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Anion doping is an efficient method for modifying the electrical property of the p‐type semiconductor CuI. However, adjustment of the hole density is still challenging. Using sputtering and spin coating techniques, well‐controlled S‐doping of CuI thin films has been realized. The spin‐coated samples present a single (111) out‐of‐plane orientation and very high crystallinity, which is comparable with previously reported epitaxial CuI thin films. The sputtered thin films have advantages in surface morphology and conductivity. Substituting S for I can achieve efficient acceptor doping of CuI for both the physical and chemical growth methods. The highest conductivity of CuI appears at 2.0 at% of S doping, and the doping efficiency is influenced by the self‐compensation effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell wall glycine‐rich proteins (GRPs) play important roles in plant growth and development, as well as in the effective prevention of plant diseases. Although members of the GRP family have been identified in several plants, a comprehensive analysis of GRPs has not been reported in Solanaceae plants. In this study, 43 GRPs were identified from Solanum tuberosum (named StGRPs), Solanum lycopersicum, Capsicum annuum and Nicotiana attenuata. The comparative study of these GRPs showed that they were conservative in physical properties, structures of genes and motifs. The expression patterns of Solanum tuberosum StGRPs under biotic and abiotic stress were analysed and presented very diverse profiles in responding to ABA, IAA, GA3, high salinity, pathogen and heat stress. Some StGRPs were preferentially and specifically expressed during the development of petioles and tubers, in which the expression of StGRPs was more sensitive to ABA confirmed by qRT‐PCR analysis. The strongly up‐regulated expression of StGRP1 induced by Ralstonia solanacearum indicated the positive role involved in the resistance against the bacterial wilt pathogen. Tissue localization analyses by Digoxin/fluorescence in situ hybridization indicated that the expression of StGRP1 was vascular‐specific and associated with cell wall thickening in vascular bundles and interfascicular fibres after R. solanacearum inoculation. These findings may provide a new insight into the roles of GRPs in adaptation to diverse stresses and in resistance to R. solanacearum in potatoes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Although widely used in clinical practice, vertebral augmentation procedure (VAP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture (OVCF) is not supported. Recently, the effect of recombinant human parathyroid hormone (1–34) (rhPTH) has been paid great attention for its efficacy in anti‐osteoporosis and bone union. This study aims to explore the outcome of rhPTH on acute OVCF and compare it with VAP to clarify its therapeutic advantages. Methods: The retrospective study comprised 71 acute OVCF patients from January 2015 to March 2020: 22 received rhPTH treatment (rhPTH group) and 49 underwent VAP (VAP group). The rhPTH group was 15 women and seven men with an average of 76.18 years, and the VAP group were 35 women and 14 men with an average of 73.63 years. The thoracic/lumbar vertebrae were 14/8 in the rhPTH group and 29/20 in the VAP group. The average follow‐up period was 14.05 months in the rhPTH group and 13.82 months in the VAP group. The two groups were assessed regarding the visual analog score (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), OVCF bone union, bone mineral density (BMD), kyphotic angle (KA), anterior and posterior border height (ABH and PBH, respectively), adverse events and the health‐related quality of life assessed by short form‐36 health survey scores (SF‐36). Categorical variables were analyzed by chi‐square test and continuous variables between groups were analyzed by independent samples t‐test or Mann–Whitney U test according to the normality. Results: During the follow‐up, the VAS was significantly lower in the rhPTH group than in the VAP group at month 3 (0.39 ± 0.6 vs 0.68 ± 0.651) (p = 0.047), month 6 (0.45 ± 0.60 vs 2.18 ± 1.22) (p < 0.001), and month 12 (0.45 ± 0.60 vs 2.43 ± 1.49) (p < 0.001). At month 12, the ODI was significantly lower in the rhPTH group (18.59 ± 3.33%) than in the VAP group (28.93 ± 16.71%) (p < 0.001). Bone bridge was detected on sagittal computed tomography images of all fractured vertebrae in the rhPTH group. The BMD was significantly higher in the rhPTH group (87.66 ± 5.91 Hounsfield units [HU]) than in the VAP group (68.15 ± 11.32HU) (p < 0.001). There were no significant differences in the changes in KA, ABH, and PBH between groups (all p > 0.05). The incidence of new OVCF was significantly lower in the rhPTH group than in the VAP group (p = 0.042). All scores of SF‐36 were significantly higher in the rhPTH group than in the VAP group (all p < 0.05). Conclusion: In acute OVCF patients, rhPTH was better than VAP in increasing spinal BMD to promote OVCF healing, reduce new OVCF, and improve back pain, physical ability, and health‐related quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow‐delta sedimentary systems receive both terrestrial and marine organic matter. As oil and gas exploration activities determine that the source rocks of the deep‐water area of the Qiongdongnan Basin, northern South China Sea, are generally rich in and even dominated by terrestrial organic matter, this has led many researchers to examine the rules governing terrestrial organic matter enrichment in shallow‐delta sea sedimentary systems. However, the deep burial of source rocks in deep‐water areas and the relatively small amount of drilling undertaken have greatly restricted the study of these rules. In this study, the 'forward modeling' research method was used to observe and analyze the deposition and preservation of terrestrial organic matter through flume experiments, where the depositional results were carefully depicted and sampled. The total organic carbon content of selected samples was measured and when combined with qualitative observations and quantitative comparison results, the dominant enrichment areas of terrestrial organic matter were identified. The experimental results show that the overbank parts of the delta front, the dune countercurrent surface, the low‐lying parts, the delta front slope area and the shallow‐prodelta sea area are where terrestrial organic matter is predominantly enriched. This provides an important basis and guidance for the prediction of the development areas of marine source rocks with terrestrial input in the deep‐water areas of the Qiongdongnan Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of advanced transparent electrical devices has created an urgent demand for wide‐bandgap transparent semiconductors. Herein, a simple, low‐cost ink‐based method for preparation of LaCuOS is introduced. High transmittances of above 60% and 65% at visible (380–750 nm) and mid‐infrared (3–5 μm) wavelengths, respectively, are obtained with LaCuOS films prepared using this ink. With these films, the carrier concentration is above 1018 cm−3, while a conductivity of 5 S cm−1 is obtained, electrical properties that are both higher than those of most transparent p‐type semiconductors. From density functional theory calculations, it is surmised that the improved conductivity of the LaCuOS is a result of its high carrier concentration, and its hole effective mass, which is smaller than that of typical transparent p‐type semiconductors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crude oil has been discovered in the Paleogene and Neogene units of the Weixinan Sag in the Beibu Gulf Basin. To determine the source and accumulation mode of this crude oil, 12 crude oil samples and 27 source rock samples were collected and an extensive organic geochemical analysis was conducted on them. Based on the geological conditions and the analytical results, the types, origins and accumulation patterns of crude oil in the study area were elucidated. Except for a shallowly‐buried and biodegraded crude oil deposit in Neogene rocks, the crude oil samples in the study area were normal. All of the crude oils were derived from lacustrine source rocks. According to biomarker compositions, the crude oils could be divided into two families, A and B, distinctions that were reinforced by differences in carbon isotope composition and spatial distribution. Oil‐source correlation analysis based on biomarkers revealed that Family A oils were derived from the mature oil shale at the bottom of the second member of the Liushagang Formation, while the Family B oils formed in the mature shale of the Liushagang Formation. The Family A oils, generated by oil shale, mainly migrated laterally along sand bodies and were then redistributed in adjacent reservoirs above and below the oil shale layer, as well as in shallow layers at high structural positions, occupying a wide distribution range. The Family B oils were generated by other shale units before migrating vertically along faults to form reservoirs nearby, resulting in a narrow distribution range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ramie (Boehmeria nivea) is a perennial herb that is highly tolerant of heavy metals. In the present study, we cloned a novel metallothionein‐like gene from ramie; this gene, termed BnMTL, encodes a putative 46 amino acid protein with a molecular mass of 4.38 kDa. Analysis using quantitative RT‐PCR revealed that cadmium (Cd2+) treatment results in elevated expression of BnMTL in the roots. We heterologously overexpressed BnMTL in Escherichia coli cells to examine its binding to Cd2+ and its possible role in homeostasis. Recombinant E. coli cells expressing BnMTL exhibited a high tolerance of Cd2+ stress up to a concentration of 1 mm, and the observed accumulation of Cd2+ was almost eight‐fold higher than the control. These results demonstrate that BnMTL (i) is highly expressed in the root following exposure to Cd2+ and (ii) encodes a typical metallothionein‐like protein with high cadmium‐binding activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Al2O3/cerium oxide composite films were prepared on the surface of aluminum by anodic oxidation and chemical solution deposition. The aluminum was firstly anodized in sulfuric acid, then treated with different concentrations of Ce(NO3)3 · 6H2O solution at different temperatures. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive spectrometer (EDS), scanning electron microscope (SEM), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and electrochemical polarization tests were used to characterize the properties of the composite films. The results indicate that the Al2O3/cerium oxide composite films successfully form on 1060 Al alloy, and the best condition of film‐forming is 2 g/L Ce(NO3)3 · 6H2O and 50 °C. Al2O3/cerium oxide composite film under this condition has a uniform, smooth, and pyknotic surface topography and optimal corrosion resistance. The corrosion density at that time is 1.106 × 10−6 A/cm2 and the corrosion potential is −0.458 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ramie, Boehmeria nivea (L.) Gaudich, family Urticaceae, is a plant native to eastern Asia, and one of the world's oldest fibre crops. It is also used as animal feed and for the phytoremediation of heavy metal‐contaminated farmlands. Thus, the genome sequence of ramie was determined to explore the molecular basis of its fibre quality, protein content and phytoremediation. For further understanding ramie genome, different paired‐end and mate‐pair libraries were combined to generate 134.31 Gb of raw DNA sequences using the Illumina whole‐genome shotgun sequencing approach. The highly heterozygous B. nivea genome was assembled using the Platanus Genome Assembler, which is an effective tool for the assembly of highly heterozygous genome sequences. The final length of the draft genome of this species was approximately 341.9 Mb (contig N50 = 22.62 kb, scaffold N50 = 1,126.36 kb). Based on ramie genome annotations, 30,237 protein‐coding genes were predicted, and the repetitive element content was 46.3%. The completeness of the final assembly was evaluated by benchmarking universal single‐copy orthologous genes (BUSCO); 90.5% of the 1,440 expected embryophytic genes were identified as complete, and 4.9% were identified as fragmented. Phylogenetic analysis based on single‐copy gene families and one‐to‐one orthologous genes placed ramie with mulberry and cannabis, within the clade of urticalean rosids. Genome information of ramie will be a valuable resource for the conservation of endangered Boehmeria species and for future studies on the biogeography and characteristic evolution of members of Urticaceae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Plant root secretion can be regarded as signal molecules, which exerts impact on microorganisms in the rhizosphere ecological niche. We obtained gene expression profile of Ralstonia solanacearumPO41 under the root secretions environment of Solanum tuberosum at the time points of 8 hrs, 16 hrs and 24 hrs, respectively, after infection with RNA microarray technology. Bioinformatics tools of differential genes expression analysis, GO functional analysis, cluster analysis and pathway analysis were conducted to find out the pathogenic genes and other related genes. We found that the virulence factors of R. solanacearum mainly focused on the output pathways of toxic protein (Sec pathway, Tat pathway and type III secretion system (T3SS)), the aggregation and transfer of exopolysaccharides and the chemotactic movement and adhesion of flagellum in the potato root secretion ecological niche, while the virulence factors in the atypical output pathway mainly distributed in Sec (secB, secDF, yidc) and Tat (tatA, tatC) pathways to promote the output of folded and unfolded toxic proteins. The fliIATPase was obviously upregulated 8 hrs postinoculation, suggesting that type III secretion system was only active at the early stage of PO41 infection. The upregulated expression of phosphoglucomutase and epimerase showed that the virulence factor of exopolysaccharides (EPS) was synthesized at the early stage of R. solanacearum infection. Chemotactic receptor and motor protein were obviously upregulated within 24 hrs postinoculation. Our study revealed that R. solanacearumPO41 had already colonized to the roots within 24 hrs with the stimulating of root secretion. Some pathogenic genes were upregulated during this period. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of ultrasound with different frequencies on the degradation, crystallization behavior, and mechanical properties of polypropylene were investigated by means of intrinsic viscosity, gel permeation chromatography, dynamic rheological measurements, X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, polarized optical microscopy, and tensile and impact measurements. The results demonstrated that the degradation extent of polypropylene (PP) increased with increasing sonication time, especially for the samples treated in more than 5 min. Meanwhile, PP treated at 20 KHz was more easily degraded than other two frequencies. On the other hand, β-form PP could be induced by ultrasonic irradiation, its amount increased as the sonication time increased to 3 min and then decreased as the time further increased due to the degradation of PP. Likewise, β-phase was more easily formed when PP was treated at 20 KHz. The results of mechanical properties showed that the toughness of PP could be enhanced by the formation of β−phase, while the mechanical properties would be weakened by the substantial degradation under ultrasonic irradiation with higher intensity. Therefore, it was believed that the effects of both sonication time and frequency should account for the balance between toughening and degradation of PP. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 55:2566-2575, 2015. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates fault-tolerant control (FTC) for feedback linearizable systems (FLSs) and its applications. The dynamic effects caused by the actuator faults on the feedback linearized model are firstly analyzed, which reveals that under actuator faults, the control input in the linearized model is affected by uncertain terms. In the framework of model reference control, the first FTC strategy is proposed as a robust controller, which achieves asymptotic tracking control of the FLS under actuator faults. A disadvantage of this strategy is that it relies on explicit information about several parameters in the actuator faults. This requirement is later relaxed by combining the robust FTC strategy with an adaptive technique to generate the adaptive FTC law, which is then improved to alleviate possible chattering of the actuator and estimation drifting of the adaptive parameter. Finally, the proposed FTC strategies are evaluated by reference command tracking control of a pendulum and an air-breathing hypersonic vehicle under actuator faults. Simulation results demonstrate good tracking performance, which confirms effectiveness of the proposed strategies. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]