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Although their cost-effectiveness and intrinsic safety, aqueous zinc-ion batteries suffer from notorious side reactions including hydrogen evolution reaction, Zn corrosion and passivation, and Zn dendrite formation on the anode. Despite numerous strategies to alleviate these side reactions have been demonstrated, they can only provide limited performance improvement from a single aspect. Herein, a triple-functional additive with trace amounts, ammonium hydroxide, was demonstrated to comprehensively protect zinc anodes. The results show that the shift of electrolyte pH from 4.1 to 5.2 lowers the HER potential and encourages the in situ formation of a uniform ZHS-based solid electrolyte interphase on Zn anodes. Moreover, cationic NH4+ can preferentially adsorb on the Zn anode surface to shield the “tip effect” and homogenize the electric field. Benefitting from this comprehensive protection, dendrite-free Zn deposition and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping behaviors were realized. Besides, improved electrochemical performances can also be achieved in Zn//MnO2 full cells by taking the advantages of this triple-functional additive. This work provides a new strategy for stabilizing Zn anodes from a comprehensive perspective.

To compensate for a sessile nature, plants have developed sophisticated mechanisms to sense varying environmental conditions. Phytochromes (phys) are light and temperature sensors that regulate downstream genes to render plants responsive to environmental stimuli1–4. Here, we show that phyB directly triggers the formation of a repressive chromatin loop by physically interacting with VERNALIZATION INSENSITIVE 3-LIKE1/VERNALIZATION 5 (VIL1/VRN5), a component of Polycomb Repressive Complex 2 (PRC2)5,6, in a light-dependent manner. VIL1 and phyB cooperatively contribute to the repression of growth-promoting genes through the enrichment of Histone H3 Lys27 trimethylation (H3K27me3), a repressive histone modification. In addition, phyB and VIL1 mediate the formation of a chromatin loop to facilitate the repression of ATHB2. Our findings show that phyB directly utilizes chromatin remodelling to regulate the expression of target genes in a light-dependent manner. Phytochrome B was found to directly trigger light-dependent chromatin remodelling by physically interacting with a component of PRC2, thereby regulating the expression of target genes, including growth-promoting genes.

Green and environmentally friendly electrocatalytic nitrogen (N2) fixation to synthesize ammonia (NH3) is recognized as an effective method to replace the traditional Haber–Bosch process. However, the difficulties in N2 adsorption and fracture of hard N≡N bond still remain major challenges in electrocatalytic N2 reduction reactions (NRR). From the perspectives of enhancing N2 adsorption and providing more catalytic sites, two-dimensional (2D) FeS2 nanosheets and three-dimensional (3D) metal organic framework-derived ZnS embedded within N-doped carbon polyhedras are grown on the carbon cloth (CC) template in this work. Thus, a composite NRR catalyst with multi-dimensional structures, which is signed as FeS2/ZnS-NC@CC, is obtained for using over a wide pH range. The uniform distribution of hollow ZnS-NC frameworks and FeS2 nanosheets on the surface of CC largely increase the N2 enrichment efficiency and offer more active sites, while the CC skeleton acts as an independent conductive substrate and S-doping helps promote the fracture of N≡N bond during the NRR reaction. As a result, the FeS2/ZnS-NC@CC electrode achieves a high Faraday efficiency of 46.84% and NH3 yield of 58.52 μg h−1 mg−1 at -0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl in 0.1 M KOH. Furthermore, the FeS2/ZnS-NC@CC electrode displays excellent NRR catalytic activity in acidic and neutral electrolytes as well, which outperforms most previously reported electrocatalysts including noble metals. Therefore, this work provides a new way for the design of multi-dimensional electrocatalysts with excellent electrocatalytic efficiency and stability for NRR applications.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have emerged as important roles in gastric cancer (GC). However, the role of the dysregulated lncRNAs in GC remained large unknown. We investigated the clinical significance, biological function and mechanism of CTC-497E21.4 in GC. Firstly, RTFQ-PCR was used to detect the expression of CTC-497E21.4 in GC. Furthermore, knockdown of CTC-497E21.4 was conducted to assess the effect of CTC-497E21.4 in vitro and vivo. Subcellular localization of CTC-497E21.4 was determined by nuclear plasmolysis PCR and FISH. We also predicted CTC-497E21.4 binding miRNAs and downstream target genes and evaluated its regulation of miR-22 by acting as a ceRNA. CTC-497E21.4 was upregulated in GC tissues and GC cell lines (P

Dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE) are catecholamines primarily studied in the central nervous system that also act in the pancreas as peripheral regulators of metabolism. Pancreatic catecholamine signaling has also been increasingly implicated as a mechanism responsible for the metabolic disturbances produced by antipsychotic drugs (APDs). Critically, however, the mechanisms by which catecholamines modulate pancreatic hormone release are not completely understood. We show that human and mouse pancreatic α- and β-cells express the catecholamine biosynthetic and signaling machinery, and that α-cells synthesize DA de novo. This locally-produced pancreatic DA signals via both α- and β-cell adrenergic and dopaminergic receptors with different affinities to regulate glucagon and insulin release. Significantly, we show DA functions as a biased agonist at α2A-adrenergic receptors, preferentially signaling via the canonical G protein-mediated pathway. Our findings highlight the interplay between DA and NE signaling as a novel form of regulation to modulate pancreatic hormone release. Lastly, pharmacological blockade of DA D2-like receptors in human islets with APDs significantly raises insulin and glucagon release. This offers a new mechanism where APDs act directly on islet α- and β-cell targets to produce metabolic disturbances.

A nanocomposite consisting of zinc sulfide quantum dots and polyaniline (ZnSQD@PANI) was placed on a gold electrode along with antibody against clenbuterol to give an amperometric immunosensor for clenbuterol. Compared to the use of pristine PANI, the electrode modified with the ZnSQD@PANI nanocomposite adsorbs clenbuterol antibody much better and therefore exhibits higher sensitivity to clenbuterol. The biosensor, when operated at a working potential of 0.21 V (vs. Ag/AgCl), displays a detection limit as low as 5.5 pg⋅mL−1 and works over the 0.01 to 10 ng⋅mL−1 concentration range. Related species such as salbutamol and ractopamine, urine components such as urea and uric acid, and the ions Ca(II), Na(I), and K(I) do not interfere.

Laparoscopic ultrasound (LUS) has been widely utilized as a surgical aide in general, urological, and gynecological applications. Our study summarizes the clinical applications of laparoscopic ultrasonography in laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. Retrospective analyses were performed on 42 women subjects using laparoscopic surgery during laparoscopic extirpation and excision of gynecological tumors in our hospital from August 2011 to August 2013. Specifically, the Esaote 7.5 × 10 MHz laparoscopic transducer was used to detect small residual lesions, as well as to assess, locate and guide in removing the lesions during laparoscopic operations. The findings of LUS were compared with those of preoperative trans-vaginal ultrasound, postoperative, and pathohistological examinations. In addition, a novel method for lesion segmentation was proposed in order to facilitate the laparoscopic gynecologic surgery. In our experiment, laparoscopic operation was performed using a higher frequency and more close to pelvic organs via laparoscopic access. LUS facilitates the ability of gynaecologists to find small residual lesions under laparoscopic visualization and their accurate diagnosis. LUS also helps to locate residual lesions precisely and provides guidance for the removal of residual tumor and eliminate its recurrence effectively. Our experiment provides a safer and more valuable assistance for clinical applications in laparoscopic gynecological surgery that are superior to trans-abdominal ultrasound and trans-vaginal ultrasound.

Objective To observe the clinical effect of point application using Chinese herbal medicine for chronic cough in children.

Histone modifications affect gene expression level. Several studies have shown that they may play key roles in regulating gene expression in plants under abiotic stress, but genome-wide surveys of such stress-related modifications are very limited, especially for crops. By using ChIP-Seq and RNA-Seq, we investigated the genome-wide distribution pattern of histone H3 lysine4 tri-methylation (H3K4me3) and the pattern's association with whole genome expression profiles of rice (Oryza sativa L.) under drought stress, one of the major and representative abiotic stresses. We detected 51.1 and 48 % of annotated genes with H3K4me3 modification in rice seedlings under normal growth (control) and drought stress conditions, respectively. By RNA-Seq, 76.7 and 79 % of annotated genes were detected with expression in rice seedlings under the control and drought stress conditions, respectively. Furthermore, 4,837 genes were differentially H3K4me3-modified (H3M), (3,927 genes with increased H3M; 910 genes with decreased H3M) and 5,866 genes were differentially expressed (2,145 up-regulated; 3,721 down-regulated) in drought stress. Differential H3K4me3 methylation only affects a small proportion of stress-responsive genes, and the H3K4me3 modification level was significantly and positively correlated with transcript level only for a subset of genes showing changes both in modification and expression with drought stress. Moreover, for the H3K4me3-regulated stress-related genes, the H3K4me3 modification level was mainly increased in genes with low expression and decreased in genes with high expression under drought stress. The comprehensive data of H3K4me3 and gene expression profiles in rice under drought stress provide a useful resource for future epigenomic regulation studies in plants under abiotic stresses.

To elucidate the potential factors modulating exposure to aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) in three Chinese populations, an epidemiologic study was conducted in Fusui County and Nanning City of Guangxi Province and Chengdu City of Sichuan Province. The incidence rates of hepatocelluar carcinoma (HCC) for males in these three regions were 92–97 per 100,000, 32–47 per 100,000, and 21 per 100,000, respectively. Eighty-nine residents from Fusui, 196 residents from Nanning, and 118 residents from Chengdu were screened for AFB1–albumin adduct (AAA) levels and hepatitis virus (HBV, HCV, HDV, HEV, and HGV) infections, as well as liver biochemistry (alanine aminotransferase [ALT], aspartate aminotransferase [AST], alkaline phosphatase [ALP], γ-glutamyl transpeptidase [GGT], 5′-nucleotidase, globulin [GLO], direct bilirubin, indirect bilirubin, and bile acid levels). At least one marker of hepatitis virus (HV) infection was present in 47.2% (42/89) of subjects from Fusui, while in Nanning and Chengdu the values were 15.8% (31/196) and 22.0% (26/118), respectively. In contrast to females, a higher level of AAA was observed in males; the difference was statistically significant in both the Nanning (P = 0.023) and the Chengdu (P = 0.026) subjects. In the Chengdu group, there was a significantly higher level of AAA in cases with HV infection (P = 0.041). There was a close association between AAA level and BMI in the adults without HV infection (r = 0.148, P = 0.044). Also, AAA was closely associated with DBIL and GGT in non-HV-infected minors (P < 0.05), closely associated with ALB, GLO, and GGT in HV-infected minors (P < 0.05), and closely associated with IBIL, GLO, TBA, and AST in non-HV-infected adults (P < 0.01). The co-effect of HV infection and AFB1 exposure may be responsible for the high risk of HCC in the Fusui region, whereas age, gender, BMI, and HV infection may modify individual aflatoxin levels. The relationship between AAA level and liver biochemistry indicates injury induced by aflatoxin to both hepatic parenchyma and biliary tract. But the associations vary with age and HV infection status.