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Biosynthesis of plant cell walls requires UDP-glucose as the substrate for cellulose biosynthesis, and as an intermediate for the synthesis of other matrix polysaccharides. The sucrose cleaving enzyme sucrose synthase (SUS) is thought to have a central role in UDP-glucose biosynthesis, and a long held and much debated hypothesis postulates that SUS is required to supply UDP-glucose to cellulose biosynthesis. To investigate the role of SUS in cellulose biosynthesis of Arabidopsis thaliana we characterized mutants in which four, or all six Arabidopsis SUS genes were disrupted. These sus mutants showed no growth phenotypes, vascular tissue cell wall defects or changes in cellulose content. Moreover, the UDP-glucose content of rosette leaves of the sextuple sus mutants was increased by approximately 20% compared to wild type. It can thus be concluded that cellulose biosynthesis is able to employ alternative UDP-glucose biosynthesis pathway(s), and thereby the model of SUS requirement for cellulose biosynthesis in Arabidopsis can be refuted.

Flexible electrodes have attracted the interest of a wide range of people because they can monitor human health signals like ECG, EMG and EEG as wearable devices. However, PDMS-based membrane electrodes have the problem of difficulty in depositing metal layers, while fabric electrodes have high contact impedance. Furthermore, the widely used Ag/AgCl electrodes have the shortcomings of skin inflammation or skin irritation. Therefore, we fabricate a skin-like electrical conductive electrode via electroless silver plating on the surface of regenerated cellulose membrane, in which the cellulose membrane is obtained by the dissolution of cotton fiber with green solvent ionic liquid [Bmim]Cl. The as-prepared biocompatible electrode with low skin-electrode contact impedance can be used as a dry electrode for a long-term period of use. The impedance at 700 Hz is only 8 kΩ/cm2, and the conductivity can reach 252 s/cm. After 5 hours of wear, the skin contact impedance of the electrode was only 10 kΩ/cm2 under 700 Hz(when AgNO3 was used at a concentration of 0.20 mol/L). Importantly, the electrodes not only provide a stable and clear ECG signal, but also offer a high level of comfort and low impedance, when used for long-term health monitoring.

To evaluate the ocular and systemic determinants of the choriocapillaris flow deficits percentage (CC FD%) in normal eyes.Observational cross-sectional study.Healthy Chinese participants without ocular or systemic diseases underwent detailed ophthalmic evaluations, including swept-source optical coherence tomography angiography (SS-OCTA) with 6- × 6-mm macular choriocapillaris images. The CC FD% was assessed in circular regions with diameters of 1.0 and 5.0 mm, rings with 1.0- to 2.5-mm diameters, and rings with 2.5- to 5.0-mm diameters.The study included 830 individuals (mean ± SD age 58.66 ± 8.75 years). CC FD% (mean ± SD 22.05% ± 1.13%) was the lowest in the 2.5- to 5.0-mm ring, followed by the 1.0- to 2.5-mm ring, and highest in the 1.0-mm circle. In multivariable analysis, a higher CC FD% was associated with older age (β = 0.16 [95% confidence interval {CI}] 0.08-0.24, P.001), higher intraocular pressure (β = 0.34 [95% CI 0.25-0.42], P.001), higher serum concentrations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (β = 0.24 [95% CI 0.17-0.32], P.001), and lower image quality score (β = -0.22 [95% CI -0.30 to -0.14], P.001). CC FD% was also independent of axial length.In healthy adult Chinese individuals, a higher CC FD% was associated with older age, higher intraocular pressure, and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol serum concentration. These factors may influence clinical assessments of the choriocapillaris. The lack of an association between CC FD% and axial length is consistent with similar findings for Bruch membrane thickness, macular retinal thickness, and macular retinal pigment epithelium cell density.

Cataract is the leading cause of visual impairment, and posterior capsular opacification (PCO) is the most common long-term complication of modern cataract surgery, which can cause severe visual impairment after surgery. The proliferation, migration, and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of residual lens epithelial cells (LECs) stimulated by growth factors and cytokines, are the key pathological mechanisms involved in the development of PCO. This study demonstrated that non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), bromfenac, was capable of effectively inhibiting cell migration, overexpression of EMT markers, such as fibronectin (FN), matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2), α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA), and transcription factor Snail, and extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK)/glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) signaling induced by transforming growth factor-β2 (TGF-β2) in vitro. The inhibitory effect of bromfenac on TGF-β2-induced EMT was also verified on a primary lens epithelial cell model using human anterior capsules. Furthermore, based on ultrasonic spray technology, we developed a drug-eluting intraocular lens (IOL) using poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PLGA) with sustained bromfenac release ability for the prevention of PCO development. In the rabbit models of cataract surgery, bromfenac-eluting IOL exhibited remarkable PCO prevention and inflammation suppression effects with excellent biocompatibility. In conclusion, bromfenac can inhibit TGF-β2-induced cell migration and the EMT of LECs via ERK/GSK-3β/Snail signaling. The present study offers a novel approach for preventing PCO through PLGA-based drug sustained-release IOLs., Graphical abstract TGF-β2 promoted migration and EMT of lens epithelial cells (LECs) through activation of ERK/GSK-3β/Snail signaling, which could be suppressed by bromfenac. Novel bromfenac-based drug-eluting IOLs exhibited excellent PCO prevention in vivo.Image 1, Highlights • Bromfenac inhibited TGF-β2-induced migration and EMT of LECs through ERK/GSK-3β/Snail signaling. • Drug-eluting IOLs with sustained bromfenac release were developed based on ultrasonic spray technology. • Bromfenac-eluting IOLs exhibited remarkable PCO prevention and inflammation suppression effects in vivo. • Bromfenac-eluting IOLs hold great potential for clinical application of PCO prevention.

In this work, three-dimensional (3D) porous coral-like Co1.29Ni1.71O4 microspheres were successfully combined with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) to form Co1.29Ni1.71O4/rGO aerogels as an efficient microwave absorber by a facile calcination and hydrothermal method. The elemental composition, microstructure, and morphology of the as-synthesized composites were characterized, and the electromagnetic wave absorption performance were analyzed in the frequency range of 2.0-18.0 GHz. The results show that adjusting the mass ratio of Co1.29Ni1.71O4 microspheres and rGO in the composites can effectively tune the electromagnetic parameters, which in turn improves their microwave absorption performance. Here, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of the Co1.29Ni1.71O4/rGO aerogels is -51.76 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth (RL

Introducing defects into 2D materials can increase the coordinatively unsaturated sites that are usually also catalytically active sites. How does the level of defects influence catalytic performance and how to take advantage of defects to optimize the 2D materials? In this work, anionic Se vacancies and edge dislocations are regulated in 2D WSe2 as a model of transition metal dichalcogenide host material for the sulfur cathode. The defective 2D WSe2 with different W/Se ratios are quantitatively investigated the influence of the defects on enhancing the cathodic process in lithium sulfur (Li-S) batteries. With a moderate level of defects, WSe1.51 shows the optimal performance for adsorbing polysulfides, catalysing polysulfides conversion, and promoting liquid-solid transformation, all of which are crucial steps for Li-S battery. The corresponding sulfur cathode delivers a high initial areal capacity of 11.3 mAh cm −2, and excellent cycle stability with a decay rate of 0.025% during 1000 cycles at 1C rate. Even in a pouch cell, the excellent cyclability and flexibility are still available. The results show the feasibility of enhancing the catalytic ability of 2D transition metal dichalcogenide by controlling the level of defects by which a long-cycle and high-energy Li-S rechargeable battery can be achieved.

A one-step hydrothermal treatment was used to deposit a nano silver-loaded magnesium-aluminum hydrotalcite (Ag/Mg-Al) layered double hydroxide (LDH) coating onto the surface of a Mg-Zn-Ca alloy to improve the corrosion resistance and antibacterial properties of magnesium alloys for biomedical applications. The effect of experimental parameters such as temperature and time on the microstructure, compositions, and corrosion resistance of the Ag/LDH coating during the hydrothermal treatment was investigated to optimize the preparation process. Additionally, the in vitro degradation performance, antibacterial performance and biocompatibility of the coating were evaluated to determine the optimal preparation condition. The results show that when the LDH–NO3– coating is prepared at 110 °C for 10 h, the constituting silver particles (dimensions, 10–30 nm) are obtained, while the corrosion current density and the corrosion rate decrease to 4.41 μA/cm2 and 0.27 mm/year, respectively. The antibacterial experiment demonstrates that the coating effectively inhibits the reproduction of Escherichia coli while offering remarkable biocompatibility.

Graphene oxide (GO) can enhance the corrosion resistance of epoxy coating, but there are problems such as poor filler dispersion and mechanical damage that will reduce the coating corrosion resistance. To resolve these problems, here, we used a facile and green liquid-phase synthetic strategy to grow covalent organic framework (COF) on GO sheets with 1,3,5-Triformylphloroglucinol and p-phenylenediamine as monomers for the COF synthesis. The COF could not only improve the compatibility of GO with epoxy coating, but also act as a nanocontainer for loading corrosion inhibitors. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy showed that the low-frequency impedance of GO/COF-2% coating immersed in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution for 60 days was 8.58 × 108 Ω cm2. This was one order of magnitude higher than that of GO-2%, showing excellent corrosion resistance. Then, corrosion inhibitor of benzotriazole (BTA) was loaded into GO/COF, where the adsorption and release of BTA was controlled by environmental pH values. Results proved that the GO/COF@BTA-2% reinforced epoxy coating had superior corrosion resistance as well as self-healing ability because of the good compatibility, greater crosslinking density and controllable release of BTA.

The fabrication of barium titanate (BaTiO3) lead-free piezoelectric ceramics using additive manufacturing technology, especially digital light processing (DLP), has been gaining a growing interest for electrical applications. The particle size of the ceramic powders plays a key factor on the performance of sintered ceramic components. In this paper, BaTiO3 ceramic components were fabricated by adopting different suspensions filled with the submicron powder particle size of 200 nm, 500 nm and 600 nm, respectively. Subsequently, the effects of particle size on the rheological properties and photopolymerization behaviors of the suspensions, as well as the density, grain size, piezoelectric and dielectric properties of the ceramic components, were investigated. The result indicated that the suspensions with the coarsest powder showed the lowest viscosity and the highest cure depth; when the grain size distributed in submicron range, the piezoelectric constant (d33) and relative permittivity (er) of sintered BaTiO3 ceramic are direct positively correlated to the grain size. The value of er and d33 were related with domain structure affected by grain size. This work can provide a potential valuable guidance for researchers in selecting suitable BaTiO3 powders to obtain high-performance piezoelectric ceramic components when using the DLP process.

Low accumulation and penetration of nanomedicines in tumor severely reduce therapeutic efficacy. Herein, a pH-responsive gold nanoassembly is designed to overcome these problems. Polyethylene glycol linked raltitrexed (RTX, target ligand and chemotherapy drug) and two tertiary amine molecules (1-(2-aminoethyl) pyrrolidine and N,N-dibutylethylenediamine) are modified on the surface of the 6-nm gold nanoparticles by lipoic acid to form gold nanoassembly defined as Au-NNP(RTX). The Au-NNP (RTX) nanoassembly could remain at about 160 nm at the blood circulation (pH 7.4), while split into 6-nm gold nanoparticles due to tertiary amine protonation at tumor extracellular pH (pH 6.8). This pH-responsive disassembly behavior endows Au-NNP(RTX) better tumor tissue permeability through the better diffusion brought by the size reduction. Meanwhile, after disassembly, more RTXs on the surface of gold nanoparticles are exposed from the shielded state of assembly along with 2.25-fold augment of cellular uptake capability. Most importantly, the results show that Au-NNP(RTX) possesses of high tumor accumulation and effective tumor penetration, thereby enhancing the tumor chemo-radiotherapy efficiency., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • A pH-responsive self-targeting & splitting gold nanoassembly is fabricated. • The nanoassembly holds better tumor tissue permeability by the size reduction. • The nanoassembly enhances targeting capability by ligand shielding and exposure. • Clever design endows the system synergistic effect of chemo-radiotherapy.

To cope with global climate change and monitor global CO₂ concentration distribution, the first Chinese carbon dioxide satellite (TanSat) has been successfully launched in December 2016. In this study, we implemented a CO₂ retrieval scheme by calibrating the TanSat sun-glint (GL) mode spectra and adapting the Iterative Maximum A Posteriori Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy (IMAP-DOAS) algorithm for CO₂ spectral retrieval. The global terrestrial CO₂ total vertical column density (VCD) and column-averaged dry-air mole fractions of CO₂ (X_CO2) were simultaneously retrieved from TanSat GL spectral observations. Then, a comprehensive verification was performed between TanSat CO₂ retrieval and other measurements including Total Carbon Column Observing Network (TCCON), the Japanese Greenhouse gases Observing SATellite (GOSAT), and the US Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2). Further comparisons between our TanSat CO₂ retrieval and ground-based FTIR measurements from TCCON indicated a good correlation with the mean bias of -0.78 ppm, the standard deviation at 1.75 ppm, and the Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.81. In addition, cross-satellite CO₂ validations of TanSat with GOSAT and OCO-2 showed consistently spatiotemporal trends for both CO₂ VCD and X_CO2. In summary, we can conclude that the presented CO₂ retrieval scheme has achieved global CO₂ retrieval from TanSat GL mode spectra with high precision and accuracy, as suggested by the results of independent ground-based and satellite validations.

Biomimetic light‐harvesting architecture has been proposed as an alternative for existing solar conversion systems. Chlorophyll‐sensitized TiO2 have been identified as promising catalyst for photocatalytic reduction system, but it is largely limited to complicated process for purification of chlorophyll and adding extra hole scavenger in system. In sharp contrast to conventional photosensitization methods in which the organic dyes were often adsorbed after photosensitization, herein mesoporous TiO2 incorporated with chlorophyll extract was synthesized in situ (TiO2/Chl). Interestingly, TiO2 incorporated with chlorophyll exhibited two distinct absorption bands around 407 and 668 nm which are closed to the characteristic absorption peak of chlorophyll. TiO2 incorporated with chlorophyll kept at 185°C for 1.5 hours (TiO2/Chl‐185) achieved a high photoreduction rate of 86.1% for the photocatalytic reduction of Cr(VI), which was approximately 29 and 20 times higher than that of TiO2 and TiO2 adsorbing chlorophyll (TiO2/ads Chl), respectively. The significant enhancement was due to the confinement of chlorophyll. This demonstrates that mesoporous TiO2 templated and confined with chlorophyll could offer a new approach for synergistic photoreduction of Cr(VI).

Polyamine (PA), one of the important plant growth regulators, is closely associated with drought stress. However, the function of conjugated PA is not still clear in the roots of cucumber seedlings under polyethylene glycol (PEG) osmotic stress. Therefore, in this study the relationship between the levels of conjugated polyamines and the activity of H+-ATPase in plasma membrane was elucidated with the roots of two cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivars, which were different in drought tolerance, as experimental materials. Furthermore, the contents of free PAs and the activities of S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC) and transglutaminase (TGase), which were closely related to the levels of conjugated polyamines, were also determined. Results showed that under osmotic stress, the increases of the levels of non-covalently conjugated (non-CC) spermidine (Spd) and spermine (Spm), covalently conjugated (CC) putrescine (Put) and Spd in plasma membrane of drought-tolerant Tangshan 5 were more obvious than those of drought-sensitive Jinyou 1. Furthermore, the conjugated PAs mentioned above were closely correlated with increase rate of seedling dry weight, plasma membrane permeability, water content and H+-ATPase activity in plasma membrane. Results of the additional tests, in which exogenous Spd, Spm and two inhibitors, MGBG and phenanthrolin were used, were complementary to the results above. From these results, it could be concluded that non-CC Spd and Spm, CC Put and Spd in plasma membrane functioned in enhancing the tolerance of cucumber seedlings to osmotic stress via elevating H+-ATPase activity.

In this study, the forms of occurrence of impurity elements in silicon carbide (SiC) with different particle sizes were systematically investigated using a combination of X-ray diffraction (XRD), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectrometry (ICP-OES), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The experimental results showed that in SiC powders prepared using the Acheson process, the contents of O, free-Si, free-C, and Fe impurities are high, and those of other trace impurity elements follow the order: Ti > Al > Ni > V. Moreover, O impurities mainly cover the SiC particle surface in the form of amorphous SiO2. Fe impurities exist around SiC particles as Fe2O3, FexSiy, FexSiyTiz, and FexAlySiz phases. Impurity elements are often introduced during the smelting of SiC and/or during milling or subsequent storage.

A novel type of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) modified melamine sponges (rGS) filling with paraffin (rGS-pf) is developed for efficient solar-thermal conversion and heat management. The microstructures, filling and holding capacity of paraffin in porous rGS, solar-thermal energy conversion and energy harvesting efficiency of the prepared rGS-pf have been investigated systematically. The content of rGO nanosheets coated on the skeletons of rGS-pf is only 0.11%, while the loading content of paraffin in the rGS-pf is as high as 97.53%. Based on the solar-thermal conversion property of rGO nanosheets in the rGS-pf and the heat storage ability of paraffin in the rGS-pf, the proposed rGS-pf provides excellent performance for heat management. The efficiency of solar-thermal conversion could reach up to 92.5%. The thermo-regulation provided by the proposed rGS-pf is real-time, repeatable and long-term stable. The results in this study provide valuable guidance for developing functional materials for efficient solar-thermal conversion and heat management.

Traffic restriction policy (TRP) is common practice to alleviate urban congestion and air pollution. However, effects of TRP for non-local vehicles and elevated expressways on local and regional air quality are understudied. Using air pollutant data collected by ground-based national and roadside environmental monitoring stations and field measurements, comparative research design and regression discontinuity analysis were performed to investigate the local and regional variations in air pollutant concentrations with and without the TRP. Results indicate that traffic restriction significantly decreased the local and regional concentration levels of primary gaseous pollutants (e.g., NOX and CO), particularly under more stringent TRP during China International Import Expo, which also brought an ozone increase due to the reduced effect of NOX titration. However, the TRP only exhibited limited impacts on mitigating regional particulate pollution. These findings suggest that the air quality improvements due to the non-local TRP highly depend on the types of pollutants and the spatial locations.

SiO2@3COFs@CuO and SiO2@3COFs@Fe2O3 are prepared in this study. Then SiO2 and its hybrids are incorporated into PS through solution blending method. The thermal stability, mechanical performance, combustion performance and smoke density of PS and its nanocomposite are investigated. The temperature at 5 wt% weight loss and the maximum weight loss rate of PS/SiO2@3COFs@ Fe2O3 (PS 4) under air are 15 and 14 °C higher than that of neat one, respectively. The glass-transition temperature of PS/SiO2@3COFs (PS 2) is 1.5 °C lower than that of PS, which can conclude that SiO2@3COFs contributes to impact strength of PS 0. The peak heat release rate (20.8%) and total heat release (14.0%) of PS 2 decreases further compared with that of PS 0. The smoke density of PS 4 is 23.1% lower than that of neat PS. The influence of SiO2 and its nano-hybrids on the pyrolysis and combustion of PS is investigated. Incorporation of SiO2 and its nano-hybrids shows little effect on pyrolysis process of PS. However, heat resistance of PS is enhanced obviously and thermal degradation rate of PS is also decreased through incorporation of SiO2 and its nano-hybrids. The gaseous pyrolysis products (aromatic compounds and alkenyl compounds) of PS and its nanocomposite also decrease.

In this work, an edible cellulose-based antibacterial material was prepared by cross-linking α-cellulose and kanamycin sulfate via glutaraldehyde to form kanamycin sulfate-glutaraldehyde-cellulose. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction results indicated that the kanamycin sulfate molecule was cross-linked with the molecular chain of cellulose. The optimal mass ratio of kanamycin sulfate to α-cellulose was 1:100 and the degree of substitution reached 1.11%. The optimal kanamycin sulfate-glutaraldehyde-cellulose material showed an excellent inhabitation against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Meantime, the optimal kanamycin sulfate-glutaraldehyde-cellulose had a marked resistance to gastric acid and had low cell cytotoxicity. To promote the application of the kanamycin sulfate-glutaraldehyde-cellulose material, the porous microspheres were prepared via the sol-gel method. The particle size of the homogeneous porous microspheres is mainly distributed between 1.5 and 2.0 μm. Therefore, the kanamycin sulfate-glutaraldehyde-cellulose described herein is a potential edible, eco-friendly, potent, stable, inexpensive, and antibacterial carrier material for delivering drugs, proteins, or vaccines.

(±)-Cyclopeltains A and B (1 and 2), two pairs of unusual alkylated adenine derivatives, were isolated from the insect Cyclopelta parva and structurally characterized. 1 and 2 both possess a 6/5/7/5 ring system arising from the alkylation of N7 and N10 by a C6 unit and the formation of a furan ring. A plausible biosynthetic pathway for 1 and 2 was proposed. Biological evaluation of the enantiomers of 1 and 2 revealed that (−)-1 and (+)-2 could inhibit the production of TNF-α and IL-6 and the expression of iNOS, COX-2, and p-NF-κB.

The selective exposure of high-index facets at the surface of nanocrystals is an important and challenging research topic. Herein, polyhedral bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) crystals predominantly surrounded by {2 1 3} and {1 2 1} high-index facets were fabricated through the engineering of high-index surfaces by fluorinion (F-) mediated hydrothermal process. The as-prepared BiVO4-0.2F (the feeding amount of NaF was 0.2 g) catalyst exhibited high apparent quantum efficiency of 17.7% under 420 nm light irradiation and 9.3 fold enhancement of O2 evolution relative to its low-index counterparts. Moreover, the growth of high-index facets results in significant enhancement of hydroxyl radical (•OH) production, photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) and photoelectrochemical (PEC) properties by the BiVO4 polyhedron, relative to its low-index counterparts. The enhanced photoreactivity is the result of the synergistic effect of F- on the surface of the BiVO4 crystals and exposed high-index facets. For one thing, F- on the surface of the BiVO4 facilitate the separation and transport of photo-induced charge carriers. For another, the exposed high-index facets on polyhedral BiVO4 provided much more reactive sites for photocatalytic reactions. Hopefully, this F- mediated method will be a useful guideline for designing and synthesizing novel high-index faceted micro-/nanostructures for overcoming the practical energy and environment problems.

With the emergence of 5G communication and the rapid development of the microelectronics industry, the heat dissipation of high power circuits has become quite an important issue. Along these lines, the thermal conductivity distribution of the electronic packaging materials, which plays a key role in the protecting circuits, requires urgent improvement. In this study, amino-functional boron nitride nanosheets (BNNS) were prepared by employing ball milling boron nitride with urea (aqueous solution) as agents. Then, the epoxy composites filled with large size pristine boron nitride (pBN) and small size functional boron nitride were fabricated by using the wet ball-milling (wBN) technique. The acquired results indicate that the thermal conductivity property of the pBN/wBN/epoxy composites with pBN/wBN ratio of 2.5/7.5 can reach the value of 0.386 W/mK, which is 96% higher than that of pure epoxy. Meanwhile, the measured value is superior from both the pBN/epoxy and wBN/epoxy composites with the same filling amount. This effect can be attributed to the efficient construction of the fillers network and thermal conduction path. Within the epoxy matrix, wBN can fill the pores between pBN and form a denser filler network. In addition, the amino-functional groups grafted with wBN result in their enhanced dispersion within the epoxy matrix that leads to a more stronger interfacial effect. Our approach provides useful insights in understanding the incorporation mechanisms of fillers in polymers, and thereby enhancing their potential applications.

To understand stress response mechanisms, a multiple stress-responsive gene OsPM1 with a disordered region containing about 30 amino acid residues was screened by microarray. Promoter region analysis using PlantCARE showed this gene contains multiple cis-regulatory elements responding to abiotic stresses. Quantitative real-time PCR and promoter-GUS transgenic plant analysis verified that OsPM1 was induced by multiple abiotic stresses. OsPM1-GFP fusion protein expression showed that OsPM1 was localized at the cell membrane. The rice plants overexpressing OsPM1 exhibited hypersensitivity to salt stress but enhanced drought tolerance compared to the wild-type plants; the rice plants expressing antisense of OsPM1 were hyposensitive to salt stress but with weak drought tolerance compared to the wild-type plants. These results showed OsPM1 is a positive regulator of rice tolerance to drought, but it’s also a negative regulator of rice tolerance to salt.

In recent years, cancer phototherapy has been extensively studied as noninvasive cancer treatment. To present efficient recognition toward cancer cells, most photosensitizers (PSs) are required to couple with tumor-targeted ligands. Interestingly, the heptamethine cyanine IR780 displays an intrinsic tumor-targeted feature even without modification. However, the photothermal efficacy and photostability of IR780 are not sufficient enough for clinical use. Herein, we involve a twisted structure of tetraphenylethene (TPE) between two molecules of IR780 to improve the photothermal conversion efficiency (PCE). The obtained molecule T780T shows strong near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence and improved PCE (38.5%) in the dispersed state. Also, the photothermal stability and ROS generation capability of T780T at the NIR range (808 nm) are both promoted. In the aqueous phase, the T780T was formulated into uniform nanoaggregates (∼200 nm) with extremely low fluorescence and PTT response, which would reduce in vivo imaging background and side effect of PTT response in normal tissues. After intravenous injection into tumor-bearing mice, the T780T nanoaggregates display high tumor accumulation and thus remarkably inhibit the tumor growth. Moreover, the enhanced photostability of the T780T allows for twice irradiation after one injection and leads to more significant tumor inhibition. In summary, our study presents a tumor-targeted small-molecule PS for efficient cancer therapy and brings a new design of heptamethine cyanine PS for potential clinical applications.

Chemical tracing within oil reservoirs enables the determination of fluid allocation and interwell flow characteristics for improving injection fluid sweep efficiency and reservoir management, and ...

8-methylene-tert-butylamine-3',5,7-trihydroxy-4'-methoxyflavanone (MTBH), a novel hesperidin derivative, has potential in the prevention of hepatic disease, however, its effects on cytochrome P450 isoforms (P450s) remains unexplored. The purpose was to investigate the effects of MTBH on the mRNA, protein levels and activities of six P450s (1A2, 2C11/9, 2D2/6, 3A1/4, 2C13/19 and 2E1) in vitro and in vivo.In vitro study, rat and human liver microsomes were adopted to elucidate the inhibitory effect of MTBH on six P450s using probe drugs. In vivo study, Sprague-Dawley male rats were treated with MTBH (25, 50 or 100 mg/kg for 28 consecutive days), phenobarbital (80 mg/kg for 12 consecutive days) or 0.5% CMC-Na solution (control group) by intragastric administration, then, the mRNA, protein levels and activities of liver P450s were analyzed by real-time PCR, western blotting and probe-drug incubation systems, respectively.The in vitro study indicated that MTBH inhibits the activities of CYP3A1/4 and CYP2E1 in rat and human liver microsomes. In vivo data showed that MTBH inhibits mRNA, protein levels and activities of CYP3A1 and CYP2E1 in medium- and high-dose MTBH groups.MTBH has the potential to cause drug-drug interactions when co-administered with drugs that are metabolized by CYP3A1/4 and CYP2E1.

Background: Epidemiological studies have suggested that elevated serum uric acid may contribute to the progression of chronic kidney disease. However, no large prospective study has examined whether hyperuricemia is an independent risk factor for the progression of autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD). Methods: We measured uric acid in stored serum samples from the 2-year study visit of 671 participants from the HALT PKD multicenter trials. Participants were categorized according to uric acid tertiles. For Study A (participants aged 15-49 years with preserved kidney function, n=350), we used linear mixed effects models to examine the association between uric acid and repeated measures of height-adjusted total kidney volume (htTKV), the primary outcome for Study A. For Study B (participants aged 18-64 with decreased kidney function, n=321), we used Cox proportional hazards models to assess the hazard for the combined endpoint of 50% loss in estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), end-stage kidney disease (ESKD), or death, the primary outcome for Study B. To assess the association of uric acid with the slope of eGFR decline (secondary outcome of HALT A and B), we used linear mixed effects models for the combined population of Study A and B. Results: In the unadjusted model, the annual change in htTKV was 2.7% higher in the highest uric acid tertile compared to the lowest (p Conclusion: Elevated serum uric acid is not an independent risk factor for disease progression in ADPKD.

The major challenge in the field of antibacterial agents is to overcome the low-permeability of bacteria cell membranes that protects the cells against diverse drugs. In this work, water-soluble polyaniline (PANI)-poly (p-styrenesulfonic acid) (PSS) (PANI:PSS) is found to spontaneously penetrate bacteria cellular membranes in a non-disruptive way, leaving no evidence of membrane poration/disturbance or cell death, thus avoiding side effects caused by cationic ammonia groups in traditional ammonia-containing antibacterial agents. For aqueous synthesis, which is important for biocompatibility, the polymer is synthesized via an enzyme-mimetic route relying on the catalysis of a nanozyme. Owing to its fluorescent properties, the localization of as-prepared PANI:PSS is determined by the confocal microscope, and the results confirm its rapid entry into bacteria. Under 808 nm near-infrared (NIR) irradiation, the internalized PANI:PSS generates local hyperthermia and destroys bacteria highly efficiently from inside the cells due to its excellent photothermal effects. Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Methicillin-resistantStaphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and Escherichia coli (E. coli) could be effectively eliminated as well as the corresponding bacterial biofilms. Results of in vivo antibacterial experiments demonstrate excellent antibacterial activities of the water-soluble PANI:PSS without side effects. Therefore, the prepared water-soluble polymer in this study has great potential in the treatment of various bacterial infections., Graphical abstract Image 1, Highlights • Water-soluble, amphiphilic PANI:PSS can penetrate the membrane without overt membrane disruption/poration. • PANI:PSS is superior to traditional cationic antibacterial agents. • PANI:PSS can generate local hyperthermia from inside the bacteria. • PANI:PSS can eliminate bacteria as well as their biofilms.

Niobium carbide composite coatings were prepared on titanium alloy surface by plasma spraying NbC–Al2O3, Nb–SiC and Nb–SiC–Al composite powders, respectively. The phase composition, microstructure and formation mechanism of the three composite coatings were analyzed and their microhardness, toughness and scratch resistance were compared. The phases of the NbC–Al2O3 system did not change during the plasma spraying process, and new phases (Nb2C, NbC and Nb3Si) were formed in the Nb–SiC and Nb–SiC–Al systems. TEM results of the Nb–SiC composite coating indicate that the new phases nanocrystalline Nb2C, submicron NbC and nanocrystalline Nb3Si were formed during the plasma spraying process. Compared with the NbC–Al2O3 composite coating, the microstructure of the Nb–SiC and the Nb–SiC–Al composite coatings were uniform, and the porosity were relatively low, and the hardness was higher. The Nb–SiC–Al composite coating was denser than the Nb–SiC composite coating, the lamellar structure was obvious and the number of pores in the coating was the least, which is attributed to the better molten state of the composite powder by the addition of the Al to the Nb–SiC system. The Nb–SiC–Al composite coating had better toughness and scratch resistance.

BACKGROUND: The determination of antiretroviral drugs in hair is receiving considerable research interest to assess long-term adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART). Currently in China, lamivudine, zidovudine, nevirapine, efavirenz, ritonavir, and lopinavir are combined as first- and second-line free therapy regimens and are recommended for people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) (PLWH). Simultaneous determination of the six antiretroviral drugs in human hair is important for accurately and widely assessing long-term adherence in Chinese PLWH receiving different ART regimens. METHODS: Six drugs were extracted from 10-mg hair samples incubated in methanol for 16 h at 37 °C and then analyzed by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) using a mobile phase of 95% methanol, with an electrospray ionization (ESI) source in multiple reaction monitoring and positive mode. RESULTS: The LC-ESI(+)-MS/MS method exhibited a linear range (R(2) > 0.99) within 6–5000, 10–5000, 6–50000, 12–50000, 8–5000, and 8–12500 pg/mg for lamivudine, zidovudine, nevirapine, efavirenz, ritonavir, and lopinavir. For all six drugs, the limits of quantification ranged between 6 and 12 pg/mg. The intra-day and inter-day coefficients of variation were within 15%, and the recoveries ranged from 91.1% to 113.7%. Furthermore, the other validation parameters (i.e., selectivity, matrix effect, stability, and carryover) met the acceptance criteria stipulated by guidelines of the United States Food and Drug Administration and European Medicines Agency. Significant intergroup differences were observed between high- and low-adherence groups, with high inter-correlations in the hair content of the six drugs. CONCLUSIONS: The developed method demonstrated good reliability, to comprehensively and accurately assess adherence in PLWH receiving different ART regimens.

Selective detection of multiple analytes in a compact design with dual-modality and theranostic features presents great challenges. Herein, we wish to report a coumarin-thiazolidine masked D -penicillamine based dual-modality fluorescent probe COU-DPA-1 for selective detection, differentiation, and detoxification of multiple heavy metal ions (Ag+, Hg2+, Cu2+). The probe shows divergent fluorescence (FL) /circular dichroism (CD) responses via divergent bond-cleavage cascade reactions (metal ion promoted C-S cleavage and hydrolysis at two distinctive cleavage sites): FL “turn-off” and CD “turn-on” for Ag+ (no hydrolysis), FL “turn-on” and CD “turn-off” for Hg2+ (imine hydrolysis), and FL “self-threshold ratiometric” and CD “turn-off” for excess Cu2+ (lactone and imine hydrolysis), providing the first example of a fluorescence/CD dual-modality probe for multiple species with complimentary responses. Moreover, the bond-cleavage cascade reactions also lead to the formation of D -penicillamine heavy metal ion complexes for potential detoxification treatments.

Mercury (Hg) ions can lead to a serious impact on the environment; therefore, it was necessary to find an effective method for absorbing these toxic Hg ions. Here, the adsorbent (Zn-AHMT) was synthesized from zinc nitrate and 4-amino-3-hydrazine-5-mercapto-1,2, 4-triazole (AHMT) by one-step method and, characterized the microstructure and absorption performance by fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET), Thermal Gravimetric Analyzer (TGA) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Through a plethora of measurements, we found that the maximum adsorption capacity was 802.8 ​mg/g when the optimal pH of Zn-AHMT was 3.0. The isothermal and kinetic experiments confirm that the reaction process of Zn-AHMT was chemisorption, while the adsorption process conforms to the Hill model and pseudo second order kinetic model. Thermodynamic experiments showed that the adsorption process was spontaneous and exothermic. Selective experiments were performed in the simulated wastewater containing Mn, Mg, Cr, Al, Co, Ni, Hg ions. Our results showed that the Zn-AHMT has a stronger affinity for Hg ions. The removal rate of Zn-AHMT remained above 98%, indicating that the Zn-AHMT had a good stability validated by three adsorption-desorption repeatable tests. According to the XPS results, the adsorption reaction of Zn-AHMT was mainly attributed to the chelation and ion exchange. This was further explained by both density functional theory (DFT) calculation and frontier molecular orbital theory. We therefore propose the adsorption mechanism of Zn-AHMT. The adsorption reaction facilitates via the synergistic action of S and N atoms. Moreover, the bonding between the adsorbent and the N atom has been proved to be more stable. Our study demonstrated that Zn-AHMT had a promising application prospect in mercury removal.

Harmful bacterial flourish with the increase in environmental pollution and pose a great threat to human health. Thus, developing new and efficient antibacterial materials is imperative to reduce the pollution caused by traditional sterilization materials and improve sterilization efficiency. In this study, a new photocatalytic antibacterial material was developed to achieve an efficient antibacterial effect. Ti3C2Tx@CuS composites were synthesized by simple hydrothermal method, by which copper sulfide (CuS) nanoparticles were anchored on the surface of Ti3C2Tx to sharply improve the photocatalytic its antibacterial ability. Ti3C2Tx@CuS exhibits excellent antibacterial activity against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus with bactericidal rates of 99.6% and 99.1%, respectively. Photoluminescence spectroscopy (PL), decay time PL, photocurrent test, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and finite element method showed that the formation of Ti3C2Tx@CuS heterojunction promoted the separation of electrons and holes, improved the electron transport efficiency, and elevated the generation of reactive oxygen species. Moreover, Ti3C2Tx@CuS has a stronger photothermal effect and causes more heat release than CuS to improve antibacterial performance. The Ti3C2Tx@CuS heterojunction has a broad application prospect in the disinfection and antibacterial fields.

Biocompatible photo-driven producers of singlet oxygen can inhibit the growth of drug-resistant bacteria and tumors. In order to develop bacteria targeting generator of singlet oxygen for tumor and bacterial treatment, a metal porphyrin liposome (Phy–Mn–Ls) was prepared by the metal coordination reaction and self-assembly of porphyrin compounds with bacteria targeting polymer (HS–PEG–chol). The photo-driven production of 1O2, binding with bovine serum protein (BSA) and lipase, toxicity to MCF-7 breast cancer cells and inhibitory effect on the growth of Escherichia coli have been investigated. Fluorescence analysis results show that Phy–Mn–Ls can bind to lipase, and it shows less effect on the conformation of BSA and is low cytotoxicity without irradiation. In particular, the good biocompatibility made Phy–Mn–Ls exhibit good photosensitive antibacterial activity and anti-tumor properties. The results demonstrate that the coordination of HS–PEG–chol with metal-phorphrin coodination is an effective way to develop bacteria targeting nano-complexes (Phy–Mn–Ls) for lipase affinity and photodriven bacteria treatment.

Two unusual phenanthrene derivatives related to aporphine alkaloids, artapilosines A (1) and B (2), as well as two biogenetically related known aporphine alkaloids, (-)-anonaine (3) and (-)-N-acetylanonaine (4), were separated and purified from Artabotrys pilosus. Artapilosine A (1) is the first compound representative of a new class of phenanthrene derivatives having an unprecedented carbon skeleton, in which the six-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structure in a typical aporphine alkaloid was substituted with a unique five-membered carbocyclic ring. This is the first report of the formation of a carbon-carbon bond between C-5 and C-6a in 1 with the loss of the nitrogen atom N-6 in the classic aporphine alkaloid. Artapilosine B (2) is a novel phenanthrene derivative having a hydroxyethyl as a substituent on the phenanthrene ring. Their chemical structures as well as absolute configurations were determined based on analysis of spectroscopic data. Additionally, the potential anti-HIV activities of all isolates 1-4 were appraised. Artapilosines A (1) and B (2) showed notable anti-HIV reverse transcriptase affects, with EC50 values of 20.93 and 125.29 nM, respectively. These results suggested that the discovery of these novel phenanthrene derivatives from A. pilosus with remarkable anti-HIV effects could be essentially important for the researching and developing of new anti-HIV agents.

Immune checkpoint therapy has provided a weapon against cancer, but its response rate has been extremely low due to the lack of effective predictors. Herein, we developed a F RET strategy based on l ectin for glycan labeling and an a ptamer for PD-L1 antigen recognition for visualization of PD-L1-specific g lycosylation (FLAG). The FLAG strategy combines the PD-L1 aptamer, which efficiently labels the PD-L1 polyantigen with smaller steric hindrance than the PD-L1 antibody, and metabolism-free lectin labeling for glycosylation. As a result, the FLAG strategy enables in situ visualization of PD-L1-specific glycosylation on the tissue section while maintaining the spatial context and tissue architecture. Due to nonmetabolic labeling, the FLAG strategy revealed that the tissue level of PD-L1-specific glycosylation is correlated with the efficacy of PD-1/PD-L1 therapy. Overall, the FLAG strategy provides a powerful tool for revealing the significance of PD-L1 glycosylation, offering the unprecedented potential for immunophenotypic differential analysis to predict the immunotherapy response.

A key objective for herbicide research is to develop new compounds with improved bioactivity. Protoporphyrinogen IX oxidase (PPO) is an essential target for herbicide discovery. Here, we report using an in silico structure-guided optimization approach of our previous lead compound 1 and designed and synthesized a new series of compounds 2-6. Systematic bioassays led to the discovery of a highly potent compound 6g, 1-methyl-3-(2,2,7-trifluoro-3-oxo-4-(prop-2-yn-1-yl)-3,4-dihydro-2H-benzo[b][1,4]oxazin-6-yl)thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4(1H,3H)-dione, which exhibited an excellent and wide spectrum of weed control at the rates of 30-75 g ai/ha by the postemergence application and is relatively safe on maize at 75 g ai/ha. Additionally, the Ki value of 6g to Nicotiana tabacum PPO (NtPPO) was found to be 2.5 nM, showing 3-, 12-, and 18-fold higher potency relative to compound 1 (Ki = 7.4 nM), trifludimoxazin (Ki = 31 nM), and flumioxazin (Ki = 46 nM), respectively. Furthermore, molecular simulations further suggested that the thieno[2,3-d]pyrimidine-2,4-dione moiety of 6g could form a more favorable π-π stacking interaction with the Phe392 of NtPPO than the heterocyclic moiety of compound 1. This study provides an effective strategy to obtain enzyme inhibitors with improved performance through molecular simulation and structure-guided optimization.

Mupirocin, a polyketide antibiotic produced by Pseudomonas fluorescens, is used as a topical antimicrobial treatment to cure various skin infections. Quorum sensing system plays an important role in regulation of mupirocin biosynthesis in P. fluorescens NCIMB 10586. In Pseudomonas, the RpeA/RpeB two-component signal transduction (TCST) system regulates quorum sensing system. However, the influences of the RpeA/RpeB TCST system on mupirocin production or other cell activities have not been studied. In this work, the homologous genes of rpeA and rpeB in P. fluorescens NCIMB 10586 were identified and inactivated in the chromosome, respectively. The deletion of rpeA reduced the mupirocin production from 160 in the wild-type to 21.3 mg/L along with slightly decreased cell growth, while no significant effected on mupirocin production in the rpeB mutant. Next, it was found that the RpeA/RpeB TCST system regulated the biosynthesis of mupirocin by modulating the quorum sensing system. Furthermore, untargeted metabolomics analysis was employed to detect the influences of RpeA on other cell activities modulated by quorum sensing system. Combined with quantitative real-time PCR, the results demonstrated that RpeA also regulated other cell activities including central carbon, amino acids, fatty acids, and purine metabolism. Overall, this study expands the current understanding of the RpeA/RpeB TCST system and provides several targets for increasing yields of mupirocin. • In P. fluorescens, the RpeA/RpeB TCST system regulates the biosynthesis of mupirocin. • RpeA modulates the cell activities through effecting the central carbon metabolism.

Under catalysis by chiral phosphine, an asymmetric isomerization/annulation cascade reaction of allylamines with allenoates was realized. A wide range of γ-substituted allenoates were tolerated to afford chiral pyrroline derivatives in high yields with excellent enantioselectivities. In the reaction, isomerization of readily available N-allylamines to reactive aliphatic imines through a 1,4-proton shift is a key step, which circumvents the isolation of highly unstable alkyl N-sulfonylimines.

Quinones are potent genotoxic agents through generating reactive oxygen species or undergo covalent bonding to modify the nucleobases of DNA. The formation of DNA adducts is an early indication of cancer, as it may lead to gene mutation, thereby initiating tumor development. The present review aims to summarize different types of quinone-induced DNA damages and the corresponding DNA adducts. In addition to the considerably stable naphthoquinone and halobenzoquinones in the environment, quinones are also metabolically activated from estrogen, bisphenol A, ochratoxin A, polychlorinated biphenyls, benzo[a]pyrene and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, in which the inducement from these pollutants to produce DNA adducts were systematically discussed. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS)-based method with high accuracy and sensitivity for the detection of DNA adducts in mononucleotides, DNA duplexes, and biological samples was methodically summarized. It is believed that the presence of dione moiety in quinones is an imperative element that induce the formation of DNA adducts. The investigation on DNA adducts is helpful for understanding the generation, transformation, and repair of DNA damages, and for elucidating the underlying mechanism of carcinogenesis. This review provides a new perspective to assess the toxicological potential of quinones, and intends to put forward strategies of analyzing DNA adducts, which act as biomarkers, for indicating the potential health risks of multiDNA damages.

The coal spontaneous combustion phenomenon seriously affects the safety production of coal mines. Aiming at the problem of complex coal molecular structure and incomplete reaction sequences at present, the mechanisms and thermodynamic parameters of coal spontaneous combustion chain reactions were explored by combining experimental detections and molecular simulations. First, the active groups on the surface of coal were obtained by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), mainly including methyl (−CH3), methylene (−CH2), methyne (−CH), phenolic hydroxyl (−ArOH), alcohol hydroxyl (−ROH), carboxyl (−COOH), aldehyde (−CHO), and ether (−O−), and the coal molecular models containing functional groups and radicals were established. According to the charge density, electrostatic potential, and frontier orbital theories, the active sites and active bonds were obtained, and a series of reactions were given. The thermodynamic and structural parameters of each reaction were explored. In the chain initiation reaction stage, O2 chemisorption and the self-reaction of radicals play a leading role. In this stage, heat gradually accumulates and various radicals begin to generate, where the intramolecular hydrogen transfer reaction of a peroxide radical (−C–O–O·) can produce the key hydroxyl radical (−O·). In the chain propagation reaction stage, O2 and −O· continuously consume active sites to accelerate the reaction sequences and increase the temperature of coal, and index gases such as CO and CO2 generate, causing the chain cycle reactions to gradually form. The chain termination reaction stage is the formation of stable compounds such as ethers, esters, and quinones, which can inhibit the development of chain reactions. The results can further explain the reaction mechanism of coal spontaneous combustion and provide references for the development and utilization of chemical inhibitors.

Evidence suggests that complex interactions between the immune system and brain have important etiological and therapeutic implications in schizophrenia. However, the detailed cellular and molecular basis of immune dysfunction in schizophrenia remains poorly characterized. To better understand the immune changes and molecular pathways, we systemically compared the cytokine responses of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) derived from patients with schizophrenia and controls against bacterial, fungal, and purified microbial ligands, and identified aberrant cytokine response patterns to various pathogens, as well as reduced cytokine production after stimulation with muramyl dipeptide (MDP) in schizophrenia. Subsequently, we performed single-cell RNA sequencing on unstimulated and stimulated PBMCs from patients and controls and revealed widespread suppression of antiviral and inflammatory programs as well as impaired chemokine/cytokine-receptor interaction networks in various immune cell subpopulations of schizophrenic patients after MDP stimulation. Moreover, serum MDP levels were elevated in these patients and correlated with the course of the disease, suggesting increased bacterial translocation along with disease progression. In vitro assays revealed that MDP pretreatment altered the functional response of normal PBMCs to its re-stimulation, which partially recapitulated the impaired immune function in schizophrenia. In conclusion, we delineated the molecular and cellular landscape of impaired immune function in schizophrenia, and proposed a mutual interplay between innate immune impairment, reduced pathogen clearance, increased MDP translocation along schizophrenia development, and blunted innate immune response. These findings provide new insights into the pathogenic mechanisms that drive systemic immune activation, neuroinflammation, and brain abnormalities in schizophrenia.

Background Chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS) can not only lead to depression-like behavior but also change the composition of the gut microbiome. Regulating the gut microbiome can have an antidepressant effect, but the mechanism by which it improves depressive symptoms is not clear. Short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) are small molecular compounds produced by the fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates. SFCAs are ubiquitous in intestinal endocrine and immune cells, making them important mediators of gut microbiome-regulated body functions. The balance between the pro- and anti-inflammatory microglia plays an important role in the occurrence and treatment of depression caused by chronic stress. Non-absorbable antibiotic rifaximin can regulate the structure of the gut microbiome. We hypothesized that rifaximin protects against stress-induced inflammation and depression-like behaviors by regulating the abundance of fecal microbial metabolites and the microglial functions. Methods We administered 150 mg/kg rifaximin intragastrically to rats exposed to CUMS for 4 weeks and investigated the composition of the fecal microbiome, the content of short-chain fatty acids in the serum and brain, the functional profiles of microglia and hippocampal neurogenesis. Results Our results show that rifaximin ameliorated depressive-like behavior induced by CUMS, as reflected by sucrose preference, the open field test and the Morris water maze. Rifaximin increased the relative abundance of Ruminococcaceae and Lachnospiraceae, which were significantly positively correlated with the high level of butyrate in the brain. Rifaximin increased the content of anti-inflammatory factors released by microglia, and prevented the neurogenic abnormalities caused by CUMS. Conclusions These results suggest that rifaximin can regulate the inflammatory function of microglia and play a protective role in pubertal neurodevelopment during CUMS by regulating the gut microbiome and short-chain fatty acids.

Silicon rubber has been widely used in the biomedical field due to its excellent mechanical properties and physiological inertia. However, the hydrophobic properties of silicon rubber surfaces limit their further application. Therefore, constructing a silicon rubber coating with hydrophilic and low-friction surface properties would be highly significant. Existing methods to achieve such coatings, including grafting polymer brushes and the deposition of hydrophilic materials, suffer from several deficiencies such as complicated coating processes and insufficient coating firmness. In this paper, we report a hydrophilic polymer poly(hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PHEMA) coating that can easily coat the surface of silicon rubber to provide low-friction performance. Sample silicon rubber was treated with benzophenone and hydroxyethyl methacrylate monomer solution in turn. The as-prepared coating was characterized by infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, white light interference, and MFT-5000 wear test. The results indicated that the PHEMA coating had excellent hydrophilic properties (with a low contact angle of 9.39°) compared to uncoated silicon rubber. As the concentration of glycerol in the monomer solution was increased, the thickness and surface roughness of the as-prepared coating gradually decreased. The coating was firmly adsorbed on the substrate, and it had a zero-class bonding strength. In addition, the as-prepared coating demonstrated good friction-reduced properties, with the coefficient of friction being reduced by 98.0% compared with the uncoated silicon rubber in simulated blood. In summary, a hydrophilic and low-friction coating was successfully prepared using a simple method, and the results reported herein provide valuable insight into the surface design of similar soft materials.

The paper proposes a temperature-compensated sensor for microfluidic application. The sensor consists of a splitter/combiner section with two symmetrical complementary split-ring resonators (CSRR). A polydimethylsiloxane substrate is attached with the microfluidic channel aligned to the meander slot of the CSRR. A split-ring resonator (SRR) with peripheral circuit is added to detect environmental temperature. The water-methanol mixtures with various water fractions are measured at temperature ranging from 20°C to 50°C. The environmental temperature is firstly measured by the resonant frequency shift produced by SRR. Then, the variations in the resonant frequency and quality factor of the differential splitter/combiner section, as well as the temperature, are used as the input data for training the neural network. In comparison with previous designs, the proposed sensor is capable of not only suppressing the influences of environmental factors, but also retrieving the permittivity and loss tangent of liquid sample at specific temperature, thereby identifying the liquid accurately.

Marine biological fouling has always been a hot research topic. In this study, silver @ cuprous oxide (Ag@Cu2O) core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized via in-situ synthesis method and developed an outstanding antibacterial activity. The bacteriostasis efficiency of Ag@Cu2O reached to 99% and 98% against Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa, respectively. The minimum inhibitory concentration of Ag@Cu2O decreased from 113.6 μg/mL to 56.8 μg/mL compared with Cu2O. Ag@Cu2O had better antibacterial activity than Cu2O with lower content of Cu2O and was more environment friendly. The heterostructure formed at the interface between Ag and Cu2O promoted the separation and diffusion of photogenerated electron-hole pairs through the charge transfer channel and promoted the generation of reactive oxygen species. The outstanding antibacterial activity of Ag@Cu2O was strongly depended on the generation of the reactive oxygen species. Density functional theory and finite element method calculations demonstrated that the structure of core-shell improved photocatalytic efficiency. Additionally, synergetic effect of released Ag+ and Cu2+ also enhanced the bacteriostasis rate and the long-term antifouling performance in 60 days. Hence, the synthesized core-shell Ag@Cu2O can be applied as novel antifoulants in the marine field.

Fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) is an important electrolyte additive in silicon (Si) anodes. However, it is easily defluorinated by Lewis acids (PF5−) to form harmful corrosive substances (HF). To overcome this problem, 1-Hydroxyethylidene-1, 1-diphosphonic acid (HEDP), a novel multifunctional surface modifier is developed on the Si surface. It can not only consume HF, but also participate in the formation of a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) film with excellent electrochemical stability, high lithium conductivity, and good thermal stability. In addition, Si@HEDP anode with polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) binder exhibits much improved electrochemical performance. After 500 cycles at 30 °C, a high reversible capacity of 1831.8 mAh g − 1 is obtained; and after 200 cycles at 60 °C, it still maintains 2163.8 mAh g − 1; which are in sharp contrast to the reference Si anode of almost zero capacity after 25 cycles. This work overcomes the fundamental challenges of using FEC electrolyte additive and PVDF binder in Si-based batteries.

Two-dimensional montmorillonite nanolayers (2D Mnt) are excellent adsorbents for methylene blue due to the fully exposed active sites, but the separation of 2D Mnt from water is difficult. The objective of the present study was to assemble 2D Mnt and graphene oxide sheets into a three-dimensional aerogel (3D Mnt-rGO Gel) to achieve easy solid–liquid separation. Structural characterization demonstrated that the Mnt-rGO Gel has a porous 3D structure with Mnt nanolayers distributed uniformly within; the introduction of 2D Mnt could reduce significantly the degree of restacking of graphene sheets. Adsorption tests indicated that 2D Mnt enhances the methylene blue (MB) removal performance of Mnt-rGO Gel with a large adsorption capacity of 207 mg g–1, which may be attributed to the adsorption of MB onto 2D Mnt and the increased adsorption surface of rGO resulting from the reduced restacking of graphene sheets. The MB was removed completely by 300 mg L–1 of Mnt-rGO Gel-3 in 180 min. The adsorption process of MB onto Mnt-rGO Gel followed the pseudo-second order kinetic model and the Langmuir isotherm model. Mnt-rGO Gel also showed good reusability. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) results suggested that the adsorption of MB onto Mnt-rGO Gel may be attributed to the π–π interactions between aromatic rings of MB and graphene, hydrogen bonding, and the electrostatic interactions between the nitrogen groups on the MB and oxygen-containing groups on the Mnt-rGO Gel.

The existence of defects in perovskite films is a major obstacle that prevents perovskite solar cells (PSCs) from high efficiency and long-term stability. A variety of additives have been introduced into perovskite films for reducing the number of defects. Lewis base-based additive engineering has been considered as an effective way to eliminate defects, especially the defects caused by the uncoordinated Pb2+. In this work, for the first time, a bilateral cyano molecule (succinonitrile, SN) which is a commonly used plasticizer in solid electrolyte of solid-state lithium batteries was selected as an additive to modify organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite films in PSCs. SN is featured with two cyano groups (–C≡N) distributing at both terminals of the carbon chain, providing two cross-linking points to interact with perovskites crystals via coordinating with uncoordinated Pb2+ and forming hydrogen bonds with –NH2 groups in perovskite. It was found that the addition of SN into perovskite precursor solution could effectively reduce defects, particularly inhibit the appearance of Pb0 and thus suppress trap-assisted nonradiative charge carrier recombination. As a result, the efficiency of CH3NH3PbI3(Cl) (MAPbI3(Cl))-based PSCs was improved from 18.4% to 20.3% with enhanced long-term stability at N2 and humid air atmosphere. This work provides a facile and effective strategy to enhance the PCE and stability of PSCs simultaneously, facilitating the commercialization of PSCs.

A diphenyl prolinol TMS ether-catalyzed stereoselective reaction of 1-bromo-2-naphthols with enals has been developed. The organocatalyzed cross coupling-like reaction servers an efficient approach to sterically congested (E)-α-naphthyl enals. The formal C(sp2)-C(sp2) cross-coupling products are obtained in good yields and with excellent stereoselectivities in favor of E-isomers. A broad range of aromatic enals and 1-bromo-2-naphthols are tolerated. The synthetic strategy significantly expands the scope of the organocatalytic cross-coupling-like reactions by enabling sterically demanding 1-bromo-2-naphthols as viable substrates.

Previous simulations of different-sized MTO fluidized beds indicated that the reactive predictions gradually deviate from the experiment with the reactor scale-up. This study aimed to find the underlying reasons by investigating effects of kinetic models and coke content. Two kinetic models were separately integrated into the multi-fluid model, and a reactor model was then established considering coke distribution. It showed that the ratio of ethylene to propylene is still over-predicted even the kinetic model considers the conversion of ethylene to propylene if using average coke content in simulation, but considering a reasonable coke content distribution both models can give better predictions in methanol conversion, hydrocarbon products and selectivity to light olefins. It indicated that coke content distribution plays a critical role in reaction predictions and the kinetic models with similar component classification mainly affect the variation of products along the bed height due to different reaction routes.