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Feedstock selection is a key factor affecting the process of cellulosic ethanol production. Densifying lignocellulosic biomass with chemicals (calcium hydroxide) followed by regular steam autoclave (DLCA(ch)) is an emerging and efficient pretreatment technology. In this study, different crop straws were selected as feedstock in a DLCA(ch) based process for cellulosic ethanol production, and their experimental and economic performances were evaluated. Both single crop straws and mixed crop straws were used and compared as feedstock for DLCA(ch) based biorefinery. Among single crop straws of corn stover, rice straw and wheat straw, wheat straw had the highest ethanol yield and the lowest feedstock cost, with a minimum ethanol selling price of 2.03 $/gal ethanol considering a 10 % internal rate of return and a 2000 tons crop straw per day biorefinery scale. When mixed crop straws were used as the feedstock, both feedstock cost and ethanol production cost were further reduced, and the minimum ethanol selling price was reduced to 2.02 $/gal ethanol. In addition, the use of mixed crop straws has great potential for large scale DLCA(ch) based process for cellulosic ethanol production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silver nanowires (Ag NWs) have shown great potential in next-generation flexible displays, due to their superior electronic, optical, and mechanical properties. However, as with most nanomaterials, a limited production capacity and poor reproduction quality, based on the batch reaction, largely hinder their application. Here, we applied continuous-flow synthesis for the scalable and high-quality production of Ag NWs, and built a pilot-scale line for kilogram-level per day production. In addition, we found that trace quantities of water could generate sufficient vapor as a spacer under high temperature to efficiently prevent the back-flow or mixed-flow of the reaction solution. With an optimized synthetic formula, a mass production of pure Ag NWs of 36.5 g/h was achieved by a multiple-channel, continuous-flow reactor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information is lacking on sulfur (S) nutrition characteristics of contemporary cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivars and their responses to S fertilization in the United States. The objective of this study was to develop S fertilizer recommendations and S sufficiency ranges for contemporary cotton cultivars with high yielding potentials. Sixteen field trials were conducted on cotton across west Tennessee during 2014–2016. Five S application rates of 0, 11.2, 22.4, 33.6, 44.8 kg ha−1 were examined in a randomized complete block design with four replicates at each location-year. Lint yield was significantly increased by 8.5–9.8% with S applications of 11.2, 22.4, 33.6, 44.8 kg ha−1 in the soils with low S. Soil residual S level after harvest was significantly enhanced only at the highest rate of 44.8 kg S ha−1. However, lint yield or soil residual S did not respond to S application in the medium S soils. Leaf S concentrations of 3.9–8.2 g kg−1 at late bloom were needed for 95–100% of the highest yield in the low S soils, which were different from the current S sufficiency range of 3.0–9.0 g kg−1 being used in diagnosing cotton S nutrition. In conclusion, application of 11.2 kg S ha−1 is beneficial and adequate for cotton grown on low S soils. The S sufficiency range at late bloom was narrower for contemporary cotton cultivars than conventional cotton varieties. Sulfur management needs to be more accurate for contemporary cotton cultivars due to their narrower S sufficiency range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic electrolysis cell (EEC) has advantages over microbial electrolysis cell (MEC) due to the needless of microbe inoculation and high-efficiency of enzymatic reaction. In this study, an EEC was first applied to achieve the effective degradation of halogenated organic pollutants and dichloromethane (CH 2 Cl 2) was utilized as a model pollutant. The results indicate that the degradation efficiency of CH 2 Cl 2 after 2 hr reaction in the EEC was almost 100%, which was significantly higher than that with enzyme (51.1%) or current (19.0%). The current induced the continuous regeneration of reduced glutathione (GSH), thus CH 2 Cl 2 was degraded under the catalysis of GSH-dependent dehalogenase through stepwise dechlorination, and successively formed monochloromethane (CH 3 Cl) and methane (CH 4). The kinetic result shows that with a current of 15 mA, the maximum specific degradation rate of CH 2 Cl 2 (3.77 × 10−3hr-1) was increased by 5.7 times. The optimum condition for CH 2 Cl 2 dechlorination was also obtained with pH, current and temperature of 7.0, 15 mA and 35°C, respectively. Importantly, this study helps to understand the behavior of enzymes and the fate of halogenated organic pollutants with EEC, providing a possible treatment technology for halogenated organic pollutants. Unlabelled Image [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Seven strategies were employed to produce ethanol from mixed CF and CS. • Three corn to CS ratios were applied for ethanol production from mixed CF and CS. • The performance of different integration methods varies with the ratio of CF to CS. • Highest ethanol titer of 99.3 g/L was obtained when the ratio of CF:CS was 20%:10%. • Mixing liquefied CF with 6 h hydrolyzed CS led to the highest ethanol productivity. Abstract This work investigated all possible process integration strategies for ethanol production from corn and dilute acid pretreated corn stover (CS) as mixed substrates. Three corn to pretreated CS ratios (20%:10%, 10%:20% and 5%:25%) were examined. When the ratio of corn to pretreated CS was 20%:10%, the process integration strategy that mixed corn with CS hydrolysate for liquefaction followed by SSF resulted in the highest ethanol titer of 99.3 g/L. Mixing liquefied corn with pretreated CS for hydrolysis/saccharification followed by fermentation was the best strategy for the other two ratios. The strategy of mixing liquefied corn with pretreated CS for 6 h hydrolysis followed by fermentation showed the highest productivity for all the tested ratios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• ASPTF was constructed to observe the flow instability in ASP for generation III 1000 MWe PWR. • The characteristics of flow instability in ASP were obtained based on experimental results. • The mechanism of flow instability in ASP was established by means of theoretical analysis. • The optimization and improvement measures of HE were summarized. • The suggestions for the design and operation of ASP were put forward. To cope with station blackout (SBO) accident in the pressurized water reactor (PWR) nuclear power plant (NPP), the advanced secondary passive residual heat removal system (ASP) was developed. A newly advanced secondary passive heat removal system test facility (ASPTF) for generation III NPP was designed and constructed to obtain the thermal hydraulic characteristics of ASP. The flow instability in ASP was observed in ASPTF, which was more likely occurred under low heating power and system pressure conditions. The effects of different influencing factors on flow instability in ASP were obtained. Then, the theoretical analysis of flow instability in ASP was conducted. Based on the experimental and theoretical analysis results, the optimization and improvement measures of ASP were summarized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantifying historical changes in maize leaf angle and factors affecting it can enhance our understanding of canopy architecture and light capture, and hence crop productivity. Our objectives were to (1) quantify leaf angle genetic gain per canopy position in Bayer's legacy maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids; (2) dissect the contribution of breeding from plant density on historical changes in leaf angle; and (3) synthesize our findings with literature to determine leaf angle changes over a century of breeding. We measured leaf angle in 78 maize hybrids released between 1980 and 2020 across eight environments in the US Corn Belt. We found that new hybrids had on average 6° more erect leaves than old hybrids. The leaf angle genetic gain (toward more erect leaves) was on average 0.08% year−1 for the middle canopy leaves and eightfold larger for the flag leaf. Our results revealed a synergistic effect with similar contributions of maize breeding and plant density on historical leaf angle changes in the middle canopy. However, changes in the bottom and top canopy leaves were due to breeding. Our results, combined with literature, revealed consistent trends toward more vertical leaves over a century of maize breeding, but the leaf angle genetic gain is slowing down in the last decades. This suggests that leaf angle may have reached near‐optimum levels and that multiple ways to maintain the grain yield genetic gain have been functioning in maize breeding. Our study provides prospects to inform breeders and crop modelers to better understand maize leaf architecture and crop yields. Core Ideas: Leaf angle genetic gain is not consistent across canopy positions.Breeding and plant density have similarly contributed to leaf angle changes in the middle canopy.Leaf angle changes in the bottom and top canopy were mainly attributed to breeding.Vertical leaves at the top and horizontal leaves at the bottom were beneficial for yields of modern hybrids.Maize leaf angle genetic gain is slowing down compared to earlier years (1930–1980). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gene encoding dichloromethane dehalogenase fromMethylobacterium rhodesianumwas cloned. Bioinformatic analysis showed that dichloromethane dehalogenase gene sequence fromM. rhodesianumis almost identical to the one fromMethylobacterium extorquens, with only one base difference. Dichloromethane dehalogenase was subsequently expressed inEscherichia coliBL21 (DE3) and purified. It was found that enzyme activity in recombinant cells was 3 times higher than that in the wild-typeM. rhodesianum. Further investigation showed that recombinant dichloromethane dehalogenase was most active at 40°C at pH 7–8, and itsKMwas 10.96 mM when treated with dichloromethane as substrate. The fitted curve of dichloromethane degradation gave aVmaxof 0.43 mM/h of in 0.01 M phosphate buffer. Degradation efficiency of dichloromethane reached 86.11% within 20 h. In addition, it was found that degradation efficiency of dichloromethane was highly associated with glutathione concentration, supporting the reports that glutathione functions as coenzyme of dichloromethane dehalogenase for dichloromethane degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research focuses on dual residences (living in two places) on Chinese married couples, a phenomenon with a unique Chinese social background, based on the analysis of 15 cases sampled in the form of interviews, exploring the influence of having dual residences on husband-wife relations and then further exploring its influence of the norm of love and how it works in China. There are three main conclusions. First, compulsory dual residence is closely connected to the rigorous systems of household registration and job allocation during the planned economy period. Voluntary dual residence is related to utilitarian values, including the pursuit of social status and income, against the background of the market economy. Second, at a time when to be working was the first and foremost goal for both men and women, compulsory dual residence was influenced by mainstream social norms that gave priority to work over relationships. Such recognition weakens the influence of dual residences on husband-wife relations. The influence of voluntarily having dual residences on husband-wife relations is mainly connected with how this situation comes to an end. Third, in China, the norm of love in coexistence with multiple values has not been shown to have a decisive influence no matter how the spouses were selected selection or how husband-wife relations are maintained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The economics of DLCA(ch) based biorefinery for cellulosic ethanol was studied. • The effects of various factors on MESP was assessed by sensitivity analysis. • DLCA(ch) based biorefinery greatly lowered feedstock logistics cost (55% lower). • DLCA(ch) based biorefinery showed a low pretreatment cost of 0.16 $/gal ethanol. • The MESP of DLCA(ch) based biorefinery was 30% lower compared to DA based biorefinery. Densifying lignocellulosic biomass with chemicals (calcium hydroxide) (DLC(ch)) followed by regular steam autoclave treatment (DLCA(ch)) is a novel pretreatment method, which unlocks highly fermentable sugars and showed great potential. This study investigated the economics of DLCA(ch) based biorefinery for cellulosic ethanol production and studied the effects of solid loading, enzyme dosage, enzyme price and biorefinery scale on the economics. Compared with dilute acid pretreatment based biorefinery, DLCA(ch) based biorefinery showed much lower feedstock logistics cost, and the savings in feedstock logistics almost offset the DLC(ch) pretreatment cost. DLCA(ch) based biorefinery exhibited higher ethanol yield and lower pretreatment costs. When the biorefinery scale was 2000 Mg rice straw per day, the total capital investment and minimum ethanol selling price of DLCA(ch) based biorefinery were 17.9% and 30.0% lower, respectively, compared to dilute acid pretreatment based biorefinery. This work demonstrated the great potential of DLCA(ch) pretreatment for the commercial production of cellulosic ethanol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strain Pandoraea pnomenusa LX-1 that uses dichloromethane (DCM) as sole carbon and energy source has been isolated and identified in our laboratory. The optimum aerobic biodegradation of DCM in batch culture was evaluated by response surface methodology. Maximum biodegradation (5.35 mg/(L·hr)) was achieved under cultivation at 32.8°C, pH 7.3, and 0.66% NaCl. The growth and biodegradation processes were well fitted by Haldane's kinetic model, yielding maximum specific growth and degradation rates of 0.133 hr −1 and 0.856 hr −1 , respectively. The microorganism efficiently degraded a mixture of DCM and coexisting components (benzene, toluene and chlorobenzene). The carbon recovery (52.80%–94.59%) indicated that the targets were predominantly mineralized and incorporated into cell materials. Electron acceptors increased the DCM biodegradation rate in the following order: mixed > oxygen > iron > sulfate > nitrate. The highest dechlorination rate was 0.365 mg Cl − /(hr·mg biomass), obtained in the presence of mixed electron acceptors. Removal was achieved in a continuous biotrickling filter at 56%–85% efficiency, with a mineralization rate of 75.2%. Molecular biology techniques revealed the predominant strain as P. pnomenusa LX-1. These results clearly demonstrated the effectiveness of strain LX-1 in treating DCM-containing industrial effluents. As such, the strain is a strong candidate for remediation of DCM coexisting with other organic compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DLC pretreatment with alkalis was developed on rice straw (RS). • Both DLC(ch) and DLC(sh) greatly improved the digestibility of RS. • DLC(ch) pretreated RS showed highly fermentability for microbial lipid production. • A high lipid titers (29.5 g/L) were achieved without washing or detoxification. Microbial lipid production from lignocellulosic biomass is largely impeded by unsatisfactory fermentation performance due to the presence of toxic degradation products generated by pretreatment. DLC (Densifying Lignocellulosic biomass with Chemicals) pretreatment completed at room temperature, generating fewer degradation products, showed great potentials for lignocellulosic biorefineries. This work developed DLC pretreatment with sodium hydroxide and calcium hydroxide on rice straw (RS) for microbial lipid production. Conditions for steam autoclave on DLC-RS (i.e. DLCA treatment) were optimized using response surface methodology. High solid loading enzymatic hydrolysis and lipid fermentations by Trichosporon dermatis 32,903 together with mass balances were performed. Lipid fermentations were successfully conducted, for the first time, on pretreated biomass at a solid loading as high as 35 wt.% without washing or detoxification. Lipid titers as high as 28.3 g/L and 29.5 g/L were achieved on DLC-RS and DLCA-RS, respectively, with lipid yields of 0.24 and 0.23 g/g consumed sugar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Current wet chemical methods for biomass composition analysis using two-step sulfuric acid hydrolysis are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and unable to provide structural information about biomass. Infrared techniques provide fast, low-cost analysis, are non-destructive, and have shown promising results. Chemometric analysis has allowed researchers to perform qualitative and quantitative study of biomass with both near-infrared and mid-infrared spectroscopy. This review summarizes the progress and applications of infrared techniques in biomass study, and compares the infrared and the wet chemical methods for composition analysis. In addition to reviewing recent studies of biomass structure and composition, we also discuss the progress and prospects for the applications of infrared techniques. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In bioelectrochemically reductive dechlorination of chlorinated organic compounds (COCs), the electrons transfer from enzyme in the electrode to COCs was the key step, which determined the average current efficiency (CE) and was influenced by the pH and temperature of the systems. In this work, the effect of temperature (288–318K) and pH (2–11) of the electrolyte on decholrination of trichloroacetic acid (TCA) was investigated in the sodium alginate/hemoglobin-multiwalled carbon nanotubes-graphite composite electrode (Hb/SA–MWCNT–GE). The results showed that the most favourable degradation conditions for TCA by Hb/SA–MWCNT–GE were found to be pH 3 and 310K. By varying the pH of the systems, it was found that a proton accompanied with an electron transfer between the electrode and heme Fe(III)/Fe(II) of Hb during the reaction. Additionally, the activation energy of 26.2kJmol−1 was also calculated by the Arrhenius equation for the reaction. The total mass balance of the reactant and the products was in the range of 97–105% during the bioelectrochemically reductive reaction. The CE only decreased from 87% to 83% when the Hb/SA–MWCNT–GE was used 5 times. Based on the intermediates detected, a pathway was proposed for TCA degradation in which it underwent dechlorination process. The main degradation mechanism described by a parallel reaction rather than by a sequential reaction for dechlorination of TCA in Hb/SA–MWCNT–GE system was proposed. These data provided relevant information about the applicability of bioelectrocatalytic systems for treatment of wastewater contaminated by COCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports the photosensitivity of poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) and its copolymer doped with trans-4-stilbenemethanol. UV irradiation of the doped-PMMA at 325nm induced the trans- to cis-isomerization of the dopant. This process was confirmed by 1H NMR spectra of trans-4-stilbenemethanol in CDCL3 solvent before and after irradiation. The isomerization can be initiated by the irradiation with an intensity of 0.62mW/cm2. Photo-induced refractive index change of −0.0024 was obtained when a PMMA copolymer film doped with 5.1wt% dopant was exposed to 325nm light. Lorentz–Lorenz equation was used to estimate the refractive index of a trans-4-stilbenemethanol–PMMA composite and a trans-4-stilbenemethanol–PMMA copolymer composite from the mole refraction and van der Waals volume of each component. A slight elevation of molecular packing coefficient (K) for PMMA and its copolymer containing the dopant implies a denser aggregation as compared to the polymer without the dopant. Long period gratings were created in doped-PMMA films and doped-PMMA copolymer fibers using amplitude mask technique. Gratings were confirmed by microscopic observation and diffraction patterns. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Association mapping, a high-resolution method for mapping quantitative trait loci based on linkage disequilibrium, holds great promise for the dissection of complex genetic traits. The recent assembly and characterization of maize association mapping panels, development of improved statistical methods, and successful association of candidate genes have begun to realize the power of candidate-gene association mapping. Although the complexity of the maize genome poses several significant challenges to the application of association mapping, the ongoing genome sequencing project will ultimately allow for a thorough genome-wide examination of nucleotide polymorphism-trait association. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We report a fabrication process of single-mode polymeric optical fibers (POF) with photosensitive cores which display UV absorption property and may be the suitable precursors to inscribe Bragg gratings. These fibers are composed of polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) cladding and methyl methacrylate copolymer cores, and processed using the preform drawing technique in our Laboratory. The effects of molecular weight and fabricating techniques on the quality of preform are discussed in detail. Three core systems with enhanced UV photosensitivity are proposed, including benzyl methacrylate (with strong UV absorption) co-monomer contained, benzophenone (photo-initiator) doped, and trans-4-stilbenemethanol (photo-isomerization molecule) doped cores, respectively. Their UV absorption behavior and photosensitivity are analyzed and compared to PMMA. The UV laser induced changes in the UV absorption spectrum and refractive index for trans-4-stilbenemethanol-doped core are detected and the penetration capacity for the photo-induced effect is demonstrated by examining the absorption spectrum change in a film sample being irradiated in presence of a doped core film of 15.5μm as the shield. In the fiber doped by trans-4-stilbenemethanol, the Bragg grating has been written. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: This paper reports changes in refractive index and thickness of spin-coated poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin films upon irradiation by a conventional high-pressure mercury UV lamp. Significant increase in refractive index and reduction in thickness are detected. Index modulations of greater than 0.01 are achieved in the thin films after 4min of irradiation. The thickness reduction of an irradiated PMMA film is consistent with its weight loss. This is caused by the escape of the volatile molecules generated during the irradiation process. A slight increase in the refractive index is also found in the film, heat-treated above its glass transition temperature (Tg). This thermal effect is detected in the UV irradiation process. We propose three possible aliphatic structures that are formed during the photochemical reaction and may exist in the main chain of irradiated PMMA after the irradiation. Their refractive indices in aggregate state are greater than that of PMMA based on an evaluation using the Lorentz–Lorenz equation. This is suggested to be an important reason for the refractive index increase in the UV-irradiated PMMA films. A UV-irradiated film, heat-treated above its Tg, has a rough surface with many tiny holes as illustrated by atomic force microscopy. These holes are attributed to the evaporation of the small molecules generated during the irradiation process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The first enantiospecific total synthesis of the indole alkaloid (+)-dehydrovoachalotine (1) has been achieved from d-(+)-tryptophan methyl ester in 28% overall yield. The formation of the prochiral quaternary carbon center at C-16 in the key intermediate (12) was realized via a Tollens reaction from Na-methylvellosimine (13) in 95% yield. This approach could also be applied to the synthesis of many other indole alkaloids that contain a quaternary carbon center at C(16). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Refractive index, fiber cross section, Young’s modulus, tensile strength, loading–unloading property, Fourier transform infrared spectrum, and differential scanning calorimetry of a single mode polymethyl-methacrylate optical fiber, fabricated in our laboratory, were measured and discussed. The results show that, the polymeric optical fiber exhibits large strain range. This kind of fiber written with Bragg grating is suitable for embedding in some flexible structures and materials for strain monitoring. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The stereospecific synthesis of (−)-koumidine was realized by replacement of triphenylphosphine with tricyclohexylphosphine in the enolate driven palladium-catalyzed cross coupling process. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The stereospecific total synthesis of (+)-Na-methyl-16-epipericyclivine (1) was completed [from d-(+)-tryptophan methyl ester] in an overall yield of 42% (eight reaction vessels). The optical rotation {[α]D +22.8 (c 0.50, CHCl3)} obtained on this material confirmed that the reported optical rotation {[α]D 0 (c 0.50, CHCl3)} [] was biogenetically unreasonable. The first total synthesis of (−)-alkaloid Q3 (5) and (−)-panarine (6), via the intermediate vellosimine (18), is also described. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In [A2] V.I. Arnold introduced three basic invariants St, J[sup +] and J[sup -] of plane curves and proposed some interesting conjectures concerning the extremal value of these invariants on a given set of curves. Partial answers have been obtained by O. Viro and A. N. Shumakovich. We give explicit formulas for these extremal values of sets of plane curves with fixed number of double points and of Whitney index and we determine on which curves these extremal values are attained (Theorems 3-6). Our arguments are based on understanding of the fine structures of generic curves and some surgery operations on curves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are a class of persistent and toxic organic pollutants that are widely distributed in nature. Although catabolic pathways are essential for bacteria to effectively utilize PAHs, transporting PAHs and their intermediate metabolites across the bacterial cell envelope is a key factor in PAH catabolism and bacterial survival. In this study, we identified a major facilitator superfamily (MFS) transporter member, PhaT, in a PAH-degrading plasmid of Novosphingobium pentaromativorans US6–1. Evolutionary analyses indicate that PhaT analogs are widely distributed in PAH-degrading bacteria, including the genera Novosphingobium and Sphingobium. Interestingly, deletion of the phaT gene upregulated the levels of PAH-degrading enzymes and PAH-degrading gene expression, thereby accelerating phenanthrene biodegradation. Further studies demonstrated that a deficiency of PhaT impaired the efflux of phenanthrene and its benzene ring-containing intermediate metabolites. Furthermore, the deficiency of PhaT also promoted the biodegradation of naphthalene but not of benzo[ a ]pyrene. Molecular docking and site-directed mutagenesis revealed the essential roles of hydrophobic amino acids in the PhaT central cavity for binding to benzene ring-containing substrates. Collectively, these findings indicate that PhaT plays a pivotal role in facilitating the efflux of PAHs and their benzene ring-containing intermediate metabolites. [Display omitted] • The absence of PhaT accelerates phenanthrene biodegradation. • The deficiency of PhaT impaires the efflux of phenanthrene and its benzene ring-containing intermediate metabolites. • Hydrophobic amino acids in the central cavity of PhaT is crucial to PAH and their intermediate metabolite transport. • The PhaT analogs are widely distributed in the PAH-degrading bacteria, including Novosphingobium and Sphingobium. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current maize (Zea mays L.) breeding methods and the limited germplasm infusion and mixing may slow the rate of genetic gain in the future. Using inter‐heterotic group composites for maize inbred development has been questioned because of the issue of choosing appropriate testers. However, three observations can be revisited to facilitate the exploration of alternative methods. First, since the adoption of single‐cross hybrids and the establishment of heterotic groups, the amount of heterosis has only been increasing slightly. Second, genomic analysis indicated the frequencies of the favorable alleles had significantly increased after a century's breeding. Third, the divergence of maize heterotic groups was preceded by the merging of landraces and diverse inbreds, after which three major heterotic groups were established. The objective of this study was to design different scenarios to generate inter‐heterotic group composites and evaluate their usefulness in the commercial breeding program. We investigated two methods: the inter‐heterotic group composite method (termed as super population [SupPop]) and the modified SupPop method (ModiSP, that is, backcrossing SupPop lines with elite inbreds). The results showed that the best scenario for the SupPop method was to use the SupPop inbreds to cross with a tester from the B14 group. When all four heterotic groups were mixed, the favored tester was from stiff stalk. However, ModiSP showed a higher chance of producing the best yield performance. These empirical results suggest that solutions can be proposed to identify the testers so that using inter‐heterotic group composites for inbred development can be considered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern agriculture is a complex system that demands real‐time and large‐scale quantification of trait values for evidence‐based decisions. However, high‐profile traits determining market values often lack high‐throughput phenotyping technologies to achieve this objective; therefore, risks of undermining crop values through arbitrary decisions are high. Because environmental conditions are major contributors to performance fluctuation, with the contemporary informatics infrastructures, we proposed enviromic prediction as a potential strategy to assess traits for informed decisions. We demonstrated this concept with wheat falling number (FN), a critical end‐use quality trait that significantly impacts wheat market values but is measured using a low‐throughput technology. Using 8 years of FN records from elite variety testing trials, we developed a predictive model capturing the general trend of FN based on biologically meaningful environmental conditions. An explicit environmental index that was highly correlated (r = 0.646) with the FN trend observed from variety testing trials was identified. An independent validation experiment verified the biological relevance of this index. An enviromic prediction model based on this index achieved accurate and on‐target predictions for the FN trend in new growing seasons. Two applications designed for production fields illustrated how such enviromic prediction models could assist informed decision along the food supply chain. We envision that enviromic prediction would have a vital role in sustaining food security amidst rapidly changing climate. As conducting variety testing trials is a standard component in modern agricultural industry, the strategy of leveraging historical trial data is widely applicable for other high‐profile traits in various crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The addition of strain H13 and initiation in MFC form promoted DCM degradation. • The degradation kinetics of DCM was simulated well by the Haldane model. • Hyphomicrobium and Methylobacterium were responsible for DCM degradation. • DCM metabolism was mainly via the hydrolytic glutathione S-transferase pathway. • GSSG reduction caused by exogenous electrons enhanced GSH-catalyzed dehalogenation. Dichloromethane (DCM) has been listed as a toxic and harmful water pollutant, and its removal needs attention. Microbial electrolysis cells (MECs) are viewed as a promising alternative for pollutant removal, which can be strengthened from two aspects: microbial inoculation and acclimation. In this study, the MEC for DCM degradation was inoculated with the active sludge enhanced by Methylobacterium rhodesianum H13 (strain H13) and then acclimated in the form of a microbial fuel cell (MFC). Both the introduction of strain H13 and the initiation in MFC form significantly promoted DCM degradation. The degradation kinetics were fitted by the Haldane model, with V max , K h , K i and v max values of 103.2 mg/L/hr, 97.8 mg/L, 268.3 mg/L and 44.7 mg/L/hr/cm2, respectively. The cyclic voltammogram implies that DCM redox reactions became easier with the setup of MEC, and the electrochemical impedance spectrogram shows that the acclimated and enriched microbes reduced the charge transfer resistance from the electrode to the electrolyte. In the biofilm, the dominant genera shifted from Geobacter to Hyphomicrobium in acclimation stages. Moreover, Methylobacterium played an increasingly important role. DCM metabolism mainly occurred through the hydrolytic glutathione S -transferase pathway, given that the gene dcmA was identified rather than the dhlA and P450/MO. The exogenous electrons facilitated the reduction of GSSG, directly or indirectly accelerating the GSH-catalyzed dehalogenation. This study provides support for the construction of an efficient and stable MEC for DCM removal in water environment. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifies a stimulator of Fe transport (SFT), by functional expression cloning in Xenopus oocytes. Definition of properties in SFT-mediated transport; Methodology utilized in the study; Results and conclusions of the study.

Phenotypic plasticity is an important topic in biology and evolution. However, how to generate broadly applicable insights from individual studies remains a challenge. Here, with flowering time observed from a large geographical region for sorghum and rice genetic populations, we examine the consistency of parameter estimation for reaction norms of genotypes across different subsets of environments and searched for potential strategies to inform the study design. Both sample size and environmental mean range of the subset affected the consistency. The subset with either a large range of environmental mean or a large sample size resulted in genetic parameters consistent with the overall pattern. Furthermore, high accuracy through genomic prediction was obtained for reaction norm parameters of untested genotypes using models built from tested genotypes under the subsets of environments with either a large range or a large sample size. With 1428 and 1674 simulated settings, our analyses suggested that the distribution of environmental index values of a site should be considered in designing experiments. Overall, we showed that environmental context was critical, and considerations should be given to better cover the intended range of the environmental variable. Our findings have implications for the genetic architecture of complex traits, plant–environment interaction, and climate adaptation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, genomics-assisted breeding (GAB) has been instrumental in harnessing the potential of modern genome resources and characterizing and exploiting allelic variation for germplasm enhancement and cultivar development. Sustaining GAB in the future (GAB 2.0) will rely upon a suite of new approaches that fast-track targeted manipulation of allelic variation for creating novel diversity and facilitate their rapid and efficient incorporation in crop improvement programs. Genomic breeding strategies that optimize crop genomes with accumulation of beneficial alleles and purging of deleterious alleles will be indispensable for designing future crops. In coming decades, GAB 2.0 is expected to play a crucial role in breeding more climate-smart crop cultivars with higher nutritional value in a cost-effective and timely manner. Availability of reference genomes and genome-wide surveys on comprehensive diversity panels pave the way to associate the allelic variation with phenotypes. Methods are now available to evaluate the genetic worth of the vast genetic resources archived in gene banks and streamline application of these resources in crop improvement programs. Precise genome editing technologies in concert with enhanced trait architectures enable innovative solutions to engineer complex trait variation. High-throughput phenotyping methods are beginning to alleviate the challenge of accurate, precise, and large-scale measurements of plant performance. Optimized speed breeding protocols remain crucial to accelerating breeding advance when applied with genomic breeding approaches. Sustaining gains from genomic breeding seeks fast-tracking exploitation of the minor effect alleles, accumulation of favorable alleles, and purging of deleterious alleles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract In this study, Fe/Fe 3 O 4 mixture was first applied as an additive to achieve the highly-effective mechanochemical destruction (MCD) of two halogenated organic pollutants (HOPs), hexachloroethane (HCE) and hexachlorobenzene (HCB). The MCD of HCE was more effective than that of HCB in virtue of the lower dissociation energy of C Cl bond. The MCD of HOPs occurred mainly via the reduction by Fe, Fe 3 O 4 and Fe/Fe 3 O 4. The oxidation of Fe 3 O 4 and reduction of FeO (formed on account of the oxidation of Fe by oxygen-containing species) may also contribute to the HOP destruction. Fe/Fe 3 O 4 mixture exhibited a higher dechlorination rate (DR) than other three effective additives (i.e., Fe/SiO 2 , Al/Al 2 O 3 and Mg/Al 2 O 3 mixture), owing to the electrical property of Fe 3 O 4 and its electron transfer with Fe. The HOP destruction was significantly impacted by the mass fraction of Fe 3 O 4 (MF mag) and achieved the maximum level with an MF mag of 70%. The DR of HOPs in the atmosphere of air was higher than those of pure oxygen and nitrogen because of the oxygen vacancy in Fe 3 O 4 and oxidation of Fe. The presence of water dramatically inhibited the HOP destruction due to the decrease of collision energy and its competition for the active sites in both Fe and Fe 3 O 4. As expected, the DR of HOPs increased with rotation speed, and the mass ratio of ball to reactant and additive to pollutant. The analysis of intermediates indicates that HCB destruction was mainly via dechlorination and polymerization, while HCl cleavage also played an important role in HCE destruction. The results demonstrate that Fe/Fe 3 O 4 mixture is a suitable additive for MCD process. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • The MCD of HOPs occurred mainly via the reduction by Fe, Fe 3 O 4 and Fe/Fe 3 O 4. • Fe/Fe 3 O 4 mixture showed a higher destruction potential than other three additives. • Fe 3 O 4 fraction, atmosphere and water content obviously impacted the MCD of HOPs. • The MCD pathways of HCE and HCB with Fe/Fe 3 O 4 mixture were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bioethanol is currently the major biofuel in the market, which is mostly produced from corn starch through the dry-mill process in the US and China. In contrast to the starch, the corn kernel fiber (mostly cellulose and hemicellulose) present in corn grain remains unconverted in the traditional process. Currently, technologies are being developed to convert corn fiber to boost the ethanol yield. In this work, an in situ acid pretreatment method was developed during distillation and was integrated into the dry-mill process. The pretreated stillage was either recycled to the liquefaction step with the addition of cellulase during fermentation or hydrolyzed using cellulase and then recycled to the liquefaction step or hydrolyzed using cellulase followed by C6/C5 sugar co-fermentation. As a result, C6/C5 sugar co-fermentation of the pretreated stillage improved the ethanol yield by 3.8%–6.3% compared to the traditional dry mill process, with cellulose conversion of 52.7%–77.5%. Recycling of 40% whole stillage or hydrolysate resulted in a 4.6%–7.9% increase in the total ethanol yield, with cellulose conversion of 56.0%–69.2%. This work demonstrated that integrating pretreatment and distillation in a single step is an efficient way to convert corn fiber into ethanol by saving energy and capital expenditure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Review: 108 refs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tropical maize lines are known to have extended flowering times when grown in northern temperate environments, a response largely due to the prolonged day length. This adaptation challenge is referred to as Photoperiod Associated Late Flowering (PALF) and poses a significant barrier to using tropical maize genetics in temperate agricultural settings. This study aims to (i) investigate the genomic and environmental factors that influence PALF in recombinant inbred lines (RILs) derived from a tropical parent crossed with three temperate-adapted maize lines. (ii) Evaluate the performance of these RILs under different environmental conditions in Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin over the years 2018–2021. (iii) Explore the efficacy of combining enviromic and genomic data to predict flowering times more accurately. We analyzed 540 RILs across three populations in field trials conducted in Texas, Iowa, and Wisconsin. Flowering times were recorded alongside measurements of local day lengths and solar radiation levels. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) was performed to identify loci linked to PALF. The predictive power of combining enviromic and genomic data was assessed by calculating the cross-validation error rates of flowering time predictions. PALF was prominently observed in the year 2019, heavily influenced by the planting dates that year. Some RILs in Iowa and Wisconsin flowered exceptionally late due to longer day lengths during a key period (reaching up to ∼15 hours) and greater solar radiation compared to Texas. The combination of enviromic and genomic data provided more accurate predictions of flowering times, particularly between 59 and 68 days after planting for day length, and 41–50 days for solar radiation. The GWAS identified several key loci, with the top hits explaining between 20% and 29% of the variation in PALF. Predictive accuracy was significantly higher in Iowa and Wisconsin than in Texas, attributable to loci responsive to the extended photoperiods experienced in these states. The study demonstrated that tropical maize lines can moderately adapt to the extended photoperiods typical of northern temperate climates with a photoperiod day length between ∼13.5 and ∼15 hours. By integrating enviromic and genomic data, the accuracy of flowering time predictions is significantly enhanced, aiding in the selection and breeding of tropical maize lines suitable for cultivation at higher latitudes. The identification of critical genomic regions through GWAS provides a valuable foundation for further genetic improvements, potentially improving tropical maize for temperate regions. • Maize RILs show PALF in 2019 due to longer day lengths in northern climates. • GWAS identifies PALF-linked loci in WI/IA, explains 20–29% variation. • 59–68d post-planting day length is crucial for PALF enviromic/genomic prediction. • Enviromic and genomic data accurately predicted flowering time. • Study suggests tropical maize's better adaptation in higher latitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A scalable hierarchical lithiophilic strategy is developed to build reliable Li anodes. • Dense and thin surface oxidation layer enables molten lithium infusion. • Spray-coated long Ag nanowires act as efficient "Li+ pump" during battery operation. • Highly stable cycling is obtained by dendrite suppression, confirmed by optical observation. • A stable LiF-based SEI formed contributes to achieving stabilized Li-O 2 cell. Li metal has been rated as the terminal anode solution for next-generation energetic Li batteries. However, hostless Li metal often undergoes severe structural and functional failure due to dendrite growth. Despite great progresses on engineering current collectors, scalable production of reliable hosts with high Li affinity remains challenging, as well as thereby direct mass production of feasible Li metal anodes. Herein, a facile and scalable hierarchical lithiophilic strategy is developed to fabricate efficient Li metal anodes through thermal lithium infusion. With a dense surface oxide thin layer formed, molten Li can infuse into the whole host; and sufficient long Ag nanowires are spray-coated onto the oxidized skeleton as continuous "Li+ pump" during cycling. The resultant Li electrode achieves highly stable cycling by dendrite suppression, supported by operando optical observation. Li-O 2 cell using the advanced Li anode yields high cyclability with small voltage hysteresis by forming stable SEI layer. This work proposes a feasible lithiophilic route for producing practical Li anodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale industrial cellulosic ethanol production is significantly restricted by the high costs of lignocellulosic biomass handling, transportation and storage. Therefore, biomass densification is thought to be necessary to solve these logistical problems. Nevertheless, because of its high density, densified biomass may have an impact on subsequent biomass processing. In this study, lime pretreatment was investigated on pelleted corn stover (PCS) for ethanol production. The glucan and xylan conversions of lime-PCS exceeded 90% via enzymatic hydrolysis after optimization of pretreatment conditions. Corn stover was characterized using the flourier transform infrared spectrum (FT-IR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), which revealed that after lime pretreatment, the acetyl groups in biomass were removed and cell wall decomposition products redeposited on outer cell wall surfaces. Finally, without washing or detoxifying pretreated biomass, enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation resulted in a high ethanol titer (65.1 g/L). The results indicated that lime pretreatment is efficient in pretreating PCS. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • DLC(sa) and DLCA(sa) pretreatments were developed on rice straw (RS). • Enzymatic digestibility of RS was greatly improved. • Pretreated RS showed high fermentability even at high solid loadings. • A high lipid titer (31.0 g/L) was achieved without washing or detoxification. Microbial lipids derived from lignocellulosic biomass are attractive feedstocks for biodiesel production. However, toxic degradation products generated by pretreatment greatly inhibited lipid fermentation. Herein, two pretreatment methods, i.e. densifying lignocellulosic biomass with sulfuric acid (DLC(sa)) and densifying lignocellulosic biomass with sulfuric acid followed by autoclave (DLCA(sa)), were developed on rice straw (RS) for lipid production. The conditions of DLCA(sa) pretreatment, including sulfuric acid dosage, dry biomass loading and autoclave time, were optimized by response surface methodology. High fermentable sugar yields with low inhibitor concentrations were obtained on DLC(sa) pretreated RS (DLC(sa)-RS) and DLCA(sa) pretreated RS (DLCA(sa)-RS) via enzymatic hydrolysis at a high solid loading of 30 wt%. Lipid titers of as high as 28.9 g/L and 31.0 g/L, with lipid yields of 0.22 g/g and 0.24 g/g consumed sugar, were achieved when RS was pretreated by DLC(sa) and DLCA(sa), respectively. This study demonstrated efficient microbial lipid production from lignocellulosic biomass without washing or detoxification steps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Phenotypic plasticity is observed widely in plants and often studied with reaction norms for adult plant or end‐of‐season traits. Uncovering genetic, environmental and developmental patterns behind the observed phenotypic variation under natural field conditions is needed.Using a sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) genetic population evaluated for plant height in seven natural field conditions, we investigated the major pattern that differentiated these environments. We then examined the physiological relevance of the identified environmental index by investigating the developmental trajectory of the population with multistage height measurements in four additional environments and conducting crop growth modelling.We found that diurnal temperature range (DTR) during the rapid growth period of sorghum development was an effective environmental index. Three genetic loci (Dw1, Dw3 and qHT7.1) were consistently detected for individual environments, reaction‐norm parameters across environments and growth‐curve parameters through the season. Their genetic effects changed dynamically along the environmental gradient and the developmental stage. A conceptual model with three‐dimensional reaction norms was proposed to showcase the interconnecting components: genotype, environment and development.Beyond genomic and environmental analyses, further integration of development and physiology at the whole‐plant and molecular levels into complex trait dissection would enhance our understanding of mechanisms underlying phenotypic variation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stem rust has become a renewed threat to global wheat production after the emergence and spread of race TTKSK (also known as Ug99) and related races from Africa. To elucidate U.S. winter wheat resistance genes to stem rust, association mapping was conducted using a panel of 137 lines from cooperative U.S. winter wheat nurseries from 2008 and simple sequence repeat (SSR) and sequence tagged site (STS) markers across the wheat genome. Seedling infection types were evaluated in a greenhouse experiment using six U.S. stem rust races (QFCSC, QTHJC, RCRSC, RKQQC, TPMKC and TTTTF) and TTKSK, and adult plant responses to bulked U.S. races were evaluated in a field experiment. A linearization algorithm was used to convert the qualitative Stakman scale seedling infection types for quantitative analysis. Association mapping successfully detected six known stem rust seedling resistance genes in U.S. winter wheat lines with frequencies: Sr6 (12%), Sr24 (9%), Sr31 (15%), Sr36 (9%), Sr38 (19%), and Sr1RSAmigo (8%). Adult plant resistance gene Sr2 was present in 4% of lines. SrTmp was postulated to be present in several hard winter wheat lines, but the frequency could not be accurately determined. Sr38 was the most prevalent Sr gene in both hard and soft winter wheat and was the most effective Sr gene in the adult plant field test. Resistance to TTKSK was associated with nine markers on chromosome 2B that were in linkage disequilibrium and all of the resistance was attributed to the Triticum timopheevii chromosome segment carrying Sr36. Potential novel rust resistance alleles were associated with markers Xwmc326-203 on 3BL, Xgwm160-195 and Xwmc313-225 on 4AL near Sr7, Xgwm495-182 on 4BL, Xwmc622-147 and Xgwm624-146 on 4DL, and Xgwm334-123 on 6AS near Sr8. Xwmc326-203 was associated with adult plant resistance to bulked U.S. races and Xgwm495-182 was associated with seedling resistance to TTKSK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The scaling analysis and design parameters of seventeen integral test facilities were discussed. • The scaling analysis methods and scaling choices were discussed and the suggestions were proposed. • The distribution of test matrix was presented based on statistic results. • The statistical analysis of system codes developed based on the integral test facilities was completed. For the design verification and licensing of newly pressurized water reactors (PWRs), many integral test facilities were conducted. From the above integral test facilities, the obtained experimental results were adopted in the assessment and development of safety analysis codes. In this study, scaling analysis and design parameters of integral test facilities were summarized from the perspective of scaling method, basic scaling choice, equipment design, test matrix and application. The scaling method is the guideline for establishing scaling ratios of integral test facilities and different scaling methods were proposed. With the basic scaling choices of system pressure, geometrical parameters, working medium and equipment material, the design parameters of equipment were discussed. The test matrix and application of different integral test facilities were compared. This work is expected to sum up experience and provide guidance for the design and application of newly integral test facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Cu2+ mainly promoted the TAsp-induced decay rather than the self-decay of oxidants. • Cu2+ increased THMs yield, but decreased HANs yield due to catalytic hydrolysis. • Cu-N and Cu-O coordination promoted the stepwise chlorination process of TAsp. • The effect of Cu2+ was affected by pH, Cu2+ dose, Cl 2 /C ratio and Br− concentration. The chlorination of extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) secreted by biofilm often induces the formation of high-toxic disinfection byproducts (DBPs) in drinking water distribution systems. The protein components in EPS are the main precursors of DBPs, which mostly exist in the form of combined amino acids. The paper aimed to study the action of a pipe corrosion product (Cu2+) on the formation of DBPs (trihalomethanes, THMs; haloacetonitriles, HANs) with aspartic acid tetrapeptide (TAsp) as a precursor. Cu2+ mainly promoted the reaction of oxidants with TAsp (i.e., TAsp-induced decay) to produce DBPs, rather than self-decay of oxidants to generate BrO 3 ‒ and ClO 3 ‒. Cu2+ increased THMs yield, but decreased HANs yield due to the catalytic hydrolysis. Cu2+ was more prone to promote the reaction of TAsp with HOCl than with HOBr, leading to a DBPs shift from brominated to chlorinated species. The chemical characterizations of Cu2+-TAsp complexations demonstrate that Cu2+ combined with TAsp at the N and O sites in both amine and amide groups, and the intermediate identification suggests that Cu2+ enhanced the stepwise chlorination process by promoting the substitution of chlorine and the breakage of C C bonds. The effect of Cu2+ on THMs yield changed from promoting to inhibiting with the increase of pH, while that on HANs yield was inhibiting regardless of pH variation. Additionally, the impact of Cu2+ on the formation of DBPs was also affected by Cu2+ dose, Cl 2 /C ratio and Br− concentration. This study helps to understand the formation of EPS-derived DBPs in water pipes, and provides reference for formulating control strategies during biofilm outbreaks. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural residues (e.g. corn stover (CS)) representing a huge lignocellulosic biomass waste are regarded as a promising renewable resource that can be converted to fuels and chemicals via biochemical route. Nevertheless, the unfavorable properties, such as low bulk density, contamination by microorganisms, fluffy and thereby difficult to handle, cause huge problems for biomass logistics and biomass conversion. Furthermore, traditional biomass pretreatment methods often use severe conditions, consume much energy, difficult to scale up and generate a feedstock with many toxic degradation products that inhibit fermentation. In this study, we developed a novel, low-cost and easy-to-implement pretreatment method: "Densifying Lignocellulosic biomass with acidic Chemicals (DLC)" on CS. The DLC-CS owning a uniform shape showed a bulk density 4 times higher compared to loose CS and was highly resistant to microbial contamination, which greatly facilitates biomass handling, transportation and storage. DLC-CS after regular steam autoclave treatment at 121 ○C exhibited high enzymatic digestibility and much higher fermentability compared to traditional dilute acid pretreatment. An ethanol titer as high as 68.1 g/L was achieved without washing or detoxification of the pretreated biomass. The superior performances of DLC for biomass logistics and biomass conversion render it very promising for industrial use. • A novel lignocellulosic biomass pretreatment method was developed. • This method increased biomass bulk density and prevented microbial contamination. • The pretreated biomass showed high digestibility and high fermentability. • A high ethanol titer (68.1 g/L) was achieved without washing or detoxification. • This method facilitates biomass logistics and greatly reduces pretreatment costs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Six novel N 4-phenylsubstituted-6-(2-pyridin-2-ylethyl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diamines and their N 2-trimethylacetyl substituted analogs were synthesized as receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) inhibitors. A microwave-mediated Sonogashira reaction was used as a key step for the synthesis of these compounds. Biological evaluation, in whole cell assays, showed that some analogs had remarkable inhibitory activity against a variety of RTKs and in particular cytotoxic activity against A431 tumor cells in culture. The inhibitory data against RTKs in this study demonstrated that variation of the 4-anilino substituents of these analogs dictates both potency and specificity of inhibitory activity against various RTKs. The study also supported the hypothesis that interaction of substituents on the 2-amino group with hydrophobic site-II provides an increase in potency. Compound 8 of this series was selected for evaluation in vivo in a B16-F10 syngeneic mouse tumor model and exhibited significant reduction in tumor growth rate, in tumor vascular density and in metastases to the lung compared to the control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Direct and indirect involvement of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in tumor growth and metastasis makes them ideal targets for anticancer therapy. A paradigm shift from inhibition of single RTK to inhibition of multiple RTKs has been recently demonstrated. We designed and synthesized eight N 4-phenylsubstituted-6-(2-phenylethylsubstituted)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diamines as homologated series of our previously published RTK inhibitors. We reasoned that increased flexibility of the side chain, which determines potency and selectivity, would improve the spectrum of RTK inhibition. These compounds were synthesized using a bis-electrophilic cyclization to afford substituted pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidines followed by chlorination and substitution at the 4-position with various anilines. Five additional compounds of this series were previously reported by Gangjee et al. with activities against IGFR only. Their synthesis, characterization and biological activities against a variety of other RTKs are reported in this study for the first time. The biological evaluation, in whole cell assays, showed several analogs had remarkable inhibitory activity against epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR), vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1), platelet-derived growth factor receptor-β (PDGFR-β), the growth of A431 cells in culture, and in the chicken embryo chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) angiogenesis assay. The inhibitory data against the RTKs in this study demonstrate that variation of the 6-ethylaryl substituents as well as the N 4-phenyl substituents of these analogs does indeed control both the potency and specificity of inhibitory activity against RTKs. In addition, homologation of the chain length of the 6-substituent from a methylene to an ethyl increases the spectrum of RTK inhibition. New multi-RTK inhibitors (8, 12) and potent inhibitors of angiogenesis (15, 19) were identified with the best compound, N 4-(3-trifluromethylphenyl)-6-(2-phenylethyl)-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-diamine (15), with an IC50 value of 30nM in the CAM angiogenesis inhibition assay. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Crop improvement and the dissection of complex genetic traits require germplasm diversity. Although this necessary phenotypic variability exists in diverse maize, most research is conducted using a small subset of inbred lines. An association population of 302 lines is now available – a valuable research tool that captures a large proportion of the alleles in cultivated maize. Provided that appropriate statistical models correcting for population structure are included, this tool can be used in association analyses to provide high-resolution evaluation of multiple alleles. This study describes the population structure of the 302 lines, and investigates the relationship between population structure and various measures of phenotypic and breeding value. On average, our estimates of population structure account for 9.3% of phenotypic variation, roughly equivalent to a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), with a high of 35%. Inclusion of population structure in association models is critical to meaningful analyses. This new association population has the potential to identify QTL with small effects, which will aid in dissecting complex traits and in planning future projects to exploit the rich diversity present in maize. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from various industrial processes are extremely harmful pollutants. They are involved in the formation of ozone, photochemical smog, and fine particles (PM 2.5) in the atmosphere, which pose considerable threat to human healthy and ecosystem safety. The hybrid plasma-catalytic technology that uses non-thermal plasma (NTP) and catalysts is an efficient method for VOC abatement. This review provides a comprehensive insight into the removal of VOCs with this technology. First, the synergistic effects and mechanisms of NTP and catalysts are discussed. Then, the properties of the catalysts, including types, positions, and other parameters, are explored. Specific examples of VOCs abated using the NTP-catalyst technology are reviewed, along with the main types and the causes of by-products. Several methods, such as the optimization of process parameters and the utilization of end control, are considered efficient for the regulation of product formations. Finally, future perspectives on the applications of this hybrid technology are briefly discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) is widely used. However, no study evaluated TEAS on systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) of patients after percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL). The study was to evaluate TEAS on SIRS of patients after PCNL. Methods. 67 patients were enrolled and divided into group TEAS and group sham TEAS. Data were collected from 60 participants finally. In the study, TEAS or sham TEAS on bilateral Shenshu (BL23), Yinlingquan (SP9), Hegu (LI4), and Neiguan (PC6) was performed continuously throughout the procedure. The primary outcome included the incidence of systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) within 48 h after surgery. The secondary outcomes included the serum levels of inflammatory cytokines, hemodynamics changes, complications, and hospital stay after surgery. The serum levels of tumor necrosis factor- (TNF-) α and interleukin- (IL-) 6, mean arterial pressure (MAP), and heart rate (HR) at 30 min before anesthesia (T0), the time after surgery (T1), 24 h postoperation (T2), and 48 h postoperation (T3) were recorded. The consumption of analgesic during surgery was also recorded, as well as the complications and duration of hospital stay after PCNL. Results. The incidence of SIRS in group TEAS was lower than group sham TEAS (30% vs. 6.67%, p = 0.023). Compared with the sham TEAS group, both levels of TNF-α and IL-6 at T1, T2, and T3 were lower in the TEAS group (p < 0.05). The levels of MAP and HR in sham TEAS at T1, T2, and T3 were markedly higher than that in the TEAS group (p < 0.05). The total consumption of propofol and remifentanil during surgery in group TEAS was lower than that in the sham TEAS group. The incidence of hypotension, hypertension, emergence agitation, and postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV) was also lower in group TEAS after PCNL (p < 0.05). Conclusions. TEAS could effectively reduce the incidence of SIRS and inflammatory cytokines for patients who underwent PCNL. In addition, TEAS helped to maintain the hemodynamic stability and cut down the consumption of analgesics during PCNL, reducing the complications after PCNL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]