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Flat polyimide (PI) film and silicon dioxide nanoparticle-textured PI film were prepared by means of the spin-coating technique. The adhesion and friction properties of the flat PI surface and nano-textured PI surface were investigated by a series of Atomic force microscope (AFM) colloidal probes. Experimental results revealed that the nano-textured PI surface can significantly reduce the adhesive force and friction force, compared with the flat PI surface. The main reason is that the nano-textures can reduce the contact area between the sample surface and colloidal probe. The effect of colloidal probe size on the friction behavior of the flat and nano-textured PI surfaces was evaluated. The adhesive force and friction force of nano-textured PI surface were increased with the increasing of the size of interacting pairs (AFM colloidal probe) due to the increased contact area. Moreover, the friction forces of flat and nano-textured PI surfaces were increased with applied load and sliding velocity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) data for the ternary system water + 2-methyl-1-propanol + butyl acetate and water + 2-methyl-2-propanol + butyl acetate were measured at the temperature T = (298.15 and 323.15) K and under atmospheric pressure, respectively. Both the Othmer–Tobias and Bachman equations were used to test the reliability of the experimental data. Moreover, the NRTL and UNIQUAC activity coefficient models were applied to correlate the determined data, and the result showed that the UNIQUAC and the NRTL models both could correlate the two systems studied well at the same conditions. In addition, distribution ratios and separation factors in the two ternary systems were calculated using the equations from the experimental liquid liquid equilibrium data and discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MgxZn1-xO thin films with x = 0, 0.11, 0.28, 0.44, 0.51, and 0.65 were grown by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy on (0001) sapphire substrates. X-ray diffraction measurement reveals that phase separation of the MgxZn1-xO films occurred at x =0.44 and 0.51. Optical absorption spectra show that the absorption edges of the films shift to high-energy side with increasing Mg contents. In resonant Raman spectra, multiple-order Raman peaks originating from ZnO-like longitudinal optical phonons were observed. Moreover, the blue shift and the full width at half maximum of Raman scattering peaks increase continuously with x increasing from 0 to 0.28, which indicates that Zn is substituted by Mg in hexagonal lattice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The calcineurin B-like (CBL) proteins, comprising a large subfamily of calcium sensors in plant cells, play an important role in many stress responses. We cloned a gene from the halophyte Thellungiella halophila that is homologous to AtCBL9 in Arabidopsis thaliana. The 1008-bp ThCBL9 contains an ORF of 639 bp and encodes 213 amino acids, with a 5“-untranslated region of 193 bp and a 3”-untranslated region of 176 bp. Its amino acid sequence shares high homology with AtCBLs. ThCBL9 is up-regulated by ABA, NaCI, and PEG in Thellungiella leaves. Using molecular biological methods, we over-expressed ThCBL9 in A. thaliana and found that this enhanced tolerances to both high salt and osmotic stress in transgenic Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Silica-coated CsPbX 3 QDs with di-dodecyl dimethyl ammonium bromide (DDAB) short chain ligand was proposed to improve its stability. Green DDAB-CsPbBr 3 @SiO 2 QDs shows a high photoluminescence quantum yield (PL-QY) of about 80%. After SiO 2 coating, the thermal and water stability of DDAB-CsPbBr 3 @SiO 2 QDs are enhanced. In addition, red DDAB-CsPbBr 1 I 2 @SiO 2 QDs with long photoluminescence lifetime and good thermal stability was also synthesized and characterized. XPS results show that Br content can be significantly increased after DDAB modification, and the longer photoluminescence lifetime of DDAB-CsPbX 3 @SiO 2 QDs after DDAB modification indicates that DDAB can decrease the Br vacancy defects on the CsPbX 3 surface. Furthermore, white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are obtained by mixing green light DDAB-CsPbBr 3 @SiO 2 and red light DDAB-CsPbBr 1 I 2 @SiO 2 on GaN chip. The LED device exhibits bright white light emission and good electroluminescence stability with a color coordinate of (0.35, 0.348), corresponding color rendering index of 85.3 and color temperature (CCT) of 5274 K under the injection current 30 mA. The results indicate that DDAB-CsPbX 3 @SiO 2 has potential application for the luminescent materials of the white light-emitting devices. Image 1 • The green and red DDAB-CsPbX 3 @SiO 2 QDs was prepared to increase the stability of perovskite. • A high PL-QY of 80% was obtained for the DDAB-CsPbX 3 @SiO 2 QDs. • The DDAB-CsPbX 3 @SiO 2 QDs was employed as the luminescent down-conversion material to realize the white-light-emitting device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Internal browning is a common symptom of chilling injury (CI) of peach fruit during postharvest cold storage, leading to a significant loss in the marketplace. In this study, modified atmosphere (MA) storage was applied to mitigate the occurrence of CI in both 'Jinxiu' and 'Zhonghuashoutao' peach and the overall transcriptomic changes were profiled. In two cultivars, MA treatment elicited multiple chilling responses affecting production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and lipid metabolisms, as well as jasmonic acid (JA), γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and proline synthesis, accompanied by accumulation of JAs (JA and JA-Ile), GABA and proline. Correlation analysis demonstrated that JAs and GABA served as significant regulators involved in cold tolerance under MA treatment. Weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA) suggested that ethylene responsive factors (ERFs), WRKYs and NACs might serve as central transcription factors in the chilling-response pathway. Notably, PpERF61 was confirmed to activate the expression of JA biosynthetic genes Pp13S-LOX , PpAOS and PpOPR3 as well as GABA synthesis gene PpGAD. Taken together, this study unveils novel insights into the underlying mechanism of enhanced cold resistance in MA-treated peach fruit. • Modified atmosphere (MA) treatment alleviated chilling injury (CI) in peach fruit. • MA promoted accumulation of jasmonates (JAs) and γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). • PpERF61 mediated alleviation of CI by MA via modulating JAs and GABA biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report a simple one-pot strategy to synthesize highly stable SiO 2 -coated orange-yellow CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 quantum dots with strong orange-yellow photoluminescence. The microstructure characterization indicates that the CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 quantum dots were effectively encapsulated by the SiO 2. The SiO 2 -coated CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 quantum dots show higher humidity stability and thermal stability than the CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 quantum dots without SiO 2 coating. The white light-emitting diodes (WLEDs) were obtained by coating orange-yellow CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 @SiO 2 and blue CsPbBrCl 2 @SiO 2 quantum dots on the ultraviolet gallium nitride light-emitting diode chip. The as-prepared white light-emitting diodes show bright white light emission with a color coordinate of (0.3347, 0.2825), color rendering index of 82 and correlated color temperature of 5329 K. The results provide a simple method to fabricate stable orange-yellow luminescent material for white light-emitting diodes. • We introduced a facile route for making CsPb 1-x Mn x Br 3-y Cl y QDs@SiO 2. • This route avoids the addition of any catalyst, minimizing the degradation of QDs. • The stability of CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 QDs@SiO 2 was obviously improved. • The CsPb 0.7 Mn 0.3 Br 0.75 Cl 2.25 QDs@SiO 2 was successfully applied to bright white LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To study the influence of the geometric structure on the surface wettability of metal materials, sub-millimetre sinusoidal and rectangular shapes were prepared on the surface of a Cu alloy by wire electrical discharge machining (WEDM). It was found that micro- and nano-scale craters and asperities are formed on the surface of the Cu alloy due to the electric spark discharge process, which leads to a multi-scale hierarchical surfaces formation on the Cu alloys. In addition, the thermal action of the spark discharge causes rapid remelting on the surface of the Cu alloy to form a recast layer with an elevated hardness but does not significantly affect the chemical composition. The formation of multi-scale sub-millimetre structures improves the hydrophobicity of the surface of the Cu alloy, wherein the maximum contact angles of the sinusoidal structure and the rectangular structure can reach 152.1° and 149.1°, respectively. Periodic changes in the structure effect on the wettability of the material surface. For the sinusoidal structures, the static contact angle of the droplets is not sensitive to periodic changes when the period is small, but when the period increases to a certain value, the wetting state of the droplets changes and the contact angle decreases significantly. For the rectangular structure, the contact angle of the droplets first increases and then decreases with increasing period. In contrast, the sinusoidal structures exhibit a better hydrophobicity than that of the rectangular structures due to changes in the curvature of the solid-liquid contact surface. The servo voltage during WEDM can significantly affect the shape and size of the micron-scale structures on the surface, resulting in the static contact angle of the droplet increasing first and then decreasing with an increase in the servo voltage. • Multi-scale structures with a hydrophobicity are prepared on the Cu surface by WEDM. • The size and shape of micro-structure affect the wettability of Cu surface regularly. • The sinusoidal structure exhibits a better hydrophobicity than the rectangular one. • The servo voltage of WEDM significantly affects the hydrophobicity of Cu surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three novel organic dyes coded as FHD4‐1, FHD4‐2, and FHD4‐3 featuring spiro[dibenzo[3,4:6,7]cyclohepta[1,2‐b]quinoxaline‐10,9′‐fluorene] (SDBQX) moieties are designed to inhibit dye aggregation to improve the performance of dye‐sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The consistent absorption onsets of FHD4‐1, FHD4‐2, and FHD4‐3 in solutions and adsorbed on TiO2 films indicate that these dyes are aggregation‐free dyes. Therefore, coadsorption with chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) of these three dyes reduces the performance of DSSCs because no inhibition effect for dye aggregation is needed, but, on the contrary, the dye loading amount is reduced after addition of CDCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Improved OER performance under pH-neutral conditions by suface modification. • A PbO 2 + Ag composite electrode fabricated by surface limited redox replacement method. • Superior OER performance in pH-neutral environment due to the surface additive Ag. • Enhanced utilization of oxygenated species through bridge-site-top-site pathway. • A potential strategy for less-noble catalysts in electrochemical energy conversions. Electrocatalysts, particularly earth-abundant metal oxide ones, exhibit poor performance in catalyzing the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) under neutral conditions due to low ionic concentrations. This study introduces a novel strategy for fabricating a PbO2 + Ag composite electrode with significantly improved OER activity and stability in a pH-neutral environment. Our results suggest that incorporating Ag as a surface additive improves the efficiency of utilizing adsorbed oxygenated species via the bridge-site-top-site pathway. Moreover, the surface decoration of Ag resulted in enhanced electrocatalytic stability by diverting the attack of oxygenated species to Pb thereby effectively preventing Pb dissolution. The results not only establish a method for utilizing PbO 2 in pH-neutral OER applications, but also propose a potential strategy for employing less noble catalysts in cost-effective electrochemical energy conversions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Noncorrosive necking treatment were induced no crystallinity variation of BaSnO 3 photoanodes. • The QDSSCs fabricated from noncorrosive necking treatment showed ca. 37% increase in PCE. • Noncorrosive necking treatment could passivate the trap states of BaSnO 3 photoanode. The perovskite structure BaSnO 3 is regarded as a promising photoanode material, and an effective necking treatment strategy is necessary for the electrical connectivity of mesoporous BaSnO 3 photoanode-based solar cells. The often-adopted necking strategy involves the treatment in TiCl 4 solution with low pH, which can lead to the leaching of barium cations from BaSnO 3 and impair the effect of the necking treatment. To address this issue, we report herein a novel noncorrosive necking strategy based on the common ion effect. The strategy involved treating the mesoporous BaSnO 3 photoanode with a mixture solution of TiCl 4 and BaCl 2. Compared with the common TiCl 4 necking treatment, the treatment with TiCl 4 and BaCl 2 mixture solution negligibly affected the formation of the TiO 2 overlayer on the surface of BaSnO 3 particles, but it maintained the crystallinity of the BaSnO 3 particles. The TiCl 4 and BaCl 2 mixture solution treated BaSnO 3 photoanodes were assembled into CdSe/CdS co-sensitized quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSSCs), which showed ca. 37% increase in power conversion efficiency in comparison with the TiCl 4 treated photoanode. The charge extraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, and intensity-modulated voltage/photocurrent spectroscopy measurements showed that the QDSSCs fabricated from the TiCl 4 and BaCl 2 mixture solution treated BaSnO 3 photoanode contained fewer trap states and exhibited less charge recombination and longer electron lifetime than those based on the common TiCl 4 treated photoanodes, demonstrating the effectiveness of the noncorrosive necking treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the ZnO/Cu 2−x S composite material is prepared based on Al doped zinc oxide glass substrate and applied as counter electrode (CE) in quantum dot sensitized solar cell. The ZnO/Cu 2−x S CEs with the different Cu/S ratios of Cu 2−x S (2-x = 1.73–1.48) can be controlled by immersing Cu/ZnO in different concentrations of S2- solution. As a result, the solar cell fabricated by Cu 1.62 S/ZnO CE exhibits the best photoelectric conversion efficiency of 5.35% under 1 sun illumination, which is higher than that of Cu 1.62 S CE (4.22%). On the basis of the result of solid-state current density–voltage test and transient photovoltage measurements, the formation of p-n heterojunction and the improving electrocatalytic activity in composite CEs accounts for the enhanced photoelectric conversion efficiency. These results are coincide with the outcomes of the impedance analysis, Tafel polarization measurement and cyclic voltammetry test for the symmetrical cell. Consequentially, the ZnO/Cu 2−x S composite counter electrode is a promising material and the applications in solar cells. • Cu 2−x S/ZnO CEs are fabricated by in-situ inward etching method. • The QDSCs based on the Cu 1.62 S/ZnO CE achieves the PCE of 5.35%. • The formation of heterojunction accounts for the enhanced Photovoltaic performance. • The energy band structures of heterojunction is investigated in composite CE. • The Cu 2−x S/ZnO CEs show excellent stability in polysulfide electrolyte. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Anthurium andraeanum is a tropical ornamental flower. The cost of Anthurium production is higher under low temperature (non-freezing) conditions; therefore, it is important to increase its cold tolerance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the response of Anthurium to cold stress remain elusive. In this study, comparative physiological and transcriptome sequencing analyses of two cultivars with contrasting cold tolerances were conducted to evaluate the cold stress response at the flowering stage. The activities of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase and the contents of proline, soluble sugar, and malondialdehyde increased under cold stress in the leaves of the cold tolerant cultivar Elegang (E) and cold susceptible cultivar Menghuang (MH), while the soluble protein content decreased in MH and increased in E. Using RNA sequencing, 24,695 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified from comparisons between cultivars under the same conditions or between the treatment and control groups of a single cultivar, 9132 of which were common cold-responsive DEGs. Heat-shock proteins and pectinesterases were upregulated in E and downregulated in MH, indicating that these proteins are essential for Anthurium cold tolerance. Furthermore, four modules related to cold treatment were obtained by weighted gene co-expression network analysis. The expression of the top 20 hub genes in these modules was induced by cold stress in E or MH, suggesting they might be crucial contributors to cold tolerance. DEGs were significantly enriched in plant hormone signal transduction pathways, trehalose metabolism, and ribosomal proteins, suggesting these processes play important roles in Anthurium's cold stress response. This study provides a basis for elucidating the mechanism of cold tolerance in A. andraeanum and potential targets for molecular breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Structure engineering of zirconium-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) aims to develop efficient catalysts for transforming intermittent renewable energy into value-added chemical fuels. In order to have a deeper understanding of industrial scaling, it is vital to ascertain the favourable operational parameters that are necessary for projecting at the atomic level. The proposed paradigm provides a robust basis for the efficient design of MOFs based heterogeneous photocatalysts. In this study, set of defective MOF (D-NUiO66) was effectively produced using a modular acidic method. Afterwards, the D-NUiO66 was combined with CeO 2 to form the D-CeNUiO66 heterojunction for the purpose of carbon dioxide reduction. The morphological aspect of the composite investigation suggested that D-CeNUiO66 had a mesoporous structure with favourable adsorption properties. The optimized D-CeNUiO66 photocatalyst showed the high activity for the reduction of CO 2 to CO, with a rate of 38.6 µmolg−1h−1 and demonstrated remarkable repeatability in terms of CO production. The incorporation of defect sites in the D-NUiO66 enhanced the light response to visible light, resulting in reduced band gap of 2.9 eV. The photoelectrochemical tests indicated that the introduction of defects in the UiO66 and coupling CeO 2 in the D-CeNUiO66 composite induced fast charge transfer, therefore suppressing the charge recombination rate. This study provides valuable insights into the use of defective engineering and heterojunction approaches to metal–organic frameworks for photocatalytic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) were used to prepare CoS counter electrodes (CEs) of DSSCs. • High-efficiency and stable CoS CEs were fabricated. • Large-scale CoS CEs present outstanding uniformity of electrocatalytic activity. • Flexible CoS CEs exhibit good bending durability. Searching for large-scale, non-Pt, efficient counter electrode (CE) materials is still a key challenge to realize the applications of high-performance dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). Herein, we report the spray fabrication of stable, uniform and efficient CoS counter electrode at temperature no higher than 100 °C from CoS nanoparticles prepared by the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis (USP) method. The as-fabricated USP-assisted CoS CEs exhibit comparable electrocatalytic activity to the traditional thermolyzed Pt CE, generating a power conversion efficiency of 8.6% for unoptimized DSSCs. This CoS CEs also exhibited prominent electrochemical and mechanical stability, uniform electrocatalytic activity at the size of 10 × 10 cm, and good bending durability when deposited on flexible ITO/PEN conductive substrates, manifesting the merits of this USP-based strategy for the development of high-performance non-Pt electrocatalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barrier materials are desirable for efficient ZnO-based optoelectronic devices. However, the BeZnO ternary alloy suffers from severe phase segregation due to considerable deformation in the local structure caused by the large lattice misfit between ZnO and BeO. In this work, we proposed an effective method, called complementary in bond lengths , through which the local bond length deviation in BeZnO alloy system could be greatly reduced by introducing chemical bonds with opposite misfits. Our density functional theory calculations showed an improved thermal stability of BeZnOS quaternary alloy. The formation energy of BeZnOS quaternary alloy decreased when S atom appropriately occupied O lattice site. The stabilizing mechanism for S incorporating BeZnO was discussed by analyzing the relaxed atomic configurations and local bonds in BeZnOS quaternary alloy. It was suggested that the BeZnOS quaternary alloy system with an improved stability are suitable for engineering the energy band-gap of ZnO materials in ultraviolet region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, nanocomposites based on epoxy matrix with nano-sized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), Fe3O4 and Fe fillers have been developed due to the application in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. The nanocomposites specimens with different fillers, as well as varied filler weight fraction have been prepared. The microwave absorption of these nanocomposites specimens have been verified by vector network analyzer. Furthermore, trilayer-type laminated nanocomposites containing a matching layer with 15wt% nano-Fe3O4, an absorbing layer with 5wt% CNTs and a reflecting layer with 10wt% CNTs have been designed and fabricated. Moreover, the permittivity and the permeability for each type of composites are tested as well. Experimental results show that such trilayer-type laminated nanocomposite has excellent micro-wave absorption effect in the frequency band (from 13GHz to 40GHz) up to 40dB, especially in high frequency section. The achieved peak values of the fabricated laminated nanocomposites exceed 100dB. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study aimed to investigate alterations in the fungal community and flavor substances in Yunnan-style sausages subjected to natural air-dried fermentation (NF), variable-temperature drying (VT), and constant-temperature drying (CT) and analyze the potential relationship between fungal community and flavor substances. The findings revealed that the NF group and VT group were more conducive to enhancing the accumulation of dominant fungi and characteristic flavor substances in Yunnan-style sausages. Glu, Ala, His, and Lys were identified as key taste substances based on their taste activity values (TAV ≥ 1). A total of 272 volatile compounds(VOC S) were detected in the sausage samples, while 28 key aroma compounds were screened based on the odor activity value (OAV ≥ 1). Multivariate statistical analysis showed that 12 key aroma compounds (VIP > 1) could be considered discriminative compounds, including (E,E)-2,4-nonadienal, nonanal, heptanal, benzaldehyde, Dodecanal, cyclohexanol, and hexyl-Benzene, etc. Furthermore, Wickerhamoomyces and Debaryomyces were positively correlated with most of the key flavor substances and physicochemical indices (|r| > 0.6, P < 0.05), which were potential flavor-contributing fungi in Yunnan-style sausages. • Fungal diversity and flavor substances of the sausages were significantly affected by different drying methods. • Natural air-drying fermentation and variable-temperature drying contributed to the formation of dominant fungi and flavor. • 12 key aroma compounds are screened as flavor markers to distinguish varied groups. • Glu, Ala, His, and Lys were identified as key taste substances. • Four fungal genera are potential flavor contributing fungi in Yunnan-style sausages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At the nanoscale, the surface properties of nanomaterials are of utmost importance. Amino-functionalized MXene (AMXene) was prepared by grafting 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) upon the top layer of Ti 3 C 2 T x. AMXene is introduced into the polyimide (PI) matrix coatings. The findings indicate that the dispersion of AMXene in PI is further substantially enhanced based on the principle of "similar compatibility", which is attributable to the creation of more hydrogen bonds between AMXene and highly polar PI matrix molecular chains. The addition of AMXene lowered the factor of friction by 34.1 % and the rate of abrasion by 84.8 % compared to unadulterated PI. In addition, the PI/AMXene composites exhibit significant reinforcement properties at different loads and speeds. [Display omitted] • Amino-functionalized Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets are well dispersed in the PI matrix. • Amino-functionalized Ti 3 C 2 T x nanosheets improve the thermal stability of PI. • Compared to PI, the COF of the PI/AMXene-0.3 coating was reduced by 34.1 %. • Compared to PI, the wear rate of the PI/AMXene-0.3 coating was reduced by 84.8 %. • The PI/AMXene-0.3 coating maintains low COF and wear under extreme conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite quantum dots (QDs) have garnered significant interest for their superior optical properties. Despite their attractive photovoltaic properties and chemical processing ability, the high defects density within QDs can result in the annihilation of luminescence. In this study, cesium trifluoroacetic acid (CsTFA) was used as the cesium source, replacing conventional cesium carbonate (Cs 2 CO 3) and introducing TFA ligands to improve the luminescence quality of QDs. As well as doping with Zn2+ to enhance both the stability and luminescence quality of the quantum dot solution. The doped QDs exhibit the highest photoluminescence (PL) intensity, which is further enhanced by the perovskite QDs with TFA as a ligand. Furthermore, the PL spectra of CsPbBr 3 and TFA-CsPbBr 3 : Zn (10 %) QDs with the temperature changes have also been analyzed. The result reveals the relationship between excitons and phonons. Based on the result, Zn2+ doped and TFA ligand induced perovskite QDs have the potential to serve as an optimal material. • Cesium trifluoroacetic acid as a cesium source to enhance the luminescence quality of perovskite quantum dots. • The doped QDs show the highest photoluminescence intensity, further enhanced by TFA as a ligand. • PL spectra of QDs with temperature changes, revealing the relationship between excitons and phonons. • The results suggest that Zn2+ doped and TFA ligand-induced perovskite QDs could be an optimal material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Organ shape and size covariation (allometry) factors are essential concepts for the study of evolution and development. Although ample research has been conducted on organ shape and size, little research has considered the correlated variation of these two traits and quantitatively measured the variation in a common framework. The genetic basis of allometry variation in a single organ or among different organs is also relatively unknown. Results: A principal component analysis (PCA) of organ landmarks and outlines was conducted and used to quantitatively capture shape and size variation in leaves and petals of multiparent advanced generation intercross (MAGIC) populations of Arabidopsis thaliana. The PCA indicated that size variation was a major component of allometry variation and revealed negatively correlated changes in leaf and petal size. After quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping, five QTLs for the fourth leaf, 11 QTLs for the seventh leaf, and 12 QTLs for petal size and shape were identified. These QTLs were not identical to those previously identified, with the exception of the ER locus. The allometry model was also used to measure the leaf and petal allometry covariation to investigate the evolution and genetic coordination between homologous organs. In total, 12 QTLs were identified in association with the fourth leaf and petal allometry covariation, and eight QTLs were identified to be associated with the seventh leaf and petal allometry covariation. In these QTL confidence regions, there were important genes associated with cell proliferation and expansion with alleles unique to the maximal effects accession. In addition, the QTLs associated with life-history traits, such as days to bolting, stem length, and rosette leaf number, which were highly coordinated with climate change and local adaption, were QTL mapped and showed an overlap with leaf and petal allometry, which explained the genetic basis for their correlation. Conclusions: This study explored the genetic basis for leaf and petal allometry and their interaction, which may provide important information for investigating the correlated variation and evolution of organ shape and size in Arabidopsis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, a NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)@Ag@AgCl (NM@Ag@AgCl) stacked core–shell heterojunction with Z-scheme carrier transfer mechanism was developed to fulfil the goal of synchronous reactions of CO 2 reduction and H 2 O oxidation. The CO and H 2 O 2 yields of the optimal NM@Ag@AgCl were 6.02 and 5.43 μmol⋅g−1⋅h−1, which were 3.31 and 4.02 times that of the NM, respectively. [Display omitted] • Core-shell NM@Ag@AgCl Z-scheme heterojunction was constructed. • A giant BEF existed in the Ag mediated Z-scheme heterojunction. • NM@Ag@AgCl can achieve both CO 2 reduction and H 2 O oxidation. Herein, a NH 2 -MIL-125(Ti)@Ag@AgCl (NM@Ag@AgCl) stacked core–shell heterojunction with Z-scheme carrier transfer mechanism was developed to fulfil the goal of synchronous reactions of CO 2 reduction and H 2 O oxidation. In detail, the NM@Ag@AgCl was obtained by in-situ loading the AgCl as the shell-inorganic semiconductor on the octahedral NM as the core-organic semiconductor, followed by in-situ transforming part of the AgCl shell into the plasmonic Ag nanoparticles using a photo-reduction method. As a result, the interface effects of core–shell architecture majorized by the Ag electronic mediator can favor the transmission of photogenerated carriers and reduce electron transport resistance; while the plasmonic Ag mediated Z-scheme mode with a giant internal electronic field provided a strong driving force to recombine the carriers with weak redox ability, reserving the carrier with strong redox ability on the NH 2 -MIL-125-core and AgCl-shell for the simultaneous reactions. The CO and H 2 O 2 yields of the optimal NM@Ag@AgCl were 6.02 and 5.43 μmol⋅g−1⋅h−1, which were 3.31 and 4.02 times that of the NM, respectively. This study furnishes a novel thread for the design of core–shell organic–inorganic heterojunction with high interfacial charge transfer for realizing the simultaneous reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) is a highly prevalent and serious public health problem among adolescents worldwide. However, to date there were no studies assessing the prevalence of NSSI defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria among Chinese adolescents. We aimed to conduct a nationwide survey to explore the prevalence of and risk factors for NSSI among school-based adolescents in rural China.Methods: A total sample of 15,623 adolescents in rural China were enrolled by using a multistage sampling method. Data was collected by self-report questionnaires including demographic characteristics, neglect, maltreatment, loneliness, resilience, social support and emotional management ability. NSSI was defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria, according to which the engagement in self-injury took place more than 5 times a year. Multinomial logistic regression models were used to estimate the association between risk factors and NSSI.Results: There were 12.2% of adolescents (n = 1908) met the suggested DSM-5 criteria. Approximately 29% reported a history of NSSI at least once during the last year. Significant differences were found in several demographic factors including gender, ethnicity, grade, and family structure between adolescents with and without experiencing NSSI. The top three NSSI behaviors among adolescents with NSSI experience were hitting self, pinching, and pulling hair, with a prevalence rate of 16.7%, 14.1% and 11.2%, respectively. Female, Han ethnicity, fathers' education level, neglect, maltreatment, loneliness, social support, suicidal behaviors and emotional management ability were significantly associated with NSSI by multivariate analysis. No significant relationship was found between resilience and risk of NSSI.Limitation: The DSM-5 has proposed 6 groups of criteria for NSSI, we only used criteria on frequency given its more accepted feasibility and pragmatic application. Consequently, it may different from other prevalence that estimated by other criteria.Conclusion: To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study reporting prevalence of NSSI defined by suggested DSM-5 criteria among adolescent in rural China. In comparison to finding from the similar samples of adolescents, Chinese rural adolescents seem to have a relative higher prevalence. The potential risk factors for NSSI include female, father's education, Han ethnicity, psychosocial factors and suicide behaviors. More evidence for further understanding of context of the occurrence, improving access to health care utilization, and identifying the role of psychosocial factors and family relationship, is needed for the prevention and management of NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic predisposition is an important factor leading to aggressive behavior. However, the relationship between genetic polymorphisms and aggressive behavior has not been elucidated.Methods: We identified candidate genes located in the dopaminergic and serotonin system (DRD3, DRD4, and FEV) that had been previously reported to be associated with aggressive behavior. We investigated 14 tag single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) using a multi-analytic strategy combining logistic regression (LR) and classification and regression tree (CART) to explore higher-order interactions between these SNPs and aggressive behavior in 318 patients and 558 controls.Results: Both LR and CART analyses suggested that the rs16859448 polymorphism is the strongest individual factor associated with aggressive behavior risk. In CART analysis, individuals carrying the combined genotypes of rs16859448TT/GT-rs11246228CT/TT-rs3773679TT had the highest risk, while rs16859448GG-rs2134655CT had the lowest risk (OR = 5.25, 95% CI: 2.53-10.86).Conclusion: This study adds to the growing evidence on the association of single- and multiple-risk variants in DRD3, DRD4, and FEV with aggressive behavior in Chinese adolescents. However, the aggressive behavior scale used to diagnose aggression in this study did not account for comorbid conditions; therefore, further studies are needed to confirm our observations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An ion-imprinted fluorescent polymer (referred to as CQD@SiO@IIP) is presented for recognition of lithium ion. The material is based on the use of carbon quantum dots (CQDs) and is prepared by a surface imprinting technique using benzo-15-crown-5 (B15C5) as the complexing agent, methacrylic acid (MAA) as the functional monomer, ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA) as the crosslinker, 2,2-azobisisobutyronitrile (AIBN) as the radical initiator, and lithium ion as the template. After optimization of the detection conditions, the relative fluorescence intensity (F/F), best measured at excitation/emission wavelength of 360 nm/460 nm, varies linearly with the Li concentration in the range between 0.5 and 50 μmol·L, with a limit of detection of 16 μmol·L. Performance was compared to the non-imprinted material, and the imprinting factor is found to be 4.5. The ion-imprinted fluorescence material was applied to the determination of Li in (spiked) water samples and obtained good recoveries ranged from 102 to 111.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this reported work, flower-like Ni x Co 3-x O 4 (0 ≤ x ≤ 1.5) microstructures with different Ni/Co molar ratios were synthesized via a facile solvothermal method followed by calcination. Varying the Ni/Co molar ratio in the solvothermal reaction was found to have a significant influence on the microstructures, surface area and electrochemical performances of the resulting flower-like Ni x Co 3-x O 4 products. When the Ni/Co molar ratio was 1:1, the resulting flower-like Ni 1.5 Co 1.5 O 4 as an electrode for supercapacitor exhibited a high specific capacity of 502.8C g −1 at 1 A g −1 , and the highest capacity retention of 85.7% can be achieved at a high current density of 10 A g −1 . Moreover, to further demonstrate the practical application of these materials, an asymmetric supercapacitor was also assembled using the the flower-like Ni 1.5 Co 1.5 O 4 as the positive electrode and active carbon as the negative electrode. The asymmetric supercapacitor device delivered a remarkable energy density of 47.5 Wh kg −1 at a power density of 855 W kg −1 , showing the great promise of these novel materials for potential applications in energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-wrapped dandelion-like CuO microspheres have been successfully synthesized using a one-step hydrothermal method without calcination. Characterization results demonstrate that dandelion-like CuO microspheres with sizes of 2.0 μm are well wrapped by ultrathin rGO nanosheets. Moreover, the introduced amount of GO dispersion in the reaction system was found to play a key role in tuning the phase compositions and microstructures of the resultant CuO-rGO composites. When used as electrode materials for supercapacitors, dandelion-like CuO wrapped by rGO nanosheets exhibited the best capacitive behavior with a specific capacitance of 296 F g −1 at 1.0 A g −1 and a retention of 96.1% after 2000 cycles at 2.0 A g −1 . Such excellent electrochemical performance might be mainly attributed to the rGO wrapping effect, efficiently providing higher electronic conductivity and buffering the volume changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]