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The shuttle effect and sluggish conversion kinetics of lithium polysulfides (LiPS) hamper the practical application of lithium–sulfur batteries (LSBs). Toward overcoming these limitations, herein an in situ grown C2N@NbSe2 heterostructure is presented with remarkable specific surface area, as a Li–S catalyst and LiPS absorber. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental results comprehensively demonstrate that C2N@NbSe2 is characterized by a suitable electronic structure and charge rearrangement that strongly accelerates the LiPS electrocatalytic conversion. In addition, heterostructured C2N@NbSe2 strongly interacts with LiPS species, confining them at the cathode. As a result, LSBs cathodes based on C2N@NbSe2/S exhibit a high initial capacity of 1545 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C. Even more excitingly, C2N@NbSe2/S cathodes are characterized by impressive cycling stability with only 0.012% capacity decay per cycle after 2000 cycles at 3 C. Even at a sulfur loading of 5.6 mg cm−2, a high areal capacity of 5.65 mAh cm−2 is delivered. These results demonstrate that C2N@NbSe2 heterostructures can act as multifunctional polysulfide mediators to chemically adsorb LiPS, accelerate Li‐ion diffusion, chemically catalyze LiPS conversion, and lower the energy barrier for Li2S precipitation/decomposition, realizing the "adsorption‐diffusion‐conversion" of polysulfides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important topic of modern nanophotonics focuses on the bound states in the continuum (BIC) that the non-radiative localized waves lie within the radiative continuous spectrum, which has been introduced into metasurfaces to construct a strong resonance system. The development of theory and application promotes the advanced physics research on metasurfaces supporting dynamic BIC. However, the dynamic conversion between quasi-BIC and BIC of the metasurfaces is still not realized in strict sense. Herein, we report a significant progress that the free switch between BIC and quasi-BIC is successfully achieved by introducing the structured graphene into the metal terahertz metasurfaces, which is based on free-electron concentration of graphene changing from semiconductor-like to metal-like with adjustment of Fermi energy. We propose the efficient-structure model to explain these phenomena, and prove the wide applicability of this model by investigating seven class metal structures which includes a parameter-tuned metasurface and six common symmetry-protected metasurfaces. The further investigation shows such graphene-metal metasurface array has potential application in dynamic display, and it only needs to change the bias voltage applied on each structure to obtain different display contents, without the requirement of preparing additional metasurface array, which is impossible to achieve via traditional static metasurfaces. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), including ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD), is a group of chronic recurrent and incurable gastrointestinal diseases with an unknown etiology that leads to a high risk of developing colitis-associated colorectal cancer (CRC). In this study, we measured the expression characteristics of MELK in IBD and CRC tissues and explored the regulatory effect of OTSSP167 (a MELK-selective inhibitor) on the mice models of colitis and colitis-associated carcinogenesis and analyzed the specific molecular mechanisms. DSS-induced colitis and colitis-associated carcinogenesis (CAC) model were treated with MELK inhibitor OTSSP167 then the fight against effect of OTSSP167 in the clinical symptoms of colitis and CAC was measured. In addition, underlying mechanism of OTSSP167 treatment in vitro and vivo including anti -ferroptosis and anti-inflammatory response effect was further explored. We found that pharmacological inhibition of MELK was indicated to significantly alleviate the inflammatory response in mice with colitis, reduce intestinal damage, and effectively inhibit the occurrence and progression of colitis-propelled carcinogenesis, which was closely related to the regulation of gut microbial composition, and OTSSP167-mediated fecal microbiota transplantation effectively alleviated DSS-induced colitis. In addition, OTSSP167 treatment obviously inhibited ferroptosis in the intestinal tissue and suppressed macrophage infiltration and M1 polarization, which reduced the secretion of pro-inflammatory factors. Further exploration of the molecular mechanism revealed that OTSSP167 inhibited AKT/IKK/P65 and ERK/IKK/P65 signaling cascades both in vivo and in vitro, which may help alleviate intestinal inflammation and control the occurrence of cancer. Our findings lay a theoretical foundation for the use of OTSSP167 as a treatment for IBD and its inhibition of the occurrence of colitis-associated carcinogenesis; additionally, MELK may be a potentially effective target molecule, thus providing more options for clinical treatment. [Display omitted] • OTSSP167 effectively alleviated the inflammatory response in colitis mice and inhibited colitis-propelled carcinogenesis. • Inhibiting ferroptosis in epithelial cells is important for OTSSP167 exerting anti-colitis and anti-carcinogenesis effects. • OTSSP167 also reduced macrophage infiltration, M1 polarization and pro-inflammatory factors secretion in intestinal tissues. • The protective effect of OTSSP167 on mice with colitis is also closely related to the rebalance of intestinal microbiota. • OTSSP167 exerts anti-colitis and anti-tumor effects through suppressing the AKT/IKK/P65 axis and ERK/IKK/P65 axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskite materials show exciting potential for light-emitting diodes (LEDs) owing to their intrinsically high photoluminescence efficiency and color purity. The research focusing on perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) has experienced an exponential growth in the past six years. The maximum external quantum efficiency of red, green, and blue PeLEDs has surpassed 20%, 20%, and 10%, respectively. Nevertheless, the current PeLEDs are still in the laboratory stage, and the key for further development of PeLEDs is large-area fabrication. In this paper, we briefly discuss the similarities and differences between manufacturing high-quality and large-area PeLEDs and perovskite solar cells. Especially, the general technologies for fabricating large-area perovskite films are also introduced. The effect of charge transport layers and electrodes on large-area devices are discussed as well. Most importantly, we summarize the advances of large-area (active area ≥ 30 mm2) PeLEDs reported since 2017, and describe the methods for optimizing large-area PeLEDs reported in the literature. Finally, the development perspective of PeLEDs is presented for the goal of highly efficient and large-area PeLED fabrication. It is of great significance for the application of PeLEDs in future display and lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Women with breast cancer are prone to have mental stress and be stimulated by the fear of progression (FOP), then giving rise to a lower quality of life (QOL). The study aimed to examine the relationships between FOP, social support and QOL, and further explore whether social support mediates the association between FOP and QOL among Chinese patients with breast cancer.Methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted from October 2019 to May 2020 at Anshan Cancer Hospital in Liaoning, China. 244 female breast cancer patients completed questionnaires including the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy for Breast (FACT-B), Multi-Dimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and Fear of Progression (FOP). Hierarchical multiple regression analysis was performed to assess the associations between FOP, social support and QOL. Asymptotic and resampling strategies were used to explore the mediating role of social support.Results: The mean QOL score was 90.6 ± 17.0 among the patients with breast cancer. FOP was negatively correlated with QOL, while social support was positively related to QOL. Social support partly mediated the association between FOP and QOL, and the proportion of the mediating effect accounted for by social support was 25%.Conclusions: Chinese breast cancer patients expressed low QOL. Social support could mediate the association between FOP and QOL. Medical staffs and cancer caregivers should alleviate patients' FOP to improve their QOL by facilitating social support. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strong spin-selective asymmetric transmission metasurface usually relies on a multilayer metal frame or compound all-dielectric system. By contrast, an all-silicon metasurface has advantages of simple process, low cost, and easy optical modulation. However, there is little work to explore the spin-selective asymmetric transmission in terahertz band based on the all-silicon metasurface due to weak interaction between all-silicon materials and terahertz waves. Herein, we have achieved excellent spin-selective terahertz asymmetric transmission in the all-silicon metasurface by the ingenious chirality structure design, and the maximum circular dichroism can reach 0.4. Meanwhile, 1064 nm continuous wave optical pumping modulates the asymmetric transmission amplitude of the all-silicon metasurface to achieve circular dichroism switch between "On" and "Off." We have also developed terahertz chiral imaging applications based on the all-silicon metasurface with spin-selective asymmetric transmission, and the chiral imaging with On and Off switching characteristics can be realized via optically active control. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vortex beams, carrying orbital angular momentum (OAM), have plenty of applications ranging from particle manipulation to high‐capacity data transmissions. In particular, the superpositions of OAM patterns are significant in classical physics and quantum science. The flexible control of spin angular momentum (SAM) to OAM can provide more freedom for the design of multifunctional devices. Here, a kind of dielectric metasurface is proposed that generates polarization‐controllable superpositions of OAM patterns in the terahertz (THz) band, which is achieved by the interleaving of anisotropic and isotropic meta‐atoms. The conversions of arbitrary SAM to OAM have been realized by combining Pancharatnam‐Berry (PB) and propagation phase. Not only multiple superposition states of OAM can be generated in the transverse polarization, but also two superposition states of OAM with arbitrary topological charges can be realized in the longitudinal polarization. Several metasurfaces have been designed to demonstrate the multifunctional design, and the feasibility of the theory has been verified in the experiment. Such multifunctional design can find applications in particle manipulation, communication, harmonic generation, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Approximately 47,000 persons in the United States died from an opioid-involved overdose in 2018 (1), and 2.0 million persons met the diagnostic criteria for an opioid use disorder in 2017 (2). The economic cost of the U.S. opioid epidemic in 2017 was estimated at $1,021 billion, including cost of opioid use disorder estimated at $471 billion and cost of fatal opioid overdose estimated at $550 billion (3). CDC used national-level cost estimates to estimate the state-level economic cost of opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose during 2017. Cases and costs of state-level opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose and per capita costs were calculated for each of the 38 states and the District of Columbia (DC) that met drug specificity requirements for mortality data (4). Combined costs of opioid use disorder and fatal opioid overdose (combined costs) varied substantially, ranging from $985 million in Wyoming to $72,583 million in Ohio. Per capita combined costs also varied considerably, ranging from $1,204 in Hawaii to $7,247 in West Virginia. States with high per capita combined costs were mainly in two regions: the Ohio Valley and New England. Federal and state public health agencies can use these data to help guide decisions regarding research, prevention and response activities, and resource allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Anthocyanins are not only one of the most important antioxidants in plants but also responsible for the coloration in strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa), it is suggested to be associated with ascorbic acid (AsA), sugars and plant hormones metabolism. OBJECTIVE: To elucidate the molecular differences of genes and pathways in the presence and absence of anthocyanins. METHODS: RNA sequencing (RNAseq) of red-fleshed strawberry 'Benihoppe' and its white-fleshed mutant 'Xiaobai' was performed. RESULTS: A total of 1,156 and 1,378 transcripts were differentially expressed (DE) in two cultivars at white stage and red stage respectively. Among them, 28, 49 and 72 DE transcripts were involved in AsA, sugars metabolism and plant hormones signaling respectively. Fruits of 'Benihoppe' with higher anthocyanins content contained higher AsA, the expression of D-galacturonate reductase (GalUR) in white-fleshed strawberry was down-regulated. Particularly, the expression of transcripts involved in sugars, jasmonic acid (JA) and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling was decreased, by contrast, the expression of transcripts involved in auxin and gibberellins (GAs) signaling was significantly increased. CONCLUSIONS: The lower AsA level in white-fleshed strawberry is possibly because of the lower flux of D-galacturonate biosynthesis pathway. Anthocyanins was associated with gene expression involved in AsA, sugars, and hormones signaling metabolisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chiral optical response represents interactions of circularly polarized light with matter. Chiral metamaterials are widely applied in polarization imaging, optical sensing, and other fields due to their strong ability to manipulate light and form giant circular polarization differential transmittance (CPDT). Here, we propose all-silicon chiral metasurfaces for highly efficient CPDT in the terahertz band. In addition to characterizing the static chiral properties of our proposed metasurface, dynamic chiral behaviors are also characterized by optical pumping (1064 nm continuous wave), and a giant amplitude modulation depth is obtained. The measured results agree well with the simulations. In addition, the application of our chiral metasurface in polarization multiplexed near-field image display is also exhibited. Such chiral metasurface could find many potential applications in photon-spin selective devices, such as circularly polarized light detectors and chiral sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chiral metasurface possesses wide applications in terahertz (THz) band. It is still an important issue to control the chiral properties of metasuface by a simple and effective method. We design a reflective chiral THz metasurface that reflection medium in bottom is based on monolayer graphene on low resistance Si substrate. This structure allows a more reasonable approach to tune Fermi level (E F) of graphene compared with previous report. THz reflection change in graphene as varying E F can control in a large dynamic range the chiral properties of metasurface, inducing the state switch between 'On' and 'Off'. The dynamic control is also effective for various further applications such as vortex focusing and near field imaging. Significantly, we report for the first time the variation rule of reflection amplitude for reflecting suppressed circularly polarized light, with the change in rotation angle of top metal ring of metasurface. Based on this, we develop an innovation application, called full grayscale near field imaging (FGNFI) that can show full grayscale details compared with traditional near field imaging that can only show two grayscale states. Image 1 We propose a new structure that using monolayer graphene on surface of low resistivity silicon substrate acts as a reflection medium in reflective chiral terahertz metasurface. When bias voltage is applied between graphene and silicon, electrons and holes in silicon can be injected into graphene to tune the chirality between 'On' and 'Off' states. An innovation near field imaging application is developed by using the regular amplitude change of reflection suppressed circular polarization with metal ring rotation. The new application we developed can theoretically achieve the imaging with a series of grayscale values between the brightest to the dimmest states, which give more color details and thus is called full grayscale near field imaging (FGNFI). The tunable chirality 'On' and 'Off' can be used not only for traditional applications, but also for our newly developed FGNFI application. • A new graphene tuned recflective chiral terahertz metasurface is proposed. • Monolayer graphene on surface of low resistivity Si acts as a reflection medium. • Appling voltage between graphene and Si obtains the chirality On and Off states. • New application called full grayscale near field imaging (FGNFI) is developed. • FGNFI can achieve full grayscale details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Long life silver-zinc (Ag-Zn) fibrous batteries have been developed. • A bifunctional gel electrolyte is designed by introducing graphene oxide. • The undesired Zn dendrite growth and Ag migration during cycling are suppressed. • The battery can maintain its performance and power electronics under deformations. Silver-zinc (Ag-Zn) fibrous batteries are considered as a promising power source for next-generation flexible/wearable electronics because of their superior safety, high energy density, and stable output voltage. Nevertheless, the widespread application of Ag-Zn batteries is hindered by their limited cycle life, primarily caused by Zn dendrite growth and Ag migration. Herein, we develop a flexible mild Ag-Zn fibrous battery with outstanding cycle performance via designing a bifunctional gel electrolyte. The graphene oxide (GO) introduced into the electrolyte provides dual enhancement in suppressing the growth of Zn dendrite and migration of Ag, leading to improved structural integrity and long cycle life. The designed fibrous battery demonstrates a high capacity of 0.85 mAh cm−1 and it can retain 90% (77.4%) of the initial capacity after 250 cycles under current density of 0.5 (5) mA cm−1. Additionally, the battery can maintain its performance under various deformations and a four-battery set is employed as the power source for LED patterns and wearable sensors. This work provides a rational way to design advanced gel electrolytes for high-performance flexible batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The potential reaction between FeCo-MOF with dual sites and paraquat was theoretically predicted. • FeCo-MOF with Fe and Co dual-active sites was constructed by self-assembly strategy. • The FeCo-MOF electrochemical sensor has high-sensitivity response to trace paraquat. • The FeCo-MOF electrochemical sensor is successfully used for detecting paraquat in real samples. • DFT and XPS have deeply revealed the interaction of Fe and Co and the mechanism of detecting paraquat. Paraquat is a highly toxic herbicide, and its residue in food poses a huge threat to human health. High-sensitivity detection of trace paraquat is crucial but challenging. Herein, we theoretically predicted that FeCo-MOF materials with Fe and Co dual active sites have potential interactions with paraquat. Moreover, a porous FeCo-MOF materials with Fe and Co dual active sites were in-suit constructed on the surface of foam nickel by self-assembly strategy, and used for the electrochemical detection of paraquat. The electrochemical detection results indicate that the prepared FeCo-MOF foam nickel electrode exhibited ultra-high detection sensitivity (113.85 μA nM−1 cm−2) and trace detection limit (0.16 nM) in a wide range of paraquat concentration (1.00 nM–5.00 mM). In addition, we successfully used this FeCo-MOF foam nickel electrode for the detection of paraquat in apples, human serum, and fresh tea leaves (detection recovery is 97.00 %–99.99 %). Furthermore, the density functional theory (DFT) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) confirm that Fe and Co are active sites for detecting paraquat, and the interaction between Fe and Co promotes highly sensitive detection of trace paraquat. Therefore, this work provides strategies and comprehension for designing and modulating active sites at the microscopic level to improve sensitivity for detecting toxic pesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A stable genetic strawberry mutant with high epicuticular wax was identified, which content was 1.74 times higher than that of 'Benihoppe'. • The primary alcohols (C18, C20, C22, C24, C25 and C26), alkanes (C20 and C31) and fatty acids (C26) were the main components of cuticular wax in the mutant, which significantly increased by 138.37%, 53.69% and 86.80%, respectively, compared with that of 'Benihoppe'. • A comparative transcriptomic analysis identified FaKAS2, FaFATA2, FaLACS1, FaKCS12/19, FaPAS2, FaECR, FaCER1 and FAR3/5 as potential key genes involved in wax synthesis of strawberry leaves. • Cuticular wax in MT may be the main contributor to the observed enhancements in the resistance to Tetranychus urticae Koch and Botrytis cinerea. Cuticular wax is crucial for plant defense against biotic and abiotic stresses, but its relationship with resistance in strawberries is not well understood. A stable genetic mutant (MT) of 'Benihoppe' strawberries with a glossier leaf surface and stronger resistance was identified during cultivation. In this study, we analyzed the anatomical and physiological traits of leaves from 'Benihoppe' and its mutant and compared their cuticular wax properties. We also analyzed the differentially expressed genes involved in leaf cuticular wax accumulation and investigated their characteristics against Tetranychus urticae Koch and Botrytis cinerea. Comparisons between morphological and physiological features revealed that the mutant had smaller, darker leaves with a thicker upper epidermis and palisade tissue. GC-MS analysis showed that the total cuticular wax content of the MT leaf (1147.84 μg/dm2) had 1.74 times more total wax content than that of 'Benihoppe' (660.66 μg/dm2). The main components of cuticular wax in the MT leaf were primary alcohols (C18, C20, C22, C24, C25 and C26), alkanes (C20 and C31) and fatty acids (C26), whose content increased by 138.37%, 53.69% and 86.80%, respectively, compared with that of 'Benihoppe'. Based on the comparative transcriptome data, we identified FaKAS2, FaFATA2, FaLACS1, FaKCS12 / 19, FaPAS2, FaECR, FaCER1 and FAR3/5 as potential key genes involved in wax synthesis of strawberries. Furthermore, MT leaves exhibited lower susceptibility to Tetranychus urticae Koch and its cuticular wax extraction inhibited the growth of Botrytis cinerea more effectively. Therefore, the increase of total cuticular wax and the content of major wax components in MT may be the main contributor to the enhanced resistance. These results not only deepen our understanding of the cuticular wax regulation but also provide potential gene resources for developing more resistant strawberry varieties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal relaxation behaviour of compressive residual stress (CRS) in the gradient nanostructure of TC11 titanium alloy treated with ultrasonic surface rolling process (USRP) was investigated by X-ray residual stress test, transmission electron microscope (TEM) and high-resolution TEM (HRTEM). The Zener-Wert-Avrami (ZWA) model was successfully used to simulate the CRS relaxation behaviour in nanocrystalline and non-nanocrystalline regions at different temperatures. The results show that the relaxation of CRS is thorough and fast at higher temperature (650 ºC). There are two distinct relaxation stages at lower temperatures, and the relaxation rate in the first stage is much faster, dominated by the annihilation of lattice defects through short-range diffusion. The relaxation in the second stage is slow and dominated by dislocation rearrangement. In contrast to the situation at low temperatures, the nanocrystals appear to be a negative factor in stabilizing the CRS at high temperatures, as the unstable sub-grain boundaries act as sources of stress relaxation and the multiple grain boundaries act as high-speed diffusion channels and accelerate the annihilation of dislocations. • CRS relaxation in the surface gradient nanostructures of TC11 titanium alloy at different temperatures was revealed. • Two stages of CRS relaxation at temperatures below 0.3 Tm were identified and simulated by the Zener-Wert-Avrami model. • The evolution of microstructure and element distribution of nanostructures after annealing was characterised by TEM. • Nanostructure induced by SPD is a negative factor for the residual stress stability at high temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ordered sea urchin-like zinc oxide (ZnO) nanostructures were fabricated via a simple hydrothermal process at relatively mild conditions by one step. The microstructure, morphology and the photoelectric properties of the as-prepared products were investigated by x-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, field emission environment scanning electron microscopy, UV–visible optical absorption and photocurrent–voltage measurements. The results demonstrated that the ZnO crystals had hexagonal wurtzite structures, and were assembled by a central nucleus and many needle-like ZnO which grew radially from the nucleus. Compared with ZnO nanorod arrays, the sea urchin-like ZnO nanostructures showed preferable photoelectric properties as the anode of dye-sensitized solar cells. This can be attributed to special geometric morphologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Glycosylated secondary metabolites constitute a large proportion of nutrients or ingredients in consumed plants and related products. The glycosyl decoration largely depends on the activity of plant UDP-glycosyltransferases (UGTs). Mechanisms underlying the substrate selectivity and specificity of these reactions remain elusive. Here we report the cloning and functional characterization of a UGT, UGT78H2 in blackberry fruits. In vitro enzyme substrate specificity analysis and enzymatic kinetics evidenced that UGT78H2 glycosylate exclusively quercetin using uridine-5′ diphosphate glucuronic acid (UDP-glucuronic acid) and uridine-5′ diphosphate galactose (UDP-galactose). Site-directed mutagenesis was introduced into two residuals (N340P, K360N) previously unexplored. The mutation enhanced the protein catalyzing efficiency, especially toward UDP-galactose (23% higher), and expanded the sugar donor selectivity, which can use UDP-glucose as well. Molecular modeling and biochemical analysis results enable identification of the 23rd residue (360th in UGT78H2) of the PSPG (plant secondary product glycosyltransferase) motif as a key residue in defining this sugar selecting spectrum. Additionally, promoter of UGT78H2 was obtained. Transgenic analysis using the UGT78H2pro::GUS reporter system demonstrated that transcripts controlled by the promoter predominantly expressed in younger tissues. Subcellular localization study revealed that UGT78H2 was a soluble protein in the nucleus and cytoplasm. These results clarified the bio-function of UGT78H2 and provided a valid approach for substrate selectivity modification in horticultural plants, particularly for sugar donor selectivity. • Enzyme substrate specificity analysis evidenced that UGT78H2 glycosylate exclusively quercetin using UDP-GA and UDP-GAL. • Mutations (N340P, K360N) enhanced the catalyzing efficiency, especially toward UDP-GALand expanded the donor selectivity. • Several hormone responsive elements were observed in the UGT78H2 promoter sequence • UGT78H2 was a soluble protein function in the nucleus and cytoplasm [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rocks in deep coal mines are usually in varying degrees of damage state before they are destabilized by impact loads such as rock bursts. For the problem of the mechanical properties and energy evolution of damaged rocks under impact loads, the authors use static loads with different cyclic load thresholds to act on sandstone specimens to make them in distinct degrees of damage. Then, the rock mechanics system (MTS-816) and the Split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) are employed to perform uniaxial compression and impact dynamics tests on sandstones with different degrees of damage. The results show that, from the perspective of mechanical properties, the uniaxial compressive strength and dynamic compressive strength of the damaged sandstone gradually decrease with the increase of the upper limit of the cycle threshold and both obey the growth law of the quadratic function, and the dynamic strength increase factor (DIF) also decreases with the increase of the cyclic load threshold. In terms of energy, with the increment of the cyclic load threshold, the number of cracks in the damaged sandstone is large and the scale is enormous. Due to the effect of cracks, when the incident energy is a fixed value, the transmission energy decreases with the increase of the damage degree and the change law of the reflection energy is the opposite. The systematic study of the dynamic mechanical properties and energy evolution law of the damaged sandstone provides some reference for the prevention and mechanism research of rock bursts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Skeletal muscle insulin resistance is a prominent early feature in the pathogenesis of type 2 diabetes. In attempt to overcome this defect, we generated mice overexpressing insulin receptors (IR) specifically in skeletal muscle (IRMOE). On normal chow, IRMOE mice have body weight similar to that of controls but an increase in lean mass and glycolytic muscle fibers and reduced fat mass. IRMOE mice also show higher basal phosphorylation of IR, IRS-1, and Akt in muscle and improved glucose tolerance compared with controls. When challenged with high-fat diet (HFD), IRMOE mice are protected from diet-induced obesity. This is associated with reduced inflammation in fat and liver, improved glucose tolerance, and improved systemic insulin sensitivity. Surprisingly, however, in both chow and HFD-fed mice, insulin-stimulated Akt phosphorylation is significantly reduced in muscle of IRMOE mice, indicating postreceptor insulin resistance. RNA sequencing reveals downregulation of several postreceptor signaling proteins that contribute to this resistance. Thus, enhancing early insulin signaling in muscle by overexpression of the IR protects mice from diet-induced obesity and its effects on glucose metabolism. However, chronic overstimulation of this pathway leads to postreceptor desensitization, indicating the critical balance between normal signaling and hyperstimulation of the insulin signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) calculations have been used to study the sensing mechanism of an ON1-OFF-ON2 type fluoride anion fluorescent chemosensor (Bis[[7-(diethylamino)-2-oxo-2H-chromene]methyl-ene]‑carbonothioic dihydrazide (CTC). The current theoretical calculation presents a different sensing mechanism from the experimentally proposed one (Sensor and Actuators B 2016, 222, 823–828). Instead of the combination of CTC deprotonation and poorly emissive excited state tautomer or ICT mechanism, the theoretical results predict the sensing mechanism based on dissociation reaction and excited-state proton transfer (ESPT). The calculated vertical excitation energies both in the ground states and first excited states of different forms of CTC, as well as the potential-energy curves, have completely reproduced the experimental results, providing powerful evidence for our proposed CTC sensing mechanism for fluoride anion. Unlabelled Image • The sensing mechanism of an ON1-OFF-ON2 type fluorescent chemosensor for fluoride anion was evaluated by DFT/TDDFT method. • The fluorescence quenching in CTC-F is attributed to ESIPT process. • The proposed fluoride anion sensing mechanism is supported by the theoretical calculation and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abscisic acid (ABA) and sucrose play an important role in strawberry fruit ripening, but how ABA and sucrose co-regulate this ripening progress remains unclear. The intention of this study was to examine the effect of ABA and sucrose on strawberry fruit ripening and to evaluate the ABA/sucrose interaction mechanism on the strawberry fruit ripening process. Here, we report that there is an acute synergistic effect between ABA and sucrose in accelerating strawberry fruit ripening. The time frame of fruit development and ripening was shortened after the application of ABA, sucrose, and ABA + sucrose, but most of the major quality parameters in treated-ripe fruit, including fruit weight, total soluble solids, anthocyanin, ascorbic acid, the total phenolic content, lightness (L*), chroma (C*), and hue angle (h°) values were not affected. Meanwhile, the endogenous ABA and sucrose levels, and the expression of ABA and sucrose signaling genes and ripening-related genes, such as NCED1, NCED2, SnRK2.2, SuSy, MYB5, CEL1, and CEL2, was all significantly enhanced by ABA or sucrose treatment alone, but in particular, by the ABA + sucrose treatment. Therefore, improving the ripening regulation efficiency is one synergetic action of ABA/sucrose. Another synergetic action of ABA/sucrose shows that a short inhibition of glycolysis occurs during accelerated strawberry ripening. ABA and sucrose can induce higher accumulation of H2O2, leading to a transient decrease in glycolysis. Conversely, lower endogenous H2O2 levels caused by reduced glutathione (GSH) treatment resulted in a transient increase in glycolysis while delaying strawberry fruit ripening. Collectively, this study demonstrates that the ABA/sucrose interaction affects the ripening regulation efficiency and shows inhibition of glycolysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Drosophila Prominin-like is a homolog of mammalian CD133, which is recognized as a biomarker for stem cells. The interacting proteins of CD133 and their biological functions remain elusive. Results: In this study, we using yeast two-hybrid assays, GST pull-down assay and co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) methods found that Drosophila Prominin-like interacts with ND20, a subunit of mitochondrial respiratory complex I. Bioinformatics analysis suggests that Prominin-like is a six-transmembrane glycoprotein which localizes on cellular membranes. Immunostaining and mitochondrial fractionation indicate that Drosophila Prominin-like could localize in the mitochondria. The knockdown of prominin-like in S2 cells resulted in transient mitochondrial dysfunctions as evidenced by reduced ATP production, elevated ROS generation and an accompanied reduction in mitochondrial proteins. Mitochondrial dysfunctions were detected in aged prominin-like mutant flies. Conclusion: Our data indicates that Prominin-like acts to maintain mitochondrial function through its interaction with ND20 which, itself, is active in the mitochondrial electron transport chain. Our study provides insights into a novel molecular mechanism of Drosophila prominin-like and suggests a similar function of CD133 in mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Strawberry is often subjected to cold stress in temperate regions when insulation measures are not strictly applied in protected cultivation. Cold stress adversely influences plant growth and development by triggering a massive change to the transcriptome. To provide the potential strategies in improving strawberry cold tolerance and give a glimpse into the understanding of the complex cold signaling pathways in plants, this study identified attractive candidate genes and revealed diverse regulatory networks that responded to cold stress in strawberry (Fragaria×ananassa) by a transcriptomic analysis. Totally, there were 2397 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under cold stress treatment (T1) vs. normal treatment (CK). Of these, 1180 DEGs were upregulated, while 1217 DEGs were downregulated. Functional enrichment analysis showed that DEGs were significantly (adjusted P value < 0.05) overrepresented in six pathways including plant hormone signal transduction, flavonoid biosynthesis, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, starch and sucrose metabolism, circadian rhythm, and alpha-linolenic acid metabolism. The cold signaling initiated expression of downstream cold-responsive (COR) genes with cis-acting element ABRE or CRT/DRE in the ABA-independent or ABA-dependent pathway to impel plant defense against the stress. Strikingly, GIGANTEA (gene id 101308922), two-component response regulator-like PRR95 (gene id 101295449), and ethylene-responsive transcription factor ERF105-like (gene id 101295082) were dramatically induced under low-temperature treatment, indicating that they played an important role in response to cold stress in strawberry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The oriental fruit moth, Grapholita molesta (Busck) (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae), is a major pest of fruit trees worldwide. Females oviposit on the young leaves of peach [Prunus persica (L.) Batsch (Rosaceae)] shoots at twilight, when light intensity changes markedly. Previous researches have shown that the oviposition response of this moth is guided particularly by visual and olfactory cues from host plants. However, the relative importance of visual and olfactory cues in their oviposition preference is largely unknown. As a crepuscular moth, how do choices change as light intensity drops rapidly from day to night? In the present study, through two‐choice behavioural experiments, the oviposition responses of G. molesta to visual and olfactory cues (alone or in combination) from peach shoots were tested at four light intensities ranging from daylight to starlight. Grapholita molesta showed similar oviposition responses to plant cues under 1 000, 100, 1 and 0.01 mW m−2 illumination. Olfactory cues from peach shoots attracted significantly more oviposition than the negative control, whereas visual cues alone did not. Furthermore, olfactory cues were more attractive than visual cues, and no significant interaction was observed between the responses to the two cues. Our findings indicate that G. molesta females mainly rely on olfactory cues to recognize oviposition sites, regardless of differences in light intensity. These results do not provide evidence for attraction to visual cues, but the possibility that the brightness of leaves might be used to guide oviposition is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The magnetic properties of combustion products from various metamorphic grade coals including lignite, flame coal, gas coal, fat coal, baking coal and lean coal and anthracite coal, were analyzed. This study was carried out by means of basic magnetic parameters, thermomagnetic and hysteresis measurements. The mass magnetic susceptibility (χ) values ranged from 327 × 10−8 m3/kg to 1722 × 10−8 m3/kg, with an average value of 892 × 10−8 m3/kg, demonstrating a considerable amount of ferrimagnetic minerals in these burned coal samples. The lower χ and SIRM values for the burned lignite were probably due to the lower content of magnetite. A characteristic feature of combustion products was their high values of frequency dependent susceptibility (χ fd %), indicating the presence of a large amount of superparamagnetic grains of ferrimagnetic minerals within the combustion products. Thermomagnetic analyses of various combustion products showed the dominant role of magnetite-like phase. Moreover, a significant amount of hematite was also only identified in the combustion product from Flame coal. While the combustion products from Flame coal and Fat coal were characterized by a relatively narrow loop, characteristic of magnetically soft ferrimagnetic minerals, other combustion products including lignite, gas coal, baking coal, lean coal and anthracite coal displayed wasp-waisted loops, indicating the presence of two or more coercivity fractions. • The magnetic properties of the combustion products were related to the metamorphic grade of coals. • Combustion products had high values of frequency dependence of magnetic susceptibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous fibers as excellent carriers can be used to prepare photoluminescence materials. Herein, cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) were derived from microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) by sulfuric acid hydrolysis. After CNCs were squeezed into a coagulating bath containing silicon precursors obtained by the hydrolysis of tetraethyl orthosilicate, porous cellulose fibers were constructed through self-assembly and then incorporated with graphene carbon quantum dots (GQDs) to prepare porous photoluminescence cellulose fibers. The silicon precursor amount, self-assembly time, and corrosion time were optimized. In addition, the morphology, structure and optical properties of the products were investigated. These results showed that as-prepared porous cellulose fibers with mesopores presented loose and porous mesh. Interestingly, the porous photoluminescence cellulose fibers exhibited blue fluorescence, and the maximum emission peak appeared at 430 nm under the excitation wavelength of 350 nm. Furthermore, the relative fluorescence intensity of the porous photoluminescence cellulose fibers was significantly enhanced compared with nonporous photoluminescence cellulose fibers. This work provided a new method to prepare environmentally and stably photoluminescence fibers, which had potential applications in anti-counterfeit packaging and smart packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Three BoaAOP2s were isolated and edited using CRISPR/Cas9 system in Chinese kale. • The boaaop2 mutants of T1 generations were obtained in Chinese kale. • The content of glucoraphanin was increased and gluconapin was decreased in mutants. • Expression of upstream genes of glucosinolate biosynthesis were decreased in mutants. • BoaAOP2.1 is an effective gene for the alkenylation of aliphatic glucosinolates. Glucoraphanin (GRA) is an aliphatic glucosinolate (GSL), and its hydrolysis product has powerful anticancer activity. ALKENYL HYDROXALKYL PRODUCING 2 (AOP2) gene, encodes a 2-oxoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase, which can catalyze GRA to form gluconapin (GNA). However, GRA only present in trace amounts in Chinese kale. To increase the content of GRA in Chinese kale, three copies of BoaAOP2 were isolated and edited using CRISPR/Cas9 system. The content of GRA was 11.71- to 41.29-fold (0.082–0.289 μmol g−1 FW) higher in T1 generation of boaaop2 mutants than in wild-type plants, and this was accompanied by an increase in the GRA/GNA ratio and reductions in the content of GNA and total aliphatic GSLs. BoaAOP2.1 is an effective gene for the alkenylation of aliphatic GSLs in Chinese kale. Overall, targeted editing of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated BoaAOP2s altered aliphatic GSL side-chain metabolic flux and enhanced the GRA content in Chinese kale, suggesting that metabolic engineering of BoaAOP2s has huge potential in improving nutritional quality of Chinese kale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The hydrocarbon production in the Bawu area of Lishu Depression is high. However, the Bawu area has undergone three main tectonic movements, the strata were strongly uplifted and eroded, and the fractures were extremely developed. The conditions of hydrocarbon preservation have become intricate. In this study, by analyzing isotopes compositions and geochemical features of formation water, and the characteristics of formation pressure, the hydrocarbon preservation can be deduced. The subnormal and lower normal pressure zones (away from Xiaokuan Fault) of Yingcheng and Shahezi Formations are relatively closed and more conducive to hydrocarbon preservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The chive gnat, Bradysia odoriphaga, is a notorious pest of Allium species in China. Colour trapping is an established method for monitoring and control of Bradysia species. In order to clarify the effect of colour preference of B. odoriphaga for the perched substrate, multiple-choice tests were used to assess the response of the chive gnat to different colour hues and brightness levels under different intensities of white illumination and two spectrally different illuminations. Given the choice among four colours differing in hue under different intensities of white illumination and two spectrally different illuminations, chive gnat adults significant preferred the black substrate, a lesser preference to brown and green substrates, and the least preference to orange substrate irrespective of illumination. Given the choice among four levels of brightness under the same illumination conditions as those in the previous experiment (different intensities of white illumination and two spectrally different illuminations), chive gnats preferred black substrate over dark grey, light grey and white substrates. Meanwhile, both virgin and mated adults significantly preferred black over other colour hues and brightness. Based on our results, we conclude that the chive gnat adults significantly prefer black substrates irrespective of colour hues and brightness. This behaviour does not alter with ambient light condition changes. No difference observed between choices of female and male adults. Our results provide new insight for understanding the colour choice behaviour in chive gnat and pave a way to improve monitoring and control of chive gnats and management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Insulin deficiency and uncontrolled diabetes lead to a catabolic state with decreased muscle strength, contributing to disease-related morbidity. FoxO transcription factors are suppressed by insulin and thus are key mediators of insulin action. To study their role in diabetic muscle wasting, we created mice with muscle-specific triple knockout of FoxO1/3/4 and induced diabetes in these M-FoxO-TKO mice with streptozotocin (STZ). Muscle mass and myofiber area were decreased 20-30% in STZ-Diabetes mice due to increased ubiquitin-proteasome degradation and autophagy alterations, characterized by increased LC3-containing vesicles, and elevated levels of phosphorylated ULK1 and LC3-II. Both the muscle loss and markers of increased degradation/autophagy were completely prevented in STZ FoxO-TKO mice. Transcriptomic analyses revealed FoxO-dependent increases in ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis pathways in STZ-Diabetes, including regulation of Fbxo32 (Atrogin1), Trim63 (MuRF1), Bnip3L, and Gabarapl. These same genes were increased 1.4- to 3.3-fold in muscle from humans with type 1 diabetes after short-term insulin deprivation. Thus, FoxO-regulated genes play a rate-limiting role in increased protein degradation and muscle atrophy in insulin-deficient diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A novel Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 electrode was fabricated by composite electrodeposition method. • Service life of Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 electrode is 4.2 times as that of Ce-PbO 2. • Electrochemical oxidization (EO) was employed to decontaminate acridine orange (AO). • AO can be completely removed by EO method using Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 as anode. • The degradation intermediates and possible degradation pathway of AO was elucidated. Abstract Novel Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 composite electrodes were successfully fabricated in lead nitrate solution containing cerium ions and ZrO 2 particles by composite electrodeposition method. SEM images and XRD results indicated that Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 composite electrodes have compact structure and fine grain size. Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 composite electrode has higher oxygen evolution overpotential and stability than Ce-PbO 2 electrode. The service life of Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 composite electrode reaches 318 h, which is 4.2 times as that of Ce-PbO 2 electrodes (74 h). The novel Ce-PbO 2 /ZrO 2 composite electrode was employed as anode to decontaminate acridine orange (AO) by electrochemical oxidization methods. The effect of initial concentration of AO, current density, and initial pH values on the removal ratio of AO were analyzed. The results showed that AO could be completely removed after 90 min electrolysis under the optimal condition: initial AO concentration was 30 mg L−1, current density was 50 mA cm-2, and the initial pH value was 5.0. Moreover, the possible degradation pathway of AO was elucidated based on the identification of stable byproducts generated during the electrochemical degradation process by HPLC-MS, which revealed that AO and its byproducts could be effectively eliminated and mineralized into CO 2 , H 2 O, ammonium and nitrate ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we detail a fast and simple solution‐based method to synthesize hexagonal SnSe2 nanoplates (NPLs) and their use to produce crystallographically textured SnSe2 nanomaterials. We also demonstrate that the same strategy can be used to produce orthorhombic SnSe nanostructures and nanomaterials. NPLs are grown through a screw dislocation‐driven mechanism. This mechanism typically results in pyramidal structures, but we demonstrate here that the growth from multiple dislocations results in flower‐like structures. Crystallographically textured SnSe2 bulk nanomaterials obtained from the hot pressing of these SnSe2 structures display highly anisotropic charge and heat transport properties and thermoelectric (TE) figures of merit limited by relatively low electrical conductivities. To improve this parameter, SnSe2 NPLs are blended here with metal nanoparticles. The electrical conductivities of the blends are significantly improved with respect to bare SnSe2 NPLs, what translates into a three‐fold increase of the TE Figure of merit, reaching unprecedented ZT values up to 0.65. Thermoelectrics: A fast and simple solution‐based method is presented to synthesize flower‐like SnSe2 nanostructures and crystallographically textured SnSe2 nanomaterials, which display highly anisotropic charge and heat transport properties. Unprecedented thermoelectric performance of SnSe2 is achieved through modulation doping by combining SnSe2 nanoplates with metal nanoparticles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present work, we detail a fast and simple solution‐based method to synthesize hexagonal SnSe2 nanoplates (NPLs) and their use to produce crystallographically textured SnSe2 nanomaterials. We also demonstrate that the same strategy can be used to produce orthorhombic SnSe nanostructures and nanomaterials. NPLs are grown through a screw dislocation‐driven mechanism. This mechanism typically results in pyramidal structures, but we demonstrate here that the growth from multiple dislocations results in flower‐like structures. Crystallographically textured SnSe2 bulk nanomaterials obtained from the hot pressing of these SnSe2 structures display highly anisotropic charge and heat transport properties and thermoelectric (TE) figures of merit limited by relatively low electrical conductivities. To improve this parameter, SnSe2 NPLs are blended here with metal nanoparticles. The electrical conductivities of the blends are significantly improved with respect to bare SnSe2 NPLs, what translates into a three‐fold increase of the TE Figure of merit, reaching unprecedented ZT values up to 0.65. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transient gene expression serves as a valuable tool for gene functional study in plants. Here we reported protoplast isolation and purification from the plantlet young leaves of Chinese kale ( Brassica oleracae var. alboglabra Bailey), and their transient gene expression with polyethylene glycol (PEG)-mediated transformation and subcellular localization of phytoene desaturase (BaPDS1). The procedures of isolation andtransformation ofmesophyll protoplasts derived from Chinese kale were optimized, and the influencing factors were analyzed. The results showed that the optimal protocol of protoplast isolation and purification was initialized by digestion in enzyme solution (2.0% cellulase, 0.1% pectolase, and 0.6 M mannitol) for 9 h. After filtered through 400 mesh and centrifuged at 179 × g for purification, the total yield of protoplast reached as high as 6.04 × 10 7 protoplasts g −1 fresh weight (FW) and the viability of the protoplasts was up to 95%. A maximum transformation efficiency of approximately 30% measured by using green fluorescent protein (GFP) as a detecting gene was obtained when PEG4000 was at a final concentration of 40% and transformation time was set to 15 min. In addition, the subcellular localization of BaPDS1 in Chinese kale was targeted to the chloroplast, confirming the efficiency and reliability of this transient transformation system. Taken together, an efficient protoplast isolation, purification and transformation system in Chinese kale was established in this study, laying a foundation for future research in molecular biology and gene function in Chinese kale and other Brassica vegetables. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly performed electrode is one of the key factors affecting the efficiency of electrochemical oxidation toward organic pollutants. In the present work, three-dimensional porous PbO 2 -CeO 2 composite electrodes (3D/PbO 2 -CeO 2 ) were fabricated by composite electrodeposition method using oxygen bubbles as template, to eliminate neonicotinoid thiamethoxam in aqueous solution. The surface morphology, structure, and composition of the 3D/PbO 2 -CeO 2 electrodes were well characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS). Then the influence of the applied current density, the initial concentration of thiamethoxam, the concentration of supporting electrolyte, and initial pH value on the thiamethoxam removal ratio were also optimized. Amount to twenty deductive intermediates of thiamethoxam degradation were identified by HPLC-MS analysis, and dechlorination, hydrogen abstraction, denitration, and hydroxylation were observed in electrochemical oxidation process of thiamethoxam. Based on these identified byproducts, a hypothetical degradation mechanism has been proposed, which was divided into two parallel pathways according to the different initial oxidation position on thiamethoxam, such as chlorine atom on thiazole ring and nitro group on 1,3,5-oxadiazinane ring. All the intermediates were ultimately mineralized into H 2 O and CO 2 . The electrochemical oxidation based on 3D/PbO 2 -CeO 2 electrodes in this work is a promising approach to effective removal of thiamethoxam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a heterogeneous asymmetric double-layer composite (HADC) consisting of an absorbing layer Fe 3 O 4 @reduced graphene oxide (rGO)/waterborne polyurethane (WPU) and a reflecting layer Ni-Co-P@FC (Ni-Co-P coated filter cotton (FC)/PANI@PDMS (polyaniline (PANI) mixed in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)) was designed and prepared using a simple chemical plating method and stirred foaming process. In which, the upper Fe 3 O 4 @rGO/WPU foam utilizes the combined effects of the porous internal structure and Fe 3 O 4 @rGO to achieve superior impedance matching and electromagnetic waves (EMW) absorption performance, while the Ni-Co-P dense conductive network formed by chemical plating process within the bottom layer ensures superior electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (EMI SE). The advantage of heterogeneous asymmetric structure combined with the reasonable distribution of electromagnetic two-component fillers and under the effects of multiple electromagnetic loss mechanisms, the composite structure perfectly overcomes the contradiction between efficient shielding and high absorption. Ultimately, the HADC exhibits a high EMI SE of 36.6 dB and absorption coefficients (A) value of 0.94, showing ultra-low reflection efficiency, which is better than most current shielding materials moreover, the preparation process is simple, with the characteristics of low cost and environmentally friendly. Therefore, this work provides a simple and feasible new idea for the preparation of lightweight, efficient and ultra-low reflection EMI shielding composite structures, which broadens the application of porous structures in the field of electromagnetic shielding. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acid mine drainage (AMD) is low-pH with high concentration of sulfates and toxic metal(loid)s (e.g. As, Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn), thereby posing a global environmental problem. For decades, microalgae have been used to remediate metal(loid)s in AMD, as they have various adaptive mechanisms for tolerating extreme environmental stress. Their main phycoremediation mechanisms are biosorption, bioaccumulation, coupling with sulfate-reducing bacteria, alkalization, biotransformation, and Fe/Mn mineral formation. This review summarizes how microalgae cope with metal(loid) stress and their specific mechanisms of phycoremediation in AMD. Based on the universal physiological characteristics of microalgae and the properties of their secretions, several Fe/Mn mineralization mechanisms induced by photosynthesis, free radicals, microalgal-bacterial reciprocity, and algal organic matter are proposed. Notably, microalgae can also reduce Fe(III) and inhibit mineralization, which is environmentally unfavorable. Therefore, the comprehensive environmental effects of microalgal co-occurring and cyclical opposing processes must be carefully considered. Using chemical and biological perspectives, this review innovatively proposes several specific processes and mechanisms of Fe/Mn mineralization that are mediated by microalgae, providing a theoretical basis for the geochemistry of metal(loid)s and natural attenuation of pollutants in AMD. [Display omitted] • The behaviors of microalgae to cope with metal(loid)s stress and mechanisms of phycoremediation in AMD are summarized. • Microalgae-induced Fe/Mn mineralization is innovatively proposed as a potential phycoremediation pathway. • Several Fe/Mn mineralization mechanisms mediated by microalgae are proposed. • The environmental challenges of phycoremediation by regulating Fe/Mn minerals are analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is a master regulator of energy homeostasis that is activated in response to an elevated intracellular AMP/ATP ratio. Although many studies have shown berberine is an AMPK activator widely used in metabolic syndrome, how to properly control AMPK activity remains obscure. Our present study aimed to examine the protective effect of berberine against fructose-induced insulin resistance in rats and L6 cells, as well as its potential activation mechanism on AMPK. The results showed that berberine effectively reversed body weight gain, Lee's index, dyslipidemia and insulin intolerance. Moreover, berberine alleviated inflammatory response, antioxidant capacity and promoted glucose uptake in vivo and in vitro. The beneficial effect was associated with upregulation of both Nrf2 and AKT/GLUT4 pathways, which were regulated by AMPK. Notably, berberine could increase the level of AMP and the ratio of AMP/ATP, then further activate AMPK. Mechanistic experiments revealed that berberine suppressed the expression of adenosine monophosphate deaminase 1 (AMPD1) and promoted the expression of adenylosuccinate synthetase (ADSL). Taken together, berberine exerted excellent therapeutic effect on insulin resistance. And its mode of action may be related to the AMP‐AMPK pathway by regulating AMPD1 and ADSL. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Increasing soil Mn abundance significantly increased the net production of Cr(VI) in soil. • Cr(VI) in soil was mainly generated by Mn(III/IV) oxidation of Cr(III) mediated by MOM. • Mn(II) addition caused more Cr to be transferred to rice aboveground tissues. • Cr accumulated in grains may mainly originate from newly generated Cr(VI) in soil. Hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) is more readily taken up by plants than trivalent chromium (Cr(III)) due to its similar chemical structure to phosphate and sulfate. In paddy soils, Cr(VI) of natural origin are mainly produced from Cr(III) oxidized by O 2 and Mn(III/IV) oxides, which are affected by rice radial oxygen loss (ROL) and Mn(II)-oxidizing microorganisms (MOM). However, little is known about the effect of ROL and Mn abundance on rice Cr uptake. Here, we investigated the effects on Cr(VI) generation and the subsequent Cr uptake and accumulation with the involvement of two rice cultivars with distinct ROL capacities by increasing soil Mn abundance. Results showed that Mn(II) addition to the soil led to more Cr(III) being released into the pore water, and the dissolved Cr(III) was oxidized to Cr(VI) by ROL and biogenic Mn(III/IV) oxides. The concentration of Cr(VI) in soil and pore water increased linearly with the addition of Mn(II) doses. Mn(II) addition promoted the root-to-shoot translocation and grain accumulation of Cr derived mainly from newly generated Cr(VI) in the soil. These results emphasize that rice ROL and MOM promote the oxidative dissolution of Cr(III) at a high level of soil Mn, resulting in more Cr accumulation in rice grains and increasing dietary Cr exposure risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complications of diabetes affect tissues throughout the body, including the central nervous system. Epidemiological studies show that diabetic patients have an increased risk of depression, anxiety, age-related cognitive decline, and Alzheimer's disease. Mice lacking insulin receptor (IR) in the brain or on hypothalamic neurons display an array of metabolic abnormalities; however, the role of insulin action on astrocytes and neurobehaviors remains less well studied. Here, we demonstrate that astrocytes are a direct insulin target in the brain and that knockout of IR on astrocytes causes increased anxiety- and depressive-like behaviors in mice. This can be reproduced in part by deletion of IR on astrocytes in the nucleus accumbens. At a molecular level, loss of insulin signaling in astrocytes impaired tyrosine phosphorylation of Munc18c. This led to decreased exocytosis of ATP from astrocytes, resulting in decreased purinergic signaling on dopaminergic neurons. These reductions contributed to decreased dopamine release from brain slices. Central administration of ATP analogs could reverse depressive-like behaviors in mice with astrocyte IR knockout. Thus, astrocytic insulin signaling plays an important role in dopaminergic signaling, providing a potential mechanism by which astrocytic insulin action may contribute to increased rates of depression in people with diabetes, obesity, and other insulin-resistant states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paclobutrazol (PP333) can enhance the resistance capabilities of plants to stress conditions. In this study, PP333 were sprayed on the lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) accumulator plant Pseudostellaria maximowicziana, which was planted in Pb-Zn contaminated soil, and the effects of PP333 on Pb and Zn accumulation levels in P. maximowicziana were studied. Spraying 10 mg/L PP333 increased, while 20, 30 and 50 mg/L PP333 decreased, the biomass of P. maximowicziana compared with the control. The 10 mg/L PP333 had no significant effects on the photosynthetic pigment contents of P. maximowicziana compared with the control, while the other doses increased the contents. The activities of antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, peroxidase and catalase) and the Pb and Zn concentrations in P. maximowicziana were increased by PP333 compared with the control. These items had the increase trend with the increase of PP333 concentrations. Only 10 and 20 mg/L PP333 increased the amount of Pb extracted by P. maximowicziana shoots, while all of the doses increased the amount of Zn extracted by P. maximowicziana shoots. Thus, low concentration of PP333 could promote the growth and heavy metal extraction ability of P. maximowicziana shoots, with the 10 mg/L being the best. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The rapid emergence of Gram-negative ‘superbugs’ has become a significant threat to human health globally, and polymyxins have become a last-line therapy for these very problematic pathogens. Polymyxins exhibit their antibacterial killing by initial interaction with lipid A in Gram-negative bacteria. Polymyxin resistance can be mediated by phosphoethanolamine (PEA) modification of lipid A, which abolishes the initial electrostatic interaction with polymyxins. Both chromosome-encoded (e.g. EptA, EptB and EptC) and plasmid-encoded (e.g. MCR-1 and MCR-2) PEA transferases have been reported in Gram-negative bacteria; however, their sequence and functional heterogeneity remain unclear. This article reports a comparative analysis of PEA transferases across 10 clinically relevant Gram-negative bacterial species using multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. The results show that the pairwise identities among chromosome-mediated EptA, EptB and EptC from Escherichia coli are low, and EptA shows the greatest similarity with MCR-1 and MCR-2. Among PEA transferases from representative strains of 10 clinically relevant species, the catalytic domain is more conserved compared with the transmembrane domain. In particular, PEA acceptor sites and zinc-binding pockets show high conservation between different species, indicating their potential importance for the function of PEA transferases. The evolutionary relationship of MCR-1, MCR-2 and EptA from the 10 selected bacterial species was evaluated by phylogenetic analysis. Cluster analysis illustrates that 325 EptA from 275 strains of 10 species within each individual species are highly conserved, whereas interspecies conservation is low. This comparative analysis provides key bioinformatic information to better understand the mechanism of polymyxin resistance via PEA modification of lipid A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nucleoside derivatives are an important class of molecules in the search for bioactive compounds. In our continuing efforts to develop novel nucleoside analogs, we used the Sonogashira cross-coupling reaction to synthesize 1,2,4-triazole acyclonucleosides bearing various arylethynyl groups on the triazole nucleobase. By employing 3-iodotriazole nucleoside as the coupling substrate, the Sonogashira reaction proceeded efficiently even with alkynes, which are notoriously unreactive and challenging. Further crystal structural analysis unveiled the coplanar feature of the 3-arylethynyltriazole motifs, suggesting their potential as surrogates for large planar aromatic systems or nucleobases. Most importantly, several synthesized compounds displayed interesting antiproliferative activity against various cancer cells and induced apoptosis, highlighting that this family of triazole nucleosides might show promise as anticancer candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Substrate engineering is very significant in the synthesis of the high-temperature superconductor (HTS) coated conductor. Here we design and synthesize several distinct and stable Cerium oxide (CeO 2 ) surface reconstructions which are used to grow epitaxial films of the HTS YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7-δ (YBCO). To identify the influence of annealing and post-annealing surroundings on the nature of nucleation centers, including Ar/5%H 2 , humid Ar/5%H 2 and O 2 in high temperature annealing process, we study the well-controlled structure, surface morphology, crystal constants and surface redox processes of the ceria buffers by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and field-emission scanning electronic microscopy (FE-SEM), respectively. The ceria film post-annealed under humid Ar/5%H 2 gas shows the best buffer layer properties. Furthermore, the film absorbs more oxygen ions, which appears to contribute to oxygenation of superconductor film. The film is well-suited for ceria model studies as well as a perfect substitute for CeO 2 bulk material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Older adults universally suffer from sarcopenia and approximately 60-70% are diabetic or prediabetic. Nonetheless, the mechanisms underlying these aging-related metabolic disorders are unknown. NFκB has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several aging-related pathologies including sarcopenia and type 2 diabetes and has been proposed as a target against them. NFκB also is thought to mediate muscle wasting seen with disuse, denervation, and some systemic diseases ( e.g., cancer, sepsis). We tested the hypothesis that lifelong inhibition of the classical NFκB pathway would protect against aging-related sarcopenia and insulin resistance. Aged mice with muscle-specific overexpression of a super-repressor IκBα mutant ( MISR) were protected from insulin resistance. However, MISR mice were not protected from sarcopenia; to the contrary, these mice had decreases in muscle mass and strength compared to wild-type mice. In MISR mice, NFκB suppression also led to an increase in proteasome activity and alterations in several genes and pathways involved in muscle growth and atrophy ( e.g., myostatin). We conclude that the mechanism behind aging-induced sarcopenia is NFκB independent and differs from muscle wasting due to pathologic conditions. Our findings also indicate that, while suppressing NFκB improves insulin sensitivity in aged mice, this transcription factor is important for normal muscle mass maintenance and its sustained inhibition is detrimental to muscle function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Activated wood carbon has a good prospect in the field of energy storage. • Construction a MnO 2 and PANI core-shell structure in the activated wood carbon. • The advantages core-shell structure improved the electrochemical performance. • The supercapacitor showed a high energy density and high cycling stability. Polyaniline (PANI) nanomaterials or carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are first synthesized on the tracheid wall of activated wood carbon (AWC) to obtain PANI@AWC and CNT@AWC, respectively. Then MnO 2 nanosheets are electrodeposited on the outer surface of the PANI nanomaterials to form a core-shell structure. The introduction of PANI in wood tracheids not only increases the loading of MnO 2 , but also improves the electrical conductivity and structural stability, and the core-shell structure can synergistically store energy. Then using the MnO 2 /PANI@AWC composite electrode as an anode and using CNT@AWC as a cathode, a high-performance all-solid-state asymmetric supercapacitor with high energy density and high cycling stability is successfully constructed. This supercapacitor has a wide working voltage of 0–1.8 V and a high energy density of 0.875 mWh cm−2 at 9 mW cm−2. The capacitance retention rate is as high as 93.21 % after 10,000 charge-discharge cycles. Therefore, wood-based composites with aligned tracheids have great potential in the development of high-power and high-energy-density energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Surface of PVDF membranes was modified by CNC/Cu-MOF-74 composite. • The antifouling mechanism is related to hydrophilicity and electrostatic repulsion. • Efficiently antibacterial performance (96.3 % at 4 h) is attributed to Cu2+ and •OH. Membrane fouling is one of the main impediments that limit the wide application of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. In this study, for the first time, we incorporated the cellulose nanocrystal (CNCs) onto Cu-MOF-74 by physical stirring and then coated the composites on the PVDF membrane to ameliorate the antifouling performance. The PVDF membrane with the addition of CNC/Cu-MOF-74 composite showed enhanced hydrophilicity compared with the pristine membrane, which significantly promoted the permeability and antifouling performance. The Bovine serum albumin (BSA) multiple-cycle antifouling results revealed that the flux recovery ratio (FRR) value (76.9 %) was much higher than that of the pristine membrane (60.8 %). The enhancement of recovery flux was correlated with the increased electrostatic repulsion and hydrophilicity of the modified membrane according to the contact angle test and Zeta-potential measurement. Meanwhile, the CNC/Cu-MOF-74 modified membrane showed improved antibacterial efficiency (96.3 % at 4 h) due to the predominant antibacterial efficacy of Cu-MOF-74. The efficiently antibacterial achievement of modified membrane was attributed to the release of Cu2+ and the generation of •OH. This study proposed a novel modified membrane with excellent antifouling properties and provided new insights into the fabrication of antifouling membranes with outstanding performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is significant to improve the catalytic activity of TS-1 by increasing the content of framework titanium and enhancing the accessibility of active titanium sites. However, developing a simple and economical strategy for modulating the coordination environments and the spatial distribution of titanium species is still a challenge. Here, we constructed anatase-free TS-1 with abundant framework titanium species and Ti-rich surface by a simple two-step crystallization strategy. The effects of the crystallization temperature and time of the first stage on the properties of zeolite have been investigated in detail. The TS-1 with a Ti-rich surface showed a higher conversion of phenol and selectivity to dihydroxylbenzene in phenol hydroxylation reaction compared with traditional TS-1, and it still remained the superior catalytic performance after five cycles. The novel strategy will provide a new perspective for the construction of TS-1 with controllable active Ti species. [Display omitted] • The framework Ti content and the active Ti sites on the external surface of TS-1 were increased. • The temperature and time in the first stage have an important impact on the synthesis process. • The TS-1 zeolite prepared has good accessibility of active sites. • The novel strategy provides a new perspective for preparing other metal-doped zeolite with excellent catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene has a very wide range of applications in terahertz (THz) photothermoelectric (PTE) detection due to its unique optical properties, but its high thermal conductivity leads to less than ideal performance of graphene PTE detectors. We experimentally demonstrate a method using UV/ozone to oxidize graphene, breaking the C–C bond by UV irradiation on the graphene surface and reacting with the excited oxygen atoms to promote the release of CO 2 , CO gas from the surface defects to produce hole structures by oxidative etching of graphene. Bi was assembled at the surface defects by liquid phase treatment to form graphene oxide (GO) - Bi films. The surface feature morphology was analyzed by SEM and XPS, and the optimal treatment time was found by setting control groups (G-0 to G-5) for UV/ozone oxidation. The devices are able to achieve a responsivity of 0.226 V/W for 0.22 THz and a value of NEP about 1.34 nW/√Hz. Simple preparation method provides new ideas for designing terahertz detectors. • Oxidation of graphene by a more gentle and controlled uv/ozone method. • The defective sites on the surface of graphene oxide（GO）were doped with Bi. • The Seebeck coefficients of GO/Bi films at different oxidation times were analyzed. • The terahertz detectors based on GO/Bi films can be operated at room temperature. • The terahertz detector based on GO/Bi film has a very low NEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]