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Aim Location Time period Major taxa studied Methods Results Main conclusions Revealing the role of regional species pool size in community assembly rules is essential for extending the species‐pool framework to large‐scale community ecology, and thus for more comprehensive understanding of biodiversity formation. However, little has been done to couple the regional species‐pool effect into local ecological processes in soil fungal communities, which play essential roles in ecosystems worldwide. Here, we performed large‐scale soil surveys of fungal communities to examine the linkage between regional species pool size and Dispersal–Selection Relationships (DSRs), and their relations to community structure.China.July–August 2019.Fungal communities.By conducting the nationwide soil survey of ~1200 samples from various ecosystems across China, including agricultural, forest, grassland, and wetland soils, we examined the linkage between regional species pool size and DSRs, and their relationship to fungal community structure.We found that selection was negatively related to dispersal, which was consistent with the general view that the strength of selection is weakened by dispersal homogenization, and that this relationship was stronger in regions with larger species pools. Moreover, an increase in community dispersion was correlated with stronger effect size of DSRs, implying greater heterogeneity among fungal communities under larger species pools.Our study clearly illustrates the association of regional species pool size with local assembly rules and community formation of soil fungi across terrestrial ecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer self‐lubricating composite coatings have been widely used on the surface of machinery to extend the life of the moving systems/parts by controlling friction and wear. In this work, epoxy nanocomposite coating with the thickness of about 60 μm was fabricated with addition of hexagonal boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs)/CeO2 nanohybrid for enhancement in antifriction and wear resistance. The active BNNSs were first obtained by exfoliating h‐BN with alkaline solution, and then the rare earth oxide of CeO2 nanoparticles were immobilized on the surface of BNNSs through hydrothermal method. The microstructure morphology and chemical composition of as‐proposed BNNSs/CeO2 were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, HRTEM, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, RS, X‐ray diffraction, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. And the tribological behaviors of epoxy nanocomposite coatings containing BNNSs, CeO2, and BNNSs/CeO2 were investigated comparatively using ball‐on disc friction tester (MPX‐3). And the 440C stainless‐steel ball with diameter of 8 mm was used as the counterface material. Tribological tests showed that epoxy‐BNNSs/CeO2 had the best friction and wear reduction properties, and the lowest coefficient of friction and wear rate of epoxy‐based composite coating were achieved when the content of BNNSs/CeO2 was 0.5 wt%, with 84.9% and 96.3% reduction, respectively. Moreover, the effect of sliding conditions on the tribological performance of epoxy‐BNNSs/CeO2 was investigated. The corresponding enhancing mechanisms of BNNSs/CeO2 were discussed as well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Postoperative delirium (POD) is a common complication after cardiac surgery (CS), with symptoms like attention disorders and even delays patients' recovery. Aims: To evaluate the impact of preoperative on‐site visits in the cardiac care unit (CCU) on POD after CS. Study Design: Patients admitted to the CCU with extracorporeal CS were included in the visiting or non‐visiting group according to whether they were on visiting week. The visiting group received a preoperative visit from a nurse‐led multidisciplinary visiting team (including CCU nurses and physicians) 1 week before surgery in addition to standard care. The non‐visiting group received standard care like unstructured information from the CS team and anesthesiologists and so on. The Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM‐ICU) and the Intensive Care Delirium Screening Checklist (ICDSC) were used to evaluate the POD severity. The incidence, occurrence and duration of POD, as well as the CCU length of stay, postoperative mechanical ventilation duration and length of hospital stay were compared between the two groups. Results: A total of 735 participants (369 in the visited group and 366 in the unvisited group) were included in this study. Preoperative on‐site visits were associated with a decreased POD incidence (odds ratio [OR]: 0.524, 95% CI: 0.336–0.817), an improved POD severity (OR: 0.578, 95% CI: 0.359–0.932) and a shortening POD duration (OR: 0.972, 95% CI: 0.951–0.994). There was a significant difference between the visiting and non‐visiting groups in the mechanical ventilation duration (OR: 0.987, 95% CI: 0.978–0.996). Conclusions: Preoperative on‐site visits are associated with a reduction in the incidence, duration, and severity of POD, as well as the mechanical ventilation duration of patients. Relevance to Clinical Practice: This study found that preoperative on‐site visits were associated with the onset, duration, severity and duration of mechanical ventilation of POD. Although many factors influence the occurrence of POD, a multidisciplinary visiting team led by a nurse (including CCU nurses and physicians) can provide early nursing interventions through preoperative visits, better obtain postoperative cooperation from patients, establish a good nurse–patient relationship and provide better health services to patients. In a realistic CCU setting, nurses and physicians can act as educators, assessing patients before surgery, enhancing preoperative education, improving patient familiarity with the CCU environment and teaching sign language communication skills when patients are mechanically ventilated. These findings can therefore provide the basis for effective clinical care to prevent postoperative POD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Memory is an act of remembering through which new understandings of both the past and the present are created. As people in diasporic communities always look back to the past, their narratives are more powerful in observing the issues of memory, amnesia and identity politics. In Playing Madame Mao, Lau Siew Mei tackles issues of remembrance and amnesia and situates them in the postcolonial social context of Singapore, highlighting political and sociological influences on defining national identity and personal belonging. This novel encourages readers to reflect on the relations between the Chinese diaspora, political amnesia and Singaporean national identity. Besides addressing the significance of memory to one's personal identity, it asks questions such as how collective social amnesia affects identity disorientation. At last, this novel contributes to the existing Chinese-Australian writing due to its innovations in style, narrative structure and narrative voice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving the tribological performance of carbon fabric (CF)/polymer composites is vitally significant for developing high‐performance lubricating materials. We propose the combination of interfacial modification and use of a lubricant additive to enhance the antifriction and anti‐wear properties of CF/phenolic (PF) composites. And the tribological properties of CF/PF composites were characterized using ball‐on‐disc friction and wear tester. First, ZnO nanorods were densely and uniformly grown on the carbon fiber surface using POSS as a "bridge molecule" to make fiber with a rough micro‐nano microstructure and active functional groups; this was conducive to enhancing the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) and wear resistance of CF/PF. Then, graphite (Gr) was further introduced as a lubrication additive into the modified CF‐POSS‐ZnO/PF to increase the friction‐reducing capacity. The corresponding modified composite with 5 wt% Gr demonstrated outstanding tribological performance. The coefficient of friction and wear rate decreased by 55.37% and 93.36%, respectively, compared to those of CF/PF. Moreover, it still retained outstanding friction and wear properties in the sliding process with high loads and speeds. The synergistic mechanism of interfacial modification and lubricant additive on the tribological performance of CF/PF are discussed systematically on the basis of the analysis of the ILSS, fracture surface microstructures, and worn surfaces of the composites. This work might shed new light on the design and development of high antifriction and anti‐wear CF/polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sluggish kinetics of the water electrolysis reaction is a key issue for hydrogen production, so the rational design of a high-efficiency hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst with various structures has attracted extensive attention. Herein, a coaxial hierarchical three-dimensional (3D) nanostructure, Pt@Mo–S–Ni-CNTs, was prepared. In this nanostructure, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) as the core, Mo–S–Ni ultrathin nanosheets as shells, and ultrasmall metal nanoparticles (NPs) were grown uniformly on the surface of Mo–S–Ni nanosheets (NSs). At a current density of 10 mA m−2, the catalyst under investigation has remarkable hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity under acidic conditions. The overpotential (η 10) is measured to be 61.2 mV, while the Tafel slope is determined to be 40.2 mV dec−1. Meanwhile, in an alkaline medium, η10 is 80.5 mV and the Tafel slope is 52.3 mV dec−1. It also shows great mass activities of 1.32 A mg−1 and 1.86 A mg−1, which are higher than those of commercial Pt/C HER catalysts. Impressively, the excellent HER activity and durability of Pt@Mo–S–Ni-CNTs are mainly attributed to the close binding effects among Pt, MoS 2 , and NiS. Theoretical simulations show that the MoS 2 /NiS interfaces facilitate H 2 O dissociation and that Platinum (Pt) enhances the absorption of hydrogen atoms (H) and increases the charge transfer kinetics of the Mo–S–Ni, thus significantly improving the HER activity. This work highlights the importance of engineering interface nanosheets based on transition-metal dichalcogenides for enhanced HER performance. [Display omitted] • Utilizing edges of Mo-S-Ni to tune the electrical states of ultrafine Pt nanoparticles. • Engineering interface of Mo-S-Ni nanosheets for enhanced HER performance. • The hierarchical structure offers multiple transmission routes for charges. • The heterostructured catalyst has exceptional electrocatalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incomplete stacking of two distinct types of two-dimensional (2D) layered materials to form a 2D/2D nanohybrid, accompanied by the generation of ultra-low friction at the interface, offers a novel solution for designing lubricants with superior tribological performance. This work utilized a facile and gentle method to synthesize MoS 2 and CeO 2 nanosheets with varying sizes, which were then stacked to form 2D/2D nanohybrid. This nanohybrid was employed as dispersant additives in eco-friendly lubricant to effectively reduce friction. The tribological testing results revealed that this nanohybrid exhibited remarkable reductions in the average coefficient of friction (COF) and wear rate of rapeseed oil, compared to single MoS 2 or CeO 2. At a 1.5 wt% addition of MoS 2 /CeO 2 , the average COF and wear rate decreased to the lowest value, respectively. Moreover, the frictional behaviors of the rapeseed oil containing MoS 2 /CeO 2 nanohybrid under various sliding conditions were explored as well. By analyzing the microstructure and composition of the counterparts' surfaces, a lubrication mechanism for 2D/2D nanohybrid of MoS 2 /CeO 2 was proposed. This research might promote the application of MoS 2 /CeO 2 nanohybrid as additive for ecologically friendly lubricants. • A 2D/2D lubricating nanohybrid of MoS 2 /CeO 2 compound was developed. • The MoS 2 /CeO 2 had excellent dispersion stability in rapeseed oil. • Rheological and tribological performance of rapeseed oil containing MoS 2 /CeO 2 were studied. • The lubricating mechanism of 2D/2D MoS 2 /CeO 2 was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The loop heat pipe is a passive high-efficiency two-phase transfer device. To study the effects of the liquid and vapor line lengths on the performance of ethane loop heat pipe (ELHP), a performance test system has been set up based on a pulse tube refrigerator (PTR). The lengths of liquid line (LL) and vapor line (VL) of the ELHP are changed in this test system. The LL length is set as 180 mm, 500 mm, 800 mm, 1100 mm and 1500 mm, respectively, when the VL length is 500 mm. In addition, the VL length is set as 800 mm, 1100 mm, and 1500 mm, respectively, as the LL length is 500 mm. The thermal performances of ELHP including startup performance, thermal resistance and temperature difference are investigated in detail under 170 ~ 240 K temperature regions. The experiment results show that the lengths of LL have an important effect on the startup performance when the heat load (HL) of the ELHP is 0 W. The shorter the LL length is, the easier the startup is at 0 W HL. When the LL length is longer, the ELHP is more stable and the temperature oscillation is smaller. The effect of the VL length on the ELHP startup performance is the same as that of the LL length. Due to the thermophysical properties of ethane, the ELHP in the 240 K temperature region has the best performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we obtain the existence of the unique solution of anti-periodic type (anti-symmetry) integral multi-point boundary conditions for sequential fractional differential equations. We apply the Banach contraction mapping principle to get the desired results. Our results specialize and extend some existing results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Climate change is the foremost cause of terrestrial biodiversity decline, but the microbial communities from different habitats do not respond equally to environmental change. However, our understanding of the response patterns of microbial diversity to climate change remains limited in distinct agriculture ecosystems across large spatial scales. Here, we explore the response patterns of soil bacterial community structure and function to dry–wet cycles in dryland (maize) and paddy (rice) agricultural ecosystems throughout eastern China. Location: Eastern China. Time period: November 2019 to May 2020. Major taxa studied: Bacterial communities. Methods: Incubation experiments with dry–wet cycles were carried out on the soil samples collected from 25 paired maize and rice fields across eastern China. Bacterial community structure was estimated via high‐throughput sequencing techniques. We applied quantitative polymerase chain reaction to evaluate the effect of the dry–wet cycle on the change of functional genes. Phylogenetic signals were examined based on Blomberg's K to test the phylogenetic conservatism of maize and rice bacterial communities during dry–wet cycles. Results: Dry–wet cycles significantly decreased bacterial alpha diversity in both maize and rice soils, and bacterial communities from warmer regions were more sensitive to dry–wet cycles. The bacterial responses to dry–wet cycles were phylogenetically conserved, with greater phylogenetic conservation in the former. The abundance of functional genes that were related to carbon decomposition, nitrogen fixation, nitrification, denitrification and organophosphorus mineralization decreased during dry–wet cycles, and the resistances of such functional genes to disturbance were stronger in rice soils than in maize soils. In addition, the relative abundances of stable amplicon sequence variants during dry–wet cycles had a significant positive linear relationship with functional gene abundance in the maize and rice soils, indicating their essential roles in the stability of microbial function. Main conclusions: We conclude that soil bacterial community structure and function in dryland agricultural ecosystems are less stable and exhibit greater phylogenetic conservation in response to dry–wet cycles when compared with paddy fields. In addition, our study reveals, for the first time, the response patterns of bacterial communities to dry–wet cycles in dryland and wetland agroecosystems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil distribution in thick oil reservoirs is vertically heterogeneous; therefore, there is usually a dominant sublayer where oil resources are higher than that in other sublayers. The region of hydraulic fracture away from the dominant sublayer plays a negative role in production. In order to enhance efficiency of hydraulic fracturing, the hydraulic fracture height should be restricted around the dominant sublayer and the artificial interlayer is believed as an effective method. However, the propagation mechanism of fracture affected by artificial interlayer has been rarely investigated, which restricts the advance of optimization of artificial interlayer. In this paper, the impact of artificial interlayer on vertical propagation of hydraulic fracture is analyzed by hydraulic fracturing experiments and then the mechanism of artificial interlayer affecting propagation of hydraulic fracture is discussed. Based on the understanding of experimental observations and theory of fracture mechanics, the theoretical model of stress intensity factor for the fracture affected by artificial interlayer is proposed. The experimental data shows that the artificial interlayer can significantly decrease the hydraulic fracture height and the corresponding decrease magnitude of hydraulic fracture height depends on the thickness of artificial interlayer, proppant size, and fracture fluid pumping rate. The dominant mechanism of artificial interlayer restricting hydraulic fracture height is that the drop of fluid pressure induced by the artificial interlayer decreases the stress intensity factor at fracture tip. Based on the theory of fracture mechanics, the stress intensity factor at fracture tip is built and it can consider key factors shown by experimental observations. The fracture height solution from this model is consistent with experimental data, so this model can be used to optimize properties of artificial interlayer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD142 is expressed on the surface of multiple malignant tumors and contributes to carcinogenesis. However, the role of CD142 in the pathogenesis of gastric adenocarcinoma (GAC) remains unclear. This study aimed to investigate the role of CD142 in GAC carcinogenesis. Our results showed that CD142 expression was significantly increased in GAC cancer tissues, especially in those with significant invasion or metastasis. The invasion and migration of CD142-positive SNU16 cells was significantly increased compared to that of CD142-negative cells. Moreover, CD142 overexpression promoted the invasion and migration of SGC083 cells, but CD142 silencing had the opposite effect. In addition, there was a positive correlation between CD142 expression in cancer tissues and serum Interleukin-8 (IL-8) levels. CD142 overexpression promoted IL-8 production in SGC083 cells. In vivo analysis showed that the implantation of CD142-positive SNU16 cells promoted the growth of xenograft tumor and the production of IL-8. Mechanistically, CD142 silencing not only inhibited the expression of BCL2 and the interaction between BCL2 and Beclin1, but also promoted the autophagic response in SGC083. Furthermore, CD142 silencing-induced IL-8 degradation was recovered by treatment with the autophagy inhibitor, 3-MA. CD142 can inhibit autophagic cell death and autophagic degradation of IL-8 in GAC, which exerts an effect on GAC carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article investigates the research data policies of China's scholarly journals to provide a regional perspective. In total, 1243 science, technology, and medicine (STM) journals in the Chinese Science Citation Database (CSCD) were examined in June and July of 2021. The findings show that the existence and attitudinal strength of the research data policies of China's scholarly journals are weak overall, but differences exist across journals with different languages, publishers, disciplines, access models and metrics. A large imbalance exists between English‐language journals and Chinese‐language journals in setting their research data policies. The existence and attitudinal strength of the research data policies of journals co‐published by Western publishers and Chinese publishers are much stronger than those of journals published solely by Chinese publishers. In terms of discipline, journals belonging to the life sciences have stronger attitudes towards research data sharing. Open access model journals and hybrid model journals are better than subscription model journals in opening and sharing research data. The higher the impact factor (IF) and CiteScore of a journal, the more likely the journal is to have data policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aptamer-based electrochemical sensors are frequently used as independent, surface-functionalized, passive electrodes. However, their sensitivity and detection limits become limited, particularly when the electrode area is reduced to facilitate miniaturization. A mobile phone-based microfluidic electrochemical aptamer sensing platform for 3,3′,4,4′-tetrachlorobiphenyl (PCB77) detection was developed in this work. This aptamer sensor utilized Exonuclease I (Exo I) and DNA/AuNPs/horseradish peroxidase (DNA/AuNPs/HRP) nanoprobes as a merged signal amplification method, which resulted in an increase in the electrochemical sensing performance. Sensitive detection of PCB77 was accomplished by functionalizing the hierarchically structured Au@MoS 2 /CNTs/GO modified working/sensing electrode with the specific aptamer. The aptamer sensor was tested with different concentrations of PCB77 within the microfluidic platform. Afterward, the differential pulse voltammograms were recorded using a wireless integrated circuit device. Subsequently, the collected data was transmitted to a smartphone using Bluetooth communication. A detection limit of 0.0085 ng/L was obtained for PCB77 detection, with a detection range from 0.1 to 1000 ng/L. In addition, the detection of PCB77 in spiked water samples validated the possibility of using this aptamer sensor in a real environment, and the aptamer sensor demonstrated high selectivity in distinguishing PCB77 from other potential interfering species. The merging of electrochemical aptamer sensors with purposefully engineered microfluidic and integrated devices in this study is a novel and promising method that provides a dependable platform for on-site applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase (TdT), a specialized DNA polymerase, is recognized as a promising biomarker for acute leukemia. Herein, taking the advantage of the self-mediated strand elongation property of TdT, a simple and sensitive method for TdT activity assay was developed based on gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) labeling inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). In the presence of TdT, the primer DNA on magnetic beads is elongated with an adenine-rich single stranded long chain that can label poly-thymine modified AuNPs. After acid elution, the labeled AuNPs were detected by ICP-MS, and the signal intensity of 197Au reflected the TdT activity. Under the optimal conditions, the limit of detection for TdT activity is down to 0.054 U mL−1, along with good selectivity and strong tolerance to other interfering proteins. Furthermore, it achieves a straightforward and accurate detection of TdT activity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells without sample pre-processing and tool enzyme addition. Therefore, the proposed method shows great promise as a valuable tool for TdT-related biological research and leukemia therapeutics. [Display omitted] • An element labeling ICP-MS strategy is developed for TdT activity detection. • TdT activity is detected based on self-mediated strand elongation without tool enzyme. • The method is simple, sensitive and selective. • The TdT activity in acute lymphoblastic leukemia cells was determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Micro- and nano-scale carbon materials have been extensively investigated as additives in lubricants owing to their remarkable capability for friction reduction and enhancement of thermal conductivity within lubrication systems. Nevertheless, it is still highly desirable for oil-based lubricants to involve well-dispersed ultrafine carbonaceous particles without complicated chemical modification. Herein, we present a strategy to achieve 3D graphene additive in lubricants based on rapid laser irradiation. Notably, PAO4 containing 3D laser-induced graphene (LIG) additive exhibits excellent tribological properties in comparison with many other unmodified carbonaceous materials, including graphene, graphene oxide, single-wall nanotubes, and carbon black. In addition, the lubrication properties of PAO4 can be significantly improved by manipulating the concentration of the 3D LIG additive. With the addition of only 0.1 wt% 3D LIG-10, PAO4 lubricant system shows a reduction of 22% in coefficient of friction (COF) and a reduction of 95% in terms of wear coefficient compared to the base oil. In this work we provided a new strategy to produce 3D graphene oil additives for excellent tribological and wear performance. [Display omitted] • 3D porous graphene materials used as lubricant additives have been fabricated. • PAO4 with 3D LIG exhibits excellent tribological properties in comparison with common carbon additives. • PAO4 with 0.1 wt% 3D LIG shows reductions of 22% for COF and 95% of wear. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although digital transformation (DT) is gaining importance, we know little about the challenge of ambidextrous learning in that context or how to manage the challenge. To address this gap, this study explores the relationships among entrepreneurial leadership, ambidextrous learning, and organisational performance in DT, and the influence of non-technical digital context (i.e. change in operation) on these relationships. Using multi-source data from a sample of 73 CEOs/entrepreneurs and 377 middle managers in China, we find that in DT: (1) ambidextrous learning is positively related to organisational performance; (2) entrepreneurial leadership has a positive impact on ambidextrous learning; (3) ambidextrous learning mediates the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and organisational performance. Our results further reveal that change in operation strengthens the effect of ambidextrous learning on organisational performance while it has no significant impact on the relationship between entrepreneurial leadership and ambidextrous learning. Finally, we discuss how our findings extend the studies of entrepreneurial leadership and ambidextrous learning and provide implications for DT practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The carbon fiber‐ZrO2(CF‐ZrO2) hybrid was prepared through one‐step hydrothermal method, which well realized the synergistic enhancement of CF and ZrO2 nanoparticles on the wear‐resistant performance of polyimide (PI) composites. Results showed that the ZrO2 nanoparticles were tetragonal and monoclinic mixed phase. The average particle size was about 10 nm. And they were in‐situ synthesized on the surface of CF, which endowed CF with much rougher surface and further improved the interfacial adhesion of PI composite. Moreover, the CF‐ZrO2 hybrid reinforced PI composite possessed higher shore hardness and thermal stability than those of PI or its composite reinforce with single CF because of CF with good compressive strength and ZrO2 with outstanding thermal property. In addition, the anti‐wear properties of the PI were greatly improved by filling CF‐ZrO2 hybrid, which was mainly because CF as the main bearing phase of the friction surface of the composites could bear most of the stresses onto the worn surface and protect the polymer matrix from severe wear in the sliding process. Meanwhile, the ZrO2 nanoparticles presented at the interface of CF and PI could not only carry the applied load, but also enhance the interfacial combination of CF with PI to form a good stress transfer and prevent the failure of CF, finally improving tribological properties of composites. Besides, the PI/CF‐ZrO2 kept reasonable friction and wear performance under high loads and rotating speeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Soil functions and processes are driven by complex microbial interactions. It is, therefore, critical to understand the coexistence patterns of soil microbiota, especially in fragile alpine ecosystems. We identified biogeographic patterns in the network‐level topological features of the soil microbial co‐occurrence network in the Tibetan alpine grasslands, based on high‐throughput sequencing. We verified that soil pH was the most important environmental variable for predicting network‐level topological features of soil microbial co‐occurrence networks. Associations among soil microbiota were enhanced with increasing pH (5.17–8.92), and the network was the most stable at neutral pH. Moreover, node‐level topological features suggested that the archaeal operational taxonomic units, compared with bacterial operational taxonomic units, hold a central role in the co‐occurrence network. Network‐level topological features revealed closer connections among soil microbiota in the steppe ecosystem than in the meadow ecosystem. Therefore, our study demonstrated that soil pH served as a critical environmental filter that influenced the potential associations and ecological signature of soil microbiota in the Tibetan alpine grasslands. These findings provide a new perspective on the distinct biogeographic patterns of co‐occurrence networks, to explore the ecological role of soil microbiota and thus help manage soil bacterial and archaeal communities for provisioning alpine ecosystem services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Eating epilepsy was previously known as a kind of focal reflex epilepsy. However, the development of eating-induced multiple generalized seizures and the associated EEG changes were rarely reported. Herein, we present a 13-year-old generalized epilepsy patient with eating-induced generalized seizures since the age of 5. The 13-year-old male patient had suffered from late-onset eating-induced epileptic spasms during the meal since the age of 5. Meanwhile, he also experienced spontaneous epileptic spasms during the period of sleep. The seizure frequency and type gradually increased from 7 years of age. In addition to epileptic spasms, he started experiencing atypical absence with myoclonic jerks during the meal. Ictal EEG presented as the appearance of an irregular slow-wave mixed with generalized polyspike wave with the intake of food, and gradually evolved to bursts of generalized polyspike wave complexes. At the end of the meal, the EEG returned to normal. Nevertheless, at the age of 13, his seizure frequency increased and appeared new seizure type, and besides epileptic spasm and atypical absence, he began to experience myoclonic seizure during sleep and awaking-generalized tonic-clonic seizure in the morning. In this period he started taking valproic acid, topiramate and clonazepam, and his seizure frequency was reduced. In conclusion, this case demonstrated the variability of eating induced multiple generalized seizure types, and eight years follow-up also indicates that generalized epilepsy progressed with age. The EEG and clinical changes of our patient contribute to a better understanding of the electro-clinical features of eating-induced multiple generalized seizures and the course of generalized epilepsy with such seizures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon fabric (CF)/polymer composites are potential lubricating materials, which could be used for plane bearing lining, sliding guide rails, and other moving parts of advanced equipment. But the low bonding strength at the interface between the carbon fibers and the polymer matrix is a great challenge to developing high-performance CF/polymer composites. In this study, the CF is coated with an active transition layer using high-adhesion polydopamine (PDA) as an ideal plate for the TiO 2 micro/nano hierarchical structure to construct CF-PDA-TiO 2. This hierarchical structure is made of micro-bundles, each composed of numerous nanorods, and decorated on CF surface densely and uniformly. The interfacial combination of CF-PDA-TiO 2 and phenolic resin (PF) shows excellent performance, and the interlaminar shear strength (ILSS) of CF-PDA-TiO 2 /PF is improved from 10.48 MPa to 37.22 MPa, attributed to the improved interfacial physicochemical interaction. Furthermore, the tribological performance of CF-PDA-TiO 2 /PF with size of Φ30 mm✕5 mm is characterized by sliding against 440C stainless steel ball with diameter of 8 mm using ball-on-disc sliding wear tester (MPX-3). The tribological results demonstrate that the friction coefficient and wear rate of CF-PDA-TiO 2 /PF are reduced by 37.91% and 77.6%, compared to CF/PF. Moreover, the CF-PDA-TiO 2 /PF maintains low friction coefficient and wear rate under high-load and high-speed sliding conditions. This is mainly because TiO 2 nanorod bundles exhibit micro/nano multi-scale interfacial enhancement, promoting stress distribution and micro-cracks deflection etc. Moreover, TiO 2 nanorod bundles could promote the formation of a uniform transfer film to decrease friction and wear. This work implies that interface construction of micro/nano hierarchical structure is a promising way to enhance the tribological performance of CF/polymer composites. Construction of TiO 2 micro/nano hierarchical structure on the surface of CF using PDA as an active transition layer to enhance the tribological performance of CF/PF composite. [Display omitted] • A novel TiO 2 micro/nano hierarchical structure was constructed on CF surface. • The interlaminar shear strength and tribological performance of CF/PF were enhanced significantly. • Multi-scale synergistic enhancement of TiO 2 micro/nano hierarchical structure was proposed. • A high-performance lubricating material of CF/PF was constructed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Soil C:N ratio ranged from 9.68 to 18.61 in woody plants communities on the QTP. • Soil C:N ratio varied significantly among lifeforms and community types. • Factors influencing soil C:N ratio: soil > topography > biology > climate > lifeform. • EcM species dominance had a significant positive correlation with soil C:N ratio. • DON was an important attribute influencing soil C:N ratio. Soil carbon: nitrogen ratio (Soil C:N ratio) is a crucial and stable indicator of soil organic matter quality, but little is known about how it is driven in woody plant communities on the northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau (QTP). For addressing the gap, we sampled 92 tree field plots and 200 shrub field plots during the plants' growing seasons based on Vegetation Map of the People's Republic of China (1:1,000,000) to investigate the vegetations and soils. Our results showed that soil C:N ratios in tree communities were higher than those in shrub communities, with values of 14.58 ± 1.85 and 13.16 ± 1.66, respectively. Random forest (RF) algorithm and multiple comparison analysis further suggested that soil C:N ratios varied significantly among lifeforms and community types. Interestingly, our findings challenged the long-held view that climate had the most important impact on soil C:N ratios at the regional scale, as the hierarchy of importance for integrated factors was found to be soil > topography > biology > climate > lifeform for all woody plants. Pearson correlation analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis revealed that dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), ectomycorrhizal fungi (EcM) species proportion and downward shortwave radiation (Shwara) had significant positive correlations with soil C:N ratios in both lifeforms. The variation partitioning analyses (VPA) results showed that edaphic properties solely explained most of the variance. Multiple linear regression (MLR) models exhibited that dissolved total nitrogen (DTN) and DON were the main attributes influencing soil C:N ratios in tree communities while DON had the largest positive effect in shrub communities. Overall, these findings provide new insights into the regulatory mechanisms of C and N cycling in the woody plant communities of the northeastern QTP and shed light on the controlling factors of soil C:N ratios in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfur-vacancy-enriched MoS 2 -CNTs with highly dispersed Au particles for sensitive dopamine detection. [Display omitted] • Sulfur vacancies are introduced to enhance the sensing activity by regulating the electronic structure. • The hierarchical structure provides numerous anchoring sites for active Au toward DA sensing. • A low detection limit of 2 nM is obtained at the Au-S v -MoS 2 -CNTs/GC electrode. • Theoretical calculations are conducted to investigate the sensing mechanism. Introducing targeted surface defects sites to regulate the electronic structure is a key method to enhance the electrocatalytic activity of materials. This study reports an electrochemical dopamine sensor using sulfur vacancy (S v) rich MoS 2 -CNTs with coaxial hierarchical structure and highly dispersed active gold particles (Au-S v -MoS 2 -CNTs). MoS 2 with sulfur vacancies expands the layered structure beyond the MWCNT's cylinder rather than being restricted to its surface and has active Au deposition sites along the edges. With optimal conditions, the proposed coaxial, hierarchical-structured Au-S v -MoS 2 -CNTs show remarkable detection performance for the rapid detection of DA at concentrations as low as 2 nM in phosphate buffered saline (PBS). In addition, the sensor selectivity and anti-interference qualities are evaluated using chronoamperometry. Furthermore, it successfully detected the analyte from injection of dopamine hydrochloride and bovine serum samples with recovery rates ranging from 99.3% to 102.6% and relative standard deviations (RSD) less than 5%. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations demonstrate that the modifications of S v and Au NPs could tune the electronic structure of the sensor and facilitate the adsorption and electrocatalytic reaction of DA on Au-S v -MoS 2 -CNTs. This study reveals that vacancy engineering and morphology control are emerging strategies for the fabrication of biosensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ultra-small size and long-term dispersion stability of nanomaterials are the key factors affecting the anti-friction and wear-resistant effect on lubricating oil. In this study, the CeO 2 nanoparticles with size of about 8.1 nm were in-situ anchored on the surface of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets to obtain GO/CeO 2 nanohybrid through a facile solvothermal method. The microstructure and chemical composition of the GO/CeO 2 were characterized by FESEM, HRTEM, XRD, and XPS. The as-prepared GO/CeO 2 could keep outstanding dispersion in rapeseed oil for 60 days, suggesting the ultra-small CeO 2 decorating GO had long-term dispersion stability in rapeseed oil. Moreover, the effect of GO/CeO 2 on the lubricating behaviors of rapeseed oil were explored using a ball-on-disc friction tester. Results showed that the GO/CeO 2 nanohybrid decreased the average coefficient of friction and wear rate of rapeseed oil more significantly than single GO or CeO 2 nanoparticles. At the addition of 0.1 wt% GO/CeO 2 , the friction coefficient of rapeseed oil decreased by 36.5 % and wear rate decreased by 62.4 %. In addition, the lubricating mechanisms of GO/CeO 2 nanohybrid in rapeseed oil were proposed. This study could provide a novel strategy for the construction of ultra-small CeO 2 nanoparticles and promote the develop high-performance green lubricant additive of GO/CeO 2 nanohybrid. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The aim of this meta‐analysis was to assess if early mobilization and rehabilitation in the intensive care unit (ICU) could reduce ICU‐acquired weakness (ICU‐AW), improve functional recovery, improve muscle strength, shorten the length of ICU and hospital stays, and reduce the mortality rate. Methods: A comprehensive literature search in PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, SinoMed (Chinese BioMedical Literature Service System, China), and National Knowledge Infrastructure, China (CNKI) was performed. Results were expressed as a risk ratio (RR) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) or weight mean difference (WMD) with 95% CIs. Pooled estimates were calculated using a fixed‐effects or random‐effects model according to the heterogeneity among studies. Results: Fifteen randomized controlled trials involving a total of 1941 patients were included in this meta‐analysis. Pooled estimates suggested that early mobilization significantly reduced the incidence of ICU‐AW (RR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.26, 0.91; P =.025), shortened the length of ICU (WMD = −1.82 days, 95% CI: −2.88, −0.76; P =.001) and hospital (WMD = −3.90 days, 95% CI: −5.94, −1.85; P <.001) stays, and improved the Medical Research Council score (WMD = 4.47, 95% CI: 1.43, 7.52; P =.004) and Barthel Index score at hospital discharge (WMD = 21.44, 95% CI: 10.97, 31.91; P <.001). Moreover, early mobilization also decreased complications such as deep vein thrombosis (RR = 0.16, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.59; P =.006), ventilator‐associated pneumonia (RR = 0.26, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.63; P =.003), and pressure sores (RR = 0.14, 95% CI: 0.04, 0.44; P =.001). However, early mobilization did not reduce the ICU mortality rate (RR = 1.31, 95% CI: 0.97, 1.76; P =.074), improve the handgrip strength (WMD = 4.03 kg, 95% CI: −0.68, 8.74; P =.094), and shorten the duration of mechanical ventilation (WMD = 0.20 days, 95% CI: −0.10, 0.50; P =.194). Conclusion: This study indicated that early mobilization was effective in preventing the occurrence of ICU‐AW, shortening the length of ICU and hospital stay, and improving the functional mobility. However, it had no effect on the ICU mortality rate and ventilator‐free days. Relevance to clinical practice: ICU‐AW is a common neuromuscular complication of critical illness, and it is predictive of adverse outcomes. Early mobilization of critically ill patients is a candidate intervention to reduce the incidence and severity of ICU‐AW. Some clinical studies have demonstrated this, whereas others found opposite results. The aim of our study is to assess if early mobilization and rehabilitation in the ICU could reduce the ICU‐AW, improve functional recovery, improve muscle strength, shorten length of ICU and hospital stay, and reduce the mortality rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Colorectal cancer ranks among the most lethal diseases worldwide. Although much progress has been made in research and treatment of colorectal cancer in recent years, the underlying mechanisms related to migration of the cancer cells and the reason for chemoresistance still remain unclear. In this research, we explored the underlying effect of miR-138-5p in colorectal cancer. Methods: We used qRT-PCR to investigate the expression of miR-138-5p, Snail1, NFIB in colorectal cancer cells. Lentiviral vectors containing miR-138-5p mimics and inhibitors were constructed and transfected cells. Wound healing assay was applied to illustrate interferences on cell migration. Fluorouracial, doxorubicin, cisplat in were used to detect chemotherapy resistance. In order to identify target genes, bioinformatic methods were applied. Snail1 and NFIB protein expression in stable cell lines was detected using Western blot. Double luciferase and CHIP experiment were used to verify binding sites. We used rescue experiments to further explore the interactions among Snail1, NFIB and miR-138-5p. Results: The expression of miR-138-5p in colorectal cancer cells was low. miR-138-5p inhibited cell migration in colorectal cancer, and could negatively regulate chemotherapy resistance. miR-138-5p targeted NFIB, and regulated Snail1 expression, which mediated colorectal cancer cell migration and chemotherapy resistance. Conclusions: Our research indicates that miR-138-5p could be a crucial modulator controlling colorectal cancer cell migration and chemoresistance, by acting upon the NFIB-Snail1 axis. miR-138-5p has an emerging prospect to be exploited as a new target for colorectal cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel hybrid of carbon nanotube‐supported graphitic carbon nitride (g‐C3N4/CNT) was firstly fabricated via facile calcination method, and then filled into poly (phthalazinone ether sulfone ketone) (PPESK) to prepare self‐lubricating composite film. The microstructure and chemical composition of g‐C3N4/CNT hybrid were characterized, and its enhancement on the tribological properties of PPESK was investigated by comparing to pure PPESK and its composite films with g‐C3N4 or CNT only. Results showed that g‐C3N4 was in situ attached to CNT surface uniformly, which favored for improving the physical and chemical interfacial interaction between fillers and PPESK. Besides, by the incorporation of g‐C3N4/CNT, the hardness and elastic modulus of PPESK were improved by 15.05% and 41.75%, respectively. More importantly, PPESK‐g‐C3N4/CNT composite film showed the best tribological property among PPESK composite films. Its friction coefficient and wear rates were 65.5% and 84.1% lower than those of pure PPESK, as a result of good dispersion and interfacial action, as well as synergism between CNT and g‐C3N4. Based on the worn surface analysis, the enhancement mechanism of g‐C3N4/CNT was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Salidroside, one of the main active ingredients in Fructus Ligustri Lucidi (FLL), is well demonstrated to exert anti-osteoporotic effect. However, the plasma pharmacokinetic profile of salidroside in FLL in estrogen-deficient rats remains unknown. Objective: The objective was to develop a sensitive, rapid, and accurate ultra-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (UPLC-MS) method for the determination of the pharmacokinetics profile of salidroside after oral administration of FLL aqueous extract in normal and ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Materials and Methods: OVX and normal rats were orally administrated with FLL at a bolus of 7 g/kg. Plasma samples were precipitated by methanol, and the supernatant was chromatographed by a Waters BEH C18column with a gradient elution of ammonium acetate and acetonitrile. Quantification was carried out on the electrospray ionization, positive multiple reaction monitoring modes. Results: The lower limit of detection was 50 ng/mL, and the dynamic linear range was 50–30,000 ng/mL with a value of R2 > 0.99. The intra- and inter-day precisions were lower than 14.67%, and accuracy was in the range of 99.29%–103.37%. The recovery of salidroside ranged from 88.90% to 101.78%, with the matrix effect ranging from 85.53% to 100.45%. The t1/2, MRT0–∞, and apparent volume of distribution for salidroside increased in OVX rats. Conclusion: A sensitive, accurate, and rapid method was successfully established and validated for the determination of plasma characteristics of salidroside in Sprague–Dawley (SD) rats. The results suggest that ovariectomy could interfere with salidroside metabolism in SD rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway (BTR) passes through the subsidence centre of the Chaoyang Wangsiying-Heizhuanghu subsidence funnel edge, which is the most serious subsidence areas in the Beijing Plain. In this paper, we performed Persistent Scatterers Interferometry (PSI) time-series analyses technique to investigate land subsidence along the BTR with ENVISAT-ASAR, TerraSAR-X, and Sentinel-1 data. We found the serious subsidence area occupies 14.6% of the total area and reaches a maximum rate of 70 mm yr−1 in Dougezhuang. Sequential subsidence aggregation obtained by global Moran's I shows that the subsidence heterogeneity is the greatest in 2013. Using the Getis-Ord statistics, the uneven sections of spatial subsidence along the railway are DK7–11 and DK21–23. Combining the compressible layer thickness with groundwater data reveals that the greater the compressible layer thickness, the more serious the subsidence is and the correlation is highest between the extraction of groundwater from the second and third layers and the ground subsidence. With the start of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project, the extraction of groundwater began to slow, but the slowing trend of subsidence was not obvious because of the lag between groundwater and land subsidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza virus (AIVs), hosted in poultry, are the pathogens of many poultry diseases and human infections, which bring huge losses to the poultry breeding industry and huge panic to society. Therefore, it is of great significance to establish accurate and sensitive detection methods for AIVs. In this work, a dual-mode detection method based on immuno-rolling circle amplification (immuno-RCA) and quantum dots (QDs) labeling for inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and fluorescence detection of H9N2 AIV was developed. The dual-mode detection of the QDs by ICP-MS and fluorescence is used to achieve mutual verification within the analysis results, thus improving the accuracy of the method. With the immuno-RCA, the sensitivity of the method was increased by two orders of magnitude. The limit of detection of the proposed method is 17 ng L−1 and 61 ng L−1, and the linear range of the proposed method is 0.05–5 ng mL−1 and 0.1–5 ng mL−1 with ICP-MS and fluorescence detection, respectively. The relative standard deviation (n = 7) is 4.9% with ICP-MS detection and 3.1% with fluorescence detection. Furthermore, the proposed method was applied to the analysis of chicken serum samples, no significant different was found for two modes detection and the recoveries of the spiking experiments are acceptable, indicating that the method has good practical potential for real sample analysis. Image 1 • A dual mode of ICP-MS and fluorescence detection with QDs labeling was developed. • Immuno-RCA was applied for the analysis of H9N2 AIV. • Dual mode detection achieved mutual validation improving the accuracy. • Immuno-RCA improved the sensitivity by two orders of magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that lipid biosynthesis in plant host root cells plays critical roles in legume‐fungal or ‐rhizobial symbioses, but little is known about its regulatory mechanism in legume–rhizobia interaction. Soybean WRINKLED1 (WRI1) a and b, with their alternative splicing (AS) products a' and b', are highly expressed in developing seeds and nodules, but their functions in soybean nodulation are not known. GmWRI1a and b differently promoted triacylglycerol (TAG) accumulation in both Arabidopsis wild‐type and wri1 mutant seeds and when they ectopically expressed in the soybean hairy roots. Transcriptome analysis revealed that 15 genes containing AW boxes in their promoters were targeted by GmWRI1s, including genes involved in glycolysis, fatty acid (FA) and TAG biosynthesis. GmWRI1a, GmWRI1b and b' differentially transactivated most targeted genes. Overexpression of GmWRI1s affected phospholipid and galactolipid synthesis, soluble sugar and starch contents and led to increased nodule numbers, whereas GmWRI1 knockdown hairy roots interfered root glycolysis and lipid biosynthesis and resulted in fewer nodules. These phenomena in GmWRI1 mutants coincided with the altered expression of nodulation genes. Thus, GmWRI1‐regulated starch degradation, glycolysis and lipid biosynthesis were critical for nodulation. GmWRI1 mutants also altered auxin and other hormone‐related biosynthesis and hormone‐related genes, by which GmWRI1s may affect nodule development. The study expands the views for pleiotropic effects of WRI1s in regulating soybean seed filling and root nodulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dual column packed with a magnetic metal-organic framework composite (MFC) and mercapto-functionalized MFC nanoparticles (MFC-SH) in microfluidic chip channels is described for array chip-based magnetic solid phase microextraction of arsenic species including arsenite [As(III)], arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonous acid (MMA) and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA) in SCC-7 cells. At pH 6, the MFC-SH adsorbs As(III) while MFC quantitatively adsorbs As(V), DMA and MMA. The As(III) adsorbed on the MFC-SH can be desorbed with a 2% solution of thiourea in 0.5 M HNO3. The arsenic species MMA, DMA and As(V) are retained on the MFC but can be desorbed by ammonia. A sequential elution strategy was employed to elute MMA, DMA, As(V) and As(III) one by one for subsequent on-line determination by ICP-MS. The limits of detection are 4.8, 6.3, 3.8 and 7.1 ng L−1 for As(V), DMA, MMA and As(III), respectively. The enrichment factors are between 23 and 25, and the throughput is 7 samples per hour. The arsenic species in (spiked) SCC-7 cell samples were analyzed by the online system with adequate recoveries (89–110%). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Information on the risk of exposure to cerium oxide (CeO 2) nanoparticles (NPs) is limited. To assess risk, we must know where and how such NPs are distributed to the body after exposure, both short- and long-term. In this work, an integrated approach of quantitative LA-ICP-MS bioimaging and fractionation was employed to study the translocation and transformation of CeO 2 and Ce3+ in mouse spleen and liver. The complementary information retrieved by the two techniques above on the accumulation of Ce and dissolution/aggregation were found consistent. In brief, a detailed fine scanning of a region of interest in the organ was performed after fast-screening at low spatial resolution. In the spleen, after short-term high-dose exposure, CeO 2 NPs was found mainly in the marginal zone and caused an up-regulation of Zn in the white pulp. After long-term low-dose exposure, CeO 2 was found in the marginal zone and white pulp. In the liver, CeO 2 NPs were mainly distributed in the Kupffer cells and lobule periphery. The high spatial resolution LA maps of H&E-stained liver sections allowed imaging close to cell level; this enabled an estimation of Ce content in Kupffer cells. Furthermore, fractionation by ultrafiltration was also employed to differentiate the ionic and NP species in the organs. This fractionation showed aggregation of Ce ions in spleen, supporting the LA-ICP-MS results. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that long-term CeO 2 exposure triggered an immune response to infection in the spleen and confirmed the differential deposition of Ce in the marginal zone. The integrated analyses based on ICP-MS together with histology and TEM investigation suggests that long-term low doses of CeO 2 NPs may cause toxicity in the liver and impair functions of the immune system. Image 1 • LA-ICP-MS bioimaging and fractionation can reveal translocation and transformation of CeO 2 NPs and Ce ions in mice tissue. • The co-localization of Ce in Kupffer cells in liver cells can be studied by LA-ICP-MS bioimaging of H&E stained tissue. • Long-term low doses of CeO 2 NPs may be toxic for the liver and compromise the immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The sepiolite (Sep) has been dyed and modified by POS successfully. • The colorful Sep-RB@POS/EP coating has good superhydrophobicity and self-cleaning property. • The colorful coating possesses good mechanical durability and chemical stability. • The color of the Sep-RB@POS/EP is stable, and the mechanism has been discussed. Clay, which is a well-stocked mineral, has often been applied to colorful coatings. Sepiolite is a kind of clay that has excellent properties but has not being reported as a color paint. In this study, a colored paint composed of sepiolite, cationic dye, and organosilanes was sprayed with epoxy resin to form a colorful superhydrophobic coating. The low surface energy of organosilane and the micro-nano microstructure of the coating can form bubbles between the solid and liquid, endowing the coating with good water repellency and with a self-cleaning property. In addition, for aqueous solutions with pH ranging from 1 to 13, the contact angle (CA) of the coating remained greater than 150°. The chemical stability of the coating was very good and did not fade, even after immersion in 1 M NaOH or HCl solution for 24 h. The scratch test on the coating did not destroy the superhydrophobicity of the coating. Additionally, the coating had good mechanical durability, and its CA was still greater than 150° after 50 times of tape test. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land subsidence caused by long-term over-exploitation of groundwater is the main geological disaster in the plain area of Beijing, China. To obtain accurate and dynamic monitoring information on land subsidence, primary level measurement is carried out every year. However, there are shortcomings in the existing level monitoring network and development of land subsidence, which require optimization of the level monitoring network for land subsidence. Using a GIS analysis method, a zonal map of influencing factors was created by overlaying three thematic maps including hydrogeological units; the decline rate of the groundwater level in the main mining layer; and the thickness of the compressible layer. The data were classified into 448 zones. Based on the zoning map, we created an optimal design for the location of level monitoring points, locating 220 new points. Kriging interpolation error variance was chosen to evaluate map accuracy. Standard deviation contour maps of the existing level network and the optimized level network were created, and the results showed that the error of the optimized level network was smaller than the existing level network. The method proposed by this paper was reasonable for optimizing a level monitoring network for land subsidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a simple, sensitive and specific assay for DNA was proposed by combining inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) detection with gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) amplification and isothermal circular strand-displacement polymerization reaction (ICSDPR). First, AuNPs were decorated with hairpin-structured DNA (HP-DNA) through Au–S bond to form the AuNPs probe. The ICSDPR was conducted on AuNPs probe in a homogeneous phase to realize the dual amplification and simplify the analytical process at the same time. By using a biotin modified primer, AuNPs were connected with biotins after the ICSDPR, then captured by the streptavidin modified magnetic beads (SA-MBs), and finally detected by ICP-MS. Many key factors including probe volume, hybridization time, polymerase amount, primer concentration, enzyme reaction time, SA-MBs capture time and desorption time were optimized. Under the optimized condition, the proposed method could detect target DNA as low as 45 zmol (8.9 fM in 5 μL) in a relative short time (about 4.5 h) with good specificity, and the linear range of this method is 0.1–10000 pM, the relative standard deviations are in the range of 3.6–6.4%. The proposed method was applied for determination of target DNA in human serum samples, the recovery for the spiked human serum samples is in the range of 84–120%. It demonstrates a good application potential of the developed method for biological studies and clinical diagnosis of human pathogenic diseases. Image 1 • AuNPs amplification coupled with ICSDPR was developed for ICP-MS determination of DNA. • The tandem amplification was realized with the aid of AuNPs as the carrier of HP-DNA. • Amplification was conducted in the homogeneous reaction to avoid washing and separation steps. • The developed method is simple, sensitive, specific and reliable for the DNA detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular uptake of Au NPs is the premise for their application in drug delivery, cell/tissue imaging and quantitation analysis of biomarkers in the cells. However, conventional methods for cell analysis may lead to the loss of important information from abnormal or atypical cells in the cell population. In this work, with 15, 30 and 60 nm Au NPs@citric acid and Au NPs@DNA as model materials, the cellular uptake of Au NPs in single HeLa cells is studied by using an on-line droplet chip inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry hyphenated technique. It is found that the average amount of Au uptake for Au NPs@citric acid is higher than that for Au NPs@DNA at high incubation concentrations. The distribution of the number of uptaken Au NPs in single HeLa cells shows a great difference when HeLa cells are incubated with different Au NPs. The percentage of cells uptaking Au NPs in the cell population also reveals a difference in cellular uptake between Au NPs@citric acid and Au NPs@DNA at the single-cell level. To explain the abovementioned phenomenon, the endocytosis mechanisms of Au NPs are investigated. Clathrin-mediated endocytosis is found to be the major internalization pathway for 15 and 30 nm Au NPs@DNA. fx1 • Cellular uptake of Au NPs by single HeLa cells was studied by on-line droplet chip ICP-MS technique. • Average uptake number and distribution of Au NPs in single cell were studied. • The percentage of cells uptaking Au NPs in cell population were investigated. • Clathrin-mediated endocytosis was the major internalization pathway for 15 and 30 nm Au NPs@DNA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As one of nature clay minerals, sepiolite was used in various fields, such as photocatalytic, refractory, and dye adsorption, but rare in superhydrophobic application. In this study, sepiolite was modified by polysiloxane (Sepiolite@POS) and its microstructure, chemical composition, and hydrophobic property were investigated. Besides, its coatings were prepared by spray-coating the solution of Sepiolite@POS and epoxy (EP), which endowed various materials (wood blocks, steel sheets, A4 paper, and cotton) with excellent superhydrophobic property. In particular, as the mass ratio of Sepiolite@POS and EP was 7:5, the coating on glass slide presented a water contact angle above 160° and a sliding angle of 5°. And it could maintain superhydrophobicity after wear test or ultrasound treatment or immersion in solution with pH from 1 to 13, implying it had good mechanical and chemical stability. Besides, after being coated by Sepiolite@POS/EP, the surface possessed excellent self-cleaning property. Also, the Sepiolite@POS/EP coated melamine sponge could efficiently separate chloroform from water. All these results indicated that modified sepiolite showed great potential for application in the fields of waterproof, self-cleaning, and oil/water separation. Highlights • The microstructure and hydrophobic property of Sepiolite@POS are characterized. • Sepiolite@POS/EP coating possesses excellent mechanical and chemical stability. • Sepiolite@POS/EP coating can be used in self-cleaning and oil-water separation field. • This study can promote the development of sepiolite-based superhydrophobic coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Many bacterial genomes carry multiple prophages that compete with each other, potentially affecting the physiology, fitness, and pathogenicity of their hosts. However, molecular mechanisms of such prophage–prophage conflicts remain poorly understood. The genome of Shewanella oneidensis MR‐1, a Gammaproteobacterium residing in aquatic environments and notable for its ability to reduce metal ions, harbours four prophages, two of which (LambdaSo and MuSo2) form infectious virions during biofilm formation. Here, we constructed indicator strains of LambdaSo and MuSo2 by deleting the corresponding prophages from the MR‐1 chromosome and investigated their reproduction. Interestingly, the fitness of MuSo2 increased in the absence of LambdaSo, suggesting that prophage LambdaSo repressed MuSo2 reproduction. Partial deletion of LambdaSo from the MR‐1 chromosome revealed that gene cluster R of LambdaSo, which was responsible for the switch to the lytic cycle and LambdaSo genome replication initiation, was necessary and sufficient to repress MuSo2. Furthermore, activation of cluster R genes facilitated replication of cluster R‐encoding DNA and inhibited host and MuSo2 DNA replication. These findings suggest that LambdaSo represses MuSo2 propagation by inhibiting DNA replication during simultaneous induction. We predict that such a mechanism of inter‐prophage interference is more widespread in bacteria than currently appreciated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The subsidence center was always located in the southeast of Chaoyang District 2011-2015, in Beijing, China. • The exploitation the second and the third confined aquifers had great impacts on the settlement development in Beijing. • The lag time between land subsidence and the groundwater level changes in the main exploration aquifer layers was 0.57–1.76 months. Abstract Land subsidence is rapidly developing across the Beijing Plain, China. Long-term intense overexploitation of groundwater is the main reason for land subsidence in Beijing. In this study, an optimized Small Baseline Subset (SBAS) interferometry method was developed to process 46 RADATSAT-2 images from 2011 to 2015 to investigate the spatial and temporal dynamics of land subsidence in the Beijing Plain. The lag time between land subsidence and groundwater exploitation was first analyzed by the Continuous Wavelet Transform (CWT) and Cross Wavelet Transform (XWT) methods Our study found that the maximum subsidence rate reached 141 mm per year. The analysis of the areas and volumes of the annual subsidence rates indicated that the overall deformation trend slowed down from 2011 to 2015. Our results indicate that the subsidence center is always located in the southeast of Chaoyang District from 2011 to 2015. The lag time between the observed subsidence and the groundwater level drops in the main exploration aquifer layers was 0.57–1.76 months. This information is helpful to reveal the mechanism of land subsidence and build hydrogeological model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate identification and quantification of trace elements and their species in cells is an important prerequisite for the exploration of their physiological function and related mechanisms of process involving trace elements/species in human body. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) is a powerful analytical instrument for trace elements detection, while it still suffers from insufficient limits of detection, interference from complex cell matrix, and incompatible sample consumption in cells analysis. Microfluidic chips which possess advantages of low sample/reagent consumption, rapid analysis speed and high spatial resolution provide perfect miniaturized and integrated platforms for cell analysis. In this article, microfluidic chip-ICP-MS techniques for trace elements and their species analysis in cells were reviewed. Both chip-based pretreatment techniques (e.g., magnetic solid phase microextraction (MSPME), monolithic capillary microextraction (MCME), liquid phase microextraction (LPME)) including chip-based array microextraction techniques for trace elements and their species analysis and droplet chip for single cell analysis were introduced. The newly developed methods of microfluidic chips in combination with ICP-MS for trace elements and their species analysis in small numbers of cells and even single cell were critically discussed, including chip-based MSPME/MCME/LPME-(electrothermal vaporization-ICP-)MS, on-line chip-based array MSPME/MCME-ICP-MS, on-line chip-based array MSPME-high performance liquid chromatography-ICP-MS and online droplet chip-time-resolved ICP-MS. These methodologies were demonstrated with high sensitivity, high throughput, good matrix resistance and low sample/reagent consumption, contributing to the quantification of trace elements/species in cells and even single cells. Relevant 20 references are included herein, and the development trend of microfluidic chip-ICP-MS techniques for cells analysis is prospected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Dual-functional probe for quantification and imaging of intracellular telomerase was designed. • ICP-MS quantification and fluorescence imaging of intracellular telomerase were realized. • ICP-MS with Tb-DOTA labeling could quantify intracellular telomerase without extraction. • It is potential for studying mechanism of cancer and other telomerase-related life processes. Abstract The analysis of telomerase is of great significance for the study and diagnosis of cancer. In this work, a dual-functional Au NP probe for the quantification and imaging of intracellular telomerase was prepared. The probe contained an elemental tag (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclododecane-1,4,7-tris-acetic acid (Tb-DOTA)) for accurate quantification using inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) and a fluorescent tag (FAM) which constructed the fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) system with Au NPs for fluorescence imaging. After the probe entered into the Hela cells, the telomerase primer was extended with TTAGGG repeats in the presence of the intracellular telomerase, resulting in turning on the fluorescence of FAM and releasing the Tb-DOTA. Thus, the intracellular telomerase could be in situ visualized by the released FAM with fluorescence imaging and quantified by the released Tb-DOTA with ICP-MS detection. The average amount of telomerase in one Hela cell was quantified to be 3.1 × 10−11 IU. The proposed method was demonstrated with good potential in the study of telomerase and the cancer diagnosis, providing a new strategy for the analysis of intracellular biomarkers by ICP-MS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Arsenite (As(III)) has been considered as a human carcinogen associated with many human cancers especially skin cancer. Elucidation of the transformed species of As(III) during its metabolism in cells is beneficial for evaluation of its bioeffect. In this work, a hyphenated method of reversed phase ion pair high performance liquid chromatography - inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (RP-IP-HPLC-ICP-MS) equipped with collision/reaction cell technology (CCT) was developed for speciation of As(III) and its metabolites (arsenate [As(V)], monomethylarsonic acid [MMA(V)], and dimethylarsinic acid [DMA(V)]) in SCC-7 cells. The developed analytical method exhibits low limits of detection for interest arsenic species in the range of 14–27 ng/L and wide linear range up to four orders of magnitude, providing a sensitive tool for arsenic metabolites analysis and further understanding the metabolism of As(III) in SCC-7 cells. The effect of exposure time, exposure concentrations and elimination time on the arsenic species and total arsenic in SCC-7 cells incubated by As(III) were systematically studied. At low exposure concentrations (< 5 μM), large proportion of intracellular As(III) transformed to methylated metabolites, and the final methylated metabolite DMA(V), which could not be completely removed from the cells in the elimination process, is considered to play as the primary carcinogen. While at high exposure concentrations (> 5 μM), most of intracellular As(III) probably bound to biomacromolecules rather than followed biomethylation process, exhibiting different metabolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) function as key regulators of complex traits, but how genetic alterations in miRNA biogenesis genes (miRBGs) affect quantitative variation has not been elucidated. We conducted transcript analyses and association genetics to investigate how miRBGs, miRNA genes (MIRNAs) and their respective targets contribute to secondary growth in a natural population of 435 Populus tomentosa individuals. This analysis identified 29 843 common single‐nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs; frequency > 0.10) within 682 genes (80 miRBGs, 152 MIRNAs, and 457 miRNA targets). Single‐SNP association analysis found SNPs in 234 candidate genes exhibited significant additive/dominant effects on phenotypes. Among these, specific candidates that associated with the same traits produced 791 miRBG–MIRNA–target combinations, suggesting possible genetic miRBG–MIRNA and MIRNA–target interactions, providing an important clue for the regulatory mechanisms of miRBGs. Multi‐SNP association found 4672 epistatic pairs involving 578 genes that showed significant associations with traits and identified 106 miRBG–MIRNA–target combinations. Two multi‐hierarchical networks were constructed based on correlations of miRBG–miRNA and miRNA–target expression to further probe the mechanisms of trait diversity underlying changes in miRBGs. Our study opens avenues for the investigation of miRNA function in perennial plants and underscored miRBGs as potentially modulating quantitative variation in traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe–Ni-based composites with Ni-coated reduced grapheme oxide (RGO)–MoS2 were fabricated by powder metallurgy technique, and their morphology, phase composition, and tribological properties at different temperatures were investigated systematically. Results showed that Fe–Ni-based composite with Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 possessed much more uniform and denser microstructure, and higher hardness than that with RGO–MoS2. Furthermore, Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 additive greatly allowed increasing the friction-reducing and wear-resistant properties, due to the reinforcing and lubricating effect new phase (Fe3W3C, CrxS1+x, etc.) and the improvement on interfacial compatibility between Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 and Fe–Ni matrix. In particular, as the content of Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 was 5 wt%, the friction coefficient and wear rate of the corresponding composite was decreased nearly 50% and 75%, respectively. More importantly, Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 reinforced composite kept excellent tribological properties at elevated temperature. Its friction coefficient decreased firstly with the increased temperature from 25℃ to 400℃, then increased slightly when the temperature increased to 600℃. Besides, the wear rate was only 0.73–0.9 × 10−4 mm3/Nm during the whole temperature range. This suggested that Ni-coated RGO–MoS2 was a promising additive of metallic-based composites suitable for high-temperature sliding condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid, simple, and effective method has been developed for the determination of seven triazine herbicides (terbutryn, prometryn, ametryn, prometon, propazine, atrazine, simazine) by coupling off-line hollow fiber liquid liquid liquid microextraction (HF-LLLME) with on-line sweeping micellar electrokinetic chromatography (sweeping-MEKC). In HF-LLLME, seven target triazines in hydrophobic form were extracted from the sample solution into decane impregnated in the pores of the hollow fiber, and then back-extracted into 1 mol L −1 H 3 PO 4 inside the hollow fiber lumen. Then, the pH of acceptor phase was adjusted with 1 μL 1 mol L −1 NaOH for subsequent sweeping-MEKC analysis. In the sweeping-MEKC process, seven triazines were separated in about 16 min with a background electrolyte (BGE) consisting of 92 mmol L −1 phosphate, 40 mmol L −1 SDS and 15% (v/v) 1-propanol (pH = 2.6). The hydrodynamic injection was performed at 50 mbar for 250 s. Under the optimized conditions, the limits of detection were in the range of 0.07–0.69 µg L −1 with enrichment factors of 3100–10000-fold for target triazines, with a dynamic linear range of 0.3/2–100 µg L −1 . The developed method exhibited excellent clean-up capability as well as high enrichment factors and was successfully applied to the analysis of target triazines in environmental water, honey and tomato samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The element labeling inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) strategy has been increasingly applied to the bioanalysis for various bio-targets. Herein, a renewable analysis platform with element labeling ICP-MS was firstly proposed for microRNA (miRNA) analysis. The analysis platform was established on the magnetic bead (MB) with entropy-driven catalytic (EDC) amplification. When the EDC reaction was initiated by target miRNA, numerous strands labeled with Ho element were released from MBs, and 165Ho in the supernatant detected by ICP-MS could reflect the amount of target miRNA. After detection, the platform was easily regenerated by adding strands to reassemble EDC complex on MBs. This MB platform could be used four times, and the limit of detection for miRNA-155 was 8.4 pmol L−1. Moreover, the developed regeneration strategy based on EDC reaction can be easily expanded to other renewable analysis platforms, such as, the renewable platform involving EDC and rolling circle amplification technology. Overall, this work proposed a novel regenerated bioanalysis strategy to reduce the consumption of reagent and time for probe preparation, profiting the development of bioassay based on element labeling ICP-MS strategy. [Display omitted] • A renewable analysis platform was built on magnetic beads with EDC reaction. • The platform achieved sensitive miRNA detection based on element labeling ICP-MS. • One-step reaction and one-step regeneration enabled simple experimental process. • The renewable platform was flexible to combine with other technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a facile and efficient method to overcome the poor dispersion of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the polymer matrix by in-situ synthetizing ZnS nanoparticles onto their surfaces was developed. The as-prepared CNTs/ZnS hybrid was then used as lubricating additive to enhance the friction-reducing and anti-wear properties of epoxy (EP) coatings. The microstructure and composition of CNTs/ZnS were characterized using HRTEM, FESEM, XRD, and RS. The ZnS nanoparticles with the size of about 20–30 nm were coated onto CNTs surface homogeneously in the form of wurtzite structure phase. Besides, the enhancement mechanisms of CNTs/ZnS on the tribological properties of EP coating were studied systematically. The results revealed that as the content of CNTs/ZnS was 1.25 wt%, the corresponding coatings possessed the lowest friction coefficient and highest wear resistance. Moreover, the EP coatings with the different weight fraction of CNTs/ZnS hybrid showed much better tribological properties than those with CNTs or acid-CNTs. The excellent tribological properties were mainly related to good dispersion of CNTs or ZnS as well as good synergism between CNTs and ZnS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical carbon fiber‐SiO2 hybrid (CF‐SiO2) was first fabricated and CF‐SiO2/polyimide composite (CF‐SiO2/PI) was subsequently prepared by typical solution casting and thermal imidization. The microstructure and enhancement of CF‐SiO2 hybrid on the thermal, mechanical, and tribological properties of PI were investigated. Results showed SiO2 particles with the size of ∼500 nm were coated onto CF surface successfully, which endowed CF possessed active sites and high surface roughness. The 5% weight loss temperatures (T–5 wt%) of PI was improved from 328.6°C to 499.2°C by the incorporation of CF‐SiO2 hybrid. Besides, the hardness and elastic modulus of CF‐SiO2/PI composite reached 0.411GPa and 4.904 GPa, that is, an improvement of 22% and 12.2%, respectively, compared to pure PI. More importantly, the friction coefficient and wear rate of CF‐SiO2/PI reached 0.32 and 5.35 × 10−5 mm3/Nm, which were much lower than that of PI or CF/PI. This was mainly attributed to the fact that SiO2 could not only improve the thermal and mechanical properties but also promote the load transferring effectively during the friction and wear process through enhancing the interfacial effect between CF and PI. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E1626–E1634, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]