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Blending modification is used to improve the hemocompatibility of cellulose acetate (CA) dialysis membranes while endowing the CA membrane with endotoxin scavenging and antibacterial capabilities. First, polydopamine (PDA) and polyethylenimine (PEI) are used as negatively charged and positively charged moieties, respectively, together with cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to construct mixed charge CNCs (PEI‐PDA@CNCs). Then PEI‐PDA@CNCs is blended with the CA casting solution, and the modified CA dialysis membrane is prepared through a phase inversion process. Through biocompatibility, adsorption, antibacterial, and filtration experiments, various properties of PEI‐PDA@CNCs modified CA membrane (PDCA) are systematically tested. The results show that the PDCA membrane exhibited good blood compatibility and noncytotoxicity. At the same time, the PDCA membrane has antibacterial properties and excellent endotoxin adsorption capacity. Compared with the CA membrane, the clearance rates of PDCA membrane for Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli reach 54.0% ± 1.5% and 52.9% ± 5.9% respectively. In the dynamic adsorption experiment, the adsorption capacity of PDCA membrane for endotoxin increases to 2322.1 ± 45.9 EU/g. The research results indicate that PEI‐PDA@CNC‐modified multifunctional CA membrane with endotoxin adsorption and antibacterial properties has potential application prospects in the fields of hemodialysis and blood purification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The healing of damaged skin is a complex and dynamic process, and the multifunctional hydrogel dressings could promote skin tissue healing. This study, therefore, explored the development of a composite multifunctional hydrogel (HDCP) by incorporating the dopamine modified hyaluronic acid (HA-DA) and phenylboronic acid modified chitosan (CS-PBA) crosslinked using boric acid ester bonds. The integration of HA-DA and CS-PBA could be confirmed using the Fourier transform infrared spectrometer and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance analyses. The fabricated HDCP hydrogels exhibited porous structure, elastic solid behavior, shear-thinning, and adhesion properties. Furthermore, the HDCP hydrogels exhibited antibacterial efficacy against Gram-negative Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Subsequently, the cytocompatibility of the HDCP hydrogels was verified through CCK-8 assay and fluorescent image analysis following co-cultivation with NIH-3T3 cells. This research presents an innovative multifunctional hydrogel that holds promise as a wound dressing for various applications within the realm of wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The management of wound healing represents a significant clinical challenge due to the complicated processes involved. Chitosan has remarkable properties that effectively prevent certain microorganisms from entering the body and positively influence both red blood cell aggregation and platelet adhesion and aggregation in the bloodstream, resulting in a favorable hemostatic outcome. In recent years, chitosan-based hydrogels have been widely used as wound dressings due to their biodegradability, biocompatibility, safety, non-toxicity, bioadhesiveness, and soft texture resembling the extracellular matrix. This article first summarizes an overview of the main chemical modifications of chitosan for wound dressings and then reviews the desired properties of chitosan-based hydrogel dressings. The applications of chitosan-based hydrogels in wound healing, including burn wounds, surgical wounds, infected wounds, and diabetic wounds are then discussed. Finally, future prospects for chitosan-based hydrogels as wound dressings are discussed. It is anticipated that this review will form a basis for the development of a range of chitosan-based hydrogel dressings for clinical treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many animal species, an increase in the operational sex ratio (OSR), density or a combination of both should lead to more intensive competition among individuals of the more abundant sex. To test this, we examined pairing patterns of Minshan's toad (Bufo minshanicus) from six populations between 2008 and 2015 along the eastern Tibetan Plateau in south-west China. OSRs in breeding aggregations of Minshan's toad are normally male biased and males actively compete with each other for acquisition and retention of mates. We found evidence that deviations from random mating by size varied between populations and between years according to the magnitude of the OSR and male density. Larger males were generally more successful in pairing than smaller males when the OSR was slightly male biased and male density was high. However, the resulting size-disproportionate mating was more evident when OSR was closer to 1.99, indicating a positive correlation with the intensity of aggressive scramble competition. Thus, the intensity of male-male competition may partly explain variation in size-disproportionate mating among populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cuticle is regarded as a non-living tissue; it remains unknown whether the cuticle could be reversibly modified and what are the potential mechanisms. In this study, three tea germplasms (Wuniuzao , 0202-10 , and 0306A) were subjected to water deprivation followed by rehydration. The epicuticular waxes and intracuticular waxes from both leaf surfaces were quantified from the mature 5th leaf. Cuticular transpiration rates were then measured from leaf drying curves, and the correlations between cuticular transpiration rates and cuticular wax coverage were analyzed. We found that the cuticular transpiration barriers were reinforced by drought and reversed by rehydration treatment; the initial weak cuticular transpiration barriers were preferentially reinforced by drought stress, while the original major cuticular transpiration barriers were either strengthened or unaltered. Correlation analysis suggests that cuticle modifications could be realized by selective deposition of specific wax compounds into individual cuticular compartments through multiple mechanisms, including in vivo wax synthesis or transport, dynamic phase separation between epicuticular waxes and the intracuticular waxes, in vitro polymerization, and retro transportation into epidermal cell wall or protoplast for further transformation. Our data suggest that modifications of a limited set of specific wax components from individual cuticular compartments are sufficient to alter cuticular transpiration barrier properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tea plant is an essential economic plant in many countries. However, its growing season renders them vulnerable to stresses. To understand the transcriptomic influences of these stresses on tea plants, we sequenced and analyzed the transcriptomes under drought, high-temperature, and pest. Paralogs were identified by comparing 14 evolutionarily close genomes. The differentially expressed paralog (DEPs) genes were analyzed regarding single or multiple stresses, and 1075 of the 4111 DEPs were commonly found in all the stresses. The co-expression network of the DEPs and TFs indicated that genes of catechin biosynthesis were associated with most transcription factors specific to each stress. The genes playing a significant role in the late response to drought and pest stress mainly functioned in the early response to high-temperature. This study revealed the relationship between stress and regulation of QRM synthesis and the role of QRMs in response to these (a)biotic stresses. • Common DEPs (1075) were identified from DEPs specific to drought, high-temperature, or pest stress via homology analysis. • The metabolite biosynthesis-related TFs were mainly enriched in the families of MYB, AP2/ERF-ERF, WRKY, and bHLH. • Catechin synthesis was strongly regulated by TFs under DS, HS and PS, while caffeine was primarily regulated by TFs under DS. • DS and PS primarily affected the genes functioning in the latter biosynthetic steps, while HS affects the early step. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea-polyphenol, as non-toxic skincare, even a therapeutic agent, was extensively studied from chemical, biological and physiological perspectives. This study reveals physical intelligences of a tea-polyphenol treated skin collagen (TP-treated SC) through a material-approach. Compared to untreated one, the TP-treated SC shows resistance to over-swelling and dehydration damage. There exists an inflection point in stress value of TP-treated SC below extension of 25%. Such promptly transformation from flexibility to stiffness is self-adaptive stretch behavior. Moreover, TP-treated SC owns water responsive shape-memory property. These effects are attributed to polyphenol as plasticizer with chains crosslinked to multi-sites on collagen-fibers as netpoints. The discovery, mechanism and method, which have not been reported before, may help to develop new shape memory device, skincare products, as well as provides insights into the physiological behavior of collagen contained tissue. [Display omitted] • Tea-polyphenol was used to treat skin collagen matrix. • TP-treated SC exhibits anti-overhydration and resistance to dehydration damage. • Below extension of 25%, TP-treated SC possesses self-adaptive tensile strength. • TP-treated SC achieves a water-responsive shape memory performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Human Connectome Project (HCP) is a large structural and functional MRI dataset with a rich array of behavioral and genotypic measures, as well as a biologically verified family structure. This makes it a valuable resource for investigating questions about individual differences, including questions about heritability. While its MRI data have been analyzed extensively in this regard, to our knowledge a comprehensive estimation of the heritability of the behavioral dataset has never been conducted. Using a set of behavioral measures of personality, emotion and cognition, we show that it is possible to re-identify the same individual across two testing times (fingerprinting), and to identify identical twins significantly above chance. Standard heritability estimates of 37 behavioral measures were derived from twin correlations, and machine-learning models (univariate linear model, Ridge classifier and Random Forest model) were trained to classify monozygotic twins and dizygotic twins. Correlations between the standard heritability metric and each set of model weights ranged from 0.36 to 0.7, and questionnaire-based and task-based measures did not differ significantly in their heritability. We further explored the heritability of a smaller number of latent factors extracted from the 37 measures and repeated the heritability estimation; in this case, the correlations between the standard heritability and each set of model weights were lower, ranging from 0.05 to 0.43. One specific discrepancy arose for the general intelligence factor, which all models assigned high importance, but the standard heritability calculation did not. We present a thorough investigation of the heritabilities of the behavioral measures in the HCP as a resource for other investigators, and illustrate the utility of machine-learning methods for qualitative characterization of the differential heritability across diverse measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The topography of electrospun nanofibers is thought to play a vital role in the differentiation of human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) in tissue engineering. For the first time, we used pure gelatin to fabricate random and aligned electrospun gelatin nanofibers (EGNs) as the scaffold of hMSCs. Two pure gelatin samples were crosslinked by saturated glutaraldehyde (GTA) vapour. The crosslinking significantly enhanced their tensile strength by approximately 4 times. Subsequently, hMSCs were cultured on both EGNs for 1, 3 and 7 days, and the cytotoxicity, morphologies and spreading of the cells were evaluated. The results indicate that hMSCs could proliferate on crosslinked EGNs and spread more effectively on the aligned fibrous mast. Specifically, the cells elongated better and oriented more uniformly along the local aligned fiber direction than those grown on randomly oriented fibers. Therefore, this study implies that aligned EGNs have higher potential applications as the scaffold for hMSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • WPU dispersions with high solid content are prepared by facile method. • Different particle size distributions cause altered coating surface roughness. • Study of microphase structure and performance of WPU coatings. • Application of WPU dispersions on industrially manufactured leather samples. • Surface finished leather has excellent glossiness, waterproofness and durability. Abstract High sold content waterborne polyurethanes (WPUs) were prepared based on star-shape prepolymer which was synthesized via arm-first approach using pentaerythritol (PE) as core. With PE content increasing from 0.3% to 1.2%, WPU dispersions presented a decreasing trend in average particle size, whilst size distribution transited from bimodal distribution to monomodal distribution. This may contribute to variation of surfaces roughness of coatings during film formation process. Infrared spectra and atomic force microscope revealed micro-phase separation structure within WPU coatings and hydrogen-bond interactions between soft segments and hard segments. Water swelling ratios of WPU coatings were below 17% and their swelling behaviors were consistent with kinetic first-order equation. Moreover, WPU coatings showed excellent thermal stability and mechanical properties with elongation at break of 400% and breaking strength reaching 15 MPa. It was found that WPU coatings possess optimum damping properties at 50 ℃ which can be regulated by PE content. Notably, application of high solid content WPU dispersions on leather surface resulted in excellent comprehensive performance, implying the potential application of WPU dispersions as leather finishing agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Injectable intravaginal hydrogels could deliver drugs systemically without hepatic first pass effect. This paper focuses on the contraceptive function of an injectable temperature-sensitive four-arm star-shaped poly(D,L-lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-methoxy poly(ethylene glycol) (4sPLGA-mPEG) block copolymer hydrogels as a carrier of three drugs. In vitro controlled release profiles were investigated via HPLC, and it showed that the cumulative release amounts of indomethacin (IMC), gestodene (GSD), and ethinyl estradiol (EE) from copolymer hydrogels could be regulated by adjusting the lactide/glycolide (LA/GA) mol ratio. In addition, in vitro release profiles of IMC, GSD, and EE well corresponded to Higuchi model. The acute toxicity of copolymer hydrogels loaded with different dosage contents multi-drug was evaluated in vivo. As to the high dosage group, the uterus was hydropic at day 1 and ulcerated at day 5, followed with intestinal adhesion. Regarding the middle dosage group, no festering of tissues was observed and, blood coagulum existed in the uterus at different days. For low dosage group, no significant tissue necrosis was found. Finally, the antifertility experiments confirmed that hydrogels loaded with the multi-drug had an excellent contraceptive effect. The above results indicated that injectable copolymer hydrogel as a multi-drug carrier was promising as a novel contraception method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By collagen skin (CS) we mean a material with only collagen fibres in a natural animal skin. Following continuous research of collagen biochemistry, CS shows its superiority in various applications such as leather, wound dressing and absorbing materials. This study discovered the water-induced shape memory effect of CS and exploited the corresponding mechanisms in terms of its molecular and morphological structure. It is revealed that CS can completely fix into a temporary shape and retain a high shape recovery ratio (＞90%) under repeatable memory cycles. The reversible cleavage and re-formation of interpeptide hydrogen bonds can work as a “switch” to trigger the shape deformation while peptide chains together with cross-links within collagen work as a “netpoint” for shape recovery. Such water-responsive adaptable mechanical behaviour (a switchable modulus) allows CS to be either used as a robotic handle for loading or as a flexible material for covering. This discovery will provide new opportunities and guidance in emerging research areas such as shape memory devices, biomimetic actuators and artificial skins as well as the physiological function of an animal skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Personality neuroscience aims to find associations between brain measures and personality traits. Findings to date have been severely limited by a number of factors, including small sample size and omission of out-of-sample prediction. We capitalized on the recent availability of a large database, together with the emergence of specific criteria for best practices in neuroimaging studies of individual differences. We analyzed resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data from 884 young healthy adults in the Human Connectome Project database. We attempted to predict personality traits from the "Big Five," as assessed with the Neuroticism/Extraversion/Openness Five-Factor Inventory test, using individual functional connectivity matrices. After regressing out potential confounds (such as age, sex, handedness, and fluid intelligence), we used a cross-validated framework, together with test-retest replication (across two sessions of resting-state fMRI for each subject), to quantify how well the neuroimaging data could predict each of the five personality factors. We tested three different (published) denoising strategies for the fMRI data, two intersubject alignment and brain parcellation schemes, and three different linear models for prediction. As measurement noise is known to moderate statistical relationships, we performed final prediction analyses using average connectivity across both imaging sessions (1 hr of data), with the analysis pipeline that yielded the highest predictability overall. Across all results (test/retest; three denoising strategies; two alignment schemes; three models), Openness to experience emerged as the only reliably predicted personality factor. Using the full hour of resting-state data and the best pipeline, we could predict Openness to experience (NEOFAC_O: r =.24, R²=.024) almost as well as we could predict the score on a 24-item intelligence test (PMAT24_A_CR: r =.26, R² =.044). Other factors (Extraversion, Neuroticism, Agreeableness, and Conscientiousness) yielded weaker predictions across results that were not statistically significant under permutation testing. We also derived two superordinate personality factors ("α" and "β") from a principal components analysis of the Neuroticism/Extraversion/Openness Five-Factor Inventory factor scores, thereby reducing noise and enhancing the precision of these measures of personality. We could account for 5% of the variance in the β superordinate factor (r =.27, R²=.050), which loads highly on Openness to experience. We conclude with a discussion of the potential for predicting personality from neuroimaging data and make specific recommendations for the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In response to the demand for environmentally friendly multifunctional coatings, the development of waterborne polyurethane with integrated anti-fouling and antibacterial activity is of great interest. In this study, polyhexamethylene guanidine (PHMG) and fluorinated diol dual-polymer-functionalized waterborne polyurethanes (PFPUs) were designed and prepared via bulk synthesis. The incorporation of fluoroalkyl chains enhanced the hydrogen bonding effect and micropphase interactions, leading to high mechanical strength (27.5 MPa) and elongation (926 %) of PFPU with lower mechanical hysteresis. The presence of PHMG imparts PFPUs with antibacterial abilities, while this efficiency is inversely proportional to the fluoroalkyl content since fluoroalkyl chains tend to migrate to the surface during casting, thereby occupying the surface position. PFPU exhibits good interfacial adhesion and compatibility with pristine waterborne polyurethane (WPU) substrates. As a topcoat for the WPU substrate, PFPU reduced the friction coefficient of the surface by 63 % and achieved anti-inorganic fouling due to the lower surface energy (25.72 mJ/m2). Moreover, the existence of the PFPU coating realized the antibacterial properties of the final product. Both the developed synthesis pathway and the PFPU-based topcoat provide a new perspective for coating technology and surface functionalization strategies. [Display omitted] • PHMG and fluorinated diol dual-polymer-functionalized waterborne polyurethanes (PFPUs) were designed and prepared. • Fluoroalkyl chains contributes to H-bonding, leading to excellent mechanical properties of PFPU. • PFPU coating exhibits good interfacial adhesion and compatibility with WPU substrates. • PFPU coating achieved coalesced antibacterial and anti-inorganic fouling abilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of hydrophobic fumed silica on phase structure, surface morphology, water contact angle, thermal stability and UV–visible transmittance of nonionic waterborne polyurethane/silica (NWPU/S) nanocomposites were investigated. The micro-phase separation of soft segments and hard segments was enhanced and notable silica particles were enriched in the upmost surface, resulting in the rougher surface, which contributed to the improved hydrophobicity of NWPU/S films. NWPU/S film with homogeneous distributed silica particles showed enhanced stiffness. With an increase in the content of hydrophobic fumed silica, the thermal stability of NWPU/S nanocomposites was enhanced due to the thermal insulation effect of fumed silica and the interactions between NWPU and silica particles. In addition, NWPU/S films showed superior UVA irradiation performance over pure NWPU. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a series of waterborne polyurethane/fumed silica (WPU/S) hybrids were prepared by an optimized in situ polymerization through a grafting process. Fourier transform infrared spectrum and X-ray diffraction confirmed the enhanced interfacial interactions between fumed silica particles and polyurethane (PU) segments. Atomic force microscopy demonstrated well dispersion of fumed silica in PU matrix and the rough surface of WPU/S hybrid films, which contributed to improved water resistance. The thermal stability of WPU was also improved by the incorporation of fumed silica, and the glass transition temperature of WPU/S increased compared with pure WPU. Moreover, as the content of fumed silica increased from 0% to 4%, the tensile strength of WPU/S increased from 29.0 MPa to 37.6 MPa without losing high elongation at break. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

17β-Estradiol ( E2) surface molecularly imprinted polymers have been prepared using functionalized monodispersed poly(glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) beads as a support. The resulting polymers were found to be uniform in size (5 μm), and the surfaces of the microspheres possessed large pore-like structures. A chromatographic experiment demonstrated that the resulting microspheres exhibited high levels of recognition and selectivity toward the target molecule. The particles were employed as a novel sorbent in a molecularly imprinted SPE protocol. A method was then developed involving the combination of the pretreatment with HPLC to determine the levels of estrogen secreted from Michigan Cancer Foundation-7 cells. The obtained results revealed that the extraction recoveries of E2 from real samples were in the range of 73.0-97.5% with RSDs of < 7.5% ( n = 3). Calibration curves were established with R values > 0.9996 for concentrations in the range of 0.50-100.00 ng/mL. The LOD of this new method was 0.14 ng/mL. Compared with traditional C18 SPE agents, the particles showed high selectivity and extraction efficiency for E2 in the pretreatment process. The particles could therefore be used to determine trace estrogen in biological samples with a UV detector only. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The method of directly printing liquid metal films as highly conductive and super compliant electrodes for dielectric elastomer actuator (DEA) was proposed and experimentally demonstrated with working mechanisms interpreted. Such soft electrodes enable DE film to approach its maximum strain and stress at relatively low voltages. Further, its unique capability of achieving two-dimensional in-plane self-healing by merely actuating the DEA was disclosed, which would allow actuators more tolerant to fault and resilient to abusive environments. This high performance actuator has important value in a wide spectrum of situations ranging from artificial muscle, flexible electronics to smart clothing etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Molecularly imprinted polymer beads of bovine serum albumin (BSA) were prepared via inverse phase suspension polymerization, using BSA as the template molecule, a combination of acrylamide and methacrylic acid (MAA) as double functional monomers, and N, N′-methylene bisacrylamide as the crosslinker. The effect of different monomer ratios and degrees of crosslinking were investigated. When both selectivity and physical properties of the resultant polymer beads were taken into account, the ratio of MAA in the total monomers was chosen at 40% (m/m) and the degree of crosslinking at 30% (n/n), the resultant polymer beads had good selectivity (α = 2.77) and good physical properties. The effects of pH and temperature were studied. It turned out that the functionalization of polymers of BSA prepared via inverse-phase suspension polymerization exhibited specific recognition for BSA. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(1) Background: Bacterial infections have long threatened global public safety; hence, it is significant to continuously develop antibacterial fibers that are closely related to people's daily lives. Berberine hydrochloride is a natural antibacterial agent that has application prospects in the preparation of antibacterial fibers. (2) Methods: This study firstly verified the antibacterial properties of berberine hydrochloride and its possible antibacterial mechanism. Thereafter, berberine hydrochloride was introduced into the self-made melt-spun polyurethane fiber through optimized coating technology. The performance of coating modified polyurethane fiber has been systematically evaluated, including its antibacterial properties, mechanical properties, and surface wettability. (3) Results: Results show that the antibacterial polyurethane fiber with desirable comprehensive properties is expected to be used in the biomedical fields. (4) Conclusions: The research also provides a reference for the development and application of other natural antibacterial ingredients in fiber fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydroxyapatite (HA) and HA-based nanocomposites have been recognized as ideal biomaterials in hard tissue engineering because of their compositional similarity to bioapatite. However, the traditional HA-based nanocomposites fabrication techniques still limit the utilization of HA in bone, cartilage, dental, applications, and other fields. In recent years, three-dimensional (3D) printing has been shown to provide a fast, precise, controllable, and scalable fabrication approach for the synthesis of HA-based scaffolds. This review therefore explores available 3D printing technologies for the preparation of porous HA-based nanocomposites. In the present review, different 3D printed HA-based scaffolds composited with natural polymers and/or synthetic polymers are discussed. Furthermore, the desired properties of HA-based composites via 3D printing such as porosity, mechanical properties, biodegradability, and antibacterial properties are extensively explored. Lastly, the applications and the next generation of HA-based nanocomposites for tissue engineering are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This smart membrane possesses a robust hydrostatic pressure resistance (17,800 mm H 2 O). • The water vapor transmission (WVT) of membrane sensitively responds to varying humidity and temperature, respectively. • This membrane has a better heat retention property than Gore-Tex. Wearable materials with properties of personal thermal management and self-adaptive breathability have attracted increasing attention due to urgent demand for energy and resources sustainable development. Particularly, ideal garment for utilizing in cold weather should be equipped with multifunctional properties, for instance, warmth, waterproofness, self-adaptive breathability, and self-cleanness. This study reported an all-around intelligent hybrid membrane based on synthesizing thermal-humid-sensitive thermoplastic polyurethane (THSPU) and blending silica aerogel particles (SAs) through a facile method. The obtained hybrid membrane exhibited robust waterproofness and self-adaptive breathability with varying humidity and temperature as well as warmth retention property. At a constant temperature of 25 ℃, by increasing relative water vapor partial pressure from 10% to 70%, water vapor transmission (WVT) increased from 140 g/m2·24h to 4400 g/m2·24h. At cool environment (5 ℃), WVT retains a low value of 1000g/m2·24h while WVT shows a significant increase to 4200 g/m2·24h at room temperature of 25 ℃. Besides, it is firstly revealed that the hybrid THSPUs membrane possesses robust hydrostatic pressure of 17,800 mmH 2 O and integrated mechanical strength of 35 MPa for broken strength, 750% for broken elongation. Moreover, the obtained hybrid membrane and its laminate textile exhibit heat retention property than commercial product (Gore-Tex). It is believed that the hybrid THSPUs membrane is an effective and scalable product for personal thermal management, smart wearable application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waterborne polyurethane (WPU) with high solid content (45%) was obtained by utilizing dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA) and ethoxylated capped polymeric diol as complex hydrophilic groups. Alkyl-grafted silica was incorporated into polymer matrix through in situ polymerization to improve the performance of coatings casted from WPU dispersions. The addition of alkyl-grafted silica enlarged the particle size distribution whilst increased emulsion viscosity, which showed little influence on attainment of high solid content for WPU. The properties of obtained WPU/Silica coatings were investigated. Results showed that the functionalized surface of silica provides good compatibility with the WPU matrix, which promoted the homogeneous dispersion of silica particles. This facilitated the formation of nanosized silica papillae on coatings, contributing to surface roughness and hydrophobicity. Solvent resistance of WPU was enhanced with existence of alkyl-grafted silica particles. The WPU/Silica coatings also displayed improved thermal stability due to the thermal insulation ability and tortuous path effect of silica. Besides this, valid interactions between silica and WPU resulted in hybrid microphase of which the synergistic effect imparted superior mechanical properties at relatively low loadings of silica (2%). The facile technique presented here will provide an effective and promising method for preparing WPU hybrids with enhanced performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intensive use of synthetic nitrogen fertilizers over the last century has both increased agricultural productivity and modified biogeochemical cycles in terrestrial ecosystems, causing severe negative environmental impacts. Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) plantations usually receive high levels of synthetic fertilizers, which strongly affect plant and soil properties. However, there is no quantitative study to assess how synthetic N additions affect soil chemistry and the production and quality of tea shoots. Here, we conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of experimental synthetic N fertilizers. Our main findings are (1) N additions in tea plantations acidify soils (− 0.41 pH unit in average) and produce soil nutrient imbalance. Soil acidification commonly exacerbates the accumulations of toxic aluminum ions. (2) Synthetic N fertilizer additions may strongly increase tea production by almost 70% but alter tea shoot quality by increasing the concentrations of free amino acids (+ 16%), caffeine (+ 14%), and water extracts (+ 5%) while decreasing those of soluble sugars (− 8%) in the tea shoots. The responses of soil chemistry, tea production, and quality to N additions can vary among experimental conditions, tea tree species, and N fertilizer forms. Because there is statistical limitation in this meta-analysis, our findings recommend performing additional field studies to explore the potential mechanisms of nutrient cycling and ecosystem functioning under synthetic N additions. The development of a sustainable N management strategy in tea plantations is also urgently needed to enhance N use efficiency and reduce environmental risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea plants are continuously confronted with a wide range of biotic and abiotic stressors in the field, which can occur concurrently or sequentially. To elucidate the molecular mechanisms in responses to such individual and combined stresses, we used RNAseq to compare the temporal changes in the transcriptome of Camellia sinensis to Ectropis oblique Prout alone or in combination with exposure to drought and heat. Compared with the individual stress, tea plants exhibit significant differences in transcriptome profiles under the combined stresses. Additionally, many unique genes exhibited significant differences in expression in individual and combined stress conditions. Our research showed novel insights into the molecular mechanisms of E. oblique Prout resistance in tea plants and provided a valuable resource for developing tea varieties with broad spectrum stress tolerance. • Tea plants are simultaneously changed by abiotic and biotic stresses in field. We used RNAseq to compare the temporal changes in the transcriptome of tea to Ectropis oblique alone or in combination with exposure to drought and heat. Significant differences in transcriptome profiles were identified between the individual and the combined stresses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infected wounds can result in complex clinical complications and delayed healing, presenting a significant global public health challenge. This study explored the effects of topical application of two probiotics, Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (LGG) and Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis BB-12, on the microenvironment of infected wounds and their impact on wound healing. LGG and BB-12 were applied separately and topically on the Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus)-infected skin wounds of the rat model on a daily basis. Both probiotics significantly accelerated wound healing, demonstrated by enhanced granulation tissue formation and increased collagen deposition, with BB-12 showing superior efficacy. LGG and BB-12 both effectively inhibited neutrophil infiltration and decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) and interleukin-6 (IL-6). Notably, BB-12 markedly reduced IL-6 levels, while LGG significantly lowered TNF-α, transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). Additionally, both probiotics promoted macrophage polarization towards the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. Microbiota analysis revealed that LGG and BB-12 significantly decreased the abundance of pathogenic bacteria (e.g. Staphylococcus and Proteus) and increased the proportion of beneficial bacteria (e.g. Corynebacterium). Particularly, BB-12 was more effective in reducing Staphylococcus abundance, whereas LGG excelled in promoting Corynebacterium growth. These findings suggest the ability of LGG and BB-12 to modulate the wound microenvironment, enhance wound healing and provide valuable insights for the management of infected wounds., (© 2024 The Author(s). Microbial Biotechnology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.)