African bermudagrass using a genotyping by sequencing approach based on 109 S1 progenies. A total of 1,246 single nucleotide polymorphisms and 32 simple sequence repeat markers were integrated in the linkage map. The total length of nine linkage groups was 882.3 cM, with an average distance of 0.69 cM per interval. Four genomic regions were identified to be associated with sod establishment rate. The results provide important genetic resources towards understanding the genome as well as marker‐assisted selection for improving the establishment rate in bermudagrass breeding.

Abstract Bermudagrasses (Cynodon spp.) are commonly used in golf courses, athletic fields, and home lawns in the transitional climatic region of the United States. Winterkill, however, is a major concern for bermudagrasses grown in this region. Controlled environment testing is a reliable method to evaluate freeze tolerance contributing to the selection of freeze tolerant genotypes. Therefore, this study was designed to test the freeze tolerance of two elite experimental genotypes, OKC1873 and OKC1406, along with two industry standards (‘Tifway’ and ‘Tahoma 31’), by exposing them to various freeze temperatures (−4 to −14 ℃) in a controlled environment. The freezing test was replicated in time, and the mean lethal temperature to kill 50% of the population (LT50) for each genotype was determined. Tifway (freeze‐sensitive standard) had an LT50 value of −7.0 ℃. The genotype OKC1873 (−7.2 ℃), was in the same statistical group as Tifway. Tahoma 31 was the best‐performing genotype with the lowest LT50 value of −9.1 ℃. The genotype OKC1406 (−8.8 ℃) was in the same statistical group as Tahoma 31. Top‐performing experimental genotypes will move on for further screening in replicated field trials for future consideration for commercial release based on qualities such as improved freeze tolerance, desirable turfgrass quality, and sufficient disease resistance.

Compressive strength is an important mechanical property of high-strength concrete (HSC), but testing methods are usually uneconomical, time-consuming, and labor-intensive. To this end, in this paper, a long short-term memory (LSTM) model was proposed to predict the HSC compressive strength using 324 data sets with five input independent variables, namely water, cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, and superplasticizer. The prediction results were compared with those of the conventional support vector regression (SVR) model using four metrics, root mean square error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), and correlation coefficient (R2). The results showed that the prediction accuracy and reliability of LSTM were higher with R2 = 0.997, RMSE = 0.508, MAE = 0.08, and MAPE = 0.653 compared to the evaluation metrics R2 = 0.973, RMSE = 1.595, MAE = 0.312, MAPE = 2.469 of the SVR model. The LSTM model is recommended for the pre-estimation of HSC compressive strength under a given mix ratio before the laboratory compression test. Additionally, the Shapley additive explanations (SHAP)-based approach was performed to analyze the relative importance and contribution of the input variables to the output compressive strength.

This paper systematically reviews and synthesizes the relevant literature on sedentary time research. A bibliometric analysis was conducted to evaluate the publications from 2010 to 2020 in the Web of Science (WoS) core collection database. Derwent Data Analyzer software was used for the cleaning, mining, and visualization of the data. Historical trends of the topics, main contributors, leading countries, leading institutions, leading research areas, and journals were explored. A total of 3020 publications were studied. The United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia are the three most productive countries. The Australian institution Baker Heart and Diabetes Institute led the list of productive institutions, and Ekelund U published the most papers. Sedentary time raised the concerns of scholars from 106 research areas, and public health was the dominant field. Physical activity, accelerometer, children, and obesity were the most frequently used keywords. The findings suggest that sedentary time is rapidly emerging as a global issue that has detrimental effects on public health. The hotspots shifted in the past 10 years, and COVID-19 was the most popular topic of sedentary time research.

Natural astaxanthin helps reduce the negative effects caused by oxidative stress and other related factors, thereby minimizing oxidative damage. Therefore, it has considerable potential and broad application prospects in human health and animal nutrition. Haematococcus pluvialis is considered to be the most promising cell factory for the production of natural astaxanthin. Previous studies have confirmed that nonmotile cells of H. pluvialis are more tolerant to high intensity of light than motile cells. Cultivating nonmotile cells as the dominant cell type in the red stage can significantly increase the overall astaxanthin productivity. However, we know very little about how to induce nonmotile cell formation. In this work, we first investigated the effect of phosphorus deficiency on the formation of nonmotile cells of H. pluvialis, and then investigated the effect of NaCl on the formation of nonmotile cells under the conditions of phosphorus deficiency. The results showed that, after three days of treatment with 0.1% NaCl under phosphorus deficiency, more than 80% of motile cells had been transformed into nonmotile cells. The work provides the most efficient method for the cultivation of H. pluvialis nonmotile cells so far, and it significantly improves the production of H. pluvialis astaxanthin.

A great deal of effort has been applied to maximizing switchgrass (Panicum virgatum L.) production for bioenergy by leveraging existing local adaptation to climate and via nutrient management in this perennial grass crop. However, the biotic component of soils can also affect plant production and long-term suitability at a given site. Here, we tested how productivity of four switchgrass cultivars were affected by four microbial sources from the Great Plains. All inoculum soil sources were previously conditioned by a mixture of switchgrass cultivars, allowing us to explicitly address plant-soil feedback effects. Microbial soil inocula were added to a consistent background soil to avoid physicochemical variation across the sources. We found that the soil microbial inoculum source mattered more than cultivar in determining switchgrass biomass. The addition of microbes resulted in smaller plants, with the largest plants found on control soils with no inoculum, but some inocula were less negative than others. There was no geographic matching between cultivars and soil microbial inoculum, suggesting little local adaptation to the biotic component of soils. In addition, measurements of fungal root colonization suggest that fungi are not responsible for the observed patterns. Based on these results, we suggest that switchgrass cultivation could benefit from considering effects of the soil biota. Additional work is needed to generalize these patterns over time, to a wider geographic area, and to a broader range of cultivars.

The grounded electrical-source airborne transient electromagnetic (GREATEM) system is widely used in mineral exploration. Meanwhile, the induced polarization (IP) effect, which indicates the polarizability of the earth, is often found. In this paper, the Maxwell equations in the frequency domain are transformed into fictitious wave domain, where Maxwell equations are solved by the time domain finite difference method. Then, an integral transformation method is used to convert the calculation results back to the time domain. A three-dimensional (3D) numerical simulation in a polarizable medium is presented. The accuracy of this method is proven by comparing it with the analytical solution and the existing method, and the calculation efficiency is increased five-fold. The simulation results show that the GREATEM system has a higher response amplitude in the conductive region, while IP effects cannot be identified in the conductive area. The GREATEM system has a higher response amplitude in the low-resistance region, but IP effects cannot be identified in the low-resistance area, and the detection of IP effects is more suitable for the high-resistance area. Therefore, it is necessary to improve the detection ability of the GREATEM system in the low-resistance area.

In the field of frequency-domain electromagnetic detection, skin depth is an important parameter for electromagnetic data interpretation and imaging. The classic skin depth formula is calculated based only on conductivity; the induced-polarization effect in real earth is not considered, so the imaging results have obvious errors. To solve these problems, based on plane wave theory and the Cole−Cole conductivity model, a generalized skin depth formula of polarized media is derived in the frequency domain. The accuracy of the generalized skin depth is verified through comparison with the classical skin depth. To show the practicability of this study, the theoretical data with induced polarization (IP) effects are used to explain the generalized skin depth for polarized porous media. The generalized skin depth calculation for a typical porous polarization model is related not only to conductivity, but also to polarization parameters, such as chargeability, characteristic time constant, and frequency dependence. At low-frequency excitation, the generalized skin depth formula can be used to calculate the propagation depth of electromagnetic waves relatively accurately for porous polarized media. This method can be applied to the calculation of electromagnetic wave propagation depths in complex dispersive media. Compared with non-polarized media, in porous polarized media, under low-frequency excitation, the electromagnetic wave propagates deeper, allowing the detection of deeper objects. The data interpretation and imaging of polarized porous media by the generalized skin depth formula have higher accuracy.

Common bermudagrass has been widely used as a major warm-season turf, forage, and soil stabilization grass in the southern United States. However, codominant marker development, linkage, and quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping resources are limited in the important taxon. Accordingly, the objectives of this study were to develop simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers, construct a genetic map, and identify genomic regions associated with establishment rate. Five genomic SSR libraries were constructed, sequenced, and used in the development of 1003 validated SSR primer pairs (PPs). A linkage map was constructed using a first-generation selfed population derived from a genotype A12359 (2 = 4 = 36). A total of 249 polymorphic SSR PPs were mapped to 18 linkage groups (LGs). The total length of the map is 1094.7 cM, with an average marker interval of 4.3 cM. Ninety-eight out of 252 mapped loci (39%) were found to be distorted from the Mendelian 1:2:1 segregation ratio. Among the other 154 nondistorted loci, 88 coupling vs. 66 repulsion linkage phases were observed to confirm the allopolyploid origin of the parent. Ground coverage (GCR) phenotypic data in the establishment stage were collected in two replicated field trials. Quantitative trait loci mapping identified five genomic regions significantly related to the trait. The findings of this study provide valuable genetic tools and resources for genomic research, genetic improvement, and breeding new cultivars in the species.

Salix triandra (almond leaved willow) is an established crop, grown in coppicing regimes for basket-making materials. It is known as a source of non-salicinoid phenolic glycosides, such as triandrin and salidroside. A spontaneous natural hybrid of S. triandra and S. dasyclados was subjected to metabolite profiling by high resolution LC-MS, and 22 phenolic glycosides, including 18 that are new to the Salicaceae, were identified. Structures were determined by HPLC isolation and NMR methods. The hybridisation process has introduced novel chemistry into the Salix phenolic glycoside palette, in particular, the ability to generate disaccharide conjugates where the glycosyl group is further extended by a range of sugars, including apiose, rhamnose, xylose, and arabinose. Also of note is the appearance of chavicol derivatives, also not previously seen in Salix spp. The work demonstrates the plasticity of the phenolic glycoside biosynthetic pathway, and the potential to improve established crops such as S. triandra and S. dasyclados, via high-value metabolites, for both basketry and bioenergy markets.

Plant tillering and related traits are morphologically important components contributing to switchgrass ( L.) biomass yield. The objectives of this study were to estimate broad-sense heritabilities for tillering-related traits, to analyze correlations between biomass yield and the traits, and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for them. A first-generation selfed population of NL94 plant and a hybrid population between NL94 and SL93 plants were field established in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Stillwater and Perkins, OK. Phenotypic data were collected in 2 yr and genotypic data were obtained by genotyping simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the two populations on the basis of two preexisting genetic maps. Plant base size (PBS), plant girth (PG), tillering ability (TA), tiller diameter (TD), and tiller dry weight (TDW) were positively correlated with biomass yield in both populations. Consistently, PBS had the largest correlation coefficients for biomass yield, suggesting its value as an indirect selection criterion for biomass yield. Twenty and 26 QTL for six tillering-related traits were detected in the hybrid and selfed population, respectively. Among the QTL, one on linkage group (LG) 5a between sww-2387/PVCAG-2197/2198 and PVGA-1649/1650 for PBS, PG, and TA and another on LG 2a between sww-2640/sww-2545 and PVCA-765/766 for TD and TDW were stably detected in multiple environments in the two populations. The findings add to the knowledge base regarding the genetics of tillering-related traits that could be used in accelerating the development of high-yielding cultivars through marker-assisted selection.

Panicum virgatum L. (switchgrass) cultivars (‘Alamo’, ‘Cimarron’, ‘Kanlow’, ‘NL 94C2-3’, ‘NSL 2009-1’, and ‘NSL 2009-2’) were evaluated for salt tolerance in two separate greenhouse experiments. In experiment (Expt.) 1, switchgrass seedlings were irrigated with a nutrient solution at an electrical conductivity (EC) of 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or a saline solution (spiked with salts) at an EC of 5.0 dS·m−1 (EC 5) or 10.0 dS·m−1 (EC 10) for four weeks, once a week. Treatment EC 10 reduced the tiller number by 32% to 37% for all switchgrass cultivars except ‘Kanlow’. All switchgrass cultivars under EC 10 had a significant reduction of 50% to 63% in dry weight. In Expt. 2, switchgrass was seeded in substrates moistened with either a nutrient solution of EC 1.2 dS·m−1 (control) or a saline solution of EC of 5.0, 10.0, or 20.0 dS·m−1 (EC 5, EC 10, or EC 20). Treatment EC 5 did not affect the seedling emergence, regardless of cultivar. Compared to the control, EC 10 reduced the seedling emergence of switchgrass ‘Alamo’, ‘Cimarron’, and ‘NL 94C2-3’ by 44%, 33%, and 82%, respectively. All switchgrass cultivars under EC 10 had a 46% to 88% reduction in the seedling emergence index except ‘NSL 2009-2’. No switchgrass seedlings emerged under EC 20. In summary, high salinity negatively affected switchgrass seedling emergence and growth. Dendrogram and cluster of six switchgrass cultivars indicated that ‘Alamo’ was the most tolerant cultivar, while ‘NSL 2009-2’ was the least tolerant cultivar at both seedling emergence and growth stages. A growth-stage dependent response to salinity was observed for the remaining switchgrass cultivars. ‘NSL 2009-1’ and ‘NL 94C2-3’ were more tolerant to salinity than ‘Cimarron’ and ‘Kanlow’ at the seedling emergence stage; however, ‘Kanlow’ and ‘Cimarron’ were more tolerant to salinity than ‘NSL 2009-1’ and ‘NL 94C2-3’ at the seedling growth stage.