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Key message: Promoters of moso bamboo silicon transporter genes PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 contain elements in response to hormone, silicon, and abiotic stresses, and can drive the expression of PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 in transgene Arabidopsis. Low silicon 1 (Lsi1) transporters from different species have been shown to play an important role in influxing silicon from soil. In previous study, we cloned PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 from Phyllostachys edulis and verified that PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 have silicon uptake ability. Furthermore, in this study, the promoters of PeLsi1-1(1910 bp) and PeLsi1-2(1922 bp) were cloned. Deletion analysis identified the key regions of the PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 promoters in response to hormone, silicon, and abiotic stresses. RT-qPCR analysis indicated that PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 were regulated by hormones, salt stress and osmotic stress. In addition, we found that the driving activity of the PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 promoters was regulated by 2 mM K2SiO3 and PeLsi1-1-P3 ~ P4 and PeLsi1-2-P4 ~ 5 were the regions regulated by silicon. Overexpression of PeLsi1-1 or PeLsi1-2 driven by 35S promoter in Arabidopsis resulted in a threefold increase of Si accumulation, whereas transgenic plants showed deleterious symptoms and dwarf seedlings and shorter roots under 2 mM Si treatment. When the 35S promoter was replaced by PeLsi1-1 or PeLsi1-2 promoter, a similar Si absorption was achieved and the transgene plants grew normally. This study, therefore, demonstrates that the promoters of PeLsi1-1 and PeLsi1-2 are indeed effective in driving the expression of moso bamboo Lsi1 genes and leading to silicon uptake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although breastfeeding is strongly recommended, the breastfeeding rate of preterm infants in China remains significantly low. In addition to the global structural challenges to breastfeeding and the physiological immaturity of preterm infants, Chinese mothers of preterm infants face unique challenges of maternal-infant separation after birth. Moreover, little is known about Chinese mothers' specific needs in coping with the difficulties posed by these challenges. This study utilized the Behaviour Change Wheel to investigate the breastfeeding needs of Chinese preterm mothers that may facilitate its practice in the future. Method: A qualitative descriptive design was implemented in Wuhan in 2022. Based on purposeful sampling, 13 preterm mothers were recruited from a NICU in a Grade III Class A hospital in Wuhan, China. Face-to-face semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data using the interview guide developed by the Theoretical Domains Framework. Theoretical Thematic Analysis was used to review the data in 6 steps to identify themes. Results: Five major themes emerged: (1) capability: ability to interpret infants' cues and identify problems, and need for breastfeeding knowledge and skills training; (2) physical opportunity: cleanliness and quietness in household environment, private lactation spaces and breastfeeding tools in workplaces and hospitals; (3) social opportunity: family support, peer support, and authoritative support from healthcare providers; (4) reflective motivation: information on health impacts of breastfeeding; (5) automatic motivation: maternal-infant bonding, free of aversive stimulus. Conclusion: Preterm mothers' needs to enable breastfeeding were diverse, including increasing their capability, physical and social opportunities, and reflective and automatic motivation. People, resources and environments associated with these needs should be engaged together to stablish a conducive structural environment for breastfeeding. The policy change for "zero separation" and implementation of kangaroo care should also be implemented in Chinese neonatal intensive care units. Future studies are needed to design effective interventions according to mothers' specific needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Currently, the number of empty-nest elders in China is rapidly increasing, and their overall health situation is not optimistic. The Chinese government has developed a series of policies to promote the community medical-nursing combined model to meet the health and pension care needs of elderly individuals. The demand for community medical-nursing combined services among empty-nest elders plays a decisive role in providing these services and must be fully recognized before these services are offered. However, only a few quantitative studies have focused on the demand for community medical-nursing combined services, and these studies failed to capture the complexity and dynamic nature of this demand. To address this research gap, this study innovatively conducted a descriptive and qualitative study to explore the demand for these services. Following the principle of data saturation, 14 empty-nest elders from communities in Wuhan, Hubei Province, were recruited using the purposive sampling method. Semistructured interviews were used to collect qualitative data. The inductive content analysis approach was used to analyze the data. The results revealed that Chinese empty-nesters' demand for community medical-nursing combined services was diverse and specific and comprised three themes (basic elderly care services, medical and nursing services, and psychospiritual support services), with fifteen subthemes. This study provides insights into the unique demand and implementation strategies for community medical-nursing services among empty-nest elders in China. Recommendations to enhance the intelligent elderly care system, infrastructure construction, and elderly care talent in the future provision of services for this particular group of people are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lawsonia intracellularis , a Gram-negative obligate intracellular bacterium and etiologic agent of porcine proliferative enteropathy, was observed to have a long, single, and unipolar flagellum. Bacterial flagellar filament comprises thousands of copies of the protein flagellin (FliC), and has been reported to be recognized by Toll-like receptor (TLR5) to activate the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways, thereby inducing the expression of proinflammatory genes. Recently, two L. intracellularis flagellin proteins, LfliC and LFliC, were reported to be involved in bacterial-host interaction and immune response. Here, to further explore the role of LfliC in proinflammatory response, we purified LfliC, and found that its exposure could activate NF-κB signaling pathway in both HEK293T and IPI-FX cells, as well as activate MAPK p38 and ERK1/2 in HEK293T cells but not in IPI-FX cells. However, our yeast two-hybrid and co-immunoprecipitation assay results revealed that LfliC has no interaction with the porcine TLR5 ECD domain though it harbors the conserved D1-like motif required for the interaction. Moreover, LfliC was identified as a substrate of the virulence-associated type III secretion system (T3SS) by using the heterologous Y. enterocolitica system. Transient expression of LfliC also activated the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway in HEK293T cells. Collectively, our results suggest that both the exposure and expression of L. intracellularis LfliC can induce the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway in mammalian cells. Our findings may provide important implications and resources for the development of diagnostic tools or vaccines and dissection of the pathogenesis of L. intracellularis. • LfliC exposure activate NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway. • LfliC has no interaction with the porcine TLR5. • LfliC was secreted by the virulence-associated T3SS. • Transient expression of LfliC activated the NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hollow structured Si-Ni-C composite nanofabric was fabricated by electrospinning combined with thermal treatment. The hollow structure was obtained by calcining the precursory Si-NiO-C nanofabric under Ar atmosphere without using any sacrificial material. The resultant hollow structure could accommodate the volume effect of Si during Li-ion insertion and extraction. The NiO was reduced to Ni simultaneously with the calcination, which could increase the conductivity of the nanofabric. The hollow Si-Ni-C nanofabric formed a freestanding conductive structure which can be directly used as electrode for Li-ion batteries. The obtained self-supported anode delivered a capacity of 622 mAh/g after 100 cycles. The anode also presented a stable rate performance at 2000 mA/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PdII‐catalyzed, domino enantioselective desymmetrizative coupling of 7‐azabenzonorbornadienes with alkynylanilines is disclosed herein. This operationally simple transformation generates three covalent bonds and two contiguous stereocenters with excellent enantio‐ and diastereo‐selectivity. The resulting functionalized indole‐dihydronaphthalene‐amine conjugates served as an appealing platform to streamline the diversity‐oriented synthesis (DOS) of other valuable enantioenriched compounds. DFT calculations revealed that the two stabilizing non‐covalent interactions contributed to the observed enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A PdII‐catalyzed, domino enantioselective desymmetrizative coupling of 7‐azabenzonorbornadienes with alkynylanilines is disclosed herein. This operationally simple transformation generates three covalent bonds and two contiguous stereocenters with excellent enantio‐ and diastereo‐selectivity. The resulting functionalized indole‐dihydronaphthalene‐amine conjugates served as an appealing platform to streamline the diversity‐oriented synthesis (DOS) of other valuable enantioenriched compounds. DFT calculations revealed that the two stabilizing non‐covalent interactions contributed to the observed enantioselectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND The market demand for seedless watermelon has been continuously increasing because of consumer preference. Grafting is a useful tool to manage soilborne diseases in watermelon production, but the use of squash rootstocks may negatively affect watermelon fruit quality. Currently, most research has focused on seeded cultivars, while grafting effects on seedless watermelons remain largely unknown. This multi-season study was conducted to assess the effects of squash rootstocks, including both Cucurbita maxima × C. moschata and C. moschata cultivars, with intact or excised and regenerated roots, on fruit quality of seedless watermelon 'Melody' using both instrumental and sensory measurements under different production scenarios. The grafted watermelon plants were also challenged by field inoculation with Fusarium oxysporum f.sp. niveum. RESULTS A combination of instrumental measurements and consumer sensory analyses suggested that fruit quality of the seedless watermelon 'Melody' was not impacted by the use of the squash rootstocks used in this study, which included soluble solids content, titratable acidity, pH and most fruit sensory properties. Watermelon flesh firmness was increased by grafting but the grafting effect on lycopene content was inconclusive. Root excision and regeneration did not influence the grafting effect, whereas the grafting effect on flesh firmness varied among the rootstocks under Fusarium inoculation. CONCLUSION Overall, grafting with squash rootstocks did not reduce fruit quality attributes of 'Melody' but improved texture. Our results support incorporating grafting into integrated management programs for seedless watermelon production. © 2017 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: One-dimensional nanochains consisting of crystalline iron–nickel nanoparticles were successfully synthesized by a simple cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) mediated assembly method. The structure and magnetic properties of the nanochains were investigated. The product is composed of nanochains with a diameter of about 90–110nm and length about several micrometers. A possible formation mechanism of these 1D particle assemblies was proposed. It was found that CTAB can serve as an effective cross-linker and plays an important role in the formation of nanochains. CTAB with low concentration can adsorb on the surface of particles and partially compensate the negative surface charge, leading to an anisotropic distribution of the residual surface charges. And this extrinsic electric dipole formation is responsible for the linear organization of the particles into chains. As-prepared iron–nickel nanochains exhibit ferromagnetism at room temperature with a much enhanced magnetic coercivity over three orders of magnitude larger than that of bulk permalloy. The imaginary part μ″ of the permeability for FeNi3-chain/wax composite shows a broad resonance peak in the frequency range 150MHz to 4GHz. Meanwhile, the position and width of resonance peak can be tuned via magnetic-field orientation treatment. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Formation of the wet media milled defatted walnut particles stabilized Pickering emulsion. [Display omitted] • A novel continuous phase transition extraction method was used to prepare defatted walnut flour. • The walnut-based miscellaneous nanoparticles were prepared by wet milling processing. • The milled walnut-based particles could serve as excellent Pickering emulsion stabilizers. • The Pickering emulsions prepared exhibit good stability over a prolonged storage time (i.e., 3 months). Media milling, an efficient and organic solvent-free method without the use of chemical modification, has been developed to engineer novel walnut-based miscellaneous colloidal particles. The defatted walnut flour particles (DWFPs), which were prepared by a novel continuous phase transition extraction method operated under low temperature (i.e., 50–65 °C) followed by 6-h media milling, were spherical shape with an average size of 753.0 ± 27.8 nm. These particles were mainly composed of proteins (55.6 ± 0.2 wt%) and carbohydrates (24.0 ± 0.2 wt%) and demonstrated the ability to form a gel-like network structure in Pickering emulsions (PEs). The visual observation and confocal laser scanning microscopy (CLSM) showed that the PE droplets stabilized by DWFPs had a good stability over a prolonged storage time (i.e., 3-month storage). Increasing particle concentration (c) in aqueous phase led to the increased emulsified phase volume, decreased oil droplet sizes, and increased storage moduli G' for the viscoelastic responses. As the oil volume fraction (ϕ) increased, the emulsified phase volume fraction and droplet size increased while their rheological properties shifted from fluid-like to gel-like behaviors. The method developed in this study is significant in value-added utilization of walnut products and provides a new insight into facile fabrication of stable food-grade Pickering emulsions-based functional foods using miscellaneous particle stabilizers from walnut extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate associations between hysteroscopic surgery for patients with varying cesarean scar diverticulum (CSD) severity and in vitro fertilization (IVF)/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryo transfer (ET) pregnancy outcomes, focusing also on the correlation between the CSD size with its severity, and pregnancy outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study was conducted on patients with CSD who underwent IVF/ICSI‐ET at a university‐based hospital between January 2017 and July 2023. Patients were categorized into four groups based on CSD severity and whether they received hysteroscopic surgery: a mild surgical group (Group A, n = 86), a mild non‐surgical group (Group B, n = 30), a moderate‐to‐severe surgical group (Group C, n = 173), and a moderate‐to‐severe non‐surgical group (Group D, n = 96). Baseline characteristics and pregnancy outcomes were compared among these groups. Correlation assessments were conducted to explore relationships between CSD size with its severity, and pregnancy outcomes. Results: Compared with Group D, Group C exhibited significantly increased rates of biochemical pregnancy (odds ratio [OR] 1.90; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.03–3.51, P = 0.041), clinical pregnancy (OR 2.30; 95% CI1.18–4.45; P = 0.014), and live birth (OR 2.77; 95% CI 1.10–7.00, P = 0.031). However, no differences in pregnancy outcomes were observed between Groups A and B. Correlation analyses revealed significant positive associations between CSD severity and its depth, length, width, and volume. Conclusions: Patients with moderate‐to‐severe CSD achieved favorable IVF/ICSI pregnancy outcomes following hysteroscopic surgery. The CSD size was significantly related to its severity. Synopsis: Our study explored the impact of hysteroscopic surgery on IVF/ICSI pregnancy outcomes for patients with different cesarean scar diverticulum severity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• FSPCMs were prepared by integrating CaCl 2 •6H 2 O into NS with different pore sizes. • FSPCMs not only possess good thermal properties but also are non-flammable. • Pore structure of NS affects melting temperature and thermal conductivity of FSPCM. • FSPCM containing small pore size of NS had efficient temperature regulated ability. Development of phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage in building envelopes, is a promising method of energy utilization and retention. In the present study, three different kinds of nano-SiO 2 (NS) were introduced to CaCl 2 •6H 2 O to obtain form-stable phase change materials (FSPCMs) with favorable thermal properties and non-flammability. The results of leakage tests show that the maximum CaCl 2 •6H 2 O mass fractions in FSPCMs containing NS1, NS2 and NS3, were 75%, 73% and 70%, respectively. There were no chemical reactions observed between CaCl 2 •6H 2 O and nano-SiO 2 , and CaCl 2 •6H 2 O was uniformly dispersed in the pores and on the surfaces of nano-SiO 2. Differential scanning calorimeter (DSC) results show a lower melting temperature for FSPCMs with smaller diameter nano-SiO 2 species, with latent heats equivalent to the calculated values based on the mass fraction of CaCl 2 •6H 2 O in the FSPCMs. Among the three types of FSPCMs, CaCl 2 •6H 2 O(75%)/NS1 FSPCM exhibited the highest latent heat of 148.2 J/g with a phase change temperature of 25.1°C. Thermogravimetric analysis and thermal cycling tests verified that FSPCMs possess good thermal stability and reliability. Smaller nano-SiO 2 pore diameter caused a downward shift in the thermal conductivity of FSPCMs. The results of thermal performance tests using a laboratory-scale test chamber, show that FSPCMs, in particular CaCl 2 •6H 2 O(75%)/NS1 FSPCM, effectively decreased the indoor peak temperature during the heating process and extended the duration of heat preservation during the cooling process, further supporting their valuable potential as candidates for use in building energy efficiency applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Structure-controlled Pt-based nanocrystals have the great potential to provide a flexible strategy for improving the catalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Here, a new synthetic approach is developed to tune the 3D structure of Pt-based alloys, and switch a synthetic reaction which produces solid PtCu octahedral stars (OSs) to produce PtCu nested skeleton cubes (NSCs) by simple addition of Ni(acac)2. In particular, Ni2+-guided anisotropic growth is observed to generate the nested skeleton structure in PtCu NSCs. Ni2+, though absent from the nanoalloys, not only endows faster Cu reduction kinetics but also acts as a structure-directing agent. Moreover, it is shown that acetic acid treatment of PtCu NSCs/C exposes Pt-rich surface with a fine-tuned Pt d-band center energy and the reduced Cu leaching, resulting in strikingly high activity and stability. Acid-treated PtCu NSCs/C shows a remarkable ORR mass activity of 5.13 A mgPt -1, about 26 times higher than commercial Pt/C catalyst. This catalyst also exhibits excellent stability with a lower activity decay of 11.5% and the negligible variation in structure after 10 000 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore whether and how glucuronidation affects pyrogallol-type phytophenols, scutellarein and scutellarin (scutellarein-7-O-glucuronide) were comparatively investigated using a set of antioxidant analyses, including spectrophotometric analysis, UV-vis spectra analysis, and ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionization-quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS) analysis. In spectrophotometric analyses of the scavenging of 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH•), 2,2′-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS+•), and 2-phenyl-4,4,5,5-tetramethylimidazoline-1-oxyl 3-oxide radicals (PTIO•) and the reduction of Cu2+ ions, scutellarein showed lower IC50 values than scutellarin. However, in •O2−-scavenging spectrophotometric analysis, scutellarein showed higher IC50 value than scutellarin. The analysis of UV-Vis spectra obtained after the Fe2+-chelating reaction of scutellarin showed a typical UV-Vis peak (λmax = 611 nm), while scutellarein showed no typical peak. In UPLC-ESI-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis, mixing of scutellarein with DPPH• yielded MS peaks (m/z 678, 632, 615, 450, 420, 381, 329, 300, 288, 227, 196, 182, 161, and 117) corresponding to the scutellarein-DPPH adduct and an MS peak (m/z 570) corresponding to the scutellarein-scutellarein dimer. Scutellarin, however, generated no MS peak. On the basis of these findings, it can be concluded that glucuronidation of pyrogallol-type phytophenol antioxidants has a dual effect. On the one hand, glucuronidation can decrease the antioxidant potentials (except for •O2− scavenging) and further lower the possibility of radical adduct formation (RAF), while on the other hand, it can enhance the •O2−-scavenging and Fe2+-chelating potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Carbohydrate-protein two-way synergy due to supplement alkalinity/reducing free NH 3. • Lipid can reduce VFAs accumulation by 49% through LCFAs inhibiting action. • LCFAs would aggravate ammonia inhibition by weakening ammonia volatilization. • Protein would accelerate LCFAs inhibition formation by promoting lipid hydrolysis. The anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) test among three organic components (model compounds) under high feeding load was carried out in this study, then the dynamic change of intermediate metabolic inhibitors was detected and analyzed to identify the interaction mechanism among organic components from the prevailing tendency of endogenous inhibitors. Carbohydrate and protein show significant two-way synergistic effects for methane production. The addition of protein can supplement additional alkalinity to alleviate the sharp drop of pH (from 4.56 to 6.73) and avoid the acidification caused by high concentration of carbohydrate. Additionally, volatile fatty acids (VFAs) produced by carbohydrate can transform free ammonia to ammonium ion with the largest drop of 54%, thus reducing ammonia toxicity. Carbohydrate and lipid show one-way synergistic effects, namely, lipid can reduce VFAs accumulation by 49% through long chain fatty acids (LCFAs) inhibiting action, and then avoid complete rancidity of carbohydrate fermentation at high concentration. However, protein and lipid show serious two-way antagonistic effects, especially under high load digestion. On one hand, LCFAs would weaken ammonia volatilization and thus aggravate ammonia inhibition; On the other hand, protein would not only accelerate the formation of LCFAs inhibition by promoting lipid hydrolysis, but also transform the degradation pathway of oleic acid (unsaturated LCFAs) and then increase the proportion of stearic acid from 5.17% to 40.33%, which is of higher toxicity than palmitic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• NF supported CNTs is fabricated by a simple three-step calcination in a tube furnace. • No catalyst and barrier layer is deliberately used in the preparation process of CNTs. • The obtained coaxial Ge/CNTs anode delivers excellent lithium storage performance. • The facile fabricated CNT based current-collector could be used for other film anodes. In this work, CNTs are directly grown on the Ni-foam without deliberately using any catalyst and barrier layer. The CNTs coated Ni-foam is subsequently utilized as the substrate for Ge deposition, which formed a coaxial Ge/CNT nanorod structure and is evaluated as anode for lithium-ion battery. Due to the high conductivity contributed by CNTs and the strain-releasing structure derived from the coaxial nanorod, both of the rate capability and the cyclability of the anode are improved. As a result, at a high current density of 50 A/g, the anode delivered a specific capacity of 800 mAh/g. And no apparent capacity decay is detected after cycling for 300 cycles at 10 A/g. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Previous studies have shown observational associations between the gut microbiota and endometriosis; however, the causal nature of such associations remains unclear. This study aimed to analyze the genetic causal relationship between the two. Methods: A gut microbiome genome-wide association study conducted by the MiBioGen consortium was used as exposure data, and summary statistics of endometriosis were obtained from the FinnGen consortium R8 release data. Inverse variance weighted, MR-Egger, weighted median, weighted model, and simple model analyses were applied to examine the causal relationship, and sensitivity analyses were conducted to validate the robustness of the results. Results: The results showed that, out of 211 gut microbiome taxa, Clostridiales_vadin_BB60_group, Oxalobacteraceae, Desulfovibrio, Haemophilus, and Holdemania had protective effects on endometriosis, while Porphyromonadaceae and Anaerotruncus might contribute to the development of endometriosis. Heterogeneity and pleiotropy analyses confirmed the robustness of the results. Conclusion: The two-sample Mendelian randomization analysis conducted in this study identified specific intestinal flora with a causal relationship with endometriosis at the genetic level, offering new insights into the gut microbiota-mediated development mechanism of endometriosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Combining the interests of core-shell and alloy structures, herein we report the versatile co-reduction synthesis of Pd@Pt-based core-shell nanoparticles. The current strategy can effectively tune the component of shell, from isolated Pt to binary PtNi alloy, then ternary PtNi-M (M = Fe or Cu) alloy. Further, significant improvement of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity is optimized by the change in shell component. Compared to Pd@Pt/C, Pd@PtNi/C catalyst presents the ORR-helpful mass activity of 1.29 A mg-1 Pt. By incorporating a third metal (M) into shell layer, the optimized mass activity of Pd@PtNiFe/C and Pd@PtNiCu/C catalysts is 1.1 times and 1.4 times higher than that of Pd@PtNi/C, respectively. Meanwhile, the lower activity decays of 11.0% for Pd@PtNiFe/C and 10.6% for Pd@PtNiCu/C are obtained compared with that of Pd@PtNi/C (12.4%) after 5,000 cycles, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pt-transition metal alloys are frequently used to improve the catalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction. However, the severe dealloying strongly limits the applications of Pt-based alloy in fuel cells. Recently, Pt-rare earth metal alloys are considered to be the promising catalysts for electrocatalytic application in fuel cells. Metal oxide as the co-catalytic component of composite catalyst, is also applied to regulate the electronic structure and strengthen resistance to CO poisoning. In this work, we utilized hydrogen reduction method to prepare PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 composite catalyst. X-ray diffraction result illustrates that both Gd 2 O 3 and PtGd alloy co-exist in PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 material. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy data confirms that the main valence states of Pt and Gd are metal form in the PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 catalyst and emerges obvious transfer of element binding energy. Transmission electron microscopy data presents that composite PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 particles are uniformly dispersed on the carbon power with a typical core-shell structure. And upon the increase of Gd precursor in reduction process, the metal oxide layer becomes more thicker for PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 composite material. Because of the synergistic contributions given by the Pt–Gd bimetals and alloy-metal oxide between PtGd alloy and Gd 2 O 3 oxide, the PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 composite catalysts exhibit superior catalytic performance toward methanol oxidation reaction. Specifically, the mass activity of Pt 1 Gd 1 /Gd 2 O 3 is about 1.9 times that of commercial Pt/C; besides this, the optimal specific activity of Pt 1 Gd 2 /Gd 2 O 3 is almost 4 times that of commercial Pt/C. More importantly, the Pt 1 Gd 1 /Gd 2 O 3 emerged a 20.9% degradation after 8000 cycles test, while commercial Pt/C showed a 61.7% degradation. And this work provides an important insight for rare earth elements investigation on the electrocatalysis application in fuel cells. • One-step reduction method to directly synthesis PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 alloy/metal oxide composite catalyst. • Morphological and compositional characterizations were investigated. • The electrocatalytic performance was studied for methanol electrooxidation reaction (MOR). • Results exhibit the outstanding performance of PtGd/Gd 2 O 3 composite catalyst in DMFC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The promoter sequence (1115-bp sequence) of a dehydrin gene, AmCIP , was amplified by the genome walking technique to obtain. • GUS fluorescence quantification and GUS histochemical staining analyses indicated that PrAmCIP is an induction type promoter that can be significantly induced by osmotic and cold stress. • 5′ deletion analysis technique indicated that the MYC element is a key cis -element of the promoter in response to cold stress, and it was also found that the MYCATERD1 element present in the region of −189 bp ∼ -1bp may be a key cis -element of the promoter in response to osmotic stress. AmCIP is a dehydrin-like protein which involved in abiotic stress tolerance in xerophytes evergreen woody plant A. mongolicus. AmCIP could be induced in the cotyledon and radicle during cold acclimation. To further elucidate the regulation of the upstream region of the gene, we isolated and characterized the promoter of AmCIP. Herein, a 1115 bp 5′-flanking region of AmCIP genomic DNA was isolated and cloned by genome walking from A. mongolicus and the segment sequence was identified as " PrAmCIP " promoter. Analysis of the promoter sequence revealed the presences of some basic cis -acting elements, which were related to various environmental stresses and plant hormones. GUS histochemical staining of transgene tobacco showed that PrAmCIP was induced by 4℃, 55℃, NaCl, mannitol and ABA, whereas it could hardly drive GUS gene expression under normal conditions. Furthermore, we constructed three deletion fragments and genetically transformed them into Arabidopsis thaliana. GUS histochemical staining showed that the MYCATERD1 element of the CP7 fragment (-189 ∼ -1) may be a key element in response to drought. In conclusion, we provide an inducible promoter, PrAmCIP , which can be applied to the development of transgenic plants for abiotic stresse tolerance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• TAOK1increases TLR4-induced cytokine production in macrophages; • Decreased systemic inflammatory responses in TAOK1 deficient mice; • TAOK1 interacts with TRAF6 and TPL2 and then promotes TLR4-triggered ERK1/2 activation. Thousand and one amino acid kinase 1 (TAOK1) is a member of Ste20-like kinases, but its function in regulating inflammatory responses remains largely unknown. In this study, we identify TAOK1 as a positive regulator of TLR4-triggered inflammatory responses in macrophages. TAOK1 increases LPS-induced production of pro-inflammatory cytokine such as IL-6, TNF-α and IL12p40 in macrophages. TAOK1 deficient mice showed decreased susceptibility to endotoxin shock, with less pro-inflammatory cytokine production than control mice. TAOK1 promotes LPS-induced activation of ERK1/2 by constitutively interacting with TRAF6 and TPL2. These finding unravel the important role of TAOK1 as a positive regulator of TLR4-induced inflammatory responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract This research confirmed that azalomycin F 5a can increase the membrane permeability of MRSA cell, and which had likely achieved by the synergy of its lactone ring binding to the polar head of phospholipid and its guanidyl side chain targeting to lipoteichoic acid (LTA). This would subsequently cause the release of cellular substance, and eventually lead to the autolysis of MRSA cells. Nevertheless, it is unknown how azalomycin F 5a interacts with MRSA cellular LTA, such as influencing the physiological function of LTA, inhibiting LTA synthase and polymerase, and/or accelerating the release of LTA? Highlights • Azalomycin F 5a can increase cell-membrane permeability to kill Staphylococcus aureus. • Azalomycin F 5a disrupts the cell membrane by interacting with phospholipid. • The lactone ring of azalomycin F 5a can stably bind to the polar head of phospholipid. • Azalomycin F 5a -induced lysis of MRSA can be inhibited by cellular lipoteichoic acid. • The guanidyl chain of azalomycin F 5a likely targets to lipoteichoic acid of S. aureus. Abstract Azalomycin F 5a was a polyhydroxy macrolide produced by streptomycete strains. Our preliminary researches indicated that it could kill methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) likely by increasing the permeability of cell membrane, and that cell-membrane phospholipids were likely important targets. To confirm this, membrane permeability assay was performed and visualized by fluorescence staining, and then the detailed interactions between azalomycin F 5a and model membranes prepared with 1,2-dihexadecanoyl- sn -glycero-3-phospho-(1'- rac -glycerol) (DPPG) were determined using attenuated total reflectance fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and 31P nuclear magnetic resonance techniques. The results indicated that there were strong interactions between azalomycin F 5a and model membranes, especially between azalomycin F 5a and the polar head of phospholipid. For further evidence and details, the molecular dynamics (MD) simulation of the interactions between azalomycin F 5a and DPPG or lysyl-DPPG were performed using Amber16 software package. A strong interaction between the lactone ring of azalomycin F 5a and the polar head of DPPG or lysyl-DPPG had been clearly observed. Moreover, a larger distribution probability out of phospholipid bilayer had been discovered for the guanidyl side chain of azalomycin F 5a , especially when probable anion molecules anchoring on the cytoplasmic membrane occurred. Therefore, lipoteichoic acid (LTA), a vital component of gram-positive bacterial envelope, was investigated for its probable interactions with azalomycin F 5a using broth microdilution method. The results showed that azalomycin F 5a -induced MRSA lysis could be prevented by LTA. This deduced that there were some interactions between azalomycin F 5a , more likely its guanidyl side chain, and LTA. Thereby, azalomycin F 5a increasing the cell-membrane permeability of MRSA had likely achieved by the synergy of its lactone ring binding to the polar head of phospholipid and its guanidyl side chain targeting to LTA, and which had eventually led to the autolysis of MRSA cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cesarean section (CS) scar diverticula (CSD) is an important cause impede further fecundity, with rather complicated pathophysiologic mechanisms and unclear etiopathogenesis. In this study, we detect the influences of CSD on the pregnancy outcomes in in-vitro fertilization (IVF) or intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) embryo transfer (ET) cycles, and further explore the mechanisms involved based on histopathology and immunology differences in endometrium between CSD and vaginal birth (VB) women. The CS group had significantly lower CLBR compared to NCS group. Histopathological analysis showed that the higher prevalent of CE is accompanied by excessive fibroblast proliferation at the lower segment of uterus and significantly exaggerated vascular proliferation in situ. Intrauterine inflammatory cytokines including IL-1α, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, TNF-α and SDF-1α were also increased in CSD group. The present data suggests impaired fecundity in CSD women undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment. Although the causal relationship is ambiguous, the potential mechanisms may involve persistent inflammatory response in the uterine cavity, active vascular proliferation accompanied with increased fibrosis which are responsible for poor chronic wound healing of CSD. • Women with cesarean section have worse pregnancy outcomes than women with vaginal delivery. • Women with cesarean scar diverticulum have higher rates of chronic endometritis. • The fibrosis and vascular proliferation in the diverticulum of the cesarean section scar were obvious, accompanied by the increase of inflammatory factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new kind of hierarchical Pd-Bi 2 WO 6 architecture decorated with different molar ratios of Pd to Bi, has been fabricated by a hydrothermal process, followed by a chemical deposition method. The photocatalytic activities of the pure Bi 2 WO 6 and Pd-Bi 2 WO 6 nanocatalyst were examined in the degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) dyes and phenol under visible light. The photocatalytic results showed that the Pd-Bi 2 WO 6 nanocomposites possessed observably enhanced photocatalytic activities. Particularly, the 2.0% Pd loaded Bi 2 WO 6 had the highest photocatalytic activity, exhibiting a nearly complete degradation of 30 mg/L RhB and 10 mg/L phenol within only 50 and 60 min, respectively. In addition, the trapping experiment results indicated that the photo-generated holes (h + ) and O 2 − played a crucial role in the degradation of RhB. According to the experimental results, the photocatalytic degradation mechanism of Pd-Bi 2 WO 6 was also proposed. The enhanced photocatalytic activities were ascribed to the combined effects of the highly efficient separation of electrons and holes, improved visible light utilization and increased BET specific surface areas of the Pd-Bi 2 WO 6 nanocomposites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure In 2 O 3 and NiO-In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers with different molar ratio (Ni/In = 2.5%, 5% and 7.5 mol%) were fabricated by the electrospinning and calcination method. The gas sensing properties of ethanol based on the produced nanofibers were investigated. The results revealed that all of the composite nanofibers were demonstrated with higher sensing performance as compared with the pure In 2 O 3 nanofibers. Particularly, the sensor constructed by 5 mol% composite nanofibers displayed the highest response, showing an excellent response value of 78 under 100 ppm ethanol at 300 °C. Additionally, the sensor fabricated by 5 mol% NiO-In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers also exhibited good selectivity and stability to ethanol. From our perspective, the improved sensing performance can mainly be attributed to the formation of p-n junctions between NiO and In 2 O 3 , high capability of absorbed oxygen species and increased BET specific surface areas of the 5 mol% NiO-In 2 O 3 composite nanofibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three-dimensionally hierarchical Bi2WO6 architectures have been produced via a facile and economical hydrothermal method without any template or surfactant. This architecture with flower-like morphology is assembled by numbers of intercrossed nanosheets. Moreover, different Bi2WO6 nanostructures including multilayered disks and irregular nanoplates can also be produced by simply adjusting the pH value of the precursor solution. Importantly, this kind of hierarchically structured Bi2WO6 architecture exhibits a much better photocatalytic activity in the photodegradation of rhodamine B than that of conventional Bi2WO6 multilayered disks and nanoplates. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the large specific surface areas, special structural features and high capability of absorbed oxygen species. The present work offers an effective approach for the further improvement of photocatalytic activity by designing a desirable micro/nanoarchitecture. Three-dimensionally hierarchical Bi2WO6 architectures assembled by nanosheets have been fabricated by a simple and economical hydrothermal route, without any template or surfactant. Especially, the hierarchicallystructured Bi2WO6 architectures display remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity in the degradation of rhodamine B than that of conventional Bi2WO6 multilayered disks and nanoplates. This enhanced photocatalytic performance is mainly attributed to the large specific surface areas, special structural features, and high capability of absorbed oxygen species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conjugates of β-conglycinin and dextran were prepared by heating in solution under macromolecular crowding environment and dry-heating methods, and then fractionated by solubility at pH 4.8 and pH 6.5 and characterized. The results showed that the degree of glycation of the conjugates extracted from pH 4.8 were higher than the conjugates extracted from pH 6.5. Corresponding to the higher degree of glycation, it was supposed that the β-conglycinin of groups 4.8 of macromolecular crowding environment was completely surrounded by the dextran molecular while that of groups 6.5 were encircled partially with a lower degree of glycation. Compared to β-conglycinin, groups 4.8 demonstrated a decreasing surface hydrophobicity and sulfhydryl group content while groups 6.5 increased. The secondary structure of β-conglycinin soluble at pH 4.8 after conjugating under macromolecular crowding environment tended to stretch out and the highly ordered structure turn to random structures. The differences between the extraction of pH 4.8 and pH 6.5 conjugated by dry-heating methods were not as remarkable as the difference between the extraction conjugated by macromolecular crowding environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Co/N-CNT/PCSx were fabricated by one-pot annealing of Co salt, melamine and PVP. • Co/N-CNT/PCSx possessed a Co/N-doped CNTs-grafted porous carbon sheets structure. • Co/N-CNT/PCS800 exhibited excellent electrocatalytic performance for ORR. Co/N-doped carbon nanotubes-grafted porous carbon sheets catalysts synthesised by a facile and economic strategy exhibited superb ORR catalytic performance. [Display omitted] The development of high performance and low-cost non-precious metal catalysts (NPMCs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) to replace platinum-based catalysts is significant in facilitating the commercialization of proton exchange membrance fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this work, a low-cost and effective approach is employed for producing Co/N-doped carbon nanotubes/porous carbon sheets (Co/N-CNT/PCS) catalysts by one-pot annealing of Co salt, melamine and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The prepared catalysts exhibit a N-doped carbon nanotubes-grafted porous carbon sheets structure, in which Co nanoparticles (Co NPs) encapsulated in bamboo-like CNTs. When compared with a commercial platinum carbon (Pt/C) catalyst in an alkaline solution, one such catalyst (Co/N-CNT/PCS800) displays comparable ORR electrocatalytic activity as well as improved long-team stability and methanol tolerance, arising from the combined effect of high specific surface area, large pore volume and the cooperation of pyridinic-N and graphitic-N. Moreover, given the scalability and economy of this synthesis, Co/N-CNT/PCS catalysts produced in this way are likely to emerge as a major contender as an ORR catalysts in PEMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective way to tune the surface reactivity of catalysts in electrocatalysis is by engineering their surface strain. Traditionally, activity enhancement for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) can be attributed to both strain and ligand effects for Pt-based catalysts. Herein, we successfully use variable shell thickness to tune surface strain and thus tailor the ORR catalytic activity of core-shell electrocatalysts in acid media. Increasing reaction temperature from 140 °C to 180 °C in a typical one-pot solvothermal method increases the thickness of Pt shells from 3.0 to 14.0 monolayers, by increments of 3 monolayers per 10 °C (3 ML/10 °C). The surface strains of −1.85% to −0.18% are achieved with increasing Pt shell thickness. Relative to a commercial Pt/C catalyst, the optimum mass activity of a Pd@Pt 3.4L /C catalyst (0.95 A mg Pt −1) is found to be greater by a factor of 5.3. The theoretical study on the strain-activity relation reveals that Pd@Pt 3.4L /C possesses 1.85% of surface compression, and the optimum oxygen binding energy (0.15 eV). The Pd@Pt nL /C catalysts show desirable stability compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst after 8000 cycles, especially Pd@Pt 5.3L /C, with 97.7% of initial mass activity. Image 1 • Pd@Pt core-shell nanoparticles were prepared by one-pot wet chemical method. • Increasing reaction temperature increases the thickness of Pt shell. • Strains from −1.85% to −0.18% are tuned by the increased shell thickness. • The tunable strain enhances the ORR activity on Pd@Pt nL /C catalysts. • Pd@Pt 3.4L /C catalyst with strain of −1.85% shows the highest mass activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An electrospinning technique followed by subsequent heat treatment with a high ramp rate (10 °C/min) was developed to construct porous ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 heterojunction nanofibers. Ethanol sensing results under UV light irradiation showed that the ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers exhibited much higher response and lower operating temperature in comparison with the pure Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers prepared with a low ramp rate of 2 °C/min. The response of ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers to 200 ppm ethanol was up to 121.0 at 130 °C, which was 3.7 times higher than that of pure Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers. The ethanol response of the ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 sensor can still up to 6.0–200 ppm under a high relative humidity of 82% at 130 °C. In addition, ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 heterojunction nanofibers also exhibited good ethanol reproducibility and selectivity. The enhanced sensing characteristics were mainly attributed to the synergetic effects of several factors including the formation of multiple n−n heterojunctions, increased oxygen species adsorption capacity, enhanced light absorption, reduced recombination rate of photoinduced electrons and holes, as well as increased specific surface area and porosity of ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers. Image 1 • Porous ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers were constructed by electrospinning technique. • Multiple n−n heterojunctions were formed in the ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers. • Light absorption and charge separation rate were enhanced in heterojunction nanofibers. • ZnO–SnO 2 –Zn 2 SnO 4 nanofibers exhibited enhanced ethanol sensing properties. • The enhanced sensing mechanism for UV-activated ethanol response was proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]