Search Results (1,042)

Cultivated lettuce (Lactuca sativa L.) is a major leafy crop and an emerging model for functional genomics within the Asteraceae family, supported by high-quality reference genomes and efficient transformation systems. Although CRISPR/Cas technology offers powerful opportunities for crop improvement, editing efficiency depends on optimized construct architecture and reliable guide RNA (gRNA) validation. However, a rapid platform for evaluating CRISPR reagents in lettuce is still lacking. Here, we developed an efficient hairyroot-based system to accelerate CRISPR/Cas genome editing optimization in L. sativa. Four Agrobacterium rhizogenes strains were compared for hairy root induction in two cultivars, ‘Saladin’ and ‘Osiride’, identifying strain ATCC15834 as the most effective based on transformation frequency and root production. Using this platform, we evaluated multiple CRISPR construct configurations, including alternative promoters for nuclease and gRNA expression. A plant-derived promoter combined with At-pU6-26 variant significantly improved editing efficiency. As a proof of concept, we targeted LsHB2, the putative ortholog of Arabidopsis thaliana ATHB2, a key regulator of the shade avoidance response using SpCas9, SaCas9, and LbCas12a nucleases. The system enabled rapid genotyping and quantitative indel profiling. Overall, this workflow provides a robust framework for efficient guide selection and construct optimization in lettuce genome editing. Full article

Sulfated peptides, such as PSK, PSY, CIF, and RGF, are crucial regulators of plant growth, development, and stress responses, with their activity dependent on post-translational tyrosine sulfation by tyrosylprotein sulfotransferase (TPST). This study explores the evolutionary history and the interaction mechanisms between TPST and sulfated peptides in plants. Systematic analyses of multi-species genomes show that TPST can be traced back to the chlorophyte lineage, whereas PSK, a sulfated peptide, appears to have emerged in gymnosperms. TPST is evolutionarily conserved, typically present in low copy numbers across plant lineages, while its peptide substrates have expanded in angiosperms. In Liriodendron chinense, TPST-sulfated peptide gene promoters are enriched with cis-regulatory elements linked to abscisic acid, gibberellin responsiveness, and anaerobic induction. Synteny analyses revealed collinearity between sulfated peptide genes in L. chinense, Magnolia biondii, Arabidopsis thaliana, and Populus trichocarpa, but not with Oryza sativa. Molecular docking identified key TPST-PSK interaction sites in the sulfotransferase domain, with several critical residues facilitating binding. Transcriptomic and co-expression network analyses revealed that LcTPST was expressed at lower levels than its peptide precursor genes, while LcPSK2 remained highly expressed after the torpedo stage of somatic embryogenesis. Stress conditions significantly increased PSK-associated module connectivity, enriched in transcription factors such as WRKY, bHLH, bZIP, and MADS. This study provides insights into the evolutionary, structural, and regulatory aspects of the TPST-sulfated peptide system in plants. Full article

Ambient fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with increased mortality at concentrations below current regulatory standards. Studies of low-level exposure often rely on large administrative cohorts whose geographic and demographic composition may influence observed associations. In a prior analysis, we observed an association between long-term PM2.5 and all-cause mortality among Native American Medicare beneficiaries living in zip codes within the lowest decile of PM2.5 exposure. The present study, a case–control analysis of 1,713,399 low-PM2.5-exposed beneficiaries enrolled in traditional Medicare during 2015–2016, evaluated whether this association could be explained by geographic context, socioeconomic position (SEP), or baseline health status. We used principal components analysis to summarize area-level SEP indicators and beneficiary-level chronic disease diagnoses. In fully adjusted pooled models, PM2.5 was more strongly associated with mortality among Native American beneficiaries (odds ratio, OR = 1.12 per ug/m³; 95% CI 1.06–1.18) than among non-Native American beneficiaries (OR = 1.01 per ug/m³; 95% CI 1.001–1.02). Sequential adjustment among Native Americans showed that state-level geographic clustering accounted for most attenuation of the PM2.5 coefficient, with additional modest attenuation after adjustment for SEP and chronic disease patterns. These findings suggest that PM2.5–mortality associations observed in low-exposure populations may partly reflect geographic composition and underlying health differences within these large cohorts. Full article

Rail trespassing remains a persistent safety challenge at the system level in the United States, with a 24% increase in incidents within the last decade (2016–2025). Identifying hotspots proactively is difficult due to limited incident data and strong spatial dependencies within the built environment. This study thus creates a ZIP-code–level geospatial analytics framework to identify current and emerging trespassing hotspots across North Carolina by combining land-use composition, rail exposure metrics, and historical Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) trespassing records. Geospatial layers were integrated within a GIS workflow to derive attributes such as rail miles, grade crossings, population density, and land-use types. Exploratory spatial analysis showed significant clustering of trespassing incidents, with Global Moran’s I indicating positive spatial autocorrelation across multiple neighborhood sizes. Permutation z-scores confirmed non-random hotspot formation along major rail corridors. A k-means clustering method also identified four structural risk environments, and a Composite Risk Index (CRI) was developed from weighted, standardized exposure and land-use variables to quantify latent risk, independent of raw casualty counts. Results indicate that clusters characterized by higher rail infrastructure exposure and mixed land-use environments exhibit the highest CRI values and elevated hotspot probabilities. In contrast, clusters with limited rail infrastructure, including predominantly commercial and rural ZIP codes, show substantially lower risk levels. The findings highlight that trespassing risk is more strongly associated with structural exposure conditions than with isolated historical incident counts. The resulting risk surfaces and hotspots provide an interpretable and scalable framework for statewide safety planning, early hotspot detection, and targeted interventions by transportation agencies. Full article

Zygomatic implant perforated (ZIP) flap reconstruction offers immediate surgical rehabilitation following maxillectomy, integrating oncologic zygomatic implants with a fascio-cutaneous free flap. A critical technical challenge is safely perforating the free flap skin paddle to accommodate implants’ abutments without damaging its vasculature. Near-infrared (NIR) vein visualization technology provides real-time mapping of subcutaneous vessels and has been widely investigated in settings such as pediatric intravenous (IV) cannulation. By projecting vein pathways onto the skin, NIR visualization facilitates precise vascular identification, potentially reducing complications. We describe a case of ZIP flap reconstruction in a 25-year-old patient utilizing NIR vein visualization to preemptively locate flap vasculature and minimize the risk of vessel puncture. Our discussion places these findings within the context of the existing literature on NIR devices, underscoring their benefits of non-invasive operation, rapid imaging, and minimal need for advanced operator skills, and highlighting their utility in microvascular reconstructive surgery. Full article

The increasing penetration of low-inertia renewable energy sources and distributed generation has significantly reduced system inertia, making frequency stability a critical challenge in modern power systems. Traditional Under-Frequency Load Shedding (UFLS) schemes often fail to adapt to varying operating conditions and load behaviors, leading to either insufficient or excessive disconnections. This paper presents an optimization-based UFLS scheme that integrates dynamic simulations in DIgSILENT PowerFactory with Python programming through the Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) algorithm. The proposed methodology optimizes key UFLS parameters—frequency thresholds, intentional delays, and load-shedding percentages—under different ZIP load model configurations (constant power, constant current, and constant impedance). Simulation results on the IEEE 39-bus test system demonstrate that the type of load model has a significant impact on frequency recovery performance and the total amount of load shed. The constant power model achieved system stability with the lowest load disconnection, whereas the constant impedance model required a greater amount of shedding to restore nominal frequency. The results validate the effectiveness of the proposed optimization tool and highlight the importance of considering load characteristics in UFLS design to enhance operational reliability and resilience in modern power systems. Full article

Introduction: Food insecurity (FI) is a social driver that profoundly affects the health of children. Nutritional optimization is essential in patients with congenital heart disease (CHD). Material and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional survey screening for FI among patients aged 0–21 years at an outpatient pediatric cardiology clinic between September 2023 and December 2024. Sociodemographic and clinical data from encounters were collected, and diagnostic codes were used to classify CHD severity. The zip code-level median household income was determined using data from the U.S. Census. The Childhood Opportunity Index categorization was used to determine neighborhood-level resources. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were used to assess sociodemographic associations with FI. Results: There were 955 encounters with completed FI screening. Positive screens were demonstrated in 200 surveys (20.9%). Compared to English-speaking White families, those with FI were more likely to be of Hispanic ethnicity (66% vs. 45.2%) and primarily speak Spanish (42.5% vs. 15.0%). Families with FI also lived in areas with lower median household income and fewer available resources. In multivariable analysis, after adjusting for ethnicity, income, and neighborhood-level resource availability, Spanish primary language was the only independent risk factor associated with FI (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.7–4.2, p < 0.0001). There were no differences in FI status by CHD severity. Conclusions: FI was highly prevalent in this cohort and was associated with low-income and low-resource neighborhoods, Hispanic ethnicity, and a Spanish primary language. These results may have implications for targeting future FI interventions. Full article

Drought stress severely limits plant growth and productivity, yet the molecular basis of drought tolerance and post-drought recovery remains incompletely understood in many forage legumes. Medicago ruthenica is a perennial legume native to arid and cold regions and exhibits strong drought resilience. Results: We integrated key physiological traits related to stomatal regulation, photosynthesis, osmotic adjustment and antioxidant defense with RNA-seq across four stages (well-watered control, CK; drought for 9 days, D9; drought for 12 days, D12; and rewatering for 4 days, RW). Drought triggered stage-dependent physiological shifts, and transcriptome profiling identified >3000 drought- and rewatering-responsive genes enriched in primary metabolism, redox homeostasis and hormone signaling. WGCNA highlighted two drought-associated modules (MEcyan and MEcoral1) and prioritized three hub transcription factors for functional validation: 861 (AP2/ERF), 22 (WRKY) and 89 (bZIP). Overexpression of each gene in tobacco improved drought tolerance, as indicated by enhanced growth/root traits, increased osmolyte accumulation and antioxidant enzyme activities, and reduced membrane damage. Conclusions: Together, these results provide an integrated view of drought stress response and recovery in M. ruthenica and identify 861, 22 and 89 as candidate regulatory genes for engineering drought resilience in legumes. Full article

We assess associations between emergency room (ER) visits, scaled to per 10⁵ population per year, for asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), two of the most common respiratory diseases, and zip code-level exposure to criteria air pollutants (CAPs) coming from point sources in New York State (NYS) from 2010 to 2018. Exposure data on point source CAPs were retrieved from the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) National Emission Inventory (NEI) database, and ER visits for asthma and COPD were acquired from the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH) Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS). To account for within-county variability, we used log-linear mixed effects models, adjusted for year, sex, age category, county-level poverty, smoking, PM_2.5, volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and CAPs sources within the study period. Results show significant associations between ER visits for asthma and COPD and most of the pollutants in the study, even after adjusting for the effects of poverty and smoking. Although point source emissions comprise a small portion of total air pollution, our findings show that zip code-level point source CAPs, especially the gaseous pollutants, pose a modest but significant contribution to the risk of respiratory disease-related ER visits. Full article

Apostichopus japonicus undergoes evisceration in response to adverse environmental stimuli, and its coelomocytes undergo rapid regeneration within 6–24 h to restore innate immune function. FOS, an immediate early gene, regulates cell proliferation and cycle, but its role in A. japonicus coelomocyte regeneration after evisceration is unclear. In this study, AjFOSL from A. japonicus was cloned, which harbors a 609 bp open reading frame (ORF) encoding 202 amino acids (aa) with a conserved bZIP domain and is localized on chromosome 14. It shares 58% homology with FOS from Holothuria leucospilota and Lytechinus pictus. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that AjFOSL clusters closely with FOS from Magallana gigas and Mytilus edulis. Tissue distribution analysis showed that AjFOSL was widely expressed in various tissues, with the highest expression level detected in the tentacles. Temporal expression profiling demonstrated that AjFOSL was significantly upregulated by 1.75-fold at 6 h after evisceration. After AjFOSL knockdown, the peak expression of Cyclin A, Cyclin B, and E2F was delayed and the coelomocyte number was consistently reduced compared with that in the evisceration-only group. The AjFOSL acted as an immediate early response gene and was associated with the regulation of coelomocyte regeneration by modulating the expression of cell cycle-related genes. This study provides novel insights into the molecular associations underlying coelomocyte regeneration and the evolutionary adaptation of FOS genes in echinoderms. Full article

It is estimated that at least 16.1% of croplands in China are polluted with heavy metals, and cadmium (Cd) is a typical toxic element inhibiting plant growth. Sorghum bicolor × S. sudanense, a C4 plant with high biomass and stress tolerance, has potential for phytoremediation, but its Cd tolerance mechanism remains unclear. In this study, physiological and transcriptomic responses of Cd-tolerant (S6) and sensitive (2190A/201900131) cultivars were analyzed under 25 mg/L Cd stress. The results showed that S6 exhibited milder phenotypic inhibition (leaf yellowing, growth retardation) than the sensitive cultivar. Cd was mainly accumulated in roots (S6: 4988.37 mg/kg; sensitive: 7030.06 mg/kg at 7 d), with S6 having a lower translocation factor. Physiologically, S6 maintained higher chlorophyll content, stable photosynthetic efficiency (Fv/Fm, PI), and lower malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation, while antioxidant enzyme (SOD, CAT, APX) genes were significantly upregulated. Transcriptomic analysis identified 47,797 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), enriched in glutathione metabolism, ABC transporter-mediated transport, metal chelation, and antioxidant defense pathways. Genes related to cell wall biosynthesis, metal transporters (ZIP, HMA), and transcription factors (MYB, WRKY) were synergistically upregulated in S6, enhancing Cd sequestration and detoxification. These findings clarify the physiological and molecular mechanisms of Cd tolerance in Sorghum bicolor × S. sudanense, providing a basis for its application in Cd-contaminated soil phytoremediation. Full article

Drought stress is a significant environmental factor affecting plant growth, fruit quality and distribution. Wild jujube is an important species of eco-economic forest tree. In this study, two wild jujube families, ‘NO. 1’ (tolerant) and ‘NO. 5’ (sensitive), which show significant differences in morphological and physiological indicators in drought treatment, are considered. Compared with the ‘NO. 5’, the ‘NO. 1’ exhibited lower water loss, leaf yellowing and abscission rates, as well as reduced malondialdehyde (MDA) content, while showing higher superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity and elevated levels of soluble sugars (SS), soluble proteins (SP), and proline (Pro). In contrast, the ‘NO. 5’ suffered more severe damage to leaf epidermal cells compared with the ‘NO. 1’, accompanied by a significant decline in net photosynthetic rate (A) and instantaneous water use efficiency (WUEi). Transcriptomic profiles between two wild jujube families with markedly different drought responses (withholding water for 15 days) are shown. The two wild jujube families included 3238 up-regulated and 2675 down-regulated differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Many DEGs enriched in the GO and KEGG pathways are related to antioxidant activity, transmembrane transport, carbohydrate biosynthesis and metabolism, plant hormones, and photosynthesis. The biosynthesis of amino acids, the MAPK signaling pathway, plant hormone signal transduction, and flavonoid and alkaloid biosynthesis were the transcriptome modifications most significantly altered by drought stress. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to verify the precision of the RNA-seq data. ZjJIP23-1, ZjbZIP53, ZjSPS8, ZjCAO, ZjADH1 and ZjERF39 may play important roles in the drought tolerance of the wild jujube. This study provides a solid foundation for further studies on the complex mechanisms and breeding of drought-resistant plants in wild jujube. Full article

Phosphorus (P) limitation is a major selective pressure in plant evolution and a persistent constraint on modern crop production. However, how domestication has reshaped P adaptation strategies remains poorly understood. Here, we compared wild (Solanum pimpinellifolium) and cultivated (Solanum lycopersicum) tomatoes under contrasting P conditions using integrated physiological, ionomic, and transcriptomic analyses. Our findings reveal distinct P strategies between the examined genotypes. Cultivated tomatoes achieved higher biomass under sufficient P supply but were highly sensitive to P deficiency, responding through acquisition-driven phenotypic plasticity characterized by extensive root remodeling and enhanced external P mobilization. In contrast, wild accessions maintained growth and higher P use efficiency under low P by relying on an optimized internal P management strategy, including efficient P uptake, preferential allocation to photosynthetically active tissues, and effective remobilization from older leaves. Consistently, ionomic profiling revealed that wild tomatoes preserved coordinated macro- and micronutrient homeostasis under P stress. Tissue-specific transcriptomic analyses further uncovered pronounced divergence in P-responsive regulation, with cultivated tomatoes showing predominantly root-centered responses, whereas wild accessions exhibited strong activation in old source leaves. This tissue-specific specialization was accompanied by a putative regulatory divergence, with HD-ZIP transcription factors enriched in cultivated tomatoes and G2-like and bHLH factors central in wild accessions. Together, our results indicate that modern cultivars exhibit a stronger reliance on external P acquisition and greater growth sensitivity under sustained P limitation compared to wild accessions, which showed relatively more stable internal P allocation patterns, highlighting wild germplasm as a resource for improving crop P efficiency. Full article

Soybean is a primary global vegetable oil source, yet modern South American cultivars often exhibit superior oil content compared to those from China, the center of origin. Elucidating the genetic basis of this differentiation is crucial for enhancing production efficiency. In this study, we systematically evaluated 98 representative accessions, comprising Chinese germplasm (CN) and Uruguayan germplasm. The latter included Uruguayan conventional germplasm (UY_N, where ‘N’ indicates ‘Normal’, meaning non-transgenic) and Uruguayan transgenic germplasm (UY_T). Using the “Zhongdouxin No. 1” SNP array and multi-environment phenotypic data. Uruguayan germplasm exhibited significantly higher mean oil content (21.48%) than Chinese germplasm (19.42%, p < 0.001), with high heritability (H² ranging from 0.78 to 0.92). Genetic analysis revealed significant differentiation (mean F_ST = 0.14), with Uruguayan lines showing reduced diversity due to breeding bottlenecks. Genome-wide scans identified differentiation in genomic regions harboring known lipid biosynthesis genes; notably, the high-oil allele frequency of GmDGAT1 was 78.3% in Uruguayan germplasm versus 25.7% in Chinese lines, and the favorable GmbZIP123 haplotype was fixed in the Uruguayan population. Uruguayan accessions also carried significantly more favorable alleles (18.3) than Chinese accessions (14.8). We conclude that high-oil traits in Uruguayan soybean result from the systematic stacking of favorable haplotypes at key loci via directional selection. Consequently, we propose incorporating South American high-oil allelic modules into the broadly adapted genetic backgrounds of Chinese cultivars to bridge the oil content gap. Full article

Increased air pollution and associated disease prognosis are a serious concern in communities across the socioeconomic spectrum. Past studies have shown that a major component of air pollution, fine particulate matter (PM_2.5), is elevated in majority-Black communities in the US to greater levels than those in majority-White communities, which can potentially contribute to higher rates of respiratory health issues. In this study, we address whether PM_2.5 correlates with increased asthma rates in Durham, North Carolina. We selected monitoring sites in different census tracts within the same zip code with disparate levels of asthma to quantify and characterize PM_2.5 levels. We found that South Durham, which has higher asthma hospitalization rates, has higher average PM_2.5 levels (78.49 µg/m³) than North Durham (26.3 µg/m³). We measured the elemental composition of PM samples using transmission electron microscopy–energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (TEM-EDX) and found significant differences in the levels of Na, S, Ca, Mg, Fe, and Ti. Our data suggests that these differences in ambient PM_2.5 could contribute to differences in health outcomes in the two areas. We also discuss these differences in the context of social vulnerability within the two study sites and show that the more vulnerable site (South Durham) experiences higher pollution rates. Full article