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Unlike isolable tin(II) hydrides supported by bulky ligands reported in the literature, this research describes the synthesis and characterization of thermally stable tin(II) hydrides

Zingiber calcicola Y.H.Tan & H.B.Ding, sp. nov. (Zingiberaceae) from a limestone area in south Yunnan, China is described and illustrated here. It belongs to Zingiber sect. Dymczewiczia due to the terminal inflorescence on the leafy shoot. The description, photographs, habitat, distribution, phenology and a comparison with the allied species are also provided.

Additional file 3: Fig S3. The average monthly temperature and precipitation in the 2018, 2019, and 2020 growing seasons.

Additional file 2: Fig S2. Pathway analysis of the identified differential metabolites. (a) Pathway impact resulting from the differential metabolites using MetaboAnalyst 3.0 between WW and CC. Small p-value and big pathway impact factor indicate that the pathway is greatly influenced. (b) Pathway impact resulting from the differential metabolites using MetaboAnalyst 3.0 between OR and CC. Small p-value and big pathway impact factor indicate that the pathway is greatly influenced.

Additional file 4: Table S1. The number of identified metabolites and classified in the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG).

Additional file 5: Table S2. The identified metabolites in the KEGG pathway.

Additional file 1: Fig S1. Bacterial community structure at the class, order, and family levels in the rhizosphere and bulk soils. (a) Percent of taxa at the order level in the rhizosphere and bulk soils. The relative abundance of each taxon was calculated by averaging the abundances of three duplicates in each soil group. (b) Percent of taxa at the class level in the rhizosphere and bulk soils. (c) Percent of taxa at the family level in the rhizosphere and bulk soils.

Introduction Although skin grafts are widely used in reconstruction of large skin defect and complex wounds, many factors lead to suboptimal graft take. Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) reportedly increases the graft take rates when added to skin grafting, but a summary analysis of the data of randomized controlled trials has yet to be performed. We conducted this systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the effectiveness and safety of NPWT and non-NPWT for patients with skin grafts. Methods We searched PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and CNKI for relevant trials based on predetermined eligibility criteria from database establishment to February 2020. Two reviewers screened citations and extracted data independently. The quality of the included studies was evaluated according to the Cochrane Handbook, whereas statistical heterogeneity was assessed using chi-square tests and I2 statistics. Review Manager 5.3 was used for statistical analysis. Results Ten randomized controlled trials with 488 patients who underwent NPWT or non-NPWT were included. Compared with non-NPWT, NPWT yielded an improved the percentage of graft take, a reduction in days from grafting to discharge, with lower relative risk of re-operation, and no increased relative risk of adverse event. Further, the subgroup analysis showed an improved the percentage of graft take in negative pressure of 80 mmHg, and no improved the percentage of graft take in negative pressure of 125 mmHg. Conclusion NPWT is more effective than non-NPWT for the integration of skin grafts, and the negative pressure of 80 mmHg can be recommended. Data on adverse events and negative pressure are, however, limited. A better understanding of complications after NPWT and the ideal negative pressure for the integration of skin grafts is imperative.

BackgroundIt has been established that the dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) inhibitor Diprotin A TFA can reduce vascular endothelial (VE)-cadherin disruption by inhibiting the increase in cleaved β-catenin in response to hypoxia, thereby protecting the vascular barrier of human umbilical vein endothelial cells. In this study, we sought to investigate the possible effect of Diprotin A TFA on the VE barrier after cerebral ischemic stroke in mice.MethodsC57BL/6J mice were divided into five groups, namely, (1) sham, (2) stroke, (3) stroke + dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), (4) stroke + Diprotin A TFA, and (5) stroke + Diprotin A TFA + XAV-939. First, the cerebral ischemia model was established by photothrombotic ischemia, followed by intraperitoneal injection with Diprotin A TFA and XAV-939 at doses of 70 μg/kg and 40 mg/kg 30 min once in the morning and once in the evening for 3 days. Immunofluorescence staining and Western blot methods were used to analyze the expression of vascular and blood-brain barrier (BBB)-associated molecular markers in the peri-infarct area.ResultsCompared with the vehicle control group, we found that mice injected with Diprotin A TFA exhibited reduced cerebral infarction volume, increased vascular area and length around the brain injury, increased pericyte and basement membrane coverage, upregulated expression of BBB tight junction proteins, and improved their BBB permeability, whereas the group injected with both drug and inhibitor exhibited significantly aggravated vascular injury and BBB permeability.ConclusionDiprotin A TFA can reduce VE-cadherin disruption by inhibiting ischemia-hypoxia-induced β-catenin cleavage to protect blood vessels.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea. L) is an important oil seed crop. Both arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) symbiosis and calcium (Ca2+) application can ameliorate the impact of saline soil on peanut production, and the rhizosphere bacterial communities are also closely correlated with peanut salt tolerance; however, whether AMF and Ca2+ can withstand high-salinity through or partially through modulating rhizosphere bacterial communities is unclear. Here, we used the rhizosphere bacterial DNA from saline alkali soil treated with AMF and Ca2+ alone or together to perform high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA genes. Taxonomic analysis revealed that AMF and Ca2+ treatment increased the abundance of Proteobacteria and Firmicutes at the phylum level. The nitrogen-fixing bacterium Sphingomonas was the dominant genus in these soils at the genus level, and the soil invertase and urease activities were also increased after AMF and Ca2+ treatment, implying that AMF and Ca2+ effectively improved the living environment of plants under salt stress. Moreover, AMF combined with Ca2+ was better than AMF or Ca2+ alone at altering the bacterial structure and improving peanut growth in saline alkali soil. Together, AMF and Ca2+ applications are conducive to peanut salt adaption by regulating the bacterial community in saline alkali soil.

This article is aimed at exploring an improved Taguchi SNR technique to settle the problem of multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) in a hesitant fuzzy situation. Firstly, a novel correlation coefficient is defined under message from hesitant fuzzy sets and a weighted correlation coefficient proposed to deal with uncertainty. On that basis, several hesitant fuzzy correlation SNR measures are proposed in terms of the use of the weighted correlation coefficient. These measures cannot only avoid information distortion and omission, but are more sensitive when small datasets are used to reduce computational burden and reflect the correlation conflict in the process of information processing. Then, a hesitant fuzzy Taguchi method is proposed based on a novel weighted correlation coefficient which follows the principle of compromise such that the difference between the selected alternatives and the average solution is minimised to determine the optimal alternatives under the framework of the Taguchi method. The established method considers association conflict and provides a flexible and effective method for solving MCDM problems in a hesitant fuzzy environment. The implementation and the rationality process of the proposed method are demonstrated by an example pertinent to quality evaluation of tourism city development and compared outputs therefrom with four similar methods.

Although keloids and hypertrophic scars are common benign hyperproliferative growths of dermal fibroblasts, the clinical problems including physical and psychological problems are significant and impairing, with few proven treatments. Intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) and combination of TAC with 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) are widely used to treat keloids and hypertrophic scars, but their efficacy and safety remain controversial. We systematically searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and CNKI for relevant trials. The mean scar height and the erythema score in the TAC + 5-FU group were lower than those in the TAC group after treatment (P

Keloids and hypertrophic scars often result after skin trauma. Currently, intralesional triamcinolone acetonide (TAC) is the criterion standard in nonsurgical management of keloids and hypertrophic scars. Intralesional verapamil may be an effective alternative modality, but it has been insufficiently studied. Accordingly, the study authors conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials to compare the efficacy and safety of the two drugs.The study authors systematically searched the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases for relevant trials published in any language through September 2018.According to the four studies included in this review, TAC improved scar pliability and vascularity more than verapamil after 3 weeks (P.05). For scar height and scar pigmentation, no statistical difference was observed between the treatments (P.05). The difference in effects on symptoms was not statistically significant (P = .89). For pain and telangiectasia, no statistical difference was observed (P.05). Verapamil resulted in fewer cases of skin atrophy (P.05).It appears that TAC is more effective than verapamil for improving scar pliability and vascularity in keloids and hypertrophic scars after 3 weeks of treatment. However, verapamil has fewer adverse drug reactions than TAC, which allows for a longer treatment period and the possibility that it might be effective for patients who cannot receive TAC.

To clarify the response and adaptability of peanut under salt stress, Huayu 25 was used as the material, and non-salt stress (CK), 0.15% salt stress (S1), and 0.3% salt stress (S2) were applied as three treatments. The study analysed the effects of salt stress on photosynthetic characteristics, photosynthetic substances accumulation and distribution as well as the ecological adaptability of peanuts. The results showed that net photosynthetic rate (Pn), SPAD value, leaf area, and peanut yield were reduced under salt stress. Pn in CK was 13.71 and 28.72% higher than that in S1 and S2 at the 50th day after planting, respectively. At the same growth period, the SPAD value among treatments was ranked as follows: CK>S1>S2. The 100-pod mass, 100-kernel mass, kernel rate to pod, and pod mass per plant were reduced under salt stress, and the trend was CK>S1>S2. The distribution proportion of dry matter in different organs of peanut plant was changed to adapt to such stress. Roots under salt stress intensively distributed in a 0–40 cm soil layer for salt resistance. Dry mass proportion in stems and pods increased during the vegetative stage and early period of reproductive stage, respectively. The maximum growth rates of the pod volume, pod dry weight, and seed kernel dry weight all declined, and the pod and kernel volume at harvest were reduced, improving the seed plumpness under salt stress. This finding could be useful in growing peanut in saline soil.

As a typical hole-doped cuprate superconductor, Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+δ (Bi2212) carrier doping is mostly determined by its oxygen content. Traditional doping methods can regulate its doping level within the range of hole doping. Here we report the first application of CaH 2 annealing method in regulating the doping level of Bi2212. By continuously controlling the anneal time, a series of differently doped samples can be obtained. The combined experimental results of x-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, resistance and Hall measurements demonstrate that the CaH 2 induced topochemical reaction can effectively change the oxygen content of Bi2212 within a very wide range, even switching from hole doping to electron doping. We also found evidence of a low-T c superconducting phase in the electron doping side., 7pages,3 figures and Supplementary Material 3pages,3 figures

Additional file 1. Additional information includes part of materials and methods, as well as additional figures.

Additional file 1.

Zingiber calcicola Y.H.Tan & H.B.Ding, sp. nov. (Figs. 1���2) Diagnosis: ��� Zingiber calcicola is similar to Z. nitens Newman (2015: 124) in having terminal inflorescence and similar labellum, but differs by its prominently plicate lamina, oblong (vs. triangular) and longer lateral staminodes (1.3���1.6 cm long vs. 0.2���0.6 cm long), elliptic lamina with the size of 13���19 �� 4���6.5 cm (vs. narrowly elliptic lamina with the size of 18���25 �� 2���3 cm) and dwarf habit (40���55 cm tall vs. 65���100 cm tall). Type: ��� CHINA. Yunnan Province: Mengla County, Huiwa village, 21��52���26��� N, 101��27���05��� E, elevation 805 m, 4 September 2020, H.B . Ding & X.D. Zeng T0566 (holotype: HITBC0057379!, isotype: HITBC0057382!). Perennial rhizomatous herbs, 40���55 cm tall, forming a loose clump, with 2���11 leafy shoots. Rhizomes to 3 cm in diam., horizontally elongated and creeping, yellowish brown (fresh rhizomes) to fuscous (drying rhizomes). Leafy shoots slender, with 6���11 leaves, basal ca. 1/3 part of pseudostem leafless; bladeless sheaths 1���3, reddish green, glabrous; leaf sheaths green, pubescent along the margin. Ligules 3���5 mm long, pubescent along the margin, apex truncate or emarginate; petiole 3���15 mm long, glabrous; lamina elliptic, 13���19 �� 4���6.5 cm, apex acuminate to caudate, base obtuse, adaxially dark green and glabrous, abaxially pale green and glabrous, prominently plicate. Inflorescence terminal on leafy shoots, in upright position, peduncle sessile, spike cylindrical to fusiform, 5���8 cm long, ca. 1 cm broad, consisting of 4���8 bracts; bracts green, 2.5���3.8 �� 1.3���2.0 cm, elliptic, glabrous, apex rounded, enclosing 2 flowers at the basal 3 bracts, 1 flower at the other upper bracts (occasionally only 1 flower in all bracts); bracteoles narrowly lanceolate, 1���1.7 cm long, involute, 0.4���0.6 cm wide when flattened, translucent green to white, glabrous, apex acute to obtuse. Flowers 6���6.5 cm long, much exserted beyond the bracts; calyx tubular, 1.8���2.2 cm long, ca. 3 mm in diam. at base, slightly swollen in the middle, ca. 4 mm in diam., membranaceous, semi-translucent cream-white, glabrous, with unilateral incision to 1 mm deep, with 3 teeth at apex; floral tube slender, 3.2���3.5 cm long, shallowly curved, widening gradually towards apex, cream-white and glabrous at base, brownish yellow and glabrous towards the apical part; dorsal corolla lobe lanceolate, 2.3���2.5 �� 0.5���0.8 cm, yellow with semi-translucent veins, glabrous, apex attenuate; lateral corolla lobes narrowly oblong, 2.0���2.2 �� 0.3���0.4 cm, yellow with semi-translucent veins, glabrous, apex attenuate; labellum oblong, 1.9���2.3 �� 0.8���1.0 cm, adaxially dark maroon with small yellow dots and yellow patch in throat, with yellow stripes from base to center; abaxially yellow; glabrous, margins slightly deflexed, apex emarginate for 2 mm; lateral staminodes oblong, 1.3���1.6 �� 0.2���0.3 cm, almost free from labellum, adaxially dark maroon with small yellow dots, abaxially yellow, glabrous, apex obtuse. Stamen 2.2���2.5 cm long with anther crest stretched, filament ca. 2 mm long, yellow, anther ca. 1.2 cm long (excluding anther crest) by ca. 3 mm broad, connective tissue yellow, glabrous; anther thecae ca. 1.2 cm long, dehiscing throughout entire length, pollen yellow; anther crest beak-shaped, 9���11 mm long when stretches, dark maroon with small yellow dots. Style filiform, creamwhite at base, pale yellow and thicken towards apex, glabrous; stigma extending to the tip of anther crest, funnelshaped, pale yellow, ostiole ciliate. Ovary cylindrical, slightly swollen in middle, trilocular, 3���4 �� 3���4 mm, yellowish green, glabrous; epigynous glands two, linear, 4���6 mm long, pale yellow. Fruit ovoid to obovoid, 1.4���1.6 �� 1���1.2 cm, with persistent calyx, pericarp semi-translucent, yellowish cream and red inside. Seeds ellipsoid, 4���5 �� 3���4 mm, black, enveloped by the aril. Aril white, deep denticulate at apex, enveloping 1/3 of the length of the seeds. Phenology: ���Flowering from August to September, fruiting from September to October. Distribution and habitat: ��� Zingiber calcicola is currently known only from its type locality, Mengla County, Yunnan, China. It grows on humus among rocks in tropical seasonal rain forest on limestone hills. Etymology: ���The specific epithet ��� calcicola ���, refers to the habitat in which the species occurs. Conservation status: ���So far, Zingiber calcicola is currently known only from the type locality in south Yunnan. Although the habitat is under protected in mini nature reserve, but only one population with less than 500 mature individuals has been found, and the extent of occurrence (EOO) is less than 40 km 2, so we propose to classify it as ���Critically Endangered��� (CR B1ab(iii,v)) (IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee 2019). Specimens examined (paratypes):��� CHINA. Yunnan Province: Mengla County, Huiwa village, 21��52���26��� N, 101��27���08��� E, elevation 774 m, 4 September 2020, H.B . Ding & X.D. Zeng T0565 (HITBC); ibid., 21��52���31��� N, 101��27���00��� E, elevation 717 m, 4 September 2020, H.B . Ding & X.D. Zeng T0567 (HITBC); ibid., 21��52���27��� N, 101��27���07��� E, elevation 787 m, 6 September 2020, H.B . Ding & X.D. Zeng T0568 (HITBC, PE, KUN); ibid., 21��52���32.39��� N, 101��27���31.40��� E, elevation 856 m, 16 August 2021, H.B . Ding, B. Yang & X.D. Zeng T0951 (HITBC); ibid., 21��52���37.24��� N, 101��27���42.21��� E, elevation 717 m, 16 August 2021, H.B . Ding, B. Yang & X.D. Zeng T0952 (HITBC). Notes: Zingiber calcicola belongs to sect. Dymczewiczia due to the terminal inflorescence on the leafy shoot. It is also similar to Z. plicatum ��korničk. & Q.B.Nguy ���n in Leong-��korničkov�� et al. (2015: 211) and Z. sirindhorniae Triboun & Keeratikiet (2016: 2) in having terminal inflorescence and the limestone habitat, but it differs from the first in its smaller terminal inflorescence (5���8 �� ca. 1 cm vs. 12���18 �� 1.5���2.0 cm), yellow corolla lobes (vs. cream-white to pale yellow) and dark maroon labellum dotted with small yellow dots (vs. peach-purple to purple, with cream white or pale yellow lines). It differs from the second by its prominently plicate lamina (vs. non-plicate), truncate or emarginate ligule (vs. bilobed) and yellow corolla lobes (vs. white)., Published as part of Ding, Hong-Bo, Quan, Dong-Li, Zeng, Xiao-Dong, Li, Jian-Wu & Tan, Yun-Hong, 2021, Zingiber calcicola (Zingiberaceae), a new species from a limestone area in south Yunnan, China, pp. 65-69 in Phytotaxa 525 (1) on pages 65-68, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.525.1.8, http://zenodo.org/record/5681859, {"references":["Newman, M. F. (2015) A new species of Zingiber (Zingiberaceae) from Lao P. D. R. Gardens' Bulletin Singapore 67 (1): 123 - 127. https: // doi. org / 10.3850 / S 2382581215000137","IUCN Standards and Petitions Committee. (2019) Guidelines for Using the IUCN Red List Categories and Criteria. Version 14. Prepared by the Standards and Petitions Committee. Downloadable from [http: // www. iucnredlist. org / documents / RedListGuidelines. pdf]","Leong-Skornickova, J., Binh, N. Q., Dang, T. H., Sida, O., Rybkova, R. & Vuong, T. B. (2015) Nine new Zingiber species (Zingiberaceae) from Vietnam. Phytotaxa 219 (3): 201 - 220. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / phytotaxa. 219.3.1","Triboun, P. & Keeratikiet, K. (2016) Zingiber sirindhorniae, a remarkable new species in Zingiber section Dymczewiczia (Zingiberaceae) from Thailand. The Thailand Natural History Museum Journal 10 (1): 1 - 6."]}

Soil salinity is regarded as severe environmental stress that can change the composition of rhizosphere soil bacterial community and import a plethora of harms to crop plants. However, relatively little is known about the relationship between salt stress and root microbial communities in groundnuts. The goal of this study was to assess the effect of salt stress on groundnut growth performance and rhizosphere microbial community structure. Statistical analysis exhibited that salt stress indeed affected groundnut growth and pod yield. Further taxonomic analysis showed that the bacterial community predominantly consisted of phyla Proteobacteria, Actinobacteria, Saccharibacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteria, and Cyanobacteria. Among these bacteria, numbers of Cyanobacteria and Acidobacteria mainly increased, while that of Actinobacteria and Chloroflexi decreased after salt treatment via taxonomic and qPCR analysis. Moreover, Sphingomonas and Microcoleus as the predominant genera in salt-treated rhizosphere soils might enhance salt tolerance as plant growth-promoting rhizobacteria. Metagenomic profiling showed that series of sequences related to signaling transduction, posttranslational modification, and chaperones were enriched in the salt-treated soils, which may have implications for plant survival and salt tolerance. These data will help us better understand the symbiotic relationship between the dominant microbial community and groundnuts and form the foundation for further improvement of salt tolerance of groundnuts via modification of soil microbial community.

The hesitant and imprecise uncertainties widely exist in real decision-making problems. For solving the class of problems, this work is aimed at reconfiguring a novel method under the TOPSIS framework to solve the general uncertain decision problem that with both the ratings of alternatives and weights of criteria represented by interval-valued hesitant fuzzy (IVHF) information. Three novelties are proposed to support the reconfigured method. First, a parameterized approach for generating apt positive and negative IVHF reference solutions is proposed, which permits decision makers (DMs) to express their different aspiration strengths for fitting complex and uncertain decision scenarios and situations. Second, a novel distance for IVHF elements is constructed based on the modification of Wave-Hedges measurement to address the defects of the previous hesitant distances and to measure the separations of alternatives in TOPSIS. Third, a nine-step solution procedure of IVHF-TOSPSIS method is reconfigured to solve effectively the general problem that the ratings and weights are expressed with IVHF information. Finally, the reconfigured method is exploited to settle the carbon performance evaluation of industrial firms and some sensitivity and comparison analyses are conducted to validate the proposed method.

A scalable and versatile strategy was developed for the fabrication of uniform polymeric microspheres with controllable interconnected porous structures. Uniform water-in-oil-in-water emulsions with linear poly(methyl methacrylate–glycidyl methacrylate) in the oil phase were generated by two-step premix membrane emulsification and used for constructing the microspheres. During the emulsion solidification process, internal water droplets were packed densely together, forming a thin oil film between the internal and external water phases. After solvent diffusion, the thin film can be ruptured and pores can be templated from the internal water droplets to form interconnected porous structures. Membranes with various pore sizes were obtained. The osmotic pressure and Laplace pressure balance were used to control the porosity and pore size precisely. The proposed method enables the fabrication of functional polymeric microspheres with uniform and controllable porous structures and particle sizes. This improves their performance and broadens the scope of their applications, especially in chromatographic separation.

Developing atomically precise catalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) will help understand the catalytic reaction mechanisms for guiding the synthesis of new HER catalysts. A Cu-based metal-organic framework (CuII-MOF) consisting of trinuclear mixed-ligand units was prepared under hydrothermal conditions, and the structure, morphology, and elemental composition were characterized by (single crystal) XRD, TEM, SEM, XPS, BET, TGA and ATR-FTIR. Doping of 9.2 wt% CuII-MOF powder into the carbon paste electrode caused a roughly 440 mV positive shift of the HER potential at 10 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M H2SO4. The CuII-MOF showed a high working stability due to the dual-ligand-protected Cu active centers. The intrinsic catalytic mechanism was investigated by Tafel slope analysis, solid state electrochemistry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The CuII ions in the CuII-MOF are successively reduced through two single-electron steps over a potential range of 0.7 to 0.1 V vs. RHE to form single-atom Cu0 active centers, on which adsorbed H atoms can be generated with a positive onset potential of about 100 mV vs. RHE through a following chemical redox reaction. The mechanistic findings point out the necessity and feasibility of developing bicomponent or bifunctional MOF-based catalysts to efficiently accelerate both the first and second electron transfer steps of HER.

Ce3+-doped silicate phosphors (Mg2-xSiO4:xCe3+, x = 0.001–0.007 mol) for NUV w-LEDs have been synthesized by solid-state reaction method at 1450°C. The as-prepared samples have been characterized by XRD and fluorescence spectrophotometer, respectively. The XRD results show that the aim phase has been synthesized and doping Ce3+ has not resulted in impurity phase. This phosphor material exhibits a strong blue-violet emission (330–520 nm) under the near-ultraviolet radiation excitation. The average colorimetric coordinate of Mg2-xSiO4:xCe3+ (x = 0.0025 mol) is (0.1508, 0.0694), locating in blue-violet region. We have obtained bright blue-violet light via pumping the sample by NUV light (λ ≈ 365 nm), suggesting that this material can be potential as a NUV converting blue-violet phosphor for the NUV w-LEDs.

Key to the four species of Premna having spike-like inflorescences 1. The inflorescence is a single spike-like thyrse without branches; corolla tube straight and obviously much longer than calyx .................................................................................................................................................................................................. P. interrupta 1. The inflorescence is a panicle formed by branches of spike-like thyrses; corolla tube straight or incurved, as long as calyx or slightly longer than calyx. 2. Tall trees; the axis of inflorescence has1���4 pairs of secondary branches ........................................................................ P. bracteata 2. Large woody climbers; the inflorescence intricate with 4���6 pairs of secondary branches and each secondary branch with 1���3 pairs of tertiary branches. 3. Leaf blade broadly ovate to subrounded; flowers nearly actinomorphic; corolla tube straight and extremely short; corolla without colorful spot; stamens radially exerted................................................................................................................. P. grandipaniculata 3. Leaf blade oblong to ovate; flowers strongly zygomorphic; corolla tube incurved, slightly longer than calyx; middle lob of the lower lip with a bright yellowish spot; stamens exerted under the upper lip................................................................. P. caridantha, Published as part of Tan, Yun-Hong, Min, Dao-Zhang, Ding, Hong-Bo, Yang, Bin, Maw, Mya Bhone & Li, Bo, 2021, Premna caridantha (Lamiaceae: Permnoideae), a distinct new species from Kachin State, northern Myanmar, pp. 107-113 in Phytotaxa 490 (1) on page 112, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.490.1.10, http://zenodo.org/record/5755516

Tan, Yun-Hong, Min, Dao-Zhang, Ding, Hong-Bo, Yang, Bin, Maw, Mya Bhone, Li, Bo (2021): Premna caridantha (Lamiaceae: Permnoideae), a distinct new species from Kachin State, northern Myanmar. Phytotaxa 490 (1): 107-113, DOI: 10.11646/phytotaxa.490.1.10, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.11646/phytotaxa.490.1.10

As a typical hole-doped cuprate superconductor, Bi 2 Sr 2 CaCu 2 O 8+{\delta} (Bi2212) carrier doping is mostly determined by its oxygen content. Traditional doping methods can regulate its doping level within the range of hole doping. Here we report the first application of CaH 2 annealing method in regulating the doping level of Bi2212. By continuously controlling the anneal time, a series of differently doped samples can be obtained. The combined experimental results of x-ray diffraction, scanning transmission electron microscopy, resistance and Hall measurements demonstrate that the CaH 2 induced topochemical reaction can effectively change the oxygen content of Bi2212 within a very wide range, even switching from hole doping to electron doping. We also found evidence of a low-T c superconducting phase in the electron doping side., Comment: 7pages,3 figures and Supplementary Material 3pages,3 figures

Additional file 1.

Topological crystalline insulators (TCIs) are insulating electronic states with nontrivial topology protected by crystalline symmetries. Recently, theory has proposed new classes of TCIs protected by rotation symmetries ��$_n$, which have surface rotation anomaly evading the fermion doubling theorem, i.e. n instead of 2n Dirac cones on the surface preserving the rotation symmetry. Here, we report the first realization of the ��$_2$ rotation anomaly in a binary compound SrPb. Our first-principles calculations reveal two massless Dirac fermions protected by the combination of time-reversal symmetry T and ��$_{2y}$ on the (010) surface. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we identify two Dirac surface states inside the bulk band gap of SrPb, confirming the ��$_2$ rotation anomaly in the new classes of TCIs. The findings enrich the classification of topological phases, which pave the way for exploring exotic behaviour of the new classes of TCIs., 18 pages, 4 figures

Topological boundary states, emerged at the spatial boundary between topological non-trivial and trivial phases, are usually gapless, or commonly referred as metallic states. For example, the surface state of a topological insulator is a gapless Dirac state. These metallic topological boundary states are typically well described by non-interacting fermions. However, the behavior of topological boundary states with significant electron-electron interactions, which could turn the gapless boundary states into gapped ordered states, e.g., density wave states or superconducting states, is of great interest theoretically, but is still lacking evidence experimentally. Here, we report the observation of incommensurable charge density wave (CDW) formed on the topological boundary states driven by the electron-electron interactions on the (001) surface of CoSi. The wavevector of CDW varies as the temperature changes, which coincides with the evolution of topological surface Fermi arcs with temperature. The orientation of CDW phase is determined by the chirality of the Fermi arcs, which indicates direct association between CDW and Fermi arcs. Our finding will stimulate the search of more interactions-driven ordered states, such as superconductivity and magnetism, on the boundaries of topological materials.

The outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) has become a worldwide public health crisis. When the SARS-CoV-2 enters the biological fluids in the human body, different types of biomolecules (in particular proteins) may adsorb on its surface and alter its infection ability. Although great efforts have recently been devoted to the interaction of the specific antibodies with the SARS-CoV-2, it still remains largely unknown how the other serum proteins affect the infection of the SARS-CoV-2. In this work, we systematically investigate the interaction of serum proteins with the SARS-CoV-2 RBD by the molecular docking and the all-atom molecular dynamics simulations. It is found that the non-specific immunoglobulin (Ig) indeed cannot effectively bind to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD while the human serum albumin (HSA) may have some potential of blocking its infection (to ACE2). More importantly, we find that the RBD can cause the significant structural change of the Apolipoprotein E (ApoE), by which SARS-CoV-2 may hijack the metabolic pathway of the ApoE to facilitate its cell entry. The present study enhances the understanding of the role of protein corona in the bio-behaviors of SARS-CoV-2, which may aid the more precise and personalized treatment for COVID-19 infection in the clinic., Comment: 18 pages, 7 figures

Additional file 1. Questionnaire for this study.

Data files forPNAS paper:10.1073/pnas.2001755117.

We describe a “turn-on” magnetic fluorescent biosensor based on graphene quantum dots (GQDs), Fe3O4, and molybdenum disulfide (MoS2) nanosheets. It is used for rapid, efficient, and sensitive separation and detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs). A facile approach (electrochemical synthesis method) for the preparation of photoluminescent GQDs functionalized with an aptamer [epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) receptors] and a magnetic agent for one-step bioimaging and enrichment of CTCs is described. MoS2 nanosheets, as a fluorescence quencher, and the aforementioned aptamer@Fe3O4@GQD complex were assembled to construct “turn-on” biosensing magnetic fluorescent nanocomposites (MFNs). This system exhibits low cytotoxicity and an average capture efficiency of 90%, which is higher than that of other magnetic nanoparticles on account of the one-step CTC separation method. In addition, the MFNs could quickly identify and label CTCs within 15 min, surpassing other one-step and two-step marker detection methods. Furthermore, because of the presence of aptamers, the MFNs have specific capability to capture CTCs (both low- and high-EpCAM-expressing cells). In addition, high-sensitivity detection of up to ten tumor cells in whole blood was achieved. Therefore, the MFNs have great potential to be used as universal biosensing nanocomposites for fluorescence-guided tumor cell enrichment and bioimaging.

Lycopene (Ly) is a kind of hydrocarbon, which belongs to the family of tetraterpene carotene and exists in red fruits and vegetables. The decrease of capillary density and blood flow with age is a significant reason for the increase of mortality and morbidity. Herein, our study aims to explore the effects of Ly (a bioactive food compound) on vascular aging in vitro and in vivo and its potential mechanisms. The cytological results showed that Ly could promote the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVECs) and enhance the ability of HUVECs to form capillary-like structures. Furthermore, the expression of SIRT1 in aged HUVECs was up-regulated. In vivo, aging rats showed signs of insulin resistance and blood vessel damage. Additionally, the capillary density and blood flow were reduced during the vascular aging process in both D‐gal‐induced and naturally aging muscle. However, when Ly was given, these conditions could be reversed. Simultaneously, the contents of ATP, lactic acid and pyruvic acid were determined, and it was found that Ly could promote angiogenesis by increasing the utilization rate of glucose and promoting energy metabolism. Finally, in the insulin resistance cell model, we knocked down the SIRT1 and administrated with Ly, and found that it couldn't restore insulin transdution. In conclusion, all the data in this study demonstrate that Ly could reactivate SIRT1 and improve insulin resistance, which was a reversible cause of vascular aging.

Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) is widely used to evaluate tumor microcirculation, which is useful in the differential diagnosis between benignity and malignancy. In the last 10 years, the applicability of CEUS to thyroid nodules has greatly improved due to technological refinements and the development of second-generation contrast agents. In this review, we summarize the applications of CEUS for thyroid nodules, focusing on the imaging findings of malignant and benign nodules in the existing literature and the use of those findings to predict malignancies, with an additional brief description of the utilization of CEUS for other thyroid-related diseases.

The roles of soluble Fe and Ni species in the alkaline oxygen evolution reaction (OER) at a Ni anode are reported. The Fe impurities in the electrolyte turn out to be insufficient to directly improve the OER activity. The Ni(OH)2/NiOOH film undergoes chemical dissolution to give a stable Ni(ii) species that plays a hindering role in the OER.

Herbicides applied to the field affect the soil microbial community. Here, we evaluated the impact of the herbicide 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid butyl ester (2, 4-Dbe) on the microbial community and nitrogen-transforming bacterial populations at three doses of 0, 5 (field application rate) and 50 mg (ten-fold field rate) active ingredient (a.i.) kg-1 dry soil applied to Oxisol and Fluvo-aquic soils in the laboratory, respectively. After addition of 2, 4-Dbe, the populations of aerobic bacteria and actinomycete significantly depressed in the Oxisol soil (pH 5.9), while promoted in the Fluvo-aquic soil (pH 8.3). An increasing dose of 2, 4-Dbe combined with much less fungal populations in both soils (p < 0.05). Application of 5 mg a.i. 2, 4-Dbe significantly stimulated ammonifiers, and had no influence on nitroso-bacteria and denitrifying bacteria; 50 mg a.i. 2, 4-Dbe inhibited all of them (p < 0.05). Both doses of 2, 4-Dbe inhibited autotrophic nitrifying bacteria, but stimulated heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria in both soils (p < 0.05). These results revealed that the sensitivity of different microbial species to 2, 4-Dbe differed significantly, and the impacts were also associated with herbicide application rates and soil types. Fungi and autotrophic nitrifying bacteria are more sensitive, and heterotrophic nitrifying bacteria are insensitive to 2, 4-Dbe toxicity.

Inflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules have been implicated in a variety of diseases including atherosclerosis. As both the mediator-releasing and targeted cells, vascular endothelial cells play key role in pathological processes. NF-κB signaling regulates a cluster of inflammatory factors in LPS-activated vascular endothelial cells but the underlying mechanisms remain largely unknown. Here, we investigated the epigenetic regulation of LPS upon the expression of inflammatory mediators and adhesion molecules. We found that LPS treatment promoted jmjd3 expression, enhanced Jmjd3 nuclear accumulation in human vascular endothelial cells. In addition, LPS enhanced the demethylation of H3K27me3, a specific substrate of Jmjd3. LPS treatment recruited Jmjd3 and NF-κB to the promoter region of target genes, suggesting Jmjd3 synergizes with NF-κB to activate the expression of target genes. We further found that Jmjd3 attenuated the methylation status in promoter region of target genes, culminating in target gene expression. Our findings unveil epigenetic regulations of LPS upon NF-κB pathway and identify Jmjd3 as a critical modulator of NF-κB pathway and potential therapeutic target for NF-κB related diseases including atherosclerosis.

Background: Accurate evaluation of the degree of fibrosis and cirrhosis is crucial for determining treatment strategies, surveillance, and prognosis in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB). Objectives: To explore the value of acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI) elastography in assessing the stage of liver fibrosis and the severity of cirrhosis based on portal hypertension. Patients and Methods: One hundred ninety-six consecutive CHB patients who underwent partial hepatectomy and sixty-four advanced cirrhosis patients who underwent hepatic vein pressure gradient (HVPG) measurement were examined with ARFI imaging. Liver stiffness measurements (LSMs) were obtained and compared with the hepatic histological findings by using Scheuer scoring system and with the value of HVPG, respectively. A spleen stiffness measurement (SSM) and spleen index were also performed, and the values were compared with HVPG measurements. Results: Areas under the receiver operating characteristics curve (AUROCs) were 0.952 and 0.976, respectively for the diagnosis of significant fibrosis (S ≥ S2) and cirrhosis (S4), with the corresponding values of 1.26 m/s and 1.58 m/s for optimal LSM cutoff points. For advanced cirrhotic patients (n = 64), the correlation coefficient between LSM and HVPG was 0.637 (P < 0.001). The cutoff values for predicting HVPG ≥ 10 mm Hg and HVPG ≥ 12 mm Hg were 1.79 m/s and 1.90 m/s, respectively (AUROC: 0.665 and 0.859). Neither the value of SSM nor the spleen index showed a statistical relationship with HVPG in the advanced cirrhosis group, but they were significantly correlated with each other (ρ = 0.604, P < 0.05). Conclusion: As a noninvasive elastosonography for the evaluation of liver stiffness, ARFI imaging could not only be used to stage liver fibrosis in CHB patients, but also to evaluate the severity of cirrhosis based on portal hypertension.