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Abstract Acrasids are amoebae with the capacity to form multicellular fruiting bodies in a process known as aggregative multicellularity (AGM). This makes acrasids the only known example of multicellularity among the earliest branches of eukaryotes (the former Excavata). Here, we report theAcrasis konagenome sequence plus transcriptomes from pre-, mid- and post-developmental stages. The genome is rich in novelty and genes with strong signatures of horizontal transfer, and multigene families encode nearly half of the amoeba’s predicted proteome. Development inA. konaappears molecularly simple relative to the AGM model,Dictyostelium discoideum. However, the acrasid also differs from the dictyostelid in that it does not appear to be starving during development. Instead, developingA. konaappears to be very metabolically active, does not induce autophagy and does not up-regulate its proteasomal genes. Together, these observations strongly suggest that starvation is not essential for AGM development. Nonetheless, development in the two amoebae appears to employ remarkably similar pathways for signaling, motility and, potentially, construction of an extracellular matrix surrounding the developing cell mass. Much of this similarity is also shared with animal development, suggesting that much of the basic tool kit for multicellular development arose early in eukaryote evolution. 

Abstract Grass leaves develop from a ring of primordial initial cells within the periphery of the shoot apical meristem, a pool of organogenic stem cells that generates all of the organs of the plant shoot. At maturity, the grass leaf is a flattened, strap-like organ comprising a proximal supportive sheath surrounding the stem and a distal photosynthetic blade. The sheath and blade are partitioned by a hinge-like auricle and the ligule, a fringe of epidermally derived tissue that grows from the adaxial (top) leaf surface. Together, the ligule and auricle comprise morphological novelties that are specific to grass leaves. Understanding how the planar outgrowth of grass leaves and their adjoining ligules is genetically controlled can yield insight into their evolutionary origins. Here we use single-cell RNA-sequencing analyses to identify a ‘rim’ cell type present at the margins of maize leaf primordia. Cells in the leaf rim have a distinctive identity and share transcriptional signatures with proliferating ligule cells, suggesting that a shared developmental genetic programme patterns both leaves and ligules. Moreover, we show that rim function is regulated by genetically redundant Wuschel-like homeobox3 (WOX3) transcription factors. Higher-order mutations in maizeWox3genes greatly reduce leaf width and disrupt ligule outgrowth and patterning. Together, these findings illustrate the generalizable use of a rim domain during planar growth of maize leaves and ligules, and suggest a parsimonious model for the homology of the grass ligule as a distal extension of the leaf sheath margin. 

Abstract The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO) is a large-scale neutrino experiment with multiple physics goals including determining the neutrino mass hierarchy, the accurate measurement of neutrino oscillation parameters, the neutrino detection from supernovae, the Sun, and the Earth, etc. JUNO puts forward physically and technologically stringent requirements for its central detector (CD), including a large volume and target mass (20 kt liquid scintillator, LS), a high-energy resolution (3% at 1 MeV), a high light transmittance, the largest possible photomultiplier (PMT) coverage, the lowest possible radioactive background, etc. The CD design, using a spherical acrylic vessel with a diameter of 35.4 m to contain the LS and a stainless steel structure to support the acrylic vessel and PMTs, was chosen and optimized. The acrylic vessel and the stainless steel structure will be immersed in pure water to shield the radioactive background and bear great buoyancy. The challenging requirements of the acrylic sphere have been achieved, such as a low intrinsic radioactivity and high transmittance of the manufactured acrylic panels, the tensile and compressive acrylic node design with embedded stainless steel pad, and one-time polymerization for multiple bonding lines. Moreover, several technical challenges of the stainless steel structure have been solved: the production of low radioactivity stainless steel material, the deformation and precision control during production and assembly, and the usage of high-strength stainless steel rivet bolt and of high friction efficient linkage plate. Finally, the design of the ancillary equipment such as the LS filling, overflowing, and circulating system was done. 

Abstract We explore the decay of bound neutrons in the JUNO liquid scintillator detector into invisible particles (e.g.,$$n\rightarrow 3 \nu $$ $n\to 3\nu$or$$nn \rightarrow 2 \nu $$ $nn\to 2\nu$), which do not produce an observable signal. The invisible decay includes two decay modes:$$ n \rightarrow { inv} $$ $n\to \mathrm{inv}$and$$ nn \rightarrow { inv} $$ $nn\to \mathrm{inv}$. The invisible decays ofs-shell neutrons in$$^{12}\textrm{C}$$ $_{}^{12}\text{C}$will leave a highly excited residual nucleus. Subsequently, some de-excitation modes of the excited residual nuclei can produce a time- and space-correlated triple coincidence signal in the JUNO detector. Based on a full Monte Carlo simulation informed with the latest available data, we estimate all backgrounds, including inverse beta decay events of the reactor antineutrino$${\bar{\nu }}_e$$ ${\overline{\nu }}_e$, natural radioactivity, cosmogenic isotopes and neutral current interactions of atmospheric neutrinos. Pulse shape discrimination and multivariate analysis techniques are employed to further suppress backgrounds. With two years of exposure, JUNO is expected to give an order of magnitude improvement compared to the current best limits. After 10 years of data taking, the JUNO expected sensitivities at a 90% confidence level are$$\tau /B( n \rightarrow { inv} ) > 5.0 \times 10^{31} \, \textrm{years}$$ $\tau /B(n\to \mathrm{inv})>5.0\times {10}^{31}\text{years}$and$$\tau /B( nn \rightarrow { inv} ) > 1.4 \times 10^{32} \, \textrm{years}$$ $\tau /B(nn\to \mathrm{inv})>1.4\times {10}^{32}\text{years}$. 

Abstract The physics potential of detecting⁸B solar neutrinos will be exploited at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), in a model-independent manner by using three distinct channels of the charged current (CC), neutral current (NC), and elastic scattering (ES) interactions. Due to the largest-ever mass of¹³C nuclei in the liquid scintillator detectors and the expected low background level,⁸B solar neutrinos are observable in the CC and NC interactions on¹³C for the first time. By virtue of optimized event selections and muon veto strategies, backgrounds from the accidental coincidence, muon-induced isotopes, and external backgrounds can be greatly suppressed. Excellent signal-to-background ratios can be achieved in the CC, NC, and ES channels to guarantee the observation of the⁸B solar neutrinos. From the sensitivity studies performed in this work, we show that JUNO, with 10 yr of data, can reach the 1σprecision levels of 5%, 8%, and 20% for the⁸B neutrino flux, ${\sin }^2{\theta }_{12}$, and $\mathrm{\Delta }{m}_{21}^2$, respectively. Probing the details of both solar physics and neutrino physics would be unique and helpful. In addition, when combined with the Sudbury Neutrino Observatory measurement, the world's best precision of 3% is expected for the measurement of the⁸B neutrino flux. 

Abstract The core-collapse supernova (CCSN) is considered one of the most energetic astrophysical events in the universe. The early and prompt detection of neutrinos before (pre-SN) and during the supernova (SN) burst presents a unique opportunity for multi-messenger observations of CCSN events. In this study, we describe the monitoring concept and present the sensitivity of the system to pre-SN and SN neutrinos at the Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), a 20 kton liquid scintillator detector currently under construction in South China.The real-time monitoring system is designed to ensure both prompt alert speed and comprehensive coverage of progenitor stars. It incorporates prompt monitors on the electronic board as well as online monitors at the data acquisition stage.Assuming a false alert rate of 1 per year, this monitoring system exhibits sensitivity to pre-SN neutrinos up to a distance of approximately 1.6 (0.9) kiloparsecs and SN neutrinos up to about 370 (360) kiloparsecs for a progenitor mass of 30 solar masses, considering both normal and inverted mass ordering scenarios.The pointing ability of the CCSN is evaluated by analyzing the accumulated event anisotropy of inverse beta decay interactions from pre-SN or SN neutrinos. This, along with the early alert, can play a crucial role in facilitating follow-up multi-messenger observations of the next galactic or nearby extragalactic CCSN. 

Abstract The Jiangmen Underground Neutrino Observatory (JUNO), the first multi-kton liquid scintillator detector, which is under construction in China, will have a unique potential to perform a real-time measurement of solar neutrinos well below the few MeV threshold typical of Water Cherenkov detectors. JUNO's large target mass and excellent energy resolution are prerequisites for reaching unprecedented levels of precision. In this paper, we provide estimation of the JUNO sensitivity to⁷Be,pep, and CNO solar neutrinos that can be obtained via a spectral analysis above the 0.45 MeV threshold. This study is performed assuming different scenarios of the liquid scintillator radiopurity, ranging from the most optimistic one corresponding to the radiopurity levels obtained by the Borexino experiment, up to the minimum requirements needed to perform the neutrino mass ordering determination with reactor antineutrinos — the main goal of JUNO. Our study shows that in most scenarios, JUNO will be able to improve the current best measurements on⁷Be,pep, and CNO solar neutrino fluxes. We also perform a study on the JUNO capability to detect periodical time variations in the solar neutrino flux, such as the day-night modulation induced by neutrino flavor regeneration in Earth, and the modulations induced by temperature changes driven by helioseismic waves.