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Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are toxic chemicals that have been intentionally developed for targeted and deadly use on humans. Although intended for military targets, the use of CWAs more often than not results in mass civilian casualties. To prevent further atrocities from occurring during conflicts, a global ban was implemented through the chemical weapons convention, with the aim of eliminating the development, stockpiling, and use of CWAs. Unfortunately, because of their relatively low cost, ease of manufacture and effectiveness on mass populations, CWAs still exist in today's world. CWAs have been used in several recent terrorist-related incidents and conflicts (

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a highly toxic chemical warfare agent that causes acute lung injury (ALI) and/or acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). There are no effective therapeutic treatments or antidotes available currently to counteract its toxic effects. Our previous study shows that bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BMSCs) could exert therapeutic effects against SM-induced lung injury. In this study, we explored the therapeutic potential of BMSC-derived exosomes (BMSC-Exs) against ALI and the underlying mechanisms. ALI was induced in mice by injection of SM (30 mg/kg, sc) at their medial and dorsal surfaces. BMSC-Exs (20 μg/kg in 200 μL PBS, iv) were injected for a 5-day period after SM exposure. We showed that BMSC-Exs administration caused a protective effect against pulmonary edema. Using a lung epithelial cell barrier model, BMSC-Exs (10, 20, 40 μg) dose-dependently inhibited SM-induced cell apoptosis and promoted the recovery of epithelial barrier function by facilitating the expression and relocalization of junction proteins (E-cadherin, claudin-1, occludin, and ZO-1). We further demonstrated that BMSC-Exs protected against apoptosis and promoted the restoration of barrier function against SM through upregulating G protein-coupled receptor family C group 5 type A (GPRC5A), a retinoic acid target gene predominately expressed in the epithelial cells of the lung. Knockdown of GPRC5A reduced the antiapoptotic and barrier regeneration abilities of BMSC-Exs and diminished their therapeutic effects in vitro and in vivo. BMSC-Exs-caused upregulation of GPRC5A promoted the expression of Bcl-2 and junction proteins via regulating the YAP pathway. In summary, BMSC-Exs treatment exerts protective effects against SM-induced ALI by promoting alveolar epithelial barrier repair and may be an alternative approach to stem cell-based therapy.

Pure polycrystalline niobium had different texture and microstructure due to the RCD-60, RCD-84 and CD-84 fabrication processes and recrystallization at 1000 °C for 2 h. The tensile behaviors and texture evolutions of the niobium were investigated to reveal the correlation of initial texture/microstructure and tensile properties. The crucial differences of microstructure and orientations after recrystallization would influence tensile properties of the niobium. The differences of tensile behaviors during tension testing correspond to the different microstructure and texture evolution in the niobium. The enhanced 〈110〉 // RD texture during the tensile deformation indicates that orientations of sub-structures are arranging along the tensile axis in the RCD-60 niobium. The RCD-84 and CD-84 niobium present the other phenomenon, that sub-structures near the fracture occur a significant rotation and the 〈110〉 // RD texture has been slightly changed after tensile failure. The recrystallized niobium fabricated by the RCD-84 obtains excellent tensile properties with ultimate tensile strength of 364 MPa and elongation of 55%. The strain hardening rate of the CD-84 niobium is the highest during the initial stage of tensile deformation, and becomes lower than that of the RCD-84 niobium after the 16% strain. Furthermore, the analysis of Taylor factors is applied to reveal the difference of hardening rates during tensile deformation due to different fabrication and recrystallization processes of the polycrystalline niobium.

Microbes are the most abundant form of life on Earth and play crucial roles in carbon and nutrient cycling. Despite their crucial role, our understanding of microbial diversity and physiology on the ocean floor is limited. To address this gap in knowledge, we obtained 55 novel bacterial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) from coastal and deep sea sediments. Phylogenomic analyses revealed they belong to four new and one poorly described bacterial phyla. Comparison of their rRNA genes with public databases revealed they are all globally distributed. These novel bacteria are capable of the anaerobic degradation of polysaccharides and proteins, and the respiration of sulfur and nitrogen. These genomes code for an unusually high proportion (~ 9, and up to 20% per genome) of protein families lacking representatives in public databases. Hundreds of these protein families are predicted to be co-localized with genes for sulfur reduction, nitrogen cycling, energy conservation, and the degradation of organic compounds. These findings expand our understanding of microbial diversity and link previously overlooked gene families with key metabolic processes in the oceans.

Background: Sulfur mustard (SM) is a blister-producing chemical warfare agent which could lead to a cascade of systemic damage, especially severe acute lung injury. Oxidative stress is considered to be vital processes for the SM toxicity mechanism. We previously proved the therapeutic effect of exosomes derived from bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells in promoting the repair of alveolar epithelial barrier and inhibiting apoptosis. However, the key functional components in exosomes and the underlying mechanisms have not been fully elaborated. This research shed light on the function of the key components of human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell-derived exosomes. Results: We noted that HMSCs-Ex showed better antioxidant abilities to attenuate SM-induced apoptosis. Furthermore, it was identified that HMSCs-Ex-derived miR-199a-5p played the vital role in reducing pneumonocyte oxidative stress. We observed that the overexpression of miR-199a-5p in HMSCs-Ex exerted protective effects against SM-induced oxidative injury by activating the NRF2 signaling pathway. Moreover, it was confirmed that Caveolin1 (CAV1) was the target gene regulated by miR-199a-5p. MiR-199a-HMSCs-Ex reduced CAV1 expression, leading to the upregulation of NRF2 and the activation of the NRF2 antioxidant signal pathway.Conclusions: MiR-199a-5p was one of the key molecules in HMSCs-Ex that attenuated SM-associated oxidative stress via regulating CAV1/NRF2 signaling pathway.

Mineral soil conditioners (MSCs) are used to regulate soil acidity and improve soil quality; they are often made in sintering potassium feldspar, limestone, or dolomite, and are alkaline materials rich in silicon, calcium, potassium, and magnesium. The key point of how to apply them into farmlands is their ability to adjust soil acidity and the MSCs requirement (MSCR). In this study, inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were firstly used to determine the elemental and phase compositions of the MSCs in order to establish its equivalent relationship for the depletion of soil activity (H+) and its conversion relationship with CaCO3. Secondly, the soil culture method and the improved Shoemaker Mclean Peatt–Double Buffer (SMP–DB) method were compared using a group of 14 typical acid soils in MSCR. It is investigated that the MSCs contained four alkali/alkaline earth–metal elements: Ca, Mg, K, and Na in the bound aluminosilicate form (Ca2MgAlSi2O7, Ca3(SiO3)3, KAlSiO4, and KAlSi2O6); and the depletion of 2.31 mol of H+ required 100 g of MSCs and the amount of Si–Ca–K–Mg MSC needed to deplete the same quantity of H+ was only 0.87 times that of CaCO3. Based on the calculations by using the SMP-DB method and the soil culture method, the MSCR for treating the 14 typical acid soils were in the range of 0.56–8.27 t hm−2 and 0–10.8 t hm−2, respectively. Data from both methods were highly correlated with each other and there was a good linear correlation between them, and the equation: $${{MSC}_{R}}^{{\prime}}=30.29d-0.77$$ MSC R ′ = 30.29 d - 0.77 could be used to calculate the MSCs requirement. The recommended MSCR was approximately 4–8, 2–6, and 1–3 t hm−2 when soil pH 5.50, respectively. The experimental and computational methods established in this study could serve as the scientific basis and theoretical guidance for the production and agricultural use of MSCs.

Sulfur mustard (SM) is a chemical warfare agent that was applied in a series of military conflicts and still poses a severe threat to civilians and military personnel. Although the cellular and molecular mechanisms of SM toxicity are still not fully understood, oxidative stress has been considered as the initial vital process for damage. Polydatin, the product of resveratrol and glucose, is a promising candidate for the treatment of oxidative stress-related diseases. However, its effects on SM-induced hepatic injury remain unknown. Thus, we investigated the protective effects of polydatin against SM-induced hepatic injury and its possible mechanism. We found that treatment with polydatin remarkably improved the survival rate of mice bear subcutaneously injected with SM. Polydatin decreased the SM-induced increase of serum aminotransferase levels and ameliorated hepatic pathological damage. We also found that indexes of oxidative stress were improved in mouse liver samples and L02 cells. Meanwhile, changes in the Sirtuin family after treatment with SM were explored in mice and cells since polydatin is a potent activator of Sirt1 and Sirt3. Polydatin significantly increased the expression of Sirt1, HO-1, and NQO1; and the nuclear translocation of Nrf2 in mouse liver and L02 cells. Furthermore, we also observed that either Sirt1 or Nrf2 knockdown abolished the protective effect of polydatin. Our data indicated that polydatin could provide protection against SM-induced hepatic injury through the Sirt1/Nrf2 pathway, suggesting that polydatin is a novel potential antidote for sulfur mustard.

Nerve agents are highly toxic chemical warfare agents that are easy to synthesize and have recently been applied many times in local wars and terrorist attacks. Fluorescent probes have been widely used in life science and medical research due to their features of short reaction time, high sensitivity and good selectivity. Herein, two fluorescent compounds, NMU-1 and NMU-2, were synthesized for the selective detection of nerve agents. NMU-1 exhibited good detection performance for nerve agents. With increasing nerve agent concentration, the fluorescence signal of NMU-1 at 498 nm gradually decreased with an excellent linear relationship. NMU-1 exhibited a low LOD (4.6 μM for DCP and 8.41 μM for soman), a rapid response (less than 3 min) and a large Stokes shift (98 nm) along with obvious color changes. Due to its high sensitivity and good selectivity, NMU-1 was successfully applied to image nerve agents in living PC12 cells. Furthermore, NMU-1 was used as a key element to develop chemical warfare agent test paper, which exhibited significant fluorescent changes under hand-held 365-nm UV light upon contact with nerve agents.

The coronary slow flow phenomenon (CSFP) is common in coronary angiography, however its impact on left atrial (LA) function is still controversial. This study aims to evaluate the LA structure and function of patients with CSFP using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE). Consecutive patients scheduled for coronary angiography from January 2016 to September 2017 were enrolled in this study. Patients’ demographic data, clinical histories, laboratory and angiographic findings were collected and recorded. Diagnostic criteria for CSFP is based on Beltrame et al. proposed in 2012. Meanwhile 139 patients who have no significant stenosis (≤ 40%) and normal blood flow were selected as control. All patients received an echocardiographic examination 24 h before coronary angiography. LA structure and function were measured with echocardiography and 2D-STE. Our results showed that among the 1,954 patients who had received coronary angiography, 512 patients were included in the analysis after the exclusion criteria was implemented. Of those, 101 patients met the CSFP criteria (5.5%). CSFP is mainly seen in LAD (~ 70%). There was no statistical difference in baseline characteristics between the CSFP group and control group, except for a higher proportion of smokers in the CSFP group (P = 0.001). The percentage of monocytes is an independent risk factor for the occurrence of CSFP (P = 0.036) after binary logistic regression analysis. The LA global longitudinal strain (LA-GLS, represents reservoir functions) decreased and LA strain rate at late diastole (LA-SRa, represents booster function) increased in patients with CSFP compared to the control group (P

Background: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is a complex syndrome characterized by heart failure symptoms and signs, but normal or near-normal left ventricular ejection fraction (LV-EF). There are objective evidences of left ventricular systolic/diastolic dysfunctions and alteration of left atrial (LA) structure and functions. However, limited data are available on the association of LA functions with the severity of HFpEF. Methods: We assessed and analyzed LA/LV structure and functions in 61 patients with HFpEF with 2D echocardiography and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiographic technology (2D-STE). LA triphasic functions in subgroups with different classification of cardiac functions (NYHA II – IV) were compared. The correlation analysis of LA triphasic functions with LV systolic/diastolic functions was made with Pearson test. Results: Patients with HFpEF had impaired LV systolic/diastolic functions, and impaired LA triphasic functions compared with control subjects. LA global longitudinal strain (LA-GLS) and the left atrial systolic strain rate (LA-mSRs, reflecting LA reservoir function) were positively correlated with global LV longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) and E/e’; the longitudinal strain rate of the left atrium at the early diastole (LA-mSRe, reflecting LA conduit function) and the longitudinal strain rate of the left atrium at the late diastole (LA-mSRa, reflecting LA pump function) were inversely correlated with the LV-GLS and E/e’. The LA function is closely related with the NYHA classification in patients with HFpEF. Conclusion: LA phasic functions were significantly impaired in patients with HFpEF. It can be used as a marker for scaling the severity of HFpEF.

The distribution and succession of microbial communities along the dispersion path of hydrothermal plumes has not been well investigated. In this study, we collected several types of samples from the Longqi hydrothermal field located on the Southwest Indian Ridge, including hydrothermal plumes at different stages of formation, a suite of water column samples across the non-buoyant hydrothermal plumes above this field, and a background seawater column approximately 350 km away from the hydrothermal field. Using CH4 concentration anomalies, three non-buoyant plume samples between 2,535 m and 2,735 m were identified within the water column. Microbial community compositions within these plumes and background seawater samples were examined based on the 16S rRNA genes and revealed significant variations and successions in community composition between different portions of the hydrothermal plumes. Near the vent orifice, representing the initial stage of plume formation, microbial populations were characterized by abundant and diverse putative vent-associated communities including (hyper)thermophiles such as Aquificaceae and Hydrogenothermaceae within the phylum Aquificae, and some epsilonproteobacterial chemolithoautotrophs such as Sulfurovum, Sulfurimonas, and Caminibacter. By contrast, in the rising buoyant plumes and adjacent seawaters, most vent-associated microbial taxa were still present but made only minor contributions to community composition. Some microbial taxa that are common in seawater columns such as alphaproteobacterial Sphingomonadaceae and SAR11 clade, deltaproteobacterial SAR324 clade, and gammaproteobacterial Pseudomonas, together with Sulfurimonas and SUP05 clade, became predominant. Members within the Sulfurimonas and SUP05 clade flourished with considerable abundance in the non-buoyant plumes, although these plumes were mainly composed of alphaproteobacterial Rhodobacteraceae, gammaproteobacterial Alteromonadaceae and Saccharospirillaceae putatively derived from the surrounding ambient seawater. We also analyzed archaeal components in the initial discharge and rising buoyant plume stages, with both primarily consisting of thaumarchaeal Nitrosopumilales and euryarchaeal Marine Group II. Our results indicated that being characteristic microbial lineages within the hydrothermal plumes of the Southwest Indian Ridge, both Sulfurimonas and SUP05 clade display a common and abundant distribution across the plume path. However, out of these clades, Sulfurimonas is more abundant and widespread.

Nerve agents are among the world’s deadliest poisons, and the target enzyme is acetylcholinesterase (AChE). To better diagnosis nerve agent poisonings, a reliable diagnostic method for both nerve agents and AChE is desirable. Herein, we synthesized a series of fluorescent sensors for both real nerve agents and acetylcholinesterase activity detection. Among these sensors, HBQ-AE exhibited a fast response rate (within 10 s for nerve agent and 8 min for AChE), good sensitivity (the limit of detection is 6 nM and 0.2 U/mL) and a high off/on contrast. To the best of our knowledge, HBQ-AE is the first fluorescence sensor for nerve agents and AChE activity detection. The fluorescent change of HBQ-AE from nonfluorescence to blue fluorescence (nerve agent) or orange fluorescence (AChE) by excitation at 365 nm can be easily observed with the naked eye. HBQ-AE was successfully applied to image nerve agents and AChE activity in living cells. Moreover, HBQ-AE is the vital member to construct a test paper that can be employed to detect and diagnose chemical warfare agents.

We studied the influence of aging temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties in an ultra-low carbon Cu bearing steel in the present study. During the aging process, a continuous recovery of matrix associated with formation and growth of Cu precipitates could be observed during aging processes, exerting significant effects on the mechanical properties of the steel. At aging temperature below 600 &deg, C, the mechanical properties were dominated by the precipitation strengthening effect, leading to excessive matrix strengthening and poor low-temperature toughness. Conversely, steel aged at temperatures above 650 &deg, C exhibited an extraordinary improvement in toughness at the expense of strength, which can be attributed to the synergistic effects of softening matrix, coarsened Cu precipitates and formation of reverted austenite. After aging at 650 &deg, C, reverted austenite formed at the lath boundaries. Increasing the aging temperature to 700 &deg, C lowered the thermal stability of reverted austenite, consequently, the reverted austenite was partially transformed to fresh martensite. After aging at 650 &deg, C for 0.5 h, the mechanical properties were optimized as follows&mdash, yield strength = 854 MPa, tensile strength = 990 MPa, elongation = 19.8% and Charpy impact energy = 132 J at &minus, 80 &deg, C.

This study elucidated the structure&ndash, property relationship in a Cu-bearing marine engineering steel that was water cooled and then aged at 500 &deg, C for 0.5&ndash, 3 h. The microstructural features, tensile properties and impact properties were comparatively investigated as a function of aging time. When the aging period was increased, the Cu precipitates underwent coarsening, and a stable face-centered cubic (fcc) formation occurred. Additionally, the tensile properties were significantly improved at the expense of low temperature toughness, which can be attributed to the presence of nano-sized Cu precipitates. The increment of yield strength mainly derived from Cu precipitate&ndash, dislocation interaction strengthening effects (232 MPa for 1 h and 199 MPa for 3 h.) during aging process. Therefore, optimization of mechanical properties was achieved by controlling the parameters of aging process. The peak age hardening condition (i.e., at 500 &deg, C for 1 h) resulted in the yield strength of 755 MPa, tensile strength of 812 MPa, elongation of 26.3% and impact energy of 78 J at &minus, 80 &deg, C.

We studied the effect of Cu addition on the hardness of ultra-low carbon steels heat treated with different cooling rates using thermal simulation techniques. The microstructural evolution, Cu precipitation behaviors, variations of Vickers hardness and nano-hardness are comparatively studied for Cu-free and Cu-bearing steels. The microstructure transforms from ferritic structure to ferritic + bainitic structure as a function of cooling rate for the two steels. Interphase precipitation occurs in association with the formation of ferritic structure at slower cooling rates of 0.05 and 0.2 &deg, C/s. Coarsening of Cu precipitates occurs at 0.05 &deg, C/s, leading to lower precipitation strengthening. As the cooling rate increases to 0.2 &deg, C/s, the interphase and dispersive precipitation strengthening effects are increased by 63.9 and 50.0 MPa, respectively. Cu precipitation is partially constrained at cooling rate of 5 &deg, C/s, resulting in poor nano-hardness and Young&rsquo, s Modulus. In comparison with Cu-free steel, the peak Vickers hardness, nano-hardness and Young&rsquo, s Modulus are increased by 56 HV, 0.61 GPa and 55.5 GPa at a cooling rate of 0.2 &deg, C/s, respectively. These values are apparently higher than those of Cu-free steel, indicating that Cu addition in steels can effectively strengthen the matrix.

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is a potent hepatocarcinogen in humans and exposure to AFB1 is known to cause both acute and chronic hepatocellular injury. As the liver is known to be the main target organ of aflatoxin, it is important to identify the key molecules that participate in AFB1-induced hepatotoxicity and to investigate their underlying mechanisms. In this study, the critical role of caveolin-1 in AFB1-induced hepatic cell apoptosis was examined. We found a decrease in cell viability and an increase in oxidation and apoptosis in human hepatocyte L02 cells after AFB1 exposure. In addition, the intracellular expression of caveolin-1 was increased in response to AFB1 treatment. Downregulation of caveolin-1 significantly alleviated AFB1-induced apoptosis and decreased cell viability, whereas overexpression of caveolin-1 reversed these effects. Further functional analysis showed that caveolin-1 participates in AFB1-induced oxidative stress through its interaction with Nrf2, leading to the downregulation of cellular antioxidant enzymes and the promotion of oxidative stress-induced apoptosis. In addition, caveolin-1 was found to regulate AFB1-induced autophagy. This finding was supported by the effect that caveolin-1 deficiency promoted autophagy after AFB1 treatment, leading to the inhibition of apoptosis, whereas overexpression of caveolin-1 inhibited autophagy and accelerated apoptosis. Interestingly, further investigation showed that caveolin-1 participates in AFB1-induced autophagy by regulating the EGFR/PI3K-AKT/mTOR signaling pathway. Taken together, our data reveal that caveolin-1 plays a crucial role in AFB1-induced hepatic cell apoptosis via the regulation of oxidation and autophagy, which provides a potential target for the development of novel treatments to combat AFB1 hepatotoxicity.

Context Sulfur mustard (SM), a bifunctional alkylating agent, can react with a variety of biochemical molecules (DNA, RNA, proteins and other cell components) to cause a series of serious health issues or even death. Although a plethora of research has been done, the pathogenesis of SM poisoning has yet to be fully understood due to its high complexity. As a consequence, a specific antidote has not yet been developed and the treatment of SM poisoning remains a medical challenge. In recent years, various biological products and cell transplantation in the treatment of SM poisoning offered a significant clinical treatment progress. By highlighting these and other research studies, we hereby summarize the progress in this field in an effort to provide useful information on the clinical treatment of SM poisoning. Objective This review summarizes the major advances of SM poisoning therapy by means of biological products (peptide and protein drugs, polysaccharides drugs, nucleic acid drugs, etc.), and cell transplantation (e.g., bone marrow, limbal stem cells, mesenchymal stem cells), as well as other relevant biotherapeutic approaches. Method We searched the database PubMed for published domestic and international articles using web based resources for information on histological, immunochemical, ultrastructural, and treatment features of SM-induced manifestations in both animal models and human tissues. To this end, we applied keywords containing mustard gas, chemical warfare, SM, eye, lung and skin. Results and conclusion Our review provides a comprehensive understanding of the advances of available biotherapies in SM poisoning, and its potential for the treatment of SM-induced injuries. Potentially, our review will provide new insights for future research studies in this field.

Protein persulfidation is a newly defined oxidative posttranslational modification and plays important roles in many biological processes. Detection of protein persulfidation in living systems is urgently needed to advance the study of H2S/H2Sn-based signalling and cellular redox regulation. Here, we developed a novel off-on fluorescent probe for the detection of persulfidation using a chemical sensor, HQO-SSH, in biological systems. HQO-SSH features fast reaction, good selectivity and high sensitivity. Due to the distinctive features of HQO-SSH, this probe was successfully applied to image protein persulfidation changes in pulmonary cells. We also demonstrated that the probe is suitable for imaging protein persulfidation in lung tissues. In addition, confocal imaging with this method revealed that sulfur mustard, a commonly used chemical warfare agent, decreased mitochondrial protein persulfidation in living lung cells and tissues. Due to these results, this probe holds great promise for exploring the role of protein persulfidation in a variety of pathophysiological conditions.

The depletion of fishery resources and the related deterioration of marine environments has caused countries worldwide to seek solutions designed to enhance the value of fishery production and improve environmental conditions. Marine ranching has become an important means used to develop the marine economy from a human perspective while balancing the needs of marine ecology. The development of marine ranching has been particularly rapid in China. In this study, 25 marine ranching in Shandong Province, a strong province in the development of marine ranching, were investigated by collecting first-hand data and evaluating the ecological efficiency of marine ranching efforts. Then, a text database of the relevant policies related to county-level marine ranching was used as the research object. The text was quantified through a Latent Dirichlet allocation model, and three factors influencing the policy themes were obtained. Other data were collected by referring to relevant yearbooks and government reports providing information on economic development and the situations faced by enterprises. Finally, fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis was used to analyze the influence of conditional configuration, and the different path configurations with high and low ecological efficiency for marine ranching were studied, providing an empirical analysis for related research into marine ranching. The results showed that most of the marine ranching in the study area was still in the initial development stage, with fishery production as the main goal and lack of systematic concept, and the construction level of marine ranching in the region varied greatly. Improving the ecological efficiency of marine ranching depends on innovation and publicity, which are the key factors for the sustainable and efficient development of marine ranching.

Novel superhydrophobic sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) modified polyurethane (MPU) was developed as the membrane material for controlled-release fertilizer (CRF) by cross-linking polymerization of 4,4′-diphenylmethane diisocyanate (MDI) and CMC-based modified polyol (CMP) which was made by grafting CMC onto polyether polyol (TMN-450). The modified polyurethane coated fertilizer (MPUCF) was prepared by using MPU as the membrane material through a fluidized bed device. Analysis results of 13C NMR showed that the coatings of PUCF and MPUCF were prepared by connecting hydroxyl to isocyanate groups to form a carbamate. MPU had lower water absorption rates than PU, and MPUCF coating showed excellent hydrophobicity. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed that MPUCF coating surface was much more smooth and flat than that of PUCF. Furthermore, the nitrogen (N) release longevity of MPUCF can increased to 140 days when the coating rate was 5%. It is concluded that MPU was an excellent superhydrophobic coating material for CRF.

Biotransformation of amorphous calcium carbonate into calcite and other inorganic calcium minerals is a worldwide phenomenon in the bacterial kingdom. In this study, it showed that calcite (CaCO3) could be transformed into an organic mineral earlandite [Ca3(C6H5O7)2·4H2O], through the dissolution of calcite and subsequent crystallization by the fungus Trichoderma asperellum BDH65. Observations by light microscopy showed that the fungal induced crystal particles were deposited as irregularly granular accumulations of micro globular particles. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy revealed that each micro globular particle consists of numerous needle-like crystals with domed end assembling radially with their ends pointing outside from its centers. This is clearly different from the shapes of microsheets formed by the chemical method. The mineral phase of the fungal catalyzed crystals is identified as earlandite, which is chemically identical to calcium citrate tetrahydrate. Structure and properties of the fungal formed crystals are further characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and thermogravimetry, showing a similar pattern with those observed for chemically synthesized calcium citrate tetrahydrate. The current result may useful for understanding bioweathering of minerals and rocks, and insight into the calcium cycling driven by fungi.

The structural evolution of nano Cu-precipitates was studied with high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. 9R Cu precipitates were mainly multiple-twinned. However, the unusual 9R Cu precipitates with no twins were also observed. The 9R→face-centered tetragonal (fct) transition can occur without complete detwinning with 9R Cu structure, which has been confirmed by fast Fourier transform pattern and calculation of Moire’ fringes. Instead of commonly-accepted evolution process of body-centered cubic (bcc)→twinned 9R→3R→face-centered cubic (fcc), a new transformation mechanism of bcc→9R→twinned fcc or fct→fcc has been proposed. Finally, a crystallographic model was established to explain the bcc→9R→fcc transformation processes.

Information-sharing behavior is affected by identity recognition perception. The current study aims to delve into the impact of familiarity and anonymity on information-sharing behavior, and the mediating role of intrinsic motivations on WeChat Moments. We hypothesized a mediator role of intrinsic motivations in the relationship between an individual’s perceptions and information sharing. Based on the self-determination theory, a model was created and tested using a sample of 531 frequent users. In this study, these users were asked to use WeChat Moments, the most popular mobile private social networking site in China. The results demonstrate the significance of familiarity and identifiability in an interpersonal relationship, when using social networking sites. Moreover, the influence of perceived anonymity on information-sharing behavior, which is entirely mediated by intrinsic motivation has been validated from an empirical perspective. Our findings extend previous studies by showing the totally mediated effect of perceived anonymity on information-sharing behavior on WeChat Moments and the influential mechanism of intrinsic motivation. The results will inform researchers about the importance of incorporating the interpersonal structural features and intrinsic motivation of social networking sites into future studies on online information-sharing behavior. Important ways to promote attention and share information involve building a familiar relationship with communities and equipping oneself with off-line relations. Final indications for future developments are provided, with a special emphasis on the development of these findings in various social networking sites contexts.

Deoxynivalenol (DON) and T-2 toxin are major trichothecenes contaminated in cereals, which might bring harmful effects to humans. In this research, mixed anti-DON and anti-T-2 mAb were used for multiple immunoaffinity columns (mIACs) preparation. Under the optimal conditions, column capacities were tested at 1280 ng/mL for DON and 1160 ng/mL for T-2 toxin. Regeneration investigation showed mIACs capacities were over 510 ng/mL for DON and 440 ng/mL for T-2 toxin in 10 recycle usages. Good performances were obtained when applying mIACs purification coupled UHPLC-MS/MS for spiked samples with limit of detection at 3–13 μg/kg and mean recoveries at 79.0–97.6%. Applying to estimate the exposure of DON and T-2 toxin in commercial samples, maize samples were 100% DON positive and rice samples were 40% DON positive while T-2 toxin was negative in all tested samples. The proposed method is reliable and suitable for monitoring DON and T-2 toxin in cereal samples.

Sulfur mustard is one of the most harmful chemical warfare agents and can induce skin, eye, and lung injuries. However, it is hard for medical stuff to diagnose sulfur mustard poisoning early because of the incubation period after sulfur mustard exposure. Detecting intact sulfur mustard in vivo might be an effective approach for the early diagnosis of sulfur mustard poisoning. A series of fluorescent probes for intact sulfur mustard detection were developed in this study. All of the developed probes could react with sulfur mustard selectivity. Among these probes, SiNIR-SM exhibited an extremely good response rate and a high off/on contrast. To the best of our knowledge, SiNIR-SM is the first near-infrared fluorescent probe for the sulfur mustard detection. Both SiNIR-SM and OxSM-1 were successfully applied to image sulfur mustard in living cells. Using SiNIR-SM, we found that sulfur mustard accumulates in the mitochondria of living cells. This result could provide a new insight for the treatment of sulfur mustard injuries. We also found that SiNIR-SM is suitable for the early diagnostic imaging of sulfur mustard poisoning in SKH-1 mice via the detection of intact sulfur mustard.

Background Owing to the comprehensive application of quinoxaline‐1,4‐dioxides (QdNOs) in aquaculture, QdNOs and metabolites are often detected in marine food, including abalone. QdNOs are reported to exhibit cytotoxicity, photoallergy, mutagenicity, and carcinogenicity activities. To monitor for contamination of QdNOS in abalone and assess dietary exposure, a simple and reliable analytical method for the detection of QdNOs and their major metabolites was developed. Results This work is the first to present a simple and fast pretreatment procedure coupled with high‐performance liquid chromatography tandem positive‐mode electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) for tracing of major metabolites of QdNOs in abalone. Extraction steps were simplified by the use of methanol and ethyl acetate containing 0.1% formic acid instead of more complicated acidolysis and enzymolysis pretreatment procedures. High‐sensitive characters were obtained with limits of detection ranged from 0.16 to 2.1μg kg−1for QdNOs and their major metabolites. Conclusion These results indicate that the LC–MS/MS method developed could be applied for QdNOs and major metabolites detection in actual samples. Considering the large production and consumption of abalone in Shandong Province, China, this work will also contribute to the further understanding of the often‐ignored exposure pathway of QdNOs. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry

Five previously undescribed monoterpenoid indole alkaloids were isolated from the roots of Gelsemium elegans. Their structures with absolute configurations were elucidated by HRESIMS, X-ray diffraction, ECD spectra, and molecular modeling. 19,20-Epoxyhumantenine is a humantenine-type alkaloid with an epoxypropyl group at the C-20 position, (4R)-19-oxo-gelsevirine N4-oxide is a gelsemine-related alkaloid, and gelsedethenine is a gelsedine-type alkaloid with a butenyl group at the C-20 position. Moreover, 10,11-dimethoxy-N1-demethoxy-gelsemamide is an open-loop indole alkaloid and 11-demethoxy-gelsemazonamide is an aromatic azo-linked dimeric indole alkaloid. Among the five alkaloids, (4R)-19-oxo-gelsevirine N4-oxide and 10,11-dimethoxy-N1-demethoxy-gelsemamide exhibited significant inhibitory effects on nitric oxide production in lipopolysaccharide-induced RAW 264.7 macrophage cells, with IC50 values of 6.18 ± 1.07 and 12.2 ± 1.02 μM, respectively.

Table S1. List of antibodies used in the study. (PDF 231 kb)