DNA folding and melting observed in real time redefine the energy landscape

We report real-time observations of the folding and melting of DNA by probing two active sites of a hairpin structure, the bases and the stem end, and using an ultrafast T-jump. Studies at different initial temperatures (before, during, and after melting) provide the time scale of water heating (<20 ps), single-strand destacking (700 ps to 2 ns), and hairpin destacking (microseconds and longer) in solutions of various ionic strengths and pH values. The behavior of transient changes gives direct evidence to the existence of intermediate collapsed structures, labile in destacking but compact in nature, and indicates that melting is not a two-state process. We propose a landscape that is defined by these nucleation structures and destacking for efficient folding and melting

Mathematical evaluation of the influence of multiple factors on implant stability quotient values in clinical practice: a retrospective study

Objectives: The objective of this study is to mathematically evaluate the influence of multiple factors on implant stability quotient values in clinical practice. Patients and methods: Resonance frequency analysis was performed at T1 (measured immediately at the time of implant placement) and at T2 (measured before dental restoration) in 177 patients (329 implants). Using a multivariate linear regression model, we analyzed the influence of the following eleven candidate factors: sex, age, maxillary/mandibular location, bone type, immediate/delayed implantation, bone grafting (presence or absence), insertion torque, I-/II-stage healing pattern, implant diameter, implant length, and T1-T2 time interval. Results: The following factors were identified to significantly influence the implant stability quotient (ISQ) values at T1: insertion torque, bone grafting, I-/II-stage healing pattern, immediate/delayed implantation, maxillary/mandibular location, implant diameter, and sex. In contrast, the ISQ values at T2 were significantly influenced only by three factors: implant diameter, T1-T2 time interval, and insertion torque. Conclusion: Among the eleven candidate factors, seven key factors were found to influence the T1-ISQ values, while only three key factors influenced the T2-ISQ values. Both T1 and T2-ISQ values were found to be influenced by implant diameter and insertion torque. T1 was influenced specifically by the sex of the patient, the location (maxillary or mandibular), the implantation mode (immediate/delayed implantation), the healing stage, and the absence or presence of bone graft materials

The diverse roles of cytokinins in regulating leaf development

Leaves provide energy for plants, and consequently for animals, through photosynthesis. Despite their important functions, plant leaf developmental processes and their underlying mechanisms have not been well characterized. Here, we provide a holistic description of leaf developmental processes that is centered on cytokinins and their signaling functions. Cytokinins maintain the growth potential (pluripotency) of shoot apical meristems, which provide stem cells for the generation of leaf primordia during the initial stage of leaf formation; cytokinins and auxins, as well as their interaction, determine the phyllotaxis pattern. The activities of cytokinins in various regions of the leaf, especially at the margins, collectively determine the final leaf morphology (e.g., simple or compound). The area of a leaf is generally determined by the number and size of the cells in the leaf. Cytokinins promote cell division and increase cell expansion during the proliferation and expansion stages of leaf cell development, respectively. During leaf senescence, cytokinins reduce sugar accumulation, increase chlorophyll synthesis, and prolong the leaf photosynthetic period. We also briefly describe the roles of other hormones, including auxin and ethylene, during the whole leaf developmental process. In this study, we review the regulatory roles of cytokinins in various leaf developmental stages, with a focus on cytokinin metabolism and signal transduction processes, in order to shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying leaf development

A systems biology approach identifies a regulator, BplERF1, of cold tolerance in Betula platyphylla

Cold is an abiotic stress that can greatly affect the growth and survival of plants. Here, we reported that an AP2/ERF family gene, BplERF1, isolated from Betula platyphylla played a contributing role in cold stress tolerance. Overexpression of BplERF1 in B. platyphylla transgenic lines enhanced cold stress tolerance by increasing the scavenging capability and reducing H2O2 and malondialdehyde (MDA) content in transgenic plants. Construction of BplERF-mediated multilayered hierarchical gene regulatory network (ML-hGRN), using Top-down GGM algorithm and the transcriptomic data of BplERF1 overexpression lines, led to the identification of five candidate target genes of BplERF1 which include MPK20, ERF9, WRKY53, WRKY70, and GIA1. All of them were then verified to be the true target genes of BplERF1 by chromatin-immunoprecipitation PCR (ChIP-PCR) assay. Our results indicate that BplERF1 is a positive regulator of cold tolerance and is capable of exerting regulation on the expression of cold signaling and regulatory genes, causing mitigation of reactive oxygen species

The Motivation Theory of Life-Span Development and Its Implications for Career Education

Based on the Selective Optimization with Compensation (SOC) and control model, the Motivational Theory of Life-Span Development (MTLSD) proposes adaptive development criteria and objectives. It asserts that the pursuit of perpetual development is the primary control and that the life cycle is an action field with an opportunity and constraint structure of time organization. Opportunity is a process characterized by the change processes of escalating and waning and by the adaptation consistency processes of goal participation and goal separation. The MTLSD has endeavored to elucidate how people actively promote their own personal lifelong development throughout its entirety. This provides illumination for China’s career education. The importance of individual initiative in career development, the process of opportunity in the continuity of career education, the difference of career education in different career (major) life cycles, and the fairness of career education during the transitional period of social mobility (opportunity) must be emphasized

The Construction of Career Education in Senior High School under the Field Perspective

In the deep-seated transformation of senior high school education catalysed by the reform of the college entrance examination, the function of career education in senior high school has garnered attention. This paper examines career education in senior high school through the lens of Bourdieu's theory of the field. It is not only significant for theoretical reconstruction but also for re-understanding of methodology. It highlights the necessity of viewing the propelling role of capital and power, particularly cultural capital, from a relational perspective within its structural context. In addition, the process is examined in terms of the significance of the distinct habits that shaped its construction and practical logic. The career field in senior high school emphasize ‘value leadership’ and ‘personal growth’, moulding field habits through the interplay of relationships within the field and interactions with other fields, such as the ‘college field’ and the ‘workplace field’. This interaction contributes to the development of field behaviours and stimulates the psychological field's growth and transformation. It aids actors in generating their patterns of practice, thereby attaining the dual objectives of intellectual and social construction and development

Environmental Factors Influencing the Durability of Concrete Structures in Maine Environments

Concrete structures built in marine environment may suffer serious durability problems. Focusing on the reaction between concrete materials and environmental conditions on structural durability, the coefficients of environmental temperature and chloride content are established. Referring to only experimental data tested following the procedure similar to the regulations in NT Build 443(Concrete, Hardened: Accelerated Chloride Penetration) of North Europe, the relationship between D28 and water/binder ratio, which are converted into equivalent values of a standard reference environmental condition at 20ºC and a concentration of 165 g ± 1 g NaCl per dm3 solution, using the established formula of coefficients of environmental temperature and chloride content, is presented. The converted results of different environmental conditions at laboratory and natural environment have a good agreement with each other, which indicates that the coefficients of environmental temperature and chloride content are reasonably determined. The ratio of wetting time per-period defined as the time proportion of concrete in wet conditions to the whole time period can be used to describe the dry-wet conditions in concrete. Analysis on the in-situ detected results shows that the penetration of chloride, the accumulation of surface chloride concentration and the decay of chloride diffusion coefficient are all related to the ratio of wetting time per-period. Subsequently, the formula of apparent chloride diffusion coefficient is proposed with consideration of surrounding temperature, sodium chloride solution concentration, age factor and altitude

Growth-regulating factor 5 (GRF5)-mediated gene regulatory network promotes leaf growth and expansion in poplar

Although polyploid plants have larger leaves than their diploid counterparts, the molecular mechanisms underlying this difference (or trait) remain elusive. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between triploid and full-sib diploid poplar trees were identified from two transcriptomic data sets followed by a gene association study among DEGs to identify key leaf growth regulators. Yeast one-hybrid system, electrophoretic mobility shift assay, and dual-luciferase assay were employed to substantiate that PpnGRF5-1 directly regulated PpnCKX1. The interactions between PpnGRF5-1 and growth-regulating factor (GRF)-interacting factors (GIFs) were experimentally validated and a multilayered hierarchical regulatory network (ML-hGRN)-mediated by PpnGRF5-1 was constructed with top-down graphic Gaussian model (GGM) algorithm by combining RNA-sequencing data from its overexpression lines and DAP-sequencing data. PpnGRF5-1 is a negative regulator of PpnCKX1. Overexpression of PpnGRF5-1 in diploid transgenic lines resulted in larger leaves resembling those of triploids, and significantly increased zeatin and isopentenyladenine in the apical buds and third leaves. PpnGRF5-1 also interacted with GIFs to increase its regulatory diversity and capacity. An ML-hGRN-mediated by PpnGRF5-1 was obtained and could largely elucidate larger leaves. PpnGRF5-1 and the ML-hGRN-mediated by PpnGRF5-1 were underlying the leaf growth and development

Recent research progress on imbibition system of nanoparticle-surfactant dispersions

Nanotechnology has been increasingly applied in the petroleum industry in recent years. In particular, dispersions consisting of nanoparticles and surfactants have been widely investigated. The imbibition system compounded by nanoparticle and surfactant was found to display a high efficiency in enhancing oil recovery. This paper briefly reviews the factors influencing imbibition efficiency. At the same time, the application and mechanism of the imbibition system of nanoparticle-surfactant dispersion in the field of enhanced oil recovery are introduced. Additionally, the limitations and challenges that the imbibition system of nanoparticle-surfactant dispersions may face in enhanced oil recovery applications are put forward. The current work reveals that the imbibition system with nanoparticle-surfactant dispersion is an ideal candidate for enhanced oil recovery in tight and low-permeability reservoirs.Document Type: Invited reviewCited as: Shao, W., Yang, J., Wang, H., Chang, J., Wu, H., Hou, J. Recent research progress on imbibition system of nanoparticle-surfactant dispersions. Capillarity, 2023, 8(2): 34-44. https://doi.org/10.46690/capi.2023.08.0