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Polymer dielectrics with synergistic large dielectric constant (ε′) and high breakdown field strength (Eb) have important applications in electronics device and electrical industry. In this work, to enhance the integrated dielectric characteristics of lead zirconate titanate (PZT)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), an insulating magnesia (MgO) shell was constructed on the surface of PZT via a facile chemical precipitation, and the prepared core@shell structured PZT@MgO particles were composited with PVDF to anticipate both high ε′ and Eb but low loss. We explored how the filler loading and MgO shell thickness, frequency affect the dielectric performances of PZT/PVDF composites. The results confirm that the PZT@MgO/PVDF composites show simultaneously improved ε′ and Eb along with low loss over the pristine PZT/PVDF because the MgO interlayer induces multiple-scale polarizations in PZT@MgO/PVDF and clearly boosts the Eb due to markedly prohibited charge injection and migration and electrical branch growth. The optimized ε′ and Eb in composites can be realized by controlling the MgO shell thickness. The theoretic fitting of experimental results by the Havriliak-Negami equation further uncovers the MgO shell’ impact on the polarization mechanism and expounds the inhibiting effect on carrier migration across the composites. The resulting PZT@MgO/PVDF composite dielectrics having both high ε′ and Eb but extremely low loss, display appealing uses in the electrical industries.

HAND2 is a critical mediator of progesterone receptor signaling in endometrium. Silencing of HAND2 expression is associated with female infertility and endometrial cancers. We recently observed that lncRNA HAND2-AS1 and HAND2 are expressed coordinately in human endometrial stromal cells. To investigate involvement of HAND2-AS1 and HAND2 in pathogenesis of endometriosis, we employed immunohistochemistry, in situ hybridization, and quantitative real-time PCR to assess their expression in normal endometrium and the ectopic lesions obtained from patients with ovarian endometriosis. HAND2 promoter methylation was also monitored in these samples. Our results revealed that HAND2 and HAND2-AS1 expression levels were reduced but promoter methylation was enhanced significantly in ectopic endometrium when compared with the normal controls. Fluorescence in situ hybridization showed that HAND-AS1 is predominantly localized in the nuclei of endometrial stromal cells in contrast to the cytoplasmic distribution in epithelial cell compartment. To further investigate regulation of HAND2 expression by HAND2-AS1, HAND2-AS1 was silenced or overexpressed in human endometrial stromal cells. Our studies showed that expression levels of HAND2 and its direct target IL15 were attenuated markedly in HAND2-AS1 silenced cells but enhanced significantly in the overexpressed human endometrial stromal cells. Silencing of HAND2-AS1 also impaired endometrial stromal cell decidualization as indicated by downregulation of decidual biomarkers IGFBP1 and PRL. In addition, HAND2 promoter methylation was also enhanced upon HAND2-AS1 silencing. RNA immunoprecipitation studies further revealed that HAND2-AS1 is capable of binding to DNA methyltransferase DNMT1, indicating that HAND2-AS1 governs HAND2 expression epigenetically involving DNA methylation.

The results provide a significant verification of functional redundancy and diversity of CUC/NAM genes in legumes. The CUP-SHAPED COTYLEDON/NO APICAL MERISTEM (CUC/NAM) orthologs play key roles for plant organ boundary formation and organ development. Here, we performed a forward screen of the gamma irradiation mutagenesis population in mungbean and characterised a mutant, reduced rachis and fused leaflets (rrf1), which gave rise to the formation of compound leaves with reduced rachis and fused leaflets. Map-based cloning revealed that RRF1 encoded a CUC/NAM protein in mungbean. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that legume CUC1/CUC2 genes were classified as belonging to two subclades, and there are different copies of CUC1/CUC2 genes in legumes. Transcriptomic analysis showed that expression levels of a set of developmental regulators, including class I KNOTTED-LIKE HOMEOBOXI (KNOXI) gene and LATERAL ORGAN BOUNDARIES DOMAIN (LBD) gene, were altered in rrf1 mutants compared to the wild-type plants. Furthermore, rrf1 genetically interacted with heptafoliate leaflets1 (hel1), a mutant displaying a seven-leaflet compound leaf, to regulate leaf development in mungbean. Our results suggest functional redundancy and diversity of two subclades of CUC1/CUC2 genes in legumes, following the duplication of an ancestral gene.

Many studies suggest that there are distinct regulatory processes controlling compound leaf development in different clades of legumes. Loss of function of the LEAFY (LFY) orthologs results in a reduction of leaf complexity to different degrees in inverted repeat-lacking clade (IRLC) and non-IRLC species. To further understand the role of LFY orthologs and the molecular mechanism in compound leaf development in non-IRLC plants, we studied leaf development in unifoliate leaf (un) mutant, a classical mutant of mungbean (Vigna radiata L.), which showed a complete conversion of compound leaves into simple leaves. Our analysis revealed that UN encoded the mungbean LFY ortholog (VrLFY) and played a significant role in leaf development. In situ RNA hybridization results showed that STM-like KNOXI genes were expressed in compound leaf primordia in mungbean. Furthermore, increased leaflet number in heptafoliate leaflets1 (hel1) mutants was demonstrated to depend on the function of VrLFY and KNOXI genes in mungbean. Our results suggested that HEL1 is a key factor coordinating distinct processes in the control of compound leaf development in mungbean and its related non-IRLC legumes., Genetics: Leaf architecture gene evolved early in legume plants A legume gene involved in determining the spatial pattern of leaflets seems to have evolved this function earlier than previously thought. Xin Li from Nanjing Agricultural University, China, and coworkers studied a mutant variety of mungbean in which the plant’s leaves display a simple architecture instead of the usual compound arrangement, with several leaflets joined to a single stem. They discovered a mutation in the mungbean version of a gene called LEAFY. This gene, together with others, proved pivotal in compound leaf development in mungbeans. The results run counter to prior data showing that, outside of a small group of related legume species, LEAFY plays only to play a minor role in compound leaf development in these agriculturally important plants. The findings could thus inform breeding efforts in legumes generally.