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Here, we describe a new Jehol tapejarid skeleton tentatively referred to Sinopterus dongi, revealing some valuable cranial information about the palate and mandibular symphysis of this species. In the palate, the absence of the lateral process of the pterygoid indicates that the subtemporal fenestra is undivided, in contrast to the well-developed lateral process that subdivides the subtemporal and secondary subtemporal fenestrae in other azhdarchoids. The mandibular symphysis is elongated to about 58.7% of the mandible length, significantly longer than the other two Jehol tapejarids (52.9–53.7%) and much longer than other tapejarids (38.0–51.0%), except for the basal tapejarid Caupedactylus ybaka (~65%). The symphyseal shelf is extensive, flattened, and sculptured by sinuous ridges and pits. The ratio of its length to the symphysis is 34.4%, between that of the possible tapejarid Bakonydraco galaczi (43.9%) and the coexistent chaoyangopterid Eoazhdarcho liaoxiensis (26.7%), and much distinct from the well-reduced condition in other tapejarids. This discovery highlights the variation of the cranial morphology in the Tapejaridae and even the Azhdarchoidea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grafting is widely used to enhance the phenotypic traits of tomatoes, alleviate biotic and abiotic stresses, and control soil-borne diseases of the scion in greenhouse production. There are many factors that affect the healing and acclimatization stages of seedlings after grafting. However, the role of light has rarely been studied. In this study, we compared the effects of artificial light and traditional shading (under shaded plastic-covered tunnels) on the recovery of grafted tomato seedlings. The results show that the grafted tomato seedlings recovered using artificial light had a higher healthy index, leaf chlorophyll content, shoot dry weight, and net photosynthetic rate (Pn) and water use efficiency (WUE) compared with grafted seedling recovered using the traditional shading method. Transcriptome analysis showed that the differentially expressed genes (DEGs) of grafted seedlings restored using artificial light were mainly enriched in the pathways corresponding to plant hormone signal transduction. In addition, we measured the endogenous hormone content of grafted tomato seedlings. The results show that the contents of salicylic acid (SA) and kinetin (Kin) were significantly increased, and the contents of indoleacetic acid (IAA) and jasmonic acid (JA) were decreased in artificial-light-restored grafted tomato seedlings compared with those under shading treatments. Therefore, we suggest that artificial light affects the morphogenesis and photosynthetic efficiency of grafted tomato seedlings, and it can improve the performance of tomato seedlings during grafting recovery by regulating endogenous hormone levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silicon-based materials are considered to be potential anode materials for Li-ion batteries due to their high electrochemical capacity, but their high volume change during charging and discharging, bad cycle life and low first Coulombic efficiency are the major problems that prevent their commercialization. Carbon materials have excellent electrical properties and can be used to cushion the expansion of silicon volume while simultaneously strengthening the electrical conductivity of the cathode material, which can secure a very high specific capacity while also increasing its cycling stability. In this study, a lignin-based phenolic resin (deep eutectic solvent-treated alkaline lignin) was used as the carbon source and Si nano-powder as the silicon source. The lignin-based phenolic resin was coated on the surface of silicon nanoparticles, and the carbon layer was obtained by carbonizing the outer layer of the resin through high-temperature calcination. The morphological composition of carbon and silicon was tested using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy, and the carbon layer was found to be uniformly coated on the surface of the silicon nanoparticles. The electrochemical properties of the samples were also tested. Compared with pure phenolic resin-coated silicon, the cycling performance of lignin-based phenolic resin-coated silicon nanoparticles was significantly improved, with the best electrochemical performance of Si/C-LPR with an initial specific capacity of 782.45 mA h g−1 and a specific capacity of 605.43 mA h g−1 after 100 cycles (0.5 A g−1). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Corneal melt is a sight-threatening complication of Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis (KPro). Severe corneal melt may result in hypotony, choroidal hemorrhage, and even spontaneous extrusion of the KPro, which may lead to a poor visual prognosis. Lamellar keratoplasty is one surgical option for the management of mild corneal melt, especially when a new KPro is not available. Herein, we present a new surgical technique application, intra-operative optical coherence tomography (iOCT) for the management of cornea graft melt after Boston type 1 KPro implantation. The visual acuity and the intra-ocular maintained stable at 6 months post-operatively, and the KPro remained in place without corneal melting, epithelial ingrowth, or infection. iOCT may prove to be a real-time, non-invasive, and accurate treatment for corneal lamellar dissection and suturing beneath the anterior plate of the KPro, which can effectively help the surgeon to make surgical decisions and reduce post-operative complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drought is the most common and complex meteorological disaster in the world, which weakens the carbon sink function of terrestrial ecosystem. Exploring the response of vegetation to drought and choosing sensitive factors for drought detection will be helpful to obtain the impact of drought on vegetation and to understand the response process and the mechanism of vegetation to drought stress. Based on the Solar-Induced chlorophyll Fluorescence (SIF) and the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), a maximum correlation coefficient method was used to investigate the response of vegetation photosynthesis to meteorological drought in China during the growing season from 2000 to 2018. Sensitivity and response time scale of vegetation to drought was compared for different drought levels and different vegetation types. The results showed that: (1) about 75.05% of total areas of China had a significant positive correlation between SIF and SPEI. These areas were mainly distributed in the northeast, southwest and Qinghai Tibet Plateau of China. The response time scale of most regions to SPEI was mainly medium and short term. (2) The proportion of SIF to SPEI was the lowest in spring, the highest in summer, and slightly decreased in autumn. The response time scale to drought was mainly short-term in spring, while the region with long response time scale in summer was increased compared with in spring. (3) The semi-arid region was the most sensitive to drought, while the arid region was the weakest. The response time scale of different climatic regions to drought was mainly short-term. (4) The selected vegetation types responded to drought in a short time scale. Grassland was the most sensitive to drought, while woodland and cropland were relatively weak. Besides, broad-leaved forest was more sensitive to drought than coniferous forest. The results showed that under different drought gradients and different vegetation types, SIF could quickly reflect the impact of environmental stress on vegetation photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurately estimating the direction of arrival (DOA) of wideband signals with a sensor array is critical in communications, radar, and the Internet of Things. This paper proposes two single-source DOA estimation methods for wideband linear frequency modulation signals: time-delay mixing multiple signal classification (TDM-MUSIC) and enhanced self-mixing MUSIC (ESM-MUSIC). TDM-MUSIC employs time-delay mixing of the received signal to construct an equivalent single-frequency signal model, thereby enhancing estimation accuracy while maintaining reasonable computational efficiency. ESM-MUSIC improves the conventional self-mixing model by adding frequency correction steps, resulting in excellent DOA estimation performance at the expense of computational complexity. Unlike conventional methods that rely on approximate models, our methods establish more accurate equivalent models. A key advantage of our methods is that they allow flexible adjustment of the optimal sensor inter-element spacing in arrays based on the equivalent signal model rather than the actual signal model, simplifying engineering fabrication and reducing mutual coupling between sensors. The paper establishes the Cramér–Rao bounds for both proposed methods and demonstrates their superiority over existing methods through comprehensive numerical simulations. Further, the experiment using a TI-AWR2243 multi-sensor array radar system confirms that our methods are feasible for practical engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyetheretherketone (PEEK) is a kind of nontoxic high-performance thermoplastic widely used for medical applications. Compared with other special engineering plastics, PEEK has many excellent properties, such as high temperature resistance, chemical corrosion resistance, radiation resistance, hydrolysis resistance, excellent mechanical properties, good self-lubrication and easy processing. Although PEEK has been widely used as the replacements of metallic and ceramic implants in medical field, it is biologically inertia, which reduces the fusion with host bone tissue after implantation. In addition, the high friction coefficient and hydrophobicity of PEEK also seriously hinder its applications. In view of these, the studies of PEEK biomaterials have now focused on the improvement of biological activity by various material engineering strategies. In this paper, these recently developed strategies to improve PEEK bioactivity to address clinical orthopedic needs (e.g., anti-inflammation, anti-infection and osteointegration) are reviewed. The advantages and disadvantages of these methods are further analyzed. This review paper may provide more targeted direction for developing multifunctional PEEKbased implants in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical method for the simultaneous determination of notoginseng R1 (R1), ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1), ginsenoside Re (Re), ginsenoside Rb1 (Rb1), and ginsenoside Rd (Rd) in different types of silica matrix toothpaste samples has been developed. The determination was performed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with ultraviolet (UV) detector. The best chromatographic separation was obtained under the following conditions: C18 column was set at 30°C and gradient elution of acetonitrile with water as mobile phase pumped at 1 mL·min−1. The detection wavelength was set at 203 nm. Toothpastes were vortex-extracted by methanol with anhydrous magnesium sulfate, ultrasonic extraction was set for 30 min at 35 Hz, centrifugation was set at 4,000 rpm for 5 min, and then the supernatant was poured into the evaporating dish. The previous extraction was repeated once, the supernatant was combined twice and evaporated by water bath. Quantification was carried out by using the external standard one point method. The method was satisfactorily applied to 17 samples from different manufacturers and batches containing saponins. The spiked recoveries of the five saponins were 84–89%, 91–101%, 85–89%, 89–96%, and 89–96%, respectively. Good repeatability (1.6–5.6%) was obtained. Good analytical features, as well as handleability, make the presented method suitable to carry out the quality control of the finished toothpaste products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel scheme is proposed for bidirectional beamforming using time‐modulated linear arrays (TMLAs). A beamforming method with a time shift was adopted to obtain the bidirectional pattern with the +1st harmonic using two switching sequences. Furthermore, the genetic algorithm was modified to obtain an additional beam using the fundamental component. In the proposed approach, the direction and sidelobe of the beam can be controlled by designing switching sequences, resulting in low complexity and a flexible structure in case of bidirectional beamforming. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the proposed methods, and the levels of the sidelobe and null were reduced to −20 and −53.7 dB, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of the multiplication of antennas, harmonic beamforming based on the time-modulated planar array (TMPA) requires a much longer modulation period than the time-modulated linear array (TMLA). Two additional constraints should also be fulfilled: 1) avoid aliasing in the frequency domain; the modulation frequency should be larger than the transmitted signal’s bandwidth and 2) accurately extract harmonics; the bandpass filter (BPF) bandwidth should be no less than the modulation frequency. If the bandwidth of the transmitted signal increases, the processor and radio frequency (RF) switch should be accordingly improved, thus increasing the overall costs. In this article, we propose a method based on partition subarrays for TMPA harmonic beamforming. Upon modulating subarrays separately and simultaneously, we obtain an equivalent beam. In our scheme, a TMPA is divided into S subarrays, such that the modulation frequency and the maximum bandwidth of the transmitted signal can be S times the original ones, making filtering much easier. Our approach has three major advantages: 1) it greatly reduces the requirement of BPF by enlarging the frequency interval; 2) it allows the transmission of larger bandwidth signals with the same hardware; and 3) the efficiency of the antenna is improved. Numerical simulations verified the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The light spectrum has a strong effect on potato tuber development. To investigate the effect of varying the spectrum on potato tuber growth and yield, potato plantlets were transplanted under red/white light (RW; red light: 200 μmol m−2 s−1; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1), blue/white light (BW; blue light: 200 μmol m−2 s−1; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1), and white/red/blue light (WRB; white light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1; red light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1; blue light: 100 μmol m−2 s−1) with a 11/13-h (light/dark) photoperiod. Potato plants grown under RW had the highest mean fresh tuber weight and total yield among all treatments. Plants under RW resulted in the highest shoot dry weight at 30 d and 45 d among all treatments, providing a photosynthetic source for the tubers. Furthermore, the photosynthetic leaves under RW had a significantly higher total chlorophyll content than other treatments at 90 d. Plants under RW significantly increased tuber fresh weight per plant by 57.7% from 60 to 90 d. The spectrum of BW benefited potato bulking. Plants under BW at 40 d resulted in significant sucrose and starch changes between day and night compared with those at 20 d. BW had a positive effect on the activities of ADP-glucose pyrophosphorylase at 40 d and sucrose synthase at 60 d compared with RW and WRB during the day. Thus, the ratio of tuber (fresh weight of tuber ≥2.0 g) under BW was significantly higher than that under RW and WRB. The total yield of tubers under WRB was the lowest among all treatments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to analyze the expression profile of osteoclasts (OCs) following the stimulation with interleukin 23 (IL-23) in mice, which would imply the underlying effects of IL-23 on the function of OCs in inflammatory arthritis. Materials and methods: Mature OCs were induced from bone marrow mononuclear cells of 5 male mice (age 6 weeks; weighing 18-20 g) in the presence of macrophage-colony stimulating factor (50 ng/mL) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa B ligand (30 ng/mL) in vitro. The Agilent SurePrint G3 Mouse GE V2.0 Microarray was used to analyze the gene expression profile of OCs stimulated with IL-23 (30 ng/mL) or vehicle. The four major IL-23-modulated genes were validated by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) analysis. Results: The expression levels of 23 genes were up-regulated and 32 genes were down-regulated by IL-23 stimulation (fold change =1.5 and p value <0.05). Among them, there were 37 genes with assigned gene symbols. Gene ontology analysis showed that the IL-23-regulated messenger ribonucleic acids (mRNAs) were related to positive regulation of leukocyte chemotaxis, chemokine-mediated signaling pathway and C-X-C chemokine receptors binding. The pathway analysis showed that the IL-23-regulated mRNAs were related to chemokine signaling pathway and cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction. The significant up-regulation of chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 1 and chemokine (C-X-C motif) ligand 2 induced by IL-23 was confirmed by qPCR. In addition, there were 18 long non-coding RNAs that were regulated by IL-23, while their function needs to be confirmed in the future. Conclusion: Expression levels of genes related to chemotaxis in OCs were up-regulated by IL-23 in mice, which imply that IL-23 may facilitate chemotaxis of OCs in inflammatory arthritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel method is proposed to obtain the minimum elements and a specific sidelobe in time-modulated sparse linear arrays. A genetic algorithm is used to optimise each generation of arrays to reach the required level and range of the sidelobe. Furthermore, the number, arrangement, and switching sequences of the array that satisfy the requirements are obtained. This method provides a scheme to reduce the number of elements using the optimised sparse structure and switching time. However, besides the control of the fundamental component, this method can also be applied to multi-beam forming with the fundamental component and ±first harmonic. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulation and numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel method is proposed to obtain the minimum elements and a specific sidelobe in time‐modulated sparse linear arrays. A genetic algorithm is used to optimise each generation of arrays to reach the required level and range of the sidelobe. Furthermore, the number, arrangement, and switching sequences of the array that satisfy the requirements are obtained. This method provides a scheme to reduce the number of elements using the optimised sparse structure and switching time. However, besides the control of the fundamental component, this method can also be applied to multi‐beam forming with the fundamental component and ±first harmonic. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is verified by the simulation and numerical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle is responsible for the majority of glucose disposal in the body. Insulin resistance in the skeletal muscle accounts for 85-90% of the impairment of total glucose disposal in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). However, the mechanism remains controversial. The present study aims to investigate whether AKT2 deficiency causes deficits in skeletal muscle development and metabolism, we analyzed the expression of molecules related to skeletal muscle development, glucose uptake and metabolism in mice of 3- and 8-months old. We found that AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and myocyte enhancer factor 2 (MEF2) A (MEF2A) expression were down-regulated in AKT2 knockout (KO) mice, which can be inverted by AMPK activation. We also observed reduced mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) abundance and reduced expression of genes involved in mitochondrial biogenesis in the skeletal muscle of AKT2 KO mice, which was prevented by AMPK activation. Moreover, AKT2 KO mice exhibited impaired AMPK signaling in response to insulin stimulation compared with WT mice. Our study establishes a new and important function of AKT2 in regulating skeletal muscle development and glucose metabolism via AMPK-dependent signaling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the present meta-analysis was to evaluate the effect of vitamin D supplementation on patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A literature search was performed to identify all of the relevant studies comparing the effect of vitamin D supplementation with placebo in PCOS patients, in the PubMed, Embase and Web of Science databases. All statistical analyses were performed on case-control studies using Review Manager 5.3 software, provided by the Cochrane Collaboration. A total of 11 studies involving 483 participants were included in the current meta-analysis. Vitamin D supplementation appeared to lead to an improvement in the levels of total testosterone [weighted mean differences (WMD) = -0.10, 95% CI (-0.18, -0.02)], homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance [WMD = -0.44, 95% CI (-0.86, -0.03)], homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function [WMD = -16.65, 95% CI (-19.49, -13.80)], total cholesterol [WMD = -11.90, 95% CI (-15.67, -8.13)] and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol [WMD = -4.54; 95% CI (-7.29, -1.80)]. The results failed to show a positive effect of vitamin D supplementation on the body mass index, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, triglyceride levels or high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol. In conclusion, the data from the available randomized controlled trials (RCTs) suggested vitamin D supplementation reduced insulin resistance and hyperandrogenism, as well improving the lipid metabolism of patients with PCOS to an extent. Further high-quality RCTs from a variety of regions in the world are required to determine the effectiveness of vitamin D supplementation in PCOS patients, and to determine a suitable dose and unit of vitamin D. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autophagy is involved in the development of numerous illnesses, including ischemia/reperfusion (I/R). Endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) participates in the protective effects of ischemic postconditioning (IPostC). However, it remains unclear whether eNOS-mediated autophagy serves as a critical role in IPostC in the hearts of mice, in protecting against I/R injury. In the present study, the hearts of mice with left anterior descending coronary artery ligation were studied as I/R models. H9c2 cells underwent exposure to hypoxia/reoxygenation (H/R) and were examined as in vitro model. IPostC reduced mice myocardial infarct size and improved the structure of the heart. IPostC increased the formation of autophagosomes and increased the phosphorylation of eNOS and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Autophagy and eNOS inhibition suppressed the cardioprotective effects of IPostC. AMPK or eNOS inhibition abolished the improvement effect of IPostC on autophagy. AMPK inhibition decreased eNOS phosphorylation in the heart. Additionally, H9c2 cells suffering hypoxia were used as in vitro model. Autophagy or eNOS inhibition abolished the protective effects of hypoxic postconditioning (HPostC) against H/R injury. AMPK and eNOS inhibition/knockout decreased autophagic activity in the HPostC group. These results indicated that IPostC protects the heart against I/R injury, partially via promoting AMPK/eNOS-mediated autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Notch is a transmembrane receptor that mediates intercellular signaling through a conserved signaling cascade in all animal species. Transcriptional and posttranscriptional regulation of Notch receptor are important for maintaining Notch signaling activity. Here, we show that depletion of Drosophila Sin3A leads to loss of the adult wing margin and downregulation of Notch target gene expression in the developing wing disc. Sin3A regulates the Notch pathway downstream of Delta and upstream of Notch activation. The role of Sin3A in the Notch pathway is partly mediated by its ability to modulate Notch receptor transcription. Furthermore, the transcriptional activation of Notch receptor is autoregulated by Notch itself. We also provide evidence that Sin3A is required for Notch activation mediated Notch transcription. Together, our data demonstrate that Sin3A activates Notch signaling by promoting Notch transcription and reveal a previously unknown autoregulatory mechanism for Notch signaling activation during Drosophila wing development. Highlights • Depletion of Sin3A caused notched wing in Drosophila. • Depletion of Sin3A resulted in the downregulation of Notch target gene expression. • Sin3A promotes Notch transcription. • Notch autoregulates its own transcription and this is mediated by Sin3A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C18H20CuN4O9S, monoclinic, P21/c(no. 14), a=16.4177(5) Å, b=17.9018(5) Å, c=7.4580(2) Å, β=90.490(3)°, V=2191.87(11) Å3, Z=4, Rgt(F)=0.0451, wRref(F2)=0.0956, T=153(2) K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSC) hold tremendous potential for personalized cell-based therapy for skin regeneration. Aiming to establish human iPSCs as a potential cell source for skin tissue engineering, we expect to obtain an epidermal-like cell line with angiogenic and keratinogenic differentiation potential via inducing iPSC-derived mesenchymal stem cells (iPSC-MSCs) with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) and/or keratinocyte growth factor (KGF).The results show that iPSC-MSCswere successfully inducedwith a positive FGFR/KGFRexpression on the cell surface. BFGF/KGF induction could significantly increase the expression of vascularization marker CD31 and keratinization marker CK10, respectively, while when combined together, although CD31 and CK10 were still positively expressed, their expressions were lower than that of the single induction group, suggesting that the effects of the two growth factors interfered with each other. This cell line with angiogenic and keratinogenic differentiation potential provides a promising new source of cells for the construction of well vascularized and keratinized tissue engineered skin, furthermore establishing an effective strategy for iPSC-based therapy in skin tissue engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry (MS) technology has a special advantage in species determination for protein-rich samples which requires identification of species-specific peptides. However, for species discrimination of highly homologous proteins, it remains challenging to select the species unique peptides with routine proteomics approaches. In this work, we chose keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs) present in cashmere fibers from goat and wool fibers from sheep as targets, to develop a dual-protease digestion workflow based on in-silico and experimental analysis. Combined usage of Glu-C and trypsin proteases showed the best digestion performance for MS identification of keratins and KAPs from different species. The parallel reaction monitoring (PRM) technique was implemented to validate and quantify the selected species discriminable peptides. The fiber composition of both blended animal hair fibers and industrial textile fabrics were successfully determined with the PRM assay. Furthermore, we identified over 360 peptides from the cashmere fiber beyond the current Uniprot goat proteome database. We expect our new workflow would improve the identification and quantification of keratin and KAPs, and provide inspiration for distinguishing other highly homologous proteins. We also anticipate the set of species-specific peptides from keratin or KAPs validated in this work would benefit the quality assessment for industrial fiber materials and textile products. Significance Discriminating species from highly homologous proteins is challenging for MS-based shotgun proteomics. The large percentage of overlapped protein sequence hinders the identification of the species unique peptides. In this work, we aimed to discriminate sample species between goat and sheep from keratins and keratin-associated proteins (KAPs). A dedicated workflow was developed to boost the exposure and quantification of species discriminable peptides. The dual-proteases digestion approach was optimized based on amino acid sequence analysis and protein in-silico digestion analysis. The PRM assays were established to validate and quantify the selected species unique peptides. Additionally, we have identified about 360 novel candidate peptides complementary to the current goat protein sequence database. We expect our workflow would improve the species discrimination for highly homologous proteins and benefit the proteomics study of keratin and KAPs in the human proteome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemiluminescence (ECL) detection has attracted increasing attention as a promising analytical approach. A considerable number of studies showed that ECL intensity can be definitely improved by resonance energy transfer (RET), while the RET efficiency is strongly dependent on the distance between exited donors and acceptors. Herein we disclose for the first time a highly enhanced RET strategy to promote the energy transfer efficiency by coencapsulating the donor ([Ru(bpy)3]2+)/acceptor (CdTe quantum dots, CdTe QDs) pairs into a silica nanosphere. Plenty of [Ru(bpy)3]2+ and CdTe QDs closely packed inside a single nanosphere greatly shortens the electron-transfer path and increases the RET probability, therefore significantly enhancing the luminous efficiency. Further combining with molecularly imprinting technique, we develop a novel ECL sensor for ultrasensitive and highly selective detection of target molecules. Proof of concept experiments showed that extremely low detection limits of subfg/mL (S/N = 3) with broad linear ranges (fg/mL to ng/mL) could be obtained for detection of two kinds of mycotoxins (α-ergocryptine and ochratoxin A) that are recognized as potential health hazards at very low concentrations. This strategy combining enhanced RET system and molecularly imprinting technique, represents a versatile ECL platform toward low-cost, rapid, ultrasensitive, and highly selective detection of target molecules in diverse applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of infrared (IR) thermography in visualizing the dilation of the choke vessels in a delayed pedicled perforator flap rat model. Methods A three-territory island flap was designed and harvested on one side of the rat dorsum. The flap was divided into five regions. In the normal group (n = 8), IR thermal imaging was correlated with the postmortem arteriography for the location of angiosomes, linking patterns, perforator diameter, and temperature on each region. The delay group (n = 35) was divided into seven groups according to various delay periods. At different time intervals, the delay group was compared with the normal group according to link pattern and temperature on each region. Results IR thermal imaging showed that a white hotspot existed on the surface of each angiosome; the true anastomotic vessels manifested a continuous white band linking the white hotspots on angiosomes, whereas the choke vessels presented a red zone in between adjacent hotspots. After delay, the dilation of the choke vessels manifested itself as the replacement of the red zone between adjacent hotspots by the white band on IR thermography. In addition, the delayed flap presented a phenomenon of rise and fall in temperature over time. Conclusion IR thermography can accurately visualize the process of the dilation of choke vessels after a surgical delay. The chronological change in the IR thermal imaging combined with the temperature change in the delayed flap might be useful to determine the optimal delay period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoquercetin has exhibited a wide range of therapeutic properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-allergic activities. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of isoquercetin on rats with 2 h middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) and evaluate the neuroprotective effect of isoquercetin on a primary culture of rat hippocampal neuronal cells subjected to oxygen-glucose deprivation followed by reoxygenation (OGD/R). In vivo, the rats treated with isoquercetin exhibited a lower degree of neurological dysfunction and smaller infarct volume than the vehicle-treated rats. In vitro, it was found that isoquercetin prevented the OGD/R-induced increase in apoptosis, lactate dehydrogenase release and reduction in cell viability. Additionally, isoquercetin induced the upregulation of nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 gene and protein expression, and increased extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2) phosphorylation. This indicates that the ERK1/2 pathway may contribute to the neuroprotective effect of isoquercetin against OGD/R-induced oxidative damage in rat hippocampal neurons. These findings suggest the potential importance of isoquercetin in the treatment of ischemia/reperfusion-related brain injury and associated diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of a geogrid reinforced system depends heavily on the properties of interface between the interacting components (i.e., backfill soil and geogrid inclusion). The comprehensive understanding of soil-geogrid interaction requires proper consideration of the true aperture geometry and the discontinuous nature of backfill soil. Based on the calibrated parameters, this paper presents a simulation procedure using PFC3D to reproduce the realistic pull-out behaviors of a triaxial geogrid embedded in various ballast aggregates with diverse particle shapes. The load transfer behaviors across the interacting components have been visualized in terms of the evolution of bond forces along the geogrid and the evolution of contact forces across the particle assembly. Meanwhile, the inherent microscopic changes accounting for the regression of macroscopic strength and the correlation between macro pull-out force and micro anisotropy parameters have been addressed. In addition, the differences in macro performance and the particle responses produced by different shapes of particles are also systematically discussed to justify the significant role of particle geometry. The findings obtained in this study are expected to provide better understanding of soil-geogrid interaction and the improved interlocking caused by irregular ballast geometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continuous conduction mode (CCM) boost converters are commonly used in home appliances and various industries because of their simple topology and low input current ripples. However, these converters suffer from several disadvantages, such as hard switching of the active switch and reverse recovery problems of the output diode. These disadvantages increase voltage stresses across the switch and output diode and thus contribute to switching losses and electromagnetic interference. A new topology is presented in this work to improve the switching characteristics of CCM boost converters. Zero-current turn-on and zero-voltage turn-off are achieved for the active switches. The reverse-recovery current is reduced by soft turning-off the output diode. In addition, an input current sensorless control is applied to the proposed topology by pre-calculating the duty cycles of the active switches. Power factor correction is thus achieved with less effort than that required in the traditional method. Simulation and experimental results verify the soft-switching characteristics of the proposed topology and the effectiveness of the proposed input current sensorless control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) inhibitors play an important role in the treatment of human methanol or ethylene glycol poisoning and the suppression of acetaldehyde accumulation in alcoholics. In this study, centrifugal ultrafiltration coupled with high performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) was utilized to screen and identify ADH inhibitors from an ethyl acetate extract of Desmodium styracifolium (Osb.) Merr. The experimental conditions of the centrifugal ultrafiltration were optimized. Under the optimum conditions (ADH concentration: 37.5 μg mL-1, incubation time: 90 min, pH 7.0 and temperature: 15 °C), formononetin and aromadendrin were successfully screened and identified from the ethyl acetate extract of D. styracifolium. The screening result was verified by ADH inhibition assays. The IC50 values of formononetin and aromadendrin were 70.8 and 84.7 μg mL-1, which were in accordance with their degrees of binding. Aromadendrin was for the first time reported to have inhibitory activity on ADH. This method provides an effective way to screen active compounds from natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims Vibrio vulnificus is an opportunistic pathogen that causes primary septicemia and wound infection with high mortality rate. This pathogen produces an RTX toxin (RtxA1) which can cause host cell rounding, cell death and interference with internalization by host phagocytes. However, the mechanism of RtxA1-induced phagocyte paralysis is not clear. Main methods Using the murine macrophage cell line RAW264.7, we measured cytotoxicity and phagocytosis of V. vulnificus in normal and calcium-depleted media. To deplete extracellular and cytosolic Ca 2 + , cells were exposed to the calcium chelators ethylene glycol tetraacetic acid (EGTA) and 1,2-bis-(o-aminophenoxy)-ethane-N,N,N ′ ,N ′ -tetraacetic acid, tetraacetoxymethyl esteris (BAPTA-AM), respectively. The cytotoxicity was examined by measuring the activity of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) released from the damaged cells. The gentamicin protection assay was conducted to determine the number of internalized bacteria, while acridine orange staining was applied to visualize the intracellular bacteria. The fluorescent indicator fura-2-acetoxymethyl ester (fura 2-AM) was used to measure the Ca 2 + signal post-infection. Key findings We revealed that extracellular Ca 2 + was essential for phagocytes to internalize V. vulnificus . Meanwhile, cytosolic Ca 2 + flux in RAW264.7 cells induced by an RtxA1 isogenic mutant was repressed by the parent strain. Furthermore, depletion of extracellular Ca 2 + level by EGTA significantly reduced the cytotoxicity but did not affect the antiphagocytic activity of RtxA1 toxin. Significance Our results indicated that RtxA1 may interfere with cytosolic Ca 2 + flux of phagocyte to promote bacteria colonization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates problem-solving difficulties of novices in a classroom setting, using a German instructional tool, the Fischertechnik kit of approximately 400 parts. In order to analyse the students’ thinking processes as they solved the problems, verbal protocol analysis (VPA) was used to record the students’’ thinking processes and action stages for three case problems. Next, we plotted the experimental process in each case on five work completion time axes, representing time in the experiment in accordance with the substance of the five main tasks. To highlight the features of the novices’ problem-solving efforts, a summary discussion and analysis of the problem-solving processes in the three cases is presented. The novice students in this study displayed the following characteristics during their problem-solving process: (1) all of them employed ‘working-forward’ cognitive strategies, which shows that novices usually rely on certain operations to change the current situation; (2) they tended to adopt their responses based on their assessment of the linkages between their previous experiences and new ones, which leads to continuous development via a process of changing equilibration; (3) as a result of these novices’ inability to fully clarify the key problem elements, they mostly adopted an intuitive trial and error approach. When confronting problems, these novice students tended to implement their solutions immediately after encountering the problem. Finally, this study provides recommendations for future instructional design based on its results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI) has evolved as a routine procedure to treat selected high-risk patients with severe aortic stenosis. The new J-Valve™ prosthesis is designed for antegrade transapical implantation, it is characterized by a porcine aortic prosthesis attaching to a self-expandable Nitinol stent. The key feature of the device are three U-shape anatomically oriented devices - "graspers" which could facilitate intuitive 'self-positioning' valve implantation. Hereby, we report a successful case of trans-apical TAVI in an elderly high-risk patient with severe aortic stenosis using J-Valve™ system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin structure is an important factor affecting the cooking part of the pulping process. In this study, the effect of lignin side chain spatial configuration on cooking performance was analyzed, and the structural characteristics of eucalyptus and acacia during cooking were compared and studied by combining ozonation, GC-MS, NBO, and 2D NMR (1H-13C HSQC). In addition, the changes in the lignin content of four different raw materials during the cooking process were studied via ball milling and UV spectrum analysis. The results showed that the content of lignin in the raw material decreased continuously during the cooking process. Only in the late cooking stage, when the lignin removal reached its limit, did the lignin content tend to be stable due to the polycondensation reaction of lignin. At the same time, the E/T ratio and S/G ratio of the reaction residual lignin also followed a similar rule. At the beginning of cooking, the values of E/T and S/G decreased rapidly and then gradually rose when they reached a low point. The different initial E/T and S/G values of different raw materials lead to the disunity of cooking efficiency and the different transformation rules of different raw materials in the cooking process. Therefore, the pulping efficiency of different raw materials can be improved using different technological means. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

C42H40Cl2MnN6O10S2, monoclinic, C2/c (no. 15), a=16.822(14) Å, b=11.552(9) Å, c=22.021(17) Å, β=91.920(13)°, V =4277(6) Å3, Z =4, Rgt(F)=0.0641, wRref(F2)=0.1654, T =296 K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

tRNAs are encoded by RNA polymerase III-transcribed genes that reside at seemingly random intervals along the chromosomes of budding yeast. Existing evidence suggests that the genes congregate together at the nucleolus and/or centromeres. In this study, we re-examined spatial and temporal aspects of tRNA gene (tDNA) expression. We show that tDNA transcription fluctuates during cell cycle progression. In M phase, when tRNA synthesis peaks, tDNAs localize at nuclear pore complexes (NPCs). Docking of a tDNA requires the DNA sequence of the contacted gene, nucleoporins Nup60 and Nup2, and cohesin. Characterization of mutants that block NPC localization revealed that docking is a consequence of elevated tDNA transcription. NPC-tDNA contact falters in the absence of the principal exportin of nascent tRNA, Los1, and genetic assays indicate that gating of tDNAs at NPCs favors cytoplasmic accumulation of functional tRNA. Collectively, the data suggest that tDNAs associate with NPCs to coordinate RNA polymerase III transcription with the nuclear export of pre-tRNA. The M-phase specificity of NPC contact reflects a regulatory mechanism that may have evolved, in part, to avoid collisions between DNA replication forks and transcribing RNA polymerase III machinery at NPCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eukaryotic initiation factor 4A (eIF-4A) is an essential component for protein translation in eukaryotes. The eIF-4A gene (ApeIF-4A) was isolated and characterized from Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). The obtained cDNA sequence was 1,435-bp long with an open reading frame of 1,266 bp encoding 421 amino acids. The predicted amino acid sequence shared several conserved features as found in known eIF-4As and revealed 74 and 78% identities with eIF-4As of Homo sapiens L. and Drosophila melanogaster (Meigen), respectively. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis showed that ApeIF- 4A was transcribed at four developmental stages and in all tissues tested, suggesting that it plays an important role in development of A. pernyi. Homologous alignment suggested that eIF-4As are highly conserved throughout evolution of eukaryote organisms. Phylogenetic trees based on the amino acid and nucleotide sequences of eIF-4A demonstrated a similar topology with the classical systematics, suggesting that it has the potential value in phylogenetic inference of eukaryotes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) is a key enzyme that converts ethanol into acetaldehyde. Its binders could be used to efficiently treat human toxic alcohol poisoning and suppress the acetaldehyde accumulation in alcohol hypersensitive alcoholics. In the present study, a new assay based on ADH-functionalized magnetic nanoparticles coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography - tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) was developed for the rapid screening and identification of ADH binders. ADH was immobilized on silica-coated Fe3O4 magnetic nanoparticles via covalent bonds and the synthesized nanoparticles were characterized by TEM, XRD, FT-IR, and VSM. The amount of bound ADH onto magnetic nanoparticles was 80.6 μ/mg. The optimum temperature and pH for the enzymatic activity of immobilized ADH were 25℃ and 7.0, respectively. The relative activity of immobilized ADH remained 68.14% after 10 times of recycle, which exhibited good durability. Nine compounds with ADH-binding activity were screened and identified in Glycyrrhiza uralensis root extracts, among which seven compounds were first screened and identified. Experimental results proved that the proposed method could rapidly screen ADH binders from complex mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

KK-42 is an imidazole insect growth regulator. A (KK-42)-binding protein (KK-42BP) has been shown to be associated with diapause termination in pharate first instars of Antheraea yamamai (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae). In this study, the (KK-42)-binding protein gene (ApKK-42BP) was characterized from Antheraea pernyi (Guérin-Méneville) (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae) undergoing a winter diapause as a pupa. Homologous comparison revealed that KK-42BPs from A. pernyi and A. yamamai were closely related to the known minor yolk proteins from the lepidopterans Bombyx mori L., Plodia interpuncteUa (Htibner), and Galleria mellonella L. The two KK-42BPs also contained a lipase-like region, as observed in the known lepidopteran yolk proteins. Phylogenetic analysis suggested that KK-42BP is a new member of the minor yolk proteins. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analyses showed that ApKK-42BP mRNA was expressed in all of the tissues tested, throughout four developmental stages, and in both female and male. Both in the brain and hemolymph, expression of ApKK-42BP mRNA level was similar between nondiapausedestined and diapause-destined larval individuals. ApKK-42BP mRNA was expressed in the prediapause period of diapause-destined pupae, disappeared in early diapause and diapause stage, and reappeared in the postdiapause stage. These expression patterns stated that a lack of KK-42BP is associated with pupal diapause and its expression may be critical to nondiapausing individuals. Our results suggested that the KK-42BP gene is likely involved in a function other than as a yolk protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Retinal photoreceptors die during retinal synaptogenesis in a portion of retinal degeneration. Whether cone bipolar cells establish regular retinal mosaics and mature morphologies, and resist degeneration are not completely understood. To explore these issues, we backcrossed a transgenic mouse expressing enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) in one subset of cone bipolar cells (type 7) into rd1 mice, a classic mouse model of retinal degeneration, to examine the development and survival of cone bipolar cells in a background of retinal degeneration. Our data revealed that both the development and degeneration of cone bipolar cells are independent of the normal activity of cone photoreceptors. We found that type 7 cone bipolar cells achieved a uniform tiling of the retinal surface and developed normal dendritic and axonal arbors without the influence of cone photoreceptor innervation. On the other hand, degeneration of type 7 cone bipolar cells, contrary to our belief of central-to- peripheral progression, was spatially uniform across the retina independent of the spatiotemporal pattern of cone degeneration. The results have important implications for the design of more effective therapies to restore vision in retinal degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Palladium (Pd) nanostructures with urchin-like, hemispherical, flower-like, and plate-like morphologies were controllably deposited on silicon substrates in aqueous hydrogen fluoride (HF) solution at room temperature. The morphology of the Pd nanostructures changed from urchin-like to hemispherical and flowerlike in the presence of polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP, MW = 55 000) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), respectively. The Pd nanostructures were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray diffraction. The size and shape of palladium nanostructures were investigated as a function of metal precursor concentration, reaction time and organic additive concentration. The possible formation mechanisms were discussed. In addition, the morphology-dependent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of the as-synthesized Pd nanostructures were investigated. The results showed that urchin-like Pd nanostructures had the highest SERS activity than the other Pd nanostructures for Rhodamine 6G (R6G) probe molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-band bandpass filter using a new dual-band dual-behavior resonator (DBR) structure is proposed.The new dual-band DBR consists of only two stopband elements connected in parallel. One is a uniform impedance open-circuited stub and the other is a stepped impedance open-circuited stub. The concept of stepped impedance resonator is utilized to realize the sencond band characteristics at desired frequencies. Experimental results in microstrip technology are presented, which validate our idea. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25822 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual-mode bandpass filter using stub-loaded resonators with internal coupled lines for high-selectivity application has been presented. Based on the odd- and even-mode equivalent circuits, the resonant characteristics of the proposed microstrip resonator are investigated. The proposed resonator is found to have the merit that the even-mode resonant frequencies can be flexibly controlled, whereas the odd-mode resonant frequencies are unaffected. It is also found that there is a finite-frequency transmission zero inherently through the stopband. Based on the proposed resonator, a compact and high-selectivity bandpass filter is demonstrated. Experimental results are presented, which confirm our idea. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 53:643-646, 2011; View this article online at wileyonlinelibrary.com. DOI 10.1002/mop.25769 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cloud-point extraction (CPE) method using Triton X-114 (TX-114) nonionic surfactant was developed for the extraction and preconcentration of propyl gallate (PG), tertiary butyl hydroquinone (TBHQ), butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) from edible oils. The optimum conditions of CPE were 2.5% (v/v) TX-114, 0.5% (w/v) NaCl and 40 min equilibration time at 50 °C. The surfactant-rich phase was then analyzed by reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography with ultraviolet detection at 280 nm, using a gradient mobile phase consisting of methanol and 1.5% (v/v) acetic acid. Under the studied conditions, 4 synthetic phenolic antioxidants (SPAs) were successfully separated within 24 min. The limits of detection (LOD) were 1.9 ng mL for PG, 11 ng mL for TBHQ, 2.3 ng mL for BHA, and 5.9 ng mL for BHT. Recoveries of the SPAs spiked into edible oil were in the range 81% to 88%. The CPE method was shown to be potentially useful for the preconcentration of the target analytes, with a preconcentration factor of 14. Moreover, the method is simple, has high sensitivity, consumes much less solvent than traditional methods, and is environment-friendly. The method established in this article uses less organic solvent to extract SPAs from edible oils; it is simple, highly sensitive and results in no pollution to the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) produced by microorganisms are a complex mixture of biopolymers primarily consisting of polysaccharides, as well as proteins, nucleic acids, lipids and humic substances. EPS make up the intercellular space of microbial aggregates and form the structure and architecture of the biofilm matrix. The key functions of EPS comprise the mediation of the initial attachment of cells to different substrata and protection against environmental stress and dehydration. The aim of this review is to present a summary of the current status of the research into the role of EPS in bacterial attachment followed by biofilm formation. The latter has a profound impact on an array of biomedical, biotechnology and industrial fields including pharmaceutical and surgical applications, food engineering, bioremediation and biohydrometallurgy. The diverse structural variations of EPS produced by bacteria of different taxonomic lineages, together with examples of biotechnological applications, are discussed. Finally, a range of novel techniques that can be used in studies involving biofilm-specific polysaccharides is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer materials have become one of the potential materials for remediation of heavy metal (HM) contamination in water and soil. However, the specific advantages of polymers are rarely studied. Water-soluble thiourea formaldehyde resin (WTF) is one of the effective polymer amendments. Through leaching experiments, WTF can stabilize 93.0% of Cd2+ and 99.7% of Cu2+. The results of HM morphology analysis show that after adding WTF, most of the HMs have been transformed into a relatively stable state. For example, in the process of remediation of 6 mg/kg Cd contaminated soil, the proportion of acid-soluble Cd decreased from 56.5% to 12.8%, and the residual state increased from 13.5% to 45.4%. Compared with the resin-free structure, the three-dimensional structure of the resin plays an important role, but the efficiency of precipitation with HMs is doubled. According to the simulation of the adsorption process by Materials Studio, the characterization of the scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive instrument and the results of the adsorption experiment, in the solution, the precipitate formed by WTF and Cd2+ has multilayer adsorption of HMs, and can further adsorb HM by –OH. Soil enzyme activity experiments proved that the risk of secondary pollution by adding WTF is rare, and even WTF can achieve the effect of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. In the WTF remediation process, the biological toxicity reduction of HMs is result from, on the one hand, the complexation of functional group of WTF; on the other hand, the resin structure of WTF; in addition, multi-layer adsorption and adsorption of end groups in the precipitation formed by WTF and HM. This work provides a theoretical basis for the potential capabilities of water-soluble resins and is beneficial to the design and development of subsequent amendments. [Display omitted] • The stability rates of Cd and Cu reached 93.0% and 99.7%, respectively. • Compared with NRTH, the resin structure of WTF increases the stabilization ability. • HMs can be further removed by WTF chelate in the way of multilayer adsorption. • The monomer of WTF can bind to the active sites 330 and 334 of urease. • The soil nutrient cycle changes positively with the addition of WTF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer materials have become one of the potential materials for remediation of heavy metal (HM) contamination in water and soil. However, the specific advantages of polymers are rarely studied. Water-soluble thiourea formaldehyde resin (WTF) is one of the effective polymer amendments. Through leaching experiments, WTF can stabilize 93.0% of Cd2+ and 99.7% of Cu2+. The results of HM morphology analysis show that after adding WTF, most of the HMs have been transformed into a relatively stable state. For example, in the process of remediation of 6 mg/kg Cd contaminated soil, the proportion of acid-soluble Cd decreased from 56.5% to 12.8%, and the residual state increased from 13.5% to 45.4%. Compared with the resin-free structure, the three-dimensional structure of the resin plays an important role, but the efficiency of precipitation with HMs is doubled. According to the simulation of the adsorption process by Materials Studio, the characterization of the scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive instrument and the results of the adsorption experiment, in the solution, the precipitate formed by WTF and Cd2+ has multilayer adsorption of HMs, and can further adsorb HM by –OH. Soil enzyme activity experiments proved that the risk of secondary pollution by adding WTF is rare, and even WTF can achieve the effect of slow-release nitrogen fertilizer. In the WTF remediation process, the biological toxicity reduction of HMs is result from, on the one hand, the complexation of functional group of WTF; on the other hand, the resin structure of WTF; in addition, multi-layer adsorption and adsorption of end groups in the precipitation formed by WTF and HM. This work provides a theoretical basis for the potential capabilities of water-soluble resins and is beneficial to the design and development of subsequent amendments. [Display omitted] • The stability rates of Cd and Cu reached 93.0% and 99.7%, respectively. • Compared with NRTH, the resin structure of WTF increases the stabilization ability. • HMs can be further removed by WTF chelate in the way of multilayer adsorption. • The monomer of WTF can bind to the active sites 330 and 334 of urease. • The soil nutrient cycle changes positively with the addition of WTF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peptide nucleic acid containing azobenzene (N-PNA) was covalently bound on chip surfaces. Complementary DNA probes labeled by gold nanoparticles hybridizated with PNA on chip surfaces. The hybridization was successfully detected with AFM by the microscopy mothed. The influences of the position and the cis-trans isomerization of azobenzene unit on hybridization were investigated with AFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic performance of a series of Ga2O3–Al2O3 mixed oxides prepared by alcoholic-coprecipitation method for the dehydrogenation of propane in the presence of CO2 was investigated. It is shown that the combination of Ga and Al oxides greatly improved the performance of the Ga2O3-based materials for catalytic dehydrogenation of propane, with the highest performance attainable at a Ga2O3–Al2O3 catalyst with a 20 mol% aluminum content. While the same tendency was observed for the specific activity normalized by BET surface area, significantly enhanced stability was achieved for Ga2O3–Al2O3 with higher aluminum content. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed that a homogeneous spinel-type Ga2O3–Al2O3 solid solution is uniformly formed by substitution of Ga3+ for Al3+ in the Al2O3 lattice. The enhanced activity of Ga2O3–Al2O3 mixed oxides was accounted for by the abundance of surface weak acid sites due to the synergetic interaction between Ga2O3 and Al2O3 in the solid solution systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]