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Phosphorus (P) plays a pivotal role in plant growth and development. Low P stress can greatly hamper plant growth. Here, we identified a QTL (named QPH-9-1), which is associated with P efficiency across multiple environments through linkage analysis and genome-wide association study. Furthermore, we successfully cloned the underlying soybean (Glycine max) gene GmRR1 (a soybean type-B Response Regulator 1) that encodes a type-B response regulator protein. Knockout of GmRR1 resulted in a substantial increase in plant height, biomass, P uptake efficiency, and yield-related traits due to the modification of root structure. In contrast, overexpression of GmRR1 in plants resulted in a decrease in these phenotypes. Further analysis revealed that knockout of GmRR1 substantially increased the levels of auxin and ethylene in roots, thereby promoting root hair formation and growth by promoting the formation of root hair primordium and lengthening the root apical meristem. Yeast two-hybrid, bimolecular fluorescence complementation, and dual-luciferase assays demonstrated an interaction between GmRR1 and Histidine-containing Phosphotransmitter protein 1. Expression analysis suggested that these proteins coparticipated in response to low P stress. Analysis of genomic sequences showed that GmRR1 underwent a selection during soybean domestication. Taken together, this study provides further insights into how plants respond to low P stress by modifying root architecture through phytohormone pathways. A soybean type-B response regulator adjusts root structure to enhance plant phosphorus uptake efficiency and yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing plant photosynthetic capacity is a promising approach to boost yields, but it is particularly challenging in C3 crops, such as soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Here, we identified GmFtsH25, encoding a member of the filamentation temperature‐sensitive protein H protease family, as a major gene involved in soybean photosynthesis, using linkage mapping and a genome‐wide association study. Overexpressing GmFtsH25 resulted in more grana thylakoid stacks in chloroplasts and increased photosynthetic efficiency and starch content, while knocking out GmFtsH25 produced the opposite phenotypes. GmFtsH25 interacted with photosystem I light harvesting complex 2 (GmLHCa2), and this interaction may contribute to the observed enhanced photosynthesis. GmFtsH25 overexpression lines had superior yield traits, such as yield per plant, compared to the wild type and knockout lines. Additionally, we identified an elite haplotype of GmFtsH25, generated by natural mutations, which appears to have been selected during soybean domestication. Our study sheds light on the molecular mechanism by which GmFtsH25 modulates photosynthesis and provides a promising strategy for improving the yields of soybean and other crops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) deficiency seriously affects plant growth and development and ultimately limits the quality and yield of crops. Here, a new P efficiency‐related major quantitative trait locus gene, GmEIL4 (encoding an ethylene‐insensitive 3‐like 1 protein), was cloned at qP2, which was identified by linkage analysis and genome‐wide association study across four environments. Overexpressing GmEIL4 significantly improved the P uptake efficiency by increasing the number, length and surface area of lateral roots of hairy roots in transgenic soybeans, while interfering with GmEIL4 resulted in poor root phenotypic characteristics compared with the control plants under low P conditions. Interestingly, we found that GmEIL4 interacted with EIN3‐binding F box protein 1 (GmEBF1), which may regulate the root response to low P stress. We conclude that the expression of GmEIL4 was induced by low‐P stress and that overexpressing GmEIL4 improved P accumulation by regulating root elongation and architecture. Analysis of allele variation of GmEIL4 in 894 soybean accessions suggested that GmEIL4 is undergoing artificial selection during soybean evolution, which will benefit soybean production. Together, this study further elucidates how plants respond to low P stress by modifying root structure and provides insight into the great potential of GmEIL4 in crop P‐efficient breeding. Significance Statement: GmEIL4 regulates soybean phosphorus efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect behaviors in GaN-based compounds studied by using density functional theory have exhibited widely practical applications for optoelectronic devices. Ga is usually used to solubilize in AlN to release the lattice mismatch and the interface strain. In this study, we investigate the formation energies and diffusion barriers of intrinsic point defects within the GaN/AlN interface. The intrinsic defect with the lowest formation energy is positively charged N vacancy, and negatively charged Ga vacancy is the defect with second lower formation energy. Compared with the case in bulk GaN, the GaN/AlN interface promotes the generation of Ga vacancy and inhibits the generation of N vacancy. Meanwhile, the defect diffusion barrier of N vacancy within the GaN/AlN interface is higher than that in the bulk GaN. The hydrostatic compressive/ tensile strain significantly promotes the generation of these two vacancy defects, while biaxial tensile strain and the biaxial compressive strain slightly promote and inhibit the generation of these two vacancy defects, respectively. These interface and strain effects provide the significant information in understanding the electrical properties of GaN-based devices, especially under the extreme conditions. Our work therefore not only elucidates defect behaviors under different strains in GaN/AlN interface, but also paves the way for understanding and designing promising electronic devices with interface engineering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anterior cervical diskectomy and fusion (ACDF) has been widely accepted as a gold standard for patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM). However, there was insufficient evidence to compare the changes in the cervical alignment with different fusion devices in a long follow-up period. This meta-analysis was performed to compare the radiologic outcomes and loss of correction (LOC) in cervical alignment of Zero-profile (ZP) device versus cage-plate (CP) construct for the treatment of CSM. Methods: Retrospective and prospective studies directly comparing the outcomes between the ZP device and CP construct in ACDF were included. Data extraction was conducted and study quality was assessed independently. A meta-analysis was carried out by using fixed effects and random effects models to calculate the odds ratio and mean difference in the ZP group and the CP group. Results: Fourteen trials with a total of 1067 participants were identified. ZP group had a lower rate of postoperative dysphagia at the 2- or 3-month and 6-month follow-up than CP group, and ZP group was associated with a decreased ASD rate at the last follow-up when compared with the CP group. The pooled data of radiologic outcomes revealed that there was no significant difference in postoperative and last follow-up IDH. However, postoperative and last follow-up cervical Cobb angle was significantly smaller in the ZP group when compared with the CP group. In subgroup analyses, when the length of the last follow-up was less than 3 years, there was no difference between two groups. However, as the last follow-up time increased, cervical Cobb angle was significantly lower in the ZP group when compared with the CP group. Conclusion: Based on the results of our analysis, the application of ZP device in ACDF had a lower rate of postoperative dysphagia and ASD than CP construct. Both devices were safe in anterior cervical surgeries, and they had similar efficacy in correcting radiologic outcomes. However, as the last follow-up time increased, ZP group showed greater changes cervical alignment. In order to clarify the specific significance of LOC, additional large clinical studies with longer follow-up period are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel photocatalytic coupled ozone catalysis (PCO) system was constructed. • The magnetic ternary catalyst γ-Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO@CNTs was synthesized by green precipitation method. • The multi-coupling mechanism of photocatalysis, ozone catalysis and Fenton was revealed. Aniline is highly toxic and difficult to degrade by conventional biological treatment processes. Thus, more efficient processing technology needs to be developed. Photocatalysis coupling catalytic ozonation (PCO) could be a solution. In this study, a green precipitation method was used to synthesize a γ-Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO@CNT catalyst, which exhibits high activity for aniline PCO degradation and strong magnetic properties for rapid separation. Under the optimal conditions, the aniline removal rate reached 93.5%. After 5 reaction cycles, the γ-Fe 2 O 3 /ZnO@CNT catalysts can be separated easily with a magnet, and a 91% aniline removal rate can be maintained. Furthermore, there are at least 4 kinds of advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) in this system, i.e., (1) photocatalytic oxidation; (2) catalytic ozonation; (3) photocatalytic ozone; and (4) Fenton oxidation. Thus, a novel stable and magnetically separable catalyst was developed, and new insight were provided for the role of PCO processes in the treatment of aniline. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Bladder cancer stem cells could promote the recurrence and drug resistance of bladder cancer. Numerous studies have shown that keratin 6B (KRT6B) is involved in the production and progression of tumors, and is closely related to the prognosis of tumors. OBJECTIVE: To observe the expression of keratin 6B in CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells and to show the influence of keratin 6B on proliferation, migration, and self-renewal of bladder cancer stem cells, and to further explore the effect of keratin 6B expression on the prognosis of bladder cancer patients. METHODS: (1) CD44+ 5637 bladder cancer stem cells were isolated by magnetic active cell sorting. Cancer stem cellrelated gene expression of SOX2, OCT4, and NANOG was detected via real-time polymerase chain reaction. The spheroid formation assay was used to detect the ability of self-renewal of cancer stem cells in CD44+ cells. Keratin 6B expression was detected in CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells by real-time polymerase chain reaction. (2) The CD44+ 5637 bladder cancer stem cells were divided into two groups. In the keratin 6B siRNA group, keratin 6B small interfering RNA was transfected into CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells. Untransfected CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells were used as the black control group. Cells were collected at 2 days post-transfection. The proliferation, migration, and selfrenewal capacity of keratin 6B siRNA CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells were detected by the colony and wound healing assay and spheroid formation respectively. (3) Totally 24 bladder cancer tissues were used by immunohistochemistry to analyze the expression of CD44v6 and keratin 6B. (4) ONCOMINE database was used to analyze the effect of keratin 6B expression on the overall survival of bladder cancer. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Cancer stem cell-related genes (SOX2, OCT4, NANOG) and keratin 6B expression was higher in CD44+ cells isolated by magnetic active cell sorting compared with CD44- cells (P < 0.05). Cell proliferation, migration, and in vitro spheroid formation were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Keratin 6B small interfering RNA down-regulated the expression of keratin 6B in CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells (P < 0.05). (2) Compared with the blank control group, the proliferation and migration of CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells after transfection of keratin 6B small interfering RNA (P < 0.05), and the number of tumorsphere significantly diminished (P < 0.05); the expression of Notch1 and Hes1 mRNA increased (P < 0.05). (3) Keratin 6B and CD44v6 were significantly different in bladder cancer tissue (P=0.006). The overall survival rate of bladder cancer patients with high expression of keratin 6B was lower than that of patients with low expression of keratin 6B. (4) The results showed that keratin 6B was highly expressed in CD44+ bladder cancer stem cells, and could promote the proliferation, migration, and self-renewal capacity of bladder cancer stem cells. The high expression of keratin 6B contributes to improving the survival of bladder cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose and develop a novel color image fusion model by using saturation-value total variation. In the proposed model, we develop a variational approach containing an energy functional to determine the weighting mask functions and the fused image together. The objective fused image is modeled by using the saturation-value total variation regularization. The data-fitting term is formulated based on the weighting L 2 norm of the objective fused image and the input observed images. The objective weighting mask functions are modeled by using total variation for the piecewise-smoothness purpose. Meanwhile, we add another fidelity term to capture more texture and color information from the input images by forcing the weighting local mean images to be close to the clear input image. The existence of a solution of the proposed minimizing model is shown. Numerically, we apply alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) to solve the proposed minimization problem, meanwhile, we give the convergence analysis of the proposed algorithm. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate that the performance of the proposed color image fusion model is better than that of other testing methods in terms of visual quality and some criterias such as structure similarity (SSIM), average local contrast (ALC), discrete entropy (DE), natural image quality evaluator (NIQE) and perception-based image quality evaluator (PIQE). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taohong Siwu decoction (TSD) is a classic traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) prescription used to promote the blood circulation and alleviate blood stasis. TSD consists of Paeonia lactiflora Pall. , Conioselinum anthriscoides (H. Boissieu) Pimenov & Kljuykov, Rehmannia glutinosa (Gaertn.) DC., Prunus persica (L.) Batsch, Angelica sinensis (Oliv.) Diels, and Carthamus creticus L. in the ratio of 3:2:4:3:3:2. Studies on the effects of TSD on myocardial ischemia–reperfusion injury (MIRI) from the perspective of autophagy and pyroptosis have not been reported. Investigate the effect of TSD on MIRI and explore the underlying mechanisms. We searched the main components and corresponding potential targets of TSD on The Pharmacology of Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems database for target prediction. We identified targets for MIRI on Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man and GeneCards databases. The intersection of the compound target and disease target was obtained and a protein–protein interaction network constructed. We undertook enrichment analyses using Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes databases. The results of network pharmacology were verified by in vivo experiments in mice. In mice, TSD significantly reduced the volume of the myocardial infarct, significantly reduced serum levels of cardiac troponin-nI (CTnI), creatine kinase-myocardial band (CK-MB), malonaldehyde (MDA), interleukin (IL)-6, increased the activity of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and IL-10 level, reduced the level of pyroptosis in myocardial tissue, increased the number of autophagosomes, and significantly reduced the fluorescence intensity of apoptosis-associated speck-like protein (ASC), Nod-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), and caspase-1. TSD administration increased the protein expression of microtubule-associated protein light chain 3 (LC3), but reduced the protein expression of p62, NLRP3, ASC, caspase-1, cleaved caspase-1, pro-caspase-1, gasdermin D (GSDMD), GSDMD-N-terminal, IL-18, and IL-1β. Administration of 3-Methyladenin could reverse the effect of TSD in inhibiting inflammation and the release of proinflammatory factors. TSD treatment alleviated MIRI by promoting autophagy to suppress activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and reducing the release of proinflammatory factors. [Display omitted] • Taohong Siwu decoction alleviate acute myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury. • Taohong Siwu decoction suppress activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. • Taohong Siwu decoction treatment alleviated MIRI by promoting autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gene and chemical therapy has become one of the rising stars in the field of molecular medicine during the last two decades. However, there are still numerous challenges in the development of efficient, targeted, and safe delivery systems that can avoid siRNA degradation and reduce the toxicity and adverse effects of chemotherapy medicine. Results: In this paper, a highly efficient AS1411 aptamer modified, dsDNA and MMP-2 cleavable peptide-fabricated gold nanocage vehicle, which could load doxorubicin hydrochloride (DOX) and siRNAs to achieve a combination of tumor responsive genetic therapy, chemotherapy, and photothermal treatment is presented. Our results show that this combined treatment achieved targeted gene silencing and tumor inhibition. After nearly one month of treatment with DOX-loaded Au-siRNA-PAA-AS1411 nanoparticles with one dose every three days in mice, a synergistic effect promoting the eradication of long-lived tumors was observed along with an increased survival rate of mice. The combined genetic, chemotherapeutic, and photothermal treatment group exhibited more than 90% tumor inhibition ratio (tumor signal) and a ~ 67% survival rate compared with a 30% tumor inhibition ratio and a 0% survival rate in the passive genetic treatment group. Conclusions: The development of nanocarriers with double-stranded DNA and MMP-2 cleavable peptides provides a new strategy for the combined delivery of gene and chemotherapy medicine. Au-siRNA-PAA-AS1411 exerts high anticancer activities on lung cancer, indicating immense potentials for clinical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis plays an extremely important role throughout the life cycle of plants. Improving the photosynthetic rate is a major target for increasing crop productivity. This study was conducted to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with the net photosynthetic rate (Pn), stomatal conductance (Cond), intercellular carbon dioxide concentration (Ci) and transpiration rate (Trmmol) through genome-wide association study (GWAS) and to inspect the relationships among these traits in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). A population of 219 soybean accessions was used in this research. A total of 12 quantitative trait loci (QTLs) associated with Pn, Cond, Ci and Trmmol were detected and distributed on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, and 19, and some of these QTL overlapped with previously reported QTLs. Furthermore, four candidate genes were identified, and there were significantly different expression levels between the high-light-efficiency accessions and low-light-efficiency accessions. These putative genes may participate in the regulation of photosynthesis through different metabolic pathways. Therefore, the associated novel QTLs and candidate genes detected in this study will provide a theoretical basis for genetic studies of photosynthesis and provide new avenues for crop improvement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphorus (P) is essential for the growth and development of plants, playing crucial roles in energy acquisition, storage and utilization, regulation of enzyme activities, and yield formation. Therefore, P deficiency in soil is a main factor restricting crop production. The main reason is that crop yields depend on photosynthesis which is vulnerable to low P stress. Thus, it is important to study the relationship between photosynthesis and P efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the P efficiency by using the photosynthesis-related traits in 219 diverse soybean accessions across three different environments and dissected the underlying mechanism using a high-resolution genome-wide association study (GWAS). In total, 30 significant SNPs distributed in 14 genomic regions were identified to be associated with three photosynthesis-related traits under different P levels. Among the 14 associated regions, two regions (qP13 and qP19) were both found in two environments and explained 14.01% and 16.75% of the phenotypic variation, respectively. Furthermore, seven candidate genes underlying qP13 and qP19 were considered promising candidates involved in both soybean photosynthetic and low P tolerance. In all, we uncover two novel environmentally stable major genomic regions of P efficiency by using photosynthesis-related traits, which may provide more information for marker-assisted breeding in soybean and laying the foundation for simultaneously improving P efficiency and photosynthetic capacity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of Cu addition on the microstructure, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of Ni-P-PTFE composite coatings were studied in this paper. The microstructure, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of the coatings were investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), electrochemical workstation, nano-indenter, and friction wear testing machine, respectively. The results show that Cu addition has great influence on the composition, microstructure, corrosion resistance and mechanical properties of Ni-P-PTFE composite coating. With the increase of Cu2+ concentration in the plating solution, Cu content in the coating first increased and then decreased, while the content of Ni, P, and PTFE first decreased and then increased. With the increase of Cu content in the coating, the corrosion resistance and hardness of Ni-Cu-P-PTFE composite coatings improved, while the friction performance decreased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on probability theory, two types of three-dimensional Ising models with different four-spin interactions are studied. Firstly the partition function of the system is calculated by considering the local correlation of spins in a given configuration, and then the properties of the phase transition are quantitatively discussed with series expansion technique and numerical method. Meanwhile the rounding errors in this calculation is analyzed so that the possibly source of the error in the calculation based on the mean field theory is pointed out. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer therapeutic drugs face various transportation barriers in transit to the tumor site, making the delivery of effective drug concentrations problematic. Moreover, these drugs are very difficult to use due to their adverse off-target effects. Thus, it is very essential to develop a drug delivery system that can deliver drugs to achieve effective local concentrations without side effects on healthy tissues. Herein, the authors report a self-assembled nanodrug system in which hydrophobic antitumor drugs are packaged into nanoparticles to improve water solubility, tumor targeting ability, blood retention time, and chemotherapeutic effect. The nanodrugs are degraded into smaller ones when exposed to the tumor microenvironment, extravasated from leaky regions of the tumor vasculature, and displayed matrix metalloproteinase-2 (MMP-2)-induced degradation and antitumor property. To construct this unique system, an amphiphilic multifunctional molecule (Pep-Cy5) is synthesized by attaching a MMP-2-cleavable peptide to a hydrophobic near-infrared dye, Cy5. Two hydrophobic anticancer drugs are conjugated to Pep-Cy5 through hydrophobic interactions to form the self-assembled nanodrug system. The MMP-2-induced degradation and hydrophobic antitumor drug interchangeability features of this nanosystem enable the hydrophobic antitumor drugs to exhibit longer blood-retention times, improved intratumoral accumulation, fewer side effects, and higher anticancer efficacies compared with free drugs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Various patching materials and field procedures have been studied for pothole repairing on highway asphalt pavements. However, only a few publications have focused on patching materials for epoxy asphalt pavement on steel bridge decks. Considering the requirements of steel deck pavements, a patching material was developed using a fast cure thermosetting binder and a fine gradation. Then, to evaluate the fatigue performance of patched structure, a three-point bending fatigue test was conducted on three types of composite beams under four different stress ratios. After that, the Prony series presentation of the generalized Maxwell model was used to analyze the viscoelastic response of different patched beams and the effect of viscoelastic difference. The results showed that the fatigue test performed well on exposing the vulnerable parts of patched structures. The developed patching material had a smaller dynamic modulus and performed better in fatigue resistance than commonly used epoxy asphalt mixture. Nevertheless, with the growth of viscoelastic difference between patching material and original material, the stress state on vertical patching interface becomes worse, and the interface becomes easier to fracture under cyclic load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• GmWRKY46 gene belonging to group III of WRKY TF family and was significantly induced by P deprivation and mainly expressed in roots. • Overexpression of GmWRKY46 in soybean exhibited more sensitive phenotype to low P stress compared with the control, whereas RNA of GmWRKY46 significantly enhanced the tolerance to P deficiency by increasing the P absorption efficiency of hairy roots. Phosphorus (P) deficiency affects soybean growth and development, resulting in significant reduction of yields. However, the regulatory mechanism of P deficiency tolerance in soybean is still largely unclear. WRKY transcription factors are a family of regulators involved in a variety of abiotic stresses in plants while rarely reported in P deficiency. Here, we demonstrated that a soybean GmWRKY46 gene, belonging to group III of WRKY TF family, was involved in the regulation of P deficiency tolerance in soybean. The expression of GmWRKY46 in low P sensitive soybean varieties was significantly higher than that in tolerant soybean varieties. It was primarily expressed in roots and strongly induced by P deprivation. GmWRKY46 was localized in the nucleus. Compared with the control expressing the empty vector, overexpression of GmWRKY46 in soybean hairy roots exhibited more sensitive phenotypes to low P stress, while the RNA interfered GmWRKY46 significantly enhanced P deficiency tolerance by increasing the proliferation, elongation and P absorption efficiency of hairy roots. Expression patterns of a number of P-responsive genes (GmPht1;1 , GmPht1;4, GmPTF1, GmACP1, GmPAP21 and GmExpansin-A7) were altered in both overexpression and gene silenced plants. The results provided a novel insight into how soybean responds to low P stress and new gene that may be used to improve soybean low P tolerance through gene editing approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photosynthesis plays an important role in plant growth and development. Increasing photosynthetic rate is a main objective of improving crop productivity. Chlorophyll fluorescence is an effective method for quickly evaluating photosynthesis. In this study, four representative chlorophyll fluorescence parameters, that is, maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II, quantum efficiency of PSII, photochemical quenching, and non-photochemical quenching, of 219 diverse soybean accessions were measured across three environments. The underlying genetic architecture was analyzed by genome-wide association study. Forty-eight SNPs were detected to associate with the four traits and explained 10.43–20.41% of the phenotypic variation. Nine candidate genes in the stable QTLs were predicted. Great differences in the expression levels of the candidate genes existed between the high photosynthetic efficiency accessions and low photosynthetic efficiency accessions. In all, we uncover 17 QTLs associated with photosynthesis-related traits and nine genes that may participate in the regulation of photosynthesis, which can provide references for revealing the genetic mechanism of photosynthesis. These QTLs and candidate genes will provide new targets for crop yield improvement through increasing photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs) represent a new class of fluorophores. Both the excitation and (anti-Stokes) emission wavelengths are in the long wave part of the spectrum so that their luminescence can deeply penetrate tissues and cause low photodamage in biological samples. Their large anti-Stokes shifts, sharp emission bands, zero auto-fluorescence from biological samples and high photostability renders them an ideal kind of fluorescent labels for a variety of analytical formats, for bioimaging in cancer therapy. This review covers the basic mechanisms of up-conversion luminescence, the methods for the synthesis and surface modification of biocompatible UCNPs, and aspects of the in vivo delivery of UCNPs. More specifically, we discuss (a) recent progress regarding UCNPs for multimodal targeted tumor imaging, (b) UCNP-based methods of biological detection and sensing, (c) the use of UCNPs in drug delivery, (d) applications in photodynamic therapy, photothermal therapy and radiotherapy. Finally, we are addressing challenges and opportunities of this quickly emerging field. Contains 362 references. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the past decade, the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) has been considered as a potential candidate of power sources for portable electronics due to its high energy density and environmental friendly operation. However, the use of diluted fuel loading and active fuel mixer/pump limits the DMFC's efficiency and operating time dramatically. The disadvantages become more severe in microscale DMFCs which require high conversion efficiency within a small physical space to meet the strict working specifications. In this paper, a low-power micro fuel supplier with programmable concentration regulation was designed and fabricated by using microelectromechanical system technology. The prototype adopted surface-tension pumping as the primary driving force to deliver fuel at zero power consumption. In addition, a well-arranged microfluidic capillary network was used to regulate the fuel concentration. A pulse-power actuated bubbler switch was embedded in the capillary network to achieve the liquid flow control dynamically and to adjust the fuel concentration for micro-DMFC ( \muDMFC) reaction. Both electrolysis and thermal bubble actuations were investigated in this paper for their effective operations in the prototype. The advantage of precise and low-power fuel regulation within a compact system volume makes the proposed fuel delivery subsystem a suitable candidate for future on-chip \muDMFC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: For the past decade, extensive mathematical modelling has been conducted on the design and optimization of liquid-feed direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Detailed modelling of DMFC operations reveals that a two-phase flow phenomenon at the anode and under-rib convection due to the pressure difference between the adjacent channels both contribute significantly to mass-transfer in a DMFC and its output performance. In practice, comprehensive simulations based on the finite volume technique for two-phase flow require a high level of numerical complexity in computation. This study presents a complexity-reduced mathematical model that is developed to cover both phenomena for a realistic, but fast, in computation for the prediction and analysis of a DMFC prototype design. The simulation results are validated against experimental data with good agreement. Analysis of the DMFC mass-transfer is made to investigate methanol distribution at anode and its crossover through the proton-exchange membrane. From a comparison of the influence of two-phase flow and under-rib mass-transfer on DMFC performance, the significance of gas-phase methanol transport is established. Simulation results suggest that both the optimization of the flow-field structure and the fuel cell operating parameters (flow rate, methanol concentration and operating temperature) are important factors for competitive DMFC performance output. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: By using metal nitrates as starting materials, SrAl2B2O7: Tb3+ and SrAl2B2O7: Ce3+, Tb3+ powder phosphors were prepared by sol–gel method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), photoluminescence excitation and emission, as well as kinetic decays were employed to characterize the resulting samples. The results show that energy transfers from Ce3+ to Tb3+ ions. The emission intensity of Tb3+ ions in SrAl2B2O7 could be greatly intensified when Ce3+ ions are doped into SrAl2B2O7: Tb3+. The decay times of SrAl2B2O7: Tb3+ were prolonged when Ce3+ ions were doped. The doping of Ce3+ ions not only improved the luminescent intensity, but also made the materials gets stable luminescent properties. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Eu3+ doped SrAl2B2O7 phosphors were fabricated by the wet method. The structures of the phosphors were characterized by XRD. The doping content of Eu3+ ions in SrAl2B2O7:Eu3+ phosphors are 1%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% (molar fraction), respectively. Luminescence properties were analyzed by measuring the excitation and photoluminescence spectra. The luminescent properties of SrAl2B2O7:Eu3+ phosphors are discussed. It is shown that from 4% to 6% of doping content of Eu3+ ions under 392nm excitation in SrAl2B2O7:Eu3+ phosphors is optimum. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Compatibilized blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were developed using maleated PVDF (PVDF-g-MA). Excellent compatibilization between PVDF and TPU was demonstrated by rheological, morphological, and mechanical measurements. The introduction of PVDF-g-MA into the PVDF/TPU blends caused an increase in viscosity and storage modulus. Much finer morphologiy was clearly observed by SEM. The tensile tests showed that the tensile strength and ultimate elongation achieved a significant improvement with addition of PVDF-g-MA. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The existing direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) systems are fed with a fixed concentration of fuel, which are either a diluted methanol solution or an active fuel delivery driven by an attached active pump. Both approaches limit the power conversion density or degrade the overall efficiency of the DMFC system significantly. Such disadvantages become more severe in small-scale DMFCs, which require a high conversion efficiency and a small physical space suitable for portable electronics. In this paper, passive fuel delivery based on a surface tension driving mechanism was designed and integrated in a laboratory-made prototype to achieve consumption depending on fuel concentration and power-free fuel delivery. Unidirectional methanol-to-water smooth flow is achieved through the capillaries of a Teflon PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) membrane based on the difference in liquid surface tension. The prototype was demonstrated to exhibit a better polarization performance and to last for an extended operating time compared to conventional DMFCs. Its high efficiency and load regulation performance were also demonstrated in contrast to an active DMFC supplied with a constant concentration fuel. The fuel delivery driven by the liquid surface tension effect demonstrated here is believed to be more applicable for future small-scale DMFCs for portable electronics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The irreversible curing reaction of thermosetting epoxy asphalt mixture (EAM) brings challenges to the construction of epoxy asphalt concrete (EAC) on the steel bridge deck, and the curing reaction degree (CRD) of EAM before compaction has a great influence on the compaction quality. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of excessive CRD condition and uneven CRD condition of warm mix EAC on its field compaction. To achieve this goal, a field compaction model for EAC on a steel bridge deck was developed using discrete-element method (DEM) first. In the DEM model, a two-stage contact model that combined Burges model with the parallel bond model was used to characterize the thermosetting and viscoelastic behaviors of EAM, and the values of the contact model's parameters under different CRDs were determined by a trial calculation method based on Superpave gyratory compaction test. Subsequently, the field compaction process of cured EAM with different CRDs was simulated by changing the contact parameters' value, and the effects of excessive CRD condition and uneven CRD condition on the compaction quality were analyzed. Results show that the highly cured EAM is hard to be compacted unless larger compaction loads are adopted in the repeated compaction. Uneven CRD of EAM is prone to generate the mixture agglomeration, and it has negative effects on the compaction quality of the surrounding EAM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Seeds are the economic basis of oilseed crops, especially soybeans, the most widely cultivated oilseed crop worldwide. Seed development is accompanied by a multitude of diverse cellular processes, and revealing the underlying regulatory activities is critical for seed improvement. Results: In this study, we profiled the transcriptomes of developing seeds at 20, 25, 30, and 40 days after flowering (DAF), as these stages represent critical time points of seed development from early to full development. We identified a set of highly abundant genes and highlighted the importance of these genes in supporting nutrient accumulation and transcriptional regulation for seed development. We identified 8925 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) that exhibited temporal expression patterns over the course and expression specificities in distinct tissues, including seeds and nonseed tissues (roots, stems, and leaves). Genes specific to nonseed tissues might have tissue-associated roles, with relatively low transcript abundance in developing seeds, suggesting their spatially supportive roles in seed development. Coexpression network analysis identified several underexplored genes in soybeans that bridge tissue-specific gene modules. Conclusions: Our study provides a global view of gene activities and biological processes critical for seed formation in soybeans and prioritizes a set of genes for further study. The results of this study help to elucidate the mechanism controlling seed development and storage reserves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Phosphorus (P) is essential for plant growth and development, and low-phosphorus (LP) stress is a major factor limiting the growth and yield of soybean. Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) have recently been reported to be key regulators in the responses of plants to stress conditions, but the mechanism through which LP stress mediates the biogenesis of lncRNAs in soybean remains unclear. Results: In this study, to explore the response mechanisms of lncRNAs to LP stress, we used the roots of two representative soybean genotypes that present opposite responses to P deficiency, namely, a P-sensitive genotype (Bogao) and a P-tolerant genotype (NN94156), for the construction of RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) libraries. In total, 4,166 novel lncRNAs, including 525 differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs, were identified from the two genotypes at different P levels. GO and KEGG analyses indicated that numerous DE lncRNAs might be involved in diverse biological processes related to phosphate, such as lipid metabolic processes, catalytic activity, cell membrane formation, signal transduction, and nitrogen fixation. Moreover, lncRNA-mRNA-miRNA and lncRNA-mRNA networks were constructed, and the results identified several promising lncRNAs that might be highly valuable for further analysis of the mechanism underlying the response of soybean to LP stress. Conclusions: These results revealed that LP stress can significantly alter the genome-wide profiles of lncRNAs, particularly those of the P-sensitive genotype Bogao. Our findings increase the understanding of and provide new insights into the function of lncRNAs in the responses of soybean to P stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytocyanins (PCs), plant-specific blue copper proteins, are crucial for various biological processes during plant development. However, a comprehensive characterization of the soybean PC gene family (GmPC) is lacking. In this study, we performed genome-wide screening of soybean PC genes, and 90 PC genes were identified in the soybean genome. Further analysis revealed that the GmPC family was categorized into four subfamilies (stellacyanins, GmSCs; uclacyanins, GmUCs; plantacyanins, GmPLCs; and early nodulin-like proteins, GmENODLs). In-depth analysis revealed that each specific GmPC subfamily exhibited similar characteristics, with segmental duplications playing a major role in expanding the members of GmPC. Additionally, synteny and evolutionary constraint analyses suggested that GmPCs have undergone strong selective pressure for purification during the evolution of soybeans. The promoter cis-regulatory elements analysis of GmPCs suggested that GmPCs might play a crucial role in various stress responses. The expression patterns of GmPCs exhibited tissue-specific variations. Moreover, 23 of the GmPCs may be involved in soybean's response to salt stress. In all, our study presents a systematic overview of GmPC, which not only provides a valuable foundation for further functional investigations of GmPCs, but also offers new insights into the mechanism of soybean salt tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Isoflavones are important components of soybean seeds, and the contents affect the nutritional value of soybean products. To further reveal and improve the regulation mechanism of soybean isoflavones content, it is an effective way to construct a large enough germplasm combination and explore the genetic loci related to soybean isoflavone traits. In this study, 179 local soybean germplasms mainly from China were selected to analyze the phenotypic diversity and genetic basis of isoflavone content in soybean seeds. The genome-wide association studies (GWAS) using 3VmrMLM model combined the isoflavone phenotype with 23,131 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), we identified 97 genetic loci related to isoflavone traits in single environment and 20 genetic loci related to isoflavone traits in multiple environments, after that screened 6 potential genes related to total isoflavone content, daidzein, glycitein and genistein. Glyma.09G037300 and Glyma.18G111200 related to multiple traits of soybean isoflavones are highly expressed in soybean seeds. Haplotype analysis shows that Glyma.09G037300 and Glyma.18G111200 are higher expression in the high isoflavone populations than low isoflavone populations. Transient overexpression of Glyma.18G111200 increased the content of total isoflavones in hairy roots by 30–51%. These results revealed the genetic basis of soybean isoflavones, provided a series of predictable potential genes affecting the synthesis and accumulation of soybean isoflavones, and updated the research on soybean isoflavone related genes and genetic related loci. This provide a valuable basis for the functional study of soybean isoflavones. • Screening for excellent soybean germplasms with high isoflavones content. • The genetic structure of the isoflavones content of the test sample was identified. • Haplotypes significantly associated with isoflavones content were detected. • The effect of Glyma.18G111200 (GmGSTF13) on isoflavones content was preliminarily verified by transient transformation of soybean hairy roots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD44 plays a key role in the communication of CSCs with the microenvironment and the regulation of stem cell properties. UALCAN was used to analyze the expression of CD44 in bladder cancer (BLCA) and normal tissue. The UALCAN was utilized to analyze the prognostic value of CD44 in BLCA. The TIMER database was used to explore the relationship between CD44 and PD-L1; CD44 and tumor-infiltrating immune cells. The regulatory effect of CD44 on PD-L1 was verified by cell experiments in vitro. IHC confirmed the results of the bioinformatics analysis. GeneMania and Metascape were used to analyze protein–protein interaction (PPI) investigations and functional enrichment analysis. We found that BLCA patients with high CD44 expression had worse survival than those with low CD44 expression (P < 0.05). IHC and the TIMER database results showed that CD44 expression was positively correlated with PD-L1 expression (P < 0.05). At the cellular level, the expression of PD-L1 was significantly inhibited after CD44 expression was inhibited by siRNA. Immune infiltration analysis showed that CD44 expression levels in BLCA were significantly correlated with immune infiltration levels of different immune cells. IHC staining results further confirmed that the expression of CD44 in tumor cells was positively associated with the number of CD68+ macrophages and CD163+ macrophages (P < 0.05). Our results suggest that CD44 is a positive regulator of PD-L1 in BLCA and may be a key regulator of tumor macrophages infiltration and may be involved in M2 macrophage polarization. Our study provided new insights into the prognosis and immunotherapy of BLCA patients through macrophage infiltration and immune checkpoints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key message: FLS is a disease that causes severe yield reduction in soybean. In this study, four genes (Glyma.16G176800, Glyma.16G177300, Glyma.16G177400 and Glyma.16G182300) were tentatively confirmed to play an important role in the resistance of soybean to FLS race 7. Frogeye leaf spot (FLS) causes severe yield loss in soybean and has been found in several countries worldwide. Therefore, it is necessary to select and utilize FLS-resistant varieties for the management of FLS. In the present study, 335 representative soybean materials were assessed for partial resistance to FLS race 7. Quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN) and FLS race 7 candidate genes were identified using genome-wide association analysis (GWAS) based on a site-specific amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq) approach. A total of 23,156 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were used to evaluate the level of linkage disequilibrium with a minor allele frequency ≥ 5 and deletion data < 3%. These SNPs covered about 947.01 MBP, nearly 86.09% of the entire soybean genome. In addition, a compressed mixed linear model was utilized to identify association signals for partial resistance to FLS race 7. A total of 15 QTNs associated with resistance were found to be novel for FLS race 7 resistance. A total of 217 candidate genes located in the 200-kb genomic region of these peak SNPs were identified. Based on gene association analysis, qRT-PCR, haplotype analysis and virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) systems were used to further verify candidate genes Glyma.16G176800, Glyma.16G177300, Glyma.16G177400 and Glyma.16G182300. This indicates that these four candidate genes may participate in FLS race 7 resistance responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean mosaic virus (SMV) severely damages soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] yield and seed quality. Moreover, the underlying genetic determinants of resistance to SMV remain largely unknown. Here, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of SMV resistance in a panel of 219 diverse soybean accessions across four environments and identified a new resistance-related gene, GmMLRK1 , at the major resistance locus Rsv4 on chromosome 2. GmMLRK1 encodes a malectin-like receptor kinase (RK) that was induced earlier and to a greater degree in leaves of the SMV-resistant cultivar Kefeng No. 1 than in those of the susceptible cultivar Nannong 1138-2 after inoculation. We demonstrated that soybean plants overexpressing GmMLRK1 show broad-spectrum resistance to both strains SC7 and SC3 on the basis of reduced viral accumulation, increased reactive oxygen species production, and local cell death associated with the hypersensitive response. In contrast, GmMLRK1 knockout mutants were more susceptible to both pathotypes. Haplotype analysis revealed the presence of five haplotypes (H1–H5) within the soybean population, and only H1 provided SMV resistance, which was independent of its tightly linked SMV resistance gene RNase-H at the same locus. These results report a novel gene that adds new understanding of SMV resistance and can be used for breeding resistant soybean accessions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We developed a polyurethane material has an excellent self-healing ability as well as mechanical strength. This system was achieved based on dual-crosslinked Diels-Alder (DA) covalent bonding reaction. The first cross-linking point is realized by the DA bonding of polyurethane chain. Because of grafted maleimide group, the maleimide functionalized GO (mGO) sheets can be regarded as analogous cross-linker and provide the second cross-linking point in the system. We investigated and compared the effects of as-produced GO and mGO loading and maleimide functionalization on the mechanical properties and healing efficiency of composites. As a result, compared with those of the pure polyurethane and composites filled with the GO, such maleimide functionalization is found to effectively improve the compatibility between mGO and polymer matrix, increasing mechanical properties and healing efficiency of polyurethane composites. The mechanical properties and healing efficiency of polyurethane can be tuned readily by varying mGO concentration. The healing efficiencies were up to 99% for the nanocomposite containing mGO. These results confirm maleimide functionalization improved dispersion and interfacial interaction between the fillers and the polyurethane matrix. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonic anhydrases (CAs), as zinc metalloenzymes, are ubiquitous in nature and play essential roles in diverse biological processes. Although CAs have been broadly explored and studied, comprehensive characteristics of CA gene family members in the soybean (Glycine max) are still lacking. A total of 35 CA genes (GmCAs) were identified; they distributed on sixteen chromosomes of the soybean genome and can be divided into three subfamilies (α-type, β-type, and γ-type). Bioinformatics analysis showed that the specific GmCA gene subfamily or clade exhibited similar characteristics and that segmental duplications took the major role in generating new GmCAs. Furthermore, the synteny and evolutionary constraints analyses of CAs among soybean and distinct species provided more detailed evidence for GmCA gene family evolution. Cis-element analysis of promoter indicated that GmCAs may be responsive to abiotic stress and regulate photosynthesis. Moreover, the expression patterns of GmCAs varied in different tissues at diverse developmental stages in soybean. Additionally, we found that eight representative GmCAs may be involved in the response of soybean to low phosphorus stress. The systematic investigation of the GmCA gene family in this study will provide a valuable basis for further functional research on soybean CA genes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Experimental method of pedestrian wayfinding based on virtual reality. • Wayfinding model considering both spatial knowledge and visual information. • Analysis based on mathematical statistics analysis and deep learning framework. • Comparing the impact of dimensional differences on pedestrian wayfinding behavior. • Incorporating spatial knowledge at multiple scales. Understanding pedestrian wayfinding behavior is crucial for traffic management and building design. The use of virtual reality technology presents an efficient approach for investigating pedestrian wayfinding behavior in large public spaces, offering numerous advantages for data collection. However, the impact of different scenario dimensions on pedestrian wayfinding behavior in large public spaces remains unclear. Additionally, the selection of virtual experiment scenario dimensions currently relies primarily on researchers' experience and practical conditions, lacking sufficient evidence to support their rational. Another challenge is the limited focus on spatial knowledge's effect on wayfinding behavior, with insufficient analysis of the utility of pedestrian visual information and a lack of precise methods to quantify visual field information accurately. This study addresses these gaps by incorporating spatial knowledge at multiple scales and pedestrian visual field information as influencing factors in the analysis of wayfinding behavior. Furthermore, it distinguishes between three-dimensional and two-dimensional scenarios to compare the impact of dimensional differences on pedestrian wayfinding behavior. By analyzing behavior data from non-immersive wayfinding experiments, this research employs statistical analysis methods and a deep learning framework to derive results regarding the factors influencing wayfinding behavior. The findings demonstrate that considering both spatial and visual field information effectively enhances the predictive ability of the wayfinding model. Additionally, dimensional differences significantly influence the pedestrian wayfinding process. These results offer empirical evidence to guide researchers in selecting experimental scenarios of pedestrian behavior and provide insights for public space layout, signage design, and improving pedestrian efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mixture segregation is a common defect in the construction of epoxy asphalt mixture (EAM) deck pavement. The segregation can affect the compaction quality of EAM deck pavement, while the compaction action can also change the segregation degree in the EAM. Therefore, the appropriate compaction technique can decrease the mixture segregation. The objective of this study is to investigate the mutual effect of mixture segregation and EAM compaction. To achieve this goal, the Superpave gyratory compaction (SGC) test was conducted, and a field compaction DEM (Discrete element method) model for EAM on the steel bridge deck was developed using a partitioned deposition method, to study the segregation characteristics of EAM during the compaction. Results show that the partitioned distribution segregation of aggregate in the EAM decreases first and then increases with the increase of gyration compactions. As a thermosetting material, the segregation is more likely to occur in the lowly cured EAM during the compaction process. In the field compaction, the initial vertical distribution segregation of loose EAM has a significantly negative effect on the compaction quality of EAM deck pavement, while the compaction action could also influence the segregation degree of EAM. Under the over repeated compaction, the increasing 1segregation degree of fine EAM particles and too tight contact between EAM particles make the extrusion separation of asphalt mastic between the coarse particles, which could result in the surface bleeding problem. The findings from this study are helpful to decrease mixture segregation and improve compaction quality of EAM deck pavement.. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Magnetic nano adsorbent based on Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @CTS was proposed. • MSPE-GC–MS quantification method was successfully applied to the analysis of PCBs in environmental water samples. • Rapid magnetic separation was obtained for multiple PCBs detection. • The magnetic nano adsorbent could be used at least 10 cycles with high stability. In this study, a magnetic composite material was developed by bonding the modified natural polysaccharide chitosan (CTS) with SiO 2 on the surface of magnetic Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles to detect polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The structural, porosity, and magnetic properties of Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @CTS were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, nitrogen sorption, and vibrating sample magnetometry. Various experimental parameters affecting the extraction capacity were investigated, including extraction time, desorption time, desorption solvent, solution pH value, and salt ion concentration. Results showed that Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @CTS exhibited excellent selectivity, easy separation by magnet, and reusability (at least 10 cycles). Under optimized experimental condition, this magnetic solid phase extraction material was applied to detect three PCBs with low limits of detection of 0.02–0.15 μg·L−1. The linear correlation coefficient was higher than 0.998, while the recoveries ranged between 90.34% and 106.99% with the relative standard deviation less than 11.31%. The practical application of Fe 3 O 4 @SiO 2 @CTS was verified through quantitative analysis of PCB residues in environmental water, supporting its promising role in simple, convenient, and low-cost detection of PCBs in real environmental samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Raising crop yields and quality through plant ecological research has become an important approach to sustainably improving crop products. Stevia rebaudiana is widely introduced and cultivated around the world because of the continuous increase in demand for steviol glycosides. When selecting regions or plots suitable for high-yield and high-quality cultivation, it is necessary to understand the main ecological factors that contribute to the formation of S. rebaudiana yield and quality. In this study, sampling plots from different geographic and climatic regions in Xinjiang and Jiangsu were selected for S. rebaudiana cultivation. The geographic, climatic and soil ecological factors were analyzed based on a PLSR (partial least squares regression) model to discover the potentially influential factors in the yield and quality formation of the crop. The results suggest that not all geographic and climatic ecological factors contributed to yield formation; however, these factors, such as latitude, altitude and annual sunshine duration, had high or moderate influences on the concentration of each steviol glycoside and total steviol glycoside. Soil organic matter (OM), total potassium (TK), available potassium (AK), zinc (Zn), and catalase (CAT) had high or moderate effects on the concentrations of each steviol glycoside and total steviol glycoside. However, the other soil factors showed variability in the extent to which they drove the steviol glycosides. The study contributes to a more profound understanding of the ecological driving mechanisms of S. rebaudiana yield and quality formation. The yield or steviol glycoside concentrations of sweetleaf may be improved by modifying certain key ecological factors. • Application of PLSR model found potential drivers of sweetleaf yield and quality. • Some key ecological factors driving yield and steviol glycoside formation. • The PLSR model provide explanations and predictions for sweetleaf cultivation. • Sweetleaf yield and quality can be improved based on PLSR model results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hot-melt adhesive (HMA) is commonly used in industrial manufacturing due to its ease of use. However, the direct factors that affect shear strength have been unclear in recent years, making it difficult to prepare hot melt adhesives with high shear strength, which are mostly lower than 6 MPa. In this study, three types of polyurethane HMAs, differing in the position of H-bond motifs, ureidopyrimidinone (UPy), were synthesized and characterized, the most central factor for shear strength, Young's modulus, was firstly found out and proved. Side-chain UPy provides better flexibility and more chain entanglement. The lap shear strength of SPU was about 13.48 MPa, which was the highest shear strength of PU HMA, and remained 73.4 % even after 4 cycles. Compared to the other two samples, the side-chain motifs improved the possibility of forming hydrogen bonds with adherends and increased chain mobility. This led to a more efficient wetting process and strengthened Young's modulus directly, enhancing adhesive property incomparably. This work provides a satisfactory method for achieving high shear strength in HMA. A side-chain hydrogen bonds were introduced to promote chain flexibility, Young's modulus and interactions to adherends, leading to enhancement on adhesive properties. [Display omitted] • A PU hot melt adhesive, SPU, with the highest shear strength was prepared. • For the first time, Young's modulus was proved to be the most factor for adhesion. • Hydrogen bond was proved to be helpful for enhancing adhesive properties. • Side-chain hydrogen bond was studied and proved to be more effective than the main-chain one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adhesives are widely used to bond various materials and surfaces, hot melt adhesives (HMAs) have conquered almost every industry area due to their solvent-free volatilization and ease of use. However, preparing reusable HMAs with high shear strength is still extremely challenging. Here, we show a simple way to prepare a reusable HMA, OPU (oxime-based polyurethane), with high lap shear strength based on oxime-urethane bonds. Cu(II) ions were introduced to further enhance the bulk strength to form ligand bonds. The relationship between the ligand bond content and the material properties was also investigated. Increasing ligand bond content limited the degree of crystallinity and shear strength. And the breaking stress and toughness of the coordinated material were significantly increased. The initial shear strengths of OPU for 304 stainless steel (after this referred to as "steel") and aluminum reached 12.6 MPa and 9.3 MPa, respectively, which is the highest shear strength available for oxime-urethane-based polyurethane HMAs. After 10 repetitions, the OPU still retains its high shear performance. By analyzing the relationship between shear strength and the amount of Cu(II), it is found that the shear strength is strongly related to chain mobility and Young's modulus. This work demonstrates a useful way of synthesizing reusable HMAs with high lap shear strength. OPU, a kind of hot-melt adhesive with 10 repetitions, was synthesized based on oxime-urethane bonds. [Display omitted] • Tiny amounts of copper ions can greatly improve OPU's breaking stress, toughness, elasticity, and puncture resistance. • An easy-handling HMA with the highest shear strength was prepared, up to 5MPa after 10 repetitions. • OPU possesses favorable water resistance and satisfactory adhesion property compared to commercial PU HMA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selective structure and shape of Eu3+-doped monoclinic LaPO4and hexagonal LaPO4·1.5H2O nanocrystals were successfully synthesized by a hydrothermal method. It was found that the pH and temperature of the growth solution are two crucial factors in determining the structure and morphology of LaPO4nanocrystals. The properties of the Eu3+-doped LaPO4nanocrystals were characterized by XRD, SEM, TEM, XPS and UV-vis spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Large-scale well-aligned rod-like and flower-like YVO4:Eu3+ crystals were prepared on glass substrates by a hydrothermal method in a controllable way with additive ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt [Na2H2L·2H2O]. No extra surfactants or templates were used. In the synthesis process, well-aligned YVO4:Eu3+ microrods were fabricated on YVO4:Eu3+-seed-coated substrates. The YVO4:Eu3+ seed precursor was prepared by a sol–gel reaction. And well-defined flower-like YVO4:Eu3+ microstructures were fabricated on bare substrates. The products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and photoluminescence (PL). TEM and SEM studies reveal that the flower-like superstructure is composed of dozens of radially oriented rhombus-shaped microrods and the crystalline microrods with rectangle cross-sections and well-defined crystallographic faces are grown directly onto the substrates. This convenient method may be applicable to prepare other orthovanadate phosphors with 3D morphologies. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The co-precipitation reaction soft chemistry method was employed to prepare fine YPO4:Dy3+ phosphor particles calcined at 950°C. Adjusting appropriate pH and introducing lithium may greatly affect the particle size of the product and further affect the luminescence intensity. The as-prepared samples were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron micrograph (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. The obtained YPO4 nanocrystals appeared to be spherical with some agglomeration and their sizes ranged from 20 to 40nm. The characteristic transitions of Dy3+ due to 4F9/2→6H15/2 (blue) and 4F9/2→6H13/2 (yellow) were detected in the emission spectra. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We firstly synthesized and characterized a series of functional carboxylated polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF-g-AAc). Then the temporal change of the complex viscosity (η*) of the two plates consisting of the graft polymer PVDF-g-AAc and polyamide 6 (PA6) was measured by a rotational rheometer. There were two distinct stages for the change of the complex viscosity (η*) with time: (i) stage I, where η* increased rapidly at short times, a reaction-controlled kinetics was induced; (ii) stage II, where η* increased slowly at a long time, however, a diffusion-controlled kinetics was obtained. Despite whether the kinetics are reaction-controlled or diffusion-controlled, the reaction could be predicted by pseudo-first-order kinetics. Meanwhile, the reaction temperature had an effect on the interfacial width and roughness. The value of the interfacial root-mean-square (rms) roughness obtained from AFM was consistent with that of the interfacial width from ellipsometer at different temperatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The bridging of nerve gaps is still one of the major problems in peripheral nerve regeneration. A promising alternative for the repair of peripheral nerve injuries is the bioartificial nerve graft, comprised of a biomaterial pre-seeded with Schwann cells (SCs), which is an effective substrate for enhancing nerve regeneration. Interaction between cultured SCs and biomaterials is of importance. For the purposes of this study, culture systems of normal SCs were used. The biocompatibility of chitosan, including chitosan membranes and chitosan fibers, was evaluated in vitro. The growth of SCs was observed by light and scanning electron microscopy at regular intervals. SCs were identified by immunocytochemical staining and the viability of SCs was measured by MTT assay. The experimental results indicated that SCs could grow onto chitosan materials with two different shapes: spherical and long olivary. They contacted with the extensions. The long olivary cells inclined to encircle chitosan fibers up. It was also found that the cells on the chitosan fibers migrated faster than those on the chitosan membranes. There was a good biological compatibility between chitosan and SCs. Compared with the chitosan membranes, SCs migrated more easily onto the stereoframe of chitosan fibers. These studies contribute information necessary to enhancing our understanding of biocompatibility of chitosan. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

We report a simple method to directly pattern polymer-based photo luminescent material, i.e. a prepatterned mask is placed a close distance above it. The final structure is a positive replica of the lateral structures in the mask with submicrometer resolution. The comparison of luminescence efficiency before and after patterning indicates almost no degradation in optical property of the material during the experiments. The mechanism of pattern formation is also discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Regular micrometer-size porous polystyrene film is prepared by water droplet templating, i.e. breath figures are stabilized by the polymer in solution and thermocapillary flow arranges them into ordered packing. The influences of polystyrene molecular weight, solvent properties, and the relative humidity of atmosphere on the pattern formation and hole sizes are investigated. Two different kinds of hole packing fashion are also observed and their formation mechanisms are discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]