•An intrinsic cohesive zone approach is proposed for the impact failure of automotive windshield laminated glass.•Gradual energy dissipation process of glass-PVB debonding can be modeled by means of ...the cohesive zone model.•A windshield finite element model is developed to account for the two failure patterns, including glass fracture and glass-PVB debonding.•The effectiveness of the proposed model is validated by comparing simulation results under center and corner impact with experimental ones.•Parametric studies are conducted to investigate the effects of adhesion parameters, PVB material parameters, and impact velocities and angles on the impact fracture behavior and energy absorption performance of the windshield.
Though windshield laminated glass is a simple sandwiched composite structure, it is of vital importance to investigate its damage and energy absorption behavior for the purpose of pedestrian safety protection. This paper proposes an intrinsic cohesive zone approach to achieve this end. A finite element windshield glazing model is established by inserting cohesive elements into the common surfaces between glass elements, and the interfaces between glass and PVB prior to simulations. The appeal of this model is that both of the two main failure patterns and their energy absorptions, i.e. glass fracture and glass-PVB debonding, of the windshield can be captured by means of the intrinsic cohesive zone approach. The effectiveness of the proposed model is validated by comparing the simulation results under center and corner impact with the corresponding experimental outcomes. Finally, the effects of adhesion parameters, PVB material parameters, and impact velocities and angles on the impact fracture behavior and energy absorption performance of the windshield are thoroughly investigated.
Key message
A total of 19 meta-QTL conferring resistance to tan spot were identified from 104 initial QTL detected in 15 previous QTL mapping studies.
Tan spot, caused by the fungal pathogen
...Pyrenophora tritici-repentis
(
Ptr
), is a major foliar disease worldwide in both bread wheat and durum wheat and can reduce grain yield due to reduction in photosynthetic area of leaves. Developing and growing resistant cultivars is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly approach to mitigate negative effects of the disease. Understanding the genetic basis of tan spot resistance can enhance the development of resistant cultivars. With that goal, over 100 QTL associated with resistance to tan spot induced by a variety of
Ptr
races and isolates have been identified from previous QTL mapping studies. Meta-QTL analysis can identify redundant QTL among various studies and reveal major QTL for targeting in marker-assisted selection applications. In this study, we performed a meta-QTL analysis of tan spot resistance using the reported QTL from 15 previous QTL mapping studies. An integrated linkage map with a total length of 4080.5 cM containing 47,309 markers was assembled from 21 individual linkage maps and three previously published consensus maps. Nineteen meta-QTL were clustered from 104 initial QTL projected on the integrated map. Three of the 19 meta-QTL located on chromosomes 2A, 3B, and 5A show large genetic effects and confer resistance to multiple races in multiple bread wheat and durum wheat mapping populations. The integration of those race-nonspecific QTL is a promising strategy to provide high and stable resistance to tan spot in wheat.
The systemic RNAi-defective (SID) transmembrane family member 2 (SIDT2) is a putative nucleic acid channel or transporter that plays essential roles in nucleic acid transport and lipid metabolism. ...Here, we report the cryo-electron microscopy (EM) structures of human SIDT2, which forms a tightly packed dimer with extensive interactions mediated by two previously uncharacterized extracellular/luminal β-strand-rich domains and the unique transmembrane domain (TMD). The TMD of each SIDT2 protomer contains eleven transmembrane helices (TMs), and no discernible nucleic acid conduction pathway has been identified within the TMD, suggesting that it may act as a transporter. Intriguingly, TM3-6 and TM9-11 form a large cavity with a putative catalytic zinc atom coordinated by three conserved histidine residues and one aspartate residue lying approximately 6 Å from the extracellular/luminal surface of the membrane. Notably, SIDT2 can hydrolyze C18 ceramide into sphingosine and fatty acid with a slow rate. The information presented advances the understanding of the structure-function relationships in the SID1 family proteins.
Heat shock transcription factors (Hsfs) are essential elements in plant signal transduction pathways that mediate gene expression in response to various abiotic stresses. Mungbean (
) is an important ...crop worldwide. The emergence of a genome database now allows for functional analysis of mungbean genes. In this study, we dissect the mungbean
using genome-wide identification and expression profiles. We characterized a total of 24
genes and classified them into three groups (A, B, and C) based on their phylogeny and conserved domain structures. All
genes exhibit highly conserved exon-intron organization, with two exons and one intron. In addition, all VrHsf proteins contain 16 distinct motifs. Chromosome location analysis revealed that
genes are located on 8 of the 11 mungbean chromosomes, and that seven duplicated gene pairs had formed among them. Moreover, transcription patterns of
genes varied in different tissues, indicating their different roles in plant growth and development. We identified multiple stress related
-elements in
promoter regions 2 kb upstream of the translation initiation codons, and the expression of most
genes was altered under different stress conditions, suggesting their potential functions in stress resistance pathways. These molecular characterization and expression profile analyses of
genes provide essential information for further function investigation.
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Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) are regarded as the potential and promising anode materials for potassium ion batteries (PIBs) on account of their robust and porous crystalline ...structure. In this work, multilayer structural COF connected by double functional groups, including imine and amidogent through a simple solvothermalprocess, have been successfully synthesized. The multilayer structure of COF can provide fast charge transfer and combine the merits of imine (the restraint of irreversible dissolution) and amidogent (the supply of more active sites). It presents superior potassium storage performance, including the high reversible capacity of 229.5 mAh g−1 at 0.2 A g−1 and outstanding cycling stability of 106.1 mAh g−1 at the high current density of 5.0 A g−1 after 2000 cycles, which is superior to the individual COF. The structural advantages of the covalent organic framework linking by double functional groups (d-COF) can develop a new road for that COF anode material for PIBs in further research.
The nucleic acid transport properties of the systemic RNAi-defective (SID) 1 family make them attractive targets for developing RNA-based therapeutics and drugs. However, the molecular basis for ...double-stranded (ds) RNA recognition by SID1 family remains elusive. Here, we report the cryo-EM structures of Caenorhabditis elegans (c) SID1 alone and in complex with dsRNA, both at a resolution of 2.2 Å. The dimeric cSID1 interacts with two dsRNA molecules simultaneously. The dsRNA is located at the interface between β-strand rich domain (BRD)1 and BRD2 and nearly parallel to the membrane plane. In addition to extensive ionic interactions between basic residues and phosphate backbone, several hydrogen bonds are formed between 2'-hydroxyl group of dsRNA and the contact residues. Additionally, the electrostatic potential surface shows three basic regions are fitted perfectly into three major grooves of dsRNA. These structural characteristics enable cSID1 to bind dsRNA in a sequence-independent manner and to distinguish between DNA and RNA. The cSID1 exhibits no conformational changes upon binding dsRNA, with the exception of a few binding surfaces. Structural mapping of dozens of loss-of-function mutations allows potential interpretation of their diverse functional mechanisms. Our study marks an important step toward mechanistic understanding of the SID1 family-mediated dsRNA uptake.
•We numerically investigate impact injury of a human head with detailed biomechanical features during contact interaction with an automotive windshield glazing in the context of pedestrian vehicle ...accidents.•Both windshield failure and head damage are considered.•The accuracy and capacity of the presented numerical approach and the modified head model are validated with the aid of experimental and simulation results in literature.•Parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of impact velocity, head impact position, and windshield impacted location on head injury behaviour.
In the context of a pedestrian-vehicle accident, the head of an adult pedestrian normally impacts the automotive windshield glazing, which mainly accounts for the pedestrian’s death. Consequently, it is of vital importance to investigate the head impact injury behaviour during interaction with the windshield glazing for the purpose of pedestrian safety protection. This paper presents a numerical approach to achieve this end. An intrinsic cohesive zone model is used to simulate the two main impact failure patterns, i.e., glass fracture and glass-PVB debonding, of the windshield glazing. The capacity of this model is validated by comparing the simulation results of a windshield glazing impacted by a pedestrian dummy headform with experimental ones in terms of acceleration histories. A finite element head model with detailed biomechanical features is established, whose effectiveness is validated with the aid of the experimental and simulation results in literature. Finally, parametric studies are performed to investigate the effects of impact velocity, head impact position, and windshield impacted location on head injury behaviour.
Nickel and manganese co-substitution into hollow Prussian blue nanocubes (H-PBMN) has been successfully carried out via utilizing a high-concentration polymer template to grow manganese-Prussian blue ...(PBM) and nickel-Prussian blue (PBN) through a slow nucleation process. Due to the hollow structure and double metal co-substitution, the properties of the electrode material have been optimized, and it presents an ultrahigh capacity of 138.4 mA h g−1 at 0.05 A g−1.
Chronic pulmonary infections in those living with cystic fibrosis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are promoted by production of alginate by the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. ...Alginate biosynthesis enzymes in P. aeruginosa are regulated by the extracytoplasmic function alternative sigma factor σ22 either by mutation in mucA or in response to envelope stress. An intergenic region between ORFs PA2559 and PA2560 in P. aeruginosa is σ22-dependent and its transcription is activated by cell wall stress. This stress-responsive transcript encodes a novel stress response facilitator, SrfA, that is exclusively conserved only in P. aeruginosa species. Here we report the first three-dimensional structure of SrfA determined by molecular replacement using fold prediction to generate a search model. The SrfA structure adopts a helix-loop-helix fold that shares some similarity with structures of anti-activator or effector proteins. A ΔsrfA mutant strain of P. aeruginosa PAO1 exhibited significantly reduced biofilm formation, which was restored to wild-type levels when ΔsrfA was complemented with srfA. The ΔsrfA strain also exhibited increased sensitivity to macrolide antibiotics. We further show using MicroScale Thermophoresis that SrfA interacts with both PA2559 and PA2560 with high affinity. This work provides a starting point for further investigation into the role of SrfA in response to cell wall stress.
•The first structure of the novel P. aeruginosa stress response facilitator SrfA.•A ΔsrfA strain shows significantly impaired biofilm formation.•A ΔsrfA strain exhibits increased sensitivity to macrolide antibiotics.•SrfA interacts with both PA2559 and PA2560 with high affinity.
Nickel and manganese co-substitution into hollow Prussian blue nanocubes (H-PBMN) has been successfully carried out
via
utilizing a high-concentration polymer template to grow manganese-Prussian blue ...(PBM) and nickel-Prussian blue (PBN) through a slow nucleation process. Due to the hollow structure and double metal co-substitution, the properties of the electrode material have been optimized, and it presents an ultrahigh capacity of 138.4 mA h g
−1
at 0.05 A g
−1
.
Nickel and manganese co-substitution in a hollow Prussian blue nanocubes has been successfully carried out
via
utilizing a high-concentration polymer template, with an ultrahigh capacity of 138.4 mA h g
−1
at 0.05 A g
−1
in an aqueous zinc-ion battery.
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