Identifying Functional Genes Influencing Gossypium hirsutum Fiber Quality

Fiber quality is an important economic index and a major breeding goal in cotton, but direct phenotypic selection is often hindered due to environmental influences and linkage with yield traits. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) is a powerful tool to identify genes associated with phenotypic traits. In this study, we identified fiber quality genes in upland cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) using GWAS based on a high-density CottonSNP80K array and multiple environment tests. A total of 30 and 23 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with five fiber quality traits were identified across the 408 cotton accessions in six environments and the best linear unbiased predictions, respectively. Among these SNPs, seven loci were the same, and 128 candidate genes were predicted in a 1-Mb region (±500 kb of the peak SNP). Furthermore, two major genome regions (GR1 and GR2) associated with multiple fiber qualities in multiple environments on chromosomes A07 and A13 were identified, and within them, 22 candidate genes were annotated. Of these, 11 genes were expressed [log2(1 + FPKM)>1] in the fiber development stages (5, 10, 20, and 25 dpa) using RNA-Seq. This study provides fundamental insight relevant to identification of genes associated with fiber quality and will accelerate future efforts toward improving fiber quality of upland cotton

Substantial transition to clean household energy mix in rural China

The household energy mix has significant impacts on human health and climate, as it contributes greatly to many health- and climate-relevant air pollutants. Compared to the well-established urban energy statistical system, the rural household energy statistical system is incomplete and is often associated with high biases. Via a nationwide investigation, this study revealed high contributions to energy supply from coal and biomass fuels in the rural household energy sector, while electricity comprised ∼20%. Stacking (the use of multiple sources of energy) is significant, and the average number of energy types was 2.8 per household. Compared to 2012, the consumption of biomass and coals in 2017 decreased by 45% and 12%, respectively, while the gas consumption amount increased by 204%. Increased gas and decreased coal consumptions were mainly in cooking, while decreased biomass was in both cooking (41%) and heating (59%). The time-sharing fraction of electricity and gases (E&G) for daily cooking grew, reaching 69% in 2017, but for space heating, traditional solid fuels were still dominant, with the national average shared fraction of E&G being only 20%. The non-uniform spatial distribution and the non-linear increase in the fraction of E&G indicated challenges to achieving universal access to modern cooking energy by 2030, particularly in less-developed rural and mountainous areas. In some non-typical heating zones, the increased share of E&G for heating was significant and largely driven by income growth, but in typical heating zones, the time-sharing fraction was <5% and was not significantly increased, except in areas with policy intervention. The intervention policy not only led to dramatic increases in the clean energy fraction for heating but also accelerated the clean cooking transition. Higher income, higher education, younger age, less energy/stove stacking and smaller family size positively impacted the clean energy transition

Impacts of Certain Meteorological Factors on Atmospheric NO2 Concentrations during COVID-19 Lockdown in 2020 in Wuhan, China

The concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the air is one of the important indexes for evaluating air quality. At the beginning of 2020, a COVID-19 outbreak suddenly hit Wuhan, China. To effectively control the epidemic, Wuhan was put under a 76-day lockdown, during which we collected tropospheric column amounts in the atmosphere and NO2 concentrations measured at ground monitoring stations, and we reviewed the ground NO2 concentrations in 2019 and the tropospheric NO2 concentrations between 2012 and 2019. Using the random forest (RF) model, we predicted the impact of the tropospheric NO2 concentration during the lockdown period without the occurrence of the COVID-19 epidemic and analyzed the impact of multiple certain meteorological factors on tropospheric and ground NO2 concentrations. The results showed that the tropospheric and ground NO2 concentrations were reduced by 11.04~53.36% and 21.96~65.04%, respectively. The main factors affecting the tropospheric NO2 concentration were wind velocity, land surface temperature, surface lifted index, precipitable water volume and tropospheric relative humanity. The main factors affecting the ground NO2 concentration were tropospheric relative humanity, surface lifted index, land surface temperature and tropospheric temperature. The development of different emission reduction and control measures under different meteorological conditions and the formulation of more refined policies will play positive roles in improving the efficiency of air pollution control

Aerosol Analysis of China’s Fenwei Plain from 2012 to 2020 Based on OMI Satellite Data

The Fenwei Plain plays an essential role for China’s three-year action plan to protect the air environment. At present, the high-value area and maximum value of atmospheric aerosol have been effectively controlled, but the governance situation is not stable. Therefore, based on the daily ultraviolet aerosol index (UVAI) data retrieved by Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) from 2012 to 2020, combined with precipitation and temperature and air pressure and lifting index data, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and some influencing factors of UVAI in the Fenwei Plain. The results show that the overall trend of the annual average UVAI value of the Fenwei Plain in 9 years showed two “peaks” in 2013 and 2018, respectively. The high UVAI values are mainly concentrated in the southwest and central areas of the Fenwei Plain. In the study area, UVAI was highest in winter, followed by autumn and spring, and lowest in summer. There were significant negative correlations between precipitation and UVAI and between temperature and UVAI. There were significant positive correlations between air pressure and UVAI and between lifting index and UVAI. According to the backward trajectory clustering results, during the autumn and winter seasons in this area, due to the sand and dust brought by the northwest and the input of aerosols in the coal-producing area and coal-fired heating area, the UVAI value of this time period is higher

Aerosol Analysis of China&rsquo;s Fenwei Plain from 2012 to 2020 Based on OMI Satellite Data

The Fenwei Plain plays an essential role for China&rsquo;s three-year action plan to protect the air environment. At present, the high-value area and maximum value of atmospheric aerosol have been effectively controlled, but the governance situation is not stable. Therefore, based on the daily ultraviolet aerosol index (UVAI) data retrieved by Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) from 2012 to 2020, combined with precipitation and temperature and air pressure and lifting index data, this paper analyzes the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics and some influencing factors of UVAI in the Fenwei Plain. The results show that the overall trend of the annual average UVAI value of the Fenwei Plain in 9 years showed two &ldquo;peaks&rdquo; in 2013 and 2018, respectively. The high UVAI values are mainly concentrated in the southwest and central areas of the Fenwei Plain. In the study area, UVAI was highest in winter, followed by autumn and spring, and lowest in summer. There were significant negative correlations between precipitation and UVAI and between temperature and UVAI. There were significant positive correlations between air pressure and UVAI and between lifting index and UVAI. According to the backward trajectory clustering results, during the autumn and winter seasons in this area, due to the sand and dust brought by the northwest and the input of aerosols in the coal-producing area and coal-fired heating area, the UVAI value of this time period is higher

Direct observation and structural investigation of galactomannans by transmission electron microscope

313-316Galactomannans isolated from the seeds of Ceratonia siliqua, Itelicise tetragonoloba and Sophora japonica have been studied directly by transmission electron microscope and the fine structures of these galactomannans investigated. Although all the three types of galactomannans are linear, they can be distinguished from one another easily under transmission electron microscope. The results indicate that the fine structures of galactomannans vary with their origin. Generally, galactomannan from guar is non block-type, their α--galactose side-chains are disposed basically regular; but not unifonnly. Unlike guar gum, the galactomannans from sophora bean gum and locust bean gum have block-type dispositions which are composed of alternately distributed smooth zone and hair zone but the smooth zone of locust bean gum is longer than that sophora bean gum

A Characteristic Analysis of Various Air Pollutants and Their Correlation with O3 in the Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui Provinces of China

Using a series of characteristic analyses of HCHO, SO2, NO2, O3, and absorptive aerosols (ultraviolet aerosol index&mdash;UVAI) in the atmosphere of the study area from 2011 to 2021, this paper reviews the pollutants present in Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui provinces, which are the key regions for air pollution control in China. Furthermore, the correlation between various air pollutants and O3 is also examined. The results obtained show the following: (1) Within the research areas, temporal pollutant variations can be observed from 2011 to 2021. NO2 and HCHO only modestly decrease, SO2 sharply declines, while UVAI remains stable. During the study period, HCHO and O3 first increase and subsequently decline, whereas the other three pollutants exhibit the opposite behavior. (2) Among the examined pollutants, SO2 is the most unstable. (3) Our research discovered that the atmospheric transport paths at high-value points significantly vary between seasons using the public backward trajectory model. (4) Through the correlation analysis we performed, this research reveals the different degrees of spatial correlations between O3 and other pollutants. (5) Using the FNR index method, the sensitivity of O3 to its precursors (NOx and VOCs) is investigated. Based on the results, we provide some suggestions concerning the primary control pollutants and relative control strategies in different seasons and regions

A Characteristic Analysis of Various Air Pollutants and Their Correlation with O₃ in the Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui Provinces of China

Using a series of characteristic analyses of HCHO, SO2, NO2, O3, and absorptive aerosols (ultraviolet aerosol index—UVAI) in the atmosphere of the study area from 2011 to 2021, this paper reviews the pollutants present in Jiangsu, Shandong, Henan, and Anhui provinces, which are the key regions for air pollution control in China. Furthermore, the correlation between various air pollutants and O3 is also examined. The results obtained show the following: (1) Within the research areas, temporal pollutant variations can be observed from 2011 to 2021. NO2 and HCHO only modestly decrease, SO2 sharply declines, while UVAI remains stable. During the study period, HCHO and O3 first increase and subsequently decline, whereas the other three pollutants exhibit the opposite behavior. (2) Among the examined pollutants, SO2 is the most unstable. (3) Our research discovered that the atmospheric transport paths at high-value points significantly vary between seasons using the public backward trajectory model. (4) Through the correlation analysis we performed, this research reveals the different degrees of spatial correlations between O3 and other pollutants. (5) Using the FNR index method, the sensitivity of O3 to its precursors (NOx and VOCs) is investigated. Based on the results, we provide some suggestions concerning the primary control pollutants and relative control strategies in different seasons and regions

Rice-derived peptide AAGALPS inhibits TNF-α-induced inflammation and oxidative stress in vascular endothelial cells

Injury of vascular endothelial cell is one of the main factors triggering atherosclerosis. Peptide AAGALPS was derived from digestion and absorption product of rice α-globulin, which was proved to prevent atherosclerosis in previous study. This study aims to investigate the potential effects of AAGALPS on improving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-stimulated human umbilical vein endothelial cells’ (HUVECs) injury. As a result, the viability of HUVECs stimulated by tumor necrosis factor-α was significantly increased by AAGALPS in a dose-dependent manner until 25 μg/ml. The peptide obviously reduced the levels of intercellular adhesion molecule-1, vascular cell adhesion molecule-1, nitric oxide, inducible nitric oxide synthase, reactive oxygen species, and malondialdehyde and increased the concentrations of glutathione peroxidase. Furthermore, AAGALPS inhibited the nuclear factor κB (NF-κB) activation and nuclear translocation through regulating inhibitor of nuclear factor κB kinase α and inhibitor of NF-κB. These results indicated that AAGALPS protected vascular endothelial cells through mediating inflammation and oxidative stress