Plant height (PH) and the number of nodes on the main stem (NN) serve as major plant architecture traits affecting soybean seed yield. Although many quantitative trait loci for the two traits have been reported, their genetic controls at different developmental stages in soybeans remain unclear. Here, 368 soybean breeding lines were genotyped using 62,423 single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers and phenotyped for the two traits at three different developmental stages over two locations in order to identify their quantitative trait nucleotides (QTNs) using compressed mixed linear model (CMLM) and multi-locus random-SNP-effect mixed linear model (mrMLM) approaches. As a result, 11 and 13 QTNs were found by CMLM to be associated with PH and NN, respectively. Among these QTNs, 8, 3, and 4 for PH and 6, 6, and 8 for NN were found at the three stages, and 3 and 6 were repeatedly detected for PH and NN. In addition, 34 and 30 QTNs were found by mrMLM to be associated with PH and NN, respectively. Among these QTNs, 11, 13, and 16 for PH and 11, 15, and 8 for NN were found at the three stages. A majority of these QTNs overlapped with the previously reported loci. Moreover, one QTN within the known E2 locus for flowering time was detected for the two traits at all three stages, and another that overlapped with the Dt1 locus for stem growth habit was also identified for the two traits at the mature stage. This may explain the highly significant correlation between the two traits. Our findings provide evidence for mixed major plus polygenes inheritance for dynamic traits and an extended understanding of their genetic architecture for molecular dissection and breeding utilization in soybeans.

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Mechanotransduction In article 2200880 by Molly S. Shoichet and co‐workers, an engineered hyaluronan hydrogel elucidates cell–matrix interactions and bile duct morphogenesis. The hydrogel viscoelasticity is systematically varied to promote primary cholangiocyte organoid growth from encapsulated single cells, which is mediated by Yes‐associated protein signaling. The immobilized Jagged1 in the hydrogel activates Notch signaling in 3D cultured cholangiocytes, which leads to unprecedented bile duct‐like morphogenesis.

Herein, the modeling approach for predicting the work hardening flow curve of DP600 steels from the real microstructure and comparison between micromechanical modeling and experimental shear loading are described. A real microstructure-based model by representative volume element (RVE) method is used to evaluate the microstructure deformation. The flow behavior of ferrite and martensite single phase is predicted by a dislocation-based model. Results show that the work hardening predicted by the simulation under shear loading condition is consistent with the experimental data. An increased carbon in ferrite phase can increase the strength and strain hardening rate of a given steel. Simulation indicates that the strain is mainly concentrated in the ferrite, and the plastic strain localization is mainly located at the ferrite grains along the phase boundaries; martensite carries most of the stress. The distribution and morphology of martensite affect the deformation behavior of dual phase (DP) steel. A predominant shear failure mode is developed and instability occurs under uniaxial loading.

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A coprecipitation method was developed for the synthesis of fibrous γ-alumina using serial membrane dispersion microreactors with a circulating continuous phase and high concentrations of NaAlO2 and Al2(SO4)3 as reactants. Owing to the ultra-high mixing intensity and reduction of supersaturation due to the large circular phase ratio, a large pore volume and specific surface area and an extremely narrow pore diameter distribution were realized using the high-concentration and high-viscosity precipitation system. The influence of the phase ratio, dispersion order of reactants, Al2(SO4)3 residence time, and the precipitation reaction pH and time were investigated, and the nanofiber formation mechanism was explored employing theoretical calculations. By controlling the Al2(SO4)3 residence time of 3 s, phase ratio of 16, and pH of 8.0, γ-Al2O3 nanofibers with a pore volume of 1.36 cm3/g, a specific surface area of 376 m2/g, and a length/diameter ratio in the range of 30–54 were obtained without any organic reagents. This study provides an economical and readily scalable method for the synthesis of fibrous γ-Al2O3 with excellent pore properties and a large specific surface area, which can potentially be applied as an excellent catalyst support for diesel and bio-oil hydrogenation.

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