Polyploidization has provided much genetic variation for plant adaptive evolution, but the mechanisms by which the molecular evolution of polyploid genomes establishes genetic architecture underlying species differentiation are unclear. Brassica is an ideal model to increase knowledge of polyploid evolution. Here we describe a draft genome sequence of Brassica oleracea, comparing it with that of its sister species B. rapa to reveal numerous chromosome rearrangements and asymmetrical gene loss in duplicated genomic blocks, asymmetrical amplification of transposable elements, differential gene co-retention for specific pathways and variation in gene expression, including alternative splicing, among a large number of paralogous and orthologous genes. Genes related to the production of anticancer phytochemicals and morphological variations illustrate consequences of genome duplication and gene divergence, imparting biochemical and morphological variation to B. oleracea. This study provides insights into Brassica genome evolution and will underpin research into the many important crops in this genus.

The monthly remodeling, shedding, and regeneration of the endometrium defining the human menstrual cycle is driven by gene expression changes in the underlying tissue hierarchy. Significant heterogeneity exists among cell types in the endometrium, such that multiple cell types vary dramatically in state through a monthly cycle and undergo various forms of differentiation at rapid rates. Histologic analysis and whole-tissue transcriptomic profiling have defined a specific molecular state as the optimal timing of the window of implantation (WOI) for in vitro fertilization transfer.This single-cell transcriptomic analysis aimed to characterize the transcriptomic transformation of human endometrium at single-cell resolution across the menstrual cycle, including at the WOI. Endometrial biopsies were collected from 19 healthy ovum donors between 4 and 27 days following menses, and single cells were captured and complementary DNA was generated using Fluidigm C1 medium chips. Six cell types were identified across the menstrual cycle: stromal fibroblast, endothelium, macrophage, lymphocyte, ciliated epithelium, and unciliated epithelium.Endometrial transformation was analyzed by within-cell type t-SNE using whole-transcriptome data from unciliated epithelia and stromal fibroblasts, the 2 major contributing cell types to endometrial transformation. This revealed 4 major, time-associated phases of both cell types. Among unciliated epithelia, single-cell gene dynamics were relatively continuous across phases 1 to 3 until an abrupt activation of genes consistently reported in whole-tissue transcriptomic data sets as overexpressed in the WOI marked entrance into phase 4. Among stromal fibroblasts, the WOI was characterized by widespread decidualization that became gradually upregulated through phase progression. Likewise, the WOI closed with more gradual transition dynamics in both cell types.The traditional definition of endometrial phases, consisting of the proliferative and secretory phases, correlated with the 4 phases identified here through single-cell analysis. Cell-cycling was elevated in phases 1 and 2 and ceased in later phases, suggesting the transition from proliferative to secretory occurred between phase 2 and 3. At the transcriptomic level, proliferative endometrium can be divided into 2 distinct phases with unique transcriptomic signatures.This study involved the systematic characterization of the human endometrium across the menstrual cycle through dynamic gene expression mapping. The results demonstrate that ciliated epithelium are a transcriptomically distinct endometrial cell type that are highly prevalent in the human endometrium and constantly changing in abundance across the cycle. This study likewise demonstrated an abrupt and strong transcriptomic activation in unciliated epithelia and a gradual activation in stromal fibroblasts to define the opening of the WOI, indicating a potential diagnostic target for more precise in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

Molecular characterization of cell types using single-cell transcriptome sequencing is revolutionizing cell biology and enabling new insights into the physiology of human organs. We created a human reference atlas comprising nearly 500,000 cells from 24 different tissues and organs, many from the same donor. This atlas enabled molecular characterization of more than 400 cell types, their distribution across tissues, and tissue-specific variation in gene expression. Using multiple tissues from a single donor enabled identification of the clonal distribution of T cells between tissues, identification of the tissue-specific mutation rate in B cells, and analysis of the cell cycle state and proliferative potential of shared cell types across tissues. Cell type–specific RNA splicing was discovered and analyzed across tissues within an individual.

Equity crowdfunding platforms are at the center of the digital transformation of early-stage venture funding. These digital platforms were originally heralded as a democratizing force in early stage finance, due to their role in facilitating the exchange between entrepreneurs and a multitude of non-professional small investors ("the crowd"). Equity crowdfunding platforms have experienced considerable growth and now attract professional investors including business angels. The presence of angels alongside the crowd on equity crowdfunding platforms has raised questions whether these digital platforms can continue to play their role in democratizing access to capital. Using data from a leading equity crowdfunding platform, we examine the interplay between the investment decisions of angels and the crowd. We find evidence of information flows in crowdfunding platforms between angels, and from angels to the crowd. We find angels play an important role in funding of large ventures, whereas the crowd not only fill the funding gaps for such large ventures but also play a pivotal role in the funding of small ones. The complementarity between angels and crowd investors seems to increase the overall efficiency in an otherwise highly asymmetric and uncertain market, confirming that digitization can indeed bring important benefits to venture investment.

Genotype dependency is the most important factor in wheat genetic transformation, which further limits wheat improvement by transgenic integration and genome editing approaches. The application of regeneration related genes during in vitro culture could potentially contribute to enhancement of plant transformation e ciency. In the present study, a wheat gene TaCB1 in the WUSCHEL family was identi ed to dramatically increase the transformation e ciencies of many wheat varieties without genotype dependency after its over-expression. The expression of TaCB1 in wheat calli did not prohibit shoot differentiation and root development. The application of TaCB1 can lighten the requirement to wheat immature embryo for plant regeneration. Transgenic wheat plants can be clearly recognized by the visible phenotype of wide ag leaves. The promise function of TaCB1 on improving transformation e ciency was also tested in T. monococcum, triticale, rye, barley, and maize.

Background and aimsThis large-scale study aimed to test (a) associations of problematic Internet use (PIU) and sleep disturbance with suicidal ideation and suicide attempts among Chinese adolescents and (b) whether sleep disturbance mediates the association between PIU and suicidal behavior.MethodsData were drawn from the 2017 National School-based Chinese Adolescents Health Survey. A total of 20,895 students’ questionnaires were qualified for analysis. The Young’s Internet Addiction Test was used to assess PIU, and level of sleep disturbance was measured by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. Multilevel logistic regression models and path models were utilized in analyses.ResultsOf the total sample, 2,864 (13.7%) reported having suicidal ideation, and 537 (2.6%) reported having suicide attempts. After adjusting for control variables and sleep disturbance, PIU was associated with an increased risk of suicidal ideation (AOR = 1.04, 95% CI = 1.03−1.04) and suicide attempts (AOR = 1.03, 95% CI = 1.02−1.04). Findings of the path models showed that the standardized indirect effects of PIU on suicidal ideation (standardized β estimate = 0.092, 95% CI = 0.082−0.102) and on suicide attempts (standardized β estimate = 0.082, 95% CI = 0.068−0.096) through sleep disturbance were significant. Conversely, sleep disturbance significantly mediated the association of suicidal behavior on PIU.Discussion and conclusionsThere may be a complex transactional association between PIU, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behavior. The estimates of the mediator role of sleep disturbance provide evidence for the current understanding of the mechanism of the association between PIU and suicidal behavior. Possible concomitant treatment services for PIU, sleep disturbance, and suicidal behavior were recommended.

Three types of commercially derived methylsilicone materials, Sylgard-184, Q(V)Q(H) (an MQ-based silicone containing no dimethylsiloxane, D units), and D(V)D(H) (a D-based silicone with no additives), were judiciously chosen to study the conditions under which long-lasting hydrophilicity after oxygen plasma treatment can be obtained. A 30 s plasma treatment time under controlled conditions was found to be optimal in terms of achieving the lowest initial advancing and receding contact angles of θ(A)/θ(R) = 10°/5° with undetectable surface damage. Vacuum treatment, a necessary step prior to plasma ignition that has been overlooked in previous studies, as well as room temperature curing were explored as means to remove low molecular weight species. For thin films (a few micrometers), 40 min vacuum treatment was sufficient to achieve low dynamic contact angles of θ(A)/θ(R) = 51-56°/38-43° on all three types of silicones measured more than 30 days after the plasma treatments. These values indicate superior hydrophilicity relative to what has been reported. The small and slow rise in contact angle over time is likely caused by the intrinsic nature of the silicone materials, i.e., surface reorientation of hydrophilic functional groups to the bulk and condensation of surface silanol groups, and is thus unavoidable. For thick films (∼1 mm), room temperature curing in addition to vacuum treatment was required to reduce hydrophobic recovery and to achieve long-lasting hydrophilicity. The final contact angles for thick samples were slightly higher than the corresponding thin film samples due to the greater "reservoir" depth and migration length for mobile species. In particular, Sylgard exhibited inferior performance among the thick samples, and we attribute this to the additives in its commercial formulation. Furthermore, unlike polydimethylsiloxane-based silicones, Q(V)Q(H) does not contain equilibration products of the Dn-type; its thin films perform as well as those of Sylgard and D(V)D(H). Silicones without D units are promising materials with intrinsically low hydrophobic recovery characteristics and long-lasting hydrophilicity after oxygen plasma treatment.

Since the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak, adolescents' emerging mental health and behavior issues have been an international public health concern. This longitudinal study aimed to examine the situation of poor sleep quality, anxiety, and depressive symptoms among Chinese adolescents and to explore the associations between them before and during COVID-19. A total of 1,952 middle and high school students as eligible participants at baseline (pre-COVID-19, Wave 1; response rate: 98.79%), 1,831 eligible students were followed up at Wave 2 (October 2019 to December 2019, pre-COVID-19; retention rate: 93.80%), and 1,790 completed the follow-up at Wave 3 (during the COVID-19; retention rate: 97.80%). The mean age of the baseline students was 13.56 (SD: 1.46) years. The differences in anxiety and depressive symptoms between Wave 1, Wave 2, and Wave 3 were not statistically significant. The proportion of students with poor sleep quality increased over time, from Wave 1 (21.0%) to Wave 3 (26.0%, OR = 1.37, 95% CI = 1.17–1.60, P = 0.001) and from Wave 2 (21.9%) to Wave 3 (OR = 1.29, 95% CI = 1.11–1.51, P < 0.001). The cross-lagged generalized linear mixed models revealed that the concurrent and cross-lagged associations of poor sleep quality with anxiety symptoms across the three waves were significant (P < 0.05) and vice versa. Only a marginally significant positive cross-lagged association between poor sleep quality at Wave 2 and depressive symptoms at Wave 3 was found (standardized β estimate = 0.044, SE = 0.022, P = 0.045). Sleep quality was adversely affected during COVID-19, and the bidirectional associations of poor sleep quality with anxiety symptoms could not be neglected.